InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In a Different Light ❯ POV ( Chapter 10 )

In a Different Light

Chapter 9: POV (Point of View)

"Isn't this the Musashi District?" Rin asked.

They'd been traveling for a week, now, in their usual formation. Sesshomaru led the way with Jakken immediately behind him, toting the Staff of Heads in one hand and Ah-Un's reins in the other. Rin sat atop the two-headed beast, admiring the changing scenery while trying to carry on a conversation with her two companions capable of speech.

"What does it look like?" Jakken grumbled.

"Well, it looks like the Musashi District, but that wouldn't make much sense," she said. "It's completely out of our way. We must have made a wrong turn somewhere."

"Don't be simple," the toad said. "Our Lord Sesshomaru doesn't make mistakes. He knows exactly where he's going and exactly what he's doing."

"Well, I don't doubt that," Rin scoffed. "But you two always told me to stay away from here, and now, here we are." She glanced up at the barren treetops and caught sight of the village rooftops up ahead. "This is InuYasha's Forest, isn't it?"

"It is," Sesshomaru replied. "We have business here."

"Oh?" Rin said.

He came to a halt, keeping his back to his companions. When he stopped, they stopped. "We will camp here for the night."

Rin couldn't hide her surprise. "But it's not even sunset," she said. "We could get in a couple more hours of travel easily."

Jakken scoffed. "Didn't you hear our lord? We have business here." He released Ah-Un's reins and scampered to his lord's side. "Shall I announce us, Lord Sesshomaru?"

There was a sudden shift in the wind's direction. "That won't be necessary," his lord replied. "It would seem that he is coming to us."

He? Rin wondered. He who?

As soon as she'd completed her thought, a man clad entirely in red burst through the trees before them. He had the same hair and eyes as her lord, but that's not what caught her attention. The man in red had drawn a rather large sword and was slowly approaching Sesshomaru with a sneer on his lips and a vicious gleam in his eyes. "Sesshomaru," the man growled.

Rin's right hand instinctively sought out the hilt of her sword hidden beneath her kimono. She wasn't sure what was going on, but if this man was here to do them harm . . .

"InuYasha," her lord said in his usual bored and unaffected voice, "haven't you a better greeting for your older brother?"

Brother? Her brain pondered, then finally registered. That's right. Jakken had mentioned that before. InuYasha and Sesshomaru are half-brothers. And, glancing between the two, she could obviously see the family resemblance-the silver hair, the golden eyes, the claws and fangs . . . They even seemed to possess some of the same "don't mess with me" attitude. But while her lord was regal and composed, his brother was a bit rougher and gruffer. And he had two little doggie ears on the top of his head.

"Spill it, Sesshomaru. Whatta you want here!"

Rin's eyes fell from his ears back to the sword in his hands . . . What was it called? She was sure Jakken had told her about that, as well. There was supposed to be something special about it. Something deadly . . . but what was it? And why was this InuYasha directing it at her lord and future husband?

They were brothers, weren't they? They'd fought together in the final battle against Naraku, hadn't they? So why were they acting so cold towards one another? Why was Sesshomaru glaring? Why was his brother snarling?

She glanced down at Jakken who stood between herself and the two brothers. He seemed overly tense, as well, the Staff of Heads clutched tightly in both hands, a serious and dour expression lining his misshapen face.

What was it about this InuYasha that had everyone, even herself, so high-strung? She, herself, had no personal experience with the half-man half-demon. In fact, this was their first meeting . . . But there was something about him. Something Jakken had said. Something about that sword and her lord . . . Now, what was it?

Another gust of wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves on the ground, whipping through the hair on their heads and sending Sesshomaru's left sleeve flapping.

That's it, Rin thought, focusing on her lord's sleeve and the sword in InuYasha's hand. He's the one, she remembered Jakken telling her. He's the one who cut off Sesshomaru's left arm, and . . . that sword. It had a special attack, he'd said. Something about wounds and wind and . . .

She narrowed her eyes and gripped her sword's hilt through the fabric of her robe. That attack was what had left her lord so injured and so alone on the forest floor that day she'd met him. That InuYasha had done that to her lord.

She watched in silent horror as the two men turned and began to walk off together. She'd been so deep in thought she'd missed their entire conversation . . . but this couldn't be good.

She jumped down from Ah-Un, intent on following them. That InuYasha would not hurt her lord again.

Jakken grabbed the skirt of her kimono. "And where do think you're going?"

She yanked her skirt from the toad's hand. "I'm going to follow them, of course."

Jakken scoffed. "A duel is no place for a lady."

"Duel!" Now, she definitely had to go.

He grabbed her skirt again. "Calm down, you silly, little girl. You think our lord and master can't handle that foul-mouthed, foul-tempered half-breed?"

"But--"

"Stop being stupid and help me get the camp set up."

"But . . ."

"This is a matter between men. Lord Sesshomaru's honor won't let anyone interfere. Let the two brothers battle it out between themselves." He grabbed Ah-Un's reins and led him back down the forest path.

Rin stood and stared at the spot where Sesshomaru and his . . . brother had been.

"Come along, girl," Jakken called back to her. "We'll find a nice clearing, gather some wood, fetch some water . . . I'm sure our lord would like a nice cup of tea after he settles things with that no-good, no-account brother of his."

Rin continued to linger. "But what does he have to settle?"

* * *

Rin began the next morning the same way she'd begun most mornings since she was thirteen. She woke just before sunrise and braided her hair into one, long plait over her left shoulder. She then tiptoed past Ah-Un and Jakken and changed into her training uniform-a pale blue tunic with a mandarin collar and matching loose-fitting pants. After changing, she tiptoed back into the clearing, grabbed her sword, then headed down the forest path to find a nice, open space somewhere-not too close to the village and not too far from camp.

Her lord had returned late last night and had went directly to sleep. She'd waited up for him, then drifted off into an uneasy sleep. She'd had a dream about her parents and her brother and their blood and the bandits, and then she'd had one about the wolves . . . She swallowed hard and wiped an imaginary film of sweat from her brow.

She was anxious and ill this morning, her stomach rebelling against the mere idea of filling it with food.

Yes, Sesshomaru had come in late last night, but this morning, as with the past eight mornings, he was nowhere in sight when she woke. Now, at first she attributed his absences to early morning hunting . . . but he never returned with anything. True, he could've eaten his kill directly after he caught it . . . But that just didn't feel right. It felt as if he were sneaking around behind their backs, doing something suspicious. Something not like himself.

Rin sighed. Not that it was any of their business.

She frowned and kicked a pile of leaves in front of her. He'd been gone the entire afternoon and most of the night, and hadn't told them one thing about it. Hadn't told her one thing about it . . . Now, she could be a bit more understanding about that type of behavior when she was younger. Admittedly, there was only so much a child needed to know. But she wasn't a child anymore. She wasn't a seven-year-old that jumped at the slightest sound. She was seventeen, a woman, an adult . . . and his intended.

She scoffed. He'd scolded her for making him worry.

"How foolish," he'd said.

But which was more foolish? Risking your life to save a friend from eminent death, orwillingly going off to duel a half-demon who'd already taken your arm and wounded you so severely that you couldn't even move? Which was more foolish? she wanted to know.

"Bastard," she cursed under her breath.

"I was very . . . angry with you today," he'd said smoothly.

And how did he think she was feeling right now?

"You deliberately placed yourself in harm's way," he'd said.

And so had he. And not even for a good reason.

It was as if he'd come looking for this fight. She knew they shouldn't have come here. She knew this was the Musashi district. She knew they didn't have any business being there. This was InuYasha's Forest, after all . . . They'd told her so many times in her youth to stay away from this place. They never went into specifics as to why. But every time they passed near here . . .

"I was frightened. And I didn't like it . . . "

"Well, I don't like it, either," she whispered to the phantom voice in her head.

She finally came to a suitable training space and stabbed her sword in the ground. "What a bastard," she cursed again.

It wasn't that she doubted his abilities. She knew he was quite capable of taking care of himself.

A slight smile worked its way onto her lips. Only a fool who had no fondness for his own life would willingly cross her lord . . . But the things Jakken had told her about his half-brother . . .

Though, InuYasha couldn't be all bad, she reasoned. He did help defeat that creature Naraku. And he had a human mate . . . And, there was that one time. She seemed to have a vague recollection of him being there when Kohaku had tried to kill her . . . Of course, Sesshomaru had been there. But it seemed as if his brother had been there, as well-InuYasha and some other people.

She tried to focus in on the memory, but failed to come up with any cohesive image . . . But, still, he had been the one who'd hurt Sesshomaru. And the way he'd approached them last night . . . Everyone had been on edge.

Rin sighed. This isn't getting your yoga done, now, is it?

She glanced around at her surroundings-the wide, grassy plain beneath her feet; the open, uncluttered expanse of land; the tall, barren trees on all sides; the sky above her beginning to take on a slightly yellowy-orangish tinge, signifying the beginning of sunrise.

She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out to begin in Mountain Pose. Head high, feet together, spine straight, shoulders back, eyes forward, and her arms hanging loosely, but closely to her sides. Muscles relaxed, breathing even-in and out through the nose-lips slightly parted.

Now, Rin, just be still. Find your center, push down, tune into your body, become one with your surroundings.

As the first rays of sun began to make themselves known, Rin decided to welcome them, as she had done in the past, with the Sun Salutation. From Mountain Pose she lifted her hands into prayer position at chest level. She then drew in a deep breath, swinging her hands upwards, reaching her fingertips to the sky, then bending slightly backwards. Exhaling, she leaned forward to stretch her lower back, pressing her palms flat against the green grass below into the Standing Forward Pose.

But as she stretched, she noticed a slight . . . shift in the feeling of her surroundings. Something there that wasn't there before.

She glanced to either side of her, keeping her head perfectly still.

There was nothing there.

She glanced slightly upwards to where she'd stuck her sword in the ground.

Her sword was there and nothing else.

You're being silly, she told herself. It's because of InuYasha and those dreams you had last night. You are not a seven-year-old who jumps at the slightest sound. You're seventeen, and you're perfectly capable of looking after yourself. Your sword's right-

She glanced up again to see her sword missing and a pair of black boots standing in its place.

She gasped and rolled backwards to come to a standing position a few feet back from where she'd previously been stretching. "S-Sesshomaru!"

He smirked at her, her sword dangling from his right hand. "You are unobservant, Rin. Were I an attacker, you'd be dead by now."

She scowled at him, folding her arms across her chest. "You were spying on me?"

"I do not spy," he said simply. "I was observing." He could sense her anger rising, see her brow creasing on her face.

"Well," she said, "when you 'observe' a person without their knowledge or consent, it's called spying. And I'll thank you to give me my sword back." She extended her arm and held her hand out.

He raised an eyebrow at her, but placed the hilt of the sword in her hand. "It's an inferior blade."

"It's all that I have," she said.

He watched as an angry flush worked its way onto her normally pale features, her brown eyes glaring at him quite intently. "You're angry with me."

"Yes! I'm quite angry with you."

He noticed the growing tension in her body, the sternness of her jaw, the diagonal slash of her mouth. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"Why!" she screamed. "Because."

"Because?"

"Because," she stated more emphatically.

He hid his amusement at her incoherence. "I prefer your hair down," he said evenly.

"What?"

"You don't wish to speak about your anger towards me, so I wish to speak about your hairstyle. I prefer it down."

Rin scoffed. "I only wear it like this for practice."

"That may be, but I still dislike it."

"So, what?" she asked. "You want me sweating all over my hair? Stepping on it? Maybe accidentally cutting some off with a swing of the blade?"

He remained unfazed. "If it gets 'sweaty,' as you say, you may wash it. To avoid stepping on it, become more coordinated. As for cutting it, that is not allowed."

Rin rolled her eyes. "It's my hair."

"Yes. But you will be my mate. Your appearance reflects upon me."

She scoffed again. "Well, at this point, I really couldn't care less." She turned to head back to the clearing. "I doubt you'll live long enough to actually claim me."

"Rin."

She waved him away, continuing to leave. "I have places to go, people to see. Wasn't it you that said we had business here?"

In a blink he was in front of her. "Do not turn your back to me."

"Yeah, well . . . don't run off without telling me and get yourself killed, and then we can talk about my manners."

He gripped her arm as she tried to get past him.

She glared up at him; he looked down at her.

"Killed?" he repeated.

"Killed," she nodded.

"And who could do such a thing to me?"

Her eyes fell from his face to his left shoulder.

An uncomfortable quiet seemed to settle between the two of them. The wind picked up again, blowing his sleeve in the breeze.

He released her. "You dislike my brother."

She took a few steps back from him and rubbed her sword-bearing arm. "I don't know him well enough to pass that kind of judgment."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. Could it finally be that he had something his brother did not?

"You dislike my brother."

"Yes," she finally said. "I dislike your brother."

"Why?" He watched as a myriad of emotions played itself across her face, uncertainty dancing in the depths of her dark eyes. "Rin?"

Her eyes again fell to his left shoulder. "I dislike anyone who would willfully cause you harm, regardless of his your relationship to you."

"I see," he said. "We . . . are not close."

"I could tell," she scoffed. "Breaking through the trees, waving his sword around . . . glaring and sneering. What did you ever do to him?"

He realized from her tone, it was meant to be a rhetorical question, one that required no answer, but . . . "Much," he finally said.

"I can't imagine you doing anything deserving of that type of contempt . . . I mean, by the gods, what kind of person would do something like that to his own brother?"

"Had I the opportunity, I would've returned the favor," he replied smoothly.

"And he would've deserved it," she said coldly. "By the gods, Sesshomaru, why did you bring us here, anyway? Dragging us all this way just to pick a fight with your brother?"

"It was less a fight and more of a . . . discussion."

"A discussion?" she repeated.

He nodded his reply.

"A duel is not a discussion."

"A discussion is a way to settle differences; a duel is a way to settle differences. I see no difference. If the idea of bloodshed disturbs you, think of it as a lively debate."

She waved the tip of her sword at him, punctuating each word with a jab from her blade. "This. Is. Not. A. Joke."

He narrowed his eyes at her, focusing in on the sword in her hand.

She gave an apologetic smile and quickly let the blade fall to her side.

He continued to hold her gaze. "This Sesshomaru does not make jokes."

She drew in a deep breath and forced it out. "Of course not," she said. "Life would be too simple if you could just laugh at a few things."

"I do not appreciate your tone." He caught a sudden spike in her anger, an increase in heart rate, rapid, shallow breathing.

She stormed up to him and grabbed his left sleeve. "You ass!"

He glared at her.

"If he could do this to you," she shoved the empty sleeve in his face, "what's to stop him from taking the rest of you!"

They glared at one another-molten bronze facing off against a violent obsidian.

This was the Rin who had scalded Jakken. This was the Rin in need of discipline and restraint. This was the Rin who had tackled Master Sumida. This was the Rin he'd thought had long since vanished. This was . . . somewhat . . . arousing

He did not break eye contact. "Draw your sword."

She chuckled uneasily, but continued to hold his gaze. "What?"

"You doubt my abilities," he said smoothly. "I will teach you otherwise."

She released his sleeve and took a few steps back, still smiling and laughing. "I'm not gonna fight you," she said.

"You will," he drew Tenseiga from its sheath. "You have no choice."

She shook her head, clearly amused by the turn of events. "By the gods, Sesshomaru. . ."

"Prepare yourself." He assumed a fighting stance. "As Tenseiga is a healing sword, it won't cut you. But it will suffice in this duel."

She choked at another laugh. "Is this what you did to your brother?" she asked. "He said something you didn't like, so you tried to beat him up?"

"You are stalling," he said evenly. "And I have no desire to 'beat' you, Rin. But, a man takes his honor quite seriously. Certain things have been said, and I'll have to hold you accountable for them."

She continued to stare at him in a state of disbelief. "You wish to duel me?" she said.

He nodded his response. "Prepare yourself."

"And what will this prove?" she asked. "That you're the better swordsman? We already know that."

He remained unmoved. "Perhaps you should have considered that before insulting me."

"So, what?" she said. "You want an apology? You think I should apologize to you because you stayed out half the night, worrying me half sick, wondering if you're still alive or not?"

"If you are willing to apologize, I am willing to accept it."

She audibly scoffed and threw her head back. "Let's get this over with. The gods forbid you have to suffer through a bruised ego." She planted her feet firmly on the ground, her sword hanging loosely by her side. "I'm the one troubled with nightmares and cold sweats, and yet, it's your honor that has to be preserved. Forget about my peace of mind."

"You are rambling," he said cooly.

"And you're a bastard, so we're even." She continued grumbling to herself. "Dueling your intended. What the hell is this?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her comment. Dueling your intended. Was that not like the archaic concept of the battle for dominance?

A slight smirk crossed his lips. If things were to go that route, and he defeated her . . . which, of course, he would, then by custom, they could forego the whole courtship ritual, and he could take her directly after the battle . . . He allowed his eyes to roam freely over the soft curves he knew to be hidden beneath her, currently, loose-fitting clothing-the swell of her breasts, the arch of her back, and that toned thigh she'd given him a sneak peak of . . .

Yes, that idea certainly had its merits . . . But . . . this duel wasn't about her refusing him as a mate. It was about her blatant disrespect towards him and his battle skills. No respectable male would tolerate such aspersions to be cast on his good name.

It was silly for her to get so upset because of his encounter with InuYasha. It had been a friendly duel, a minor skirmish, at worst. It had been years since they'd seen each other, and they were both eager to test themselves against a familiar foe.

"Are you ready, Rin?"

She nodded her reply.

Admittedly, his brother had grown in strength . . . But so had he. InuYasha had also picked up a certain amount of speed, and he handled the Tessaiga with much more confidence and skill than he did in his earlier days . . . But, he, Sesshomaru, had already possessed those qualities. And it also seemed that his brother had learned a few new attacks with the sword, including the Bakuryuuha, Tessaiga's master technique . . . He hadn't been on the receiving end of that attack. He was quick enough to dodge it, and Tenseiga had offered him quite a bit of protection but . . .

It had been an interesting fight. He dared say they both learned a lot from their little "brotherly battle." InuYasha was not as . . . weak as he had once thought, and he, himself, was not as invincible as he had thought.

He did not defeat his brother, nor did his brother defeat him. InuYasha had walked onto the field with his usual swagger and cocky bravado. But he, heeding the advice of Rin's Master Li, had no clear outcome in mind as he drew Tokijin and assaulted InuYasha with the sword's cutting pressure.

"I'm coming for you, Rin."

She remained in the same position as before-body relaxed, feet firmly planted and both hands hanging almost limply at her sides.

His battle with InuYasha had been relatively short, but intense. They did much damage to the surrounding land and trees with their "Kaze no Kizus" and "Poison Claws." And quite honestly, he was still . . . sore in a few places, as he was sure, so was InuYasha. The battle had been a draw, and both combatants had collapsed winded, bloody, and sweaty onto the field beneath them.

He made a swipe at Rin's neck.

She lifted her sword arm and stepped back with her right leg, sliding her body off to the side, easily avoiding the strike with a fluidity he didn't know she possessed.

But he didn't stop there . . .

When InuYasha and he had regained their strength and found their voices, they'd sat down, planted their swords several feet away from them, and they'd . . . talked.

Rin dodged a strike to her left side by pivoting on her right foot, lifting her left leg and blocking with the sword in her right hand.

InuYasha had begun the discussion. "You're still the toughest son of a bitch I know. You actually had me worried there for a couple of seconds."

He took his brother's statement as a compliment, and returned the favor. "You're not as weak as I'd remembered."

His brother had laughed at him. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

He had disagreed with InuYasha at that point.

Sesshomaru found it . . . interesting to try and defeat an opponent who wouldn't make a strike against you . . . Or, in Rin's case, who didn't know how to make a strike against you. Her Master Li had only taught her defensive techniques. So, while she was quite good at dodging and blocking, those were the only things she could do.

"I see you've still got that girl with you," InuYasha had commented. "I thought you would've ditched her somewhere by now. How old is she, now?"

"Seventeen," he'd replied.

"And not bad looking," he'd commented. "I'm sure Shippo--"

He'd . . . growled at his brother for the mention of the fox cub's name. It wasn't something he could help. It simply . . . came out.

The Lord of the Western Lands had to admit that Rin's Master Li had trained her quite well . . . Of course, he wasn't using any of his demon abilities against the girl. That simply wouldn't have been fair. But, he was growing tired of the runaround she seemed to be giving him.

"So, you wanna mate her," his brother had said, his eyes bright with mischief, his canines bared in wide-mouth grin.

"That is none of your concern," he'd replied.

"Oh?" he'd said. "Then why stop by here after all these years? There's gotta be something on your mind. Something that you want."

He swept her feet out from under her, sending her sprawling to the ground, the sword knocked from her hands, the wind knocked from her lungs. "Yield." He stood over her, his feet straddling her hips, Tenseiga's point aimed at her throat.

"No."

His brother and he continued talking well into the night. They . . . skimmed over the past and discussed the present with mild enthusiasm. InuYasha spoke of his mate and their pups, and

how she was expecting yet another one. He, for his part, spoke of his yearly border patrol and a few . . . ugly incidents he and his companions had encountered along the way.

"And Rin?" his brother had brought up again. "If you don't intend to mate her, what will you do with her? It can't be that . . . comfortable for you, having her around all the time."

He'd refused to answer his brother's intimate inquiries. It wasn't any of his business what he intended towards his . . . lovely, traveling companion.

"Yield," he repeated, moving the sword closer to her throat.

"I will not yield," she spat vehemently. "I am not wrong. I will not yield."

"Well, if you're still undecided," InuYasha had said, "as I said before, I'm sure Shippo-"

He'd grasped his brother's windpipe at that point and squeezed until he'd ceased his senseless mutterings.

He glared down at the woman beneath him-her jaw tense, her mouth set, her dark-brown eyes burning with defiance.

"I'm not wrong," she repeated. "I won't yield. I will not apologize."

Sesshomaru had released InuYasha after a few moments, and they'd continued on with more appropriate topics of conversation. The later it became, the easier their conversation

flowed.

He sheathed his sword and knelt down over top of his defeated 'foe.' He rested his knees on either side of her waist, his right hand pressing into the ground above her left shoulder. "Yield," he repeated. "You've been defeated in clean combat, and to the victor goes the spoils.

Apologize."

"I won't," she repeated.

He listened as her heart rate increased, her breath becoming ragged and shallow. "Rin," he said simply.

"I'm not wrong," she insisted. "I didn't agree to this 'clean combat.' Why should I have

to apologize? I'm not responsible for this . . . mess."

"Yeah," InuYasha had admitted. "My life was a mess until Kagome came along and straightened me out . . . It's tough, knowing most people will never accept you for what you are."

"Not responsible?" Sesshomaru repeated. He lifted his hand and ran his index finger inches in front of her lips. "You're not responsible for the words that come out of your own mouth?"

Her breath hitched in her throat. She swallowed hard. "You're touching me without my permission."

"Touching you," he repeated. He glanced down at his legs inches away from the sides of her body. He waved his one hand in front of her face. And, as he wasn't sitting on her, there were no other means of contact between the two. "I think you're mistaken, Rin. I'm not touching you at all."

There were things he didn't have to think about while in his brother's presence. He didn't have to think about securing the borders, or returning to the castle, or all the . . . paperwork that doubtlessly waited him there. He didn't have to think about the upcoming council meeting or the other lords or how they would respond to his taking a . . . human mate . . .

Of course, he would fight for what was his if he had to. He'd take on all three lords, all their armies, all their allies. He would protect what was his.

Rin wriggled beneath him.

"Are you uncomfortable?" he asked.

She scoffed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

He sniffed the air around them. "It would seem that you are, as well."

She turned a bright shade of red.

"It's getting late," InuYasha had said, pushing his way to his feet.

Sesshomaru snickered. "What? Afraid your wench won't let you back in the house?"

InuYasha turned with a huff and reclaimed his sword. "At least I have a wench," he retorted. "And what about your little motley crew? Shouldn't you check on them before they send out a search party?"

"I answer to no one," he'd said simply.

Of course, he didn't think Rin would be awake when he made his way to the campsite. He didn't think she'd be so angry when she woke up the next morning. He didn't think she'd be so worried about InuYasha and their little "duel." Or so hateful and . . . hurtful . . . when she

confronted him about it.

"I was not aware you found me . . . lacking in so many departments," he said.

"What're you talking about?"

He glanced down at his left shoulder, then returned his gaze to her face.

Rin chuckled, though a bit uneasily. "How long has it been gone, and how long have I known you?" she asked.

He declined to answer.

Rin sighed. "I don't miss what's never been there for me," she said. "But I would miss the rest of it if it were to go away."

He grunted lightly and turned away from her.

"Why is it," she asked, "that you're willing to dismiss my words so casually when I'm

expected to pay rapt attention to every little word you say?"

"If I didn't pay attention to the words you say, you wouldn't be in this position. You

have quite a mouth on you, young lady."

"So, this is about the 'bastard' comment, huh?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"And I guess I did call you an ass."

He continued to stare at her.

"What? I called you a bastard,. I called you an ass. I'm sorry, okay? That much was out of line . . . You're not a bastard, and you're not an ass . . . Even though you act like one sometimes."

"Rin."

She scoffed. "Why is it that you can call me bad names when you get worried about me, but it's some type of . . . insult to your honor if I do the same thing? What about my honor?" she asked.

"Did I not . . . apologize for my harsher words?"

She sighed heavily, then nodded her head. "Twice," she said.

"Well, then."

"I apologize for calling you a bastard and an ass."

"And?"

"Turning my back to you when you were trying to talk to me."

"And . . ."

"And?" she repeated. "And what?"

He cleared his throat. "What did I say this duel was about?"

She sighed again and rolled her eyes. "I apologize for doubting your abilities," she said. "Even though I had very good reasons."

He growled at her.

"Don't growl at me," she snapped. "He could've hurt you. Admit it."

"I am not hurt."

"But he could have," she insisted. "He could've hurt you. Jakken told me what he did before and . . . What if that happened again? Or what if it was worse than before?"

He allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he looked down at his intended.

"You're amused by the thought of your own death?" she asked.

"No," he again placed his hand just above her shoulder and leaned in close.

"You're not allowed to touch me," she said. "You didn't ask."

He checked his body position as before. "Tell me, Rin. Why are you so obsessed with me touching you without your consent?"

Her cheeks burned a brilliant shade of red, and she closed her eyes to avoid looking at him. "By the gods," she mumbled.

"I apologize for worrying you," he said. "I wanted to speak with my brother, and he does all his talking with a sword. In truth, I didn't mind the diversion, and I found it quite educational, actually."

"Oh?" she asked.

"Indeed. And we were never in any real danger. I long ago abandoned the idea of assassinating the annoying whelp and stealing his sword. And he, for his part, isn't a murderer. Even if he possessed the ability to kill me, he wouldn't." He rose to his feet and extended his hand. "May I help you up?"

She took the offered hand and let him pull her up.

"Plus, he has a family now," he continued. "It's wrong to deprive a child of its father."

Rin nodded. "I just realized something."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"We're both orphans," she said somewhat sadly.

He nodded his agreement. "I suppose that's true," he said. "Though I've never . . . thought of things that way."

She quickly pulled her hand away when she realized he was still holding it.

He smiled inwardly at her outward bashfulness.

She crouched down and picked up her sword, cleaning the blade with the hem of her

tunic.

"Your technique is good," he said. "But you need lessons in offense."

She nodded again. "I know, but Tai Chi's a defensive art. It's based on 'if someone does this, then you do this.' There are strikes and everything, but they're mostly used as blocks, not to try and knock somebody out."

Sesshomaru considered this. "I could instruct you otherwise."

"Oh?" she said. "Well, um, after our little 'duel,' I'm not sure you'd be the best person to teach me something like that. I could imagine spending a lot of time on the ground."

A smirk again found its way to his finely-shaped lips.

"By the gods! Why did I say that?"

He couldn't help but chuckle lightly to himself at her obvious embarrassment. He took the opportunity to stroll over to her side and whisper softly in her ear. "Because," he said simply, "you desire me as much as I desire you."

She felt her heart jump into her throat.

"And, soon, we'll both get what we want." He walked away leaving her to her exercises.

"I'm returning to camp," he said. "We'll be staying here for three days. The village is having a festival I'm sure you'd like to attend."

She watched as he walked away, hiding her growing blush behind her left hand.

"And I meant what I said about your hair." He was nowhere in sight, now, but she could hear him quite clearly. "I prefer it down."

She ran her fingers through her bangs. "I'll keep that in mind."

She, again, planted her sword in the ground. What a bastard, she laughed to herself.