InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Surprise my mind ❯ Part III ( Chapter 3 )

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

Notes/Warnings: AU; Set in Medieval England; (Young) Rin/Sesshomaru; Swearing; Mentioning of rape, child abuse, ect.

This Chapter: Possible mentioning of abuse/rape

Can't handle it, then skip past it.

Part III

The snow was clashing with the rain. Hail. It was striking all that lay beneath the massive, gray clouds. It seemed that in England snow came more often than it did in Japan. The cold. The bleak, depressing skies. It not only disgusted him, but demoralized (saddened) him. His saffron (yellow) eyes moved along the street, watching the humans move under the beating of the hail. His eyes narrowed when he saw a couple, laughing, hurry into a home. It was as though the mortals were cursing him for being alive. Here he was, locked in this room, as though he were a pet...A pet. His brother called him a `dog' too many a times and now he truly felt like one. A click came from the door and he turned.

“Inuyasha, are you feeling any better?” Kagome asked with a smile.

“Being locked up like a prisoner in my own house?” He snorted, falling back onto the bed, glowering. “I'm surprised I haven't broken down the door or left out of the window yet.” Kagome sighed, shutting the door, setting a tray down. “You're going to be the death of me, Kagome.”

“Oh, shush all ready!” She scowled. “Really, Inuyasha, what do you expect? England isn't like Japan! You can't go running around bare-footed in the snow and I told you that. But no, of course you won't listen to me!” She sighed, setting the tray down on the table she had brought in the room yesterday. Kagome had given advice to Inuyasha countless times and he had yet to take it. She wondered, to herself, why he couldn't just ask for her help sometimes? Why he couldn't simply say, `You're right, Kagome,' instead of being stubborn and acting like a tough guy? Rubbing her temples, she eyes Inuyasha's pale face and she put her hands on her hips. He was still sick and somehow it didn't surprise her. For all she knew he could have been sticking his foot out the window just to spite her. “You haven't kept any food down, you know,” she pointed out to him. “I didn't know that demons even got sick!”

“Oh, I see how it is!” He suddenly looked adamant (unwavering,) despite his sickness. “You think that just because we're - ” His eyes widened and he scrambled to the bathroom connecting to his bedroom. She flinched, hearing his retching.

“Inuyasha...?” She thought he had stopped, but he started up again. She covered her mouth, feeling sick herself. Kagome inched into the bathroom, holding his hair back for him as he emptied whatever was left in his stomach. Poor Inuyasha...

Sesshomaru, intent on finding more about Rin's past, moved along the roads and he paused at the large brick building, considering whether he should delve too deep into the young girl's past. His lips thinning, he moved through the building and the humans that were at the front desk blinked at him vacantly, seeming almost mindless. His eyes moved around the bleak room, before he moved forward, staring the two down. The woman actually sunk down in her seat.

“What can I do for you, my lord?” The male queried, taking up the challenge that he seemed to think Sesshomaru was presenting him with. “You need a slave, do you, demon?” He arched a brow at Sesshomaru, whose eyes narrowed in sudden irritation.

“I need some information on a servant I recently brought in,” he told the male with cool displeasure.

“Is that so? Do you have a name, perchance?”

“Rin.”

“Rin!” The woman suddenly piped up, looking petulant. “That wretch? You should have brought her immediately to us!”

“I don't believe I was asking for your opinion,” Sesshomaru snapped at her. “I came here for information, not your advice on what I should or should not do with her.” The woman, however cowardly she might have appeared, didn't back down. Behind her round, circular glasses, her beady eyes glinted maliciously at him. “Now, since I'm her new master, I think it only fair that I know her past performances or what not.”

“Why, my lord!” The male exclaimed to him in surprise. “Do you not listen to the gossip on the streets? You could get her whole life story from just that!”

“I don't listen to rumormongers on the streets, sirrah,” he growled with a glower. “Now, are you going to tell me what I want to know or not?” The man seemed to grimace, having been insulted indirectly (since he was what Sesshomaru called a `rumormonger.')

“Yes, well...She's an unfortunate little one - ”

“Humph, she deserves every bruise on her body!” The woman interrupted. The man waved an impatient hand at her.

“As I was saying, almost every master and mistress she's had have been most rude and...What's the word I'm looking for...? Sadistic, I suppose. They've beaten her, left her out in the cold, and starved her for what I've heard. It's a rather vicious tale, my lord. She's been in the hands of humans and demons alike and from what they've boasted to their kin...” He seemed reluctant to go on, but finished with, “Well, it's been told she's not really...Well, pure any longer.”

“I'm sure she must have done something to deserve it!” The woman spoke up once again.

“Gloria,” the man whined in an offended tone. “Will you please stop? Have you no heart? What's she ever done to you, really?”

“Quite a bit more than you can imagine, you disgusting barbarian! Why can't you simply accept that the girl was disruptive to her masters?”

“Oh, bother,” he waved a hand at her and turned. “Anyway - Eh?” He blinked, seeing the door shut soundly. “My lord?”

Rin sat on the cushions of the couch, staring out the window. Jaken was beside her, both peering out the window, waiting for their lord's return. “I hope Lord Sesshomaru is all right,” Jaken remarked. “This is such violent weather, you know, Rin. It wouldn't be wise for milord to catch his death out there.” Jaken had seen Inuyasha dancing around in the snow with nothing but a thin layer of clothes almost a week ago. Now he didn't even see the demon outside anymore. He had, however, seen his foot hanging out the window once as though it was required for him to touch the snow with his toe.

“ `Catch his death,' Master Jaken?” Rin's face seemed to drain of all color. She would, no doubt, be blamed for her Lord Sesshomaru's death if he ended up collapsing on the sidewalk suddenly. And just when I find a master that is like a guardian... “We should go look for him then!” She sprang up from the seat in worry and horror. “If Lord Sesshomaru were to die a sudden death...!” Jaken was giving her a bizarre look as she tried to shove her arms in her coat while attempting to get her shoes on. “Aren't you coming, Master Jaken?”

“What do you mean, silly girl?” He frowned and was about to say more when the door banged open. Rin jumped and slid on her scarf, falling down. Sesshomaru shut the door and eyed her.

“Where are you going?” He demanded, his eyes narrowing.

“You are not dead, milord!” She gasped out, pointing at him in sudden relief. “He did not catch his death out there, after all, Master Jaken!” Jaken stared at her in disbelief, while she was staring at Sesshomaru in disbelief. Sesshomaru, having just gotten out of the cold, was trying to put what she said into a puzzle. Then he remembered the phrase `catch his death,' and decided that she had misunderstood it.

“You said I was going to die, Jaken?” He asked his servant. Julia scrambled into the entryway and slapped her hands to her cheeks in dismay.

“Rin, what are you doing, tangled in those?” She screeched, then she spotted Sesshomaru. “My lord! You look like you nearly caught your death!” Rin's eyes shot wide and the color, once again, drained from her face.

“Are you all eager for Lord Sesshomaru to die?” Rin asked, shrugging out of her coat and setting it on the hook, placing her shoes next to it as well. Jaken sighed, shaking his head.

“You don't understand the expression, girl!” He told her, hobbling over to the entryway. “I was speaking of sickness, not actual `death!'” Rin seemed to think on that, then she saw that: The Flu plus Someone equaled Death! “Do you understand, now?”

“Oh. Yes, I understand, Master Jaken.” Sesshomaru had to admit the girl was entertaining. However, as soon as that amusement rose up, he remembered the words from the male and he frowned to himself. How could, he wondered, one girl live through so much torment? It wasn't even justified. He was almost glad that he had brought her in, which simply was not going to fly with Sesshomaru. She was a human and showing such feelings towards her could `mean his death,' as some demons would agree upon. As Julia took his coat off, he shifted his fur on his shoulder and eyed Rin and Jaken, who were standing side-by-side in the doorway.

“Jaken,” he addressed the toad-like demon. “Come with me to my study. You, Rin, stay.” Her shoulders seemed to slump, but she obeyed and went back into the room, settling herself on the couch. “You stay as well, Julia.”

“Yes, milord,” Julia murmured, curtsying.

Sesshomaru seated himself in front of the fire, his silver hair sliding over the velvet. He wondered just how close Jaken and Rin had gotten in the time that he had been gone. His eyes focused on the flames in the fireplace for a moment, before he turned his attention towards his servant. “Jaken.”

“Yes, milord?” He raised his large eyes to Sesshomaru, blinking. Sesshomaru considered whether he should tell Jaken what he had found out. However, Jaken wasn't someone who could handle such a large mound of information, especially if it was about one of the servants. He would no doubt stop being so gentle with Rin and that was something Sesshomaru didn't need.

“...You told me you had something to say about Inuyasha.” The name disgusted Sesshomaru and he glowered in rage. He had mentioned his half-breed brother, so it was his own fault, he supposed.

“Oh, yes! I think he's dug his own grave, milord,” Jaken told him, frowning thoughtfully. “Just about a week ago, he was prancing in the snow with no shoes on and his simple rat's cloth on him. And I've not seen him outside since. Though I often see his foot hanging out of the window, which is a bit odd, if I may say so myself.” Sesshomaru's lips twitched. If his brother died simply because of a foolish sickness, he would curse himself for not being able to kill him earlier before in Japan.

“Hmm. I'll have to make a visit to his home, then, to see if it is true that he's dying.”

“Will you be bringing Rin along with, milord?” Jaken queried. Sesshomaru didn't respond, merely glancing at his servant.

Rin opened an eye and sat up, feeling someone shaking her. She blinked blearily, seeing Julia standing over her, clothes in her hand.

“Come on,” she told Rin. “Milord wishes for you to accompany him on his outing!” Rin looked to Jaken, who was slumbering on the other side of the room, an arm thrown over his face, snores coming from him. Rin stood up mutely and followed Julia to the washing room. Hastily she scrubbed at her body, carefully avoiding the cuts and bruises on her flesh. Julia had, of course, noticed them, but had been wise not to mention them. She knew better than to comment on a new servant's injuries. Not only would Lord Sesshomaru be angered if Rin told him, but Rin herself would probably be ashamed. Though, Julia observed, Rin seemed ashamed all ready, having to have her watch over her as she bathed. However much Julia wished to leave Rin to herself, she had been ordered to keep an eye on Rin for safety. Why her master was being so careful with the new one, Julia didn't know. As she helped Rin dress, she also avoided the injuries on the girl's body. Hastily Rin tied her boots and allowed Julia to tie her ribbon in the back. “Let's hurry up, young'n,” Julia shooed Rin up the stairs.

Sesshomaru glanced at Rin as she closed the door quietly behind her, before going to his side, pulling her coat and scarf on. He had wondered if Julia saw anything on the girl's body while she bathed. If she did, he might as well ask. But then again, if he mentioned it to the old hag, would she start gossiping? It seemed that almost all of the people in England were obsessed with putting their nose in where it didn't belong. “Where to, my lord?”

“My brother's home,” he responded, stressing the word `brother's.' “We should only be there for a moment. I only wish to see whether he is truly dying from sickness or not.” She put her fingers to her lips in silent shock.

“I'd not want to die from being sick, my lord,” she explained to him, shutting the door behind her and hurrying after him. “Especially what is going around now!”

“Yes...” He considered that for a bit. “I've seen what is going around by the homeless on the streets.”

“Are we going to walk, then?” She inquired, glancing at the stables.

“It would appear so.”

“But what if we... `catch our death'...?” He almost smiled at the way she said the idiom (phrase.)

“We won't.”

Kagome heard the servant give a small yelp and she closed Inuyasha's door silently, before she hurried to the entryway, leaving the door unlocked. Inuyasha opened it and frowned, peering out. He knew that he was supposed to stay in his room, but it seemed he was determined to disobey every command Kagome gave him. He peered around the corner and glowered, spotting his brother.

“Sesshomaru!” He stepped into the entryway and Kagome whipped around in surprise.

“Inuyasha!” She scolded. “You shouldn't be out of bed - or out of your room, for that matter!”

“Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. “So you are dying a weakling, are you?”

“Who the hell are you to talk?” Inuyasha demanded.

“Go back to bed before you kill yourself!” Kagome told him, shoving him towards his bedroom.

“No, I have a right to be out of that accursed room if my damned brother is here,” he protested, looking about to claw his way back to his brother.

“Go!” In the end, she ending up shoving him in the room and locking the door. She sighed and went back to the entryway where Sesshomaru and Rin were standing. “You can't come here rousing up trouble, you know. Inuyasha's sick and he can't be out of bed.” Rin eyed the lady, Kagome, whose hands were on her hips. She looked ticked that her master had come calling for his brother. Though, she understood that if he was sick Kagome wouldn't want anyone to see him.

“Is he dying?” Sesshomaru asked her.

“...Maybe. But he'll get better eventually! I know he will.” Rin rolled her eyes up to see what her master's reaction was. He looked doubtful and she could understand why. Inuyasha had looked as pale as death and Rin had seen people look like that. They never survived for long. But if Kagome wished to think that, then it would be as she wished. After all, any woman in love would want their lover to live a long life with them, Rin thought to herself dreamily.

“Come on, Rin,” Sesshomaru ordered. She felt Kagome's eyes drift over her, but seeing that Sesshomaru gave no nod of respect, she followed him out of the door.

What a brief visit! She thought.

“Is that his wife, my lord?”

“Fiancé, from what I've heard.”

“Oh...”

“He's going to die, despite what she wants to think,” Sesshomaru told Rin.

“...I thought as much.”