Here You Go.
Sesshoumaru sat up in the room. He could never spend too much time in this room. He tried to dream of other things. He only saw her when he slept. It was much easier for him to live inside his dreams, where he could be with her forever. Her smile, her face, the way she had instantly wormed into his heart. She was everything he cared to know. Sesshoumaru left his room and stared at the door as it closed. The castle was still maintained by his servants, he just didn't host any type of gatherings or social events anymore. He would leave that to Izayoi she was still after all alive. He was grateful for that. Inuyasha was just about a man now. Yes, he was prince, however, he never acted the part. Sesshoumaru could hear him running around through the heavy doors. Sesshoumaru had never been so tired in his life and now it seemed as if life could not satisfy him. His room was dark and smelled of him. He climbed into his bed and closed his eyes.
3 months later.
She was beautiful, she was more than he had ever expected. A stubborn look on her face. Her lip curled as she sat beside her 'mother' as she was forced to call Lady Yuuriko. Her long hair waved lightly and was pulled back behind her. She was clothed by a kimono of magnificence. It was in the colors of her family crest royal blue and deep violet, like a fading night sky. Embroidered with stars and the moon. Her features had softened her lashes seemed longer than all the demoness' that were present in the room. Her scent was floating around the room and all noticed. Sesshoumaru could feel the power of her priestess abilities fogging the air around her. She hadn't seen him yet, could it be that she had forgotten him? She had grown into herself. The full lips stained by the blood of strawberries, and her light hazel eyes darting around the room looking for the first escape she could picture.
"Rin, I would love for you to meet, Lord Kouga." Lady Yuuriko said. Rin feigned perfect etiquette. A brief and forced smile stretched over her pearly white teeth. Kouga's eyes seemed hungry, he wanted her. His electric eyes traveled her body which was developed beautifully. The curves looked softer under the kimono. He was no doubt imagining her with out them in his mind. Sesshoumaru could his blood begin to boil with every second that Kouga's eyes lingered. Rin made an excuse to freshen up and Sesshoumaru found in that the perfect opportunity to talk to her. To see if she remembered how natural they were. His stride carried him to her.
"Rin?" he whispered as he caught her in a dark lonely hall she gasped as he pulled her into a small space.
"Sesshoumaru…" she said in surprise. She threw her arms around him and he let out of great sigh of relief as she did. He hadn't realized how worried he had been concerning her memory of him. Rin breathed in his scent of spices and fresh air. She had not known that his being there would comfort her so much. She never thought she would see him again after the death of his mother and little sister.
"I did not think you would remember me." he whispered into her ear, pure happiness flowing from his voice.
"I could never forget you. I thought I would never see you again." she said into his chest. There was a fluttering feeling bouncing around in her ribs and a sense of home in her heart.
"I planned to go back." he told her.
"I hate this place. I hate court." she mumbled, he could smell the salt of her tears and he could feel it through the soft material of his top. She was crying on him softly.
"Are you alright?" he asked her tenderly.
"I'm just happy that there is at least one person here that I can trust." she confessed pulling herself away from him. Sesshoumaru looked at her.
"I am sorry that they forced you to come." he told her.
"You look so different when you are here. You look so stoic and cold." she said to him.
"I know." he replied.
"I thought maybe you had changed." she said looking into his eyes.
"I will always remain the same for you…" he told her.
"Can we escape this place?" she asked him with a smile on her lips.
"There's a field out of town, no one but me ever goes there." he told her.
"Really? Take me?" she asked like a child with happiness.
"I promise you I will." Sesshoumaru looked at her he could not help but to smile at her, a dazzling smile that was rare on this King who always seemed to have no emotion. As they returned to the ball room Izayoi took notice and she witnessed the smile that was there for less than a second and saw the straight face he lived with return. She watched the southern princess with intrigue. Around her neck was a small blue jewel glowing with life. Rin took her place beside Yuuriko who continued to parade the beauty around Kouga. Kouga was very interested in her hand. As the party closed, Yuuriko led Rin to a room that was very near the eastern lord's quarters. Rin slipped into her sleeping yukata and laid back on the futon. She could hear Kouga rustling about in his room which she realized was right next to hers. She could smell his hormones from here. Then as she was falling into a light sleep she saw, through the side of her eye, a figure tall and proud in her doorway. She sat up in the bed with a deep breath as she watched the figure take steps closer to hers. Each movement was graceful and silent like a cat stalking in the night.
"Who is that?" she whispered.
"Sesshoumaru." he said his name so lowly that only those with advanced hearing would understand. A smile passed her face as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him, it was dark so he couldn't see the blush that covered her cheeks.
"Come with me." he ordered lightly, sticking out his hand.
"I'm not properly dressed." Rin laughed as she took his hand, she looked at his other hand which held a basket filled with from what she could smell something sweet.
"Now, get on my back." he said to her, she blushed as she watched him crouch down. She leaned her body on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck loosely, he grabbed her legs in his arms and looked at the window that was open.
"You realize how dangerous it is to keep your window open." he commented before a smile took his lips.
"No, why?" she asked, his answer was in the form of him jumping out of the window and her letting out a soft yelp as they fell through the ear.
"I will never let you fall." he promised her, his deep velvet voice swirled in her ears. Rin smiled at this and waited for the impact of the ground. Sesshoumaru landed with the grace only a demon could conjure. He ran far away from his castle and through the thick forests that surrounded it. Once he stopped Rin saw the most enthralling sight she had seen in her short life. The flowers seemed to glow under the silver light that was spread by the moon. She climbed off of Sesshoumaru's back and let her eyes take in the beauty of the meadow. She could not believe that this was a real place. She was in awe. Sesshoumaru watched her face change with delight as the sight filled her with joy. His honey eyes seemed warm as he watched her. The side that only she was allowed.
"Please, tell me that this is all real." she begged as she turned to him, a sight that stole her breath. His hair was loose around dipping over his shoulder as his golden eyes watched, the snow white skin that he had seemed to make him glow, with a silver crown of glittering hair. His face so content, she stopped in her tracks and watched his eyes watch hers.
"It is very real. I come here when I need to be alone." he answered.
"Then why, did you bring me?" she asked him. A smile cracked at the corner of his lips.
"I like to be alone with you." he answered. She said nothing in response only blushed at his words. She could feel butterflies take flight in her stomach. He motioned to a blanket that had been laid out while she had admired the beauty of the meadow. She sat beside him as he opened the basket which revealed sake and strawberries. He watched as she smiled, why he had not realized the feelings he held for her earlier was a mystery to him. Then he recalled the words Lady Yuuriko had spoken earlier and he felt his blood boil with in him again. Rin noticed the change in him as well.
"Is something wrong?" she questioned the atmosphere had changed drastically.
"It's nothing…just Yuuriko is trying to contract your hand to Lord Kouga of the East." he answered.
"What?" she asked in shock.
"She wants you to marry that, savage wolf." he spat out.
"I do not love him." she protested.
"Yuuriko hated your mother, I think she will do anything to see you suffer." Sesshoumaru said.
"You cannot choose who you fall in love with." Rin said.
"Rin…I will try to help you the best I can." Sesshoumaru told her.
"Am I worth a war? I assure you she will wage one if she suspects you of ruining her plans and she will include Lord Kouga in it." Rin said.
"You are worth my life." he told her, Rin froze in her spot and stared at him. Her eyes were wide as she watched his face. He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers. It was as if fire had been shot into every one of her veins when he kissed her. A feeling that she didn't want to stop, but could not bear to control. She pulled herself away. He watched her this was the first time that he felt nervous, he feared her rejection.
"You cannot possibly imagine how much those words mean to me." she said, he felt a weight lift off of his shoulders and realized that he wanted to cherish every moment they spent together. Rin was nervous she was shaking all over. They talked about their everyday lives, they caught up with each other about the years they had been lost to each other. Sesshoumaru explained the life of court to her and then he took her home as she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her lips stained with the blood of strawberries. He very tenderly placed her in the bed and kissed the top of her forehead before leaving unseen by anyone. He may have been unseen but he was not undetected. Sesshoumaru's heart had not felt so light since he was a child and she was the reason then too.