The Life After

6/25/06

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: I'm really sorry about this chapter, but I had a revelation this morning and had to write it down....it just felt like it needed to happen. I appologize for this chapter being so short, still I hope you will enjoy it. Thanks again to all my fans.

Thanks: Thanks to inkheart6 for lying about my really awful chapter. Thanks to Sorceressofthenight for being so amazingly kind about the terrible writing in it. And thanks to Lisa for all the nice things said. ^.^ I really appreciate all my reviews, and hope that you are not to terribly upset with my plot twist...but to keep this story going...it needed one. lol. Also, I suppose I lied earlier when I said that this was going to "tie things together" . . . it kinda doesn't. Anyway: ENJOY! ^.^

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The servants had snuck back into the castle after dawn. They were terrified, knowing that they had completely disobeyed what the great dog demon lord had told them. Jakken, too, sulked back in, shivering with fear. He suddenly wished that he had faced Lord Sesshoumaru's previous anger, instead of adding to it. However, all were amazed to find that Sesshoumaru did not come barreling down to yell at, or perhaps even kill them. Nor did he show up for breakfast. As lunch began to sneak by, the women in the kitchens urged Jakken to go see that their lord was alright. “Why me?” he whined, but knew that the humans would not possibly survive an encounter with the lord if he was too angry to come to meals. Jakken slowly crawled up the stairs, dragging his staff sadly behind him.


Rin and Sesshoumaru were peacefully asleep in their bed, lost in that deep sleep that comes after a great revelation of love. Neither had stirred for hours, and Sesshoumaru's hand had never left her waist. She cuddled softly to his chest. Sesshoumaru sat up quickly, all of a sudden, careful not to wake Rin. His eyes had locked on the slowly opening door. His upper lip curled, baring his sharp teeth. What fiend dared to enter his room unannounced? As Jakken's scent hit him, his eyes widened. He stared down helplessly at Rin, then threw the blanket over her head just as Jakken entered the room. Rin slowly opened her eyes at the sudden movement. Why was there a blanket over her head?

The frogish creature slowly looked up at his lord, and whispered, “Forgive me, my Lord. The mortals wondered why you weren't at breakfast or lunch?” Rin gasped, covering her mouth to hide the sound. She suddenly realized the danger this posed on Sesshoumaru's domain. If Jakken found out about them, he would surely spread the news in pure shock, if nothing else. And if the women of the castle found out that he was with Rin, they would think he had gone soft. This news would instantly spread through his subjects, and soon there would be all number of demons threatening to overthrow the lord that they thought soft. She lay down as flat as she could amongst the sheets.

Sesshoumaru did not flinch, but said stoically, “Perhaps I wonder why my so-called loyal servants left the castle and abandoned me.”

“I'm soooo sorry, m'lord!” Jakken fell to the ground, his staff laid out in front of him, “I was merely trying to collect the daily scrolls from your subjects.”

“Do they not send their scrolls every morning? Why would you need to collect them? Besides, the women have no right to disobey me.”

“Oh, m'lord! I just was scared that you were angry last night! I did not want to be in the range of your fury! Please forgive me! Even Lady Rin is missing, this morning. She traveled off alone,” Jakken tried to find an excuse for his actions, crying.

“How was Rin supposed to travel with a companion, when everyone in the castle was gone?” Sesshoumaru growled, clearly ready to berate the lesser demon, but Rin's hand suddenly touched his knee caressingly. He sighed silently, “Leave me, Jakken.”

“You do not wish to punish me?” he looked up hopefully.

“Leave,” Sesshoumaru said more fiercely.

Jakken bowed again, “Oh, thank you, my lord! You will not regret this!” instantly Jakken was at the door. He turned once more to thank the taiyokai, but something caught his eye, “M'lord? Is something wrong with your sheets?”

Sesshoumaru had lost his patience,” LEAVE!” he growled, eyes flaming. The door quickly slammed shut, and Jakken's feet receded.

Rin sat up from the covers, kissing Sesshoumaru gently. “Thank you,” she whispered into his lips. Then she went stumbling into his pillows. Sesshoumaru was gone. She looked around the room, but he had clearly disappeared. She could have sworn she had heard him say something, before he left. It had sounded like: “Jakken.”


Sesshoumaru had been glad that he had pleased Rin in his decision not to harm the small demon. He certainly didn't mind being rewarded with a kiss. However, just as her lips met his, the door had slid open a crack, only to slide shut a second later. He had seen Jakken's eye peering up at them.

Of course he had taken off after the creature. He could not let this news spread, and Jakken was sure to blab if he wasn't immediately punished. Sesshoumaru appeared before the demon on the lower floor. Jakken's eyes were wide, “M'lord! I saw nothing! Nothing!!!”

Sesshoumaru's claws lifted Jakken by his neck. Green poison danced across his hand, threateningly close to Jakken's head. “She had a nightmare, Jakken. Nothing more. It is exactly like when she was a child. Do you understand? NO ONE is to know about this,” he hissed.

“Y-yes, m'lord!” Jakken whimpered, trying helplessly to escape his lord's grasp.

The taiyokai threw Jakken to the floor, “If you disobey me, again. I will kill you.” Then he was gone, leaving Jakken sobbing miserably into the floorboards.


Rin was completely at a loss as to why her lord…no, her lover, had left her. Still she shrugged it off, sitting up to wait for his return. At long last the door slid open, but the sight was not the comforting form of Sesshoumaru. It was a small human form. Her head was bowed as she said, “My lord, forgive me for intruding, but I-” she had looked up to find Rin and not the dog demon in the bed. She had gasped, slowly backing up, “Lady Rin?”

“Please,” she begged the woman, “You cannot…” Suddenly Sesshoumaru appeared in the center of the room. Rin choked on her words.

Sesshoumaru was facing Rin, and he walked to the edge of the bed, pulling her into his embrace, “Forgive me, my Rin. Jakken had to be punished. If news of us spread I would lose all respect of my subjects.”

“My lord,” Rin whimpered helplessly.

“No, I am greatly sorry,” he sighed, “and I asked you not to call me lord, anymore.”

“But, Lord Sesshoumaru, I-” but his lips were once again pressed against hers, and she could not bring herself to argue.

Then came the crash, as the maid tripped over her own feet in an attempt to leave. Sesshoumaru whirled around, growling madly. The maid managed to stand up and raced out of the hall. Sesshoumaru quickly appeared in front of her, “Fool!” he cried, “Now die.”

Rin raced out of the room, throwing her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist, “Please, Sesshoumaru! Please, don't kill her! I beg of you! She won't tell! I promise! Please! Please!” she cried into his still bare chest, as he had only pulled on his hakama. She, herself, had nothing but one of his blankets wrapped around her.

“Rin, I cannot let her live,” he had carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, afraid that his fury would cause him to injure her.

“No, no! Sesshoumaru, please! You must not kill her! If only for me! Do not kill this human!” Rin shook her head furiously against his chest.

“Rin…,” he started, but her sobs only grew louder. He gulped, then turned to the shivering maid, “Leave. Leave my castle and do not return. I never want another human from your village to come here. Nothing more than the news. Now leave and do not speak with anyone on your way out.”

“Thank you, m'lord,” she gasped, then quickly raced off for fear that he might change his mind.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she turned her tear-stained face towards him.

“Rin,” he pulled out of her embrace, “Rin, you have ruined me. This news will spread.”

“No, she said she wouldn't tell. She promised,” Rin argued.

“I just showed kindness. I, Lord Sesshoumaru, am not kind.”

“Of course you are! You are amazingly kind!”

“She will tell. They will all know, and no one will fear me. I have just lost my entire domain for a human girl!” he held his head in his hands, looking terribly shaken up.

“Sesshoumaru, you must understand, I had no choice, but to…,” she started, reaching her arms out towards him.

“No, Rin. It is over. I am done for,” he turned towards his room.

“Sesshoumaru…”

“That is LORD Sesshoumaru.”

Rin fell to the ground, as his door shut in her face. She couldn't cease the flow of tears. She had never meant to ruin him, but how could he dismiss her so easily? After all they had been through? She could not lift her hollow form from the floor. She could not stop crying and calling out his name, “Sesshoumaru!” she whimpered over and over, but there was no reply.


From the top of the first floor stairs, the maid peeked carefully up at them, “I am sorry, Lady Rin. . . but this news must be shared.” The human descended the stairs towards her room. She still had to pack her things.