Chapter 24

And so the night had continued with her walking with her parents and meeting with the guests that she had not properly greeted when she had stormed off to try to calm her emotions at the sight of the wolf demon that had appeared. It was while they were greeting and meeting those that her parents wished for her to meet that Rin realized just how weird this all seemed to be. While she was glad that there were no whispers and there was no speaking of the fact that she had been gone for so long and that no one had heard of her whereabouts until her return she was confused to find more outsiders at her ball than those that belonged to their kind. Just as she was about to turn to ask her sister what is was that was truly going on, Rin froze in place when she heard her father's stern voice growl out, "Aya, my darling Aya come and meet some of closest friends and their children."

'I'll have to ask her once this night is over, if it ever ends.' Rin thought grimly as she turned to face the couple and the dragons that were about her age so that she could properly greet them as she would be expected to.

"Lord Byakuya, Lady Akari, it is good to see you both again, this is my mate, Lord Haku, I'm sure that you have heard of him when he first arrived." Maya was heard say as she presented her mate in a proper manner while making sure that they would know she would not tolerate anything being said against her mate, her equal.

"Princess Maya, why did you not write to me the moment it had been certain he would be your mate, I would have loved to be present for when he was presented to the people of the village." Lady Akari was heard gush as she rushed over to elder princess side.

"Things were kind of fast peace since we found my sister in the middle of our mating, Aya, sister, this is Lady Akari, a good and very close family friend." Maya stated with a smile on her face.

"It is good to meet you Lady Akari; I am and still have much to learn of those that are close with my family." Rin stated as she offered the woman her hand to shake.

Before either Lord or Lady that had just been introduced to the youngest of the royal family, the two women that had been greeting one another and turned to face the dragon that had cleared his throat to gain their attention and said, "I am Haruko, first born daughter to great fire dragon."

"I am Hoshi, first born son of the sky dragon; you must be Lady Aya, second born of our King and Queen."

"Good evening, it is a pleasure; I am Lady Aya, second born of the King and Queen of the East. Lady Akari, Lord Byakuya, your children seem to have good manners." She replied while keeping her gaze locked and her eyes cold when she took note of the interest the male dragon had as he kept his eye on her.

"Hoshi, Haruko, it is good to see you are doing well, did you enjoy the small travel you had across the lands?" Maya was heard ask as she had her mate moved to stand behind her sister.

"We did, however short it may have been, have you set off on your own travels?" Hoshi was heard ask as he offered his old friend a small smile to show her that he had no interest in her sister.

"Haku and I are in the process of making plans, my sister might be joining us, and she still isn't use to the lands and our culture and is working on getting adjusted." Haku answered as he kept his eyes on the elder of the two males. "But it would probably do her good to join us so that we ensure that she isn't too overwhelmed."

"Of course that sounds like a lovely idea but I'm sure she would like to find a mate of her own now that she has returned." Lord Byakuya was heard say as he turned to face his best friends to add, "In fact my own son is in the process of looking for a worthy mate that would be his equal."

"I do wish him the best of luck, I'm sure he will have better luck looking in our main city, if he so wishes, and you both of course, we would like to invite you to stay with us for a few days, perhaps he will find a female that would enjoy to have him as her equal." The King spoke as he offered his old friend a careful smile of his own.

"While I would love for your company here Lady Akari, my father has appeared and I'm not sure if he will be staying. We'll have to set you up in the guest wing, away from our privet area of the castle but please do enjoy yourselves should you chose to stay." The Queen explained as she turned to lock her now narrowed eyes with those of her mates.

"Of course, I'm sure you would like to speak with him before we make anything final, we'll come looking for you in a moment." Lady Akari was heard say as she turned to lead her mate back toward the rest of the groups that had formed during the start of the ball.

"I hope that you don't have anything in mind Lord King, I am in no mood of looking for a mate at this time, and if you so much as try to push such an issue upon me you will regret it, I will make sure that I will be heard from all corners of the world." Aya growled out in anger and promise as she locked her now glowing eyes with those of her fathers.

"Finally you are free, if you weren't going to be speaking with me out of anger daughter I would have never come for such an event." A deep, sorrow filled voice was heard growl out as they were finally joined by the old king and his guest.

"Father, I do not ignore you on purpose," the queen quickly assured her father as she turned to look at her father and hoped that her mate would let things be for now.

"Besides grandfather, I'm sure it is a good thing that you made it to at least one of your granddaughter's balls before they grew up too much." Maya pointed out as she allowed some of her hurt to show through her mask.

Before anything else could be say, they all turned to greet once more the Inu demoness that had joined the old King of the East when they heard her cool voice as she said, "I told you that you would damage what ties you had to your family if you ignored them long enough. And I'm sure my old friend would have already skinned your hide for treating your family in such a cold manner."

"Lady Nana, how is your evening going? Are you enjoying yourself?" Maya was heard ask as she turned to offer her sister a reassuring smile.

'She looks like my mother…how is that possible…was my blood strong enough to overpower the blood of the royals?' King Leon thought as he kept his eyes on his youngest granddaughter. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard her confused filled voice say, "Lady Nana, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Aya, I can assure you." The Inu demoness replied with a grand smile on her face as she turned to face her old friend to add, "Why don't you go and speak with your daughter in privet while I entertain your granddaughters Leon, I'm sure it would do you some good."

"Actually Haku and I will be joining them. While I'm sure they have much to talk about I have questions of my own for the grandfather I never got to know." Maya was heard say as she turned to face her younger sister to add, "Of course if you feel like you need me I will be more than happy to stay behind."

"Of course not, this is still all much to take in, I'm sure I will have my chance to speak with our grandfather in a few days time since our travels won't take please until a few days from now." Rin answered as she kept her eyes locked with the Inu demoness before her. This was not what she had been expecting, she had not been expecting on meeting her Lord mother here of all places and what confused her most was the name that she had chosen to go by here. 'Just what is it that my Lord has planned, and why is she smiling at me as if she knows me…could she know…has she told my lord if she knows the truth? I'm so confused.'

"Do not worry daughter, Lady Nana is a noble in her own right, even if she so chooses to stay out the courts, she will have no problem in guiding my granddaughter and to show her the properly handlings of the courts. We can trust her to guide her well."

"If you're sure, Aya dear, call on Miku and have her join you. It would help to keep me at ease." The Queen ordered before leading the way.

Once they had been left alone, Aya turned to Lady Nana and said, "I suppose you would be honest with my parents if I chose not to do as was asked and spent my time at your side without my Lady in waiting at my side."

"Of course not dear, what they don't know won't hurt them. But I do have to ask, is there a place where we can rest, I have spent most of my time with Leon and his guest and I must say their questions and getting reacquainted with them has drained me a bit." The Inu demoness stated with a smile on her face.

Wanting to speak with her with no one around as well, Rin gave her a single nod and began to lead them toward a place she was sure that they would be left alone. As she led the way, she was surprised when Lady Nana, her Lords mother, had taken hold of her hand and arm and hold on to her while they walked along side one another. Once they had reached the area that she knew that they would be able to speak in peace, Rin turned to her the forest just behind them and let out a low warning growl before she had said, "I'm sure that I did not call on you Miku so I have to wonder, did you follow me for fear of what could be done to me away from seeing eyes or did you follow orders that my mother and father may have given you to have me followed."

"I was given no orders but I have found all that I needed to inform you of the issue that I felt you needed to be made aware of." Miku answered her mistress in a calm and collected voice.

"You chose now of all times to find me…to…Miku can this wait, I have matters that I must speak with Lady…Lady Nana. Please tell me that I can come find you once I have finished." Rin stated in a tight, controlled voice as she locked eyes with her friend, guardian and her advisor.

"While I'm sure that it can my mistress I must tell you that the information that I have for you, is in regards to that of the issue I swore to aid you in." Miku replied in an urgent voice.

"If the matter is this urgent my dear perhaps we should hold off on our little talk, I'm sure that we will have our time." The Inu demoness was heard say as she began to take her leave from the two dragons before. 'Um…interesting…it would seem like she remembers but I can't be certain…she acts as if she has no plans to leave.'

"No," Rin growled out as her allowed her power to leash out and pull the Inu demoness back toward the two, "Miku you will stay at my side just as my parents ordered and you will not repeat what you hear as we speak, do I make myself clear?"

"Of course mistress, as you wish it." Miku replied as she stepped aside and allowed the two to speak.

"I would be careful with that power of yours child, if you cannot control it you should at least work on controlling those emotions of yours before they rule you and your power." The now angry Inu demons growled out.

"I have full control of my powers; I stopped you from leaving because we will not part without having words, not because of my anger that allowed my power to rage as it pleases." Rin growled out as she challenged the demoness before her. While this was not the method in which she wished to see if the mother of her lord would remember the child Rin, she would also not allow her to order her as she pleased.

"Child you are much too young to try to challenge me."

"I am no child, I may have been once but you have no hold over my actions nor should you wish to kill the child that you once helped to save. If you do not know what I speak of, than I suggest you take your leave as you had intended to do so for I have no time to play games. As you can see Lady Nana I am a busy lady with much to do." Rin growled out in anger and rage while continuing to control her powers and what she truly wished to do.

"Well it would seem you remember everything as I had hoped, I must say I would have greatly been disappointed if you would have not remembered the family that had protected you for your short human life," The Inu demoness growled out as her eyes began to bleed red while she kept her true aura sealed and within her, "Of course I do find the lack of respect you hold for one that you clearly know quiet upsetting. It makes me wonder just how my son will take to the news."

'She knows who she was, who she is…but how?' Miku thought as she stayed on her guard and made sure that nothing to transpire between the two demons before her.

With a grin on her face, Rin looked at her claws as she briefly changed forms so that she had stood for brief second as the human child she once was and said, "I wonder what he would say when I revealed that I felt the need to protect myself. I'm sure my Oka-san would not be happy with you, she is after all the current Lady of the West."

Never having been one to take threats, the Inu demoness let out a low growl as her anger could be seen in her eyes and said, "Do you have plans to return than…soon?"

With a playful grin on her face, Rin let out a long sigh before she said, "I do, if I could I would have gone long ago but as you can see I have certain obligations that do not allow me to leave."

Realizing now that she had taken the same playful attitude that she had once had when she had first met the child, but also not liking what she had been implying, so after allowing herself to calm a bit, the Inu demoness before her asked, "Are you being forced to stay here?"

Silence filled the clearing, silence that would determine the outcome of their talk and while she was certain that she would go straight to her lord; Rin knew that nothing good would come from her parents, from her lord and from her pack coming to collect. So with great regret and sorrow, Rin slowly shook her head and answered, "No, no I am not, I am simply doing my duty before I go in search of the…of my family and of my Lord. As I said Lady Inukimi I have much to do before I can take my leave again."

"So what will you have me tell him, I'm sure by now you must have figured out that I have told my son of the truth, of the spell that I had sensed when I had first saved your life."

"Tell him…tell him that all is well…that I did not remember them and that in due time once I have been allowed to settle into my place as the second heir of the east that I would be allowed all the memories of my past. Just bid me time so that I return on my own time." Rin whispered as she took in a deep breath and turned to her guard knowing that she had probably picked up on the power of Hiei as he began to find them and look for them with his shadows.

Before the Inu demoness could ask what it was that had upset her and what it was that had caused her to be on she had been carried off and within a blink of an eye they were standing by a group of men and a guard as they talked with them and added them to the conversation as if they had been there all along. Before she could ask what it was that had happened, Miku had leaned into the Inu demons and whispered, "We were no longer alone, the dragon of darkness…it would seem we had run out of time. However I must inform you that you best leave when you can, you may not wish to be here when I inform my mistress of the battle that your son is hosting in his quest to find a mate."

"I trust that you will help in getting her to where she needs to be before the night of the new moon."

"I will try but should I be unable to I do so I hope that there will be something you will be able to do. She loves him; she sees no other male as a possible mate for her but your son. While I have only known her for a few days time she is someone very dear to me. I do not wish to see her harmed."

"You have my word." The Inu demoness as growled as she turned around to go in search of her friend so that she could inform him of her departure. While she was sure it would seem rude of her to leave so suddenly and so quickly after only just arriving, she would not waste any time. While she had once supported her son she now wished that he had not acted irrationally.

"That was not wise, should your parents find out what you have done they will wish to lock you up again."

"They will try and unlike last time I will break free and they will know my fury, now take me to my family, I now that they sent you to collect me. Once I have spoken with them I will retire to my room."

"What of Miku?"

"I want her in my room, she has news that she will report to me the moment that I am finished with my family, are we clear?"

"Crystal, take my hand…it would seem that not all is well." Hiei replied in a grave voice.

"Just what I need, is there anything that you can tell me?"

"It would seem that your father and grandfather as arguing, your grandfather wishes to take you with him when he leaves while your father refuses such a request. It would seem that your mother has asked your father to step down and allow your grandfather to become active King until he is ready to allow him to take the thrown again."

"What of my sister and her mate?" Rin asked in a whispered voice as she drew the shadows that he had been calling out for them to use so that they covered her like a blanket around herself.

"Shocked and arguing that if all else fails that she and Haku will be ready to rule while they take a break from ruling the lands."

'This is not what I need, not when I had been so close to making my way back to my lord…maybe I should just leave now…if I leave they can do what they wish without my being here…after all I am only second in line and have no mate of my own. It's not like they can leave the lands in my care.' Rin thought as she allowed Hiei to take them while making sure that she had gotten her message to Miku without having exposed her growing powers to those that she may have been around. But just as she had arrived and just as Hiei had finished pulling the shadows off of them, Rin saw red at the sight of her wounded sister.

Before Hiei could pull her back and get her to calm herself, Rin had already blasted him away from herself, blasted her father from her wounded sister, had held down Haku and had filled the room with her true power. Before Leon could try to ask what was going on he froze in place as he watched his youngest granddaughter display the powers of both his grandparents and the first royal the East had seen. Once she had cleared the room and after she had been sure that they would not be attacking one another for a second time, a very pissed off Rin locked eyes with her sister and said, "While I am sure you could have handled it, and while I'm sure you may not appreciate this…explain."

"Father wished to force you to stay, he told mother…told her that he would not allow you to do as you pleased, we have been weakening. The treaties are to help protect our people, reports of fewer births have been reported of our kind…we are dying out, and he wished to make sure that with the royal blood line he would ensure that we lived. Mother revoked his crown and presented it back to grandfather, he accepted…father lost his temper." Maya quickly explained as she turned to lock eyes with her mate to ensure that she was well and truly alright and had not been seriously wounded.

"Aya…" her mother began only to growl out in pain.

"Rin, you will address me as Rin," she growled as she forced her power to cause her biological father more pain.

"You will stop this at once!" her father roared as he tried to break free of his daughter's power only to fail and to be filled by pain and power.

"Rin, Rin the ward of Lord Sesshomaru?" a very confused and worried King Leon was heard growl out as he locked eyes with her.

"Yes, the spell that was placed on me centuries ago allowed me to meet my current pack and family. They may have given life to me but they did not rise me. I am here as a guest. Maya is my sister but I do not see the King and Queen as my parents. My parents are Lord Inuyasha and Lady Kagome. I was forced to stay here and unable to go to them. I will leave in a few days time once we have shorted all of this. Hiei I suggest you in form the guests that we will no longer hold the ball and that they should all get to their homes."

Knowing that it would not end well if he did not follow her orders, Hiei took off and was glad to allow the family to do as they needed. Once they had been sure that they were left alone, Rin released her powers and let out a long sigh as Haku jumped on to her sister and began to tend to her wounds while the King of the East began to slowly stand up on his shaking legs. Just as she had taken a seat, Rin turned to face the Queen of the East and said, "I am not staying and that is final. I have no idea what has caused this fight nor do I wish to get involved. After tonight's ball I have realized that I am a stranger in my…your lands and it is clear that I am not welcomed. I will go back to where I belong and I will not intervene any longer. I will be leaving once my sister has told me that she has everything, even the very King and Queen of the East, under control. Miku will become my sister's body guard once I have left and so help me if any should dare to hurt her once I leave than you will regret it."

"Rin, child, you must not allow this to rule you…this talk of returning to your pack…you have no pack you are a dragoness, a demon of our lands and heir to the East. You must allow me to correct what your foolish father did to you, I can make things right again." Her grandfather growled out as he tried to approach her only to be blasted back and toward his daughter.

"You will not touch me, no one will touch me. I do not know you nor do I know if you are trust worthy. But everyone in this room should know that should anything else happen to my sister Maya there will be hell to pay." With her final words Rin stormed out of the room as she quickly made her way to the room she had been given to use.

Enough, she had had enough and now was starting to feel it, panic was starting to seize her and she had no idea how to get it under control. As she walked down the halls and on her way to her room knowing that she had other matters to tend to, Rin could hear the howl of the wind, the cries of the sky and could feel the water as it began to pour and descend upon the village. While she knew that she had full control she realized that the elements would always answer to her hearts cries. As the rain poured down in fury around her Rin could feel her confusion and her anger ragging inside her. 'Why me? Why? Why did things have to turn out this way….Lord Sesshomaru…help me…Kagome-Oka-san please help me find my way…Inuyasha-Otu-san I'm sorry.'