"The End" A sweet Sess/Rin tale.

[Calla Lily]

Okay, this is the first story of mine to be posted here. *deep breath* I hope it goes alright...


Originally written: December 24, 2003
Time: 12:49 pm
Inspiration: My infectious happy mood, the fact that I?ve written this on X-mas Eve? oh, and I suppose I should mention an upcoming wedding anniversary? not mine of course!

Title: The End
Rating: G
Genre: Romance/General
Summary: (one-shot) A sweet Sess/Rin tale. With an heir on the way, Sesshoumaru reflects back on what brought him and Rin together ?Other pairings included.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn?t belong to me and neither does the song ?The End.? The song itself is a classic ballad, the version I know of belongs to Earl Grant; it has a lovely guitar accompaniment.

?Sometimes, the Oldies are the Goodies??

????? denotes song lyrics
????? denotes dialogue



- - -

?The End?






The Lord of the Western Lands, the demon Sesshoumaru, was walking through a lush green meadow with his loyal servant, Jaken, by his side. As usual, the rather unappealing toad blabbered on and on about the usual nonsense? how his Lord Sesshoumaru thought of that half-demon, Inuyasha, that strange girl of his, Kagome, and their other companions. The one-sided conversation even went on to include the false demon, Naraku, whom they?ve only consorted with once or twice. Jaken advised his Lord to not speak with that mysterious creature, if they should ever cross paths again? but that was not likely to happen. Besides, the silver-haired one hadn?t been listening; he never really did. Having the toad constantly at your heels called for selective hearing? he had learned that long ago.

Instead, his eyes were focused on their surroundings, his golden eyes soaking in everything that there was to be seen. The snow-capped mountains in the distance were bathed in golden streaks as the sun crept up from the earth to start a new dew-sprinkled morning. The sky itself was a pale cerulean blue as soft feathery clouds made their way towards the new sun.



?At the end of a rainbow, You'll find a pot of gold.?



The clouds reminded him another object that was white, soft and plush, very similar to a feather boa? Ah, yes, his fluffy tail. How amusing.

?My Lord Sesshoumaru, where is Rin??

The aristocrat slowly turned his head from the sky to let his cold, piercing gaze focus on his assistant. The green one clutched onto his Staff of Skulls until his knuckles were white.

?I do not know. Otherwise, we would not be looking for her? am I correct, Jaken?? The toad merely gulped in reply. It was not so wise to speak about the young girl in his Master?s presence, especially during these past few weeks, considering Rin?s unpredictable behaviour.

Rin.

Lord Sesshoumaru let his gaze wander once again, knowing full well that he should be spending more energy into the search instead of admiring the view, but he couldn?t help it. The deep velvet forests lay at the foot of the mountains, which flowed seamlessly into the grassy meadows that they now stood in. Wild flowers grew without abandon. Something stirred within the Lord, Rin would have loved these flowers and with her delicate fingers, she would gather them up and spin them into elegant wreaths of petals.

Sesshoumaru reminisced on how he had first found his ward, a grim circumstance indeed. She was supposed to die? she did die, and yet, he had brought her back to life with the Tensaiga. Of all the beings ever born, why did it have to be him? Even as he looked back on it now, the fates had given him quite an unusual role in this world, almost as odd as his own half-brother, Inuyasha?s.



?At the end of a story, You?ll find it?s all been told.?



A mild morning breeze blew from the south, causing his hair to waver in front of his face irritatingly. Around him, white dent-de-lions [dandelions] were caught up by the wind and were swept up into the sky, their seeds resembling miniature umbrellas of spun cotton. A pair of golden eyes followed the path they took to the sky, and his eyes fell across a small patch of flattened grass. Raising his chin but a little, he silently indicated to his assistant that they were to walk there.

Lord Sesshoumaru?s ward, the human girl, Rin, had been missing this morning. Her disappearance was completely unexpected and yet, he knew that it would happen sooner or later. It was just time, that?s all.

?Milord, look! There is one of the girl?s flower wreaths.? So, the youkai hadn?t been wrong, the girl had already come across these flowers and made them her own. Scanning the area carefully, he sniffed the air and picked up Rin?s subtle scent. It told him that she had been here only a few hours ago and that her movement was very slow.

Treading with the usual elegance that he inherited from his mother, the Lord of the Western Lands glided through the meadow with Rin?s scent always nearby. The trail she took through the fields was a winding one, stopping at one patch, leaving behind her telltale flowers while in other parts the demon would get the hint that she ran hard and fast for no logical reason at all. But always? there was the reassuring perfume that she was unharmed and untouched.

He finally found her, dozing carelessly under the shady cover of a sakura tree in early bloom. Her hair was coming loose from the intricate plait she had it in last night. He recalled that Rin?s demon handmaidens had forcibly pushed him out of their chambers while they were combing their mistress? silky locks. He arrogantly asked whether she was keeping something from him or not, and in reply he received the young girl?s laugh.

?My Lord, you know I keep nothing from you.? And with that, the handmaidens gave one last push and shoved him out the door but not before he glimpsed her rising from the vanity table, dressed in a smooth green kimono that was patterned with the wild flowers she had always loved, and her dark hair weaved with a rainbow of colourful ribbons. He heard her childlike laugh once more as the door was shut in his face.

?Master, don?t you think?? the toad started to say in his raspy voice but the taller demon silenced him with one look. Leaving Jaken where he was, Sesshoumaru knelt beside the girl and gently cradled her in his arms, lifting her up off the dampened ground into the silk folds of his clothes. She stirred and opened her russet-brown eyes.

?Shh, keep quiet, Rin. I?m taking you home.? She obliged and nuzzled her head into his sleeve.



~ * ~



Back at the palace, Sesshoumaru ignored Rin?s handmaidens, who looked alarmed to find him carrying the sleeping girl, and they begged him to let her handmaidens take her upstairs to rest. He shook his head and carried her up the many stairs himself with ease.

Opening the door was bit of a challenge since his hands were not free, but he opened the door to her old chambers nonetheless. Today, it was decorated with the hues of the ancient forests of Feudal Japan: warm, dark tones of green and brown with splashes of red, gold, and blue to brighten the room. The air itself was fresh and pure. Of late, Rin had been changing her decor of this place quite often, the theme reflecting her mood. Settling down the petite girl on her bed, Sesshoumaru noticed that she had the tiniest smile on her face, almost as if she held a secret only she knew. He hadn?t been here in years and neither did she. Why return now?



?But our love has a treasure, Our hearts can't always spend.?


Someone knocked on the door, and one of the handmaidens crept in, making sure that Mistress Rin was taken care of. The girl looked no older than 20 or so but she was one of the most trusted servants in the household, even Jaken dared not vex her.

?Tell me, is there something I should know about?? He asked, gripping the wrist of the handmaiden as she bent over her mistress to adjust the covers under her chin. The maiden just smiled mischievously and ushered him out of the room, saying:

?It is not for me to decide, the matter depends on my Mistress alone.?



~ * ~



Sesshoumaru.

The dark-haired girl woke up in her bed and yawned, recalling the dream she just had. She smiled. Getting up, she walked out of her chambers and went to look for her Lord, asking a palace servant about his whereabouts. She headed for his private library.

He was sitting at a mahogany desk, bent over in concentration as his continued to write in his book, dipping his brush into the inkpot again and again.



?And it has a story without any end.?



Softly calling out his name, she laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled yet again as he turned up to look at her. Rin had aged gracefully; she was neither a young child nor a young maiden anymore. Her face was slimmer, her eyes wiser, and her mouth spoke knowledge that could only be found in the years of life. There were also the beginnings of stress lines on her forehead, an unfortunately feature for her face for she was still only 24. Like all women, she had many secrets. For example, Rin had a single strand of grey hair. She jokingly called it her demon hair when Sesshoumaru was out of earshot. But today, there was another secret to be told.

?Come, my Lord. Come walk with me.? He acknowledged her request.



~ * ~



Sesshoumaru held out his hand as Rin walked down the steps leading out to the gardens, her skirts hitched up in one hand to avoid tripping upon them. He waited for her to speak as they strolled past rose bushes covered in spring buds but she remained silent. They walked under a canopy of fruit trees that gave off the sweet smell of blossoms? she opened her mouth then closed it again. Like a fish. At last, when they reached one of the water fountains and watched the water gather into the shallow pool below, did Rin sit down on a bench and motion for him to do likewise.

?My Lord, you know that I?ve been acting strangely of late.? She stared at the red-gold carp swimming happily in the marble pool, the sunlight glinting off their scales. He nodded.

?I?m sorry that I didn?t inform you where I went this morning.? He nodded again.



?At the end of a river, The water stops it's flow.?



?Sesshoumaru,? she whispered quietly, ?I?m carrying a child.? And as turned to look at him, Rin?s eyes sparkled with absolute pride.

?Is it mine?? he took her hands in his, his face showing the same lines of anxiety that his wife had borne so many times before. To his surprise, the corners of her mouth twitched and she giggled.

?Of course it?s yours, who else would it be?? He blinked.

?????

Lady Rin laughed again and this time her husband joined in with her, their joy echoing throughout the garden just like water from a fountain. The goldfish jumped in the air.

?Come, Rin, it?s time to go back inside??



~ * ~



Lunch passed quickly and the soon-to-be-parents found it relatively easy to keep their secret hidden, sneaking small smiles here and here whenever their eyes met. Rin retired to her chambers and sought the counsel of her handmaidens while Sesshoumaru dealt with his usual proceedings as Lord of the Western Lands. In-between reading scrolls concerning land property, Jaken?s ceaseless babble and the welfare of his trading goods, his mind started to wander.

Three years since his marriage to Rin, and fortune had been kind to her. She had been given a home here in his palace ever since their first encounter and decided to take her under his care. How did such a thing come to be? At first, even he thought it was disgraceful to bring a human child into his household but her infectious grace and happiness touched him? and so Rin stayed.

Her arrival was another thing, to convince his demon servants that a human would be take up sanctuary with their Lord. Jaken was the hardest to convince, since he was present the time his Master had revived her with the enchanted sword. But looking back on it now, Sesshoumaru realized that it was a blessing in disguise that she was merely a child and not a maiden at that time. An innocent girl was far easier to accept than their older counterparts, lacking the hardened bitterness that growing up often did. Rin was young and impressionable; the other demons could have used that to their advantage, including him. It would have been so easy?

And yet, they couldn?t.

It was that same sweetness of hers that melted Sesshoumaru?s icy mask? it spread to them as well. Soon, Rin was the joy and life of the palace, brightening up a room with her small presence. She loved to watch others do their work. She loved to listen to stories. Whenever she was not with the silver-haired demon, she would be in Jaken?s care? and though he did not admit it, the toad grew to like her.

All too quickly, Rin still had to succumb to the fact that she was human, unlike the others in her home. One night, when the child was tucked into bed and had said good-night to all, she asked Sesshoumaru a simple question.

?Why do I look so different from the others? Why don?t I have marking like yours or claws or long tails?? He gave her the simple answer and planted a kiss on her brow, leaving her to her thoughts.

The curiosity grew more profound and reflective as Rin reached her 14th birthday. That year, she had requested her own independence from her Lord and the possibility to visit other human villages? to seek the company of people. The servants dreaded letting her go, lest they corrupt the very thing they worked so hard to keep pure. Only Jaken and an older female servant thought the child should be given the right to be with her own kind. With a simple nod of the head, Sesshoumaru planted another kiss on Rin?s brow and left her at a main dirt road leading to the gates of the safest town, leaving Jaken to pick her up at the end of the day.



?At the end of a highway, There's no place you can go.?



And so the little girl grew up. Her visits to her people were at first, irregular, but as she approached her 16th birthday, her excursions became a weekly ritual, almost a daily field trip that started in the early hours of the day and ended well into the evenings. Tension began to stir.

Peace had been given to Feudal Japan with the end of Naraku, and there was nothing else to worry about. Long since did the Lord of the Western Lands forsaken his pursuit to bother Inuyasha and his clan and neglected to seek out the sword of their father?s fang, Tetsaiga. Instead, Sesshoumaru dedicated himself to his land and his duty, becoming a most revered demon of reckoning. But there was still one imperfection, Rin.

There was still no heir to the Western Lands, and as the aristocrat?s financial and social success increased, the courts began to worry. The human girl that lived in his household surely must be of age now? the time to leave the demon world and rejoin her own loomed ever closer. When she would be gone, perhaps Lord Sesshoumaru could focus on finding a suitable mate.

He ignored their pleas.

And the gossip stopped.

On the twelfth of May, when the last quarter of the silver Moon shone in the blue-grey midnight sky, little Rin arrived home, crying herself to near exhaustion. She had Jaken?s right arm in a death grip and the puny demon held onto his Staff of Skulls with his remaining hand, struggling to stay upright with her weight. When both of them passed through the front doors, Rin let out a wailing cry loud enough to wake the stoic dead and launched herself upon the toad again, toppling him over with a loud CRASH.

?MasTeR SESSHOUMAROOooOOO!? Jaken screamed. Rin was now strangling that toad?s neck in perfect timing with her nerve-wracking sobs. He yelled again.

Sesshoumaru heard the cries from his library where he had been working on his accounting books for the latest trade caravan. He hadn?t expected them to be back so early, Rin usually came home 1 hour and 39 minutes from this precise moment. He sped down multiple stairs and came across an unusual scene.

Jaken was flat on his back, holding his throat with both hands, gasping for precious air. It seemed that the maiden had been choking him until he was blue with lack of oxygen. Sesshoumaru made a mental note to repaint the toad?s chambers the exact same hue as his face. Turning his gaze away, he also noticed that the wooden staff lay on the far end of the entranceway; a noticeable dent of the Old Man?s face was imprinted onto the wall itself.

Finally, he turned to the source of all this commotion. Several servants who were up at this late hour surrounded the upset girl. A few turned their heads towards their Master and shrugged their shoulders, meaning that they could not get her to speak logically? or at all. With a quick bark, Sesshoumaru separated the small crowd and lifted the girl up on her feet. She looked terrible and he let her cry for a few more minutes, waiting for the worst to subside. Her blood-shot eyes rivalled a demon Inuyasha?s, her pale skin was as white as the priestess Kikyo, her body still shook with sobs? but sound had ceased to escape her lips.

Sweeping the lamenting girl into his arms, he carried her up the stairs while her handmaidens followed suit. No one had ever caused Rin to be so distressed, and that person would pay dearly with his life. Yes, his life? Sesshoumaru was sure of it.

Once he kicked open her door, Rin awakened from her trance and thrashed about in his arms, almost kicking her Lord in the face in order to be put down. Without turning back, she ran to her bed and buried her face into the nearest pillow, her long tresses in complete disarray. Then, he noticed it. Her hair was tangled, bits of grass and foliage clung to it and her feet were bare. Then her handmaidens came in and taking one look at their Mistress, tried to usher him out of the room. Catching their alarmed looks, Sesshoumaru knew something was very wrong with Rin and he had to know. He was her guardian. Throwing their arms aside, he fought 30 or so angry females to get to the bed: he grabbed the blanket, pillow and Rin all in one go, and swiftly jumped out of the nearest window to escape his servants. He made for the roof.

?Rin?? he asked quietly as he unwrapped the bundle he was carrying to peer into her tear-stained face. She opened her inflamed eyes and took a deep breath.

?Tell me what happened.? Her lip quivered but she didn?t speak. Instead, she clutched the blanket around herself and hugged the pillow close to her body, staring up at the moon. The Lord of the Western Lands briefly felt like Inuyasha, and how he had to deal with his own emotional human female, Kagome. But his Rin rarely cried.



?But just tell me you love me,?



Not knowing what else to do, he just sat on the roof beside her, giving her time to calm her fears until she was ready to speak to him. The dog demon sniffed the air for any unusual smells.

He picked up human scents, all mingling with Rin?s own. He recognized all of them to be the same familiar ones of her playmates in the human villages; no one had wrongly touched her? Sesshoumaru let out an internal sigh of relief. Craning his neck to the side, he took a good look at her, besides her soiled appearance and lack of shoes, she wore one of her most expensive gowns that the demons of the household had lovingly made for her? it was one she treasured above all others. Why wear such a delicate thing to play in?

?Rin?? She sniffed. ?I can?t help you if you don?t tell me what happened.? He reasoned.

?You wouldn?t understand.? She replied quietly.

?And why wouldn?t I?? He edged closer to her, letting her rest on his shoulder as her heart rate slowed down. She yawned and let out a sigh.

?Have you ever cared for someone??

?Yes.? What kind of question was that?

?So much that you wake up each morning, hoping to just get a glimpse of them??

?What are you getting at, Rin?? His suspicious golden eyes fell upon her and she bowed her head.

?Do you remember that boy I told you about??

?Yes.? The girl clutched the pillow tighter.

?Well, I?ve been his friend for more than a year and ??

Rin finally spoke about what was troubling her. It was the same story that Sesshoumaru had heard before in the demon courts and the servants? gossip. But it had gotten Rin, and it hit her hard. But her story went like this: ? a lonely girl goes to the village and is accepted by her kind. She finds friends. She?s happy. Then, one day the girl sees boy and he asks for her name. He smiles. Girl comes back the following week and asks the boy to come and play. They become fast friends. She goes to the village everyday to see her friends and that boy. Time passes. Then she realizes that she likes this boy.

?? then what happened??

?Then the girl realizes that the more she tries to ignore that queer feeling in her stomach, the more it grows and she can?t avoid it. She fell in love. Then she?s worried that he doesn?t feel the same way, and so she asks the advice of her friends. Time passes and she finally gets the courage to ask him whether or not he likes her??

?And what did that boy say??

?You know what?? Rin blurted out, ?That girl never really thought of what would come to pass if he ever said no.?

?Is that what happened?? Sesshoumaru whispered to the breathing air.

?Yes. And her heart broke.?

?That wound will heal.?

?Not completely.? she quickly became defensive, ?this was her first love and first heartbreak, and it will never really heal.? For once, the youkai became confused and he too became defensive.

?But the feelings weren?t returned, how could one call it love??

?Just because it?s unrequited, doesn?t mean it can?t happen.?

?You?re still young, Rin. You have yet to know what love truly is. I?ve lived for many years and I?ve seen it before? the young mistake love for lust.? When he turned to look at her, he saw that her eyes had a depth to them that he hadn?t seen before. In the dark of night, it seemed that they had become the silver of the moon.



?And you are only mine?



?You know what I think?? He nodded and continued to stare into her eyes. ?When a young person first realizes it, they know the dangers and how unstable it can be, but they choose to ignore it for they know deep inside that there?s no feeling that can substitute how much they feel for that person. If you truly care for them it makes you happy as well. But as you get older, you realize that not everything you touch can be blessed, sometimes it goes horribly wrong. It is then that you realize that the young love too freely while the old hold it in, waiting for a sign that will tell them there?s a chance of lasting happiness amidst all the chaos.?

?You?ve been reading too much romance novels, Rin.? And for the first time that night, she laughed.

?Blame it on Kagome, my Lord. She?s the one who first got me reading them.? And then she smiled.

They stayed up on the roof in silent company until the stars started to wane and the moon disappeared beyond the shadowy mountains in the West. Sesshoumaru stayed awake and let his mind wander, Rin dreamt silently on her make-shift bed. At last, when the last evening star had melted into the sky and the clouds were tinged pink with the coming of the sun, did he decide to take his ward back to her room to get a good day?s rest. She would not be going back to that village yet.

?My Lord?? she yawned and tried to open her eyes against the creeping sun. Sesshoumaru pulled the blinds over the windows and tied the drapes shut over them. ?Yes??

?Have you ever loved someone, but were afraid that they didn?t feel the same way??

It should have been a simple question to answer, but it was a few moments before Sesshoumaru could think of a reply.

?No, Rin. I don?t think I ever had.? An unusual feeling of despair settled into his gut as he watched her yawn and close her eyes.

?That?s too bad? perhaps one day you will??



?And our love will go on 'til the end of time.?



~ * ~



Lord Sesshoumaru snapped out of his daydream, appalled that he spent half an hour reminiscing on the past, but it wasn?t a complete waste of time. He supposed that memory was what started it all off. His emotions for her, he meant. Sitting on the roof, hearing her speak her thoughts.

He assumed that it was because she had experienced something he hadn?t. That of all his long years as a youkai, he had always slipped through the ivory hands of Aphrodite? and now that Rin had been pierced by the Lover?s arrow, he had no clue how to aid her. Despair had claimed him again for she could not go to him for advice. He had none. All he could do was sit down and listen. But would it be enough? Sesshoumaru remembered chuckling out of spite: the regal demon aristocrat, puzzled by the romantics of a human girl. There should have been scrolls written on how to handle adolescent humans AND demons, as he recalled the egotistical attitude of Inuyasha.

The Lord got up from his desk and put his head to the side to get the crick out. Ah, there it was.

?Jaken, tell the trade caravan to unload all the cargo and to put it in the storehouses. They?ll rest for the night and in a week?s time, set off again.? He sighed internally at the monotony of the toad.

?But Master, you haven?t finished the accounting books? how would you know that nothing has been stolen or missing?? Sesshoumaru gave him a stare.

?? Because I am Lord of the Western Lands. Demons should know better than try to double-cross me.? The smaller of the two hopped up on the desk and put the scrolls together into one heaping pile, stashing them in a leather bag for the other servants to check that they were correct. No real need for that of course, Rin would review them before the tradesmen left. As a Lady of the Court, she had equal responsibility in the welfare of the lands. By the orders of Sesshoumaru, Rin was to be educated from the very moment she walked through the front doors.

Sesshoumaru knocked on his wife?s previous living quarters and was allowed in. He sat on the couch across from her as she went over some parchment, a quill in hand and her brow in deep concentration.

?What are you doing?? he asked.

?Names.? She muttered. She hardly glanced at him as she scribbled randomly on the paper.

?Sorry, I didn?t hear that.? She looked up, her mouth a mischievous smile.

?Names? for the baby.?

An equally goofy grin crept across the demon?s face and his mind started to wander again?



~ * ~



After that incident on the roof, Sesshoumaru paid more attention to his ward?s changing moods, as subtle as they were. After a good day?s rest in the home atmosphere, not to mention undisclosed pep talks with the youkai handmaidens, Rin was her usual self that evening when she came down for dinner. The girls had dressed her in a Prussian blue dress with her hair tied back in a ribbon of similar hue.

?Are you feeling alright, Rin?? She smiled graciously and sat down at the table opposite him.

?I?m alright.?

?Are you sure that you?re well? I mean, you weren?t looking so good before and you might still be tired?? he didn?t see her roll her eyes into the back of her head, ?? do you want me to talk to that boy? What about your other friends, what do you want me to do? Do you need anything? When you go back, do you want me to accompany you?? Rin had heard enough, it was unusual for him to fuss so much and it aggravated her.

?I?m perfectly fine!? Her voice burst out, startling Jaken as the female demons tried hard to stifle their smirks and an oncoming fit of giggles. ?I?m older now, I can handle this myself. Trust me.? She gave one last pleading look at him and gave her best doe-eyed gaze. Sesshoumaru shut his mouth, there was no point trying to out-do the brown eyes. They always won, damn those handmaidens for teaching her that.

?My Lord??

?Yes??

?Thank you for listening to me last night, it was much appreciated.?

?You?re welcome.?

She eventually returned to the village, at first afraid to confront that boy whom she once liked. But over time, she was able to overcome that shyness and they became friends once again. The days grew longer and after a few more weeks, summer was upon them. The Master of the Western Lands had his hands full at this time of year, trading was at its peak and so were the problems from multiple sanctions of his vast estate. Everyday there would be a new complaint, a new rumour of a plague in a community, a rogue demon, news of Inuyasha, approval for trading properties, court duties, news of traveling humans, news of Kouga?s tribe, requests for settlements, new goods brought in from other Lords, and Rin?s welfare.

There had been no hearsay of another person in her life since that first boy. Sesshoumaru liked it that way. For some reason, he liked the selfish thought of being the only prominent male in her life, demon though he was, and he would like things to remain the same. Well, for as long as he could anyways. He was told that Rin was pretty, the servants called her beautiful. Sesshoumaru really didn?t care. As long as she was happy, so was he.

One bright afternoon, when Jaken was particularly annoying the demon with talk of the latest rendezvous, his Master decided to leave the palace and spy on what Rin was up to in the human village that she chose to visit today. For one who claimed to hate the human race with a deep loathing, he certainly gave free reign to one particular female. Using his farsighted demon eyes, he saw that she was with a group of girls her age, all sitting under shady tree and occasionally skipping rocks into a nearby pond. She wore the same clothes as the other girls, summer dresses to keep their skin cool under the sizzling heat. After eating lunch together in comfortable companionship, they began to talk of various things; most topics were mundane compared to life at the palace... Besides Rin and a few others, Sesshoumaru hadn?t given much consideration to their daily lives, convinced that their short lifespan were a waste of the earth?s time. But here he was, watching.

?Rin, let?s see you give it a try.? This one must be older than the others.

?Sure, but don?t get mad if I beat you to it.? Another girl laughed, they must be playing a game.

?I bet she?ll do it though.? A pebble was thrown and it skimmed the surface of the pond.

?? Three, four, five? seven, eight, nine times. She wins.? Someone choked as she was patted hard at the back.

?I told you not to get mad if I won.? Sesshoumaru smiled softly from where he stood, that was his girl.

?Ah, life is grand.?

?Don?t we all know it.? Some said semi-sarcastically. The other girls all turned towards the speaker.

?Is something wrong??

?Well, she says ?life is grand? because she has everything in the world.?

?Are you jealous of something??

?No.? The voice replied crabbily. The youkai saw one of the other girls crawl closer to the unhappy one and whispered, ?You like someone?? then she grinned.

?I do not!? and accused turned bright red to the great amusement of her other girlfriends as they laughed in unison.

?Tell us, tell us.? They chanted in unison as the girl turned an even darker shade of red. She mumbled, ?I don?t like anyone.? Rin shook her head sadly. ?Denial.?

?Is there no one here who will defend me??

?Not until you confess.?

?I don?t, I really don?t. I was just saying that I?m jealous,? her voice softened down to a murmur, ?that some of us have boyfriends while the rest of us don?t.? Peals of laughter reached Sesshoumaru?s ears. As he continued to watch, he felt an urge to continue watching their close-knit group. They picked sparkling fruit off the trees, ran barefoot through the dirt roads, danced in the meadows, and talked freely. Seldom did their conversations interest him, but not since Rin was a child, nor that incident on the rooftop did he hear her speak her mind so liberally?

?So, Rin are you planning to stay with us sometime?? His ears perked up.

?I?m not sure yet, I would like to but my household is very busy right now.?

?Do they make you do cook and clean the rooms and beg??

?Beg? What kind of question is that? Of course she doesn?t do any of those things.? Multiple pairs of eyes focused on the maiden in question.

?Err, no. Nothing like that.?

?So, are you planning to leave the palace then??

?Why would I? It?s my home.?

?What about those rumours of the Lord of the Western Lands, you?ve told us yourself he?s not fond of humans.? A pair of silver eyebrows frowned.

?That?s a yes and no answer. He?s kind to me but he avoids getting involved in the lives of other humans.?

?You?ve never questioned his motives of why he?s keeping you for so long??

?I?m ending this conversation now?? But the girls pleaded enough to have Rin answer one last question.

?Will you leave the palace??

?I don?t plan to.?

?Will you be thrown out??

?I said I?d answer only one question.?

?Will you be kicked out??

?NO.?

?Why not??

?No more questions??

?Why NOT???

?I suppose it?s because I?m part of the household.? She reasoned out wearily, ?I feel as if I belong there.?

?He takes good care of you, doesn?t he?? A star-eyed lass said.

?The best.?

?You love him, don?t you?? She answered effortlessly.

?Of course. He?s my guardian.?

?But does he love you?? Rin hesitated and brought her eyebrows together in brief concentration.

?He may not say it? but I think the answer is yes.? She smiled gently at her friends.

The smallest sigh escaped Sesshoumaru?s lips when he heard this. He had heard enough and it was time for him to head back for the palace, before Jaken went to search for him and land himself in trouble instead.



~ * ~



?At the end of the rainbow,
You'll find a pot of gold
At the end of a story,
You'll find it's all been told?



?Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru?? The demon?s eyes were unfocused as he recalled those memories. ?FLUFFY!? The silence was broken. ?That must have been the longest time I?ve ever seen you daydream, and you don?t daydream much. Is something wrong?? He shook his head.

?Where do you want the nursery?? he asked, mentally shaking his head of thoughts of the past and tried to focus his mind. Rin stared at him curiously then brought a hand to her lips. ?I was thinking of putting it right here, changing my private quarters for good. There are plenty of windows to let the air in, and they?re easy enough to close if the weather should get too cold. The nursery, if put here, will be close enough to our own chambers and it sits on the same level, too.?

?Are you willing to change these rooms permanently?? a bit of concern in his voice. This place had belonged to her ever since she first arrived. She moved out when they had gotten married.

?Dear, I haven?t used these rooms in years. It has a wonderful view of the gardens and beyond. I think we should use it again, this time for a better use.?

?If you wish.? He stood up, ?should we empty this place of your belongings?? He pretended not to see the slightly condoning look on his wife?s face as he stared at her latest d?cor. Before he knew of her pregnancy, he merely thought that Rin had just gotten herself into a pack-rat fetish, gathering small knick-knacks from various caravans that visited the palace. He hadn?t thought that some of the objects she kept were of secret use to the baby. They needn?t worry about a cradle, blankets, or toys anymore. She had seen to that.



?But our love has a treasure,
Our hearts can't always spend
And it has a story without any end?



They spent the rest of the day wandering through the rooms, observing what needed to be changed and what could be kept. Rin insisted on moving her old bed to another part of the nursery rather than throwing it away, convinced that it will be needed in the future. An argument erupted.

?And just what use will a bed do? Our child can?t possibly sleep there!?

?It?s not for the baby, it?s for us.?

?I still think it should be removed.?

?Honestly, Sesshoumaru. Don?t you ever listen to what Inuyasha tells you??

?No.? She let out an exasperated sigh at her husband?s indignation.

?When he had his firstborn, they couldn?t sleep for weeks on end. Every night they had to tend to their baby?s crying. Do you understand what I?m saying??

?Not quite.? Sesshoumaru crossed his arms across his chest.

?In nine months time you will. When it?s your turn to baby-sit you?ll be so tired from running room to room that you?ll be dead on your feet and fall asleep.? She persisted.

?Rin, I?m youkai. I have more strength than Inuyasha.? How dare she compare his ability to be a good father to Inuyasha! His half-brother still wasn?t a pure demon like him.

?That?s what they all say??



~ * ~



The sun set in the West and evening fell upon the lands quicker than usual. Autumn was already here and with the shortening of the days, it was obvious that a change of seasons would soon be upon them. Sesshoumaru watched his wife fall exhausted onto a couch as they retired to their quarters. She put a hand to her brow.

?I?m exhausted.? She yawned.

?It?s another big day for us tomorrow.? And he sat down beside her.

?Why?s that??

?Because we have to make a formal announcement, that?s why. Not to mention a baby shower, preparations, and all those other things women do when they?re expecting.? His wife gave him a look.

?I thought you disapproved of such events. I recall you being bored out of your mind at the declaration of Ayame?s betrothal.? She gazed into his eyes as he took her small hands in his,

?It?s not that I disapprove, I just found it tedious at the time. Besides, I know you?ll be disappointed if we don?t follow the traditions.? Rin beamed like a sunflower and embraced him.

?Sesshoumaru, you?re so good to me.?

?Anything for the one you love.?



~ * ~



?At the end of a river,
The water stops its flow
At the end of a highway,
There's no place you can go?



August 14.

Rin was 18 years old at the time being.

For the past few days she had been staying at the village where Inuyasha lived. Kagome needed help in deciding the furnishing of her new house and asked for the aid of Sango, Rin, and Ayame. Kaede was there as well, but the elder woman spent more time resting under the trees and giving out suggestions rather than helping out physically. Shippo was busy running around with all the orders from the women, the poor lad.

?Shippo, what do you think of this material? Too dark for the house??

?Shippo, could you help Sango with that wooden beam??

?Shippo, where did you put those blankets??

?Shippo??

?Shippo??

?SHIPPO!?

The auburn fox spun around in a daze and fell to the floor. It was tough work being the only guy in the company of five demanding women, especially when they all needed his honest opinion.

Honestly?

He wanted to run as far away as he could.

After today, Inuyasha and Miroku would have to deal with them.

In the afternoon, Kouga was the first to return to the village. He had to check out some ill-rumours of a demon that wished to hunt down the Shikon Jewel. Fortunately, Miroku had already settled that incident.

?Hello, ladies. What have we here?? He sat down beside Kaede and gave a smile to Sango, who gave him something to drink. ?What happened to Shippo?? Rin was furiously fanning the teenager to wake up, for he had fallen unconscious on the grass.

?Too much female influence, I suppose.? Ayame suggested as Kagome laughed.

?Rin, isn?t it about time you should head home??

?What time is it??

?? About four in the afternoon.? Rin looked alarmed, ?Has time passed by that quickly?? Kagome nodded.

?Isn?t Jaken supposed to come get you??

?He should have come by now, he?s usually on time. How am I going to get home?? Sango looked at Ayame who looked at Kouga who looked at Rin and smiled.

?It seems like Kouga and Ayame will take you home.?

?I?ll come with you three; I have to speak with Lord Sesshoumaru anyways,? announced Kagome.

Borrowing Kirara, Kagome and Ayame rode on the cat?s back as Kouga carried Rin on his shoulders. They made good time considering the girl was to be home before the sun set. Something was going to happen tonight, the older ones knew it.

They arrived at the palace doors with barely time to spare. Kirara changed back into her smaller self and hopped into Kagome?s arms. Rin knocked.

?Jaken? Jaken, it?s me Rin.? She lifted the brass handle once again and released it, producing a loud THUD that echoed among the waiting group. The maiden started to get worried and looked among her companions.

?What if I came too late?? she spoke her thoughts aloud, ?what if Sesshoumaru thought something had happened to me? What if he went out looking for me?? Then an unspoken question formed in her mind.

?What if he?s hurt and I?m not there with him??

But the doors opened and Sesshoumaru appeared with Jaken by his side. The demon Lord peered from one face to another before bidding them to enter as his guests. His eyes fell upon Rin and the girl tried to hide the strange blush that covered her face.

?Jaken, take them to the drawing room on the main floor, I?ll join you in a moment.? The party made to follow the toad up the stairs but a voice cut in, ?Rin, you?re late and that?s unacceptable. You are to stay in your chambers until further notice.? The girl just stared at him dumbfounded, he never said such things.

?But Sesshoumaru, I wasn?t late. If it hadn?t been for their generosity,? she indicated the others? presence, ?I would have never made it in time. Besides, Jaken was late in coming.? Her eyes filled with apprehension.

?No, you were late. Jaken was delayed by some palace business, you should have realized that. You know that dinner is served exactly at sunset, and yet you did not come. For once, you disappoint me, Rin.? With that said, he left the group and the girl behind.

Bidding her friends a good evening, Rin departed from the group and went to her room as Sesshoumaru asked of her. She sat cross-legged on her bed, had she truly heard wrong? Had she really disappointed him? With nothing else to do, Rin let loose her hair from its plaits and prepared a bath, glad to remove all the dirt that came with building a new house. Inuyasha and Kagome?s new home? and since Shippo was understandably their surrogate son, it was his home as well. The maiden felt a stab of jealousy at the new family, why the sudden change in Sesshoumaru?

After what seemed like hours, a servant came to retrieve Rin from her chambers, saying that it was time for her to join the others to late dinner for their guests. Rin changed into a silk kimono and silently made her way downstairs, hoping her Lord was in a better mood.

But he was stoic as ever, barely acknowledging her presence with one glance as she entered the dining room. The others felt the tension as well, keeping their tongues in check as they tried to induce some small talk at the table. It failed miserably and the meal was eaten in unsettling quiet.

After dinner, Kagome requested a special audience with her brother-in-law and left the table quietly as the others relaxed in an adjacent drawing room. The miko kept quiet until they were both seated in Sesshoumaru?s private library, then she spoke in a voice lacking considerable politeness.

?What are you thinking, Sesshoumaru! What was that all about?? and glared at him.

?It?s none of your concern.?

?Of course it?s my concern, Rin is part of my family whether you admit it or not. What is with you, I?ve never heard you speak to her in such tones? you scared us all.? The strong-willed woman continued her reprimand him on his ill behaviour.

?Rin was late returning home, she has to understand what I expect of her.?

?That?s a load of crock and you know it.? The aristocrat drew himself up to his full height and strode towards Kagome, towering over her.

?Just what is the nature of your visit, Lady Kagome? You did not come here just to lecture me on how I treat those under my care.? She stood unwavering at his booming voice, ?I have come on the behalf of many others? regarding Rin. I want to take her away from here so she can lead a semi-normal life.?

?Excuse me??

?You?ve kept her for too long, Sesshoumaru. Look at what you?re doing to her. She?s 18 years old; she?s not a child anymore!? [*Taken off Disney?s The Little Mermaid.*]

?She chooses to live here and here she will remain.?

?Let her go, Sesshoumaru. She needs to be with her people.? [*Inspired by Elrond and Aragorn?s dialogue in Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.*]

?No. She stays.?

?Let her go. There is nothing more for her here.?

?I won?t.?

?What can you offer her? Riches? Knowledge? She can acquire those on her own, Rin?s a smart girl but she can?t live under your protection anymore.? Kagome tried to reason with him, her chocolate-brown eyes reflecting the fear that had haunted the demon Lord for so many years.

?Let Rin live her own life, let her be free.?

?I can?t, she stays because she belongs here.?

?She stays because of you! She chooses to remain here because of you! You?re suffocating her, Sesshoumaru, why can?t you see that? Let her be happy with her people.?

The words stung. Let Rin go? That was unheard of, it was impossible for him to do such a thing. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense for the maiden to leave him. He had brought her here, and it was understood that he would have to release her from his world? someday.

?It?s for the best, then.? He whispered calmly and Kagome gazed at him sadly, she knew he was breaking up inside.

?I beg of you, let her go??

Not fully trusting his voice, he nodded his head and uttered ever-so-softly, ?I?ll tell her tonight. Take good care of her for me, Kagome. You and everyone else back at the village.?

?I?m so sorry, Sesshoumaru. I never wanted to tell you this way.?

?No,? he shook his head, ?you?re right. She?s human and I?m youkai. It?s forbidden. I had no right to be in her life.? He lifted up a finger to silence Kagome before she protested. ?Let?s just leave it at that, it?s easier to believe in lies than to live with the truth.?



~ * ~



Sesshoumaru bid guests goodbye at the front doors of the palace and gave them his wishes for a safe trip to their homes. Ayame and Kouga gave their clan?s best wishes for the Lord and Kagome gave a cordial farewell to her brother-in-law, if not with a sad look on her features. Rin was also at the front doors and gave each of her friends a hug in return. Kagome whispered in her ear, ?If you need anything, or need to talk to someone for any reason at all, just ask any one of us, okay??

?I will, don?t worry.?

?Be a good girl, Rin. Be good to Lord Sesshoumaru.? And she watched the three of them climb onto the back of Kirara and disappear into the darkness.



~ * ~



That same evening, when the stars had dropped into the sky and the moon was enshrouded in black clouds of rain, Sesshoumaru left the safety of his library and stood at the door of Rin?s chambers. He knocked.

?Yes?? Her voice was still apprehensive.

?It?s Sesshoumaru, Rin. I wish to speak to you.? The doors swung open easily enough and Rin stood opposite him.

?If it?s about my disobedience earlier this evening, I?m sorry Sesshoumaru. I relied on Jaken too much and I was caught up in helping the others?? she started to blubber out, her face turning a slight shade of cerise.

?Don?t apologize, Rin for it?s partly my fault as well. I just had a rather bad conference with a fellow youkai Lord in the South and Jaken couldn?t leave the palace?? The maiden ushered him inside and he sat down on one of her couches.

?Did he threaten war, Sesshoumaru? Is that why Jaken couldn?t leave?? He merely nodded as a reply.

?I was worried about your safety, Rin, and got carried away. It?s me who should be?? but she put a finger to his lips to hush him, ?there?s nothing else to forgive, it was just a misunderstanding for the both of us.?

?Rin, I want you to leave the palace before the year is over.?



~ * ~



?But just tell me you love me,
And you are only mine
And our love will go on,
'Til the e-end of time?



?Pardon me?? was all she had to say.

?I want you to leave my palace by December. Kagome and Inuyasha are willing to take you into their village, and the others will accept you there.?

?My Lord, I don?t understand. This is my home, how can I leave?? If this was hard on him, it was thrice as hard for her. Nevertheless, he kept an impassive look on his face.

?Remember when you were young, you asked me why you were different from everyone else who lived here? You?re human Rin, you belong with your kind. You have so much to give to the world, what could you possibly do here?? He watched her stand up to open a window and she breathed in some night air. ?I release you from my hold, Rin.?

?No.?



~ * ~



?'Til the end of time ...?



?I have made my choice, Sesshoumaru. I will stay here in your castle and forever remain by your side.? A resolute voice escaped her lips and her figure was shadowed by the darkness of the room. This time, no moon shone out the window to relieve the inevitable night.

?Don?t be rash with your words, little girl. You have no reason to stay here.?

?I can help with the trade books, I can?? but her voice died. Was there a reason to stay? The maiden looked at her Lord and they read each other?s eyes. To leave was the sensible thing to do: she could put her knowledge and kindness to better use. She would be in closer contact with her childhood friends from the villages, she had her Lord?s brother to watch over her as well? it was all arranged. It was all done.

But what was it that held her back?

?Sesshoumaru.?

?Yes??

?I? I?? she faltered with her words, let knees giving way as Rin sank down to the floor, hardly believing her own mind.

?I love you.?



~ * ~



A knock on the door woke up Rin and Sesshoumaru from the couch where they fell asleep. The servant rapped again on the door and called out, ?Would the Lord and Lady care for breakfast in bed??

Rin laughed and stretched herself out. Her husband?s hair was in a tangled mess, all matted and knotted like a shaggy dog?s.

?Yes, please. We?ll be up in ten minutes.? Rin affectionately rubbed the top of the youkai?s head and he woke up. ?You fell asleep on the couch.?

?So I see.?

?Did you have a good dream??

?I can?t remember. I think I did. It was about you.? Rin laughed. ?Come on, we?re having breakfast in bed today. Unless you want rumours running amuck about your disastrous hair, I suggest you let me comb it.? Touching his mane, Sesshoumaru let out a groan when he felt the tightened strands of hair and leaned against his wife to let her untangle it.

?We have a lot to do today,? she mused as she played with his hair, two more minutes until the servants returned. His wife had worked wonders; all the knots were out with a mere stroke from her brush. ?I bet your brother will come visit us today.?

?Half-brother? he replied lazily.

?If you say so, dear. Besides, you want to see your nephew and niece, right??

?Don?t remind me.? He was given a playful nudge on the ribs.

?Lady Rin? Breakfast is ready.? A familiar voice announced.

?Bring it in, Jaken. Oh, and tell me if you like the ribbons I put in Sesshoumaru?s hair.?

?WHAT!!!?



~ * ~



But what was it that held her back?

?I love you.?

?????

?I love you, Rin.? Sesshoumaru repeated as he kneeled on the floor beside her and enveloped her hands in his. ?That?s why I have to let you go. You understand, don?t you?? She shook her head. ?I want to see you happy.?

?But I?m happy here with you.? She pulled him into an embrace, the first physical contact between them that meant more than just friends.

?You need to go.?

?I?ll do no such thing, my Lord. I choose to stay here, with you.? And put her hands on either side of his face, letting their foreheads touch. ?Let me stay.?

?I have nothing else to give.? Rin looked sadly into his eyes and bit her lip. If this was his sincere wish, she will leave. Breathing deeply to calm the thunderous pounding in her ears, she gave a chaste kiss to his brow and stood up. Sesshoumaru remained kneeling on the floor as Rin stepped out of the room and walked quietly down the stairs. She was crying.


?At the end of the rainbow, I?ve found a pot of gold.
At the end of our story, you?ve found that it?s been told.
But just tell me, you love me, and that you are only mine,
And we?ll go on, on and on, ?til the end of time.?


He sang kindly, altering the words to the song that he heard Rin singing so many times before. It was a melody that Kagome had taught her from the world in the future. And here he was, singing it.

?Rin, wait!? he stood up and flew out of the room, fled down the stairs and rushed to the door, preventing the girl?s escape. Rin ran straight into his arms, unable to stop herself in time. The combined momentum and force as they hit the doors forced it open and they were thrown outside.

?I?m sorry, I?m sorry. I?ll never let you go. Never.? Sesshoumaru embraced her tightly as her tears hit his shoulder. ?I love you Rin, and that?s all I?ve ever known.?



- - -


A/N: Oh my. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. (Pairings!!! Haha.) Who?s the lucky anniversary couple? Why, my own parents of course. And no, in NO WAY do Sesshoumaru and Rin in this story represent them at all. Thank heavens for that!

Just some notes on the song itself:
?The End,? sung by Earl Grant: (I love his songs and crooning voice, but he sometimes reminds me of Nat King Cole. Does anyone out there know who I?m talking about? **crickets chirp** I hang my head in shame...)
- Words and Music by Sid Jacobson and Jimmy Krondes
- Peak Billboard position # 7 in 1958
- Also known as ?At (The End) Of A Rainbow?

[Eden]

Aww! That was super sweet!

I've never really been a S/R fan, (well, I guess I've never really tried before) But this fic has got me fiending more. ^_^

Great job with this!

~Eden

[Kuno-baby]

A masterpiece! I've always loved Sesshoumaru centered fics, although my choice of pairings is out there. Kagura and Sess have been my favs, but this is wonderful and I can see adult Rin's love making him a better person...demon? Anyhoo, great job.