InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Object of My Affection ❯ Sword ( Chapter 3 )

Sword

 

Disclaimer: Everyone should go to New York right now and see the musical, Wicked. Oh, and I don't own Inuyasha.

 

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Jakken was on some silly quest to get some silly sword.

 

Rin grumped to herself as she led the dragon Aun to the creek. Jakken was so mean to her sometimes, always telling her to go away, or shut up, or to stop being such a stupid human. She wasn't stupid, had never been stupid, so Jakken-sama's insults fell to the floor with no weight. But she had always been human.

 

Could she stop being human?

 

She had heard the stories when she lived in the village. There were demons that were born demons, and there were demons that were made. Mu-Onna, the Nothing Woman, was made from the tears of the mothers who lost their children in war. Jakken had told Rin about the time Sesshomaru-sama called her into his service. She had betrayed him in the end, protecting what she thought to be her child. Jakken thought it was funny. Rin thought it was sad.

 

There were demons made from the spirits of things, like combs, or paintings, or pearls. There were animal demons and elemental demons. There were mindless carrion feeders, and there were nobles. There were some that looked human, and there were some that looked just plain disgusting. Rin had seen many different kinds of demons in her brief time spent with Sesshomaru.

 

There was Sesshomaru's brother, Inuyasha. Rin had never seen him, but Jakken had told her stories. Vicious, brutal, and animalistic, he was the one responsible for cutting off Sesshomaru-sama's left arm. Why, Inuyasha even looked like an animal, with ugly doggish ears on the top of his head. After all, he was only a half demon, neither fully demon nor fully human. He was doomed to be rejected by both. Rin considered this Inuyasha character as she walked away and Jakken kept talking. It must be very lonely, to have no one want you. It also must be very confusing, to not know quite what you are. But he had a big brother there to be his family. If he was Sesshomaru's brother, he couldn't be that bad. Her own brother could be mean at times, but he never meant it. He always looked out for her. And when he hugged her, he'd…

 

Rin jerked Aun's reins hard and dragged him into the water. She had to stop herself from crying. She was with Sesshomaru-sama and Jakken-sama now. They protected her. They cared for her. And she loved them very much. There was no sense in mourning for those long since dead. Wiping her eyes, she unfastened one of the saddle bags, and pulled out a scratchy rag. Dipping it into the water, Rin started scrubbing the dragon's scales, and remembered Jakken's hurtful words when he'd left.

 

“You're noisy! Shut up and go away!” he'd yelled.

 

“Jakken is an idiot,” Rin muttered. There, that felt better. Out of the corner of her eye, a white flash caught her attention. It was a flower, a pretty white blossom with a golden tinge at its interior. An idea hatched in her head: maybe Jakken-sama would like her again if she brought him flowers! Sesshomaru-sama always seemed to like it when she brought him flowers, and he was never angry at her.

 

“Aun, stay here,” she commanded. “Rin will be right back.”

 

After picking enough flowers to her liking, and then having to discard some because she couldn't carry them all, she climbed on the dragon's back and clucked her tongue to make him go. They plodded along into the forest, but none of it seemed familiar to her. Rin was beginning to be afraid they were lost.

 

“Can you find Sesshomaru-sama?” she asked Aun.

 

The dragon's heads groaned and grunted, respectively.

 

Rin thought to herself. Jakken-sama was bound to be nearby. She could give him the flowers right away, instead of waiting for him to waddle back to Sesshomaru-sama. Then they would be friends again, and he might take her to pick melons that night in the nearby field.

 

She firmly grasped the reins. “Let's go find Jakken-sama then,” she told the dragon. Aun roared an affirmative, and began to stomp off.

 

It took them a while to track the little imp, but at long last they had found him. He was toting a red cloth tied around a beat up sword. That must be what he was talking about, Rin thought. He sure looks happy to have it.

 

Aun landed beside Jakken, who squawked in surprise.

 

“What are you doing here?” he fussed.

 

Rin pouted. He must still be angry with her. Maybe she would give the flowers to Sesshomaru-sama instead. “I couldn't find Sesshomaru-sama, so I found you instead,” she explained.

 

Jakken puffed up and down, his head swiveling wildly like he was expecting to be ambushed. Suddenly, he whipped the cloth around and tossed the sword up to Rin. “Here,” he yelled, “take it and fly off! I can't touch it because I'm a demon and it will hurt me, but you're a human so you can hold it fine. Now, don't you bother this Jakken right now!” He whacked Aun's withers for good measure, causing the beast to rear and take off. Rin watched as suddenly figures emerged from the forest, calling Jakken-sama's name.

 

He's getting into a fight with someone, Rin worried, and he could get hurt! There was a monk dressed in purple, and a girl in a strange white and green kimono, and then there was the boy with the white hair. Rin squinted her eyes, and saw that there were two triangle shaped ears poking out from the top of his head. Inuyasha, she realized. But…he didn't look very different from Sesshomaru-sama. They had the same hair, same eyes, same claws. They dressed differently, and Inuyasha was much shorter and louder, but there was no mistaking them for brothers. Sesshomaru-sama must be nearby then, if his brother is here, the girl reasoned to herself.

 

“Rin, watch out!” Jakken cried from the ground.

 

Rin looked up and gasped as she saw a fire cat demon ridden by a girl in black flying right towards Aun. The dragon reared and began to give chase, but from the ground there came a blast of fire that sent the girl and the demon cat tumbling to the ground. Rin looked back to Jakken, and saw Inuyasha was gaining on the toady retainer. If Inuyasha was anything like Sesshomaru-sama, Jakken was in for a beating. With a kick from her heel, Rin commanded the dragon down to the ground near Jakken-sama.

 

“Get on!” she cried, holding out a hand.

 

He took hold of it with his slimy fingers. She was barely strong enough to lift him as it was, but he was slipping out of her hand faster than she was pulling him up. She threw everything in her other hand to the ground, and grabbed Jakken-sama's collar so she could at last pull him into the saddle with her. With no time to waste, they took to the air and escaped. The imp was shaking.

 

“Why did you do that?” he yelled. “If you had gotten hurt, Sesshomaru-sama would not let me feel the end of it!”

 

Rin felt angry tears pricking the corners of her eyes. “I was afraid for you!” she wailed, then threw her arms around him. Did he really see himself as expendable? Was she more valuable to Sesshomaru-sama than him? No! Jakken-sama may be mean, but he was still her friend. She wasn't about to see him get beaten up over some stupid sword.

 

The sword…

 

“Stupid human emotions,” he grumbled, then asked, “By the way, where did you put the sword, Rin?”

 

“I, uh, dropped it,” she stammered, embarrassed. The two companions looked to the ground to see Inuyasha waving the sheathed sword at them, before tucking it to his side and walking away.

 

Jakken-sama moaned. “I worked so hard to get that and I lost it!” he grumbled.

 

“But I almost lost you,” Rin whimpered.

 

Jakken rolled his eyes and sighed. “Thank you, Rin,” he mumbled. Then he cleared his throat. “C'mon, Sesshomaru-sama will be waiting.”

 

Rin giggled, then took the reins and turned to face Ah and Un. Clucking her tongue and kicking her heel into its ribs, they were off to find where their master was undoubtedly waiting for them.

 

“Jakken-sama, why was that sword so important?” Rin tentatively asked.

 

The toad straightened his back and cleared his throat. “The sword belonged to Sesshomaru-sama's honored father. Now it's still in the hands of that filthy hanyou.” For emphasis, Jakken spat at the ground. “It's rightfully Sesshomaru-sama's, and he'll have it soon enough.”

 

Rin furrowed her eyebrows. “But…doesn't he already have two swords?”

 

Jakken poked the girl in her back with his claw and squawked, “Stupid girl! Why do you ask such things!?”

 

The girl contorted her mouth and twisted her face in confusion. That certainly didn't answer her question, in any aspect. Maybe Jakken didn't know the answer himself?

 

“Will he give you a sword, when he has three?” the child asked, trying to piece her logic together. “Will he give me a sword?” Rin was excited at that prospect.

 

The imp cackled. “Absolutely not! What would this Jakken do with a sword anyway? And you!” That, apparently was all Jakken had to say on the matter of Rin owning a sword.

 

Rin shook her head. “So why then does he have to have three swords?”

 

Jakken snorted. “You wouldn't understand, you're just a human.” He settled himself back on Aun's rump, signifying he was done discussing the matter. Rin, on the other hand, was not.

 

“Rin wants to understand!” she cried, startling her companion. “Rin has never had a sword, so Rin doesn't know!”

 

The faithful retainer of the Western Lord was taken aback by the human ward's spirit. Such tenacity! Such determination to not only learn about youkai society, but to actually exist inside of it! Sesshomaru-sama surely did not know what he was bargaining for when he raised this child from the dead. She was going to be a pain in the neck for a long, long time, if she had her way!

 

Finally, Jakken sighed. “You'll never have a sword, Rin,” he gently explained. “These swords, that Sesshomaru-sama has, they are especially powerful. Tokijin is made from the teeth of a demon who was born and died in hatred. It can kill without even touching an enemy. And the sword Inuyasha has, that's the Tesseiga. It is made from the fang of Sesshomaru-sama's most noble father, and can kill 100 demons with one swing.”

 

“But what about his other sword?” Rin pried.

 

Jakken rolled his eyes. “That,” he sneered, “is Tenseiga. It doesn't cut, and it doesn't kill.” He folded his arms within his sleeves. “That's why our lord requires Tesseiga, to replace his useless sword.”

 

Rin shifted in the saddle. This was one of the longest running conversations she had been able to hold with any one of her traveling companions yet, and she was doing her very best to not spoil it. Jakken had tried to shut her down, but she would have none of it. There was so much she didn't know, and so much she wanted to hear. “Is it just a plain old dull sword, then?” she reasoned.

 

The toady imp wrinkled his forehead and pursed his lips, then shook his head. “You should know. The master's used it on you. On that day, when we found you in the woods.”

 

The girl choked on her breath. So it was the sword that woke her from death's sleep. It was the sword that he was thought to be useless. But then, it probably was. It had done its job. Why would he need it anymore? She didn't see him going around and saving other little girls, so she must be the only one he wanted. He chose her. The thought filled Rin with warmth. Happily, she smiled her snaggle tooth grin and decided to give Jakken-sama a rest about the swords. She had heard enough to satisfy her curiosity for now, anyway. There were more important things to discuss. Like dinner.

 

“Jakken-sama,” Rin sweetly called back, “will you take me to pick melons tonight?”

 

Jakken grumbled and snorted. “Whatever you like, kid,” he answered grouchily. But Rin could tell he wasn't really angry. His voice wasn't loud and he hadn't pinched her. Besides, Rin knew Jakken-sama had a slight fondness for melons himself. It would be a pleasant outing.

 

That night, Rin was kidnapped from the melon patch by Kagura, Naraku's wind sorceress. She was beautiful, the most beautiful woman Rin had ever seen, with ruby red eyes and elegant clothes. Her fan held mysterious powers, and Rin wondered if that was her real soul. Was she really just a lady's fan, tired of being held still over some fair face, and yearning to ride the wind? What dark mysterious forces had come together to create her? She was like a fairy tale princess to Rin, though the truth was much farther from the fantasy. Children are innocent like that. They rode a giant feather to a fortress on a mountain. Rin became frightened when she saw a swarm of carrion feeding demons, writhing about the ground where they had landed.

 

“Don't worry short stuff,” Kagura told her, as she led the girl into a small building. “Your Sesshomaru-sama will save you.”

 

“Okay,” Rin chirped. That was enough reassurance for her. “I'll just wait here then.”

 

As Kagura shut the door and walked away, she envied the girl. Such a small, weak, and insignificant thing; yet she was guaranteed Sesshomaru's attentions and protection. He was going to storm the castle over a child. Why did he value her so? A little girl could not provide the affections that a grown man like himself certainly craved. Nor would she be able to provide the proper companionship an adult would need. Why oh why would he be rushing to the girl's aid, and saving her from Naraku, while leaving Kagura to suffer her bondage alone? Why had he chosen a little human girl over a wind goddess?

 

The wind witch stood still and tilted her head up to the sky, then closed her shining red eyes. Using her power, she changed the wind's direction, so it carried her voice forward, to someone she desperately hoped would hear it.

 

“Sesshomaru,” she whispered, “come and rescue me too.”

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

“Hide. Keep quiet and hide there.”

 

“Don't go this time, nii-chan. Don't die this time! Stay with me!”

 

And the boy looked her in the eye with a sinister glint. He smiled crookedly, and took her hand. Fingers stroked fingers, and tears welled up in Rin's eyes.

 

“Don't die this time, nii-chan,” she pleaded.

 

Nori barked a cruel laugh. “You're the one who left us!” he sneered, yanking her to her feet and throwing off the mattress. Pivoting on his heels, he swung his arms around and tossed Rin towards the bandits that were attacking their mother.

 

“You're supposed to be dead!” Nori screeched.

 

The bandits were laughing, grabbing her little body. Except her body wasn't so little all of a sudden; she was her adult self now, looking back at her little big brother with terrified eyes.

 

“But I kept hidden, you left me!” she sobbed. “You could have stayed!”

 

The tallest bandit had a sword at her throat. Her mother was choking on her own blood as she stood next to Rin. Greedy male hands were pawing over her body, bruising and tearing her clothes. They were no longer hands; they were paws. They were no longer bandits; they were wolves.

 

The blade became a set of jaws about her neck.

 

Nori stood above Rin's broken body, shaking his head. Wolfish snarls filled her ears until the sound burst her in her head and there was total silence. Already, the blood was filling her lungs. Already, the dull haze of death was clouding her eyes.

 

All at once, the wolves dispersed, running into the woods. When did they get into the woods? Rin weakly clutched her robe shut over her chest, feeling her heart's blood trickle over her fingers less and less. It was cold now, and no air would pass through her lips as hard as she tried to breathe. Her brother bent down and knelt next to Rin's head. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see he was holding a sword that strangely resembled Tenseiga. She tilted her head to see better. It was Tenseiga, she was sure of it. The youki it gave off was unmistakable.

 

“You were supposed to die, Rin,” Nori whispered. “Please, just stay dead this time, okay?” And he stabbed her. Rin screamed; Tenseiga had never hurt before. Blood gushed freely from her numerous wounds. And then she died.

 

Then she woke up.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Rin felt herself go slightly dizzy; Sesshomaru smelled absolutely delicious. Granted, she couldn't smell him all the time, and it was always a fleeting sense. But when he rolled around in the bed, and the blankets rose and fell with the gentle air created, it always caught her attention right away.

 

It was a simple smell, but no less alluring for it. His skin smelled of pine, and of steel, and sometimes of smoke. She had never been able to notice it before; the first time she was unclothed with him, it about near drove her wild. It wasn't…sexually exciting, but it was still exciting, and wonderfully male. More than anything, it made her want to bury her face into his skin and hang on to that distinct scent before it once again faded beyond her detection. And when she could no longer smell him, she wanted to taste him, and often had to stop herself from sinking her teeth into his skin in order to find whatever it was that was so delicious.

 

Shaking her head from her embarrassing reverie, Rin focused her gaze once more her beloved, specifically the top of his head. If she didn't watch herself, she would end up distracting him as well, and he would not take that lightly. During her times of rest and recovery, he would join her in the bed to sleep or just keep her from being lonely. That did not mean he was absent from want for her. Yesterday, she'd been thinking of his delicious smell again, which apparently made her smell delicious to him after enough time. The swords were strapped to his hip, and she listened to him chop the forest to pieces all night. Sesshomaru was not someone to be taken lightly, and his displeasure was not something to be toyed with. But at the same time, he did not fault Rin for her little foibles when it came to his demon nature.

 

“What was it like?” Sesshomaru murmured.

 

“Hm?” Rin sang, twisting her neck in effort to see his face. Still requiring a great deal of bed rest as she adjusted to Sesshomaru's youki, Rin welcomed the presence of her husband when he came to keep her company. He had taken to treating her chest as his sleeping pillow of late, and while cradling him like that made Rin feel powerful and deeply loved all at once, she disliked not being able to see his face. Wryly, she had come to realize that he chose to talk openly to her only in this position; she knew Sesshomaru had designed this circumstance to his advantage, as he was never one given to speak much. Avoiding eye-contact made the experience less taxing on his nerves. But it could also be more annoying to hers, sometimes. Like now.

 

Grudgingly, the demon lifted his head and turned his face upward before settling back onto her bosom. “What was it like,” he repeated, “to die?”

 

Rin made a slightly strangled noise in the back of her throat. Under the covers, their bodies were naked and casually twined about each other. This intimacy had been something Rin had to gradually accustom herself to, but it had not been uncomfortable. It was not as if she didn't want it; she merely had to remind herself to swallow her self-consciousness and enjoy Sesshomaru's company. But this particular question prickled her spine with fear. Rin could actively feel herself locking down and shutting away from the world. This was an intimacy that rooted too deeply in her heart, and she had hoped to keep it inactive from every aspect of her life. While it escaped into her dreams, that was certainly beyond her control. Choosing to answer a question was in her control.

 

“Um,” Rin groaned.

 

Sesshomaru nuzzled his cheek across her skin, seeking to find the strongest echo of her heart with his ear. Satisfied, he listened and processed Rin's sudden bulwarking of herself. Absently, his hand reached up to squeeze her shoulder. Heaving himself upwards and off of her, he laid his head beside and away from hers, breaking off all physical contact except for keeping one of his ankles hooked over one of hers. If she wanted space, then he would give it to her.

 

“You don't have to say, if you don't want,” he told her firmly, trying to sound like he hadn't been mooning over her just moments prior.

 

Rin laughed dryly. Gee, that sounds familiar, she thought with a smirk. Except this time, I can't look at him and smile cutely for an answer. Still, the ache remained in her chest from the deep cut the question had made. Not able to bring herself to even look at Sesshomaru, Rin started to count the age rings in the timber that supported the ceiling.

 

The ankles were separated, and Sesshomaru pushed himself further away. The movement sent a puff of cold air over Rin's skin, and she shivered. The demon rolled over, flipping his hair behind him and rocking himself into the mattress. She obviously did not want to talk about that, and he slightly even regretted asking the question in the first place. It had just…slipped. Death was not something Sesshomaru was familiar with, on the receiving end. On the sending end, he had sent many, many creatures to the underworld, but thought little about what their experience in the last moments of life had been. It was something he would probably never know for himself.

 

Small hands slipped up between his broad shoulder blades, and spilled over onto his chest. Rin pulled her body more snugly against her husband, trembling ever so slightly. She hadn't wanted him to be like this, but she knew he would. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted, and if he didn't he'd pout, whether he'd admit to it or not. Still, Rin chided herself over her silence. Was this really all that important to keep secret from Sesshomaru? Wouldn't he want to know about how his sword worked?

 

Rin gulped, then nuzzled her head into Sesshomaru's neck so her mouth brushed against the shell of his ear. She squeezed him in her arms, and he lifted a hand to join in clasping hers. Possessively, he kicked a foot back to once again hook ankles with her. Rin smirked. He was…trying his best. She knew he wanted to hear an answer from her, but he was keeping his displeasure to himself. He's almost like a little kid, Rin thought amusedly. She would answer him, she resolved; but it would not come without a cost.

 

“I'll tell you,” she bargained, “if you answer a question for me when I'm done.”

 

Sesshomaru snorted. “What question?” he snapped peevishly.

 

Rin shook her head and smiled against the skin of her husband's back. “No. Your question was a surprise to me, and it's only fair that I be allowed the same. So, what will it be?”

 

The demon shifted slightly, made suddenly uncomfortable with the implications of Rin's conditions. He had just asked her an incredibly personal question; she might just do the same to him. She also might ask a silly question, and laugh at her own joke when he answered it in his usual monotone. She seemed to enjoy doing that enough. But…he did want to know what dying felt like. He had been wondering about it since he first held Rin with his arm, watching her return from death's sleep. If she wanted a question for a question, then it would be unreasonable for him to refuse such an even trade. And besides, he hadn't the heart in him to coldly ignore the sweet woman embracing him, now that she was his wife. No, he mentally chided himself, long before that. Something about her…moved him, and pulled him from even the deepest meditation to find her smiling at him with all of her heart. It was enough to make him mad with desire. There was nothing he felt he could deny from her, even if it was at a cost to himself.

 

“Alright,” he answered smoothly.

 

Rin nodded, then heaved a long sigh. Closing her eyes, she thought of that day once more: the wolves, the running, the blood. “Cold,” she finally whispered.

 

Sesshomaru twitched his ears, but said nothing. He merely waited to see if Rin would or would not continue. He started slowly petting her arms, and Rin didn't know if he was soothing her or encouraging her. More than likely, the action was not meant to have anything to do with her at all; it was done merely for his own benefit.

 

“It feels very cold when you die,” Rin continued, softly breathing into the demon's ear. “It feels like a frost settles into your blood. It starts at your fingers and toes, and creeps steadily into your middle. It hurts. And you can still see everything around you, right until the frost clouds your eyes. Then, it goes dark.” She shifted her weight, trying to tug her bedmate onto his back so she could look him in the face and continue. He resisted initially, but then twisted gently and pulled her tightly against his chest. His long, powerful arm pinned her in place with his elbow on her back, while his huge hand formed a cradle for the back of her head. “But Tenseiga cut me—I felt it cut me—and I was awake and warm again. Like it had all been a bad dream.” Rin frowned, despite her own happy ending. “It…it hurts,” she confessed, the shadows of her memories falling heavily across her face. “And it scares me, still.” She laid quiet after that, breathing evenly and trying to forget it all again.

 

“Dying is not something you should fear, Rin,” Sesshomaru growled low. He'd explained it to her not too long ago. While the youki he gave her dissipated over time, it never disappeared. Each time he surrendered part of his demon energy to her flesh, it became a part of her. She would not have any demonic traits or powers of her own. But she would have a demon's longevity. After Rin had absorbed enough youki, her aging would halt. Her life, bound to Sesshomaru's life energy, would continue as long as he lived. Eternity was a frightening prospect for Rin, but it still gave her great joy that she would never leave her beloved's side, come what may. She had plenty of time to adjust to having all the time in the world.

 

“I know,” Rin murmured sheepishly. “But…I still dream of it. It haunts me, all the same.” Her gaze fell dark for a moment, then quickly brightened as she snuggled into his neck.

 

“If you do not wish for those dreams,” the demon remanded, “then you will not have them. Do not let anything keep you from what you truly want.”

 

Rin laughed dryly.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

“Again.”

 

Rin, aged 13, parried, then thrust, parried, sliced, and watched Sesshomaru effortlessly flip the sword from her hands once more with Tenseiga. The blade skittered across the floor of the dojo and bounced off the wall before it stopped. Rin hung her shoulders in defeat.

 

“Again,” he smoothly commanded.

 

She bit her lower lip, feeling the stubbornness begin to lock in her bones. Rin was not a defiant person, nor was she insolent, but if pushed hard enough she was extremely stubborn and refused to concede until she won or was beaten severely.

 

“Why?” she moaned. “Why do I have to learn this?”

 

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, recognizing her behavior for what it was instantly. Years of practice had helped him learn her quirks, and how to work cleanly around them. Getting her to take a bath had been a matter of contention between them both during her youth. Back then, all he had to do was ask her to do it, for him. Then her desire to please, coupled with her adoration, sent her skipping to the springs. Now she was close to being a teenager, Rin would get a stubborn attitude towards her reading lessons. Being matter of fact in regards to consequences worked with that. After all, she didn't want to be ignorant in life, did she? Sesshomaru knew better to use threats. Jakken was not as perceptive, and Rin was all to happy to ignore whatever it was the toad wanted from her while he spat and cursed a storm against her.

 

The demon lord cleared his throat. “You must learn this for your own good.”

 

“What good is this to me?” Rin grumped, but she had already retrieved the sword and was walking back to her place.

 

Sesshomaru nodded in approval, and decided that it would be to his advantage to reward her compliance. “You are becoming quite skilled at this,” he soothed, “and this Sesshomaru would not have you waste an obvious talent.”

 

“But I don't think I'm going to get any better,” Rin countered, the stubbornness resurfacing.

 

He would have smirked, but it could be interpreted as a surrender. Instead, he sheathed Tenseiga and walked towards her, moving behind her. With the tips of his fingers, he lifted her elbow and swiveled it into the position he wanted. “You fight like a samurai,” he commented.

 

“Thank you,” Rin murmured, taken aback.

 

Sesshomaru continued up the girl's arm to her fingers, pushing them into place. “That wasn't a compliment,” he explained, dryly. Rin frowned. “What I mean,” the demon continued, “is that you slash about, hoping to hit something. You must visualize yourself hitting the objective and do not move until it is prudent to do so.”

 

“Oh,” Rin shrugged. The position she had been maneuvered into was straining her muscles while she waited for permission to move. Her instructor had not yet moved from behind her, and it seemed he was inspecting his work. This was getting old, fast. She had other things that needed tending to. Other things that she actually liked doing. Other things that didn't call for her getting hurt. Out of everything she had yet done with her lord and master, this exercise had made her the most uncomfortable yet. He wasn't looking at her as Rin, or as a woman even. She was a doll, to be played with as he pleased. He yanked her strings; she attacked. She had had enough. Rin shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I don't want---”

 

Suddenly, Sesshomaru whipped his hand around her torso and clamped it over her mouth. Rin struggled, but he had hooked both of her arms at the elbows and held her spine tight against his armored chest. All she could do was wiggle her hands and twist her feet about.

 

The demon chuckled darkly. “What don't you want?” he asked, removing his hand from Rin's mouth.

 

She was too scared to answer, and sucked deep, cold breaths through her teeth. A sweat broke out on her brow, and she felt her gut quiver.

 

“Do you not want to be touched like this? Manhandled, as it were?” he asked thickly in her ear. “I could kill you very easily. Do you want to die?”

 

Rin shivered. “No,” she whispered, “I don't.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded. “What would you have this Sesshomaru do then?” His hand was pressed flatly against her collarbone, and she noticed now his fingers were starting to spread. His pinky dipped just underneath the collar of her shirt.

 

The girl swallowed. “I don't know,” she choked out.

 

“You should always know what you want,” he murmured. “And when you do, you should take it.” His lips curled into a wicked smile.

 

Rin narrowed her eyes. “And what if I want you to let go of me?” she asked in a bitter, challenging tone.

 

A slow, hollow growl sounded from the demon's throat, as he chuckled darkly into Rin's ear. “This Sesshomaru invites you to try then,” he replied in a deep, almost sleepy voice. “Your hesitation, were it not me holding you, would have gotten you killed by this point certainly.”

 

“Then why do you not kill me?” Rin demanded in a quavering voice. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. It had been something she had been wondering for a time now. Why would the demon Lord of the Western Lands keep a scrawny human girl around as his constant companion? “If you truly despise humans, why have you not killed me?”

 

“Because,” Sesshomaru sneered, “you're holding a sword.”

 

Rin gasped. She had forgotten. With newfound determination, she steeled her strength into her arms, and snapped her wrist, stabbing backwards. She felt the blade hit something, and then she was released from her captor's arm. Stumbling forward, she turned to see that she had indeed managed to stab Sesshomaru in the leg, for the blood was staining through the silk of his pants.

 

“My lord!” she cried, dropping her sword and falling on her face to the ground. “I'm so sorry!”

 

He said nothing as he walked towards her. Her heart was beating loud enough to create a dull roar in her own ears; with Sesshomaru's enhanced hearing, she knew he must also be hearing the same. Her breathing was labored, and her body shook even harder when she heard the metallic song of her blade being pulled across the floor.

 

“Rin,” Sesshomaru boomed, “get up.”

 

Rin's face fell ashen as she raised her face to see her master standing over her, holding the sword. But quickly, he kneeled and held her weapon horizontal to his chest. The girl shot up and scurried backwards, staring with widened eyes. Would he cut her down for this? She had seen him kill for less. Would he kill her? Was his wrath greater than his loyalty to her?

 

The demon lord stilled his body, and held the sword out to Rin. “Take it,” he instructed gently.

 

She looked at him dubiously, but still cautiously outstretched her hands. The metal was warm, like flesh, and she cradled it as he released. “Now,” he said, “get up.”

 

With trepidation, Rin rose with difficultly due to her shaking knees. When she had managed to right herself enough to hold her balance, she used the sword like a cane for support. She looked down on Sesshomaru for the first time in her life, and he looked up at her.

 

“You will continue to learn how to use this,” he began firmly. “You will learn how to acknowledge what it is you want and you will then have the strength to take it.” He narrowed his eyes, and reached his hand to clasp it around hers. Squeezing lightly, he softened his features. “Never let anyone keep you from what you truly want. Never forget that it is by your choice alone that you stay here. Never let anyone take that power of choice from you.” He looked down at their hands, then murmured, “Not even this Sesshomaru.”

 

Her eyes darted to and fro, taking in the scene that had just played before her. It felt like a dream, but she knew it couldn't be. Beads of sweat trickled cold down her spine. Her palms were sticky with blood from the blade she had just handled. His eyes were dark amber, and she was getting lost in them at a dizzying pace. Such odd displays of affection her lord put on! Scaring her to death, then gently holding her hand.

 

Never let anyone have that power. Not even this Sesshomaru, he had told her. The words sounded in her head, and she felt a great weight lift from her heart that she hadn't noticed was there to begin with. How long had she been stumbling in the dark? Why had she expected him to treat her like an object when she had been with him for years as his ward and companion? She had always been his, ever since they had met. But she was her own first. While she had forgotten it, he had not. It felt like the pieces of her soul were falling perfectly into place. She knew who she was; it was so wonderfully simple, yet so difficult to uncover. There was nothing more that she was supposed to be other than herself.

 

And suddenly she knew what she wanted.

 

“Yes,” she answered, jerking herself back into the present. “I understand now.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded, then rose to his feet, still holding her hand. Gently pulling her forward, he walked her to the house. At last when they were inside, he nodded gently before parting. Rin stood dumbly as she watched him take his leave.

 

“Oi! Girl!” Jakken howled. “What are you doing? You're a mess!”

 

Rin snapped to attention to find the imp tugging on her clothes with a disgusted look on his face. “You stink!” he grumbled. But his eyes had glazed and his hand gripped limply on the girl. Rin looked to find him rubbing his thumb to a spot of blood on the fabric. Most likely, Jakken knew that it was not hers.

 

Quickly, the faithful retainer shook his head and waddled off, muttering about drawing a bath so she could wash her filthy human stink off. Rin heaved a sigh of relief, before she followed. That would be nice. She wanted a bath.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

“My turn,” Rin happily announced. Sesshomaru held his breath. Rin held her breath.

 

She knew what she wanted to ask. She'd wanted to ask it for some time. She had been afraid of the answer for so long. But now, now that she had all of the time in the world with him, there seemed no better time than the present to address this concern. The woman licked her lips, and placed an open-mouthed kiss on the neck of the demon lying next to her.

 

“Why me?” she breathed.

 

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he knew what Rin was asking, and if it was indeed that then he was in for a great deal of mental leg-work. He knew why, he just never considered he'd have to explain it to anyone; not Rin, and especially not himself.

 

Rin cleared her throat. “Why did you choose me?” she whispered, voice slightly trembling. “Why am I here? Why am I your wife?”

 

“This Sesshomaru recalls only having asked one question,” he snapped, biding for time.

 

Rin chuckled. She knew how uncomfortable he must be feeling; undoubtedly she had felt the same herself just moments before.

 

“Alright,” she said brightly, “then just this one: Why am I here?”

 

“Because I want you to be,” Sesshomaru replied smoothly. There. Question answered.

 

“You're not being fair,” Rin whined. Propping herself on her elbows on top of his chest, Rin scowled down at the uncooperative demon. He growled, showing his annoyance. Rin refused to back down.

 

Sesshomaru snorted. “This Sesshomaru desires you to be here,” he amended. “Nothing will change that, and nothing will keep me from you. I suppose…,” he stalled, scrambling for the proper words, “love must have something to do with it.”

 

Rin exploded into laughter. “You suppose?” she guffawed. “Oh dear! Sesshomaru! You really are something.”

 

I'm something indeed! he angrily thought, though he knew she had a point. His statement was rather foolish sounding. He had mentioned “love” because he knew it would make Rin happy. But wouldn't also make… Why was he being so guarded? Was he…afraid of the implications that loving a human may have?

 

After all, he remembered all too well what these feelings had earned him the last time.

 

Rin had calmed herself and was upset to see Sesshomaru quite heavily in thought. It seemed he was about to explode in rage, or even into tears; his face was scrunched and his eyes were distant. Immediately, she regretted ever laughing at him. “Sesshomaru?” she cooed.

 

“Yes,” he answered, coming back to himself. Smoothing his features, he gazed into the concerned eyes of his wife, the human woman for whom he cared, for almost all of her life. “It has everything to do with it,” he answered softly, cupping the side of her face with his hand. He gave her life with his sword, but his hand—his hand gave her everything.

 

“I know,” Rin whispered gratefully, kissing his palm. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”

 

Yes, he thought, so did I.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

The shiro was in flames. The ash and soot clogged his sensitive nose and brought tears to his eyes, but he continued to fight. All the while, Sesshomaru cursed his father, cursed that wretched human he had weakened himself with, and cursed the dragons of the East.

 

The Inu no Taishio had won. He had managed to seal the dragon Ryukossei against the side of a cliff. But it had cost him his own life. As he lay dying, he had to laugh at the irony of it all. Here, he was planning on giving the life-saving sword Tenseiga to his oldest son. If Sesshomaru had fought by his side, like the great taiyoukai had wanted, then perhaps his son could have learned to master the sword by bringing his father back to life.

 

But Sesshomaru angrily declared he would not come to his father's aide. “You brought this on yourself,” he coldly spat out. The boy had been bitter at many things his father had done over the past year. The first and foremost was him announcing proudly that he was expecting a hanyou child with a human princess. This was unforgivable in the eyes of the proud Sesshomaru.

 

It was also the intent of the Inu no Taishio to leave the Tesseiga with his eldest son, but that had been before Izayoi announced herself to be with child. Sesshomaru would certainly kill the hanyou, with or without the sword, so it would be best to provide the poor child with the best advantage of survival. He had already commissioned his grave centuries ago—a pearl that held a portal to the underworld, where his final resting place would be. But the elder son would no longer have the prestige of carrying it. No, things had changed in the moment the great dog demon realized himself to be dying. The pearl would be carried by his hanyou child, and in it, would rest the great sword Tesseiga. That way, both would be protected from the power hungry Sesshomaru until the child came of age. It was the best he could do. The flea Myouga would see to it all.

 

Sesshomaru's father died alone, and soundlessly passed the title of Inu no Taishio to his son as he fought the comrades of the dragon who had killed his father.

 

Dragons were the worst. They were not quite demons, but were powerful in their own right. Damn near impossible to kill too, due to the steel-like plate armor their scales provided. However, Sesshomaru's poison gave him a distinct advantage. The scales would repel a sword, but melt under the spray of the Dokkasou from his claws. There had been six dragons, and over 60 snake demons that composed the legion of invaders into the Western house. One dragon, and 18 snake demons remained, at the cost of only 7 of the Inu clan.

 

Dispatching of the final dragon had been more difficult than Sesshomaru anticipated. The accursed beast managed to sink its fangs into what part of his chest that wasn't covered with armor. Outraged and exhausted, Sesshomaru transformed into his true demon form, and was able to end the fight by decapitating the dragon at the neck with his poisonous fangs. Eagerly, he returned to the house, managing to stomp on five of the fleeing snake demons as he approached. Transforming once more, he rushed to his father's chambers in an attempt to salvage anything valuable that had not been destroyed.

 

He found Chiyoko.

 

She was screaming from underneath the corpse of a snake demon. Her hands were black with its blood, and a dagger lay off to her left where it had been quickly thrown aside in an effort to free both of her hands. Her screams were intermingled with choking coughs from the smoke; one of her arms already bore blisters from a burn.

 

Sesshomaru rushed to her aide. Hefting the body aside, he quickly discovered what had brought Chiyoko to kill her demon attacker. He had raped her.

 

Immediately Sesshomaru felt ill, and a rush of bile bubbled in his throat. No weakness could be shown though; he swallowed the bitter acid back down and hefted the girl who now seemed so small and fragile into his arms. He could hear her weakly crying out something, but he was too worried about finding an exit to bother. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a portion of the wall had burned away, revealing a small portal to the outside world. Tucking the girl close to his frame, Sesshomaru lunged.

 

She looked so tiny against his body. He had forgotten how tall he was in comparison to her. Chiyoko's hair was partially undone, and tendrils radiated wildly away from her skull. Her freckled face was covered with smudges of soot, and blood stains could be found all over her body, either from the demon or else from herself. Her robe had been ripped, and she was not decently covered; quickly, Sesshomaru shucked off his armor and removed his outer shirt to wrap around the girl. She shook like she was cold, but he knew most likely she was going into shock from her ordeal. He wanted to go back and salvage what he could from the house, but his heart tugged his body towards Chiyoko whenever he attempted to leave her side.

 

Chiyoko had never stopped mumbling since Sesshomaru had picked her up, and at first he couldn't understand what she was trying to say. Merely chalking it up to stress, he sat next to the girl and began rubbing her arms to keep her warm and calm.

 

“Nnnnnnnoo,” she finally managed to groan out.

 

Sesshomaru stopped and stared. Chiyoko opened her eyes. Her normally brilliant eyes were clouded gray with smoke and tears, and the whites had turned almost completely red. At first, she looked to be struggling to recognize the face that hovered above her own. Her mouth twisted and her eyes blinked wildly, until finally she sighed and nodded.

 

“Sessssshomaru-sssssssama,” she whispered.

 

He nodded, grateful she seemed to be somewhat conscious. “You're safe,” he murmured, immediately taken aback by his soothing promise. What right had he to make such a declaration? Was he pledging to protect her then, until…when? She wasn't dying; an examination with his eyes and nose told him that much. So what would become of her now? Her future was uncertain at best, yet he found himself moved to try and comfort her as much as he could. Strangely enough, it was a pleasant thought to him. Perhaps, she could stay and serve the Western House like she always had, under his rule.

 

Chiyoko began sobbing loudly, bringing the demon sharply out of his reverie. Instinctually, he bent and carefully petted her hair. It would be best to let her cry, and get it out of her system now. After all she had just suffered through, she needed to let it out instead of keep it inside. “You're safe,” he repeated gently, and slumped his shoulders in exhaustion.

 

“Kill…me,” she choked.

 

Sesshomaru coughed. He looked down at the girl with widened eyes. Did she just say…?

 

“Kill me!” Chiyoko screamed. “Kill me! If you have any honor in you, then kill me!”

 

What was the woman going on about? He had just saved her! Wasn't she grateful? Had she gone completely mad?

 

“Chiyoko,” he boomed, trying to intimidate her, but she cut him off by grabbing the sword at his waist and slicing at his arm while she rolled to the side. He winced and grabbed his new wound—merely a scratch—while he stared down the girl, now standing before him.

 

His shirt had fallen away, and much of her body was left exposed. Sesshomaru sadly noted that what flesh did show had been carved with claw-marks or fang punctures. Her entire body was shaking, but her feet were planted firmly into the ground. Chiyoko raised the sword and pointed it at Sesshomaru, eyes burning with that familiar hatred.

 

“Kill me,” she threatened, “or I'll do it myself!”

 

“Are you daft woman!?” Sesshomaru roared. “Put the sword down!”

 

Chiyoko let out a bitter, barking laugh. “I'm not fit to live after being defiled by that…that thing! That demon thing!” She glared pointedly at Sesshomaru, as if to include him in her description of her attacker. “And,” she swallowed deeply, yet still sounded like her mouth was full of phlegm, “I'm not about to bring a hanyou into this world either! Now what is it going to be!?” Her body straightened and she held the sword out further. “Are you going to do the honorable thing, or must I do it?”

 

Sesshomaru blinked. It felt as if the rest of the world had walled itself off, and only he and Chiyoko existed in a little pocket of time to themselves. Almost, he mused, like a dream. It was a dream, and when he woke up, the house would not be in flames, and Chiyoko would not be begging for death. It was just a dream. A nightmare for Chiyoko, he realized belatedly. She was serious in her threats; he knew better than to doubt her. But…she didn't have to do this. He didn't think any less of her for this happening, and if a child did happen to result, they could always just kill it as soon as it was born. She didn't have to die.

 

Chiyoko's eyes fell. She heaved a heavy sigh, and lowered the sword to her side. For a while, she merely shook her head and laughed lightly. But then she lifted her face. The hate was gone from her eyes, and replaced by an overwhelming hurt. The pain she radiated threatened to drown them both, given enough time. The girl smiled softly, then lowered her eyelids, shading her bloodshot eyes behind a veil of clumped black lashes.

 

“If you ever loved me,” she whispered, “you would do this.”

 

The demon nearly fell backwards. Love her?! If he loved her?! How dare she make such bold assumptions! He wanted to protest, insisting that it was his honor that had now been insulted. But the words died in his throat. Sesshomaru knew he was a killer. He knew his was vicious, and brutal, and cruel at heart. It was just the way his demon nature was. But he was not a liar; he never had been, and he wasn't going to start now. Yes, he admitted shamefully to himself, I did love her, once. It had been so long since he had indulged in that emotion, he had nearly forgotten. A flickering memory of a beautiful girl smoothing her hands over his chest as she fitted his armor rose before his eyes. The girl he adored irritating, because it made her scent all the more potent. She smelled like jasmine, and salt, and a hint of warm milk. That beautiful girl with the glimmering dark eyes, and the long silky hair that stung his face when she whipped around. Yes, he had loved her. He still loved her. But he had been able to convince himself that the girl was gone the moment he first saw hatred enter Chiyoko's eyes. The beautiful girl he admired had been replaced by an ugly, bitter wench, and over time he forgot that she had ever been something else. Now, she stood before him, broken and bleeding, begging for death. Begging for him to search her and find that beautiful girl once again, then put her out of her misery.

 

He…hesitated.

 

The girl took it as a sign of dissent to her request. Chiyoko jerked the sword up and held it in front of her neck. She was crying again, whimpering in fear, afraid of the pain. But her hands were steady before her, and the aim of the blade held true.

 

“Oh!” she cried, then jerked her arms inward, starting the strike.

 

Without hesitating, Sesshomaru rushed forward and batted the sword aside. Chiyoko stumbled backwards in surprise, then looked up to the demon. “Why did you do that?” she screamed.

 

Sesshomaru scowled. The girl looked at him, tears in her eyes, and for all appearances she would probably have fallen to little tiny pieces right then and there if the demon had not spoke. “I'll do it,” he muttered.

 

Chiyoko lowered her arms and nodded. Mutely, she stepped forward, as if she could already predict his every move. She stopped when she was only a breath away from him, then slowly snaked her arms around his chest in a warm embrace. He did not reciprocate at first, not until she looked up at his face. Then, Sesshomaru wrapped one arm around her back, and the other around her head. Breaking the neck would be the best approach, he had determined. Less mess, less pain, less time.

 

The girl in the demon's arms smiled as she felt his clawed hand settle into position. “Thank you,” she whispered, letting her sentence hang before finally deciding she had nothing more to add and shut her mouth. Sesshomaru nodded.

 

“Ready?” he growled.

 

Chiyoko rolled her eyes back, then closed her eyes. “I always knew it,” she whispered, fat tears rolling down her dirty cheeks. But I couldn't love you back, her eyes added silently. The girl scrunched her face, trying to squeeze every last drop of fear and doubt from her heart. Then she sighed, and dropped all emotion from her face.

 

Sesshomaru grunted, yanking the girl's head completely around her neck. And with a quick snap it was over. He let her limp body slump to the ground, where it landed with a dull thud. She would be at peace, he knew. She was dead, and he had granted her that peace not with a sword, but with his own hand. She deserved that, at least.

 

Never one to second guess his actions, Sesshomaru turned and walked away from the now burning rubble of his father's empire, and never looked back.

 

The new house was built 6 li north of the original shiro. Everything that could be saved was moved. All bodies found, whether friend or foe, were thrown into a heap and cremated. The fire lasted for two days before it finally reduced the bodies to ash and could be extinguished. Sesshomaru wasted no time in invading the Eastern Lands, killing all those involved with Ryukossei. After that, he began his search for the Tesseiga, and for his hanyou brother, Inuyasha.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

It wasn't always bliss. They fought, over heavy things, and over trivial things. But they always came to a compromise. And they never went to bed resentful of one another, though sometimes it meant not going to bed at all. There were times he had to spend extended periods apart from her, traveling the Western Lands on patrol. She always missed him. He gave her fine things, and filled her life with as much luxury as he could afford her. She insisted on gardening herself; he would always smirk when she came back into the house, mud up to her elbows and smudged on her face. She always appreciated the little things. He'd always loved that about her.

 

Their first child was a son. It took many tries, many tears, and many arguments, for Rin to carry a hanyou pregnancy to term. He was met with great trepidation from his father, and the two were at odds with each other for most of the boy's childhood. But over time, every doubt Sesshomaru may have had for the hanyou was disproved, and the son was warmly accepted, and proclaimed proudly to be the heir to the Western Lands. Despite numerous other miscarriages, Rin was determined her son would not grow up alone. Three others followed, all girls. Sesshomaru found their rearing to be comparatively easier, and was fiercely protective of them. As smaller children, the three would often share the same bed, despite having separate rooms, and could be found talking and giggling with one another late into the night. On very rare occasions, their brother would join in, though usually the talking turned into wrestling. Sesshomaru would be the one to pull them apart, while Rin the one to dry the tears of those who landed at the bottom of the dog-pile. It wasn't always one of the girls, either. Yet they were extremely quiet and demure in public, wanting nothing more than to please their father and emulate their soft-spoken mother.

 

And they adored Jakken. He, for the most part, enjoyed taking part in the upbringing of yet another pup for the dog demon lord. But four hanyous was much different than one human. There were times that he was glad he did not have hair, else he would have pulled it all out; the pups were just as much of their mother as they were their father.

 

The children were dressed in accordance to their nobility. Rin insisted that even the girls wore black boots, like their father. She herself remained barefoot as much as decorum permitted; though a lady by marriage, she was an urchin by birth, and that was a hard instinct to change. She taught them all the simple pleasure of her own youth, and discovered that Sesshomaru had put up with a great deal in raising her. Often, Rin would find old wilted flowers in her hair, left over from a long ago romp in the fields. On those days, she kissed her husband fiercely, thankful he had learned patience from her. And he would then hold her tightly, thankful for the same.

 

When the children left the house, they were each given a sword. As befitting of the traditions of the House of the West, the blades were forged from their great father's fangs, and were meant to serve them well for the rest of their lives. Always, it was their surprise to learn that the mighty demon had gifted them with a copy of his Tenseiga, the sword he never used. As to how to use it, he left them to figure out on their own; when they did, after centuries of puzzlement, they better understood the stoic and emotionless father who valued strength and courage above all else.

 

It took both to wield the life-giving sword.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Rin blinked. Her heart beat. Her lungs filled and emptied. Her skin warmed.

 

Sesshomaru calmly stood, and re-sheathed Tenseiga with his shaking hand. The shock he felt from the other-world splitting apart under his blade still reverberated hard in his chest. Gods, he thought desperately, what have I done? For a moment, he was afraid of the once dead child who now leaned into his arm. But then she smiled, and straightened, and stood on her own. She was ready.

 

Never one to second guess his actions, the great demon stood, and turned to walk away. He never looked back; he never had to. He knew she would follow.

 

Finis