InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reflected Past ❯ Similar Hearts ( Chapter 14 )

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

Chapter Fourteen - Similar Hearts


Clutching apprehensively at Ah-Un’s reins, Rin gawked at the massive, imposing visage of the northern lord’s home; although it seemed to her less a house and more a fortress. Green-grey stone walls loomed upward, shooting toward the sky with turrets that reminded her strongly of clawed hands. The few windows were rather small, which must have been a shame for those that lived within the walls, since the landscape outside was some of the prettiest Rin had ever seen, filled with tall trees, a crystal clear lake, and fields overflowing with wildflowers. Still, despite the beauty of the land, the construction she was looking at had obviously been built by someone who was accustomed to, and expected, war to come to him.

“Are you sure it’s all right for me to be here?” she asked nervously, the distant sounds of some strange, foreign music whispering past her ears. The castle was lit up, as though beckoning its guests, but for obvious reasons, Rin did not feel particularly welcome.

“It is if I say it is,” Sesshoumaru responded with his usual certainty, looking far less awed and more exasperated at even having to be there at all. He had little interest or patience for the ridiculous social affairs that took place whenever one of the lords or wealthier territorial leaders decided to put himself and his possessions on display.

With the strange events that had surrounded himself and Rin since he had returned for her, he had been admittedly apprehensive at the idea of leaving her behind, which was why she was currently walking beside him. Jaken was a laughable guardian, making leaving her at home an even more unattractive option than bringing her. Taking her back to Kameko’s village was not much better, and so he had instructed her to come with him. Of course, there was the added bonus that her presence would make most of the other youkai uncomfortable or, better yet, annoyed; a silent statement that their rules did not apply to him.

As they both walked toward the northern lord’s imposing home, leaving Ah-Un behind to entertain himself, Rin nervously smoothed out her kimono. It was beautiful and brand new, pale and flowery and quite necessary, since none of the clothing she had brought from Kameko’s had been suitable for such an event. She had felt very elegant while in front of the mirror at Sesshoumaru’s home; now, next to him, she felt pitifully underdressed and unprepared for what she was about to walk into. She glanced quickly over at him, feeling completely out-of-place, as though she had no business walking with him. He was dressed very formally as well, something she had never seen before, and though it suited him, it only heightened her feelings of displacement.

They ascended the stairs and entered the overly-bright foyer, which was filled with an odd assortment of people. There were demons of every variety she could name (and many more that she could not) standing about, some chatting animatedly in groups, some glaring warily at their obvious enemies, and others remaining alone at the fringe, watching with bored looks that spoke of where they would much rather be.

Looking around her in amazement at the opulent display while trying to appear nonchalant, Rin studiously avoided the looks that were cast her way as she walked in beside Sesshoumaru. She could practically feel the collective weight of dozens of stares and doubted that any of them were friendly. Briefly, she wondered how this would affect Sesshoumaru’s image among them. She did not bother to ask him; he would only scoff and tell her that there were very few things he cared less about. Sesshoumaru was, if nothing else, secure in his sense of superiority.

Much to Rin’s chagrin, Elif’s timing was as perfect as she looked. The beautiful dog demon swept in apparently out of nowhere almost as soon as they entered her father’s home, attaching herself at Sesshoumaru’s side like a parasite. Rin unconsciously drew herself up to her full height, her throat tightening angrily. Was she about to have to endure an evening of Elif falling all over Sesshoumaru? She sincerely hoped not. Elif was a revolting woman and Rin could only hope that Sesshoumaru had already reached that conclusion on his own.

“Hello, Sesshoumaru,” Elif practically purred. Rin watched as she shoved her arm through his, her delicately clawed hand twisting familiarly around his forearm. Disgusting creature, Rin thought, her face darkening.

Apparently oblivious to Rin’s presence, Elif went on, “I’m glad you came in time for the dinner. I---“

“Dinner?” Sesshoumaru asked, his mouth set in a firm line, and Rin was gratified to see that, again, he looked very displeased by Elif’s presence. “I was told that this was a meeting.”

“Well, we can hardly set you all to tearing out each other’s throats without a proper meal, now can we?” Elif asked, as though that was the silliest idea that could ever have occurred to her. “And I went to a lot of trouble for this dinner. Since you are my special guest I wanted to make certain that we would be serving things that would appeal to you, so I asked Iwa to borrow his cook, Natsuko. Do you remember her? She worked for your father when you were a child.”

“You’ve done your research,” Sesshoumaru murmured tonelessly.

“Of course,” Elif replied, looking very pleased that he would notice. “She’s very excited to see you, so maybe you should drop by the kitchen before you ---” Elif trailed off and peered around Sesshoumaru’s body to see Rin, noticing her for the first time, her expression that of someone who had just encountered a bad smell.

“I see you brought your house guest,” Elif said slowly, as though fully expecting Sesshoumaru to explain that Rin was merely a figment of her imagination.

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru replied succinctly, disengaging his arm from Elif’s grasp.

Nodding lightly and watching Rin with eyes that were anything but friendly, Elif murmured, “I suppose you will want her to sit beside you?”

“That would be expected.”

“Then I will need to see that the seating arrangement is rearranged,” she sighed, looking as though she heartily wished that Rin would make her life less complicated by simply dispersing into a cloud of vapor.

“Seating arrangement?” Sesshoumaru repeated distastefully.

“Of course, my dear,” Elif answered, turning her brilliant smile up at him again. “When you have this many demons gathered in one place, it really does become an important component for a peaceful dinner. I can’t very well have sworn enemies having to sit side by side, now can I? It’s much easier to settle matters beforehand by ensuring that those eating around you do not have an immediate interest in your demise.”

That would be the only way this evening would be interesting, Sesshoumaru thought, watching as Elif hurried away to see to her new task.

“I despise parties,” he muttered to Rin, now fully aware that this was exactly what he had walked into.

“I don’t blame you,” she answered reassuringly.

“Sesshoumaru,” another voice called, this time male and belonging to one of the most intimidating-looking individuals Rin had ever seen. This demon, of a kind she could not recognize, was enormous. Bear demon? she wondered curiously. He was a head taller than Sesshoumaru and almost twice as wide, dressed mostly in some type of gleaming silver armor and a black furred pelt. “I’m surprised to see you here. This type of event is hardly your style.”

“Surprised?” Sesshoumaru questioned oddly. “Then you are not aware of the message I received from Elif? She told me that there was wide-spread support for a massive human extermination and that, if I did not participate, you and the others would be willing to step in and perform the task in my stead.”

Rin jumped slightly when the supposed bear demon let out a roaring laugh. “Did she really say that to you?” he asked, sounding highly amused, face split by an amused, boyish grin.

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru responded coolly, eyes narrowed in annoyance. “How odd that I did not find it nearly so funny, Furu.”

”It’s absurd. Do you think Isamu and I have nothing else better to do than to go clean up after you? Your humans are your business. Destroying the human population would be like trying to swat down a bunch of flies; they’re annoying as hell, but the effort to get rid of them would be even more of an inconvenience.” His wide brown eyes flitted toward Rin with more curiosity than hostility. “You brought her as some sort of statement?”

“No. She is here for reasons that are no one else’s concern.”

“You always were rebellious,” Furu lightly chided, sounding oddly pleased at the same time. “I thought age would solve that, but it appears only to have made it worse.”

“You know nothing about Eizan’s intent to destroy the humans?” Sesshoumaru inquired, his patience clearly waning.

“I didn’t say I knew nothing about it, just that Isamu and I have no part in it. I’ve heard the same rumors, though from what I can tell it comes mostly from the northern lord; odd concerning the nocturnal habits of some of his children. They seem overtly affectionate toward humans, if you take my meaning,” he said, with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows. “I believe it is more of a plot between Eizan and his allies. They want more territory and the recent human retaliation is an excellent excuse to take some.”

“He is a fool.”

“Perhaps, but then who would have thought you would rise as the great defender of the humans?” Furu asked, watching Sesshoumaru with great interest. “I doubt Eizan will see that one coming.”

“Not the humans … my territory,” Sesshoumaru corrected.

“Of course,” Furu agreed patronizingly, aiming another sly look at Rin. “You forget how well I knew your father, Sesshoumaru." He ended the conversation on that cryptic note, leaving Sesshoumaru to watch his departure with obvious displeasure.

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By the time everyone began making their way to dinner, Rin’s head was spinning crazily. She had stayed at Sesshoumaru’s side the entire evening, but had never felt more invisible. Actually, she preferred invisible to some of the looks that were tossed her way, but no one seemed brave enough to say anything, which made her feel secure enough not to worry excessively about it.

Strangely, what irritated her the most was the familiarity with which some of the women approached Sesshoumaru. None of them had been nearly as disgusting as Elif, but their blatant attempts at catching his attention were nauseating nonetheless. Rin was aware that she was being ridiculously possessive, but she did care about him and hated the idea of him winding up with someone like Elif. The evening was displaying to her the inevitability of the future: one of these women could very well wind up as Sesshoumaru’s wife, a fact that Rin found she was not particularly pleased about.

He’s smart … he’ll pick well, she tried to console herself. But, honestly, she didn’t like the idea of anyone becoming his wife. Unlike with Elif, he did not seem especially opposed to the company of some of the other women …. Where is this jealousy coming from? Rin thought, frowning lightly at her thoughts. It’s not like he’s mine.

Elif did indeed see to it that Rin was seated at Sesshoumaru’s left at dinner, but it was the individual at Rin’s other side that caused her the greatest discomfort of the evening. For a paranoid moment, she wondered if this had been a purposeful attempt by Elif to make her as uncomfortable as possible, but did not see how the youkai woman could have known of Rin’s intense dislike for the wolf demon, Kouga. Elif had airily explained that Kouga had been the only other demon present that she was certain would not be offended by being seated beside a human, a statement that she alone had seemed to find charmingly amusing.

Kouga, for his part, had responded as Elif had figured; he did not seem to mind Rin’s presence, but then again, he was unaware that she held him responsible for the slaughter of her village, and rightfully so. Rin highly doubted that he would have felt so at ease with her near him if he could only catch a glimpse of the hateful thoughts that were swarming inside her head.

“I heard that Naraku’s demons found you,” Kouga said by way of greeting to Sesshoumaru.

“And not you?” Sesshoumaru questioned as the wolf demon, completely oblivious to Rin’s horrified stare, dropped casually into his seat.

“Heh … nope. I’ve been moving around a lot more recently, keeping an eye on some problems that have been developing along one of our borders. If I had known they were out and looking for me, I would have waited for them to catch up.” Kouga eyed the other demons that were seating themselves at various places around the long, massive table. “Nothing gives you indigestion like trying to eat in a room full of posturing, self-important aristocrats,” he muttered, then glanced up at where Sesshoumaru was still standing. “No offense.”

Sesshoumaru ignored the comment, suddenly acutely aware of the fixed, frozen look on Rin’s face.

“Rin,” he said to catch her attention, pointing at the chair Elif had meant for him. Snapping out of her momentary reverie, Rin gratefully switched seats, sitting down and staring directly ahead of her, her skin crawling at the knowledge that the wolf demon was so near to her. Murderer … she thought viciously, her pulse rising as she debated as to which action would bring her more satisfaction: steadfastly ignoring his existence or attempting to strangle him.

Once the other guests were seated, Elif returned to them, apparently irritated to find that they had altered her arrangement. With a sweet-voiced request, she quickly corrected matters so that she was situated between Kouga and Sesshoumaru. A door at the back of the room opened, admitting three rather imposing-looking male demons. They each resembled each other in various ways, enough so that Rin could only assume that they were related. The elder demon seated himself at the head of the table, only a few seats down from Rin. Almost instantly his fierce, violet gaze fell on her with an icy look that made her suddenly wish that Sesshoumaru had allowed her to wait outside with Ah-Un.

One of the men he had entered with leaned over and whispered something into the elder demon’s ear before leaning back and smiling at her, though whether it was a benign or malevolent smile, Rin could not tell.

She looked away from them and concentrated on the food-laden table, her nose registering many foreign smells she had never encountered before. And, in truth, there was not a dish in front of her that she recognized at all. It all looked strange to her, but she did not want to appear rude by not eating, so decided to start with whatever looked the most appetizing. Before she could actually reach for anything, Sesshoumaru turned and spoke quietly.

“Be careful of what you eat.”

“I don’t recognize any of this,” she whispered back honestly, eyeing the dishes suspiciously. “Is there anything here that won’t try to eat me back?”

“Are you not hungry, human girl?” Elif called, peering around Sesshoumaru and looking faintly annoyed that his attention had been diverted. “Try that green leafy one over there. It’s my favorite,” she suggested with a smile.

“It’s also poisonous to humans,” Sesshoumaru said scathingly, pushing the dish toward Elif.

“Oh, is it? Forgive me, I wouldn’t have known. I don’t interact with humans,” she apologized with that same falsely sweet expression.

“Stick with those three,” Sesshoumaru instructed, carefully pointing out each to Rin. “The rest are known to be rather…unkind to human digestion. Only the one would be lethal, but I do not think you would come to appreciate some of the ingredients in the others.”

With this grim warning circling inside her head, Rin managed to make her way through dinner by eating as sparingly as she could, an attempt that was aided by a sincere lack of appetite. Listening to Elif chatter at Sesshoumaru throughout the meal was setting her on edge; at times the conversation took a suggestive turn that made Rin wish desperately that she was deaf, but Sesshoumaru’s curt responses were heartening. At least he didn’t seem to be enjoying himself.

Taking a steadying drink from the cup that was settled next to her plate, and hoping very much that it was nothing toxic, she purposefully diverted her attention to some of the other guests, most of whom were speaking politely to those around them. She recognized Furu, the bear demon and, she had learned, the southern lord, as being almost directly across from her. She could tell that he was having a good time; that raucous laughter could be heard up and down the length of the table.

This place was like an entirely different society and culture; Rin could not escape the feeling that she had somehow wandered into some sort of foreign country where the inhabitants just happened to speak the same language. It was a disorienting experience.

Her night did not improve when, after the dinner, Elif immediately separated her from Sesshoumaru, ushering her away with a cheery promise that she would be returned in one piece, a guarantee Rin did not whole-heartedly believe. Once they were away from the crowd, Elif turned and led her wordlessly up a flight of magnificently carved stairs, past strange objects that Rin assumed were pieces of art. The northern lord’s home was very beautiful, but not welcoming in the least, giving off the feeling that one should look, but not touch. Weighing what she was seeing around her with her familiarity with Sesshoumaru’s home, she could easily guess at the vast differences in personalities between the two men, and was not overly surprised that they despised each other.

Rin had disliked Elif from the moment the female dog demon had arrived at Sesshoumaru’s home, but now, as she was led to their intended destination, she hated the woman even more. They had entered a large, ornately furnished room, which was filled with conversing demons, many of whom were women, almost all of whom turned to look at Rin as though she was some strange rodent that had somehow managed to skitter into their midst.

She was certain that this was going to be the longest night of her life.

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Ready for the evening to be over, Sesshoumaru listened impatiently as Eizan, the northern lord, recounted for everyone the details as to why they had been invited, his loud, accented voice grating on Sesshoumaru’s nerves. Seated around him were approximately two dozen other demons, male and female, of all species and societal ranks, all wearing varying expressions of seriousness, lackluster interest, or disdain.

Like Furu, Isamu, who had seated himself beside Sesshoumaru, had been quick to deny any part of a plot to invade Sesshoumaru’s territory. Sesshoumaru believed him, though whether the entire idea had been invented by Elif in order to make sure that Sesshoumaru came or if it indeed had some truth to it, he was certain he was about to find out.

“We are all gathered here because of a shared concern, that being the ramifications of the reappearance of the demon known as Naraku. Several of you have already experienced your own encounters with his horde, as it has become obvious that the intent is to create as much disruption as possible,” Eizan was saying. “And it appears to be working quite well. I think many of us have witnessed the manner in which the humans have reacted to this resurgence.” Eizan’s bright amethyst eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru then, a faintly polite smile crossing his features, but Sesshoumaru could see the malice behind the expression and stared resolutely back, unblinking.

“Fortunately for us, Lord Sesshoumaru has graced us with his presence, as he seems, once again, to be deeply involved in the matter of Naraku. Perhaps you can shed some light on the subject, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

Sesshoumaru’s posture and expression remained set as nearly two dozen pairs of eyes turned to rest on him. “The matter is resolved. You can expect nothing further from Naraku because he is dead. It his is demon horde that is running rampant. Do not confuse the two.”

“Then you are certain he cannot fully return?” a voice called from the shadowy end of the room.

“Not in the form he used before. It is possible that the horde could merge with another host body, but that becomes less and less likely as more of them are destroyed.”

“And you had absolutely nothing to do with their reemergence?” Eizan questioned with what sounded like mild suspicion.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed as he turned to regard the northern lord once more, aware that the other demons in the room were slowly realizing that this meeting was more than a discussion of tactics; it appeared to involve a personal battle between the two lords. So he wants to lay suspicion at my feet, eh? “Are you really that stupid, Eizan?” Sesshoumaru asked, pleased to see the other demon’s face morph into a pinched, angry expression. “Or is it simply a result of your rapidly progressing paranoia?”

“Paranoia?” Eizan harshly clipped the word. “I find it very interesting that this newly-risen group of demons, this horde that you supposedly helped destroy, assembled itself from within your borders and attacked only those you perceive as your foes: myself and your half-brother among that group.”

“I like very few people, Eizan,” Sesshoumaru said with a slight, malicious smile. “The odds were that those demons would attack people I dislike. If I have a problem with you, I will deal with you directly. I don’t have the time or the patience to assemble so ridiculous an offensive. As for my brother, it is likely evident to everyone in this room, except apparently you, that he and Naraku wanted each other dead. And, if you do truly believe I am behind this attacking horde, can you explain why it was that my own residence was targeted?” Sesshoumaru gave a pause, peering intently at his host. “You should find yourself another informant. He’s causing you unnecessary embarrassment.”

“Yes, I know that you were attacked, though whether that episode was arranged or not is anyone’s guess,” Eizan went on, his features dark and accusing. ”I also know for a fact that you single-handedly wiped out hundreds of them on your own. As formidable as Toukijin is, I do not believe it could have inflicted such damage. Perhaps you can explain this new weapon you’ve acquired? I am certain I am not the only one in this room who would be interested to hear of it.”

“How I defend myself is none of your business.”

“On the contrary, Sesshoumaru,” another demon called smoothly from across the table, and Sesshoumaru recognized him instantly as one of Eizan’s cronies, “it becomes of grave concern to me when someone as secluded and ill-tempered as yourself is armed with a weapon that can easily wipe out hundreds of demons at a time. What’s to keep you from doing the same to me or anyone else seated here?”

“You are not worth the effort,” Sesshoumaru answered readily, ignoring the rumbling of discontent that came from this statement. “I did not come to this meeting to explain my actions against the horde. My purpose here is to make it clear that none of you are to enter my domain for any purpose without an expressed invitation.”

“That sounds like a veiled threat to me,” one of Eizan’s sons lazily accused.

“It was not veiled. If you like, I can make it even clearer,” Sesshoumaru said, fixing Eizan with an unblinking stare. “If you step one foot within my territory with the intent of harming anything that resides within it, you will meet the most excruciating end I can devise. Did you get all of that this time, Keito?” he asked, turning a contemptuous look on Eizan’s son.

“No one is going to do any such thing, Sesshoumaru,” Isamu said slowly, frowning deeply at the disintegrating tone of the meeting.

“Ah, did I spoil your suggestion then, Eizan?” Sesshoumaru asked. “Or was it something that was meant to be kept between yourself and your bootlickers?”

“I’m not quite sure that I know what you’re referring to,” Eizan said, his polite smile sliding slowly back into place.

“Then speak to your daughter. She’s either exceptionally well-informed or delusional.

“She is neither, I assure you.”

“Then you have no plans to start a war with the humans?”

“I do not deny that that has been an idea I have considered. I think we’ve all grown weary of the problems the humans have brought to us, crowding onto our lands, attacking, exterminating…it seems the longer we go without putting them back into their stations, the more overconfident they become. How strange that such a plan would upset you so, Sesshoumaru. I had thought you would be pleased by such a move, not angered by it.” Eizan paused his speech and then shook his head. “But, then again, your father was a great lover of humans. I should not be shocked that you would degenerate into one as well.”

“I have no interest in humans, their lives, or lack thereof,” Sesshoumaru replied. “And do not fool yourself by bringing my father into this. I am not nearly as forgiving as he tended to be. This is as much diplomacy as you will get from me. As for the rest of you,” Sesshoumaru said in an unmistakable tone of warning, “as long as you respect my borders, you can expect no conflict with me. I would suggest, however, that our host’s actions and motives bear closer scrutiny.”

Without further comment, Sesshoumaru rose from his seat to leave, ignoring the soft murmurings that were coming from the assembled guests.

“We are not finished here, Sesshoumaru,” Eizan reminded him coldly.

“I am.”

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Hav ing given up any hope of civilized conversation with the demons inside the northern lord’s home, Rin had finally managed to escape to a nearly empty hallway. There she was at least granted a respite from all the stares, snide comments, or stupid questions, most of them having to do with Sesshoumaru and why she was with him. Some had been appalled at the idea that Sesshoumaru might possibly have softened up so much as to allow a human to live within his residence. Others had warned Rin that she would be wise to stay away from him, that he was known for his intolerance and violent tendencies toward humans. Mostly, she had been unprepared for the manner in which the demon women had swooped in on her, like birds to prey, alternately picking at her with questions and politely disguised insults.

She felt slightly ill, though whether it was from the odd foods she had consumed or the company she had been in, she was not sure. All she knew was that she was ready to leave this place, having resorted to pacing lightly back and forth, her head constantly turning to look in either direction, hoping that Sesshoumaru’s form would suddenly materialize and tell her it was time to go.

A soft rush of movement behind her caused her to whirl around and gasp in surprise when she found that a demon man was standing only inches from her. His face was vaguely familiar. The dark wavy hair and violet eyes suggested a relation to Elif, which sparked a memory from during dinner: this had been one of the men that had entered with the northern lord.

“Did my sister and her friends manage to run you out of the room?” he questioned humorously, his tone so polite that it made her suspicious.

“No … it was … I just came out for some fresh air.”

“I can understand that. Elif is a bit…overpowering. My name is Ashihei. I am her younger brother," he offered, sounding as though he believed she should be impressed.

“Nice to meet you,” Rin said, trying to sound sincere. She made no comment on his statement about Elif, not wanting to be forced to lie or offend. Again her eyes traveled longingly down the corridor, hoping to find Sesshoumaru heading in her direction, but all she saw was endless emptiness that was filled only by the sound of Ashihei's voice.

“You know, you were quite the surprise tonight,” he informed her conversationally, reaching out to straighten a painted scroll that was hanging at a very slight angle on the wall behind her.

“Oh?”

“Yes. Your presence has greatly dismayed several of the women. Sesshoumaru rarely comes to these types of functions. They feel they’ve missed their chance.”

“I’m not following you,” Rin admitted with a frown, feeling dense.

“Ah, well … as Sesshoumaru is one of the highest-ranking single males, he is quite a prospect in the eyes of most female youkai. Eventually, he’ll have to take a mate and I can name a dozen women in this castle tonight, my sister among them, who intend to be the one he chooses. It’s rather an ugly business, but there you have it.”

Just as I thought, Rin considered silently, her stomach clenching suddenly. Gods, what had she eaten …? Whatever it was, she hoped it was nothing that would prove to be fatal. “And what do I have to do with this? I am no interference. My relationship with Sesshoumaru-sama is not…like that,” she said awkwardly, refocusing on the conversation.

“Isn’t it? That’s good to know … it will make matters easier for my sister. She’s excessively enamored with Sesshoumaru and I would hate to consider what might happen if she came to view you as competition.”

Is he threatening me? she wondered silently, but his expression had not changed from friendly, which in and of itself was enough to make her wonder. She could entirely understand why Sesshoumaru hated youkai gatherings. How did one tell where one stood with these beings? A polite smile and a kind word could as easily signify honest friendliness as it could a death threat. Rin’s head was beginning to ache.

“Just a warning,” he said quickly, as though reading her mind. “My sister is quite spoiled. She always gets what she wants and, forgive my honesty, but she despises humans. I don’t think she would allow for one as a rival.” He moved a little closer and dropped his voice. “I, on the other hand, have no such prejudice. I rather like humans at times, particularly human women. They’re rather quaint … not nearly as competitive and overbearing as youkai females tend to be.”

Rin decided she did not like the turn this conversation was taking and briefly considered returning to the room full of youkai, an act that would be truly desperate. Sesshoumaru-sama…I hope you’re finished soon, she thought. Waiting outside with Ah-Un was becoming more and more attractive...

“You are very lovely,” Ashihei said suddenly, causing Rin to look back up at him with an expression she hoped didn’t look nearly as appalled as she felt. “I would not be surprised to hear that Sesshoumaru had become infatuated with you. I know I find you to be very charming,” he said, flashing a fanged grin at her that she supposed was meant to be disarming. “In fact, I wonder if you would be interested in spending the rest of the evening with me? Your escort will likely be kept in that meeting for a long while. The lords never break away from each other unless they’re all certain they’ve had their say. I can rescue you from my sister, show you the rest of the fortress ...” Before Rin could even protest, he had reached out and grasped onto her elbow with a grip that assumed his suggestion would meet with no resistance.

“I don’t think …,” she began uncomfortably, but was cut short.

“There is no sense in you standing out here alone," he said, sounding slickly reasonable. "You have nothing to fear from me, if that is what is concerning you. On the other hand, I cannot say as to what might occur if you were to remain out here alone. I won’t deny that there are those in this castle that would wish you ill. Come, you will be safest with---“

Rin nearly jumped out of her skin as a tall form suddenly materialized behind Ashihei, looming with an aura of imminent destruction. Before the young demon could even turn his head, a sharply clawed hand reached around to clasp onto his throat with enough strength to create five evenly-spaced puncture wounds in the skin. Ashihei looked as though he had just been strung up on a fishing line, his eyes bulging slightly, body stiffly erect from being held at such an odd angle.

“Don’t struggle, I’ll lose my temper,” Sesshoumaru spoke in a tone that suggested he wished very much that his victim would ignore the warning. “Where precisely were you intending to take her, Ashihei?” he asked with interest, loosening his hold on the demon’s throat just enough to allow him to speak.

“Nowhere in particul---“ he was cut off again as the hand clamped down once more.

“Liar,” Sesshoumaru said. “Exactly how many hanyou bastards are you up to now? Five? Six?” he inquired, his face murderously cold as he released his hold on the younger demon and shoved him roughly forward.

“You exaggerate, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Ashihei replied, rubbing gingerly at the wounds that had been torn into his neck as he looked down the hallway, likely hoping for someone to come to his aid. “Only four now. I think one died not long ago …. In any case, you have nothing to be angry about. I was only behaving as a proper host. I like humans.”

“Yes, I am aware,” Sesshoumaru sneered contemptuously, looking as though he was giving serious thought to throttling the demon once more. Ashihei seemed to sense this and took another strategic step backward, obviously aiming for distance.

“I was only meaning to speak with her about your … er … relationship. On my sister’s behalf, of course.”

“Tell your sister to mind her own business and keep her mouth shut.”

“You see?" Ashihei asked rhetorically, that easy grin smearing across his face once more. "That is precisely what Elif needs; someone to keep her in line. Father’s given her free reign for far too long. You would be an excellent match for her.”

“I don’t have a large enough cage,” Sesshoumaru coolly replied, ignoring the affronted look on Ashihei’s face. “Rin, we’re leaving.”

She watched, wide-eyed, as he turned his back and began striding down the hallway. Purposefully avoiding another glance at Ashihei, Rin followed him, remaining silent until they were outside, surrounded by a warm summer night and contentedly chirping insects. Immediately, it was as though an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she realized that rescue could come in all forms. There was no way she would have preferred to spent the evening traipsing after Ashihei, the victim of an unwanted tour and questionable intentions.

“You’re angry,” she finally said, looking up at him.

“Yes.”

“Did the meeting go badly?”

“I said what I needed to say and left. It went as well as expected.”

“Then what are you upset about?” she questioned curiously.

He did not answer her, instead staring straight ahead as Ah-Un noticed their approach and rose to stand. A bright moon was hanging overhead, casting a peaceful glow that did not reach Sesshoumaru. Why am I angry? he repeated to himself. It was not the meeting; he was accustomed to that kind of confrontation with other youkai. If anything, it was quite satisfying to occasionally remind those around him of who he was and where they stood in relation to him. Though the meeting had not contributed to a pleasant mood on his part, it had not been until he had witnessed Ashihei reaching out for Rin’s arm, clasping it in an attempt to lure her away with him, that a true anger had manifested itself. Likely the northern lord’s inept son would have done nothing harmful; it would have been obvious even to him that any inappropriate behavior would have ended in his own execution. Still, Sesshoumaru could not deny that the action had infuriated him just the same. It had provoked an instantaneous and admittedly possessive reaction.

This was not a feeling he was unaccustomed to. Rin had been very important to him for a long time; he recognized that and accepted it as truth. What was stunningly different about what had just occurred that evening was that this feeling of jealousy was coming from someplace else; less from the standard brotherly affection and more from a type of possessiveness that was anything but.

His fingers twitched absently at his sides as he continued to walk, her footsteps almost like drumbeats to his ears, her breathing steady and even, her scent subtly encapsulating every inhalation of air. It was completely unacceptable. She was invading everything; his home, his thoughts, his behavior. And worst of all, he didn’t mind.


------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------


Sessh oumaru prided himself on his ability to handle anything. Rarely was he caught by surprise, even more rarely did he ever find himself in a situation in which he was unprepared. But he had never encountered a violently ill human before.

It seemed the youkai food that had been served at the northern lord’s home had reacted very badly with Rin, who had returned home feeling slightly sick and who was now verging on miserable as her stomach worked ceaselessly to expel the last vestiges of anything she had eaten.

Disgusted beyond even complaint, Jaken had kept himself far away from Rin, horrified at this strange illness that had seized her. As a demon, he was unaccustomed to such things, though Sesshoumaru did give him credit for attempting to think of a way to make the girl well.

“Maybe…they’re like cats…maybe they eat grass to settle that sort of stomach ailment, eh, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Jaken questioned as he sat perched on the railed deck that surrounded the outside of his master’s home. Sesshoumaru was seated as well and looking out at the large pond, watching as large ripples of water spread out, signifying the presence of a fish that had just caught itself an insect dinner.

He remained quiet, unwilling to even respond to so stupid a proposal. Truthfully, he did not know what humans did in such a situation, though it seemed logical to him that if something in particular was causing the ailment, the best course of action would be for the human to rid itself of it, something Rin had done with admirable efficiency. Still, it was his lack of knowledge that had his ears perked and listening in the direction of her room. If anything went too wrong, he would be quick to know. He knew what the sound of a dying human was like and that was not what was coming from Rin’s room. Deep breaths from sleep … thudding heartbeat … that was all now that she had finally settled down.

“I think perhaps cattle are the same way … have you heard that, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru finally said lowly. “Go away.”


----------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --

Inside her room, huddled under a pile of blankets, Rin was in a semi-sleep, unable to find a way to make herself comfortable enough to achieve true unconsciousness. Her stomach felt like it was being consumed by molten lava, an unpleasant enough feeling without the additional complaint of being too hot with the blankets, and too cold without them. She simply laid there, a miserable heap of human flesh, until finally, a depthless sleep swallowed her …

… She walked toward the familiar, dark-haired form that was seated near the wide, gurgling stream, thinking that there was something almost child-like in the innocence of this place and its inhabitant. Midoriko looked up from her silent reverie, smiling in pleasant surprise when she noticed Rin’s arrival.

“How strange,” she murmured. “Did you find me this time?”

“I don’t know … I’m just here,” Rin replied, kneeling in the cool grass beside Midoriko, whose lap was filled with about a dozen long-stemmed yellow flowers.

“I’m not sure how it works, either,” Midoriko confessed, plucking one of the velvety petals off of a flower and tossing it into the water, watching as it was swirled away. The two girls were silent for several moments, before Midoriko said, “He believed my warning. I am glad, though I had hoped he would have received it a little sooner.”

“I am sorry,” Rin apologized. “I thought it was just a dream. When I did tell him, he was concerned that you might actually be someone else in disguise, a man named Ashrem.”

“Ashrem,” Midoriko replied slowly, dreamily, then something in her expression changed, as though she had just woken from a deep sleep. She blinked and looked fully at Rin. “Yes, Ashrem, he is the one I was trying to warn you about. He is plotting something, I can feel it.” Her face softened again then, the worry fading slightly. “But Kagome is strong. She’s doing very well against him.”

Rin frowned. “Against him? Don’t you mean against Naraku?”

Midoriko shook her head, her long hair spilling over her shoulders. “No. That threat has been mostly vanquished. It is Ashrem that now concerns me.” She eyed Rin carefully, before saying in a warmer tone, “We shouldn’t even be discussing such complex things. You are sick; you will not remember.”

“Why don’t you speak directly to Sesshoumaru? I think that would be better than trying to go through me," Rin prodded gently, feeling somehow certain that Sesshoumaru was bothered by these dream-cast conversations.

Midoriko tossed another small handful of petals into the stream, looking thoughtful. “I did not go to him for several reasons. For one, it is difficult; the youkai mind is more complex than that of a human. He does not sleep often, anyway, and I feared he would reject me, not understanding. His mind is so closed.”

“And the other reasons?”

Putting aside the pile of flowers, Midoriko leaned forward and peered into the water, answering slowly as she seemed to regard her own reflection. “I’m not entirely sure I want to see what is in his mind. Sometimes it is better to cling to old memories, especially when they are enough.”

“You cared about him very much,” Rin prompted, wishing the girl would be more forthcoming.

“I loved him,” Midoriko corrected instantly. “I still do. But, as I told you before, he was a different person when I knew him. I’m not sure if my feelings would remain the same if I knew the man he is today.”

Staring at Midoriko in complete astonishment, Rin wondered exactly what there had been between this girl and Sesshoumaru. The idea of a romantic involvement between them had never entered her thoughts, so sure was she in his distance toward humans. “Did he---?”

“Love me back?” Midoriko finished the question for her. She considered that for a moment, then answered honestly, “No, I don’t believe so. Not beyond friendly affection, anyway.”

Rin went very quiet, thinking over Midoriko’s words as a windless breeze ruffled their hair. She felt sorry for her, but strangely, this admission and her honest assessment of Sesshoumaru’s response brought on a melancholy of her own. He could not love a human, though whether it was due to a decision or his inherent feelings, Rin did not know. She did know that this new understanding was crushingly disappointing. In that moment she could relate very much to Midoriko, for Rin had a sudden glimpse into her own heart and saw that she was likely heading down the same path as the girl that was sitting beside her. Though her quietly surging feelings for Sesshoumaru were not intentional, it was painful to think that any reciprocation on his part would likely be repressed.

She was not sure where the change had occurred; where he had gone from her dear friend to a romantic interest, but the signs of it had been growing increasingly evident to her. She only hoped that it was not nearly so obvious to him.

“It’s easy, isn’t it? It comes completely out of nowhere, seizes you, traps you, and then you have no way out of it,” Midoriko was saying. “Or maybe it’s because you don’t really want a way out of it.” She laughed then, turning a sympathetic expression on Rin. “Three hundred years later and I am still sorting out my feelings. I wish you more luck with your own, Rin. Human or not, maybe you will be enough for him. I hope so. For both of you.”…

Rin woke to a feeling of being smothered, which was what caused her to pull herself out from under the pile of woolen blankets. She found that she was breathing quickly, as though she had just finished running a long distance. Her hair was clinging to her face and she irritably brushed it out of her eyes, noticing that she was sweating. A sudden desperate desire to cool off brought her unsteadily to her feet.

She pushed back the sliding screen that led to the outside and was immediately rewarded by a soothing wind. She inhaled a deep breath, relaxing, and then looked to her right to find Sesshoumaru seated on the raised deck, watching her curiously.

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” she greeted him, trying to quell the surprise in her tone.

“You look like death,” he commented wryly.

“I am certain of that,” she agreed, moving to lower herself wearily beside him, dangling her legs over the side of the platform. Sleep aside, she still felt exhausted, like every spare bit of energy was being methodically drained from her.

“Perhaps you need to be taken to a human village?”

“No. I just need to avoid youkai food,” she nearly moaned, head falling forward to rest in her hands.

“You were talking in your sleep,” he said then, turning to look back into the darkness of their natural surroundings. Every now and then a firefly would pause to put off a greenish-yellow light that would illuminate part of the blackness, and Rin lifted her head to find this sight, mind working to piece together that drifting dream.

“Was I?” she asked quietly, praying that whatever she had said was nothing that would cause her embarrassment. “It was probably just a dream.”

“What did she tell you?”

Rin froze then, wondering exactly what he had heard, remembering that she had promised to inform him if she heard from Midoriko again. But this dream had been far more private and she didn’t feel especially willing to reveal it to him.

“I do not think it is something you would want to discuss,” she said, hoping that cryptic warning would tell him that it involved a subject matter that he likely would not be comfortable with. She was wrong in thinking that he would drop it, though. He turned his head and fixed her with an unnerving golden stare.

“You might be surprised to find that I fully intend to discuss this. What did she say?”

“Sesshoumaru-sama---“

“Rin. ”

Rin discovered that she was far too tired to fight him over it, and so, annoyed at his persistence in a matter that she wanted to avoid, she quickly gave a synopsis of her dream. “She explained to me her feelings about you, she warned me of some things, and she told me why it is that she has not tried to speak with you.” Her irritation melted away almost as soon as she blurted out the sentence, aware that if she were in his position, she would likely be curious as well.

“Then she has been avoiding me?”

Rin exhaled a weary sigh. “She has created her own little world, Sesshoumaru-sama. I don’t think she wants to complicate it.” When a deep quiet fell between them at his lack of a response, Rin felt suddenly compelled to keep going. “She loves you, Sesshoumaru-sama.”

“I know.”

Surprised by this admission, Rin turned to face him fully, intrigued by the idea that he might actually be in a mood to discuss such a private matter with her. “You did not love her in return,” she stated, watching his face.

“I could not. She understood that.”

He could not. Then that verified one of her assumptions. As a youkai, he simply would not allow himself to develop such strong feelings for a human woman. Rin could understand that in doing so he would only open himself up to a loss that would be, to his sense of time, almost instantaneous. But the recollection of the night he had admitted to his dislike of humans made her wonder if it was less a resistance to potential loss, and more about his pride. Does he feel it is beneath him to love a human? she wondered.

“Is it possible for a demon to love a human?” she asked quietly, the words tumbling out of their own accord before she could remind herself to keep her mouth shut. The question seemed to catch him by surprise as well, for he turned to watch her with an odd, unreadable expression. Rin was suddenly very mindful of the feelings that had instigated her question.

“Yes. But it's unwise,” he replied, his voice hypnotically low. “It often puts the youkai in a position in which he must choose a life separate from his species or else endanger the human and any children that come from such a union.” Sesshoumaru paused, as he considered the relationship that had created Inuyasha. “Youkai reaction to the acquisition of a human mate is often swift and violent. It is a matter of preserving our species and bloodline from what is viewed as the infiltration of an inferior race.”

“Is that what happened to your father? Obviously he took a human mate. Inuyasha is a hanyou,” Rin reminded him, purposefully ignoring his use of the word “inferior”.

“Yes, though the true threat did not manifest itself until Inuyasha’s birth. Youkai are allowed to engage in relationships with humans, but the line is drawn at procreation. My father was naïve enough to believe that his status would be enough to protect Izayoi and Inuyasha. He discovered very quickly how wrong he had been. Half-demons are viewed as aberrations, mistakes to be extinguished. If not for my father’s efforts, Inuyasha would not be alive today.”

“He must have loved her very much,” Rin murmured, trying to imagine how difficult it must have been to be constantly targeted as Inutaisho and his family had been. “I would guess that he did not regret being with her, even with the problems it created.”

Sesshoumaru was staring at her intently once more, silent for a long, weighted moment before he finally replied, “No, he did not regret her … or the hanyou.” Slow understanding of what might be bringing about these questions, made him ask about the one aspect of the dream she had not yet discussed. “You said that Midoriko warned you about something?”

Rin blinked. Had she said that? In a manner of speaking, she had been “warned”, even if it had not been meant as such. Midoriko had provided Rin with a glimpse into the possible hurt in her own future, something that was bound to catch up with her if she did not find a way to disentangle herself from her changing feelings for Sesshoumaru. But, somehow, now that the dream was over and she was sitting only inches away from him, listening as he revealed bits and pieces of himself, Rin found that she was not nearly so worried. What would happen would happen. She was just glad to be with him.

“I understand her feelings very well, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Rin replied evasively. “She knows that.”

Silently mulling her words, Sesshoumaru found himself struck by what he realized she was admitting to him. Their feelings are similar … His own thoughts settled on that, unmoving, attention shifting only because of sudden movement as she got back to her feet. Uncertain of what to say, his eyes traveled with her as she rose.

“I am going back to bed. Good night, Sesshoumaru-sama,” she said, her steps toward the screen door halted by his voice.

“Rin.”

“Yes?” she asked, looking back at him, somehow feeling that he looked like he did not even belong in her world, like he was suddenly more spirit than form.

“Cease the formalities.”

“Formalities?” she asked with a frown.

“Sesshoumaru-sama. It is no longer necessary. Sesshoumaru will do.”

She felt a slow smile cross her face, her heart warming at his attempt to make her more comfortable. “Jaken-sama will be scandalized,” she teased.

“All the more reason."

--------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------


Within Kaede’s village, inside Inuyasha’s small wood-planked house, Kagome shifted restlessly in sleep. While her brain was desperately trying to cling to peaceful slumber, something else seemed even more intent on waking her or …. was she awake? she wondered disjointedly behind closed eyelids.

Disoriented, she sat up, rubbing at her forehead as though to clear away the grogginess of sleep. One quick look around showed her that Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. How strange, she thought. Would he just leave and not tell her?

Yes, she came to the conclusion, shaking her head. Of course he would. Though if it had been something serious that had drawn him away, she knew he would have woken her. Likely he was just down the road keeping Kaede company; the old priestess was steadily advancing in age and had a lot more trouble resting than she used to. As much as Inuyasha antagonized Kaede, Kagome knew he was disturbed by how her health seemed to be going downhill.

Pulling the tangled blanket from around her, Kagome rose to her feet and, almost as suddenly, was dragged back down to her knees by a crushing weight. She knelt there on the floor, all trace of sleepiness fleeing as this unseen something refused to allow her to stand again. Something was digging painfully into her chest and, with great effort, she looked down to see that the Shikon no Tama was black as night except for a wispy red fog that seemed to circulate from within the jewel’s boundaries.

She picked up her heavy hand and clasped her fingers around the jewel, prying it away from her skin in order to look at it. She peered closer, her heart triple-beating as the vague form of a man’s face took shape, thin and hollowed-looking, eyes so dark it looked as though there was nothing staring back at her from the sockets.

“Kagome,” a whispering voice issued from the face’s lips. “I need your help.”

“Help?” she repeated breathlessly, certain that whatever a person as creepy as this was about to request would not be something of benefit to anyone.

“Yes,” came the whisper again, and suddenly everything around Kagome darkened to the point where she could see nothing of the small house around her; her entire realm of existence was darkness and the malevolent light of the jewel in her hand. “You see, I have a mission that must be fulfilled and you would be of great assistance.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Ashrem. I am an old friend of the young woman who created the jewel that is held within your hand.”

“Midoriko,” Kagome whispered, her brain recalling images of a damp, gloomy cave and a woman perpetually frozen as a statue.

“Yes,” Ashrem agreed. “The Shikon no Tama was formed from her heart, which, at the time of her death, was filled with much anger and betrayal. She died because someone she called friend sent the horde of demons that caused her to destroy herself.”

As Kagome listened, she remembered the strange feelings she had encountered in Midoriko’s cave. It had been a mostly benign experience, but she could not deny that some of the emotions she had sensed had been very much like what Ashrem was describing to her. Midoriko's spirit had been very present in that cave, making herself quite known when Inuyasha's brash statements about the Shikon no Tama had gotten him flung from the cave entirely.

“What is it that you want?” Kagome asked.

“I want to kill the one who caused her death,” the disembodied voice echoed in her brain. “I want to kill Sesshoumaru.”

“Sesshoumaru!” Kagome repeated loudly, remembering the last time she had seen the youkai lord, when he had called a last instruction to her to ensure that the jewel was not shattered again. He had had something to do with this …?

“Not that Sesshoumaru,” the voice corrected, as though viewing what she was seeing in her mind, thoughts that were of a more benevolent nature. “This one ….”

Instantly Kagome’s mind was provided with an endless display of moving images and memories … Sesshoumaru standing imperiously on the shoulder of a colossal monster, mocking Inuyasha as a half-breed … attempting to kill her with his poison attack inside his father’s remains, repelled only by the Tessaiga … shoving a clawed hand through Inuyasha’s back, more than willing to kill him to get the sword he so desired … and then, a memory that was not hers … Sesshoumaru as a white dog rearing up before the eyes of a young woman with long black hair ….

Kagome blinked as the images suddenly stopped and the voice returned. “Do you see? It would benefit all if he were to die. He is a cruel, vicious creature. You yourself have witnessed this. All I ask is that you allow me the unhindered use of the Shikon no Tama for the purpose of killing him.”

Feeling as though her muscles were very stiff and clamped, Kagome struggled to move and found herself unable, as though chained to the floor. “Let me go,” she finally requested quietly.

“I need an answer, Kagome …”

“Your answer is no,” she replied firmly. “He is not the same as he was. He's done some terrible things in the past, but that's no reason to murder him now."

“You are a fool,” the voice whispered, hissing with anger. “But it does not matter. I have other means to ensure his demise. Guard the jewel well, Kagome.”

As she stared down at the jewel, the face faded and the glittering purple color returned. She then discovered that her arms were being gripped by hands swathed in long red sleeves and looked up into Inuyasha’s face, which was intense as it demanded, “Murder who?? What the hell are you talking about?! And better yet, why the hell are you talking about my brother in your sleep?”

“Sesshoumaru …” Kagome murmured, disoriented to find that Inuyasha had been crouching right in front of her and she had not even seen him…

“Yeah, him … you know, bad mood, big ego, fluffy thing,” Inuyasha reminded her darkly, letting go of her and sitting back on his feet. “What’s with you tonight? You’re acting crazy. You were sleeping and then suddenly you were talking like you were having a conversation with someone.”

“I was …,” Kagome said quietly, looking once more at the pure, sparkling jewel. Had it been a dream? She glanced down and pulled back the neck of her pajama shirt, finding a purple, jewel-sized mark pressed neatly into the skin, and it was this physical evidence that made her certain she had actually seen and heard those things in reality. “We need to find Sesshoumaru. Someone is going to try to kill him.”

“And that’s a problem …?”

Kagome's tense face turned toward him, willing him to see past his personal dislike. “Inuyasha, this guy means business. He was speaking to me through the jewel; it seems as though he has some sort of sway over it. Maybe he’s the reason it’s been acting strangely. If he’s able to manipulate the Shikon no Tama from a distance, he just might have enough power to harm him …”

“Heh! Let me know when, I’d like to watch.”

“Inuyasha, he’s your brother!”

“It’s not my fault Father had the misfortune of finding his mother first. And if you’ll kindly remember, he’s tried to kill me on a number of occasions.”

“I think if he had really meant to, he would have succeeded.”

“He’s tried to kill you on a number of occasions.”

“That was a long time ago.”

Inuyasha shook his head, staring at Kagome as though her brain had just begun to spill out of her ears. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that? Let me get this straight … you’re gonna go off and try to rescue Sesshoumaru because of some dream? You’re nuts, Kagome. Half of Japan couldn’t kill that bastard. Believe me, we’ve tried.”

“It wasn’t just a dream!" Kagome defended her concern. "And I’m not going to rescue him; I’m going to warn him. Now turn around, I’m getting dressed.”

“You’re going now?” Inuyasha questioned in surprise, as though having expected his own argument to win out, to make her realize how ridiculous she sounded.

“Yes, now!” Kagome said exasperatedly, pulling her skirt out of her backpack. When she turned to look over her shoulder, Inuyasha was still seated, defiantly staring at her, ears twitching in irritation.

“Turn around,” she ordered again, an obvious tone of warning in her voice.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Osuwari.”

With Inuyasha’s face smashed firmly into the wooden floorboards, Kagome hurriedly dressed, silently repeating everything she had been told, hoping to keep it fresh in her memory. Would Sesshoumaru heed a warning from a human? She doubted it, particularly one that was accompanied by the brother he so disdained. But she had to try.


-------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------


Bent fingers clasped firmly around her new bow, Rin tried to aim at her target, doing her best to ignore the crowing coming from Jaken, a constant stream of jeering that had been instigated by her first failed shot. The toad was standing not far behind them, nearly up to his waist in grass as he hooted at her. It was Sesshoumaru who tired of him first. With two quick strides, the dog youkai picked Jaken up by the collar and tossed him effortlessly away. Rin concealed an evilly amused smile as her ears picked up the crash that was Jaken’s squat little body falling into a mass of shrubbery and overgrowth.

“Loosen your hold,” Sesshoumaru advised quietly, watching the tendons flexing underneath the skin of her hands. She was nervous; he could hear it in how fast her pulse was thumping. He had thought it was because of the idiot Jaken’s cat-calling, but it seemed it was from another source. After their discussion of the other night, he had a good idea of what that source was.

He shifted his stance, watching her profile with interest as she let another arrow loose. This one flew just to the right of her targeted tree trunk. Her expression did not falter, however, as she reached for another arrow and pulled it back to aim once more.

It’s happening again, he thought. Her feelings toward him, how she saw him, were changing and drastically so. Another human girl had unwisely become enamored with him. Humans were not so skilled in masking their emotions, their expressions, their intentions as were youkai, which made it so easy to determine things about them that likely they would have rather kept hidden.

What made it more difficult this time around was that it was Rin. His relationship with Midoriko had been friendship. Yes, he had grown very fond of the girl, but his connection to her had been different. He himself had been little more than an adolescent in those days and it had fascinated him, the fact that a human girl would develop such strong feelings for him, display such loyalty and gratitude. It had been his youth that had responded to the feelings Midoriko had formed for him.

His feelings toward Rin were far more complex, especially now that she was an adult. No longer was he young and impetuous; he could recognize what was forming within his own heart. It was not being brought about by some reaction to Rin’s obvious feelings toward him, but by his own response to her. He would not call it love…he intensely disliked the word. Love itself did not exist as a whole concept, but was made up of a menagerie of other feelings, responses, memories, and things of that nature. Love was misleading; loyalty, affection, desire, friendship, protection, companionship, these things that humans liked to coalesce into one feeling and term as love were strong emotions and very separate in his mind.

And this young woman he was watching, human though she might be, brought out every one of those feelings in a very disconcerting, very uncomfortable, very real way. The kindest thing he could do for her would be to end this now, send her back to Kameko, and steer clear of her for the remainder of her life, so that her focus could turn from him to a human man; one who could provide for her the life and family she was most suited to and, likely, wanted very badly. But Sesshoumaru was more selfish than kind; he enjoyed having her near him, a rarity for him to find with another individual, and he was not especially willing to send that connection away. She was pleasant, intelligent, loyal, patient, beautiful….but she was not a youkai, which halted this line of future thought with the solidness of a stone wall.

Despite his own rapidly forming feelings for her, if things progressed as they were, he knew they were not far off from a discussion that neither of them was going to like. He would owe it to her to let her know where she stood, what he could and could not allow. At that point, the decision would be hers.

His head lifted slightly as the wind carried a very familiar scent toward him; one he was always quickest to recognize because it was all too similar to his own. He watched with expressionless amusement as Rin fired off her next arrow…just as a white-haired, dog-eared head emerged from the forest.

“What the fu---!” Inuyasha bellowed in alarm as the arrow whizzed directly past his right cheek, splitting skin and embedding itself in a thick tree trunk just behind his awkwardly halted form.

Rin instantly dropped the bow, horrified. “Sorry, Inuyasha!” she called with honest regret, cutting off the hanyou’s rude expletive as Kagome hurried out of the forest behind him.

“Your aim is improving,” Sesshoumaru slyly informed Rin, as he stepped past her to walk toward Inuyasha, who was still grumbling his complaints. “What do you want, hanyou?”

“Heh! Nice greeting for someone that came to warn your worthless ass.”

“Warn me?” Sesshoumaru questioned, his gaze flickering to Kagome who hesitantly walked to meet him, appearing uncertain.

“He’s right, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome said with great seriousness. “We came to warn you, and I hope that you’ll listen.”

--------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------

Mea ndering his way through the town’s center, Ashrem played the part of passing traveler with relative ease. It was odd how he still felt like a stranger, even though he had grown up in the same general area and knew it well. Still, three hundred years had brought about vast changes, one of which had been this human town, which had not even existed in his era. Interacting with people had been helpful to him; through his various discussions he had picked up on new words and phrases, had noticed that his accent stood out slightly from those of others. Even his clothing had needed replacing, having appeared outdated compared to the differences of the current day. It was a strange adjustment.

He had been pleased to see that his short quest for knowledge was gaining him information and insight. It had been an excellent idea to come to Rin’s village. Where else was he to discover anything about the girl? The townspeople were a friendly group and it was a simple matter to charm them into information about her, labeling himself as an old friend. The children in particular were the most valuable holders of personal information about Rin, for she had obviously entertained many of them with her exploits as a young girl in the company of her “Sesshoumaru-sama”.

Everything he had heard about her told him that she would indeed be suitable to help him. She was soft-hearted, something that would lend itself to manipulation. People who felt things keenly let their defenses down more readily, were inherently less suspicious. There was the matter of her single-minded devotion to the dog demon, but that could be overcome. He had heard of several things that would allow him to wedge a gap between them.

Now that he was settled on a course of action, he had only to wait for the jewel’s arrival. Because the miko, Kagome, had proven that her influence over the jewel was a strong rival to his own, he had been forced to alter his plan of action. He had not intended to reveal himself so soon, but all was still going well. Approaching Kagome directly with an opportunity to kill Sesshoumaru was an idea that would have won results for him no matter how she had responded. If she had agreed, it would have made things even simpler, but he had guessed correctly about her answer. From his brief insights into the woman, he knew that her heart was quite similar to Rin’s, though a little more guarded. She had great empathy for those around her, even, at times, her enemies; of course she would take the jewel and run to Sesshoumaru in order to warn him. It was in her nature, and in the process of trying to help him, she would unknowingly be aiding Ashrem’s own cause.

The jewel and the sword would be in close proximity once more, within easy reach of his true target: Rin. Now he had only to wait for an opportunity to arise in which he would be able to forge a connection with her. He was greatly looking forward to it, actually, and hoped that his involvement with Rin did not bring lasting harm to the girl. He was growing quite fond of her after all the stories he had heard from her fellow townspeople. She was a good person; it was just unfortunate that she had become involved in a friendship with his most despised enemy. He could not blame her, however; it sounded as though her relationship with Sesshoumaru had been formed out of great need on her part.

“Excuse me?” a soft-spoken voice called from behind him and he turned to find a young woman watching him with a mildly curious expression. Judging from her oddly blue-tinged hair and sharply-pointed ears, he assumed her to be a youkai, or at the very least, a hanyou.

“Yes?” he asked, turning on his most charming smile.

“I was told that you’ve been asking about Rin. Are you a friend of hers?”

“Yes, I am. May I ask who---?” he questioned politely.

“My name is Kameko. I was her guardian for several years. Is there a reason why you did not come to see me with your questions?” she asked, and Ashrem could see the beginnings of suspicion in her eyes.

“Forgive me, Kameko-sama. You see, I have not seen Rin in many years, not since she was a little girl in Lord Sesshoumaru’s care. I was unaware of her guardian’s name, only that she was said to reside here.”

“Oh? Then are you … Kohaku?” she guessed. The man was young, but he seemed to be of an older age than the Kohaku Rin had described. Still, these were hard times they lived in; perhaps the man’s life had not gone so well…

“Yes,” Ashrem said instantly, gratefully seizing on the name.

“I see,” Kameko said, her expression relaxing into a smile. “It is a shame. Rin would have been very pleased to see you, but she is with Sesshoumaru at the moment. I am not certain when she will return, but I expect she will soon.”

Ashrem nodded, quite pleased to hear this, but anxious to escape this youkai woman before she was able to question him enough to realize that he was lying. “I’ve heard that from the other villagers. Then I will try again at a later date?”

“Of course, and I will tell her you came to see her.”

“Thank you, Kameko-sama,” Ashrem said with a slight bow, before turning and walking back toward the edge of the village.

He would wait and watch … and in the meantime, he would seek out new allies among the disgruntled demon population. After all, he would soon have within his hands an object that they, too, would be interested in obtaining. It seemed, for the moment, everything would depend on Rin.