InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Winters Wish ❯ Determination and Disaster ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Sesshomaru hadn't slept that night. After the conversation between Rin and Shigure he went to his study, closed the door and had remained deep in thought all night.

Shigure had handled the situation extremely well. What was normally an akward and uncomfortable discussion had taken place without a hitch with Shigure. She had gotten the point across without being vulger or going into too much detail. But the fact that they had to have the conversation disturbed him greatly.

Rin had just turned twelve. She was still merely a child to him but the fact that she had started her heat made him realize that she wasn't the giggling eight-year-old that had attached herself to his hip four years earlier. She was on the road to becoming a woman and the thought saddened him. He didn't want his little Rin to grow up yet. He wasn't ready.
He was startled out of his musing by a knock at the door. He barked a gruff 'enter' and was surprised to see Shigure standing there.

She looked concerned at finding him in his study so early in the morning.

"My Lord. I went to your chambers but you were not there so I sought you out here." Then she added a hesitant, "Are you alright?"

Sesshomaru gave her a curt nod. "What is it that you need Shigure?"

She stepped in and closed the door behind her. "Rin won't be much for studying while she is in the condition she is in. We were set to go visit Lady Kagome in a few days but I thought that since Rin will be missing tutoring anyway that we could go a few days early."

"Why would you be visiting Inuyasha's mate?"
She frowned. "She wil be having her pup soon. We promised to be there in time for the birthing. Have you forgotten my Lord?"

Sesshomaru had indeed forgotten. In his exhaustion it had completely slipped his mind that the miko would be giving birth and that Sesshomaru, Shigure, and Rin had promised to be there for the blessed event.

"My Lord?" Shigure questioned.

"That would be acceptable." He answered.

She stared at him a moment before heading back to the door. "I'll awaken Rin and have her pack a tote."

He nodded his approval before adding, "Have Jaken ready Ah-Un for our departure."

"Of course."

She opened the door and was almost knocked down by a rushed Jaken. He had something in his hand and rushed over to Lord Sesshomaru panting and out of breath. "My Lord! A message!"

Shigure gave Sesshomaru a knowing smile at the toad's antics and slid the shoji door shut behind her.

Sesshomaru took the letter from Jaken and frowned as he read its contents.

A few minutes later Shigure re-entered with an animated and eager Rin in tow. With one look at Sesshomaru, Shigure gave Rin a task to do and shooed the girl out of the room.

"Is something the matter?" She asked.

"I have recieved an emergency meeting request from the Lord of the North. He will be here later this afternoon."

"I understand. You must do your duty. Rin and I will go ahead and you can join us at your earliest convinence." She offered softly.

For a moment Sesshomaru thought to refuse. They shouldn't be travelling so far un-protected. But he remembered the look on Rin's face when she came into the study today. He would hate to disappoint her. Plus, as Shigure had said, he would be joining them as soon as the meeting was over. He sighed and nodded and received a smile in return. It was a small thing but it was the first he had seen directed at him in a matter of weeks. For some reason, it pleased him immensly.

He saw them off with Ah-Un and Jaken an hour later. Rin had clung to him tightly and insisted he hurry to them after the meeting and even Shigure had expressed her willingness to see him. Then she surprised him by giving him a kiss on the cheek and a sly smile to follow. If he had been any less of a demon he would have blushed at the unexpected show of affection. As they dispappeared into the forest beyond his castle, the snow bearing witness to their journey, he frowned at the sense of foreboding that settled into his stomach. Shrugging it off for the moment, for he would see them soon, he went back into the castle to prepare for the meeting.

~~~~~~~~`;*,`~~~~~~~~

Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un and Shigure travelled peacefully through the winter encrusted forest. Snow and ice lay everywhere and was illuminated by the sun's brilliant rays.

She giggled along with Rin as Rin threw snowballs at Jaken, only to melted by the Staff of Two-heads in their pursuit of the small green imp.

During leisurely journey Shigure became as lost in thought as Sesshomaru had been that morning. She began thinking about her family. Not that she didn't consider Rin and the others her family now. But this was the family she was carved from so cruelly. Her blood. She had no idea if her little sister, the one that Rin reminded her so much of, were ok or even still alive. Her mother and father she knew were lost. She would never see them again. Her older brothers she hoped were well. She had seen neither one of them since they travelled to the mainland over a hundred years before. That was her only hope; that they were alive. She had hoped to find them and help them restore their family to Winter's throne. She badly wanted to kill the fiends that dare do this to her and her family. She had been spared only because they were not strong enough to kill her... yet. So they exhiled her, and cast her out. They had refused to allow her to take her sister and banished her to the earth without her ever being able to return. She was brought out of her thoughts by a soft warm hand that curled it's fingers around hers.

Shigure looked down and smiled. "Done with your snow battle already Rin?"

Rin didn't answer. She was staring at her face with an intensity that was rivaled only by the Western Lord himself. Finally she spoke.

"You miss your home don't you Shi-chan?"

Shigure blinked in surprise. Was Rin always this perceptive? "Yes Rin I do."

"But you have a new home right Shi-chan? You can stay with me and Sesshomaru-sama forever can't you?

"Of course Rin. I'll stay as long as you want me to and as long as your Lord allows me."

"Oh he will not make you leave. He wants you there as much as I do."

Shigure laughed. "You think so Rin? I believe he only tolerates me for your sake my dear."

Rin shook her head. "Nope, he likes you. I've seen the way he looks at you. Its the same way you look at him."

At that Shigure did not answer. She wasn't about to start that conversation.

"Shigure-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you be my mother? I mean, can I call you my mother?"

Shigure stopped walking and kneeled down to Rin's level. "Would you like me to be your mother Rin?"

Rin nodded enthuiasticly.

Shigure smiled a true, genuine smile. One that she hadn't felt grace her face since before her exhile. Rin's breath was taken away. She had thought that Shigure was the most beautiful woman in the world before but now she looked absolutely radiant.

"I would love it if you considered me your mother Rin. But I'll let you in on a little secret. I have considered you my daughter for a long time now."

"Truly?" Rin exclaimed excitedly. "I have thought of you as my mother for a long time too!"

"Well then. I suppose that is settled. But how you think your Lord will react? I know that you call him father. Will he be upset if you call me mother?"

Rin shook her head. "I think he wants you to be my mother too." Rin added innocently.

"Well in that cas-"

Shigure was interrupted when something came crashing through the trees. Her heart froze in her throat as she recognized who it was. She heard Jaken sqwak and run over to Ah-Un who bellowed in warning. She immediately thrust Rin behind her, shielding her with her body. The demon spoke.

"Ah, Lady Shigure, princess of Winter's domain. We have been searching for you my little beauty." It drawled with an appreciative gaze over her body.

Shigure took a deep breath and forced herself not to gag. The demon before her was one she knew all too well by now. He would be considered handsome were it not for the strange scars that marred his body. He was tall but not quite Sesshomaru's height. His long black hair reached below his waist and he had peircing black eyes. Shigure was disgusted by him.

"Sojobo." She stated coldly. Her voice was calm and full of ice. "I see you have not changed. You are still as vile a creature now as you were then. I feel defiled merely by your presence."

As she finished speaking at least 15 other demons marched through the trees and surrounded them. She could sense more in the vicinity. He had come well prepared. But Shigure remained calm. She knew she could help the others escape but it would be impossible for her. She was who they were after.

Sojobo's face tightened in rage at her words. "You bitch. I will kill you for you defamation of me."

Shigure merely smirked. "Really. I find that hard to believe. Is that not why I was exhiled? You have not the strength to kill me you fool."

It was Sojobo's turn to smirk. "Ah, you are right my lovely. I alone do not have that strength but did you not notice the small army around you? We all will have the combined strength to rip you to shreds."

At his words Rin screamed. Shigure reacted immediately as she thrust Rin and Jaken on top of Ah-Un. "Fly Ah-Un. We are only a few hours away from the castle. Take them there. Do not come back until they are safe. No. Matter. What." She smacked the beast on the rump and watched him take off into the air.

"You will not escape." One of the other demons yelled but was cut off as a wall of ice enveloped him. Shigure ran over and kicked it hard. The wall collapsed into thousands of frozen bloody peices.

"You will not touch them." She seethed. She glanced over her shoulder to see Ah-Un a distance from her. Jaken was restraining Rin who was crying hysterically and reaching for her. She felt her heart break but coudln't think about it now.

Sojobo clapped. "You are indeed formidable but I also know there are limits to your powers. Use them too much and you will die. So what is it going to be Princess. I shall give you a choice. Become my mate and rule once again in the domain of Winter. Or die; be it by my hands or your own."

"I would rather die a thousand deaths then to have you ever touch me. You are disgusting, weak, and cowardly."

His face contorted in anger once. "Kill her. Once she is dead bring her to me. We will see whether or not you resist me in the afterlife."

All at once all hell broke loose. Demons were attacking from all sides. After a few had wounded her Shigure raised an ice wall around her to try to buy some time. He was right. If she used too much her strength would drain completely and she would die. It was a side effect from being cast out of Winter's domain. She attacked a few with icicle spikes, impaling and pinning them to her protective shield. Blood dripped down the outside like a waterfall of red wine. As her power rose, snow began to whirl around the battle, making it impossible for the outside demons to see clearly. Piles of bloodied frozen clumps of demon, impaled demon, and statures of ice men were all around her. Her ice barrier was barely even transparent anymore from all the blood. She felt like she was encased in death. But the more she killed the more her strength diminished. And there were still more coming. She knew she would die here but she would not allow that scum to touch her. Even after death. In her last attempt to prevent him to get to her she reenforced her ice barrier by several more feet. It was now more than thirteen feet thick and surrounded her completely. She slowly collapsed to the ground. She could feel the life draining from her. She adjusted herself more comfortably on the ground, moving her broken wrist so that is wasn't so painful. She could feel her cheek swelling from a well-placed back hand of one of the now-dead soldiers. She knew the cheek-bone was cracked. She felt her breathing become ragged. In her last moments on conciousness she pictured Rin screaming for her as she was being taken to safety. She let a single tear go for the little girl. She had loved her and she would miss her. Lastly she saw Sesshomaru's face. She would miss him as well. She said a quick prayer for their safety and happiness and then let the darkness take her.

~~~~~~~~`;*,`~~~~~~~~

Sesshomaru had just finished with his meeting. The Northern Lands Lord was apparently being threatened by one of the other Lords and had come to reassure himself that Sesshomaru would provide support if need be. He shook his head and moved restlessly toward his chambers to pack and begin preparations to leave. The foreboding feeling that had developed this morning as the others left had only gotten worse as the day progressed. He moved quickly to get everything done in order to leave as soon as possible.

He had order a servent to begin packing when he heard something strange yet familiar. Then the scent of Rin and tears hit him. She was crying. More than that she was wailing. He rushed down to the courtyard where he knew Ah-Un would drop down. They arrived as soon as he burst through the doors. Rin who had been restrained by Jaken broke free of the imp and ran directly to Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru knelt down to her and caught her up. Her eyes were swollen from what appeared to be over an hour of crying. He looked to Shigure for an explaination only to find her not present.

"Rin. What happened? Where is Shigure?"

Rin only shook her head and clung to him tighter. He looked to Jaken who looked solem.

"Jaken?"

"We were attacked on the trail. It was a demon whom Lady Shigure called Sojobo. He brought many others with him and we were quickly surrounded. He was there to kill Lady Shigure. Before they had a chance to attack, my Lady put myself and Rin on top of Ah-Un and sent us to safety. This lowly Jaken tried to get the dragon to return so that I might be of assistance but the Lady clearly said for him not to stop until we were takne to safety."

"Father, the bad demon is going to hurt her. He was looking at her strangely and kept complimenting her but it only made her mad. She sent us away to protect us but she can't protect hersefl! Please Father, go to her and save her! I do not want Mama to die!" Rin sobbed..

Sesshomaru could feel his blood boiling. He sat Rin down and ordered a servant to take her to her room to rest.

"Jaken. You will show me where you were attacked."

"Yes Milord." Jaken said as he scrambled on top of Ah-Un.

Without a word the two-headed dragon led the way to Shigure.