InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sesshomaru Story ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The next morning Alexandra was up early. She hadn't slept long with so many unanswered questions running around in her brain but she wasn't the least bit tired.

The sun was just coming up on a promising morning when Rin and Jaken showed up on her doorstep. Breakfast was ready and she invited them in. Jaken declined, declaring importantly that he couldn't waste the time, said good-bye and stalked back to the waiting tow-headed dragon.

Rin came in without saying very much and sat down. She seemed more subdued than normal. Well, thought Alexandra, it was pretty early. She served her breakfast and tea then fussed about getting ready for their day. She heard Rin give a little gasp and turned around to see her get up. She ran over to the corner where Alexandra had stacked her drawings the night before. There was one sticking out from the rest she pulled it out. It was one Alexandra had done of Sesshomaru under the moon in coloured ink.

"It's Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed breathlessly.

"Do you like it?" Alexandra asked pleased by the admiration in her voice.

Rin nodded.

Alexandra regarded it with a critical eye. It was rather good she thought proudly. "Here let’s hang it up, shall we?" she said as she smoothed it out on the floor so it would lie a bit flatter. She managed to tuck it into some slats in the wall. It was quite a bit off center but it looked even better from a distance.

Rin was paging through the rest of her attempts. Alexandra gathered them up and took them to where she'd been sitting with her food. "Finish eating while you look at them OK?" she said. Rin obediently went back and started eating again.

Afterwards Alexandra cleaned up the dishes and Rin put the drawings away then the two of them left the cottage. Alexandra carried a big bundle of laundry and Rin a lunch that she'd packed for them. They headed through the pristine woods picking their way over the twisted roots. Evidence of the coming winter showed in the turning leaves and the chill in the morning air.

As they walked along Alexandra couldn't help thinking about the day she fell into the river and smiled to herself. Rin too was uncharacteristically quiet on their walk. She seemed lost in thought as well.

They walked along the bank until found a place where the water was quite shallow. Alexandra unbundled the clothes and set to the work of washing them. It was hard work especially wringing them out. She shook them out as best she could and lay them over branches in the sun to dry. There was a strong breeze so it was a good day to be doing wash. Rin helped as best she could.

They were about half way through their work when Rin regarded Alexandra curiously. "Why don't you live in the village?" she asked. "Were they mean to you too?"

"No," Alexandra answered, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Were people mean to you where you lived?"

"Yes," she answered matter-of-factly. "They're all dead now though."

Alexandra put all her energy into rinsing the shirt she was working on. "Did Lord Sesshomaru kill them?" she asked trying to keep her voice neutral although she went cold at the thought.

Rin shook her head. "It was wolves. I ran but I fell. They bit me and bit me." She had a look of intense fierceness on her face as she spoke, accenting her word by pulling at the grass with her hands. "Lord Sesshomaru came and saved me."

Alexandra stopped what she was doing and looked at her sorrowfully. "So your family was killed by wolves?"

Rin shook her head. "No, they were killed by bandits. Men came to the house at night. Father tried to stop them but there were too many. There was so much blood...and mother...”

"Oh Rin!" Alexandra dropped the shirt and ran over to hug her. "Rin! I had no idea!"

Rin looked up at her. "Is your family dead too?" she asked.

Alexandra gave her a squeeze as she considered this. "I don't know. I just left and now I can't go back."

"Why did you leave?" she asked.

Alexandra didn't quite know how to explain it to her. She was a little girl who'd lost her family how could she explain just leaving hers. This was a different time. Women probably only ever left their families to get married. "I grew up I suppose. I didn't fit there any more and I wanted to see the world."

"I'm going to stay with Lord Sesshomaru forever!" Rin said breaking free of her grasp. She stood up challenging her.

"Of course you are!" Alexandra agreed wondering what had brought this on.

"Jaken says that Lord Sesshomaru will leave me with you." Rin said uncertainly. "He says I'm human and I belong with my own kind." Alexandra could tell by her downcast look that she definitely didn't think too highly of that idea. It suddenly dawned on her that this was what Rin had been thinking about all morning and had been so quiet.

In the short time she'd observed Jaken and Rin together there seemed to be a rivalry between them for Sesshomaru's affections. If Sesshomaru favoured either Alexandra would have to say it was Rin - Jaken was probably speaking out of hopefulness.

"Do you remember the night that I found you in the storm, Rin?" Alexandra asked her. The little girl nodded solemnly. “I saw the look on Lord Sesshomaru's face when he came looking for you, you are very important to him. He would never abandon you! Anyone can see you make him so happy!"

"Do you think so?" Rin asked still a bit apprehensively.

"I know so," she said confidently. "Jaken is plainly jealous. Now come on. Help me finish these up and we'll have lunch."

After their conversation Rin was in much better spirits. She gathered up an armful of wild flowers to take back with her. The clothes although clean were still a bit damp and so heavier but Alexandra managed to get them back without dropping any. By mid afternoon the sky was starting to cloud over and the wind was picking up so she hung anything that wasn't dry up around the inside of the cottage.

Alexandra found a container large enough to hold the gigantic bouquet Rin brought home. Then she decided to start supper for them. She built a fire and put a large chunk of meat on a spit to roast for supper. Rin helped her dig up and prepare the vegetables back to her usual chatty self.

As Alexandra was setting out bowls and chopsticks she noticed there was a lull in Rin's talking. She looked over at her. Rin was regarding her solemnly.

Alexandra smiled at her. "What?" she asked.

"I'm going to miss you when you die," she said sadly.

"When I die?" Alexandra was confused. The little girl said it as if she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

"When the bandits or wolves come to get you." Rin said as if it was only a matter o time. Then she seemed inspired. "I know! You could come and live with us! Lord Sesshomaru could protect you too." She beamed brightly.

Alexandra was amused that she would come up with an idea she herself had spent most of the night thinking about. For entirely different reasons though. The world must seem a cruel and deadly place to the child. Her family had been murdered. Her village devoured. She was just thinking of her safety. There was no doubt in her mind about Sesshomaru's ability to keep danger at bay but she wasn't a child nor some weak witless female who was going to depend on a man for everything.

"He could," she admitted. "But I'm happy in my little house."

Rin was disappointed that she didn't see the brilliance behind her plan. "But if I ask..."

She was interrupted by a loud rap on the door. Alexandra patted her shoulder kindly, walking by to answer it. "Please Rin don't worry about me."

Jaken stood on the doorstep as usual when she opened it but he was unexpectedly alone. Alexandra greeted him cordially, "Good evening, Jaken. Did Lord Sesshomaru not come with you?"

Jaken pushed past her haughtily, "Yes. Yes. He is waiting with Ah-Un. Rin, now hurry up and get ready. Lord Sesshomaru is waiting!"

"But we made supper for him!" Rin said peevishly.

Jaken eyed the roasting meat with some reluctance. "We don't have time for that now, you silly girl. We must be off! You wouldn't want Lord Sesshomaru to angry now would you?"

"No we wouldn't!" Alexandra said in her best teacher's voice. "Come, Rin! If Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru are in a hurry its best that you go."

The wind had gotten quite sharp and the clouds were threatening rain so Alexandra got shawls for both of them. They bundled themselves up headed out into the evening. The little girl reluctantly following her and Jaken out to the waiting beast. Sesshomaru sat astride him, beautiful and straight-backed, hair whipping behind him.

Alexandra bowed politely. "Good evening, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were going to be in a hurry this evening."

Sesshomaru did nothing to acknowledge her. All day he had anticipated seeing her and dreading his own reactions. He had to show her that her rejection meant nothing to him. Yet he couldn't trust himself - if he met those emerald eyes she would see the lie. Instead he focused on his companions. He knew she was waiting for his response but he refused to risk giving himself away.

"Come, Rin," he said keeping his gaze on the child. Obediently she climbed aboard.

"So where are you off to?" Alexandra asked trying her best to sound casual.

Sesshomaru dared not answered but turned his attention to the foreboding sky. The silence grew awkward so Jaken took it upon himself to answer. "Nowhere special. Just home."

Alexandra felt a cold knot of fury form in her stomach. "Alright then, good-bye!" she said biting off the words. She turned without waiting for a response and walked back to her cottage.

At last Sesshomaru felt it would be safe to look at her as she walked away. He was unprepared for the onslaught of emotion that crashed in on him. Her name formed on his lips involuntarily but it was lost on the wind as Ah-un ran forward beating his leathery wings into the sky. He closed his eyes and let himself be carried away.

Alexandra stormed back into the house. She tried to slam the door but the wind caught it, swinging it open wildly. She couldn't even do that right! She pushed it shut leaning into it with her body angrily.

The smell of the roasting meat drew her attention to the supper she and Rin had prepared. She strode over to the fire and pushed the spit into the coals. It was a total waste anyway. She couldn't even think of eating right now.

The bastard! How could she have been so totally wrong about him?! She'd thought they had some kind of a connection?! Ha! Unless she slept with him he wouldn't talk to her? He wouldn't look at her? He wouldn't so much as admit she existed?

The sheer arrogance! No doubt he had women like her all over the place! Maybe hundreds. He probably never heard the word "no" in his entire life and couldn't handle it! The pompous jerk! She couldn't remember when she'd been this angry.

Across the room was the drawing she'd put up on the wall that morning. Sesshomaru seemed to be sneering at her from it. She picked up the knife she'd left out to carve meat and flung it at the picture in her rage. It struck the picture right in the middle of Sesshomaru's forehead buried to the hilt by the force in the soft wood.

"Serves you right," she growled feeling somewhat compensated. "Though next time I'll aim lower."

Next time. Tomorrow. Rin would probably be back. After all she was the local babysitting service. Is that what he expected? She was just supposed to cry in her pillow over him every night and baby-sit for him every day. Well, there was no way! He wasn't her bloody lord and master!