A Human Called Rin

Chapter Two: A Pragmatic Explanation

Rin finally made it to her room, as ordered. After closing the screen shut, she fell to her knees completely exhausted from all that she had been through. Breathing heavily, she sat there replaying everything that happened in the past week. First, Lord Sesshoumaru had chosen a mate—and it wasn’t her. Second, the formal proposal and ceremony had already taken place, which met the Lady of the West had already fulfilled one of her duties. Third, Rin just lost her innocents to the only male she ever looked up to.

And finally, to top it off, she now realized that he, the Lord of the West, couldn’t care less about how she felt. Why else would just tell her to leave right after their coupling? And why was he so gentle in the beginning and then insatiable in the end? Until last night, he never once touched her like that, looked at her like that, made her felt things no one else made her feel.

Crawling carefully to her futon, Rin collapsed upon it. If she had any real choices in her life right now, she wished that she would never have to wake up again. Even has her body welcomed the much needed rest, her mind continued to be troubled. Completely in slumber, tears continued to fall from closed eyes and a weeping heart. Rin was only human after all—what else could a weak, human girl, no, woman, do?

oOo

The Lord of the West finished his bath and returned to his private study. Being a youkai Lord, he required little sleep. Besides, many documents had to be review, edited, and sent out. The new alliance with the Northern Lands still had many details to finalize; and, he refused to wait to complete them. But even with reading document after document, summons to decree, brush strokes to seals, the youkai lord continued to be distracted.

Her scent lingered heavily in the room, and what they did permeated the air to such a degree that he finally set his work down and left the room. No, he hadn’t gotten her out of his system. But that was not what bothered him, he could smell her tears, and he never could stand to see, hear, or smell her cry. After all, she was his.

As he walked through the many corridors of his fortress, he noticed that many of his servants had already begun their morning duties. He smirked to himself realizing that the Lady had already become a vicious headmaster of the house. Yes, he knew how she handled his servants.

Though he never looked intently into the affairs of his house, begin a youkai of combat, a warrior of warriors, he left such trivial matters to his retainer or other head servants. As he continued to pass the many bows and greetings, he made a mental note to speak with his Lady regarding her treatment of his loyal servants—in perhaps a month or two.

When he sensed Itoshii, Rin’s servant, he immediately stopped and scanned for her exact whereabouts. Finding her, he spoke out saying,

“Itoshii, come here.”

The elderly youkai immediately dropped what she was doing and respectfully approached her great Lord.

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” she bowed but was immediately dumbstruck when her nose told her what her Lord’s recent activities where…and with whom. But she made it a point to not make any external indication of this discovery. If there was one thing a servant learns quickly, it is discretion. He began walking again, indicating that she follow. When they reached a deserted corridor, he spoke again.

“Prepare Nimba¹ leaves for Rin…and explain her new duties to her as well. That is all.”

“Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru,” she said with as much respect as she could at the moment. For once, she wished she had the power to tell him off and live through it—no, it would not do to leave poor Rin alone after what has happened to the girl. Knowing her Lord, he probably explained nothing to the poor girl and took her as he pleased.

After he left her presence, she went to do as her Lord ordered. She was a servant first before anything else. There was nothing she could do but be there for Rin. If nothing else, she would at least explain things to her as honestly and soothingly as possible. She was storming inside, but she remained reserved.

No one knew what she now knew yet, and she would not be the one to give any indication of what she knew. Of course, the servants and the rest of the house would soon find out. Still, no one would thing anything of it. After all, his servants were loyal; and, Rin was his.

Finally reaching his private rooms, he was not at all surprised that his futon already put away. Of course, ‘she’ was already finalizing preparations for the evening dinner with the other Lords and Ladies. He mentally sighed to himself. Opening another set of screen doors and entering his private gardens, he took a few moments to collect himself. Much had happened these past seven days.

He had finally sealed the old alliance of his great and terrible father with the Northern Lands. Lady Tsuki-aoi was the only daughter of the elderly Northern Lord. By mating this inuyoukai, the alliance was complete, and war would no longer be a looming threat. Besides, Sesshoumaru would not deny that it was time he produce an heir, an heir of pure inuyoukai blood.

The more one looked at his choice of a mate; the more one would realize the ingenious of it. He had protected his land against war; he had increased is land to nearly double its size; and he was soon to have a pure-blooded heir that would continue his high families legacy of elegance, grace, power, and perfection. No more dirty-blood, ridiculously eared hanyous to further muddy the line. Why did he just think that? He gave himself a mental shake.

For over seven generations, there had been bad blood between the Northern and Western lands. Looking at past documents, no one knew for sure how it all began. Some believed it was because the great youkai Kijin gave his favorite son the Western lands and his eldest son the Northern lands. Jealousy immediately sparked causing the first great youkai war in Honshu, the mainland of Japan.

Still, others believed that the bad blood began because the daughter of the Northern Lord’s general, Inuikou-sama, seduced the Prince of the West and tricked him into mating her instead of the Eastern Lady Otsuge. Basically, it was so long ago that even the few demons still alive that were there are hazy on the details.

What infuriated Sesshoumaru however was that his Father, Touga-sama, could have made peace long ago had he not mated with a human princess. That act alone only further infuriated the North and did not bode well with the East either. Father was a good general but a terrible politician.

Luckily for Sesshoumaru, he received his intuitive wit in politics from his mother. For the most part, he avoided making rash decisions—a character flaw from father that Inuyasha inherited with leaps and bounds. No, this Sesshoumaru was not rash…usually.

Perhaps, he should explain things to Rin. Though she has been raised by youkai, she still has the instincts of a human. He had hoped that be announcing his possessiveness of her, she would understand her importance to him. She was his to protect. And she made to objections to the coupling. Her tears only came after he told her to leave.

Perhaps, she feels rejection. Humans, especially females from what he heard, do not take rejection well. But he didn’t reject her; he would never reject his Rin. He simply gave her what her body has wanted from him for years. What he has wanted for quite some time as well.

He still could feel how well she responded to him. His Rin was always open and honest before him. Even though he knew she was keeping her human feelings hidden, her subconscious gestures and hints gave her away rather easily. He always considered her a certainty in his life—always faithful and true to him.

But he could still vividly remember her second death; he never felt his own certainty so shattered until then. He realized at that moment, when Tenseiga could not revive her, that she was not always going to be with him. That one day, her mortal body would die, and she would be no more. At that moment, he had something to protect, and he failed. At that moment, nothing else mattered. How did that small mortal child wrap around his being without his notice.

Such vivid memories. And when she opened her eyes like the first time in the forest where they first met, he never felt such relief. He then understood something about himself that day. She was important to him. She was his. And if she knew what was good for her, she would never leave him. She would be his for the rest of her life.

That’s when it started; that’s when the dynamics of their relationship changed. As time passed, that change began to change not only her importance in his life but his in his eyes as well. She would not always be with him, so he had to take her in now in great gulps, taking in his fill as much as possible.

No, he would not make the mistake his father made. He would not mate Rin; he would not sire hanyou children. Thereby his actions with her would not be looked down as a sign of weakness but as simply enjoying something rather beautiful. He would not be the first or last youkai to take on a human mistress. He mentally chuckled to himself. He was starting to believe his own garbage that the other lords would conclude as reasonable.

While continuing his internal dialogue, he sensed the aura of Lady Tsuki-aoi, but he made no indication of acknowledging her presence. As for the Lady of the West, she knew better than to interrupt his musings; she would wait until he acknowledged her. She was a proper lady of breeding. Everything she did, she did with intention of perfection.

That said, she expected all around her to act with the same intent as she. If she was able to accomplish these things, she saw no reasonable excuse for others. Granted, not just anyone could run a house as a high-born lady should, but she did expect the servants to do their responsibilities that the kamis placed upon each of them with grace, hard work, and diligence.

She was an exceptionally beautiful inuyoukai. However, because she came from the North, she had several distinct differences from her Western inuyoukai counterparts. Her luminous hair carried a frosted golden sheen, while her eyes where colored like deep blue oceans, both contemplative and hypnotic. While she too had the royal marks, they were a cerulean blue instead of magenta, and they were single stripped instead of double stripped like her Lord’s.

Where Lord Sesshoumaru carried the Western symbol of the blue crescent moon, Lady Tsuki-aoi carried the Northern symbol of the red shooting star. As a result, their offspring would more than likely be born with both symbols upon his forehead.

All said, the Lord and Lady of the Western and Northern lands were the perfect example of a political and aristocratic match. All they needed now was an heir, and that was in the making.

The three youkai Lords of the four lands could now enjoy some well earned peace—perhaps even take care of the many human squabbles that had been growing as of late.

“You may speak, Lady Tsuki-aoi,” said the calm, collected voice of her Lord.

“I trust the rest of your evening went well after our time together,” she said just as calm and collected as him.

He found this amusing of course. She was very diplomatic in what she really wanted to say to him.

In short, I hope you’re done fucking that bitch and have moved on so I won’t have to deal with that human stench that I can still smell on you—and I can’t believe that you had the audacity to go straight to her after you had me—what the hell does that fucking ningen have that I don’t!!! And if you’re going to fuck someone else, at least have the decency to fuck a youkai whore and not some mortal, you sick human-fucking bastard!!

(No, she didn’t get her pointers from Inuyasha).

“What I do with my own time is no concern of yours. Your duty is to the West, the house, and the heir,” he retorted with the same coolness.

There was a long pause between them with Sesshoumaru continuing to looking at the gardens. His back was still towards her. But she was not a violent person. She was indeed practical in her nature. At least, that was the front she displayed on the outside. Yes, she knew exactly what her duties were. That didn’t mean she was going to tolerate humans without at voicing her distain for them.

“Of course, my Lord, and as my duty pertains to the protection of the West, it is my obligation to caution my Lord in the possibility of weakening his great and powerful bloodline.”

Sesshoumaru turned ever slowly to glare at her. He had chosen well for a Lady of the West. Now, he had to deal with the repercussions of his choice. He walked towards her, maintaining his piercing amber glare. He knew exactly what she was saying. Foolish female, what does she take this Sesshoumaru for. But he maintained his ever steady stoicism.

“Precautions have already been taken care of. Her servant is fulfilling it as we speak.”

He walked even closer to her, touching his mating mark that was still a day fresh. Immediately, his instincts led him to the base of her neck and inhaled deeply. She was in the beginning of her heat. His eyes rimmed red for the briefest of moments before he pulled away and spoke to her.

“Summon one of the servants to prepare our futon. You are in heat, and we must fulfill our duties for both our lands.”

Not at all alarmed by his straightforwardness, she left their rooms to obey his commands. This was not a marriage of love but of duty. Neither one of them had any real intimate feelings for the other. They had been trained from birth to act as any respectable aristocrats should in such a situation. Love was a rare thing among youkai, regardless of the bloodline or station.

oOo

It had been several hours since Rin had collapsed on her bed. Still, Itoshii refused to wake her until she woke up at her own time. Itoshii could wait. She had already prepared the fresh, crushed leaves for her to eat and a meal for her to later eat. Knowing that male youkai stamina was far different from humans, the girl was probably very exhausted.

Finally, when the sun had reached its peak for the day, Rin slowly began to open her eyes. But was immediately regretful of that action when she felt that her body still ached, because….because of what she did last night. The memories began to pour into her mind again and as soon as she wanted to sit up. She winced as sharp-shooting pain made itself know once again between her legs.

She wondered if it would feel this way every time this would happen. Wait, no, this was not going to happen again, ever, she noted to herself. She hurt a small cough and turned to see what it was. Upon seeing the face of Itoshii, Rin once again broke down and cried. Thankfully, Itoshii went to her and held her close, patiently being there for the girl.

After Rin could cry no more, she looked at her servant, her friend, and knew that Itoshii knew. And worse was Itoshii knew that Rin knew that Itoshii knew. But Itoshii’s only response was to hold even tighter, being ever mindful of her claws.

“Shh, little one, I am here; I am here.”

“Rin, a lot has changed, yes?”

The girl nodded in response, hiding against the elderly youkai’s chest.

“There are things you should know; things that you must do now.”

Rin looked up at her, waiting for some answers. She hated being confused like this.

“What you and Lord Sesshoumaru have done, is a common thing when a Lord takes a mate.”

“You mean its right with what happened,” she asked on the verge of more tears. She didn’t know how much more change she could take after all this.

“It is not so much about right or wrong, Rin, but the reality of life.” If the elder youkai ever hated her life, the time was now. This moral was innocent for kami’s sake. But what else could she do, Rin could not escape her fate. When Lord Sesshoumaru made a decision, it was final, regardless of who would suffer because of it.

Maybe her anger was more towards herself than her Lord. She had thought that the young lord had changed for the better, especially since her brought the girl to the fortress. She had hoped that he was becoming more like his father, a great, powerful, and merciful ruler.

She should never have made such an assumption. To be merciful implied that one would have a heart. His lordship obviously lacked one, despite what was pumping in his cold, hard chest.

“So, it’s going to happen again. Isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Itoshii brought the tray of food and leaves to Rin.

“You must eat the leaves. It is too your benefit.”

“What are they?”

“Nimba, when chewed, it prevents becoming pregnant.”

Rin had to laugh at the irony of the situation. Her Lord wanted to fuck her but not pup her. So, he never did forget her humanity. And he hated that part of her it seemed as well. I guess he wouldn’t want any dirty-blooded hanyous roaming around the fortress. Despite this, the thought in the back of her mind was still nagging at her.

Why was he really doing this? It seemed like such an obvious answer, but her Lord was never an obvious person. He was kind and generous to her. At least, she always interpreted his actions in such a manner. Did she misjudge him so grossly? Apparently so. Did she really even know him, then? It didn’t seem likely.

Though she had to admit, she never felt as good as to be that physically intimate with her Lord, she didn’t think that she could go through it again, especially with the thoughts that she was thinking now.

“What if I refuse?”

“Have you ever refused our Lord, Rin?”

“No, I have not.”

Itoshii felt torn at this moment. What she was about to say was a lie, a horrible deception; and she would hate herself for it. But she could think of nothing else to ease the girl into this situation. She now possessed a heaviness the old youkai had never felt before this. She spoke the words to seal everything as her Lord wished.

“Then, there is no reason to stop now.”

oOo

¹Nimba- a tree that grows both in Africa, India, and parts of Southeastern Asia. It leaves are often used as a natural birth-control method. If you want more info, though I don’t consider it effective, here’s an address you could later look up.

http://en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/Neem

Don’t you just love all that angst? Well, I’ve decided to continue this story. I don’t know how often I’ll be updating it though, especially with classes starting up again. But O well, we shall see how far along we get, neh? Btw, I didn’t use any mythological stuff for this. I made it up. So, those of you who are rather studious creatures, don’t waist your time.