Twist of time

Tis not mine

Rin was asleep by the time Istra returned leaving her to think that the little girl had more faith in her lord than he had in himself. Shaking her head she set the cleaned and washed meat down on a clean cloth from Rin's bag, Turning she scanned the area outside of the woods to find them empty.

“Now where would he go and leave Rin all by herself?” she muttered moving over to pull the blanket up over the girl’s shoulders. Smiling softly she brushed the girls bangs away from her eyes.

Content that Rin was safe and happy Istra sat down and began to eat, reveling in the way the food tasted. She hardly had time to swallow before her reluctant guide was standing in front of her.

“Whew, you could give someone a heart attack showing up like that.” She hissed pressing her hand to her chest.

Lifting one brow Sesshomaru glared.

Grabbing a piece of meat, Istra reached up for his hand and slapped it in his palm. “Eat this, you’ll feel better.” She explained, looking back down to select another piece for herself.

Resisting the urge to throw it at her Sesshomaru leaned against the tree across from her.

“Do you sleep my lord?” Istra asked as she offered him another piece of meat. Much to his chagrin he took it having finished his first piece almost automatically.

“I have no need of sleep.” He growled his eyes following her form as she pushed to her feet and rolled up the cloth on which she had placed the meat holding it out for him.

Looking up at him she smiled sadly. “Nor do I, yet I sleep, for I find at my age sleep takes the edge off the days.”

“Your age?” he asked finishing the rest of his food and trying valiantly to ignore Istra’s pleased expression.

Istra moved closer, still looking him in the eye as she leaned into him slightly to take the cloth back, the soft curves of her body coming in contact with his armor.

Sesshomaru caught her hip, sinking his claws into the tender flesh as he dipped his head down toward her throat. “What are you?”

Trying to control her breathing she asked. “Are you asking me honestly my lord?”

“Yes.” He whispered breathing deep her scent, the addictive mixture that he couldn’t seem to get enough of.

Istra leaned back to look him in the eye. She smiled slightly “I am an ancient of Scotland.” Her green orbs blended, turning a deep crimson.

Seeing her true eye color, Sesshomaru felt is beast roar behind the cage he fought so hard to keep it in.

“Demon?” his voice growled, breathier than he would of liked it.

Istra shook her head, the glossy strands of her hair brushing his hand where it held her to him. “No my lord,” she looked him in the eye once again. “I am a dragon.”



Sesshomaru’s face still stung, but he’d be dammed if he let it show. Personally, he couldn’t see the error in what he had done. She said dragon so he had looked over at Ah-un to see if he could find a resemblance. When he looked back he met her palm, with his face.

“Not that kind of dragon you jerk!” she had yelled, hitting him hard enough to throw him back a step. When he turned back to confront her, she was gone. Moving with the same speed he prided himself with she was over across the clearing checking on Rin before unsheathing her sword and laying it down next to the girl. She glared at him before dropping down to lay on the ground. Leaning up on her elbows she had given him one last look. “Go to sleep, maybe that will make you more agreeable.” She had demanded before lowering her head to one arm and wrapping her free hand around her sword.

Sesshomaru shook his head, feeling as if he had come out of a trance. His beast still barked for freedom, yet it was the one convincing him that he should not punish the girl for her actions.

‘Since when did my beast begin to make sense?’ he wondered, moving to the other side of Rin and lowering himself to the ground.

‘Since you found her.’ He heard his inner beast growl. Frowning, he leaned back against the closest tree, unsheathing his sword and laying it across his lap.

‘So is that why I’m trying this sleep thing?’ he asked his more wilder self.

He felt the beast’s pleasure as it thought of pleasing the woman. No, ancient, he corrected himself. Letting his eyes drift over to where she lay, her entire body still, the eerie stillness that something that was never quite human could only accomplish.

She was acceptable looking; he had to admit, with her long fiery curls that just rested at her waist. Her kimono left much to be desired; yet he knew that was because of the fight with the demon panther. Her expressive green eyes were almond shaped giving them a surreal quality. Yes, she was very acceptable, his eyes trailed over her lithe figure noticing how complementary she was to him. She was taller than any woman he had met, she would fit perfectly under his chin.

He stilled catching a flicker of red in the shine of Tokijin’s blade. Growling, he quickly shoved his beast back out of his thoughts. And the red faded. Closing his eyes, Sesshomaru leaned back letting his sliver hair fall around him. At least now he knew how his beast felt. He sighed and decided to let sleep claim him for the first time in years.



“Is he dead?” Rin whispered standing over where Sesshomaru leaned against the tree. Istra quickly pulled the little girl away. “No Rin, he’s not dead, but you can not go close to a sleeping demon you understand? If they feel you too close they may attack and not even know who they attack.”

Rin’s eyes widened. “Truly?”

Istra nodded gently pushing the girl over to where she had set more berries in a cup. The little girl grinned widely as she saw the treat and bowed. “Thank you Istra.” She smiled bounding off to sit cross-legged in front of her food.

Istra smiled back then turned placing her hands on her hips to face the sleeping demon. “What to do” she muttered. Stepping forward. “Sesshomaru.” She called, blushing when she caught her faux-pa “Lord Sesshomaru.” She corrected.

Still no response, moving closer she kneeled next to him on his right side, thinking that perhaps if he were to attack he would be slower if he could not reach over his body.

“My lord?” she whispered shaking him slightly. His hand gripped her wrist where she had placed it against his shoulder. Prying it away she looked down to meet his eyes, to find them red, while his pupil turned a vibrant blue.

“Oh hello, I’m Istra.” She introduced herself to the demon side politely.

A low growl seeped from his throat. “I know who you are.”

Istra reached her other hand up almost on impulse and brushed his bangs away from his eyes. “Well that makes things easier, you know I was almost sure he had you locked away.”

Sesshomaru’s demon sneered. “His cage has windows. Are you not a captive of your master?”

Istra smiled softly, looking down to where he held her wrist captive, his thumb stroking the soft skin on the inside of her wrist. When she looked up her pupils were a deep burgundy in the white of her eye, yet her smile is still the same.

“You don’t understand my lord, I-” she leaned down bringing her nose to him, “have no humanity, I am a dragon, nothing more.”

“Yet you have a human form.” He growled softly his eyes focusing on her ruby lips.

“Aye that I do. And your not understanding my answer my lord.” She tilted her head to the side her lips a mere breath from his. “I am the same in either form, unlike you, who obviously leave your true form separate.”

“You know not what you speak of.” Sesshomaru put pressure on the hand he held.

Istra leaned closer her eyes flickering between his lips and his glowing eyes. “I don’t?”

Before she could register what happened she fell forward towards the tree Sesshomaru was leaning on, throwing her hands out she caught herself before she hit the tree.

“We leave now.” Sesshomaru stated from behind her as he turned and disappeared into the woods.



“Hurry Rin, you can finish your breakfast on Ah-Un.” Istra ushered the girl onto the back of the dragon, taking a moment to look it over before shaking her head.

“I don’t see any resemblance do you?” she asked the two-headed creature.

“No mistress.” The head closest to her replied a wary look in his eyes. Smiling, Istra bushed a calming hand over it’s mane before turning and loading the rest of Rin’s belongings.



“Istra?” the girl asked once they had begun following the snooty lord.

“Hm?” she looked up grinning at the little girl.

“Do you love Lord Sesshomaru?”

“Love?” Istra sputtered.

Rin nodded. “Yes love. Maybe if you love him then he will keep you too.”

Istra pulled her long hair over her shoulder and swiftly began braiding it. “I can’t stay with you Rin, not forever.”

“Because you’re a dragon?”

Istra looked up in surprise, her finished braid dropping from her fingers. “I’m impressed Rin, you are very crafty. I really did think you were asleep.”

The girl grinned at the praise yet her eyes became serious again as she waited for Istra’s explanation.

“As a warrior I travel constantly, I couldn’t stay here for very long before I would be summoned to another place.”

Rin frowned. “We travel all the time too. I mean we are hardly at the palace.”

Reaching up she brushed a leaf out of the girl’s hair. “My traveling is different Rin. Even if I loved your lord I couldn’t stay.”

“What if he loved you?”

Istra had to fight the blush that came with that thought. She was shocked to find a part of her would not mind that so much. Taking the little girls hand she squeezed it gently. “You see Rin, I am not just a dragon. I am an ancient and that means that if I love someone and they love me in return our powers blend. That could either make me more powerful or weaker depending on what type of being the man I loved was.”

“So lord Sesshomaru would be like you?”

Istra nodded. “And I like him.”

“Oh, that’s good though right?”

Smiling softly Istra shook her head, “No Rin I don’t think so. At least not for your lord. I don’t think he would give up being a great dog demon to become half dragon. Even if it meant giving him more power.”

Rin nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, Lord Sesshomaru is too proud.”

Istra gestured for Ah-Un’s attention. “Can you sense your lord?” she asked the creature in it’s own tongue much to Rin’s pleasure.

The growling sounded somewhat musical the girl thought as she watched Ah-Un respond.

“You honor us lady.” The closest creature replied. “Speaking our language although we are lowly.”

“We know what you are.” His twin replied a note of fear in his voice. “The stories of Mistress Death travel far.”

Istra’s eyes widened. “Truly?”

“Yes mistress, now to respond to your question. We can sense our lord.”

“How close is he?”

Ah-Un looked into the distance. “We would estimate a mile a head mistress.”

Istra nodded thoughtfully. “Thank you Ah-Un”

Rin poked her in the shoulder. “Could you teach me to speak dragon?” she asked, her brown eyes bright.

Istra smiled nodding, “Sure Rin, I’ll teach you dragon.”



Sesshomaru growled at himself, and not for the first time. How could he have been so weak? What was wrong with him? He shook his head resisting the urge to pull on his long white locks. It must be some sort of enchantment, that would explain why he kept smelling her scent even though she was far behind him.

“Damn wench.” He growled.

“You called?” Istra teased appearing next to him, Rin astride Ah-Un right behind her.

“How did I not sense your approach?” he demanded, his voice low.

Istra shrugged. “Magic?” she offered.

“Hn.” He grunted turning back toward the path, stopping when he saw a well up ahead. “This is where we will leave you. The wench’s village is ahead not a mile.”

Istra followed his gaze, taking in the old well and tracing the path she saw beyond it. Letting her gaze run over him momentarily she nodded. “Thank you my lord.” She paused. "I am indebted to you for my life."

“I don’t care.” He growled interrupting her.

Istra frowned her eyes blazing red for a moment, before cooling back into green. “I see, well in that case thank you my lord. I will just say good bye to Rin and then be off.” She tucked one ankle behind the other and bent at the knees in a formal curtsey. He nodded curtly and turned back to looking at the well.

Regretfully, Istra turned back to the little girl she wished she didn’t have to say goodbye to.

“Your leaving us?” Rin asked sliding down off the dragon.

Dropping to her knees in front of the girl, Istra nodded. “Yes Rin, the monk is my reason for being here, but I must thank you for saving me.” She bowed her head to the little girl.

“Will I see you again?” Rin asked tears welling up in her young eyes.

Istra’s heart turned over. “I’m not sure Rin, but I will try to see you again.”

Rin nodded bravely, before throwing her arms around Istra’s neck and crying.

Tenderly rubbing the girl's back Istra closed her eyes. “Rin…” she whispered softly as she stroked the girls dark hair. “Rin…”

Hiccupping the girl leaned back. “Don’t get hurt again Istra.”

Istra smiled wiping the tears off the girls face with the sleeve of her kimono. “I will try. Now you be good for your lord.”

Rin nodded vehemently.

Impulsively, Istra kissed the little girls forehead before standing. “Thank you so much.” She smiled before turning down the path, walking past Sesshomaru without a word.

Inside the cold lord, his beast howled.