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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
- 4
- 5
- 6
*Thoughts*

[Character]

~* Chapter 4: Of Boars and False Heroes *~

[Rin]

The day that the Horrible Incident happened started out like any other day that
summer.

Hisai hustled me out of bed before the sun rose so
that she could fix my hair, wrap me in robes, and apply my make up. Behind my
ears she carefully applied a drop of honeysuckle, a scent that clung to me and
was not wholly to my liking, but that didn't offend the youkai
nose.

She assured me repeatedly that it masked my scent perfectly, but only after Kisa-sama inspected and approved it did I consent to
starting the day's activities.

Today a boar hunt was planned, which meant everyone was expected to attend,
including myself and the ladies. Hisai offered to
accompany me in the wagons with the other girls, but I declined, preferring to
ride horse back and forego the cramped, dusty ride. Hisai
seemed disappointed, but elected to stay at the palace instead of board a
horse.

Shortly after we departed the castle, the fiercer youkai,
including Sesshoumaru-sama, peeled off to find more
exciting prey, leaving many of the humans and lesser youkai
behind to hunt tonight's dinner. Kisa-sama elected to
follow Sesshoumaru-sama, the handles of two deadly
twin swords flashing from her back as she rode away.

Jaken, disgruntled to find himself in charge of the
lesser crowd, soon had his hands full with the ladies who were beginning to
fuss.

This was how I escaped notice and was able to join the hunt when the prey was
sighted.

Normally, I would have been content to follow behind, to observe and stay out
of danger as I should. But the strain of hosting parties, of always being the
center of attention, of chatting inanely with the other ladies for hours, was
eating away at my patience. Listening to the boastful tales of strange young
man also tried my endurance. All looked to me for favor, and the falseness of
the bright faces they turned to me was daunting and irritating with my future
depending upon my choice.

*How was I suppose to choose a husband when none of them measured up to Sesshoumaru-sama?*

My fingers curled compulsively over my tingling palm,
and I remembered the terrifying, exciting weight of him in my hand. A visual
image of his naked form swam into view, and I twitched uncomfortably in the
saddle as things low in my belly coiled like restless snakes.

After that first encounter, after that first glimpse of the forbidden, nothing
more had happened. It was exciting at first, running the risk that Sesshoumaru-sama might find out my little secret. I would
lay awake at night, thinking of him, picturing what might have taken place if I
had stayed. The thrill of it never diminished, but the guilty pleasure it
inspired rapidly changed to thoughts of regrets and what might have beens. Even unknown to me, the hidden wish to find out
lurked deep inside of me, biding its time and feeding on my frustrations.

*If he had taken me, then I wouldn't have been fit for marriage. If he couldn't
marry me off, maybe he would have forgotten the whole nonsense and my life
would have resumed its proper course of traveling by his side* I thought
sulkily.

As it was, I saw him day in and day out, achingly close to him, yet separated
always by miles of people, servants, and emotional void. It was torment to be
near him, because I knew I could not reach out and touch him.

My mount stumbled, and I snapped out of my revere. By now, my horse had slowed
to a walk, and the hunting party was no where to be found. Up ahead, I heard
shouts and commotion. Guessing accurately that that was where the rest of the
party had gone, I followed the noises in time to witness the kill.

Ahead of me, a lone man crouched in plain sight, the wound on his upper thigh
obvious. Bearing down on him was an angry male boar, its tusks already slick
with the man's blood. There was no time to cry out, no time to turn my head
away. I watched in horror as the boar closed the distance between them.
Suddenly there was a flash of color, and amazingly, the boar was slain, its
momentum impaling it upon the spear the page had braced against the ground.
With a mighty heave, the boy toppled the boar onto its side. Immediately he
flew to his master's side, offering the fallen man a hand up.

Instead of taking the boy's hand, the man cuffed him soundly, staggering to his
feet with one hand clamped to his leg wound. Slowly the boy stood, and the man
proceeded to rage at him, ending the tirade by knocking down the boy once
again.

I watched, not comprehending, then anger began to
build in my mind.

*How dare he strike the boy after the boy risked his life to save him!* I urged
my horse forward, intent on taking some action against the man.

Hearing me approach, he whirled, his face showing his shock at seeing me there.
The ugly lines of rage melted into a coy smile and he bowed to me with a
flourish, brandishing the spear he had plucked from the boar.

"For my lady," he dedicated the kill to me, his tone faintly mocking.

I opened my mouth to berate him, but the pleading eyes of the boy met mine,
stilling my angry words.

Seconds passed in heavy silence, then the rest of the
party goers joined us, converging on us like a riotous tide.

I clamped my mouth shut as the man-a Lord Tergan-was
hailed as a hero for saving the boy from the boar and being tragically injured
in the process. One of the mounted servants offered his horse to the man, and I
found myself riding beside him, hemmed in on all sides by the celebrating
crowd.

We traveled like this, parading to the meadow where the ladies waited under
canvas tents for the return of the hunt. Finally, I was able to escape Lord Tergan's shrewd eyes and slick remarks.

Ensconced once again among my ladies, I was comforted and pampered. One patted
my hand while another wiped my brow with rose water. They cooed and gasped as I
was asked to tell the story of the kill.

Unable to praise such a false deed, I faked a faint, claiming that I needed to
retire before dinner. Two of the ladies obliged in escorting me back to the
palace, delivering me into Hisai's care.

Immediately I retold the story to Hisai, fuming over
the blatant misuse of power.

She shushed me, assuring me that she believed me.

"It would not do for you to embarrass one of Lord Sesshoumaru's
guests. When Lady Kisika returns, we will tell her
and take her advice. For now, please let this pass. A week from now, it will
not be so great of a thing and will surely be forgotten."

Hisai, ever the logical one, thwarted my righteous
intentions.

"Sesshoumaru-sama and Kisa-sama
haven't returned yet?" I asked.

"No child," Hisai answered, her brow
wrinkled in worry. "They may not return for several days."

I studied my maid, noting her somber expression. "Why does that worry
you?"

She paused, weighed her words. "Should a fight erupt now, Jaken would not be able to control it. His threat is only
as good as Lord Sesshoumaru's backing. With both the
lord and lady out, it will be a fragile peace at best."

Her eyes locked with mine. "That is why you must not say or do anything
about the truth right now."

Mulling over this new insight, I nodded silently.

[Rin]

At dinner that night, the main course was boar. All ran smoothly until someone
proposed a toast to Lord Tergan. Disgusted, I lifted
my glass half heartedly and endured a dramatic retelling of kill in silence.

Through it all, Tergan smiled smugly, eying me across
the tables. "How fortunate it was that I killed the boar before it could
scare Lady Rin's horse," he commented loudly,
standing up and sweeping me a mock bow.

Those at the table cheered, draining their wine and demanding more. From the
end of the table, someone suggested that Lord Tergan
receive a hero's reward. It was met with cheering, and Jaken,
drunk by now, perked up.

"Yes, hail our hero, Lord Tergan,"
he toasted rather sloppily, spilling the wine. "Name a reward, my
lord."

Tergald held up his hands, and everyone grew silent,
their attention on him. His eyes latched onto me, and a horrible sinking
feeling over took my stomach. I was very glad I had eaten sparingly because my
body was threatening to reject even the little bit I had managed to choke down.
The evil intent in his eyes churned my insides and I fought the urge to flee.

"The only thing I wish for is a hero's kiss from my fair lady," he
declared into the quiet.

I rose to my feet, intent on protesting. Jaken,
perhaps sensing my objection, gestured dismissively from where he lounged in
the lord's chair.

"Rin, be a good girl and kiss the hero."

With my stomach rolling in rage, I slammed my hands onto the table, gaining
everyone's attention. Slowly I raised one hand and pointed accusingly at Lord Tergan.

"That man is no hero."

Tergan's suave smile froze on his lips. The mocking
light in his eyes died, becoming cold, flat fury. "Liar," he hissed.

I continued, undaunted. No one was scarier that Sesshoumaru-sama.

"This man fell into the path of the charging boar. Because of his injury,
he could not escape in time, so one of his pages risked his life to save the
life of his master. The boy is the real hero," I finished into the dull
silence.

Tergan's face turned red, then purple, then his
complexion cleared and became over bright, as false as a gilded coin.

"Clearly, the lady is mistaken. Surely her sensibilities are too fragile
to actually have watched the killing." Those around him began to agree
with him, believing him over me.

Jaken nodded, taking Tergan's
side over mine. He turned a stern face to me that in his drunkenness was
pitiful.

"Stop being so fussy and kiss him," Jaken
slurred.

"Rin will be kissing no one," an icy voice
purred from the doorway. Sesshoumaru-sama strode in,
still dressed in his hunting outfit. His spine was stiff, his walk suffused
with the threatening retribution of a dominant wolf.

Immediately Jaken and Tergan clamored for his attention.

"Silence!" he hissed menacingly. They both subsided
immediately, their accusatory glares directed at me.

"Rin."
Sesshoumaru-sama said once, and I stood straighter,
unflinchingly under his cold gaze.

He indicated Lord Tergan. "Do you favor this
man?"

"No," I replied promptly.

Sesshoumaru-sama turned his chilling regard to Tergan. "Begone," he
commanded with finality in his voice.

Tergan choked back his protest, bowed stiffly, and
left. Sesshoumaru-sama's amber eyes swept the room,
pinning them in place. "You all are dismissed," he growled deeply.

His eyes met mine, and I couldn't read the emotions lurking behind his rage. I
trembled slightly with fear, and something else. Still staring into my eyes, he
halted Jaken's attempt to slink away with the crowd.

"Jaken, attend me." He said it quietly, but
the steely edge beneath the calmness raked up my spine with a grating chill.
"Lady Kisika awaits you in your rooms," he
said to me with less malice.

Relief shot through me, and I slipped away, glad for once to leave Sesshoumaru-sama's presence.

[Rin]

When I reached my rooms, Kisa-sama looked tired and
worn. She beckoned me to sit, which I did, and then lectured me for several
moments. There was no heat behind her words, it seemed
rather that she was going through the motions, completing what was required of
her.

"Do you understand?" she asked at length, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes," I confirmed.

She smiled. "Usually you are such a good girl. I would have worried about
you if you hadn't shown some sort of stubbornness eventually. I wish I had been
here to handle it," she said more to herself than me.

Uncertain what I should say, I remained silent.

"I heard the full story from Hisai," she
continued. "You were correct in holding your tongue, and you were correct
in protesting the kiss. It is a grave thing to accuse a man of cowardice
though."

She stood, brushing absently at a dirt stain. "You will be accompanied by Jaken whenever you leave the palace from now on."

Instantly I protested. *Wasn't it Jaken who helped
get me in this mess?*

Kisa-sama quieted me with a finger. "Lord Sesshoumaru is talking to him now. After this, I am sure
you will never find him slacking his duty."

I thought about what it would be like to deal with a furious Sesshoumaru-sama. I gulped and felt sorry for the toad.

Kisa-sama turned me over to Hisai's
care. She was almost out the door before she paused.

"I have told the court that you will be spending three days in seclusion,
thinking over your impertinence."

My face lit with delight and she smiled knowingly at me over her shoulder.

"Use them well, Rin-chan," she bid me, her
tone warm and void of any lingering anger. With that, she was gone.
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Red Strings of Fate