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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
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
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*Thoughts*

[Character]

{Warning: Lime content}

~* Chapter 3: Bath Encounter *~

[Sesshoumaru]

I watched the last cart full of guests make its way up the palace road, and
wished that I was back upon the forest trails, with only an ugly toad and an
impish girl-pup for company.

It had taken a year to prepare the palace and Rin for the summer to come. A
rumble of irritation started low in my throat and I suppressed my impatience
for this whole business to be over with. Beside me, Jaken muttered to himself,
sorting out last minute details in his head. The toad had been surprisingly
helpful in preparing the household for full summer court and between him and Kisika, the guests were being settled in their respective
suites without a hitch.

Turning my back on the busy swarm of servants in the courtyard, I strode
through my private suite into the garden of my childhood. My sharp eyes scanned
the foliage, noticing the careful trimming that gave it an overall look of a
hidden wild glen. Once, it had been well tended, but years of neglect had
transformed the charm of rigid order into one of peaceful naturalness that
appealed to my reclusive nature. In the center, the tiled bathing pool had been
restored to its former glory. At one end, fresh water bubbled into the pool,
quietly singing as it rippled over speckled, rounded river rocks.

Experimentally I dipped my fingers into the water, pleased to find it heated to
a temperature that could melt the muscles off of a fire demon. Suddenly I felt
dirty and travel worn. A relaxing bath before tonight's formal dinner was just
the thing to put me in a better mood. Spotting a towel and robe stacked neatly
on a flat rock by the rim of the pool, I silently praised Kisika for her
thoughtfulness.

I discarded my robes on the rock, slipping with a moan of pleasure into the
waiting water. Ducking below the surface, I wallowed along the bottom, letting
the heat work its wonders on my knotted muscles. Finally I burst through the
surface, unable to hold my breath a moment longer.

Sensing movement behind me, I turned to find a young girl dressed nothing more
than a short kimono. Her eyes were fastened on my naked form as if she had
never seen a man naked before. She stood stock still on the path as if she
didn't know whether to flee or present herself. Awkwardly she bowed to me, her
body language radiating her shock at finding the garden occupied.

Irritated at her invasion, I thought about dragging her to Kisika for
punishment. But then her scent reached me and I paused, inhaling the refreshing
scent of crushed wildflowers. Inspecting her closer, I noticed that she bore a
striking resemblance to the Rin in my memories. Nostalgia crept into my mood,
blunting the edge of the dark humor I had been in for days.

*She may be nothing more than a kitchen drudge shirking her duties* I thought
to myself, *but more than likely she can wash hair as good as the next
servant.*

Trying to make my face appear non-threatening, I beckoned her to me.

"Come," I commanded and when she shuffled forward, I thrust the soap
into her slack hands. Comprehension lighted in her eyes, and if anything, her
unease increased.

"Wash my hair," I bid her, then turned my
back so that she could reach my silvery mane.

It took her several seconds to comply, and her timid hands in my hair increased
my discomfort to a level that matched hers, shredding my rare moment of good
humor to pieces.

"Do it right, or fetch someone who can," I snapped viciously and
instantly regretted my harsh tone. The shocked hurt in her eyes echoed deeper
in my being than it should have, and I sought some kind of middle ground.

"Come, try again," I prompted her without rage, settling into the
pool.

This time her hands were more sure, lifting the heavy
tresses away from my nape and massaging soap into the length of it. Soothing
fingers, delicate at first touch, roamed my scalp. Fighting the urge to sigh, I
let my breath escape in a silent hiss of pleasure.

I didn't question the fragile trust that allowed me to close my eyes and let
down my guard. The scent of wildflowers surrounded me, mingling with the
earthy, wet smells of the garden. The other tensions that haunted me vanished,
leaving me lax and empty minded

When her administrations ceased, I turned.

"Now my back," I ordered, reluctant to give up the pleasure of her
hands.

She hesitated, and I saw the protest die on her lips. She could not turn down
the lord of the palace. Obediently she swept my damp mane over my left
shoulder. She stalled, fussing with the soap. She eyed me, and I fixed my gaze
on the far side of the pool, sensing that she was very close to balking.

The moment that I anticipated her touch passed, so when cool palms eased up my
spine, it went through me like a shock. Unbidden, lust curled deep within me.
As her fingers glided over my soap slickened skin, I fought for control of my
response.

She paused, her thumbs working at a particularly stubborn knot. Despite my best
efforts, I felt myself growing hard.

It had been a very long time since I had responded to any female, and suddenly
here was one I could have if I wished. With the added frustrations and
headaches of court, a female in my bed would go a long way to easing my black
temper. That she was human was regrettable, but there were ways to prevent any
further complications.

I studied her out of the corner of my eye, liking the way her body was healthy
and young, slender and well along the path to becoming a fully developed,
womanly figure. That I lusted after a girl that bore a strong resemblance to
Rin was not something I wished to examine closely.

*I must be more like my father than I thought* I mused darkly, self deprecation
rising in a wave through me.

The girl rocked back on her heels, preparing to leave. Unable to stop myself, I
caught one of her wrists.

"The kitchens will make do with one less," I began, my eyes already
straying to her cleavage as the kimono gapped open in the front.

Puzzlement flitted across her features.

"Join me." I emphasized my point by thrusting myself into her palm.
Reflexively her fingers curled around me, sending a shudder of excitement
through me.

Her dark eyes grew as round as coins, a furious blush darkening her pale skin.
Taken aback, I allowed her to pull her wrist free. Remembering herself, she
bowed quickly and fled as if rabid hounds dogged her steps.

I stayed behind in the pool, brooding over the incident.

*Could it be that she was a maiden?* I wondered to myself. *At that age, as a
kitchen drudge, surely she couldn't be...*

Absently I soaped and rinsed, troubled by a nagging
fear I could not name.

I soaked in the water a few moments longer, then briskly toweled off and
dressed in the robe. It was several inches shorter than I expected, as if meant
for someone else. Since I had never submitted to measurements for new clothes,
I supposed the oversight was forgivable.

Hastening into my rooms, I called for Jaken. I tucked the matter of the girl
away for later contemplation, my mind already busy with the important business
of tonight.

[Rin]

Hisai, my moth youkai maid, eyed me suspiciously and my cheeks, pink from a
hasty scrubbing, flamed anew.

"Something happened," she stated assuredly, her eyes narrowing.

Knowing that she would not give up until she found out, I quickly amended the
story into something that would appease her.

"A strange man, maybe one of the guests, saw me in my bathing
kimono," I admitted in a rush.

"And what were you doing outside of the garden?" Hisai wanted to
know.

"There wasn't enough soap left," I hedged, butchering the truth.
Technically, there had been little soap left after Sesshoumaru-sama finished
his bath. "Usually there is no one about in this wing," I tried to
pacify her.

Her dark expression lessened to exasperation. "You aren't a woodland child
to go running around scantily clad anymore. You are a young lady now, with
respectability to think about."

I had the grace to look abashsed, secretly relieved she wasn't going to make a
big deal out of the issue.

"Do you remember what he looked like?" she persisted.

"Not really."

She sniffed. "Whoever it was probably thought you were
just a servant anyways. Still, I should report this to Lady
Kisika."

I opened my mouth, intent on dissuading her from telling, but Kisa-sama
appeared in the doorway.

"Report what?" She asked.

Hisai told her. I watched her face, gauging the severity of her anger. When she
gazed at me, it was more calculating than heated. She locked eyes with Hisai,
ignoring me for the moment.

"I doubt any harm was done. But it would not do for rumor to spread that
Lady Rin frolics the halls naked."

"I was not naked!" I added huffily, but the reality sunk in. If
Sesshoumaru-sama ever found out that I had been the one he had made an indecent
proposal to, there would be hell to pay.

"He was a youkai, I think," I offered, looking to Kisa-sama to solve
the problem.

She looked thoughtful. "Hisai, do you still have that musk of rose?"

The moth demon turned to the collection of bottles on top of the dresser.

"Here, my lady," she offered, holding the bottle gingerly between
finger and thumb.

Kisa-sama took it from her, opened the bottle, and allowed the strong scent to
permeate the room. A sly smile lit her lips, and Hisai echoed it, understanding
the direction of her lady's thoughts. Me, I didn't get it and stared at both of
them, at a loss.

"Humans have pitifully poor noses," Kisa-sama began. "With this,
we can mask your body scent. And it will keep the youkai at bay."

"What about my face?" I asked worriedly.

Hisai snickered. "With a touch of make up, fine clothes, and an elaborate
hairstyle, no one is going to connect you to the scruffy creature I found this
afternoon. Trust me, in that outfit, your face is the last thing a man is going
to remember."

My cheeks flushed red, and I remembered the heavy, languorous look
Sesshoumaru-sama had given me.

"I'm off to attend to last details. Make sure you are ready in time for
Lord Sesshoumaru to present you at dinner," Kisa-sama called back as she
disappeared.

Hisai fingered my damp locks. "Sit there child, this is going to take a
while."

I took the seat she offered, dreading the several hours of preparation that
were in store for me. My eyes drifted close, shutting out Hisai's image and
replacing it with the bare magnificence of Sesshoumaru-sama's. My sigh spoke
volumes, and Hisai's mouth rose in a secret smile that no one caught.

[Sesshoumaru]

In the privacy of the foyer, I paced impatiently and ignored Jaken's ceaseless
chiding. My formal robes swished silently with each pivot. Even though they
were stiff and uncomfortable, I wore them with the effortlessness of long
familiarity.

*Where were Rin and Kisika?* I grumped. This would be the first time I had seen
Rin in over a year, and doubt, anticipation, and longing whirled their way
through my insides.

*Had she missed me? What if she hated me? Or worse, what if she had forgotten
me?*

My growl did nothing to stem the flow of frivolous
concerns that plagued me. The rumble in my throat became audible, and Jaken
eyed me fearfully, taking an involuntary step back. I thought about abusing
him, but the sound of soft foot falls stilled that notion.

Then the doors to my right were opening and I turned to confront my Rin.

Kisika, in her robes of burgundy and blood red, was a striking and deadly
beauty.

Rin, with her hair pulled back from her eyes, was wrapped a cloud of gauze that
was the palest peach. A slight blush on her cheeks matched the robes, her face
artfully done in a mix of innocence and temptation. Rosy lips pursed in the
smallest of smiles, skin as sleek as silk and flawless as diamond set off dark,
unfathomable eyes that were liquidus and heavy.

I looked closely for a glimmer of the Rin I had known, searching her eyes and
her lips for signs of that one smile that had stayed with me persistently
through the cold months. Her eyes remained stubbornly down cast and her cheeks
warmed with more of a blush.

Whether her shyness was an act or real, it suited her. She appeared as exotic
and fragile as a butterfly, bereft of a flower to call home. My mouth quirked
into a twisted smile of appreciation and I stepped forward to gather Rin's hand
in mine. All this beauty, and I was about to put it up for grabs.

Behind me, Jaken expounded profusely on Kisika's elegance and grace,
complementing her on her clothing and hair style.

I said nothing, praising Rin only with my eyes. Perhaps she sensed something
from my silence, for her eyes fluttered up to meet mine. The mirage of the
sleek young woman fell away, and I saw the confusion, hurt, and insecurities
hidden behind that mask. The same neglected orphan peeked out, but deeper than
the old wounds, I saw new ones. The new ones that only I
could have caused.

Words came to mind, then died before I spoke them. For
Rin had caught on to my admiration of her, and a hesitant smile, a shadow of
the one I remembered, cleared away all lingering ghosts from her countenance.

Closing the gap between us, I caught a whiff of her scent. And
decided that breathing was not an option. To a nose as sensitive as
mine, it screamed feminine promiscuity. A headache started to throb at my
temple. Gritting my teeth, I said nothing to Rin, making a mental note to talk
to Kisika about the scent later.

"Are you still wearing my fang?" I asked her suddenly, dreading
already the male attention I would have to keep at bay.

Her free hand came up to touch something hidden beneath the wealth of peach cloth.

"Yes," she confirmed.

The knot in my gut eased a tiny bit. Tucking her hand into my arm, I lead her
into the great hall, flanked by Kisika and Jaken.

[Sesshoumaru]

Later that night I cornered Kisika, several things weighing on my mind. Over
tea, she told me of Rin's progress, of the year I had missed.

I sat on the edge of the porch, listening quietly until she trailed off into
silence.

We sat there for many moments, enjoying the tea and each other's company. At
last I ventured a casual question towards the kitchen drudge's presence in my
garden. Kisika did not answer immediately, but I could tell something connected
in her mind by the way she carefully phrased her answer.

"There have been many girls about Rin's age coming and going all
afternoon," she said at last. "I have made Rin's rooms off limits to
all males, so our younger female servants have been kept busy delivering
presents all day. Rin's rooms are off of the same garden yours are. It is not
impossible that one of them slipped out there to escape work."

Kisika eyed me, her look shrewd. "Why, did you wish me to track down the
delinquent and punish her?"

I hid behind my stoic mask and my voice was conversational as I replied.
"If you do find out who it was, send her to me."

Humor glinted in Kisika's eyes, though the reason eluded me. "If I find
her, I will do that."

Another thought occurred to me. "Must you lather Rin in that scent?"

Kisika smiled devilishly. "Humans have very poor noses. For them to even
notice that she wears a scent at all, it must be that strong."

Further protest died in my throat and I subsided with a grumble. We sat a while
longer, then Kisika retired to her rooms, leaving me
to my thoughts.

The dinner had gone well, with human and youkai alike praising the food, the
beauty of my ward, and the hospitality of the dog demon clan.

Rin, to her credit, had played her part flawlessly, visiting amiably with those
at her side. During the length of the dinner I had already noticed a couple
suitors with a keen interest in her.

*And why shouldn't they?* I thought. She was beautiful, with a generous dowry
and an offered alliance with myself for the duration
of her lifetime.

A turbulent twisting of dark emotion pawed at my gut, but I ignored it, knowing
it was completely irrational that I was jealous.

I personally had hand selected each young man and now all that remained was for
Rin to show favor to one. She had until the end of the summer, and with such a
fine display, surely she would be able to find a husband.
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Red Strings of Fate