Chapter 10

She opened her eyes and all she found was darkness, the only bit of light that lit her room was from the strange window to her right. To her left was a small, sealed door that seemed to shine in a strange way and that told her instincts it would be very bad if she touched said door. As she rubbed her arm where Hiei had grabbed her when he had been ordered to take her away, Rin let out a low enraged growl when she realized just how messed up all of this was turning out to be. As she struggled to get onto her feet, Rin tried to remember everything that Kagome had thought her to be, tried to remember that they were still her parents but all she could seem to remember was the different ways to kill those that dared to do her harm.

Everything that Inuyasha-sama had taught her, everything that she had learned by seeing her great Lord fights would help her get her freedom and would help her make sure that she finally got free of these fools, the fools and idiots that thought they could control the dragon of storms. 'Even if that is what I should be seen as…not even I understand my gifts, my true power all that well but I'll have time for that later. I'll have time to be taught and learn once I finally get out of here.' Rin thought as she finally got to her feet.

"You shouldn't move all that much just yet, I'm sure you'll still be weak for a bit longer." Hiei's worried filled voice filled the small room she had been brought to.

"If I were you I would leave this room Hiei, I'm not sure what I will do to you once I'm up to my full strength."

"You won't be up to your true strength here Aya, this room was made with the only poison that can kill us, with the only power and seals made by Midoriko herself before she created that blasted jewel." Hiei explained in a calm and emotionless voice, "You'll be as strong as the human child had thought you were."

After looking around the room and taking in a deep breath, Rin let out a long sigh as she felt something within her tell her that there was nothing that could or would ever be able to hold her down, to keep her from the one man that was meant to be her other half. With a small smile on her face she whispered, "This won't hold me…Hiei I promise you this, it won't hold me and when I get free there will be hell to pay."

"Aya you need to stop this…I can't let you out until after the King and Queen have ordered it. You sister and brother are currently being watched. I'll bring you food in a while." Hiei stated.

And before she could even voice her anger and demand that he do as she ordered, Rin found herself alone in the dark room filled with nothing but anger, hate, and worry. No one knew where she was, who she was now. No one knew the hell she was going thought, the loneliness she felt even in the home that she had partly been raised in and no one would know any of this until it was too late. Just as she was about to lash out in anger and waste what little energy she had, Kagome's calm, kind, gentle and loving voice filled her mind. As the words began to fill her mind and calm her fury, Rin began to think back to the day that she had been told these words.

Flash Back

'Now Rin, I know that we all promised to help you learn how to fight and I know that we are each getting to spend time with you to teach you as much as possible before you leave but you must remember what we're about to tell you.' Kagome spoke in a gentle loving voice as she and Sango sat at each of her side while the two women kept their eyes on their small pack in the clearing that stood a good distance away.

'I'm not sure what you are talking about Kagome-sama?' Rin replied in a surprised and worried filled voice.

'Rin you don't have to worry, your mother has made sure that our conversation will not be heard by the rest of our pack. We both thought it best since we are still unsure of how Inuyasha will take the news when you finally admit that you are in love with Lord Sesshomaru.' Sango explained in a care free and lightly teasing voice.

Realizing that they had greatly surprised her daughter, Kagome let out a small laugh as she placed a reassuring hand on the girls shoulder and said, ' you need not worry Rin, we both know what it's like to be separated from the one you love.'

'Which is why we won't allow it to be done to you, you will not be kept from the man you love if we can help we will.' Sango joined in a calm, gentle yet serious filled voice.

'Thank you…I know that you both mean well and I'm glad that you will help me but if you say anything too soon I know that Inuyasha-sama will only keep an eye on me at all times and he will make sure that I never get my chance to rejoin my Lord Sesshomaru.'

'You just leave him to me alright Rin, dear?' Kagome spoke in a voice that left no doubt that the hanyou miko would make sure to stop her mate at any cost.

'But this isn't the reason that we wanted to speak to you. We just wanted to make sure that you took more out of our teachings than just knowing how to fight and how to stay alive.' Sango explained.

'Which brings us back to the real topic at hand, you will come to find Rin that there will be times when fighting and violence will be the key to your safety and your ability to leave when you are being kept in one place. However there will also be times when you will have to wait, think and be smarter than your opponent.'

'Times when strength and violence alone will not get you out of whatever danger you are in.' Sango finished for her friend/sister.

After a moment of silence, Rin offered them each a warm smile and said, 'I'm glad that I was left here, I'm glad that I was able to be a member of this pack. I love you all so much, you are the family I never had before my Lord found me and saved me. I would do anything for any of you so I promise you now that there will never be a time when I do not act as I should and allow my emotions to control me. I will forever keep this in mind and know that this bit of advice will help me once I have returned to my Lords side to prove to him that I can be a proper lady.'

Knowing that she had just spoken from the heart and that she was sure to keep her word both Sango and Kagome offered her the biggest smile she had ever seen them offer anyone before she had been wrapped up in both their arms as they broke off into a fit of laughter in the moment.

End of Flash Back

"I promise…and I won't break my promise…now…how to get myself out of this mess?" Rin whispered to herself so softly, so lightly that she was sure if anyone had been near her would not have heard her words as she began to think of the different ways, nonviolent ways that she could get herself out of here and free to go and join her real family. 'Just wait for me my Lord, I will rejoin you soon enough.'

Sesshomaru started at his mother as if she were a stranger that had come to beg him for his power and yet a part of him now understood what he had yet to figure out all those years ago. Why the messengers of death that had once surrounded his young ward when he had first saved her had been working on changing her clothing and her hair when he had cut them away and prevented them from doing their work. But if what his mother told him was no lie, if it was true that his ward would be reborn than he needed to go and remove her from the ground he had placed her in. He needed to be there and remind her who she belonged to…who she was destined to be with so that she would forever be at his side as the true Lady of the West.

Noticing the look in her sons eye, the great Inu demoness let out a long sigh and said, "If she was reborn than she would have been taken or would have disappeared from her grave my son. If when you arrive you still find her where she has been left I'm afraid that the demon that killed her messed with the spell that had been placed upon her."

"I thought of that, if she still hasn't been changed if there is a chance that I can remove the spell without removing the memories of the live she had with m…with my brother's pack."

Knowing that her son would not want her to point out that he was in fact asking about the memories the child had of him, the Inu demoness shook her head as she answered, "I have no way of knowing. While I was able to see a part of the spell I have no idea of the type of demon it was that cast it on her or of the type of demon she is. If removed incorrectly it could be fatal to her or would result in the loss of her memories."

"How long until she reawakens?"

"Once again my son it would have already happened or it is still taking its time. If it has happened there is no way to know where she was sent, what area of Japan she was given her new life or with whom. It would be nearly impossible to track her down."

"But you know a way to do so and you will inform this Sesshomaru of it at once."

After letting out a long sigh she said, "Since she is so close to your heart, if she truly is your true soul mate than Tenseiga should be able to tell you when she is near since it has saved her once already. But be warned my son she may not look or be the same child that you protected all those years ago."

"It matters not to this Sesshomaru. I will be sending word and informing those that need to know that I will be leaving my brother and the alpha female of the West in charge during my absence, I expect for you to be available in case they should need anything."

"I will be, however I do need to make it back to my own castle and gather a few things. By when should you be expecting them my dear?" she asked her son as she moved to stand so that she could quickly take her leave.

"I will send word by the end of the day to them if Jaken has not returned to me. I will also ask that you aid my sister with the matter of the treaty with the East if they should visit during my absence as well."

"Of course my son, than I shall see you before I leave." His mother stated that left no doubt that there would be hell to pay should he leave without visiting with her first.

After he had been left alone to tend to his thoughts, Sesshomaru tried to control his rage, his anger, his disbelief that this was all happening but most of all he was trying to prevent himself from being filled with hope. He knew better than most how cruel life could be, how quickly it could take whatever happiness you had and destroy it before your very eyes. While the majority of him wanted to go in such of his ward, no, of his true mate, another part of him, his colder side whispered to him, urging him to forget all of this foolishness and to allow the girl to prove her true wroth, her strength and her courage by coming to him. If she never did than he would know that it was because she chose to forget them all. Whatever his mother thought she knew, he knew, with all that made him who he was that Rin would never forget them or him; especially him. The love she held for him would never allow the spell to keep him from her. 'You chose to die to prove yourself to me my dearest Rin, I will not stop you…do as you wish, I forced you to wait for this Sesshomaru and now it shall be I that will be left to do all the waiting.' Sesshomaru thought as he turned to the side and called for his general.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Get me a demon carrier I must summon my brother and his pack and send Jaken to me the moment he arrives." Sesshomaru ordered as he walked past his general and toward his father's study.

"Of course my Lord," his general answered before he took his leave to make sure that he got the carrier that his Lord had requested.

He had not been the general long, he had not been in his pace for very long and he was still working on earning the full trust of his Lord. His predecessor had been foolish enough to question the strength of their Lord when he had announced his brother as the true second son of Inutaisho and had granted him power within the Lands. What had sealed his fate was when his predecessor had also been foolish enough to attack the only miko hanyou, the Lady of the West that would rule as alpha female until their lord had found his own mate. She had proven to him just what she was capable of her title and had quickly made it known that she would not tolerate any disrespect of her mate or herself in any way or form. After she had publicly killed the past general all quickly accepted her and knew that they would be in well hands, she was after all the miko that had destroyed Naraku.

"Brother! Brother wait!" the call of his younger sister was heard once he had reached the outer part of the castle and began to make his way to the carriers of the village.

"I do not have time for this Akuma, you need to get home, and father and mother will be upset with you if you are caught after bed once again." He growled out.

"Oh be quiet Komainu, you and I both know that they will only be angry with me at most for a day before I am treated as I have always been treated. I came to see if you have spoken with the Lord about me? Have you offered to introduce us yet?"

"I do not have time for this Akuma now get home. I am the Lord General of our Great Lord Sesshomaru and I will not be a part of your or our parent's devilish schemes now leave me to my job!" he growled out in anger as he walked past his sister.

"Our family has served the get Taisho family for generations, before the lands were claimed under the rule of Lord Inutaisho and it is a given that I will be what ties both families together. The longer that…"

"Don't," Komainu growled out as he suddenly held his baby sister by the throat, "don't you dare speak the foolish words that got my predecessor killed. You were not present for mother and father did not wish for you to witness such things but I can tell you now if you ever say anything of the short there will be many that still wish to get the Lords favor that would gladly turn you in and see you killed in the same matter if not worse then what the Lady of the West did to the past general."

"Unhand me Komainu before you regret it, I have been trained since I could walk. I know how to fight as fiercely as any male here so do not think that I will allow you to handle me in such a disgusting way."

"I will do what I must so that you do not dishonor our family now get home Akuma and if I find you out when I am done with the errand that our Lord as tasked me with you will regret it." With his final words to his sister, Komainu dropped his sister knowing that she would not fall to her knees and made his way to the carriers to see if the one he knew to be the fastest able to do what was required of him.

As she watched her brother leave her be through narrowed eyes she couldn't help as she tried to keep her fury within her. All her life her parents had told her that she would be the new, true lady of the West. Once she would learn all that she had to know, she would be given the title. Than when he had announced that he had no intention of taking any mate for there were none that could even be his equal she begged her parents when the council of his court had held a dangers competition for the right to be the great Lord Sesshomaru's mate and Lady of the West. 'He will be mine and I will be the true Lady of the West…just you wait and see dearest brother.' Akuma thought angrily as she quickly stormed away and to her parents home to quickly inform him of the method in which her brother had used on her to get her to go home.