InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sesshomaru's Ponderings ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

It was massive. She had never seen anything like it in all her short lifetime. She didn't even know such places could be built.

"This is yours, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked looking up at the person in question. He nodded. "It's huge. Why would Sesshomaru-sama need such a big home? Do you have a lot of people living with you?"

"Baka!" Taunted Jaken as he came to stand next to them. "You know nothing of Taiyoukai."

"Taiyoukai?" Rin asked puzzled. When Jaken laughed at her tears stung at her eyes.

When Sesshomaru smelled them it instantly angered him. This was the first time that he, Sesshomaru, had ever willingly brought a human to cross the threshold of his home. More, to be considered a welcomed guest, to be treated as he would be treated. He had taken Rin in and in doing so she had the right to know where she would call home when they were not traveling. She should not be brought to tears just as she arrives.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru said in a cold voice. "Take Au-Un to the stables and see to him."

"H hai." Jaken said before pulling on the reins of the two-headed beast.

Rin wasn't paying attention to Jaken or her beloved Sesshomaru-sama. No, she was taking in the sight, through tear-blurred eyes, the great lands that belonged to Sesshomaru. The mansion itself was huge. Rin had seen two-story mansions, they were very fine, and Sesshomaru's home seemed to need four of those two-story mansions to be as tall as his and just as many to be as wide. To the left there was huge flower garden and further behind it Rin could just make out what looked like a vegetable garden. Thick forest circled around the Mansion, keeping out any danger, but there were small trees that looked to be fruit trees lined along side the gardens. To the right stood the stables. By the sheer size of it, it seemed to hold quite a number of horses. And further back still were what appeared to be homes. For whom she knew not but they looked like cozy little homes.

"I do not believe there is another place like it in all of Japan." Sesshomaru says coming to stand behind her and take in the surroundings as well.

"Rin willingly believes it. Rin has never even dreamed of such a place and Rin dreams a lot." Rin said smiling up at him.

"The land you see before you once belonged to my father. And when he died it became mine. He was the Great InuTaisho of the Western Lands. You have not heard of him but doubt not that your family did. He was and still to this day is well known. As the Great InuTaisho of the Western Lands built a great estate in honor of that; to one day be inherited by his son and the next Lord of the Western Lands."

"To show how great he was, he made this great big mansion?" Rin asked understanding.

"Yes. Come it shall seem even bigger once you are inside it." Sesshomaru answered walking towards his home, Rin running after him.

He was right. The closer they got the bigger it seemed to get. She felt as if she could fall over leaning her head back so far to get a good look at the massive front doors. Without knocking they were opened by servants, they knew he was coming, admitting them.

Rin walked in behind Sesshomaru but was looking back to watch the servants use all their strength to pull them shut again.

"Welcome home, My Lord." Said a soft, sweet voice it drew Rin's attention.

"Thank you. I trust that everything has run smoothly during my absence." Sesshomaru stated looking over paperwork he picked up as he walked in.

"Of course." She said smiling brightly. She soon turned her attention to the shadow hiding behind Sesshomaru. "Who is this?" She asked kindly.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said reaching behind him and pulling Rin out into view.

"Rin this is Asayme. She is the housekeeper and will help you if you should need anything."

"Very pleased to meet you." Rin said bowing.

"The pleasure is mine." She said smiling while she held out her hand for Rin to take. "Shall I show my lady to her room?" She asked addressing Sesshomaru.

Rin's giggle brought a bigger smile from Asayme. "My lady?" Rin asked.

"As long as you are in this home you shall always be treated with respect as you are to respect others." Sesshomaru said before leaving them address other business matters.

"I shall take that as a yes to my question, Rin. Do you have any belongings?" Asayme asked.

"No. Rin has only what she has on. And Sesshomaru-sama got this for me while we were traveling." Rin answered while she let herself be led by the kind woman.

"I see. Well, I shall have to take care of that." Asayme said tossing a smile over her shoulder.

"Really? It won't be a burden?" Rin asked slightly worried. "Rin doesn't wish to be a burden to Sesshomaru-sama. Rin tries so very hard to stay out of Sesshomaru-sama's way and to do as he says without question."

"That is exactly what you should be doing but I do not think you have to worry about being a burden to him. You would know it if he thought you were." Asayme said trying to sooth the child.

"Jaken-sama says Rin is a burden." Rin pointed out her lips in a pout.

"Jaken-sama, indeed?" Asayme asked laughing. "Being called that should be enough alone to keep him from treating you the same way he treats everyone. Jaken should take his own advice, he is constantly in the way."

Rin laughed at this. "Despite his words Jaken-sama likes Rin."

"I'm sure he does." Asayme said.

Rin lost her voice when she started looking around her. The ceiling was extremely high. The house itself was wide, open space. Plenty of room for a ball, Rin thought. "Does Sesshomaru-sama plan on putting furniture in his home?" Rin asked as she looked around and saw hardly any furniture or anything decorative.

"Nothing has ever been mentioned to me in the twenty years I've worked here." Asayme answered this time hiding her smile. She had a feeling that the house would be likely to liven up with Rin living in it. "Come, your room is this way."

MEANWHILE

Sesshomaru sat at his desk in his study with more paperwork than he cared to deal with sitting on his desk. But he wasn't paying any attention to it; he was listening to the conversation between Rin and Asayme. Does Rin really think she could be a burden? Sesshomaru wondered to himself. She never got in his way and obeyed him without question, just as she, herself, said.

Sesshomaru got up from his seat and went to stand in front of his window overlooking the gardens. He would make sure that she got some of the finest kimonos to be found. She will not want for anything. Kind words will always be spoken to her by all his servants or who live on his lands. She will be educated, taught to defend herself, and even allowed to make changes to his decorum if he approved her ideas. Yes, that shall make her see she isn't a burden. I, Sesshomaru, shall see that she is taken care of. That she is protected.

Author's Note: I hope you liked it. Sorry that I haven't posted a chapter to this story in a while. I've been primarily working on my fic Kagome's Realization. The last time I posted for this fic was the middle of May and not two weeks later my father had a heart attack and other members of my immediate family starting having heart problems as well. So I hope that this was worth the wait for all those who wished for an update. And I am open for ideas if you have any you wish to share.