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Red Strings of Fate	By : northstar Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Sessh?maru/Rin > Sessh?maru/Rin Views: 11810 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 12
- 13
*Thoughts*
[Character]

~* Chapter 12: Broken Vows *~

[Sesshoumaru]
It took me two days to cleanse the smell of Tergan's blood
from my body. Finally satisfied that my scent was void of all evidence of my
recent blood letting, I returned to Toushi's palace to find that everything was
much the same as I had left it.

Hisai hovered beside Rin's bed, her anxious and agitated movements in stark
contrast to Rin's stillness. I came in, my eyes traveling over Rin's lax form
hungrily. Ignoring the stare of the female youkai, I leaned over to study Rin's
face.
Her bruises were fading. The swelling above her left eye was
retreating, and her busted lips looked almost normal. Her nose was healing
straight, thanks to Hisai's expert setting. But besides the steady rise and
fall of her chest, she did not stir, did not awaken.
Kisika and Hisai had left my fang about her neck, perhaps
fearing to remove it. The significance of its color was not lost to either of
them, but neither spoke of it and I did not broach the subject.
I trailed two fingers down Rin�s cool cheek, seeking after
that tentative connection that had bound us before. There was something, like
the brush of butterfly wings, against my consciousness. Before I could grasp
it, Hisai interrupted my concentration.
�She hasn�t stirred since you left. There are no serious
head wounds to explain why she won�t awaken. I fear-� she paused, considering
the impact of her words.
�I fear that she doesn�t want to return,� Hisai finished at
last.
I said nothing, but removed my hand from Rin�s cheek.
Kisika hurried in, her eyes flitting from me to Hisai.
�Is there a change?� she asked. �I thought I heard voices-�
her eyes came to rest on Rin�s lax form. Her shoulders visibly slumped, and she
turned without a word from the room. Hisai glanced at me, something almost
hostile about her eyes, then went after the snake
youkai.
I looked over at Rin, unruffled by the maid�s spite. Never
before had I seen her this still. Always before, she
had been bubbling with life, constantly in motion, if only for a twitching
finger or foot.
Of its own accord my hand strayed to her cheek again. Like a
river my consciousness sought out our bond again, coursing down this new
channel that lay before it. From her end there was no reply, no flicker of
recognition. Firmly I pressed my palm to her cheek, hoping the extra skin
contact would deepen my awareness of her.
There was a sound behind me, and Lord Toushi entered the
room. Reluctantly I removed my hand from Rin, hiding the movement from him with
the solidity of my body. I turned to him, my stance on guard and subtly
threatening.
He eyed me warily, but dared to approach the bed. He shot me
another unfriendly look, probably hoping that I would excuse myself.
I sneered. As if I would leave Rin in the company of a male
who was incapable of protecting her.
Hisai slipped inside as Lord Toushi and I stood staring each
other down. One look from her had me backing down, taking my seat upon the
solid chest. I fought the urge to grumble, feeling all of eleven again, as if I
had been scolded and sent to the corner.
My eyes were twin sparks of maliciousness that followed his
every move. But he ignored the warning, not understanding that I had killed
mortals with far less provocation. The only thing that kept me in check was
Hisai�s presence in the room. Slowly, as if scenting danger, I turned my gaze
to her. Golden eyes met silver flecked gray.
Clearly, she was not happy with me. And like brief little
sparks of static electricity, her power played along the edge of my senses. She
had my full attention now, and I no longer clung to the illusion that she was a
mere youkai.
�What are you?� I growled in threat, not liking the fact
that she was so close to Rin.
�A higher rank than you,� she replied tartly. �But I will
not harm your Rin.� She waved her hand in front of my face impatiently, and the
edge of my thoughts began to fade, fuzzing out that which had just taken place.
A movement from Lord Toushi caught my eye. His hand was
descending upon Rin�s forehead.
Before I could react or think, my
clawed hand was encircling his wrist. I pressed the claw on my thumb against
the pulse in the underside of his wrist, making sure he felt the threat there.
Should I use my venom now, he would die in a matter of seconds as it invaded
his bloodstream.
His eyes flickered from my hold on him to meet my gaze.
�Unhand me,� he told me quietly, an edge to his voice.
�Only if you will refrain from touching Rin,� I countered
coldly.
He pulled his wrist from my grasp. I took his silence as
compliance, allowing him to go free. He did not reach for Rin again, but
neither did he leave. Instead he lingered at her bedside, his concern for her
written plainly across his face.
Abruptly I wanted to smash his face, the urge to wipe that
expression from his face greater than my control. The oppressive presence of
Hisai was the only thing that held me in check. So I sought to do with words
what I could not do with physical violence.
�The engagement is off,� I told him. �I will be removing Rin
from your care as soon as she is fit to be transported.�
He looked stricken, but not defeated. �Lady Kisika said that
you renounced all claim you had on Rin-san.�
I pinned him with a cold blooded stare.
�In light of recent events, I have decided to resume all
responsibility for her,� I paused, giving him a scornful once over with my
eyes. �I shall accept the failure to protect her as fully mine. After all, I
was wrong to leave her in such fallible, human hands.�
�Its as much my failing as Lord
Toushi�s,� Kisika injected from the doorway, her voice subdued.
I shot her a discerning glance, considering her position, then shook my head. �No, you are innocent of blame. From the
beginning you have always put Rin�s welfare first.�
My eyes softened, minutely. �I regret that I must break my
word to you, but circumstances have changed.�
Her spine stiffened in defiance, but she said nothing to
gainsay me. She nodded, once, accepting my order not as cousin to cousin, but
lord to subject. She bowed from the waist up, to the exactly correct degree.
�I will continue to serve you to the best of my capacity,�
she said curtly, renewing her pledge of obedience to me.
Satisfied with the conclusion of that discussion, I turned
back to Toushi. �Nothing else of our agreement changes.
The dowry is yours to keep. As for the alliance, I will abide by it for as long
as Rin lives.�
Lord Toushi stiffened much like Kisika had, his face looking
like he had smelled something foul. �I need neither your money nor your help.
Rin-san�s hand in marriage is the only thing I require.�
Hisai spoke up unexpectedly from her chair by the bed. �Do
you really think your nobles will accept her after her honor has been
besmirched?� she asked Toushi.
His chin came up. �It doesn�t matter to me.�
Hisai gave a cruel chuckle. �Ah, but it is not you who will
live with that taint. It is not you who will turn around, only to have the
million whispers behind your back fall silent.� She cocked her head. �Would you
really wish that on Rin-chan?�
�I could protect her from that,� he stated, but there was
uncertainty in his tone.
�No, you couldn�t,� she said with finality. �You cannot
marry her.�
He sputtered, but underneath his outrage was
the beginnings of acceptance. �Why not?� he shot back.
�Her voice lowered as
she revealed her secret. �Because Rin-chan will never bear
you children. And as a lord, you will need to sire an heir.�
Lord Toushi�s glance lashed across Hisai�s face. �Do you say
that as her healer, or are you a mystic now too?� he asked sarcastically.
Hisai turned her strange colored eyes to him, and I was
elated to see that it had the same quelling effect on Toushi as it had had on
me. She stared deeply into his dark eyes, and something passed between the two.
�There is a small village a day�s ride east of your stronghold.
The village leader is very old and very wise. His only daughter has tended to
him these many years, and has inherited much of her father�s wisdom. Go and
seek her out, for she will be the mother of your children,� Hisai stated
firmly, her glare boring into Toushi.
He chuckled nervously. �Shouldn�t you say that in rhyme and
riddle?�
Hisai gave a laugh that was at once joyous and frightening.
�Had you have asked for a prophesy, it would have come
packaged that way. That, my dear boy, is merely my advise
to you.�
Toushi shivered twice, violently. The word of a goddess was
something not to be taken lightly, even if all of us, including me, were
ignorant of what she was. My demonic fury, twinned with the goddess�s
underlying order, were enough to break Toushi�s will. Mortal that he was, he
could not resist, though he tried as his body began to move to the door of its
own will.
Kisika broke the spell with a gentle hand on his arm.
Linking her arm in the crook of his elbow, she bent over and whispered in his ear
for several seconds. His drooping shoulders straightened, and his chin resumed
its proud angle. As one they turned back towards me, both their gazes
unfriendly to the point of hostility.
�Lord Toushi will keep Rin-chan�s dowry as a peace offering
between you, to show that the break in the engagement was mutual. As for the
alliance, I will serve in your stead, for the length of Rin-chan�s life,�
Kisika spoke for both of them, preventing a rebellion against me that I would
have welcomed.
I stood silent for a long moment. At last I nodded. �Very well.�
I turned to leave, having accomplished the dissolution of
Rin�s engagement. Rin would heal fine under Hisai�s and Kisika�s hand, and I
still had Tergan�s helpers to track down.
�Where are you going?� Hisai asked sharply.
�To kill the rest of my enemies,� I answered shortly.
The gray eyes became stormy. �And if Rin needs you here?�
she asked with a cocked eyebrow.
No easy answer came to mind. I sank into turmoil, my care
for Rin combating my need to eliminate those who would aid her rapist.
�I will do it,� Toushi declared into the heavy silence.
�No,� I hissed instantly. The fragile peace between us
dissolved. �I won�t allow it.�
�Leave it to me,� Kisika said quietly.
Toushi and I protested, but she held up a clawed hand.
�My fianc�, Inukuso, is best suited for this task.� Kisika
shot Toushi a challenging look that had him backing down. Then she turned to
me, and her voice was low, so only I could hear.
�You know he is trained in the shadow arts. It will raise no
fuss when your enemies simply disappear. As a full inu youkai, he is better
able to accomplish this. Will you not let him be your hand for you, so that you
might remain here by Rin�s side?�
I looked down into her yellow, pleading eyes, and felt
myself giving in. As much as my youkai nature screamed for blood, my dog side
was staunchly loyal and did not wish to leave the injured Rin.
�Because I broke my word to you, I will allow you this,� I
told her.
Much of the strain in her face melted away, and the affectionate
glance she shot me was the first since the incident with Rin in my bedroom.
Using her linked arm to guide Toushi out of room, she
engaged him in mindless conversation, giving him no time to protest his removal
from the chamber.
Hisai gave a capricious yawn, stretching emphatically. �I
haven�t slept for days,� she whined like a young girl. �I think I will find
some place to catch a couple hours.�
Her movements were energetic and light, as if everything had
gone exactly the way she wanted it to. She did not look sleepy and tired, but
rather refreshed and in a playful mood.
She pranced to the door. �Take care of her for me, k?� She
shot me a wink, then shut the door behind her.
Stunned by her odd behavior, it was several seconds before I
realized I was alone with Rin. Drawn by some invisible hand, I came to stand
beside the bed, studying the brave girl child who suddenly meant so much to me.
I sat on the mattress, my movement more a crumpling of my legs than anything
graceful. I hesitated a moment, then gave into the urge that had been plaguing
me since I set eyes on her.
Ever so gently, I brushed my lips across hers, relearning
the taste of her. With my hand I brought a lock of her hair up to my nose and
smelled it, relearning the scent of her. A broken sob sliced through the air,
and I realized it had come from me. Wearily I rested my forehead against hers,
allowing the three salty tears from my eyes to fall onto her pale cheeks.
With no anger to hide behind, sorrow had rushed in thick and
deep. How could she have bourn all that pain? She was a simple human child,
with none of a youkai�s resiliency and healing powers. Yet she had fought, had
struggled despite the fact that she would lose against her stronger opponent.
What strength of spirit had so possessed this fragile creature that she had
refused to give up even when her protectors had deserted her?
*My fault�* a treacherous little voice whispered.
I had failed in my guardianship. I had caused her this pain,
by allowing it to happen to her. While the sorrow cut through my soul swift and
cleanly, the guilt lingered, rotting away my sense of pride and honor.
Yet that which hurt deepest was not my own self doubt. It
was the underlying doubt I had sensed from Rin as she lay
writing in pain. I was shocked and horrified by how much her trust in me had
eroded away in only a few short months. Had I really hurt her that badly? Again
I reached for the bond, seeking to assess her emotional state, but there was no
answer. Helpless to do anything else, I called out to her.
�Return to me, Rin,� I whispered, her name falling from my
lips like a treasured jewel. I looked for a reaction, but there was no change.
Rin remained out of my reach.

[Author�s notes]
So a little more angst to go with the
story. But don�t worry, Rin does wake up. A little
note on the bond. They can share strong emotions and impressions, so,
for instance, if she was in trouble, he would sense it. If he was very angry,
she would sense it. During sex, well�lets just say
that �shared� passion is really shared. I suppose they could learn to ignore
the feelings of the other with practice, but then, why would they want to do
that?
One more thing. If you like the
story, leave a review. I really like them. My muse really likes them. So for
all of you who haven�t, do so. For all of you who
have, thank you thank you thank you.
Annie mea: In the story, Sess and Rin haven�t had sex yet.
�In the garden� is a side lemon that takes place with the same characters, same
setting, but is not a part of the story. When Tergan rapes Rin, she was a
virgin.
- 12
- 13
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Red Strings of Fate