InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bitter Blood ❯ Chapter 11

Bitter Blood

Chapter 11

"Lady Rin," Jakken said. "Your face."

She shrugged it off. "It's nothing," she picked up her chopsticks and dug into her rice.

"Surely, Lord Sesshomaru--"

"I don't wish to talk about it!"

He bowed low and begged his apologies. "I will excuse myself, then."

"Please do," she said.

He bowed again and retreated into the kitchen.

She ate in silence, shoveling her rice into the right side of her face. The left side felt quite swollen and tender. She wondered how she looked . . . If the pain was any indicator, she was sure it was quite ugly.

"Jakken!"

"Yes, my lady?" he appeared at the side of the table.

"Keep the servants away from here till I've finished eating. I wouldn't like anyone to see me like this."

Jakken nodded. "Yes, my lady."

"And prepare Ah-Un for me. I wish to leave the grounds for a few hours."

"My lady?"

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll be back. I just need some time away from here."

He nodded again.

"And make sure Dokumi looks after Daichi. I'll be back to feed him as soon as I can."

"May I ask where you're going?" he asked.

"No," she said. "You may not ask."

He bowed his respect, then excused himself to make the necessary preparations.

She hurried to finish the rest of her meal, then headed towards the rear entrance of the castle.

"Where are you going?"

She turned to see Sesshomaru lurking in the vestibule.

"Where are you going?" he repeated.

She didn't answer, only stood and stared at him.

"I see Jakken has prepared Ah-Un," he said.

Again, she gave no reply.

"Will you not speak?" His gaze remained fixed on her.

She turned her back to him and continued on her way.

"Will you abandon the child?" he called after her.

She stopped, but did not turn around. "Do you know to whom you're speaking?"

He gave no reply.

"I will return in good time," she said. "I am not so easily run off."

* * * * *

"Rin," Kagome cried, "your face."

"Please," she said, "it's nothing." She sat down in the center of their hut. Masa was sleeping in a large basket. Kisho was outside with his father.

Kagome crouched down beside her. "How's your son? What did you name him?"

"Daichi," she said. "And I have a question."

"All right. What is it?"

"Is it natural for a husband to turn from his wife after she's had a child?"

Kagome frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was coming. "InuYasha still desires you, I assume. I mean, even after two sons, you still sleep in the same bed every night . . ."

"Is that the question?" she asked.

"No," she said. "My question is 'How?'" A tear slipped down her face. "My lord has turned from me," she said, "and I wish to know why . . . I wish to know what I did . . . I wish to know why he . . ." she sniffed back tears. "I wish to know why he so despises me."

Kagome hugged her shoulders. "I'm sure he doesn't despise you," she said.

"He does," she said. "He . . . he . . ."

"He what?" she prompted her.

"He did this to my face."

She stared at her, her face a mixture of confusion and concern. "Sesshomaru? HIT you?"

Rin turned away from her. To have it said out loud like that, to hear someone say those words . . . to have it be real, and not some imagined terror . . . She felt ashamed. How could she have provoked him to commit such an atrocious act?

Kagome shook her shoulders. "Rin, did he hit you?"

She nodded solemnly. "He did."

She dragged her to her feet and pulled her out the door. "InuYasha!"

Rin was horrified. "Wh-what're you doing?"

"InuYasha!" Fury burned brightly across her face.

"K-Kagome . . ." she continued to be dragged through the village.

"We're going to get you and Daichi out of there. InuYasha!"

She pulled her arm free. "What're you talking about!"

"You're leaving him."

"I will not!"

Kagome crossed her arms. "Rin, have you seen your face? Do you know what you look like? Have you seen what he's done to you?"

She crossed her arms, too. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" she repeated. "Do you know who you're dealing with? Do you know how many people he's killed? Do you really want your son growing up with that kind of man?"

"My lord is decent and kind!"

"Your lord is a monster!"

"It was an accident! I provoked him!"

"You're a woman! You're a human! Do you think you can take that kind of abuse?"

"He won't do it again!"

She grabbed her arm again. "You're damn right he won't do it, again. We're going to the castle. We're collecting your son. And the two of you will stay with us."

She jerked her arm free. "Am I to be ordered around by the likes of you?" she asked. "Remember to whom you are speaking to. I am the Lady of the Western Lands. I am the mother of the heir."

"YOU are Sesshomaru's punching bag."

She glared at her, then stomped away. "Ah-Un!"

The two-headed beast swept down out of the skies.

"I can't believe I came here thinking I'd get help . . ."

"Wait!" Kagome ran after her.

She stopped before she mounted her trusty steed.

Kagome caught up to her. "I know love is blind, Rin. I know it makes us do many STUPID and potentially dangerous things."

Rin remained unaffected.

"And I also know I can't force my beliefs on someone else." She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a few strips of paper with odd writing on them. She smiled at her and pressed them into her hand.

"What is this?" she asked.

"They're wardings," she said.

"'Wardings?'" Rin repeated.

"Protection spells against demons," she said. "You paste them on a door frame, and no demon can pass."

She tried to give them back. "I don't--"

"Keep them," she said. "If I can't convince you to leave him, keep them."

She reluctantly stuffed them in her sleeve. "I would never use these against my lord."

Kagome smiled. "Let's hope you never have to."

Rin mounted Ah-Un.

"Oh, and keep Daichi away from them. They work on half-demons as well."

InuYasha appeared. "What!"

"What, what?" Kagome asked.

"I heard you yelling for us clear on the other side of the forest."

Kisho was with him.

"Hello, Kisho," Rin said. "Do you remember me?" she asked.

He recoiled. "What happened to your face?"

She gripped the reins and gave them a tug. "I'll be going now."

They watched as she took off.

"What did happen to her face?" InuYasha asked.