Rin weaved her slim fingers through the tall brush of grass. The strands rose to nearly her hip, making her sigh in happiness. It had been so long since she had last done this. She pinched her eyes shut tightly and threw her arms out to her sides before she began to run through the familiar meadow. The soft ground crunched underneath her bare feet, her shoes safely tucked away at the base of a nearby tree. She could hear the babbling of the nearby stream and the soft chatter of birds as they nested in the trees that surrounding the small clearing.

It was like heaven.

With a disgruntled sigh, she stopped running and lowered her arms. She took in one more deep breath of the dewy grass and opened her eyes. The morning beams of light broke into her vision, nearly making her cringe.

She wasn't ready for the day yet.

Today was her eighteenth birthday… and she would be married in a week's time.

She reached up and untied her restrained hair. Her black hair fell down upon her in waves, easily cascading over her shoulder and wandering its way down to nearly her waist. She twiddled with the ends of a few of the silky strands as she, once again, absentmindedly thought about cutting it…

… She hadn't cut it since she had last seen her Lord and four years was a damn long time to wait.

She cringed at her own thought, bemoaning her use of foul language. She had been around Inuyasha far too much and was starting to pick up some of his lesser appealing habits. She never spoke such dishonorable words allowed, but sometimes they ran rampant within her brain.

She sat down on the ground and leaned back against the palms of her hands so that she could look up at the early morning sky. Images of her Lord flashed through her mind in a blurry haze. Some things about him she could remember with stunning clarity… Like the way his amber eyes pierced into her and the sharp angle of his jawline. Other things, like how he smelled, were beginning to slip from her mind. But then again, she reasoned, she was only human after all.

The puffy clouds above moved slowly across the pale blue sky. She wanted to freeze time. She didn't want to face another birthday without him. She didn't want him to miss her wedding. She wanted to see him, at least one last time, before she became someone's wife. Did he even realize just how much time had passed? Did he even realize how quickly humans aged? Her fingers dug into the earth as memories of her Lord flickered through her mind. Her heart swelled painfully as she thought of the last four years without him. He was the one person that she had thought that she could count on, but now all that she could count on from him was gifts twice a year… Painful reminders of how it used to be and of how it could have been if he had allowed her to serve him.

"Happy birthday to me…" She sang out softly, remembering the tune to the birthday song that Kagome had once taught her.

With a huff, she stood up and meandered back to the base of the tree where her shoes resided. Kaede would notice her missing soon, and it wouldn't due to arise any suspicion from the old woman. Plus, she didn't need any villagers gossiping about her whereabouts and ruining her betrothal. The walk back to the village was a quiet one which allowed her thoughts to wander. She knew that both Maki and Kuma would go into labor any day now, and she prayed that it wouldn't happen simultaneously.

She did not need to deal with a situation like that again.

After years of training underneath Kaede's watchful eye, she had finally given up the reins on Rin's seventeenth birthday. Now, Rin was the sole midwife for the village, with Kaede acting in purely a supplementary role. The priestess was getting old, far too old to be caring for the worrying pregnant women and newfound mothers. Rin loved her job. She loved the responsibility and position that it gave her. She loved helping these woman, so many of whom had grown up right alongside her, become mothers. She loved to see the smile on their faces as they held their newborn child for the first time. She could see the instantaneous unbreakable bond between the mother and child…

It was a feeling that she wanted to feel as well.

As of today, she was eighteen. She was old for an unwed village girl… All of the other girls her age had already been married off and nearly all had already had their first child. Rin was behind, a late bloomer, just like she always was. When Joji had approached her asking for her hand in marriage, she had been thunderstruck. For a brief moment, all she had seen was his slightly boyish face highlighted by his overtly good looks and soft smile. Her heart had sputtered to a stop, before it sped up to twice its normal speed.

When his lips had curled up in a slight smirk, she realized that her jaw had dropped.

He was nice, handsome, and came from one of the best families in the village. His family ran the second largest farm located on the outskirt of the village borders. She had even been the one to teach him how to write when they were young, after Kagome had taught her. She had grown up with him. She had seen him mature from a floundering pre-pubescent child into a well-respected man. Still, she had never thought… She had never imagined…

She had simply never even considered that someone would be interested in marrying her.

It took her a month to reply to his offer. In the end, she had agreed because of what everyone around her was saying.

'He's your perfect match!'

'I wish my daughter had married him…'

'He is the best suitor that you could get, at your age…'

She had heard the way the village people had talked. She had listened to Kaede's rumblings. Yet, only Sango was the one to offer her true advice. In the end, she went with her heart… and her heart called her back to the boyishly handsome man who had proposed to her. She wasn't sure if she would call what she felt 'love', it was more of a strong 'like'… She wanted to know how it felt to love. She wanted to feel the kind of passion that exuded between Sango and Miroku, and the kind of eternal love that still connected Inuyasha and Kagome, even though the well had sucked her back through time. Rin wanted to feel that kind of heart-stopping love… Maybe, that was something that would develop eventually, over time, with the boy that she knew she liked.

She rounded the last bend before the hut where she resided with Kaede and stumbled slightly when she saw Joji leaning back against a nearby tree. He smiled at her, sweet and innocent, before bending down to grab a wicker basket by his feet. He strode over to her and the closer that he got, the more that she noticed the slight bags that hung underneath his murky brown eyes.

"Happy birthday, Rin." His voice was heavy with the need for sleep, yet it rang with sincerity and kindness. He held the basket out for her to take, and she quickly grasped its handle. As soon as he let go, she marvelled at the weight of it, its contents hidden beneath a small piece of cloth. She blushed slightly before looking up at him.

"Thank you, Joji. But, you didn't need to come all the way out here… So early… You must be so tired." Her voice wavered slightly as she watched his balance slightly falter. He shook his head, his curly locks bouncing.

"Me being tired doesn't matter, what matters is if I was the first one to wish you a happy birthday." His eyes widened slightly in mild panic. "I was the first one… Wasn't I?"

A light laugh sprang from her lips that she quickly reached up to hide. "You don't need to worry about that, you are the very first person that I have seen today. Kaede was not yet awake when I had left." Joji's entire body relaxed as he loudly sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness for that." He huffed, tilting his head to the side. His eyes flickered over to her, watching her watch him, and a slight pink sheen dusted his angled cheekbones. The morning breeze twisted her long hair, making it swirl out in a wave around her. His eyes softened slightly as he tenderly reached out one hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. As his fingertips brushed against her pale skin, a small shiver ran through her body, eliciting a spark of emotions deep within her heart. Her eyes widened slightly as he, regretfully, pulled his hand away. "You really are beautiful…"

"I… I wouldn't say that I agree with…" She stammered.

He shook his head, cutting her off. "Don't. You listen to me, my precious Rin." His eyes bore holes into her as he, less timidly this time, reached out to trail his fingertips along her flushed cheek. "You are beautiful… Not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. I don't know a single other woman who can do what you do. I don't know a single other woman who is as brave, cunning, or smart as you are. You. Are. Beautiful. Understand?" He enunciated each word carefully, making her heart stammer a bit more with each heated breath. He had inched closer to her by now, and she could nearly feel the heat from his body. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she numbly nodded in response to his question. He smirked and dropped his hand as he took one big step away from her with an audible, regretful moan. "Good." He softly stated.

The noise from a rooster on a nearby farm broke their moment, immediately alerting them to the current time. The day had begun, and with it their work.

Joji ran a hand through his curly hair before rolling his eyes and looking at her. "I better get going, or else my Dad will have me under his foot all day."

Rin bit back her smile as she bowed her head slightly. "We wouldn't want that, if he works you to the bone for the next week, you wouldn't be able to enjoy our wedding festivities." She peeked at him through the shade of her hair to witness him suck in a quick breath. With a sudden hot flush, she realized the her words could have been taken in a different way than she had intended… In a non-innocent way. Her head flicked up as she quickly began to amend her previous statement. "Uh, I mean with the ceremony and celebration with the family."

Joji chuckled slightly at her frazzled state. "Of course, my precious Rin. I do not want to be tired for the wedding festivities. Let's enjoy that day to the fullest, okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically and just like that, he was heading off to his day of labor in the field with a wave over his shoulder and a silent promise that there would be more. With her heart still dancing to an erratic beat, she made her way into Kaede's hut to see the old woman already up with breakfast cooked.

"It took ye long to return this morning." Kaede analyzed her with her one good eye as she sat down beside her. Rin quickly reached up and spooned some of the basic porridge that Kaede had made into two bowls. She handed one to Kaede before she began to slowly consume her own. The porridge was bland and she couldn't help but wish that there was something in the hut that she could have used to add some kind of flavor, but the old priestess liked things done a certain way, a traditional way, and Rin wouldn't mess with tradition.

"I was enjoying the meadow."

"Mhm…" Kaede hummed as a playful glint lit up her face. "I also noticed young Joji waiting for ye this morn."

Rin's cheeks flushed and she quickly shoveled more porridge into her mouth, choking down the gritty substance. "He brought me a gift for my birthday. A basket."

"And what is inside ye'r basket?"

Rin's spoon stopped mid-air as she realized that she had yet to look. With a muffled yelp of excitement she sat down her porridge and reached for the humble gift. She pulled the heavy basket towards her and when she lifted the meager cloth up, she was met with a bounty of fresh fruit. Something small was wrapped up in another cloth and she quickly reached for the mysterious object. Her fingers fumbled with the wrappings before the cloth fell away and she was greeted with a beautiful black hair comb with pieces of pearl carefully laid within its obsidian surface. The pearls stood out like the moon in the dead of night.

"It's beautiful…"

"Surely ye must be used to such extravagant gifts, Lord Sesshomaru brings ye much more expensive treasures."

Rin could hear the question hidden within Kaede's voice. She shook her head softly. "My Lord has endless wealth. While I treasure his gifts, his presents to me surely don't mean anything besides the relationship between a Lord and his Ward. These though…" Her fingers brushed over the comb before darting down to grab a succulent pear. "These things would have cost Joji a lot… But, even more than that, he got them because he knew that they were something that I would like. He saw me admire this comb last month during Market Day and he heard me wish that it wasn't so hard to find fruit. He… He really cares for me, doesn't he?" Rin turned wide and hesitant eyes onto the woman who had effectively served as her mother. Kaede had been responsible for raising her ever since her Lord had left her in the village. Kaede had taught her how to be a midwife, Kaede had given an orphan girl like herself a welcoming home in a new and strange village filled to the brim with humans. Kaede was the one who had helped her to readjust to being around people, instead of the demonic company that she was used to keeping. Kaede had given her everything, and asked for nothing in return.

Kaede hummed and a warm smile lit up her wrinkled features. "Aye, dear child, that I do believe he does." Kaede nodded to herself. "He will take good care of ye." She paused for a moment before continuing, almost hesitant with her wording. "Have ye thought about what ye will tell thy Lord?"

Rin shrugged and sat down her precious comb before taking a big bite of the plump pear. Its juices ran down her chin and she quickly wiped away its trail. "I will not have to tell my Lord. He has not returned for four years, I doubt that he will return now. When Master Jaken comes with my gifts, I will inform him of my betrothal and he can inform my Lord."

Kaede's eyebrows furrowed. "Child, do ye think that is wise to…"

She didn't have a chance to finish before a frazzled man burst through their door, apologises trailing from his lips, as he exclaimed in mild terror that his wife, Kuma, had gone into labor with their firstborn child. Rin quickly cleared away her things, grabbed her basket that was filled to the brim with supplies, tied back her hair, and was out the door with the first-time father.

For the rest of the day she didn't think about anything beside Kuma and the healthy baby boy that took eight and a half hours to arrive in this world.

Once again, as she laid the baby upon the new mother's chest, she watched as an unbreakable bond sprang to life. Her heart ached with the need to experience the same thing… To be pregnant, to give birth, to see her child for the first time…

A flash of a silver-haired baby bubbled into view before her shock quickly popped it.

What the heck was that all about?

A moment later, a curly haired baby with Joji's smile and her brown eyes took its place, easing her heart and her confused mind.

Not long after, she was on her way back to the hut. The walk was filled with village chatter as people began to return home. The sun was sinking in the sky creating a wonderful backdrop of red and orange hues that melded together into something that made her feel like her soul had been ignited. She walked with purpose, with a sort of happiness in herself and the future that she would share with Joji, that she hadn't possessed even an hour earlier. When she was nearing the hut she heard him, Master Jaken, and childhood memories rushed her in an unwelcomed storm of emotions. She faltered slightly outside of the hut before baring her courage and pushing the door aside to enter. Inside, was her little green imp friend dramatically exclaiming all of the abuse he suffered.

"Why is that girl not back yet? Doesn't she realize just how long and difficult the journey to this place is?" His sharp voice grated on her ears, yet his squelching tone was somewhat welcoming.

"Master Jaken." She stated, making him jump and spin around to look at her. His eyes softened the moment that they laid upon her.

"So you're finally here, you ungrateful child."

She huffed and sat her basket down before walking around the fire to sit beside Kaede. The smell of freshly ground herbs wafted up to her as the soft grinding noise of the priestess's pestle and mortar reverberated throughout the small hut. "I was working, Master Jaken. Remember, I am the village midwife now."

Jaken huffed and folded his arms, his staff carefully held within the crook of his elbow. "So I hear."

Against her own will, Rin's eyes reflexively searched the small hut for any signs of her Lord's presence. Once again, as expected, there was none. Still, even though she doubted that he would come, a pain stabbed through her heart and made her stomach coil into a tight knot. "Did my Lord come?" Kaede flashed her a worried look before returning to her work.

Jaken shook his head. "Of course not. Lord Sesshomaru is a very busy and important demon. He can not take time away from his work for such menial and inconsequential matters as this."

Rin's shoulder's slumped. "Yes, of course, Master Jaken."

The little imp humphed before pointing to a package that sat against the far wall. "Your gift from me Lord."

Rin inwardly flinched at his bad use of grammar. Kagome had instructed her on the proper way to speak. She had taught her so many wonderful things, things a girl of her station would have never otherwise learned. "Will you thank my Lord for me?" Jaken nodded briskly. His eyes clung to her for a moment more before he twisted on his heel and began to head for the door. Rin gulped and quickly worked up the nerve to tell him what she truly needed to. "Oh, and Master Jaken?"

Jaken turned to look at her with a fake irritated grimace. "What is it?"

"Could you tell my Lord that I will be married in a week's time?"

For a long moment, the only noise in the hut was from the crackling of the fire and the grinding of herbs against stone. Jaken's large eyes nearly bugged out of his head and Rin felt inexplicably nervous. She couldn't pin it down, the odd feeling that swirled within her gut, all she knew was that she didn't like it.

"You're… You're getting married?" He screeched, nearly dropping his staff in the process as his small arms flew out in wonder.

She nodded her head firmly. "Yes, to a village boy named Joji. His family runs the second largest farm in the village. It is a good match."

Jaken blinked once, then twice, before regaining his composure. "I see. I will inform me Lord about your impending nuptials at once."

"Thank you, Master Jaken."

The imp watched her carefully, a glimmer of something akin to worry and sadness flashing across his face. But, it faded too quickly for her to decipher before he grunted and turned out the door, disappearing back into the wilderness.

Kaede shuffled on the floor beside her, a soft 'tsking' noise emitting from her lips, but when Rin turned to look at her the old priestess had lowered her face close to her herbs to inspect them.

"Ay, these are finished." Kaede mumbled as she pushed around a bit of the green substance with her finger. With a soft scrape of her wooden spoon against the stone mortar, she gently glided the herbs into a small container before promptly shutting the lid. "We will need these in a month's time, winter is upon us."

Rin mumbled her agreement as her eyes trailed over to the gift that had been brought to her. She couldn't stop her curiosity from bubbling up in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers twitched against the hem of her plain kimono as her mouth began to salivate. She grunted slightly and reached for one of the pears that Joji had gifted to her to quench her sudden thirst.

"Ye should open ye'r present child, tis rude to wait."

The sound of Kaede's wrinkly voice made her jump slightly as a sudden flash of irrational guilt flooded her veins. She sat the remains of her pear down on a plate beside her before she stood up to quickly retrieve the package. When she sat back down, her fingers brushed over the smooth and intricate pattern of the cloth that concealed her present. It was tied shut with a thick, silken cord that was midnight blue. With a small intake of breath, she carefully untied the cord and pulled back the edges of the smooth cloth. Inside awaited a glorious kimono made of a soft pink color with shimmering golden stitching resembling a field of sunflowers. It was far too fancy for her to wear in her everyday life, but she could maybe wear it for the summer festival next year.

Instantly, her mind shot to an image of her Lord and herself walking through a field of daisies. He stood beside her, as regal as ever, as she bent down to string together a crown of flowers like she used to, the sunlight making the golden stitching on her new kimono sparkle…

Her fingers gently dug into the kimono's material as she forced the thought away. Her Lord had not returned for four whole years and there was nothing to suggest that he would return soon.

In a week she would be married.

In a week she would be Joji's wife.

Once more, in her head, she told herself that it was a good match, the best match that she could even wish for given her circumstances and murky heritage.

Joji was a good man, of that she was sure, and she knew many other girls who were not so lucky.

"Mhm…" Kaede's voice broke her from her thoughts as she turned to witness the old priestess turning away from looking at the kimono that laid within her grasp. "That is indeed a fine kimono that he hast sent ye." Kaede stood up slowly, placing her palm on the small of her back as she stretched her aching limbs. "I dare say too fine, ye Lord sees not the use of practical items." Her nose wrinkled up slightly and Rin looked back down at the silky material. Kaede wasn't wrong. Her Lord had never truly sent her something that was of practical use within her daily life. He always sent something flamboyant, something that showed off his status and made her appear to be of a higher rank than her pitiful background would suggest. Still, as a child she had loved his exorbitant presents. She would dance through the streets in the fancy kimonos that he had sent her, making her the envy of all the other village women. She had heard their nasty words and the looks that were thrown her way. She had seen the narrowed eyes and turned-up lips as she had passed, she simply hadn't cared back then. Her Lord had still been visiting her frequently and no one had dared to actually confront her for fear of feeling his wrath.

Her Lord could be quite the fearsome being.

Rin's lips curled up in a faint smile as images from the distant past flashed through her mind. She had always loved it when he was near. She couldn't explain it, even now, he had simply felt like home. As much as Kaede had tried to make her small hut feel like a home for Rin, it had simply been an impossible feat.

Her home had been, and would remain, by her Lord's side.

Yet, she had forced herself to become resolved to the fact that she would never get to spend her life serving him. After the third year that he had yet to return to visit, she had simply decided that she had to push away the heartache of missing her home, and choose to make a home in the place that she was at now.

This village, this place, Joji's house… It would be her home.

"Child, we must retire now. The morn will come quicker than ya think."

Rin nodded her acknowledgement as she quickly and skilfully packed up her new kimono. She placed it lovingly inside the ornate chest that her Lord had gifted her when she was young to store her belongings in. As soon as the wooden lid was open a rainbow of colors greeted her. So many kimonos… So many pieces of clothing that she had hardly had the chance to wear… So much waste.

She should really sell them so that she could bring a healthy sum of money into her new marriage as part of her wedding trousseau. She didn't have much else that could be offered, and the kimonos were of little use to her and her future family. She closed the lid softly and quickly went about getting ready to go to sleep. By the time that Kaede and herself were snuggled into their futons, the growing cold of the coming winter had begun to seep through the thin walls of the hut. Rin pulled the thick blanket over her head to cocoon herself in the warmth that it provided.

Her birthday was over and her Lord, once again, had missed it.

With a barely muffled groan, Rin shoved her face into her stiff, buckwheat pillow and forced herself to fall asleep.

The next morning passed in a rush as a flurry of village woman came calling for herbal medicine for their children. The cold that had seeped in during the night had cause a bout of sniffles throughout the youngest ones in the village. Kaede's forehead furrowed in worry as she listened to tale after tale. Rin watched her from the sidelines as she gathered and packaged the appropriate medicine for each customer.

Rin knew that look.

A sickness was coming to the village, they would have to be prepared.

By the time that lunch had rolled around, Rin was exhausted. She ate her food greedily, as if she hadn't ate in days. Kaede simply watched her with a bemused smile. It was just when they had finished washing their dishes that Sango burst through their door with an exuberant smile plastered upon her face. Her youngest child, little Kagome, clung to her leg. Her dark brown hair hung in gentle waves, just kissing the tops of her shoulders. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, filled with curiosity and the edges of fear. She was only a little over two years old…

Which meant, of course, that it had been about three years since the well had sucked Kagome back through it for the second, and final, time. It had been three years of Inuyasha suffering as he was eternally parted from his mate. Rin couldn't even imagine that kind of pain. She quickly pushed away the thoughts of her friend and held out her arms towards the small girl. Little Kagome glanced nervously up at Sango, who nodded, before she quickly let go and sprang into Rin's waiting arms.

Rin couldn't help but giggle.

She poked Kagome's button nose, making the small girl squirm. "Have you been good?"

"Yes! I'm a good girl." Kagome's voice was chipper and full of excitement. Rin reached to the side and pushed aside the cloth covering to grab one of the juicy pears that Joji had gifted her.

"Have you been helping your Mom?" Rin kept the pear just out of reach and watched with barely controlled glee as Kagome's chubby cheeks pulled back into a wide smile.

"Mhm! I helped Mommy chase Katsuro."

Rin's eyebrows rose and she turned to look at Sango, who merely shrugged. "You know how he can be."

Rin smirked, she did know how Sango's only son, and second youngest, could be. He was only a year older than Kagome and he was full of energy. At the moment, his favourite play-toy was Shippo. But, the little fox demon hadn't been around as much lately and, when he was, he spent most of his time by Inuyasha's side, both of them wallowing in the pain of their shared grief.

"You were a very good girl then." Rin smiled and handed the girl the pear. Kagome's small hands quickly snatched it before she brought it up to her lips to take a tentative bite. Her eyes lit up as its juices ran down her lips.

"It's yummy!"

Rin nodded as Kagome continued to eat. She was situated comfortably in her lap, and Rin's arms instinctively wrapped around her middle. She wanted this. She wanted to have her own children. She wanted to be a mother.

"You look good like that, ya know." Sango's caring voice broke her from her thoughts and she blushed.

"I don't know about…"

Sango shook her head, cutting her off. "I've seen you, Rin. You will make a wonderful mother, when the time is right."

The two women looked at each other with gentle understanding. Over the years, especially since Kagome had been stolen away from them, they had gotten closer. Even with the age gap between them, there was a lot that they could talk about. Mostly, they would talk about Kohaku. Even the mere thought of Kohaku made Rin's heart warm-up in a sisterly manner. She had spent such an important part of her life with him, by her Lord's side, that he had become a part of her created family. He didn't visit often, but when he did he was greeted by cheers and hugs from Sango and herself.

"I stopped by yesterday, but Kaede let me know that you were at a delivery. I wanted to get to say happy birthday to you and give you your present from Miroku and I."

Rin's eyes lit up and her grip on Kagome tightened ever-so-slightly. "You didn't need to get me a gift…"

Sango reached into the bag that was strapped around her back. "Just think of it as a part of your trousseau." She pulled out a small wooden box and handed it over to Rin. Rin sat it down on the floor beside her and removed one arm to gently lift open the lid. Kagome squirmed in her lap to get a better look, dribbling pear juice on herself as she moved. Her small hand pushed into Rin's knee as she peeked beneath Rin's arm. Rin lifted the lid and saw a small, but beautiful, calligraphy set with some rolls of parchment.

"I know that it isn't much… But Kagome taught you to write, and I know how much you enjoyed it…"

"Me, Mommy?" Little Kagome pointed at herself in confusion.

"Not you, my darling, your namesake."

"Oh…" Kagome drew out the word. "Uncle Yasha's Kagome."

"Yes, Uncle Yasha's Kagome."

Kagome nodded as recognition dawned upon her. Rin closed the lid and reached up to run her hand through Kagome's hair. The little girl was mulling something over. She had sucked in her small, bottom lip and was gently chewing on it, a trait that her namesake had as well.

"Where is Auntie Kagome?"

Sango's deep, brown eyes clouded with sadness as she reached over to gently run her fingers through her daughter's hair. Rin's grip tightened slightly on the small girl as she flashed back to the day that she had realised that Kagome would never return…

That day, that dark, chilly, foreboding day, was forever etched into her memory. She had known as soon as she had seen Inuyasha. He had disappeared for a few days, but that wasn't uncommon. Once in a while him and Kagome would just disappear and when she had asked where they had gone, Kaede would simply tell her, "Ye are far too young to know the where and why."

For a long time after that, she still hadn't been able to comprehend Kaede's words. It wasn't until Sango had sat her down and explained the birds and the bees that she finally understood exactly why the happy couple had disappeared into the middle of nowhere, with no forewarning, and had giant smiles upon their return.

But, this time, when she saw Inuyasha looming down the forest pathway, she knew that something was different.

She had known that Kagome was gone.

Inuyasha's cheeks were sunken into his face. He looked hollow, as if his soul had been sucked from his body and he was merely a walking corpse. He walked with slow footsteps, every step forward clearly filled with immense pain. His eyes were cloudy, distracted, and red from crying. His dog ears hung low against his matted hair, and even some small twigs stuck out of his silver locks.

In short, he had looked destroyed.

Even now, he had barely regained his once healthy glow. His cheeks were still slightly sunken and his eyes were still filled with clouds. He acted on auto-pilot, unless he was around Sango and Miroku's children.

Rin sucked in a sharp breathe as she silently prayed for the memories to abate. She didn't want to think about Inuyasha's sadness right now. She didn't want to think about her own sadness at the loss of her mentor and friend. She wanted to delve into the happy… She wanted to rejoice in her upcoming marriage and in the gift that her friend had just given her.

"Remember? Auntie Kagome is gone, she can't come back to us." Sango's voice was soft and patient as she waited for the news to wash over her small child.

"But Uncle Yasha is sad, she needs to make Uncle Yasha smile."

Sango smiled sadly and reached over to pick Kagome up out of Rin's lap. "I know baby girl, but that can't happen."

Little Kagome puffed out her chest as a determined gleam lit up her chubby face. "If Auntie Kagome can't come make Uncle Yasha happy, then I will! I'm a Kagome too, so that means that I can make him smile." She nodded to herself, her eyes alight with a fire way too eerily reminiscent of her namesake. Rin bit back her small laughter as she watched Kagome jump out of her mother's arms and begin to dart around the hut singing, "I'll make Yasha happy! I'll make Yasha smile! It is Kagome's sacred duty to turn that frown upside down!"

Rin had no idea where she had somehow picked up the words, 'sacred duty', but found them utterly adorable when sung with a lisp.

Sango stood up and brushed some invisible dust off of her simple kimono. She motioned towards her daughter who quickly skipped to her side. "Well, we better get going. I'm glad that you enjoyed your gift." Her deep eyes traveled over to where Rin's present from Lord Sesshomaru lay within her carved wooden chest. Her eyes hardened momentarily before she gritted her teeth and turned away. "See you soon!" With a cheerful smile and a quick wave the two departed the hut, leaving Rin and Kaede only with the noise of the crackling fire.

Loneliness hit her like a brick.

Rin immediately missed the way that Kagome had felt within her arms. She wanted that… She wanted to be a mother. With a renewed burst of happiness she focused on the man who was willing to provide her with everything that she dreamed of, Joji.

Sesshomaru sat at an ornate wooden desk. A large pile of papers lay before him, burdening him with their barrage of pointless words. How he wished that he could solve all of his problems with Bakusaiga. How he longed for the days when he had wandered the countryside, demonstrating his strength to all that had been unlucky enough to encounter him. A few lamps flickered within the room, casting an orange glow against the countless scrolls and leather-bound books that graced his bookshelves. His toes curled into the tatami beneath his feet as he stared at a document concerned with the amount of rice barrels collected from one of the northernmost villages within his territory.

Boring.

Boring.

Boring.

He nearly smiled when Jaken's scent drifted towards him. The green toad was a welcomed distraction from bureaucracy. It was nearly ten minutes later before he heard the small demon shuffling outside the doors to his study. Sesshomaru's fingers tightened slightly around the quill that he held.

Why was Jaken hesitating?

"Come in, Jaken."

He heard Jaken yelp, startled by the sound of his voice, before the large doors were pushed open and the imp scuttled through.

"Me Lord." Jaken bowed deeply, but Sesshomaru didn't miss the way that he quivered slightly.

"What is it?" His voice held no emotion, no hint at the curiosity that was starting to invade his mind.

"I gave Rin her gift, me Lord."

Sesshomaru's grip tightened, threatening to break the thin quill. Jaken was evading him, he was hiding something. The imp's green head was covered in his disgusting, dewy sweat. He narrowed his eyes, just slightly, and watched as Jaken squirmed backwards.

"About Rin, me Lord…"

Jaken trailed off, making Sesshomaru's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. "What about Rin?"

"As ye know, she is past the age of, ah-hem, womanhood… Rin asked me to inform me Lord that she will be married."

Sesshomaru's lips pressed into a thin line as Jaken spurted out one more bit of news, his voice strangely quiet.

"In a week."

Just like that, his quill snapped in two.

~ Author's Note ~

So, this is my new story! This is my first one focusing on Rin and Sesshomaru. I will do my very best to remain within character. Not everything within the story will be historically accurate, but I will try to keep it as close as I can.

What do you think? Should I continue?

Also, I should mention that this story happens within the same lore as my fan fiction, "Sterile". The order that the stories are read in doesn't really matter, as about 500 years separates them.

Thank you for reading, please leave your thoughts in a review!

While in the past I updated twice a week, if I continue with this story I will strive to update once a week with a minimum of a 6,000 word chapter.

~ FeudalAi