Disclaimer: The characters within this story all belong to Takahashi-san.
Warnings: Fairly clean.
Summary: Crown Prince Sesshomaru is being targeted, and so Guard Yusuke has been assigned to him. Except Yusuke's name isn't really Yusuke and Yusuke isn't a guy.
Completed: January 4, 2010

Debts
by: Kagome-reincarnation

"You really shouldn't be doing this," the cheerful young man informed him. Sesshomaru ignored the guard's advice. Instead, he lifted first Tokijin and then Tenseiga, carefully tying them onto his belt. Without a word, he left the room, knowing full well that the young guard would be following him.

Despite the sheer futility of the act, Sesshomaru was well aware that it put his mother's mind at rest. His father, however, had been well aware that he could take care of himself and had only requested that he try to keep the guard alive if they did come across trouble. Sesshomaru had agreed, his expression turning to disgust and confusion when he'd realized that the stench on his father was that of his half-brother, the hanyou Inuyasha.

The guard frowned at her future king's heedless behavior. She figured it was a pattern with men – they simply never listened to women – and more so in the royal family. After all, the nobles were rarely told no by their servants or tenants. She doubted that they'd start getting used to it now. She sighed, checking her own weapons. Once she was sure that she was secure, she quickly followed after the lord, moving nearly silently.

Sango had taught her to walk quietly and to be wary of the nightingale boards that some castles employed. The floors that had been patched with the boards creaked when they were stepped on and easily gave away the location of the intruder. Although the Crown Prince had allowed them to be placed in his rooms and halls and whatnot, he'd refused to acquiesce to them, his graceful steps allowing him glide over the boards, leaving his footsteps silent.

The irony of this had irked the men that had put them down and the king that had ordered it to be done. There were times, she felt, that everyone forgot that the Crown Prince Sesshomaru knew better than anyone how to take care of himself. He was fairly decent for a noble. He'd never acted cruelly to any of the servants or anyone that she'd heard of, and he'd always fixed whatever problems came his way.

Rin admired him for his unfailing abilities. Fixing problems, fighting, strategy, warfare, court games… She was pleased that such a person was going to become their future king. While he might not show any signs of underlying emotion, she had seen from the way that he treated those around him that he wasn't the block of ice that many in the Guard had thought him to be.

Kagome, the woman that worked with Kaede to ensure the kitchen had a full stock her herbs and poultry, had often commented that she doubted the crown prince was unfeeling, but no one had taken her seriously, brushing her off as someone that didn't understand human nature. After all, a noncombatant couldn't possibly understand anything about a fighter, right?

Rin had been of that opinion as well, until Sango, the only other girl in the Guard – though discreetly, as the Guard allowed only men to join – had introduced them. Rin had liked the woman on sight. Although she wasn't the most beautiful woman in the world, the herbalist's emotions showed clearly on her face, and she was quite cheerful.

Sango had greeted Kagome like an old friend, explaining to Rin that it was Kagome that had helped her to hide herself and blend in with the other men. And it was a good thing that Kagome had done such a good job at it, too. Women were treated as traitors when found in the military. After all, what reason would a kind, gentle, and obedient woman have for joining the military when she ought to be mending her sheets and embroidering her husband's clothes?

No, women in any form of combat that wasn't self defense were typically looked down upon. Women found in the military were, as she'd been told repeatedly, treated as traitors.

Traitors were usually tortured for forty-seven days before being hanged or beheaded.

Rin had come too close to being caught for comfort and Sango had saved her, having realized what was going on and prevented it before it could get too far. Someone had suspected that Rin was female and had called for the palace guard. Sango, having caught wind of it, had grabbed Rin and dragged her off to see Kagome.

The younger girl could appreciate that. She'd realized that by revealing herself to her, Sango had decided to share the secret. They were now comrades in arms, and Kagome was their fallback when they needed her. It was a comfortable association, and it was because Kagome had been the one to say that His Highness, Prince Sesshomaru was not a cold man that Rin believed it so completely.

Although the rest of the Guard saw Kagome as the lover of Kazuya, Sango's male alias, they disregarded her as being anyone of worth. Even if Kazuya was the best in the Guard. Rin and Sango both knew better.

Following silently after prince, she couldn't help but think on what Kagome and Sango had told her about men and their tendencies. So caught up was she in her thoughts that she didn't realize that the prince on her mind had paused at the lack of noise behind him and stopped to turn around, perhaps to wait for her.

As a result, she walked right into him, the collision knocking the breathe out of her lungs. Shocked at her own lack of attentiveness, she immediately took several steps back and bowed lowly from the waist, her hands on her thighs. "I apologize, Prince Sesshomaru," she said in a voice that was two octaves lower than her own. "Please forgive this unworthy one."

He said nothing, but nor did she see his feet moving. Rin frowned, her mind whirring. Was he not going to accept her apology? Was he going to punish her, perhaps? Would he have her whipped? Beaten? Nervousness radiated off of her in waves.

After another minute, she dared to peek up through her bangs to see if he was planning on striking her. Instead, she was embarrassed to meet his eyes and, blushing, immediately turned her head downwards again.

"Guard," the prince finally said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What is your name?"

"Ah, it's Ri—Ah, um, Yusuke." Though he couldn't see her, she was blushing, entirely embarrassed. How could she almost tell him her real name? What was wrong with her?

"Don't fall in love with anyone," Kagome had warned her, her own eyes both kind and wary. It was the kind of wariness that came with heartbreak.

Rin worried. Was she falling in love with the prince? That was impossible, was it not? She'd never talked to him before her assignment – surely no one could fall in love in the space of a few hours?

"Yusuke," Prince Sesshomaru said, his voice bland.

Worried that she'd offended him again, she looked up, unsure of whether she should change her submissive boy to a salute or not.

"Yes, Your Highness?" she responded cautiously.

"You are forgiven," he said simply. "Now let us be on our way."

"O-of course, Your Highness."

He'd nodded at the soldier then, before quickly turning and continuing on his way, listening for the guard's footsteps behind him. When he realized that the guard wasn't sounding any of the nightingale boards, he hid a grin. Perhaps this wouldn't be so boring after all. It seemed he'd run into something interesting. It was a woman that he smelled masquerading as a man, and it was that same woman that, in her absentmindedness, had run into him, even though she'd obviously discovered the correct manner of walking to avoid the sounds of the floorboards.

Perhaps she was the assassin? He considered the thought for a moment or two before deciding that if she were, she would be sorry for it.

He was reaching the end of the corridor – he'd have to move past the kitchens to get to the courtyard – when he smelled oil. And not just the normal amount of oil that was used in the kitchens and lamps. His eyes narrowed as he cautiously moved towards the kitchen door, completely forgetting his thoughts of the guard behind him.

He was a bit too focused. He didn't realize that the scent had come from above him until he'd heard a cry of "Look out!" as a cask of oil emptied onto his head. Thoroughly drenched in the flammable fluid, he froze, shocked. Even as he moved to look up, he heard the unmistakable sound of flint and steel and flinched at the sulfurous scent. His mind recognized it was dangerous for him, but his olfactory senses were being entirely overwhelmed, already causing him headaches.

"What are you doing?!" he heard the girl shouting. "Move!"

And without realizing it, he found that she'd run into him again, only this time she'd done it with her arms outstretched and quite literally shoved him away from death's door. The match landed on her clothes, immediately setting it alight. While the best course of action would have been to drop and roll, there wasn't enough space in the narrow corridor for her to do such a thing. Instead, she beat at the flame, desperate to keep it from spreading – she simply couldn't allow herself to be discovered!

Then, without any concern for himself, His Highness was reaching for her and, despite the oil that effectively bathed him, ripped the tunic from her body, tossing it away from them both. It landed on the dirt and stone steps that led the way to the kitchen doors.

Rin, eyes wide and frightened, covered her chest with her arms, images of torture entering her mind. She couldn't – she wouldn't! – be able to handle it!

Without another thought, she drew her sword, aiming it for her belly.

And hand gripped the blade just as she thrust it towards her stomach. Her frightened eyes met his fiery ones and she could only think that Kagome had been right when he struck her at the base of the neck. No man with a heart of ice could have such smoldering eyes.

--

When she woke, it was to the scent of clean sheets and a comfortable bed. Sitting up abruptly, she checked her surroundings and then her person. Her weapons were gone, as were her clothes and armor. She was dressed in a casual sleepwear, but remained unbound. Nervous, she got out of bed and headed for the door, unsure of what she'd find beyond it.

Brown eyes met golden.

There was a wordless exchange, but Rin felt comforted. He had brought her to a safe place. He hadn't reported her. But that still left her with a curious question – why had he done such a thing?

"Why did you save me?" she asked him, curious and cautious.

"I do not leave my debts unpaid," he said stiffly.

Rin raised an eyebrow at his neutral words. "A debt, huh?" She shrugged. "That's fine." She glanced around the room.

"How do I get out of here? I need to get back to the others," she asked.

"It is just down the hall," he said quietly. "Take a left."

As she started for the exit, though, he stopped her.

"Before you leave, Yusuke," he started, "Tell me your name."

A smile came to her face as she turned her head to respond. "Rin," she said as she left the safety of his rooms. "My name is Rin."

AN: A term to know is below.

hanyou: half demon