The Courting of Rin

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Untitled


Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters.

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Chapter Two

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Sesshoumaru blinked, a helpless feeling reached for him. It angered him.
He, Sesshoumaru, did not feel anything, especially helplessness.

The inu youkai tried to crush the emotion as he watched the swan youkai
kneel at Rin's feet and grasp her hand.

In one simple motion, Sunoo placed his forehead on her palm, a sign of courtship,
a sign of acceptance.

'Rin?' Sesshoumaru's mind echoed again, without speaking, asking why his ward
suddenly developed a need to find a mate. She had never mentioned wanting to
find a mate before. Why now? Did this..... male..... catch her eye?

'No' he thought despondently. It was more than that.

Rin was special. Her talent allowed her to see Sunoo for who he truly was.
She could see his honesty in the request and sense his true feelings
concerning her. Swan youkai were the most docile of creatures. They mated for
life and to a partner who accepted them completely. This strong, noble
Hakuchou wanted to court her and Rin could see his open invitation as honorable.


She giggled at Sunoo's sign of courtship, a sound Sesshoumaru had never heard
her make before, a sound of timidity mixed with delight. Was she..... blushing?


Sesshoumaru could feel a growl deep within. He stopped it, caged it. No.
He, Sesshoumaru, had given his word. His word was law and he had consented to
this.... this..... nonsense. The Great Lord of the Western lands held in honor to
his word.


A spark of hope emerged in the back of his mind. Nothing would come of this
courtship, it was just a passing fancy of Rin's. As soon as Rin realized she
did not need the swan youkai, she would return to just being his Ri... his ward.


Sunoo's words of truth hovered in the morning breeze as he kneeled with his
head in her hand, "Sweet Rin, you honor me with your consent to our courting."

The Hakuchou gently released her hand and stood, his wings rustling with the
movement, stretching out in a grand flourish before settling against his back once more.
Sunoo turned to Sesshoumaru and gave a curt nod of respect, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I offer
you my sincere gratitude for your blessing of our courtship. I shall come to your
estate every day to visit your ward until the next full moon. On the eve of the
full moon I shall ask for her hand as a mate. If she is undecided, I will visit every
day until the next full moon. If Rin refuses on the second full moon's rise,
I will return again everyday until the third full moon of our courting. If Rin does not
accept me by the third full moon, I will discontinue the courtship.


Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod in acknowledgement to the terms of the
courtship, "I agree to your conditions."


Sunoo bowed deeply to him before turning back to Rin, kneeling at
her feet once more.


This time Rin gave her hand openly and he accepted it with a warm smile.
"Beautiful Rin, I will visit you on the morrow. I look forward to our meeting and
I hope you look forward to it as well."


The Hakuchou Lord then did something totally unexpected and roguishly brash.
He placed a soft kiss on the back of Rin's hand.


Rin's cheeks flushed a deep red as she stuttered, "I... uh.... yes... I will look
forward to our.... meeting.


It took nearly all of the inu youkai's inner strength not to give in to the compulsion
to rip Sunoo to pieces. No... he had given his word. It was just an innocent touch
of courting and Rin....... openly..... held.... her hand out.... to him.... and.... she....
had.... not.... objected......




The Lord of the Great Marshlands stood. With one last bow of respect to
Sesshoumaru, he transformed into a golden ball of light and ascended on the wind.

Sesshoumaru watched the sphere of light until it disappeared behind the clouds.
He glanced at Rin who was staring as if in a daze at the same spot in the sky, one hand
waving back in forth in a slow motion, a small smile playing on her pink lips.


He inwardly cursed as he continued down the green forest pathway, "Rin,
it is time to go."


Her light footfalls fell in behind.


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

Rin stretched with a deep yawn. Suddenly, she remembered. Today was the day!
Today Sunoo would come to visit her for the first time in their courtship.

She almost squealed in delight before catching herself. Sesshoumaru might still
be asleep or resting since it was early morning. She did not need to bother him.
With his bedroom right next to hers, it was hard to keep from disturbing his rest.
Her protector could hear a pin drop yards away in a snow storm.


Quietly, Rin got out of bed and went to her wardrobe. She then proceeded to pick out
one of her nicer everyday kimono's, a soft silky garment of dark cream with
pink roses embroidered in a winding pattern from the hem, up to the waist,
over her bosom and ending at the right shoulder. After getting dressed, Rin walked
to her vanity table and sat down in a chair facing the mirror. Looking at her reflection
and primping was not one of her daily habits but today was a special day and she
wanted to look nice for Sunoo. "Sunoo...." the name rolled off her tongue in a
faint whisper as she observed her appearance in the reflective glass.


Rin gathered her hair and pinned it up in a pretty style while intertwining
small pink silk flowers in several curled up locks. Her features lit up with a
smile. Sunoo probably liked flowers as well. She would have to ask him.


For a single moment, Rin frowned as she lowered her hands from her pinned up
curls. Sesshoumaru-sama liked flowers. He just didn't...... show it. The young girl
sighed. What was she thinking about? Her protector did not show anything
at all....... openly.

Rin shook her head and smiled again while dabbing some sweet smelling perfume
behind her ears and thinking about Sunoo's sky blue eyes and long golden hair.
He had a gentle beauty on the inside and an elegant natural grace on the
outside that bordered on beautiful.

Another frown pulled at her mouth. Her protector was...... beautiful....
in every way.



Rin shook herself out of her daze. Now was not the time to be thinking
about her Sesshoumaru-sama.

So she rerouted her thoughts back to Sunoo as a lullaby from her early childhood
whispered from her lips: a song of the swan princess.



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Sesshoumaru woke to a maiden's song, one that floated on the threshold of his
senses, a calm melody of honeyed brightness. Rin.... was singing, a light and
delicate melody that mingled with the outside summer wind.

He growled to himself. Rin was happy.


Sesshoumaru got out of bed and walked to the door that joined his bedroom
to Rin's. The thick oak door separated him from Rin and now, someone
was trying to separate him from his ward permanently.

He growled again.


Jaken's screeching voice startled him out of his brooding, "My Lord!"

The little toad knocked on his door, "My Lord?"

Sesshoumaru opened the door and peered down at the toad youkai, "Yes. Jaken?"

Jaken bowed. "My Lord, there is a Hakuchou at the front gates and he is
seeking permission to enter."

"Allow him in Jaken. Show him to the garden. Tell him Rin will meet
with him shortly."

The toad's eyes widened, "Rin? My Lord? Do you wish me to tell Rin to
go to the gardens as well?"

"No, Jaken, I will inform her of Sunoo's arrival."

Jaken bowed and left, scurrying quickly down the hallway.


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Rin ceased her humming when a knock sounded at her door.

She stood up, "Yes?"

"Rin."

Rin walked over to the door and opened it to see her very tall protector,
"Sesshoumaru-sama?"


The inu youkai only stood staring at her for a moment. A distant light
dawned in the far depths of his amber eyes, one she had never seen before.
It flickered with a smothered radiance, a hint of an emotion but before she
could discern exactly what that glimmer was, he blinked and the vision of light
rippled and vanished.


"Rin, Sunoo has arrived. Jaken is seeing him to the gardens as we speak. You
may meet him there." Sesshoumaru informed in his simple deep, dry tone.


Rin smiled warmly. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him, giving him
one of her rare hugs, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

With that, she giggled and excitedly ran out her bedroom door, heading for the
gardens.

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Sesshoumaru simply stood there, staring out at nothing, the warmth of Rin's body
lingered with her scent on his clothes: jasmine and purity.

Unconscious of the motion, he inhaled deeply. For a single moment all thought
left for parts unknown, a place where Rin giggled only for him.

His thoughts returned from the past as he blinked into the present.

Unaware, he sighed.

Silently, he went to find something else to occupy his mind instead of Rin's
exuberant happiness over courting another youkai.



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Rin ran as fast as she could through the familiar halls, her heart beat
deep and hard while the sweetest fluttering began in her stomach.


She almost stumbled out the door that led to the back of the palace but righted herself
quickly and began a more sedate walking pace toward the entrance of the gardens.

The butterflies in her belly began to flutter even harder as she walked in an
anxious but restrained gait.

As she entered the gardens, the tinkle of the water fountain caught her
attention. She turned to the sound of falling water droplets and stopped, stunned,
awed and completely frozen in amazement at the sight before her.

Her heart almost stopped.


An angel of pure beauty sat on the edge of the fountain with his
wings outstretched in magnificent glowing wonder, the wind danced on their feathered
tips. His golden hair glistened in the sunlight, silvery highlights glimmered, mingling
with the sparkle of the sun-lit spray. The angel seemingly pondered over the
rippling surface, gazing into the pool's clearness, the reflection darkening his
sky blue eyes to a deep cobalt. The ethereal being wore a warmth of white,
a misty shade of calm ivory.


Rin stood rooted to the spot, not daring to even move an inch lest the spell
be broken and the mythical dream fade to the sky in a flutter of wings.

The angel moved, raising his head from his deep contemplation. The solid
dark hue of cobalt in his eyes lightened, changing into sky blue once more as his gaze rose to meet hers.

The angel smiled the warmest smile she had ever seen.


Rin nearly fainted.



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I thought that was a nice place to stop. The chapters of this story won't
be long ones but they will be good ones. I have about 15 to 20 chaps planned
for this cute little fairy tale. The plot is all in my head. I will update
once a week. Hope everyone enjoyed this chap.




inugirl: I can't say what will happen between swan boy and Rin. lol. swan boy.
If I do, it will give away the story. Bird Boy..lol...


animechick262003: I am sooo sorry animechick. I didn't remove it. I replaced the
story right after I posted it because I saw a bunch of mistakes I missed. Forgive
me. ^_^.

zsa zsa

GreaterBeast_Xellas

Crash: thank you crash. I try to make my writing where people get absorbed in
the story. I am glad I succeeded with this one. I usually am good with a lot
of angst but I am trying my hand at simple romance. Lets see how well I can pull
that off. ^_^

Lady Knightstar

Corpse: sorry corpse but these chaps will not be very long unless the chapter
calls for it. This will be a short but sweet fairytale.

Zim

queen_of_hearts984

Prettylittleowl

Isilaime: Ah, Rin is 16 almost 17. You may be right about that. I'll have
wo
work on it.


VampirePrincessMiyu: I will update once a week on this story. That is, if life does
not decide to hamper my writing time. *sighs*