63A/N: I have always had the bad habit of getting discouraged easily this story has sadly been one of the stories I do that with. I feel like the world has no beauty in it. I never have to write anymore and when I have time I am hardly inspired. I will try hard to finish this however. As always please read and review.
Rin is now 19.
Ayame looked at Rin unsure of what she meant. 'Rin, don't tell me you've finally…' Ayame stopped her thoughts when Naraku walked into the room with Mannen trailing behind him. Rin turned and patted the young prince on the top of his head. His reaction almost made her smile, he promptly groaned in complaint while attempting to fix his hair. Naraku even smiled at him. It had been two weeks since Satori's death and word was quickly spreading throughout the south. The rumors that had circulated were that Lord Sesshoumaru was to blame.
"How might we serve the young prince today?" Ayame smiled at him.
"I would like some ginger candy, made by my mother." He said in his small voice. Rin turned to look at him in shock. It was the first time he had ever requested anything made by her and a rare occasion that he called her mother. It made her heart tingle and she could not help the bright smile that stretched her lips. Ayame could see that this was any woman's weakness, to have any piece of care shown by their child.
"Surely that can be arranged." Naraku said to the young boy.
"It would be a pleasure to make you some ginger sweets." Rin said.
"May I help?" he asked her, his pale cheeks turned a slight pink with nervousness. It was well known that Naraku didn't like Mannen to have to do anything that was not princely. Having to prepare his own sweets was one of the things that Naraku thought was unbecoming.
"Just this once I suppose." Naraku said.
"Thank you father," Mannen hugged his leg. Rin grabbed a wooden crate for Mannen to stand on.
"Ayame would you grab some ginger roots." Rin asked with a smile. She touched Mannen softly on either side of his arms. She resisted the urge to hug him unsure of the reaction he would have.
"First in this pan, we'll put some of this…" Rin smiled at him, his eyes were wide and focused. Rin threw some sliced ginger in the pan which hung by a small fire. She put some sugar and thick nectar. The ginger began to caramelize creating a sweet flavor when mixed with the sugar. Mannen watched in excitement as he watched his favorite ginger sweets becoming what he so loved. He smiled and licked his lips as he lifted his nose to take in the scent.
"Now we only have to wait for them to cool." Rin said as she dipped them in a small amount of powdered sugar for looks. Mannen turned and wrapped his arms around Rin's waist tightly tip toeing on the crate to do so. Rin was shocked, slowly she wrapped her arms around his small body. Ayame who had been watching from afar could smell a scent similar to salt water and could that Rin's eyes had welled up with tears. She knew that Rin would not allow these tears to fall. Mannen was first to pull away and Rin followed his lead.
"Will they be done soon?" Mannen asked.
"Soon." Rin answered. After fifteen minutes of cooling the treats were ready. Rin put them on a plate for him and ushered him to a small table. She watched him eat them feeling as though it was the first time she had been filled with such happiness. 'Who knew the face of a happy little boy could fill one with such…pleasure?' She thought. Rin patted his head gently with a small content smile on her face. His raven locks were like silk as she ran them through his hair. He would grow to be a very handsome young man.
"Rin, you were saying?" Ayame asked curious about what Rin was saying earlier. Rin's eyes hardened for a moment before she took a breath and looked at her son.
"It can wait for later." Rin whispered. "Grab him some warmed milk." Rin told Ayame. Ayame looked at Rin with worried eyes; she was so easily mesmerized by the child. 'Perhaps that is all it is to be a mother.' Ayame thought as she heated milk. Mannen stared at Rin with his crimson eyes. 'Mother…' he thought the word felt out of place in his mind. That feeling seemed to attack him yet again; it was foreign when dealing with his mother.
"I am done here." Mannen said after finishing his milk.
"Should you need more Ayame has put them away." Rin said well aware the moment was over. Mannen took one more look at Rin who looked at him with gentle eyes. Ayame watched. 'Perhaps this boy will be her downfall…' Ayame thought.
"Rin, could it be that you have realized Naraku for what he truly is?" Ayame asked her.
"I fear that I have always known. However, it is not my place…" Rin said.
"Do you not see that he could be using that child to create a weakness in you? Perhaps your son is merely another way to control and keep you in check." Ayame said. Rin could feel her hand clench at her sides. 'It could be…but…' she thought.
"It does not matter because I belong to Naraku and whatever he wants me to do I shall do." Rin said; Rin could feel the duties that had been drilled into her from childhood take over.
"Rin…you are the tool in starting a war. You are framing an innocent man." Ayame fought. Before Rin realized what she was doing she had Ayame pinned against a wall with a snarl on her face.
"That creature is no innocent only a monster." Rin growled letting go of Ayame. Kagura entered the room with a smug look painted on her face.
"At the evenings end, Naraku, would like for you to be in his bed." Kagura said before raising a pale finger to a few stray hairs on her face.
"Do with him as he orders you, it matters not to me. Do not forget I have given him his heir and you are merely for entertainment. If I wanted, your blood would paint his walls." Rin said walking out of the room. Kagura's face sunk considerably as she heard Rin's featherlike footsteps stalk the halls.
While in the West...
There was a cool breeze collecting in the West. Sesshoumaru had been preparing for war ever since he had heard of Lord Satori's death. It was not surprising to him at all that he was the accused murderer. In fact he had counted on it. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and took in the scent of fresh air. He didn't know why but he thought of her. It was the way she had treated him, the way she smelled, and it was no secret that she was beautiful. He had tried to rid her from his mind for nearly five years and nothing seemed to be helpful.
"Lord Sesshoumaru! A declaration of war has been delivered to us. We have only two weeks before an attack." Jaken yelled anxiously.
"So be it. They march to their deaths." Sesshoumaru said leaving his study and also leaving the small toad demon. 'I want that human…' he thought with a rare smirk touching his lips for only a moment. He could feel an excitement within him as he dropped onto the luxurious silk fabrics of his bed covers. 'And she will be….mine.´ Sesshoumaru drifted into a restful slumber.
Back to the South...
As Rin walked away from the kitchen she could see Naraku watching her from up ahead. Those eyes always made her want to look away and she often did. 'If I am tired of this life…what could I do?' she asked herself. It was not like she could just up and leave, not now that she had a child. Even if Mannen had not been born she would not allow herself to up and leave. Part of her did not leave because of pride and not duty.
"To be one's own master must be exhilarating." Rin said softly as if just to hear it spoken with her own voice.
"Rin, I have sent a declaration of war." Naraku said.
"I assume that this means I should also prepare for battle." Rin said.
"Exactly." He said with a smooth smile.
"Where will Mannen be?" she asked not allowing the concern behind the question surface in her tone.
"Kagura is taking him deep into the east." He said closing his eyes for a moment.
"I just wanted to make it clear that if you are bedding her, there is no reason to hide it from me. I take no offense to it." Rin said, Naraku's eyes widened because he did not think she would know.
"I simply did not want for you to feel like a concubine as I am sure as you have felt in the past." Naraku said.
"It is better for your attachment be to her rather than me. It is I that will grow old and die. "Rin said.
"It is also you who is better in every aspect. In battle you are quick and clever and when bedded you always have this look of innocence in your eyes. She is strong but relies only on tricks, she knows what to do to please a man, but she holds no mystery. You Lady Rin are worth more dead or alive than she will ever be." Naraku said. His words should have swelled Rin's chest but she stared at him hiding disgust in her hazel pools.
"As long as Mannen is kept far from battle I will annihilate all in my way. I am only after Lord Sesshoumaru of the West." Rin raised her eyes to his.
"I can see the disdain in your gaze when you see her." Naraku pointed out.
"Why hide my disgust for her? I see no reason not to. Would you like if I pretend to like her?" Rin asked.
"It matters not to me as long as neither of your duties are affected by it. Now it is getting late and I would like to have you all at my table for dinner." Naraku said and to say the least the dinner was awkward.
Rin sat cool and collected while Kagura still sore from the insult of Rin's words. Her crimson eyes shot daggers at Rin. 'I will take everything from you...believe me girl.' Kagura smiled. Rin looked to Naraku and Mannen ignoring the very existance of the wind demoness. 'To be jealous of a human is sickening, but I will destroy you one way or another.' Kagura thought with a smile. Naraku looked at both females and then to his son.
"I don't quite have an appetite for food, my lord." Kagura said seductively.
"Well it seems that our appetites are quite different." Naraku threw down his chopsticks after saying this. He nodded to Rin and stood up.
"Kagura take Mannen for his bath and then make sure that he sleeps peacefully." Naraku ordered as Rin stood up gracefully. Rin looked at Kagura for one moment before walking over and whispering something in Naraku's ear.
"You may." he said.
"Kagura, bring Rin a dark yukata and the oils she askes for." he said. Kagura bowed with a nod. Mannen looked at Rin confused but she only gave him a pure smile. Rin looked at him and could feel the urge to enfold him in her arms. She wanted to hold him tight and smell his hair.
"Mannen, I would like to help you with your bath." she smiled.
"Do those kinds of things please servants?" he asked her.
"Very much so." she smiled at him.
"Very well then." he said. She looked at him with a smile 'For a five year old you sure are quite the little prince. Even with this attitude you will have no trouble finding a woman when you are older.' she thought.
"Thank you." she smiled he stood and awaited her to follow him.
"Rose and Vanilla." he said before walking out the door with Rin closely behind him. Mannen and Rin waited for Kagura to bring the yukata. When she walked in the room Rin was preparing the bath water as she had done for Mika so many times in her childhood. Mannen dimissed Kagura after Rin changed. She stepped in the water and opened her arms to help Mannen in. She undid his ties and clothes and sat him in front of her. His hair stuck to his face from the steam rising.
"You have such beautiful hair." Rin said as she lathered it. Mannen had a pout on his face along with redness on his cheeks.
"I know." he said crossing his arms.
"Are you blushing?" she teased.
"It's the heat from the water." he said turning around, his eyes widened when he saw such a true smile on her face.
"I've seen you with less you know." Rin laughed with less.
"..." he said nothing even though he had tried to.
"Time to rinse." she said dropping a bucket of water on his head.
"You are trying to drown me." he said gasping for air.
"Mannen..." she looked at him with unexpected tears lining her eyes.
"What?" he turned to her shocked by her sudden change in mood.
"Can I hold you?" she asked him.
"I su-" he began to say but she pulled him to her chest tightly and hugged him with tears falling from her eyes. She could feel his gentle breathing against her neck the brigde of his nose against her collarbone. She smelled his hair and breathed him in deeply.
"This is the feeling I could not recognize." she said to herself.
"R-" he began her name, "Mother?" he said he had felt a wave of comfort course through him when she had pulled him towards her. It was instant the smell of her skin was not only of vanilla and roses but there was a scent in her skin that just made him feel so at ease.
"I have never been able to bathe you, not even on the day of your birth. This will forever be a precious moment in my heart." Rin whispered. Mannen could feel his heart swell with something he didn't know.
"I suppose it's time to get you in bed." Rin released him and suddenly although being in warm water the warmth left him.
Rin sighed to herself as she climbed into the bed she supposed would be shared with Naraku from now on. He had been waiting for her to come to him. It was awkward for her to sleep this way; she was used to being in her bed alone. She felt suffocated as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. It was too hot in the bed for her. She felt as though she couldn't move her legs with the thought that it might make him uncomfortable. She felt stiff as she heard his breathing slow to a pace suitable for slumber. Rin knew that she needed her rest after the journey she had strained herself on. Pure exhaustion allowed her to find sleep under such foreign and uncomfortable circumstances.
In the morning when she woke Naraku was gone, she hadn't slept well but she had slept and could feel some refreshment. The sun poured through a window Rin stretched her arms and decided that she would dedicate her day to training. Mannen passed by her in the hallway shooting her a disdainful look. He tilted his head more towards the ceiling and then walked towards Naraku's study. Rin ignored him and forced a smile to her lips. When she reached the training grounds a wave of nostalgia crashed over her. She could remember the first time that she had seen the grounds here.
Rin looked at Naraku with wide and to be believed or not innocent eyes. She looked over the grounds for training which could only be described a warlord's dream. She wanted to try everything and immediately began to familiarize herself with the setup of the training area.
"Your training grounds are very impressive." Rin said, knowing that they were in fact beyond impressive.
"The first person to use this place is you. I had it built in anticipation of getting a bodyguard." Naraku smiled at her.
"It is an honor, my lord." Rin smiled.
"I hope you always find time to make use of it." Naraku said.
"If my duties allow that sort of free time, I shall." Rin once again smiled.
It was quiet with only the wind speaking. Rin closed her eyes and began to stretch. She could feel everything come back to her with every movement she made. It was a perfect flow of grace. A pair of glowing red eyes watched her with jealousy. Rin had become a legend. Her skills were superior to many, although she had never come across fighting a full demon. Kagura smirked with a thought. 'When you fight me, I will destroy you.' Kagura felt a pull on her kimono and saw the young prince of the house. His eyes were the same crimson as Naraku's, he was beautiful. The eye shape of his mother with the strong jaw of his father this boy was going to be a very handsome man.
"My prince, what is it you require?" Kagura asked.
"I want you to give me a brother, or see to it that I get one." He ordered.
"That is not up to me." She said brushing him off.
"My father bought you to do as I please, not as you do." He said with a haughty glance.
"I will be sure to try and fulfill your request, my prince." Kagura said.
"Good, obedience is the key." Mannen said. As he watched his mother train he could feel something grow inside of him. Could it be love? Could it be hate? He shook these ideas from his mind. He would have no feelings for the woman. How could he feel anything for a servant? They were only worthy of following his and his father's orders.