Chapter 8
After she had finally managed to control her powers, Rin had quickly found her sister and her brother and had gotten to talking to them. She explained to them the words she had given the queen and what she was currently feeling but most of all she begged them to understand why it was that she needed to leave as soon as possible. Just as she had finished, Rin had curled up and fallen asleep with her head resting on her elder sister's lap. Once she was completely asleep Rin had been pulled into a world of dreams and forgotten memories of years before she had encountered her beloved Lord. Just as the last of her memory, the memory of her first human death, Rin shot up only to be confused when she found herself alone in her sister's room.
"Maya…Haku?" Rin called out in a sleepy voice was she began to ease herself out of the bed.
When she received no answer Rin let out a low growl of frustration. She had all this power, could probably take on the whole village in her attempt to get away and to return to the family she missed so much but when it came down to it, she just couldn't do it. She would not disappoint the woman that had come to be like a mother, the mother she had never had in any of her life times, in such a way. 'I don't want Kagome-sama to be disappointed in me. I learned to be a better person than that from her.'
As she stood up and stretched out her muscles, Rin was finally able to notice the note that was left for her at the side table. After lighting the few candles around the room, Rin walked over and picked up the letter that had been left for her. Just as she had finished reading over it, Rin burned the letter in the fire place of her room. Maya had moved her while she had slept into a room just across the hall from the room she had fallen asleep in. This would be her room for as long as she wanted it to be, even if she left, Maya would make sure that this room would be kept as she wished it for her visits in the future. 'Well at least I know I'll be able to trust her when the time comes for me to get help to leave.'
Just as she was about to make her way over to the balcony to see the ocean view, Rin noticed for the first time that she was no longer wearing the small, child's clothing that she had been buried in and had been changed into a deep, blue/violet colored gown some time when she had fallen asleep and when she had woken up. After looking herself over, Rin let out a long sigh and mumbled, "Well I suppose I should make my way down. I'm sure they'll wish to hold dinner until I arrive and I'm sure Lord Totosai would not be happy if he had to wait."
Just as she was about to open the door, Rin froze and relaxed when she heard her sisters relived filled voice call out, "We heard you moving about when we walked out of the room. It's almost time for dinner, will you be joining us?"
"Yes, I was just about to make my way when I heard you. I would also like to speak with master Totosai about the weapon that he has been asked to make me. While I understand that it is their way to try to show their affection to me I would rather have a weapon that I have mastered rather than the traditional sword." Rin explained as she walked out of her room and smiled at her brother and sister as they stepped aside while she closed the door behind her.
"I see…have you met master Totosai before?" Haku asked in a surprised filled voice.
"I have but in another life. Is my room close to the court yard for training? I would like to train a bit and get my muscles to move the way they use to move before I was killed."
"Of course, would you like to spar with me?" Maya asked with a grin on her face. "Of course Haku will only be watching."
"Of course, I wouldn't want to harm my sister a second time." He went along with their light teasing.
"That sounds good, I could use a good spar and to see what it would be like to fight now that I have my demonic strength and speed."
"Umm…I suppose it would be best if we get you trained properly but that would have to be for another day, of course that is assuming you'll be staying for a few days."
At her sister's words, Rin felt a bit uneasy and allowed the rest of their walk to be filled with a tense silence that would have been sure to drive Haku or Maya mad had they not reached the dinner hall as quick as they had. While Maya continued to take her place at her mother's right, being the heir that she was, Rin chose to sit a bit away from the family and at the other end of the table where Totosai and Hiei had been seated. Before her father could say a word, he was silenced by a single tug from his mate. Once they were all seated, Rin turned to her old friend and said, "Lord Hiei, Master Totosai."
"Princess Aya," Hiei greeted her coldly as he kept his eyes trained on the young dragoness that had once claimed him as his friend.
"You, do I know you?" Totosai asked in a confused filled voice as he looked over the dragoness in front of him.
But before Rin could answer, him and explain to him how it was that he knew her and how she knew him, Rin turned to glare at her father when she heard his calm voice answer, "How can you know her Master Totosai, she has only just found her way home. This is our second daughter, Princess Aya of the East. The one whom will be needing a weapon made by your hand in order for you to fulfill your promise from long ago."
"Of course we'll have to make sure that you'll create a weapon that is befitting our daughter since she is the second heir." Her mother's voice followed in a gentle and proud filled voice.
Just as she was about to correct them and remind her two 'parents' that she wished to be called Rin, something in her older sisters eyes kept her from doing such a thing. It also did not help that Hiei seemed to be giving a look that seemed to be trying to warn her of something. Remembering what Inuyasha had taught and knowing that it would be unwise to ignore her instincts, Rin took in a deep breath and stated, "I'm sure master Totosai and I will have the chance to discuss the details of my weapon after we have all eaten our meals."
"Of course, Haku, Maya how did you enjoy your day today?" the queen quickly answered with a smile on her face when she took note of her daughters submission.
'I'll let them think that I am submitting to what they wish of me but will surprise them when I have the aid I need to get out of here.' Rin thought as she turned her attention to Hiei and asked, "So Lord Hiei how long have you been in charge of the training of the King's men?"
"I began after I proved that I was not like my bastard of a father." Hiei answered coldly with a slight grin on his face as he chose to use the same words he had used when they had first met.
"I have seen you before I know it. What was your name again?" Totosai stated as he began to eat the meal that had been placed before him.
"That's right you are the last of the line of dark dragons, well I suppose it's a good thing that you weren't sent away for what you were. I find that part most interesting of all. Master Totosai when you look at me do you see me wielding a regular Katana?" Rin replied to both men as she elegantly began to eat her meal. 'I suppose those lessons that master Jaken taught me seem to be paying off.'
"Ummm…I would have to get a fang from you before I decided what it would want to be." Totosai answered as he kept his eyes trained on the girl.
"That I am Princess Aya, but I suppose it's a good thing that I gave my word that I would not find a mate." Hiei answered in a cold voice as he tried not to show his anger at the King and Queen for the oath they had forced him to take.
"Haku and I would like to travel for a while; we would like to see the different lands around us. We were thinking of taking Aya with us; since she would like to train on obtaining her dragon from at last." Maya told her parents casually as she continued to eat her meal.
"We were thinking of making our way toward the North and south, since it has not yet been confirmed if we would be protected in the land of the west." Haku added after his mate so that the King and Queen would know that they had no plans of taking Aya anywhere near the people that she had been so close to in her last life.
"Is that so, why would they have you give such an oath, surely they know that the probably of any child that you would have would sired would mostly take after the mother rather than the father. Unlike other demons, dragon children take after their mothers rather than the fathers. It's why the ruler is always a female; it's why my mother's words have more say in these lands." Aya stated in a calm, collected voice as she gave a pointed look at her old friend as if to say, 'Why did you really agree to it you idiot?'
"If you and your mate wish to go I will not stop you, however you sister will not be going anywhere with the two of you. She has much to catch up on and your father and I would like to spend time with her on our own while you and your new mate enjoy your time together." The Queen explained in a calm voice of her own.
"I am not a child and I have taken lessons on how to be a proper lady. I wish to travel with my sister and my brother when they leave." Rin growled out as she ignored Hiei's next question and Totosai's statement of her mortal features.
"Aya we have no idea what type of lessons you were given while you were away, please just wait and we'll speak in privet." Her father stated as he narrowed his eyes at her.
After slamming her chop sticks down, Rin stood from the table, glared at her parents and looked to master Totosai and said, "Master Totosai are you ready for a walk? I would like a walk around the court yard so that we can talk about my choice of weapon."
"There is no choice child; every member of this family will wield a Katana that is made out of the whole family's scales and fangs." Her mother growled out in anger. While she was a bit more understanding than her mate, she was still angry at her daughter's outburst and angry that it would take some time for her daughter to see reason. As understanding as she was she would not allow her to break years, thousands of years, of tradition over a small bit of anger.
"Hiei, go with my daughter, I wish to make sure that nothing like what happened when she first arrived happens a second time."
"As I said before King, I am a master Taijiya and have been trained by Inuyasha-sama himself. I can and will be able to handle whatever is thrown my way." Rin growled in anger and rage as she turned to and glared at the King and Queen that now stood by the table.
After receiving a signal nod from her sister, Rin turned her back to the table filled with dragons and took hold of master Totosai and led the way out toward the court yard. While she was sure that even he would be unable to get her out of their hold and back with the people that she belonged with, Rin knew that he would at least be able to get back to Kagome and Inuyasha and tell them that it had been her that had broken the seal that guarded her grave. 'And hopefully they'll come get me before we go and show my Lord that I am alright and that there will be no need for a war with my sister and her people.'
Before her mother or father could go after her sister, Maya stood her ground and looked at Hiei while her mate covered the doors with rock and dirt. When it was clear that they were willing to see what she had to say, Maya turned to face her parents and growled out, "If you keep going as you are you will do nothing more than drive her away and then we'll be right where we started, she'll be gone from our lives only time she'll be gone by her own free will and not by the power of the spell that was forced onto her."
"Than what do you suggest we do Maya dear? Allow her to do as she pleases? You have chosen your mate, we stood by you but he is not the one the people will trust when your time comes and you know it. He was allowed to live amongst us but that will never change the fact that he is not one of us. That he came from the lands overseas." The King growled out as he kept his eyes locked with his eldest daughter to see how it was that she was going to present her case to them.
"I would rather he prove himself to them than for him to be given the automatic trust of the fools that demanded you to send her away." Maya replied in anger as she tried to recompose herself.
"Perhaps it would be best if I took my leave, King, Queen, Princess, Prince," Hiei stated in an unsure tone of voice as he began to make his way toward the covered doors.
"You will stay here Hiei, for you are the only one that can possibly convince our foolish daughter that this cannot be the right way." The king growled out as he kept his eyes on his daughter.
"King, you may be my mates' father, but you will watch how you speak to and about my mate. I may not understand much of your ways but where I am from you never dishonor the mate of another." Haku growled out in anger as the ground slightly began to shake.
"I will not be used my King, you have granted me the title of your Lord General however I will not be used to tie down your daughter, if she does not wish to stay here she should have the freedom to leave should she wish just as any other in your court has the choice." Hiei growled out in anger as he began to surround himself in darkness so that he could take his leave.
"Hiei I would think carefully about which side you chose before you take any actions. I will not have you as my Lord General if I feel that you cannot follow my orders." The Queen growled out in anger as she began to attempt to surround him in her poison filled vines.
"With all due respect my Lady Queen, I am not only your Lord General but your mate's advisor, and I am now advising you to avoid using me in your plans and traps to keep the young princess trapped in the lands that had so easily casted her out." Hiei growled out before he completely disappeared in a cloud of shadows and darkness.
"If I were you two I would really start thinking about how I was running things. Then again it could be that you two have run these lands for centuries, even before the great Lord of the West father ruled. Mother, Father, it might be time for you to hand over the lands so that you can really start to make things up to her." Maya stated in a calm, collected and surprisingly soothing voice.
"You both have a choice to make and while my mate dearly wishes that it would not have come to this it is clear that your judgment has been taken over by your guilt and relief of having your youngest daughter back. We are ready, the only question now is if you will see reason and change the way that you think, or you will hand the crown to us so that you can take the time to see reason and get to know your daughter for the woman she has become after living through so many mortal lives and deaths." Haku added to his mate's explanation.
After a small moment of silence, the Queen of the east easily and quickly removed all of the rocks that had been placed to keep the doors closed and lock. After she had done so, she turned to her daughter and glared at her in anger before letting out a long sigh. Before Maya or Haku could say a word to try to get them to see things their way, the Queen turned to the side just as a guard walked in with a small imp at his side as he said, "My King, my Queen, Master Jaken, loyal servant of Lord Sesshomaru of the West is here to deliver a message."
"Maya, Haku, leave us," The King of the East growled out as his wife moved to greet the servant that been sent to them by the great Lord of the West.
"I am the Queen of the East; please tell me that your Lord has agreed to be our alley through marriage."
"He has sent no such message, I am to deliver the message and leave and it is what I shall do." Jaken answered the Queen of the East while trying to figure out just why he could pick up the scent of Totosai the great sword smith that had created his masters weapon.