InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Because you asked me to ❯ Doubts ( Chapter 13 )

 

 

 

I'm beautiful, he told me so. He thinks I'm beautiful. The woman giggled softly to herself as she walked around inside the dojo. Sesshoumaru had promised to take her to Jaken later that day, but until then she had told him that she'd like to spend sometime in the dojo. While he had agreed to her request, he had also told her that he had other things to attend to and that she would be on her own.

 

So now, she stood inside the empty dojo. Walking around, she ran her hand along the wall as she learned the room, its size and feel. The woman giggled to herself again, the pleasure from earlier still lingering within her mind and body. The way he had touched her, tasted her, kissed her, oh it had all been beautiful. Simply beautiful.

 

“You think he loves you, don't you?” a female voice asked and she spun around.

 

“Who's there?” she asked her blind eyes unable to find the youkai servant.

 

The youkai laughed cruelly. “You think just because you've been in his bed and he's tasted you that that means he loves you? You stupid fool.”

 

The youkai moved closer to the blind woman, her steps silent and swift. She was in the woman's face in seconds.

 

“Many of us have been in his bed,” the youkai whispered harshly, cruelly to the human woman. “He's tasted many of us and bedded some as well. You're nothing more to him than a bed warmer. A blind one at that,” the youkai laughed cruelly and shoved the woman back against the wall. “You'll never please him. He'll be done with you in a week, two tops.”

 

The youkai was gone as soon as she had come and the elation the woman had felt from her morning explorations with Sesshoumaru left her slowly. Was what the woman said correct? Was she nothing to Sesshoumaru? But then, he had told her that he cared for her in some way, hadn't he? What did this all mean?

 

 

 

 

 

“I absolutely detest land delegations,” Sesshoumaru growled in tired frustration.

 

“You're the one signing the treaties,” Kenji threw back at the younger youkai easily.

 

“Oh do shut up,” Sesshoumaru groused and Kenji laughed.

 

“What's the problem this time pup?” Kenji asked easily.

 

“That fool weasel I left in charge of the newly acquired village on the eastern quarter.”

 

“What did I tell you pup?” he said with a chuckle. “Weasels are only good for their furs and food in rough times. So what's the fool done?”

 

“Taken food from the villagers, enforced taxes when there had been none, and many other things I wish not to go into at the moment. I've sent Nakamori out to replace him.”

 

“Sure the pup can handle it? He's still wet behind the ears.”

 

“Yes, perhaps. But he holds strong values and is protective of women and children no matter what they may be. That's what that village needs. It'll give the pup good experience.”

 

“And if you like what he's done enough?” Kenji asked as he thought of the tan and red inuyoukai barely out of adolescence.

 

“Should he prove his worth…the village will be his to watch over.”

 

“For how long?” he watched as Sesshoumaru looked up from the rice paper scrolls and met his eyes.

 

“Until he no longer wishes to do so.”

 

“And your woman?” Kenji asked a little too easily.

 

“What about her?”

 

“Where does she fit into all of this? Into your life?”

 

Neither youkai was aware that her wanderings had brought the woman in question outside the slightly parted doors. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted, hand clutching the chest of her kimono as she waited for the answer.

 

“She is for Rin,” Sesshoumaru said as he tried to deny what his youkai had been telling him for days now.

 

 

 

 

It's better than nothing. At least now I know where I stand. The woman moved silently away, her heart constricting. She followed the sounds of Rin's laughter and playful chattering out to the gardens, her hands trailing along the walls as she went.

 

 

 

 

“She's more than that pup, don't lie to me,” Kenji said as he watched Sesshoumaru thoughtfully. “Your youkai's been speaking to you hasn't it?”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed as he dropped the scrolls and his brush and looked at the youkai seated across the desk from him. “You're not going to allow me any peace until I talk this out with you are you?”

 

“Always knew you were the smarter of the two.”

 

“Two?”

 

“Inuyasha, your brother. I knew him as well pup. I'm rather surprised he hasn't yet returned here. What was he, five when he and his mother were forced to leave?”

 

“Yes. From what I have been able to tell though, he remembers nothing of his time here. He sees me as nothing more than a...”

 

“Than a what pup?” Kenji asked watching the young youkai before him closely.

 

“Than a monster,” Sesshoumaru sighed sadly.

 

“Things may change, give him time. And don't fight with him every time you meet up with him. He's brother, prove to him that that means something to you.”

 

“He has no training with a sword,” Sesshoumaru argued.

 

“That doesn't mean you need to drive your poison filled fist through his gut. Yes I heard about that,” he said as he raised a disapproving brow at the taiyoukai. “But we've gotten off the subject. Has your youkai spoken to you concerning the woman?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What has it said?”

 

“She is the one. She is my mate.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Hi pretty lady!” Rin giggled her greeting and ran to the woman.

 

The woman let the child lead her into the garden and over to sit beneath a tree. She was here for Rin; that was what Sesshoumaru had said. Was she to be a mother to Rin or a servant? She smiled, though it appeared more like a sad grimace as she sat forward and let Rin play with her long hair. She honestly had no clue what the child was saying, her thoughts drowning out the girl's cheerful voice. More than likely a servant, she thought with a silent painful chuckle.

 

“Who are you?” someone male asked her rather gruffly.

 

“No one important,” she answered softly, though her words were drown out by the excited squeal from Rin.

 

“Kagome-okaasan!” the child shrieked and giggled as she forgot the woman's hair and ran to the strange miko she'd come to grow attached to.

 

“You comin' too?” the male asked and she shook her head.

 

“Go without me,” she said quietly. “Rin is obviously safe with you.”

 

The male gave a rough grumble but moved away, leaving the woman to herself.

 

“Hi, I'm Sango,” a woman said to her gently. “What's your name?”

 

“You should follow him. This is a big place, you don't want to get lost,” the woman said as she avoided answering Sango's question.

 

“Are you sure you won't come with us?” Sango asked politely. “It looks like it will rain soon.”

 

“I'll be fine out here.”

 

Sango looked at Miroku questioningly, but the monk simply answered her with a silent shrug. Sango didn't know why, but for some reason it worried her that Miroku hadn't done his usual bit with this woman as he did with all other ladies. Was there something wrong with her that he wasn't mentioning?

 

“Miroku?” Sango questioned as they were led inside the castle by a guard.

 

“She is blind Sango. It would only have frightened her,” the monk answered her quietly.

 

“Oh.”

 

 

“Why are we here again Kagome?” Inuyasha asked the miko.

 

“Because of my dream Inuyasha. For whatever reason, Sesshoumaru needs to be present for this upcoming fight,” Kagome answered him as she walked hand in hand with Rin, Shippou perched on her shoulder.

 

“Keh. Whatever.”

 

 

 

 

 

Okaasan. Mother. The child had called the woman named Kagome mother. The woman shook her head as she turned her sightless eyes up to the sky. The beauty and sensual pleasure of the morning was lost to her now. She wasn't wallowing in self pity she was accepting reality. This Kagome woman was Rin's mother. That meant that she was the girl's servant. It wasn't that bad, but she'd have to learn how to properly dress the child.

 

She truly loved Sesshoumaru. She didn't know why, but she did. Though if what the youkai woman had said was true, then she meant nothing to him. Just a `bed warmer'. Fat drops of rain fell onto her cheeks as a slow drizzle turned into a downpour. She didn't move from her spot though.

 

The woman simply closed her eyes and let the rain drench her. The cold pelting water soaked her through and yet she still didn't move from where she sat. She felt free to let her silent tears flow, no one would know she was or had been crying. The rain would wash her tears away. For whatever reason, the chill of the rain and wind brought her a cold kind of peace. Closing her eyes, she turned her face down toward her lap and let the sound of the rain soothe her into a blissful state in between the waking world and the sleeping world.

 

 

 

 

 

“Kami,” Kenji breathed out as he looked at Inuyasha when the hanyou and his pack were shown into the lord's study. “You look just like your father pup.”

 

“Do I know you?” Inuyasha asked as he looked at the black inuyoukai with a measuring glare.

 

“No, I guess not. But I once knew you.”

 

Kenji studied the rough hanyou before him. This Inuyasha was nothing at all like the pup he once knew. The pup had been trusting and cuddling. This Inuyasha standing before him was guarded, gruff and always looked like he was waiting for an attack. What had happened to that tiny pup? Where had that kind little boy gone?

 

“You sure about that?” Inuyasha asked as Shippou leapt onto his shoulder. “I've never been here before.”

 

“You grew up here pup,” Kenji said as he watched the hanyou. “I knew you when you were no bigger than that pup on your shoulder.”

 

“I think I would've remembered that,” he said harshly, telling Kenji by the tone of his voice to drop the subject.

 

“Why are you here Inuyasha?” Sesshoumaru asked evenly as he studied the scrolls on his desk.

 

When the hanyou failed to respond, the taiyoukai looked up, just in time to see Kagome slap Inuyasha in the stomach with the back of her hand.

 

“We need your help,” Kagome said her storm blue eyes watching Sesshoumaru intently. “You two are brothers,” the girl said with a helpless and sad sigh. “Can't you just set your differences aside for a moment? Please,” she begged not only him, but Inuyasha as well.

 

“It is late,” Sesshoumaru said as he stood and moved from behind his desk. “And it is raining.” He looked at the girl that watched him carefully with wide eyes, as blue as the storm clouds outside. “Miko, Inuyasha follow me,” he said as he moved toward them and lifted Rin into his arm. “Kenji find rooms for the other two.”

 

“Yes my lord,” the warrior said with a bow of his head. “If you'll come with me,” he said to Miroku and Sango.

 

“Where are you taking us bastard?” Inuyasha growled.

 

Sesshoumaru turned around to address his brother's manner but was beat to it by Kagome. A single silver brow rose, the only sign of his amusement.

 

“Sit!” Kagome said firmly and the hanyou found himself face down on the floor.

 

“Would you stop doing that?!” Inuyasha growled up at her along with a few other expletives.

 

“This is your brother's home Inuyasha,” Kagome reprimanded him. “We are guests. So be nice!” she growled at him, tugging on one ear.

 

“OW! Damnit wench not the ears!” he growled after her as she stalked away. “Hey you just gonna leave me here?”

 

Sesshoumaru watched in silent, hidden amusement as the girl turned back around, Shippou in her arms. He watched her blush softly, apparently realizing that she had no clue where to go.

 

“You want me to bite his ears Kagome?” he heard the pup in her arms ask softly.

 

“No Shippou,” Kagome said and petted his tail until the pup fell asleep. “Inuyasha,” Kagome turned to the hanyou. “Just be nice ok?” she asked him as he stood up.

 

“Keh.”

 

“Don't you `keh' me,” she said and walked up to him, poking him in the chest with her finger. “Be nice!”

 

“Fine!” he growled back and looked at his brother before looking at Kagome again. “Oh come on!” he was met with Kagome's stern look. “Sorry,” he said to Sesshoumaru and for whatever reason that word alone made it impossible for the taiyoukai to hold in his chuckles.

 

“Follow me,” he said simply, amusement clear in his voice.

 

Sesshoumaru led his brother and the girl down to Inuyasha's room in the castle. He stood in front of the closed, heavy solid wood sliding doors. Carved into the wood was a scene of the mountain side over looking the Mushashi village that Izayoi had been a princess of. She stood upon the hill, Toga next to her, his arm around her waist, their backs to the village. The carved couple smiled upon each other lovingly, the woman's stomach large with pup.

 

“It hasn't been changed. Nothing has been moved since you and Ma - since you and Izayoi left,” Sesshoumaru said before releasing the ceiling locks and opening the doors.

 

“Oh!” Kagome breathed out in wonder as she stepped inside the room. “Oh Inuyasha,” she gushed as she walked to one of the many painting hung on the wall. “Oh you were so tiny and cute!” she giggled. “Wait what are you chewing on?” she asked as she stepped closer to the painting.

 

“His shoe,” Sesshoumaru answered her evenly. “Father never could keep them on him.”

 

“Is that?” Kagome asked in awe as she gingerly touched the painting.

 

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru answered as he stepped up next to her, Inuyasha moving to her other side as he took in the room. “That is our father.”

 

“He's beautiful,” the girl sighed and smiled. “That's you,” she said as her smile grew and she looked at Sesshoumaru. “That's you holding him,” she said as she turned her head many times, as she looked between the painting and the youkai at her side. “You looked so happy. What happened?” she asked as she forgot herself and touched his face. “Why are you so cold now?”

 

“It doesn't matter,” he said and turned away as he moved to the open doorway. “A servant will guide you to the dinning hall for the evening meal.”

 

With that, Sesshoumaru left the room, closing the door behind him. Kagome walked to the large bed that lay in the middle of the back wall, setting the sleeping pup in her arms on the silk covered pillows. She walked back to Inuyasha's side after setting her backpack, bow and quiver next to and in the chair near the window. She stood next to her silent friend as he stood transfixed looking upon the painting of his mother and father standing together and smiling as his mother held him in her arms.

 

“I guess it must be a little weird huh?” she asked as she put a hand on his shoulder gently.

 

Inuyasha didn't say anything but simply stared at the painting, raising his hand to run his fingertips over his mother's face. Kagome looked between him and the painting sadly. He didn't know either one of his parents and he had confessed to her one night that the few memories he had of the woman were fading away. She stepped closer, her body against his side as she wrapped one arm around his back and rested her head against his shoulder.

 

Inuyasha thanked the kami for Kagome. He didn't think he could stand here in this room and not scream like he wanted to right now if it wasn't for her presence. She always seemed to calm him. He lifted his right arm, the side she was leaning against, and wrapped it around her. He held her to his side, her hand that had lifted and curled in his haori was now held in his hand as they rested against his chest. They stood there like that for a long time as Inuyasha simply stared at the painting. It seemed like his life rested there within those strokes of paint.

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome asked after a long while.

 

It had been a rough and tiresome week traveling here to the western lands. The miko tried to hide her exhaustion from the hanyou by turning her face into his shoulder as she yawned.

 

“C'mon wench,” Inuyasha said softly as he turned them both around and led the drowsy girl to the bed.

 

“I'm not tired,” she argued weakly, the bed looked so inviting.

 

“Yes you are,” he said as he swung her up into his arms and laid her down in the middle of the giant bed. “I'm hanyou remember,” he said lightly as he took off her shoes and covered her with a fur blanket. “You can't fool this nose.”

 

“My own little blood hound,” she joked lightly as she tapped the tip of his nose. “Stay with me?” she asked when he moved Shippou off the pillow and down to rest next to her side, opposite the one he sat by.

 

“I should go look in on the others,” he said as he stroked her hair away from her face.

 

She mumbled something incoherently, the exhaustion she felt, and the warmth and comfort of the bed and blanket getting to her. Kagome felt herself being pulled further and further toward sleep as she tried to stay awake. The slow, gentle petting of her hair by Inuyasha's hand broke her will though and she was soon asleep.

 

“I don't know why wench,” he whispered down at the sleeping girl. “But you haven't slept much in the past three days. You'll sleep now though.”

 

He thought back, to three days prior. Was it possible? Had she seen? Three days ago, the pack had needed to rest, the grueling traveling getting to them. He'd seen and scented the soul collectors and decided to let them have their rest as he went off to see Kikyou. It wasn't a good visit, and he feared that Kagome's unrest was perhaps because she had followed and seen what had taken place.

 

 

 

Inuyasha stood underneath the fringe of a willow tree, its swaying braches creating a curtain as they touched the long feathering grasses. Kikyou stood with him, close to him but not touching him.

 

“You are mine Inuyasha. Or have you forgotten?” the dead miko asked as she studied the hanyou before her critically.

 

“I haven't forgotten Kikyou,” he replied with a growling sigh.

 

For whatever reason, within the past two weeks the sight of Kikyou had begun to turn his stomach and give him a headache that stayed with him for hours. Only being near Kagome, taking in her scent, wrapping his youki up in her aura that was the only way to calm him after a visit with Kikyou. He looked upon the dead woman now and couldn't for the life of him remember why he had been so attracted to her before. What was it about her that had drawn him in? Whatever had been there was definitely gone now.

 

“Your thoughts are always on her!” Kikyou shouted angrily and then it seemed as though a sudden calm had over taken her. “She won't have you Inuyasha. She'll never have you. Perhaps you simply need to be reminded.”

 

Kikyou smiled softly almost for an instant looking like Kagome as she pushed the hanyou back against the tree behind him. She moved closer, closing the distance between them as her mouth descended over his and she kissed him.

 

 

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked upon the sleeping girl in the bed. The sound he had heard that night, the choked whimper. He'd thought it at first to be Kikyou, but now he knew, the sound belonged to Kagome. She had seen and she hadn't understood at all.

 

“Oh Kagome,” he said softly as he brushed her hair and bangs back from her forehead. “I'll do whatever I can to prove it to you. You're the only one who holds my heart. You're the one I belong too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You should come in now,” a voice called to the woman sitting in the pouring rain.

 

“It's beautiful don't you think Kari,” the woman said to her kitsune friend as she turned her face up to the rain. “I can't see the rain but still it feels beautiful.”

 

“Are you alright?” Kari asked in worry as she helped her friend up off the ground. The woman was soaked to the bone and freezing cold. “Kami, how long have you been out here?”

 

“A little bit before it started raining,” the woman said absently as she was led inside the castle.

 

“That had to be at least an hour! Why didn't you come in?” Kari was dumbfounded as she led the woman quickly into the nearest hot spring and helped her out of her soaked garments and into the steaming water.

 

“I like the rain,” the woman said emotionlessly.

 

“What's wrong with you?” Kari asked as she removed her own clothes and helped the woman bathe and warm up.

 

“Nothing is wrong with me.”

 

“Then why were out there in that? Sesshoumaru-sama will be so worried,” she reprimanded gently, stroking the woman's hair as she sneezed.

 

“Yes, I know,” she sneezed again.

 

“Then why didn't you come in? He would've -”

 

“Kari I should like to sleep in my own chambers tonight,” she said absently, ignoring the kitsune's worried reprimands and statements of surprise. “I'll take my meal in there too.”

 

“Did Sesshoumaru do something?” Kari asked nervously. “If he did I can have Kenji beat him up.”

 

The woman did actually chuckle softly at that. “No. Please don't do anything, or mention anything to either of them.”

 

“Sweetie, what happened?” Kari asked her concern written on her face and clear in her voice. “You always want to be near Sesshoumaru. What happened to change that?”

 

“Let's just say that I grew up,” the woman said.

 

Kari sighed sadly; she wouldn't be getting anything more out of the woman.

She didn't understand what her friend meant by that last remark, but she was determined to find out.

 

“I'm going to go get you a new kimono. Stay here and relax in the spring ok?” Kari said and watched as the woman nodded and leaned back against the smooth boulder.

 

 

 

 

 

“Oi!” Inuyasha called out when he saw Kenji down the hall. “You're the one that took Sango and Miroku to their chambers right?”

 

“Yes,” Kenji said as he looked at the hanyou before him.

 

“Where are they?” Inuyasha asked.

 

“Your pack mates are safe,” Kenji assured him.

 

“I don't doubt that. Sango could lay you out flat. I just want to know where they are.”

 

“My name is Kenji, use it. As for your pack mates, return to your chambers, they are three doors down on the left hand side of the hall to the right.”

 

With that, Kenji turned and left Inuyasha standing there. Maybe later he would get a chance to truly talk to him, but not now. The hanyou was too suspicious of everyone around him. The inuyoukai continued down the hall as he heard the hanyou's retreating steps.

 

“Kari?” he said as he came upon the kitsune exiting the private chambers set up for the blind woman.

 

“She wants to sleep in here tonight,” the youkai explained with a shrug.

 

“Why?” he asked in confusion and a bit of worry. “She's practically been glued to Sessh's side since he brought her here.”

 

“I don't know. She said something about having grown up,” she said as she carried the simple forest green kimono and grass yellow obi.

 

“What's that suppose to mean?” he asked as he walked beside her as she returned to the enclosed spring.

 

“I don't know. She won't talk about it further. You have a way of talking with him; do you think he did anything to upset her?” Kari asked worriedly.

 

“I don't know. She'll see him at dinner though. Maybe he can-”

 

“She won't. She asked to take her meal in her room.”

 

“What happened between them?” he asked his eyes wide and filled with concern.

 

“I don't know.”

 

 

 

 

“Mamma.”

 

“Let her sleep pup,” Inuyasha said as he slipped into the room.

 

“But the servant came and said it was time for dinner,” Shippou said as he looked from his deeply sleeping adoptive mother to the hanyou that was moving to the side of the bed.

 

“I know. I'll bring something back for her, but just let her sleep right now.”

 

Shippou sighed but nodded and leapt up to perch on Inuyasha's shoulder. The hanyou gave one last look at the sleeping girl before leaving the room to follow the waiting servant to the dinning hall.

 

“Shippou,” Inuyasha said as he was left at the doors to the dinning hall. “I want you to stay with Sango and Miroku tonight.”

 

“Why? I always stay with mamma,” the pup said not understanding why he had to be separated from the woman.

 

“She needs rest. I just want her to sleep as long as she can.”

“Is mamma sick?” Shippou asked as Inuyasha walked in slowly and took a seat to the right of Sango just as the taijiya slapped the lecherous monk.

 

“Not yet. But she might get that way.”

 

“Is something wrong with Kagome?” Sango asked softly as she noticed the distinct lack of the usually vibrant girl. “Where is she?”

 

“She hasn't slept well so I left her in our room. Shippou's gonna stay with you tonight, I don't want Kagome disturbed.”

 

“Will she be alright?” Miroku asked, none of them noticing Sesshoumaru's quiet and nearly invisible departure.

 

“I think so,” the hanyou said as he gathered up his food plus a second helping and put them onto a tray that a servant handed to him. “I'm gonna take this and go back to her. You both know where our room is right?” Miroku and Sango nodded. “If you have any problems come find me.”

 

Inuyasha stood with the tray in his hands, giving a soft growl at the kitsune seated on his shoulder. Shippou hopped down to Sango with a disgruntled look on his face. He didn't want to be away from his mother tonight, but Inuyasha was the alpha and while the pup normally didn't care too much, he listened to him about Kagome. The small fox child watched as Inuyasha made his way out of the dinning hall, heading back to Kagome's side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sesshoumaru slipped silently into the woman's room. His jaw clenched tightly and the frustration he felt could only be compared to the total and utter confusion that clawed at his mind. The woman sat on the floor, her legs crossed and the tray of food in her lap. Although, she had kept the tray and the floor around her neat, she still ate with her hands. He could see tiny grains of rice dried to her fingers, pieces of kale from the sushi under her nails. There were bits of the salmon on her cheeks next to the corners of her mouth.

 

He watched her eat. It wasn't disgusting or irritating, but all the same, it displeased him to see her like that. Why was she sitting on the cold stone floor eating like a thief in the night? Why wasn't she by his side in the dinning hall? Why did it look as though she planned to stay in here tonight? She hadn't been in here at all since they returned to the castle. Even her clothing that once hung in the wardrobe had been moved to his chambers. Didn't she see? They weren't his chambers anymore; the rooms belonged to both of them.

 

Her aura felt different, changed somehow. This morning she had been happy. He had worshipped her body as much as he could without actually taking her. Was it that? Was that bothering her now? But she would've said something if it had been the case wouldn't she? Sesshoumaru moved closer, sat on his legs before her as he watched her eat, studied her face, her eyes.

 

His teeth ground together as he saw it. It was there in her eyes and he hated it. Kami he hated it. She was withdrawing, completely from him and those around her. Just when he believed he had been making progress with her, she pulled away, hid herself from him. And why? Even he didn't have the answer to that question. His hand reached out in a blur of movement, catching the wooden cup of water that she nearly knocked off the tray.

 

That was perhaps the thing that disturbed him the most. The plates, the tray, the cup, hell even the spoon she had for the mostly broth soup - they were all made of wood. Not even his servants ate from such, these pieces of wooden tableware; they had been used only in one place, for one reason. Only prisoners in the dungeon were served food on wooden flatware. His servants ate from fine glazed clay or bright shined metal pieces. It meant only one thing, she asked for the wooden flatware.

 

A low growl spilled from his throat before he could stop it and the woman before him stilled. She looked up and around, her eyes not seeing him. His growling had stopped shortly after he himself had heard it, and with no further sound, the woman shrugged and continued on with eating her meal. The kimono she wore was plain, it was still silk, but it was plain. The kimono itself was a solid forest green, all one color, the shade never changing nor a pattern brightening it. The obi wrapped around her waist holding it together, was a solid yellow green, like that of new grass in the spring. Neither piece had a pattern to it, the colors never changing.

 

He watched as she finished off the water and set the empty plates and tray aside. She felt along the wall, making certain that the tray was up against it, everything on it as neat as her hands could make them, before moving on her hands and knees to the water bowl she had moved to sit on the floor in the corner. A small towel sat next to it. It was then he noticed that everything was on the floor. The water bowl and towel, the wooden comb he had crudely fashioned for her during their travels. His eyes scanned over the bed and he noticed the pillows were missing, though their silken cases lay neatly folded on the bed.

 

His eyes moved back to her and he watched silently, his anger growing again as he watched her crawl along the wall to the cotton and wool blankets she had made into a crude futon. The pillows lay in the corner, the blankets against the wall. She was about to lay down when his ability to stay silent left him.

 

“Why are you in here? Why did you take your meal in here?” he asked her doing his damnedest to keep the anger he felt out of his voice.

 

“Is there a reason I shouldn't be?” she asked back and though she physically started, she gave no sound to her surprise.

 

“Why is everything on the floor?” he asked.

 

“It is what I am used to,” she answered plainly, as she lay down on her side, facing the wall she was nestled against.

 

“What you are used to is sleeping in my bed, with my arm and tail wrapped around you, your head on my chest. Why do you now wish to be in here?” he couldn't hide the frustration, the anger completely and a soft growl colored his words.

 

“You said it yourself. I am for Rin.”