InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Life ❯ Insight ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: Mmoirai

Chapter Five: Insight

Rin yawned as she came out of a rather warm and pleasant slumber. She had dreamed of soft touches and a warm presence with beautiful golden eyes. She was so comfortable. She didn't want to get up. She stretched out across the comfortable bed and yawned again. She took in a deep lazy breath relishing the masculine scent of Lord Sesshoumaru.

Lord Sesshoumaru's scent!

Her eyes snapped open and she sat straight up looking around. Memories of the night before flooded back into her mind. Lord Sesshoumaru had not returned. She must have slept in his bed all night! She felt heat rise to her cheeks at the thought. Other images crept into her mind while she sat in his bed surrounded by his scent. Thoughts of how nice the sheets would feel against her bare skin and then thoughts of not being alone under those sheets in his bed filled her mind. She gasped at the intimate thoughts her mind produced and quickly scrambled from the bed and fled from the room.

Why hadn't Lord Sesshoumaru come back?

*****

It had been two weeks since Lord Sesshoumaru left the beautiful young woman sleeping in his bed.

He ordered her to stay put until his return and then went to seek out Kane, but the tiger demon had obviously taken Sesshoumaru's death warning to heart. He wasn't to be found anywhere. His scent trailed off in to the forest. He had returned to his quarters that night to find Rin right where he had commanded she stay. She was curled up into an uncomfortable looking ball at the edge of his bed fast asleep. He allowed himself a smile at the sight. He moved quietly to where she lay and easily picked her small form up, moving her to the middle of the bed. Her sweet scent filled his senses as he lowered her onto the pillows. He drew the sheet over her and looked at her a moment longer.

Maybe her scent will linger on the sheets for a while, he thought idly to himself as he drew in another breath of her cherry blossom fragrance.

“Sesshoumaru……” She whispered his name softly, almost breathlessly in her sleep.

His heart gave an unfamiliar and rather startling flutter at the sound of his name whispered from her lips. This time he had heard it clearly. Not, `Lord' Sesshoumaru, or `Master' Sesshoumaru, but just his name. The intimacy was not lost on him and he found that he rather liked the sound coming from her lips, but it also puzzled him.

What is she dreaming? I wonder.

He had lingered a little longer hoping she would whisper his name again, but time was short. He was on his way to Inuyasha's village seeking information. He reached down absent mindedly and brushed a few strands of her gorgeous black hair from her face. He allowed himself one more breath of her scent before quietly leaving her to her dreams. He hoped they were pleasant ones whatever they were of.

That had been two long weeks ago! He had caught Kane's scent in his territory a few times, but for some reason couldn't trace him and he was in a foul mood after being in Inuyasha's village.

He hated even being near the hanyou! But, he had not gone there seeking Inuyasha. He found his brother's human mate easily enough. She had his scent embedded in her, and Sesshoumaru's heart gave a quick jerk of hope at finding a human marked and still alive and well before realizing that she was not marked at all! No, she was carrying the half demon's child in her womb and that was why she smelled so strongly of him. Baka Inuyasha! He had been about to leave without even making his presence known when Inuyasha had come charging from the bushes at him screaming profanities. Of course Sesshoumaru had easily flattened the half demon without even so much as moving from where he stood.

“Foolish little half brother. I am not here to fight you today. Perhaps some other time.”

And then he had walked away while Inuyasha still lay dazed on the ground wondering what had hit him.

Sesshoumaru approached the outer trees of his forest and could already smell the sea. He made his way into the trees eager to be home. Eager to see if responses to his inquires had arrived yet. Eager to see Rin again. His agitated mood only darkened as the young woman invaded his thoughts in intimate ways yet again.

He stopped not far into the tree line, a familiar scent floated in the breeze that sifted through the trees. He knew immediately who it was, and after a moment of listening and smelling the air, he deduced her exact location as well. He could hear her feminine voice and could feel her playful mood in the air. A smirk formed on his lips, all annoyance gone from him, and he drew his power into himself.

Rin sat in the high branches of the ancient tree, Bokusenou, and sang a little tune she had made up many years ago while traveling with Lord Sesshoumaru. When she finished, the tree boomed with deep laughter!

“Delightful young Rin! Your voice has matured beautifully!” The tree praised the young woman in his deep timber.

She smiled at the compliment reaching around and patting the trunk fondly. She leaned back against it and looked up into the sky. It was a beautiful day. The sky was a clear light blue and soft fluffy clouds floated lazily past. She would normally have her combat lesson now, but after his encounter with Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord Kane hadn't been seen around the palace again. Her thoughts turned to Lord Sesshoumaru and she sighed. She missed him. He had been gone for fourteen days now. He had been acting so strange when he had left her that night. He was so angry, so…so…passionate! She suddenly thought of the morning she had woken in his bed wrapped in his sheets and surrounded by his wonderful fresh woodland scent and shivered. She wondered if he had ever had a woman in that bed. He was much older than she, having lived for centuries before she had ever come along. Had he ever had a mate? If so, then she must not be dead, because he isn't dead, unless he was the demon he spoke of that had survived the death of his mate. Her heart broke for him at the same time that jealousy squeezed at her heart.

“He approaches.” The great tree reported mildly.

Rin blinked. “Who?” She asked startled, and then began to blush as the tree chuckled at her. The wise old tree could sense many things.

“Young Lord Sesshoumaru, of course.” The still laughing tree responded.

Her heart skipped a beat. Sudden excitement shot through her and a mischievous smile spread across her face. She pulled up her legs and crouched against the massive trunk hidden from the view on the path, waiting. She could feel herself trembling with anticipation.

“Even I cannot last long without drawing breath.” Sesshoumaru's voice drifted down to her from the branches above.

She jumped in startled surprise and blew out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and nearly fell. The great tree began to boom with laughter at this. When she regained her composure she looked up and saw Lord Sesshoumaru perched in the branches above her. He looked down at her with one eyebrow raised in mild curiosity.

“Sesshoumaru-sama! Greetings! Jaken-sama will be pleased to see you've returned.” A coy smile crossed her lips and she batted her eyes at him. “He has missed you!”

She is teasing me! In his mind he was completely astonished! She had never, ever, teased him before! She had always been more than happy to gush about how much she had missed him and how happy she was that he had returned. Always? Gone were the days of her innocent declarations of love and devotion. These words now carried the weight of feeling and meaning in her adult mind. Why shouldn't her mannerisms change as well. Change. This and death were the only inevitable things in life. He couldn't help the feeling of remorse at the thought of how much her life was going to change very soon. Though he wasn't entirely sure that the feelings of sadness were for her, but for how much his own life was going to change without her. Outwardly, of course, he merely looked at her, his usual bored expression firmly in place.

She let out a small laugh and jumped from the tree. He followed, and with one more glance at her, he bowed respectfully to Bokusenou, who was now looking very contemplatively at Lord Sesshoumaru, and continued his trek up the path. Her cherry blossom scent filled his senses as he walked and he closed his eyes drawing it in. Only Rin could smell so natural and sweet. He would miss her scent very much.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, about the marks? Have you ever….?” He stopped in his tracks and went rigid, his heart was gripped with dread of the question she was about to ask, all playfulness gone from her. He sensed her heart rate increasing and she suddenly smelled nervous.

How do I ask him such a personal question? Will he even answer me? Gods! I will go insane if I don't find out! She suddenly imagined Lord Sesshoumaru in a lover's embrace with some faceless woman. Hot jealousy simmered through her again and she felt her cheeks going red as she stammered on.

“….has there ever been…. ? He tilted his face to the sky as she searched for her words.

Why does she want to know!? I would rather put the subject from my mind!

“….Have you ever been in love? He stood there in silence for so long that she thought he had decided not to answer.

“No.” He answered simply, and continued towards home trying to ignore her delicate scent and the nagging feeling that he had just misled her, had lied to her.

Waves of relief washed over her and the horrible image in her mind dissolved. She knew she would never have any hope of him ever loving her as she knew she loved him, but she didn't think she could handle the jealousy and heart break if he had belonged to another.

******

Sesshoumaru returned later in the evening to visit his father's old and trusted friend. The demon tree, Bokusenou, was so ancient that he may as well have been ageless. Indeed, Sesshoumaru remembered climbing the ancient branches of the tree as a mere pup. The tree's roots reached far throughout the land, and his branches reached high above the forest tree tops. He was one of the few in the world that Sesshoumaru had any respect for, and he had a great deal of respect for him at that. Now, Sesshoumaru had questions he needed answers to and the ancient tree knew a great deal about a lot of things. He stood before the great tree, now, unmoving, outwardly calm and expressionless.

“How do I determine if she has been marked? He asked. He had told the tree about Kane and Rin. “If she has been marked with The Kiss then she will be loyal only to Kane as long as he lives. She will, in effect, love him forever.”

Hot anger seared through his veins at the thought that Kane might have ruined his chances of successfully mating her to someone and finally being able to complete his treaty without the little human distracting him so and being in the way. But he found he was even angrier that she might not be able to be happy in life now that she might be bound to the despicable creature.

“Woo her.” The tree responded simply.

Sesshoumaru blinked.

“Bokusenou, I cannot! I will not! I will never…never a human!” Astonishment uncharacteristically clear in his voice.

“Young Master Sesshoumaru! You asked the question, I give you the solution! The girl is in love with you! Woo her. If she resists you, then it is most likely she is indeed marked. If she falls into your arms willingly you will know she is safe from Lord Kane's grasp and you may follow your own heart as well. The tree explained in a commanding and father-like tone.

“My own heart? Such sentiments as love are lost on me.” Sesshoumaru replied coldly, but the tree's stern look deepened at his words.

“No! I will not repeat the mistake my father made! I will not be weakened so!” Sesshoumaru spat. He was beginning to get angry.

“You and I both know that it would be pointless anyhow.” He added in a low quiet tone, lowering his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

“The love your father developed for the human woman ultimately became his greatest strength. Do not let stubborn, childish pride blind you.” The tree replied calmly.

“Is there no other way to determine if she is marked?” Sesshoumaru asked, not wanting to respond to the tree's last statement, and still not looking at the tree.

“Lord Kane is the only other who can tell you truthfully.” The great tree responded. “She will not know the truth herself, until it is tested.”

Sesshoumaru brought his eyes back to the tree's face, his own now the icy expressionless mask it always was.

“I will test her, but nothing more.” Sesshoumaru bowed to the tree and turned and walked back into the trees towards home.