InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Gift of a Curse ❯ Chapter 7

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Gift of a Curse

Chapter 7: Why?

~*~

Rin sighed as she walked about the castle. She was lost... again. Why do they build these things so large anyway? With a light sigh the midnight-haired girl turned a corner. "Looks a little... familair..." She murmured under her breath. Indeed, something was strangely familair about this area. Then she saw it, her chocolate hues widening slightly at the sight. "The rose!" Double-checking no one was around she slipped into the room. The window she had fallen through had been replaced though shards of glasss still littered the floor. Eyes on the rose, she stepped forward.

It hung suspended in the air and once again it beckoned her. Why? A chill ran down her back remembering the last time she had tried to touch this enchanted rose. Those eyes had held such bloodlust she knew she could never erase them from her memory, no matter how hard she tried. Now it was broad daylight and she was sure no one was near.

Reaching out a timid hand she let her fingers hover over the silver rose for a moment. "What makes it so special...?" She asked aloud. Her fingertips touched a pedal. It was like fine silk and slightly cold to the touch. Rin let out a breath she had been unaware of holding. Her hand pulled back suddenly as the petal fell. She whipped around hearing ehavy breathing.

"L- Lord Sesshou-" Rin was cut off. The taiyoukai had moved so quickly. Her back pressed up against the wall, mouth slightly agape in a silent scream, her eyes wide in terror as his own were no longer that honey hue but cimson in color.

"You knew this wing was forbidden!" He growled out in a harsh, hair-raising voice. Rin could only squeeze her eyes shut as a clawed hand was hovering just above her face emitting a green glow. His eyes were full of bloodlust.

"I'm sorry!" She finally managed to wail. He continued to press her up against the wall, but the crimson in his hues faded returning to gold. After a moment he let her drop turning away.

'Let my control snap...' he told himself, for some reason unable to turn and look at her. Sesshoumaru remained silent. He'd wanted her to fear him as she should, but that look in her eyes just then... for some reason it made him feel ashamed.

Rin found her footing and bolted past the silent taiyoukai. He made no move to stop her. "Where are you going Rin?!" Jaken yelled angrily as she rushed past him.

"I can't stand it anymore!" She cried heaving the two front doors open. Rin took off, heading towards a forest in a blind run. Her legs began to burn, begging to stop. She refused their pleas. A pain grew in her side, but she only continued onward into the thick of a forest. Branches and thorns cut at her drawing blood. A stream ran along beside her and she chose to follow it, not even stopping for a small drink. "Someone will find me. Someone will save me." She told herself over and over. Someone had to save her.

~*~

"Milord! Rin has escaped!" Jaken cried. Sesshoumaru remained silent, staring off out some window for a bit.

"Of this I am aware."

"Eh... yes Milord," Jaken said dumbfounded and with a curt nod of his head, left. Why was he letting the girl escape? 'I'll never understand Milord...' The toad thought with a frustrated sigh. Seems like just as soon as he was starting to figure out the taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru went and did something unheard of!

~*~

"This is the place Houshi-sama." Sango said coming to a stop in front of a large hut. The group of taijiya stopped as well, waiting for some sort of greeting. Kohaku shifted nervously, petting Kirara who was on his shoulder.

"Welcome!" A rather cold voice called. They turned to see a man around twenty with black wavy hair and crimson eyes. Strange combination for a human...

"We are here to slay a demon?" The taijiya leader said stepping forward. The man nodded.

"Yes. A castle of youkai."

"Very well." The leader said with a nod. "We'll set up camp and be ready to move out on your word."

"Very good. If you need anything, I go by the name of Naraku."

"Naraku?" He repeated. "Very well."

~*~

Rin finally stopped. She leaned against a tree for support panting as she caught her breath. She'd never been in a forest before. It was so quiet... and somehow she knew, too quiet. She looked around, but couldn't see anyone or anything. "Hello?" She called out shakily. 'I'm being stupid.' She scolded herself. 'You're finally free and you're acting like something is out to get you.' Rin shivered remembering her encounter with the taiyoukai. The feeling that she'd never see another day that had welled inside her.

"I'm so stupid!" the young woman cried out to the forest. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "I thought... I don't know what I thought..." She looked up into the trees, the light shining through dappled by the leaves. A shuffling sound, a snap of a twig. Something was close. She held her breath looking around to try and find who was near.

She froze, two black beady eyes caught her chocolate orbs. Snarls and growls, she was surrounded. Rin pressed up against the trees as wolf youkai began to move closer. They bared their fangs, the fur on the backs raising. 'No! I won't die out here!' The wolves continued to circle, waiting for her to make a move. She eased a hand out slowly despite the snarls she recieved and took hold of a small tree branch. "Now!" Rin leapt forward just as the wolves attack. The managed to beat one away when a set of fangs sunk into her arm.

Hissing in pain she kicked the wolf off and backed against a tree. Now she turned, just as a youkai leapt into the air. It's fangs bared, claws outstretched as it hurtled itself at her. Rin let out a shrill scream cowering and squeezing her eyes shut. Her arm throbbed, the warm liquid gushing from where the fangs had sunken deep into her flesh and muscel. The impact never came, instead there was a hiss and a loud thump. She opened her eyes and gasped.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" He ripped his claws through a wolf, it's body falling to the ground. The taiyoukai turned to look at her for a moment, claws covered in blood. Another youkai leapt at him, digging into his back. With a low growl he knocked it off, slicing it cleanly in two with a whip-like light.

Blood ran from his wounds, covering her clothing and running into his silver tresses as if it had always been there. The wolves turned tail and ran, disappearing into the forest foliage. Rin watched them go, then turned to Sesshoumaru. His golden hues catching her gaze for a moment before dropping to his knees with heavy breaths. He had suffered alot of bloodloss, even for a great youkai. It was pooling at his feet with no sign of stopping soon. The demon lord opened his mouth as to say something, but fell to a limp form on the ground.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" the girl cried in horror kneeling at his side. There was no way this was the same youkai who had held it's claws at her not long ago. His breathing was slow and irregular. Her eyes trailed down his body to the whole in his back. The wolves had peirced through his armour and by the looks of it, dug quite deeply into his flesh.

Tears welled up in front of chocolate hues. "All this because you saved me..." She whispered. Gently she unclasped his armour tugging it off. Ri nset it beside her and then moved the pull back his kimono. The crimson covered everything, making his alabaster skin appear red. Gently she touched around one of the wounds, recieving a hiss from the unconscious taiyoukai. Pulling ehr fingers back she cupped her hands, filling them with water from the enarby stream.

The cool liquid cleaned away the blood. She continued the process until it stopped flowing, all the while chewing nervously on her bottom lip. If he wasn't so heavy she could carry him! Perhaps a youkai from the castle would smell the blood and come looking? Cleaning the wounds the best she could, and to the best of her knowledge, Rin began to rip strips off the bottom of her kimono and lightly bandaged him. 'Why am I doing this?' She asked herself. 'I could be gone by now... I might have found a village by now.'

~*~

The sun was setting, the sky a fiery orange. Still she was out in the woods, unable to leave the demon lord and fearful of the wolves all the while. Rin looked beside her where he lay, only a slightly different position from before. The strips of kimono she'd used were covered in blood. 'I'll replace them soon...' she told herself. Coffee hues trailed up his body to his face and she couldn't help, but think it looked peaceful.

Timidly she reached out a hand, brushing a silken lock to the side. His hues snapped open, a hand shooting out to grab her own. She gasped in surprise. "I-...I'm sorry." Rin mumbled trying to pull away from his strong hold. The taiyoukai ignored her for a moment.

"Why?"

"Why what?" She responded dumbfounded.

"Why didn't you leave me?" Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly, his eyes searching hers.

A heat rose up in her cheeks. She was blushing... why? "You...you saved me. I couldn't leave you to...die." Rin managed to say, tripping over her tongue. The demon lord let her hand go, sitting up slowly and staring ahead. He felt strange... like he'd just drank a cup of hot tea perhaps? No... this warmth growing inside him was different.

Rin stared down at her feet nervously, unsure of what to do or say. "You shouldn't have ventured into these woods." He said coldly. Rin turned him, her eyes ablaze with that defiant flame.

"If you wouldn't have attacked me I wouldn't have!"

"Then you shouldn't have gone into the West Wing." He had a point there. This all came down to letting her curiousity get the better of her. After a moment she sighed reluctantly.

"Yes... I should have left it alone."

The taiyoukai was slightly surprised. She wasn't usually one to give in so easily.

What was it about this human girl that intrigued him so much? Sesshoumaru would admit to himself that, yes, something other than the curse had made him go after her, but what?

~*~*~*~

Notes: Another stupid chapter for another stupid story. I don't know why I bother writing. *Sigh*

No glossary... you should have learned the words by now right? I'm pretty sure Taijiya (demon slayer), youkai, and taiyoukai was all I used. Shorter chapter... too bad!

Inuyasha: Hey Ray guess what?
Ray: Umm...what?
Inuyasha: Hay stole your idea and does this now too!
Ray: That dirty little...Sesshoumaru?
Sess: -_- Yes?
Ray: Seek her!
Sess: No.
Ray: -_-;