The Life After

6/23/06

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters of Inuyasha. I do not own Naraku, Inutaisho, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Jakken, Rin, or Ah-Un. Rumiko Takahashi is the wonderful creator and owner of said characters, manga, and show. I do not make money off of her characters or this story. This Disclaimer applies to this and all following chapters.

Author's Note: This chapter is mostly about Rin's first day in Sesshoumaru's castle. Once again, If you are looking for the "good" chapter in this, it is Chapter 7. Which will be posted soon. I am nearly done with the story, and I do not like to keep any avid readers waiting, so the chapters should be up in two weeks at the very absolute latest.

WARNING: very minor spoiler in this chapter. If you are worried, don't read the paragraph that starts out
"Rin smiled, scrambling up onto his bed. She gripped the covers with her fingers and managed to drag herself up." I mention a secret about the jewel of four souls (which is also the property of Rumiko Takahashi) The part about Sesshoumaru reattaching his arm was purely in my head as far as I know (if I seriously did say what happens in the show then I hand that over to Rumiko Takahashi as well, but I highly doubt that I could have guessed that correctly.) I just wondered why everyone kept saying Sesshoumaru had two arms in all of his stories on adult-fanfiction.org but no one seemed to explain how he regained his arm! I mean, he lost in the seventh episode, so it seriously shouldn't be reattached without an explanation...so I made up something and explained. lol. (My appologies for not posting this warning sooner. I forgot all about it. As I haven't seen the end of Inuyasha yet and it is a spoiler for me as well lol.)

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Sesshoumaru awoke and sat up in his bed. They had returned to his castle as dusk settled in. Rin had been amazed at his endless space. She had danced across Ah-Un's meadow; the dragon chewing calmly at the grass between the flowers. She had raced across the beach that lined one side of his castle, her footprints in the sand disappearing in the waves of tide behind her. She had padded swiftly through the training grounds. Had raced in and out of the trees that separated the front of his castle from the woods. She had run in and out of every room in the house, talking to every servant she met. She had helped cook in the kitchens, clean in the extra quarters, introduced herself to all of the maids in the servants' living space, and made a terrible mess of his grand library. She was awed by the fact that so many of his servants were human. “Father's idea,” he had assured her. She was even more amazed to find that he had already ordered the best demon tutors for her. “I wouldn't want you to become bored,” he had said casually, “You are intelligent and would enjoy learning.” She certainly seemed to with all the questions she threw at him about what the two would teach her. He told her that the swords master would teach her defense and train her in the use of weapons, and the wise demon scholar would teach her history and other things she would need to know to live with him. It was well into the night before she calmed enough for him to show her to her own room.

Rin had not spoken for ages when she had seen her room. It was humongous. The bed was far bigger than anything she would ever need, and she almost believed that the walls would echo like a canyon. There were shelves everywhere, each shelf adorned with vases full of flowers. She suspected Sesshoumaru had ordered his servants to do this for her. When she had finally spoken, her face had been buried in his pants, her arms clinging to his legs. He had brushed off her thanks, telling her that she looked tired and should get some sleep.

Now, in the darkness of his room, thunder crashed and lightning sparkled. Rain pounded in sheets against the house. It was not the storm, however, that had awoken him. His keen ears had detected another sound. Tiny footsteps echoed down the wooden hall. Sesshoumaru looked up at his open sliding door. A small face peered through the doorway.

“L-lord Sesshoumaru?” the face whispered. It had not been hard for her to find his room; it was quite separated from the rest of the castle. In the flashes of the lightning she saw that his room was even larger than hers and just as empty. He had told her that tomorrow she and Jakken could go shopping for things to adorn her room. It was strange that he had lived there for so long and yet his room was so empty. His bed, too, was far bigger than hers. He seemed so isolated in the midst of the silken sheets.

His golden eyes glowed across the darkness, like bright flickering candles. “Yes, Rin?” he whispered gently back.

She slowly crossed to his bedside and knelt beside him, “The storm…scares me,” she admitted.

“There is nothing to fear. The storm cannot hurt you. Even if there was a threat, I have told you I will protect you. I will keep that,” he had considered saying promise, but realized that he could not promise to protect her when her human body would give out on her hundreds of years before his would even slow. Her youth prevented her from realizing that Sesshoumaru would have to live through ages without her. It was the one thing that nearly scared him.

“I know…,” she said, then, “Can I stay here, tonight?”

Sesshoumaru thought over the question. He would have enjoyed her staying with him, but worried of his newfound emotions. Rin was still a child, but he thought of her as though she was equal to him. As though she wasn't even a human. He considered her his own child. This annoyed him, his deep feelings for her. He knew that allowing her to stay would only make these feelings stronger. Rin's tiny frightened eyes searched for an answer in his own. “Yes,” he sighed, finally. He did not want her to be alone, if she was scared.

Rin smiled, scrambling up onto his bed. She gripped the covers with her fingers and managed to drag herself up. Sesshoumaru's strong arms lifted her, and he sat her in his lap, facing him. He was glad that his half-brother had given him a shard of the Sacred Jewel before purifying himself. It had been a sort of peace offering, since Sesshoumaru had helped him defeat Naraku. When they had journeyed through Inutaisho's tomb, Sesshoumaru had retrieved his arm. Since he was a demon, it was still in perfect condition, not rotted, as a human arm would be. He had used Inuyasha's jewel shard to reattach the limb. It had been strange getting used to having two arms, again, but it was better in the long run. Like right then, when he could wrap both his arms around his Rin.

She snuggled into his chest, her short arms clinging to his shirt. She had always thought he looked funny without his armor on.


“Lord Sesshoumaru!” she had gasped, when he had taken it off, one day “Where is your armor?!”
“We are in no danger here, Rin. I have no need of it.”
She giggled, “You look funny.”
“Funny?” he reached over towards his armor.
“No!” she ran over and put a hand on his arm, to stop him, “I like you better like this.”
“You said I looked…funny,” he was confused, but not shaken in the least.
“You do, but now I can do this!” Rin jumped at him, and he caught her with his only arm. She snuggled against his chest and he had nearly smiled.
“You like it better when you can hug me?” he asked, slowly.
“Yes.”


The memory faded away into the dark night, almost as if it were a flash of lightning itself. Sesshoumaru held her close. Rin breathed in his sweet, yet still demonic, scent. She was smiling contentedly. He felt the girl's breathing slow and become steady, her tiny chest rising and falling. She will not leave me, he thought, My sweet Rin. Is this compassion that I'm feeling towards you?

“Lord Sesshoumaru…,” Rin whispered in her sleep, tightening her grip on him.

“Sleep well, Rin,” he closed his eyes, only his pink eye shadow showing, and joined her in the land of dreams.


Rin's eyes blinked open, as the morning light shone through the big windows in Sesshoumaru's room. Rin's tiny fist rubbed at her eyes. “Lord Sesshoumaru?” she yawned. Leaning back, she gasped as she found that there was only a pillow behind her. She jerked her head left and right, searching for the demon. Rin dove under the warm sheets, thinking she might find him hiding under there, “Lord Sesshoumaru!!!” she sang.

“Yes, Rin?” the demon had heard her first call from the other side of the house. He entered his bedroom to see a little lump moving around under his covers. “Oh, no,” he said, calmly, “It appears the bed has eaten my Rin.” He raised an eyebrow as the lump began to giggle, and he walked closer to the bed. After a pause, he ripped the covers off, “Gotcha!”

“Rawr!!!” Rin jumped up, still on the bed, with her arms raised. She had her teeth bared and her fingers held out like claws.

“Oh. What a horrible demon is in my bed. I am afraid I do not have time for you, Demon. You must give me back Rin, at once.”

“Silly, Lord Sesshoumaru!” Rin giggled dropping her arms, “I'm no demon! I'm Rin!” she raced towards him and bounced off the bed and into his arms.

“So you are,” Sesshoumaru hugged her close, then carried her towards the door, “Why don't we go have some breakfast? Jakken's having the servants fix it, as we speak.”

Rin nodded, and they headed for the kitchen, leaving Sesshoumaru's bedroom a complete mess.


In the great dining hall Rin and Jakken tore at their breakfasts. “We haven't had decent meals since that Inuyasha was freed from the sleeping spell,” Jakken had grumbled. Rin seemed just as pleased as him at the prospect of regular meals. Sesshoumaru slowly picked at his plate, holding a scroll open in his left hand. He was reading the list of happenings in his domain in his absence. He had loyal subjects in every village that kept him informed of the goings on. There had been a few demon uprisings, but now that he had returned no one dared to challenge his rule. He eyed the scroll reservedly, occasionally glancing over at his wards. Jakken had finished eating, and was rather round. Rin had pulled the vase on the table closer to her, and was enjoying the brilliant flowers.

“What's with the flowers, m'lord? You used to despise the bright colors in your castle,” Jakken, too, was watching Rin and the plants.

“Jakken,” Sesshoumaru said sharply, staring pointedly at the scroll.

“Yes, m'lord?” Jakken said carefully, noting his master's quiet anger.

“I wish you to take Rin to the human town.”

“The human town?! But, m'lord, I despise…”

“You will do as you are told, Jakken.”

“Yes, m'lord,” Jakken hung his head.

Rin had replaced the flowers and was looking at her lord. He refused to return her gaze as he said; “You will take Rin to the human town and buy her whatever she desires. You know where the gold is kept.”

“Really, Lord Sesshoumaru?! Anything I want?!” Rin jumped out of her seat. Her parents and brother had died when she was young, and she had never had the freedom to buy things, much less the money to but them with. She had only ever stolen things and only out of necessity.

“Yes, Rin. Also, there is a new kimono waiting for you on your bed. You may buy more in the village. However, I want you to wear this one for the entirety of this week.”

“Thank you, my lord!” Rin beamed, racing out of the room.

Jakken grumbled, sliding out of his chair. He began towards the door. “Jakken.” He stopped, turning to Sesshoumaru. The taiyokai did not move, but said, “If she is harmed. You will die.”

Jakken gulped, but he was used to the threats Sesshoumaru often threw at him. “Yes, m'lord,” he said quietly, bowing. Then he left.

Sesshoumaru set down the scroll without a word. Instantly he disappeared, rematerializing outside of Rin's room. She had already put on his gift and was dancing around the room. It was a beautiful purple kimono decorated with glittering red silk flower patterns that matched his own. A red sash, the same color as the flowers, tied it shut. He had even bought her a purple hair tie. Sesshoumaru watched her dancing for a moment; then entered the room. “Rin?”

“Hmm?” she turned and raced to hug him again, “Oh, thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru! It's lovely!”

“It pleases you?” He stared down at her for a minute; then explained, “The red flowers are my family crest. The villagers will know that you are part of my family, so they should be especially kind to you.”

Rin looked up at him and gaped. Part of his family? the thought overwhelmed her. Suddenly, she twirled around, “How do I look, my lord?” she laughed.

Sesshoumaru stared at her silently for a moment, “You'd better hurry. Jakken seems to want to leave without you.”

“Oh! Don't worry, Lord Sesshoumaru, I'll catch him!” she called over her shoulder, racing out of the room.

Sesshoumaru looked around the room, sighing deeply. She was only a human: one way or another, he would have to part ways with her. He disappeared from the room, returning to controlling his domain.