Chapter 25

By the time she had been able to calm herself, Rin had found herself standing in the cold rain as it poured down on her. It wasn't until she had began to make her way back to her room that Rin realized just how alone she really was. She had no family, no friends, no control over her power and no aid in helping her to better understand her demonic instincts since her family all assumed her capable of handling such things on her own while all those that she held dear to her heart and considered to be her true family had no idea of what she had become or of where she currently was. Just as she walked into her bed room, Rin was reminded of the conversation that she was supposed to have with her guard as she took note of Miku's worried expression. Before she could say a word, she heard Miku's relived yet angry filled voice growl out, "Where have you been? Why was the ball canceled? And why are you releasing your power? Just what in the hell has happened?"

"Miku I am in no mood and nor am I certain that I can keep the control that I just got over my powers so whatever it is that you have to say to me you best tell me now while I have control." Rin replied in her own upset voice as she moved about her room so that she could change out of the ball gown that she had been expected to wear for her ball and back into the dragon warriors clothing that she had been given. 'I just wish I knew what they did with my Taijiya uniform, the one that I was buried in…I need to find it so that I can leave in it.'

"If you are this upset then perhaps it is best if I bring the matter up in the morning, when you have gotten the chance to calm yourself and gotten better control over your powers." Miroku offered in a worried filled voice.

"No, now tell me what it is that could not wait at the time." Rin ordered as the room was suddenly filled will a cold chill.

"The truth is mistress that I have no idea where I should start my explanation. The information that I was able to gather was not very useful nor am I sure how to word it so that it is less upsetting."

"If it will upset me than there is no need for you to try to word yourself properly, now what is it that you found this evening and what is it that I will need to do?"

After taking in a deep breath and realizing that her mistress had been right and that there would be no way to sugar coat it, Miku took in a deep breath, locked eyes with Rin and said, "I heard word of the Lord of the West. He is in search of a mate; he has opened his lands to guests and females that wish to come and prove and to compete with one another to prove that they are meant to be seen as his true mate. Tonight was the start of these events and it will end on the night of the new moon, when those that have managed to stay that long will fight and spar against the current Lady of the West."

When her mistress had stayed silent for a moment or two, Miku let out a long sigh as she went on to say, "I know that Lord Yuki has left to take his females of the fox clan that wished to take part, the leaders of the wolf tribe were going to be meeting up with the females that had already began to make their way to the West."

"Enough, I've heard enough." Rin growled out in anger and hurt as the winds outside howled in fury while the night sky was filled with the energy and the light of the lightning as the elements outside began to react to her power and anger as it seeped out of her in waves. 'Storm dragon…it would seem that I have been entitled justly.'

"What will you have me do mistress?" Miku asked in a worried filled voice.

"Go to the east end of the castle, start a fire, the rain will not put it out." Rin began to order as she moved around her room to gather what little she was willing to take with her. "Call on Amon have him meet me in the edge of the village with a weapon ready for my using. Totosai was unable to make it back with my choice of weapon so I can only hope that he will hold on to it until my Lord and I have gone to retrieve it."

"As you wish it mistress," Miku whispered as she turned around to take her leave only to be stopped when she heard Rin emotionless voice growl out, "Miku."

"Yes Mistress Rin?"

"As of tonight you will be the assigned body guard for my sister and her mate. I don't plan on returning to the east for quite some time after this…and I will hold you responsible should anything come to pass to either my sister or her mate…do I make myself clear?" Rin growled out just a she had finished removing all the jewelry that she had been given to wear with her gown.

"Of course Mistress," Miku answered before storming out of the room knowing that she would have much to do and that she did not have enough time to do it all in.

After changing into the warriors gown for the dragons and after making sure that she had a small bag that would not only hold her childhood belongs but a few of the jewels and gems that had been given to her so that she could prove that she was of a royal blood line, Rin took in a deep breath and threw the balcony doors open as she prepared to leave the east for the final time. While she would have rather had the time to go in search and find where her Taijiya clothing, the clothing in which she had been placed in the ground with, Rin understood that now was not the time to look for clothing and armor that would have probably been remade for her once she had rejoined her pack, her family, and her friends.

'Please let this all be a joke, please tell me that I mean more to him than just the human child that aided him at one time.' Rin thought as she jumped out of the balcony while knocking out the guards that had been posted by her bedroom. After doing so and after making sure that her footprints would be hidden with the rain fall and the darkness of the night, Rin began to make her way to where she was to meet with Amon so that she would be able to at least have a weapon on her for her travels.

Her children were sleeping and her husband was out with Shippo and Kohaku gathering some more fire wood while the guard that had been sent out to escort them back to the west had gone in search of some meat for them to eat. Just as she had walked out of the tent that they had been resting in, Sango gripped her sword and her Hiraikotsu while she whispered her friend's name. Just as Kirara had tossed the demon that had gotten too close to the tent of children, Sango had slammed her Hiraikotsu down onto the demon and placed her sword at his throat as she hissed out, "You best have a good reason for standing too close to my children as they sleep."

"Lady Sango, forgive me I did not mean to cause any alarm however I have been sent to explain the current situation in the west before you arrived."

"Oh for the love of…General Komainu what drove you to do such a dangerous thing?" Sango hissed out in anger as she quickly pulled back to allow the general of the west to get back up.

"I am pressed for time my Lady; I was informed that I must brief you before your arrival. You need not rush for the news that I have to give is nothing that would require of you to rush or to do anything of the short."

"Can this wait until my mate has arrived with my brother and nephew?"

"I'm sure it can but my Lady I must remind you that I am the one press for time, I have other matters that need my attention in the west and I cannot linger."

"Well than Komainu it is a good thing that we have returned isn't it?" Miroku's amused filled voice was heard as he appeared with both Shop and Kohaku at his side.

"Is everything alright? Did something happen?" a very worried Shippo was heard ask.

"All is well pup, however there is information that I was asked to deliver to you and your pack."

"Well get on with it, I'm sure my sister and brother would like to get some rest before we have to start on dinner." Kohaku's cold and emotionless voice was heard.

"Kohaku," Sango hissed out in a low warning tone of voice. While it had been months since Rin's death and while they had done all that they could to try to get him to understand that he would eventually have to move on, nothing she said, or could do was able to help the ease the pain, anger and sorrow that filled her brothers heart. 'If he keeps going like this I'm afraid that he might end up like Naraku.'

"It is alright Lady Sango; perhaps I could have waited before I came in search of you however I did give the Lady of the West my word that I was see to it personally that her message was delivered at once."

"Uh…I swear to god if that fool started a war I am going to kill someone." Sango hissed out in anger as her mind began to think of the worst.

"Now, now dear, I'm sure that it is not what he has come to tell us, perhaps we should all side down. Shippo could you watch the kids while we obtain the message that your mother has sent us." Miroku was heard say as he tried to get his wife to calm down.

"I am not leavings, these are matters of the West, I am heir of the West and thus have the right to be here just as much as Kohaku, Sango and yourself Miroku. You cannot make me leave." Shippo's calm yet unmovable voice was heard growl out as he locked eyes with Sango, daring her to say anything other than what he had just stated.

"Uh…Kimiko." Sango called on the female guard that had been sent to them.

"You called Lady Sango." The Inu demoness guard answered as she suddenly appeared behind the small family.

"Can you watch the pups while we tend to what the Lord General has to say to us?"

"Of course Lady Sango, I will keep them safe."

"Now than, just what the hell has happened that Kagome would send for us so quickly?" Kohaku was heard asked in a worried filled voice as he took a seat by the fire.

Realizing that no matter how he had would reveal to them the information that he had to give them; he knew that they would not understand the choices that his Lord was making since they knew nothing of demon instincts. Of course maybe Lord Shippo would understand but he was unsure since he was still so young. After taking a deep breath, the General of the West locked eyes with the monk and answered, "It was announced that all females that wished to be given a chance to become Lord Sesshomaru's mate would be welcomed to the land from the first night of the full moon until the night of the new moon. Those that manage to stay in the West for the whole of the event would have to spar and fight against the Lady of the West before he makes his choice. I was to inform you of such happenings so that you would understand why I have already ordered the guard that is escorting you to the West to bring you in through the privet entrance of the castle and the back of the village where you would not be seen."

"I'm surprised my Oka-san allowed this." Shippo mumbled in a confused filled voice.

"I see, are we to part take in these events or can we tend to the matters of our pack?" Miroku asked in a guarded voice as he took not of Sango's silence.

"No, you will not be required to do so however should you wish to aid the Lord of the West he would have nothing to say against such happenings."

"Why now?" Kohaku's dark, and angry filled voice was heard ask. "Why is he choosing to chose a mate now of all times?"

"His Lady mother wished it so and so he has chosen to do as she asks."

"I'm going to beat him bloody when we get there." Sango finally hissed out in anger once she had found her voice.

"I suppose you best get going, and I suggest you inform Lady Kagome that we will wish to see her as soon as we arrive." Miroku spoke up as he pulled his wife into his arms so that he could try to calm her.

"I will, I have instructed my guard to make sure to do as I was ordered and to continue the speed in which you have already been traveling in. We will see each other again in a day's time. Should you need anything I have left one of my own personal guard here with your escort, he will know where to find me should you require anything of me." General Komainu stated as he turned to take his leave.

"Thank you, if you could please let my father know that I will be expecting him to take me to see Master Totosai as soon as I have arrived and seen that the pack has been settled into our quarters in the castle." Shippo stated in a low voice so that he was not heard by anyone but the demons that were around them.

Once they had all been left alone, Shippo had turned his back and made his way toward the tent to keep an eye on the pups while Sango and Miroku tried to calm Kohaku's silent rage. He knew that the human had been in love with his sister and he had also noticed that she had not been interested in Kohaku in such a manner. While he was sure he would eventually take the hint he realized that with his younger sister gone he had no hope of moving on. He would be devoured by his anger and if his Oka-san could not help him he ran the risk of becoming like the dead man Onigumo. Once they had been left alone and once it was clear that they would not be approached by Sango turned to her brother and said, "You can't go off on him, you will leave him to the elder pack members, you are still a pup and much too young to challenge him, do you understand me Kohaku?"

"I am a master Taijiya and I am sure that I could hold my own for some time." Kohaku growled out as he looked away, "But I do not wish to worry you so you have my word that I will do nothing. I'm going to go and train out in the woods."

Just as she was about to ask her brother to wait, to just try to relax, Sango turned to glare at her husband as she heard her mate say, "Don't wonder too far and if you need to I'm sure one of the guards would be happy to spar with you."

"Thank you brother," Kohaku stated before running off in the direction of the guards that he knew he would find so that he could spar.

"You had no right to allow him to do such a thing." Sango hissed out once they were left alone and she was certain that they would not be heard.

"I have ever right my love, you gave me the right when you took me on as your husband and mate."

"I'm worried about him Miroku…he is just so angry, I'm worried about him and of what Rin's death has done to him."

"We'll just have to wait and see, if nothing can be done let us hope that Lady Kagome and Lord Sesshomaru will be able to aid us with our brother."

"I just wish that he would have tried sooner so that she would have given her, her answer and so that he would have had more time to try to move on from her rejection."

"I believe he had already been rejected love, if you don't hover I'm sure he would have come to you eventually." Miroku told her in a whispered voice.

Before she could even began to question her mate as to what it was that her brother had spoken with him and what it was that had happened between the two shortly before Rin had passed, Sango let out a long sigh as she heard the cries of the two twin daughters that she had been given birth to. While one had a strong aura and the great advantage of spiritual powers, the other seems to take more from her and showed the signs of a promising Taijiya in the making. After briefly kiss his wife on the temple, Miroku stepped back as he said, "I could get them or I could start on our meal for the pack and the guard. Which would you like for me to do love?"

"I'm sure they'll want you, they already ate a while ago and probably need a change," Sango began to explain as she took in a deep breath to add; "I'll worry about the meals for the pack and the guard. I know how to portion the amounts a bit better."

"One time love, just one time and I never hear the end of it." Miroku teased with a grin on his face.

"Oh I'm sure you'll find something else in which I can tease you about later my love, now tend to the pups and make sure that Shippo doesn't try to rush off on his own. He need not worry and as the General stated we all have nothing to worry about since it is our option whether we join the events that Lord Sesshomaru is currently hosting." Sango ordered.

"As you wish love, as you wish." Miroku stated as he turned around to go and do as he pleased. While he was sure that he had helped to ease the worry and the stress that had started to pile on to his wife, he knew that it would not last for long and that she would be once again where she had been.

'Why do I get the feeling like things are about to get more confusing before everything can be settled and our pack can be left in peace,' Miroku couldn't help but think as he currently made his way into the tent only to smile and laugh when he found his two youngest daughters attacking Shippo while his son simply watched the three do as they pleased. While his son had strong, hidden spiritual powers he had a feeling that he would be a mix of a monk and a Taijiya.