Rin woke up to the sound of Jaken s cheery voice as the Sikh yanked open the heavy brocade curtains, Good morning, Rin!
Rin groaned and pulled the blankets over her head to protect herself from the damnable light. Morning? What time is it?
It is 6 am, Jacken answered briskly as he tied the curtains back then brought a silver breakfast tray over to Rin from the side table. He lifted off the domed lid and the heavenly scent of eggs, bacon and toast wafted over to Rin even beneath the covers.
Six? Rin groaned again. Six in the morning?
She did not see six am. unless she had stayed up all night. It was frighteningly bright outside. The sky was a peerless blue. She could actually hear birdsong. She smelled the freshness of grass and blooming flowers.
She pulled the blankets over her head again. Jacken pulled them down.
Yes, Sesshoumaru wishes you to be out in the rose garden bright and early. My selective hearing only goes so far, Jacken said.
So you admit that you have selective hearing then? Rin let out a laugh.
Sometimes it is best to only hear certain things and not others, Jacken answered. But in some things, I must carry out his instructions to the letter.
Like waking me up at the crack of dawn?
I have been up since 4:30. Jacken said smartly.
You re a morning person. Chirpy and aggravating to all of us who are night owls.
Jacken just laughed in response.
Rin scrubbed her face. Her eyes felt filled with sand. She had not slept well, tossing and turning for hours in the comfortable bed. It was a four-poster with dark red sheets and comforter. The bed looked old, but was sturdy and it had one of those ultra-modern foam mattresses. Nevertheless, without something to distract her from the weirdness of the day... like my phone... Rin had not been able to shut off her mind and sleep.
Instead, she had gone over and over every single thing that had happened that day.
The room was also spacious and lovely. There was a separate sitting area before a real wood burning fireplace. Rin could easily imagine curling up there with a book, but that would imply Sesshoumaru would give her free time.
I doubt there will be much of that if I am being woken at six.
Here are some things to wake you up, Rin. Jacken said, interrupting her thoughts. The Sikh picked up the silver tray and placed it over Rin s lap. I thought good, hearty food and coffee would soften the earliness of the hour. Besides, it is a beautiful day. It would be a shame to miss a moment of it.
Groggily, Rin looked down at the plate of food, but she perked up as she caught the heavenly scent of rich coffee. This looks and smells amazing. Thank you. Last night s dinner and now this? Sesshoumaru thinks this whole experience is a punishment, but it feels more like being in a resort with this delicious food and breakfast in bed.
Jacken flashed her another smile. He was wearing a grey suit this day with a dark red tie. His headscarf was still that brilliant white. I am glad to be of service.
Rin quickly took a bite of food and wolfed down half of it. The creaminess of the eggs and the sharp salt of the bacon had Rin s mouth watering for more. The sweetness of what suspiciously looked like home-made jam on the evenly browned toast was the perfect accompaniment to the eggs and bacon. But even though this, like last night s meal was incredible, she felt guilty for taking advantage of Jaken s generosity.
You really don t have to do this, you know, Jacken Point me the way to the kitchen and I can cook for myself. It ll probably amount to lightly burnt toast and Mac-and-cheese, but I m good at cooking sometimes ...
No, I would not hear of it. Jacken shook his head and cut the air with his hands.
Rin s head drooped. It was, as she feared. You re trying to make up for the internship, aren t you?
Yes and no. It is truly my pleasure to make you comfortable here and to look upon Moon Shadow as your home.
I don t think Sesshoumaru wants me to think of this place as home.
Jacken took in a deep breath and laced his fingers behind his lower back. Sesshoumaru is a complicated man, but he is a good man.
He hides the latter part pretty darn good. Rin smiled.
Jaken s answering smile was weak and Rin immediately worried that she had stepped over a line. I know it must seem that way to you. No, not seem. That is not accurate. He has not been that way with you. He has not been his best in some time. I am hoping he will remember what it is to be that person again with you here.
Rin carefully put her fork down next to the plate. I highly doubt that I m the girl you re looking for if you think I m capable of pulling Sesshoumaru out of his ... ah, shell, or whatever.
Why do you say that?
I just want to get through this year and then escape and start my own life. I have been holding back for a long time. I m not here to do anything, but help my family get out of our financial hole, Rin explained. I m not here to help Sesshuomaru. Maybe he s a good guy deep down, but I m not here for him.
Rin winced a bit at how cold that sounded. But then she shrugged it off. She liked Jacken and wanted to help him. But Sesshoumaru was another matter altogether. The man was a right asshole and no amount of nicely-nice was going to change that.
Besides there is no way I could reach the person s heart even if I wanted to. His face looks like he smells something bad when he sees me.
Sometimes fate has other plans for us than we intend, Jacken said, not seeming offended by Rin s answer at all.
I do promise to try my best not to bring out the worst in him, but that s all I can promise, I think, Rin said.
Jacken bowed. That is all one could ask of you. Sesshoumaru wished me to tell you what your tasks are for today, Jacken said as Rin finished off the second half of his food. He wishes you to begin to remove all the weeds and debris in the rose garden.
Rin followed Jaken s gesture towards the window. Even from her bed, she could see that the rose garden needed a lot of work. If the front of the house had seemed overgrown and wild, the rose garden looked like that show that showed what the world would look like after humans. Red, white, pink, purple, and yellow even black roses bloomed in profusion everywhere. It was like an ocean of roses.
Wow. Uhm, okay, looks like it needs a little trimming back or something. Is that what you do with roses? Rin asked.
I will assist you as much as I am able after I get done with my own duties, Jacken promised.
Jacken, no way, you have enough to do ...
Again, I must insist. Besides, it is a pleasure to work in the garden. I shall be happy to do it, Jacken said.
Rin knew she would never change Jaken s mind so she just nodded and expressed her thanks. I m sure I ll appreciate the help and guidance.
Also, Sesshoumaru has arranged for his tailor, Ms. Fioretti, to come this afternoon to take your measurements. Jacken said.
He s serious about the formal dinners, isn t he? Rin had forgotten that part of the conversation. She really was not sure what she thought of that part. Imagining sitting opposite Sesshoumaru in an uncomfortable gown with candles glowing and Sesshoumaru glowering was not her idea of a good time.
Maybe it will go so badly after the first time that he will give it up. I am sure he will have to go into town, too. Maybe I will hardly see him. Right. Sure. Just keep telling myself that.
He is rather old-world, Jacken said non-committally. Also, I understand that your father will be sending some of your things over today. I will be on the lookout for them.
Yeah, I packed pretty light. Can t fit much on the back of a bike.
But you did have a bag packed already? Jaken s head tilted to the side.
Rin nodded. Yeah, I was planning to stay at my friend Kagome s.
Does she live in another city? Jaken s forehead furrowed.
Oh, no, she lives in Summer Haven in a studio apartment quite far away from my house ending on opposite side exactly. Rin explained. Seeing the perplexed look continuing on Jaken s face, she felt the need to say more. I went to my father s office tonight to tell him that I was leaving.
Leaving?
Leaving the family. That is the choice he gave me, you see. Either give up my photography and join the family business of making money and ruining lives or leaving the family with nothing. I chose door number two. Rin said.
Jacken regarded her quietly. Surely your father would have relented! A child should be allowed to follow where his or her talents lead.
Rin swallowed the last of her coffee and shrugged, covering up the surprising stab of pain at Jaken s honest bewilderment about her father s actions. Things don t work that way in the Yamato family. You are either with us or against us. There s nothing in between.
Jaken s forehead furrowed even as the perplexed expression remained. Yet you came here. You are sacrificing a year of your life for them.
Rin gave him a pained smile. It s not exactly as selfless as it seems. I feel guilty about leaving my family. It seems like a selfish thing to do in some ways to follow my own dreams. Moreover, if I left them in this bad spot while going off on my own I wouldn t feel right about it. So here I am. I do this and then I m free of any guilt and any burden of staying with them.
I think you give yourself too little credit for the sacrifice you are making. You are acting honourably for your family even if they... and forgive me, I may be wrong in this... would not do the same for you, Jacken said.
They probably wouldn t. Rin laughed. They definitely wouldn t. But they re more cold blooded, I guess, is the way to put it. They probably think me doing this is weak. Thankfully for them, I don t think like that.
I am glad that you are away from them. Jacken said. His expression was still so disturbed that Rin felt a wash of warmth and liking for the Sikh. Jacken was clearly a gentle soul.
Me, too, and I m never going back. Do you have kids, Jacken? You must have considering your grandson who is eager to take over your job. Rin steered the conversation away from the discomfort of her own family.
I have a son and daughter. Jacken immediately warmed to the subject. My daughter is an engineer and my son is a doctor.
Wow! You must be so proud, Rin said.
I am exceedingly proud. My grandson is my daughter s child, he said. Sesshoumaru ensured that my children went to the best schools in the world. He has made the richness of their lives possible. They were able to pursue the dreams that were in their souls. My grandson is like me. He wishes to be here. My granddaughter is a poet. Her facility with words is great. I am excited to see them grow into their gifts
Rin could not imagine even the taciturn Sesshoumaru being immune to Jaken s goodness. Who wouldn t want to help the Sikh? She imagined that his children were just as kind and worthy. Rin could not even envision having a her family support her like that. She knew intellectually that this was wrong. She had heard it from friends who had seen her father in action with her. She had seen it in other people s families over breaks where she stayed with them rather than returning to her own home. Still it all seemed like a fairytale to be so supported and adored.
I have pictures of them. I will show you later. Jacken said with enthusiasm.
I d like that. I m glad Sesshoumaru has been good to you and yours.
As I said, he is a good man, Jacken answered.
Is ... I am not sure how to ask this. Maybe I m not sure that I should. Rin said.
You are wondering about the scars on his face. Jacken said.
Rin nodded. Yeah, it looks like well, a hand print burned onto his face. How did that happen?
Jacken stared at him for long, quiet moments. He does not like it speak of, but I think I think I should tell you.
Rin sat up straighter in the bed. She should not be interested in Sesshoumaru's life, even if it explained the man s constant bad mood. However, maybe if she understood a little, she would be able to make the rest of the year bearable.
I m definitely willing to listen, Rin said.
Jacken wandered over to the window. He stared out at the blue sky, unseeing. It happened in Japan.
On a trip?
Jacken shook his head. No, Sesshoumaru lived in Japan with his family for many years. My family served his back then, too, though... well, it was a different time, but Sesshoumaru was always good to us though he was very wild in many other ways.
How different could it possibly have been? Sesshoumaru does not look like he is that much older than I am. But the way that Jacken is telling the story, it seems like it was an awfully long time ago.
He went hunting in a restricted area. He wished to find a fabled Japanese inu that was said to haunt the forests near a sacred river. Jacken tightened his hands and his normally jolly face grew sad. He was warned repeatedly to stop his quest. But Sesshoumaru would not listen.
Why wouldn t he listen? Rin asked though she could easily see Sesshoumaru not listening to anyone, in fact, she could see Sesshoumaru continuing on specifically when someone told him not to. The man would just charge ahead no matter what he was told. He was like a bull in a china shop.
Sesshoumaru's father was a hard man. Sort of like your own father. Distant. Like a frozen mountain peak.
Sesshoumaru had to prove something to his father and to himself. But this hunt was the wrong way to do it. Jacken shook himself as if even speaking of Sesshoumaru's father was uncomfortable. He found the inu he sought. He cornered it at the bottom of a waterfall. He killed it, but the inu s body fell into the water and was swept away downstream.
So he lost the inu after all? Rin found some satisfaction at the thought that Sesshoumaru was thwarted.
No, unfortunately, no, he did not.
Oh, he ...
He raced after it. Jumped into the torrent like a lunatic. He would hear no reason. His men tried to stop him, but it was pointless. Jacken pressed his lips together. He was beyond reach.
Sesshoumaru does have wildness to him. I could imagine him being unstoppable. Almost like a wild creature.
He and the inu s corpse were washed up on the river s edge by a village. Jaken s shoulders drew in. It was the village of a holy woman. She was beautiful and young then. Skin was milky white and nearly spotless. There was a forest of onyx hair on her head.
It sounds like you were there. Were you?
Jacken shook his head. It was before ... Before my time. But Sesshoumaru has spoken of it on rare occasions. When he has indulged in too much... well, when he is feeling low.
Rin felt strange hearing these intimate things about Sesshoumaru, which she was pretty sure Sesshoumaru had only revealed to Jacken when drunk. She was reading between the lines here, but she was sure she was right.
What does it matter? Jacken thinks I should know. So what if it would make Sesshoumaru uncomfortable that I am aware of his past?
Jacken continued, She walked out to the river s edge on her own. The other villagers stayed away.
Frightened. The children were hidden in the huts. Only a few brave souls peered out of the doorways. But no one else approached.
Sesshoumaru awoke. His arm was wrapped around the great beast s head. Its fur was wet and blood still oozed sluggishly from the bullet wound he had inflicted on it. The young woman stopped half a foot away from Sesshoumaru and the inu. He tried speaking the local dialect to her, but she would not answer.
Was he somehow burned in the river? Toxic chemicals or something?
But what could just burn a hand-shaped print on his face, but not the rest of him?
Jacken turned and looked over at Rin as if he wanted to imprint the words on her. She was the one to burn him.
What? Rin jolted upright. The tray jerked on her lap and her coffee cup went flying. She caught it just in time.
She put her hand in the mud on the river bank until it was covered in the white, slick earth. Then she placed that hand on his face. That was what left the mark. He said he didn t know what was happening until he saw the smoke trailing up before his eyes. Then there was pain. Such pain.
How could mud do that?
Some things are not easily explained. Some things are not meant to be explained, Jacken said.
Why did she do it? She must have said something. There must have been some explanation to do that to him! It couldn t just be about a inu!
Whatever Rin s feelings about the man, Sesshoumaru was beautiful. The burns on his face were like marring a work of art. How could anyone do that? Why would they do it?
Jacken shook his head, but Rin felt like he was holding something back. She wanted to press, but she felt like she had learned more than she ever wanted to. Jacken had gone very quiet and Rin wondered whether he regretted telling her about Sesshoumaru.
Anxious to break the uncomfortable silence, she said, Looks like the delicious food is gone. I best get to work. I won t bother to shower until after.
Ah, yes, let me take the tray and allow you to get dressed. I will then show you to the garden shed where you can find all the tools you need, Jacken said as he lifted the heavy silver tray from Rin s lap.
As soon as the Sikh disappeared with the tray through her bedroom door, Rin jumped up and went to the wardrobe where her paltry assortment of t-shirts and shorts were. She slipped on some khaki shorts and a light blue t-shirt that was soft from countless washing. She pulled on a pair of socks and her hiking boots. She had a feeling that bare feet would not be accepted or safe out in the rose garden. She glanced at herself in the mirror that was built into the interior of the wardrobe. She looked awake. She ran her hands through her brown hair that was sticking up in a few places. She considered using a comb and some oil to tame it, but then she thought: why? She was not there to impress anyone. She was going to get hot and sweaty from working in the garden any ways so why bother with trying to look good for a few minutes?
Besides, even though Sesshoumaru claims he has no interest, better to make it clear that I have no interest in him. I am not going to try myself to look good.
Rin decided not to wait for Jacken to get back upstairs to her room, but instead to meet the Sikh downstairs. She was already uncomfortable with how much Jacken was doing for her. She did not want the Sikh to get in trouble with his boss.
Any more trouble, I should say. Sesshoumaru is already aggravated with him about him taking my side. I really have to keep him out of this.
Rin strode out of her room and found the carved oak staircase that led down to the first floor. Moon Shadow was large, but it was laid out simply enough that she could easily find her way. She was on the top of the steps when she heard voices raised below. She slowed her pace. She realized that one of the front doors was open and there was a wash of sunlight flooding the foyer. She saw that it was Jacken speaking to a man that was dressed in dusty boots, faded jeans and a flannel shirt. The man on the front step was about fifty years old. His face was flushed with anger, but it also looked to be the face of a heavy drinker to Rin.
You tell him what I ve said. The man was sticking a finger in the air at Jaken s chest. His tone was belligerent and spittle flecked his lips. Every time he comes around here more of our livestock go missing When we find what s left of them, they re in little pieces. They ve been mauled and eaten by some large animal.
We have no large animals here, sir, Jaken s voice went high in protest.
It only happens when he s here. Never when he is not. We re sure that he s brought some animal from foreign parts here! The man s gaze raked Jacken up and down as if the Sikh, too, were some kind of animal from foreign parts.
Rin s nails dug into the soft flesh of her palms and she was shooting down the stairs to Jacken What s the problem here?
Jacken half-turned in surprise as Rin appeared at his elbow. It is all right, Rin. Mr. Brennan was just going away.
Another pudgy finger was stuck in Jaken s face. You tell Sesshoumaru that we re setting traps and waiting with guns. If his pet comes near our farms again, we ll be sending it back to him in pieces!
Hey! Do not use that tone with Jacken! You have no right ...
Rin was interrupted by Sesshoumaru's dark rumbling voice, Mr. Brennan, you have been told before not to grace my property with your presence. If you do so again it is you who will be meeting the wrong end of my gun.
Rin spun around. Sesshoumaru was standing half in the shadows of the hallway. He had on the same clothes as he had worn the night before. Rin wondered if he had slept at all. He also had a hunting rifle in one hand. Rin wondered if that was the gun, that Sesshoumaru had killed the Panther with.
Mr. Brennan turned so red then that his skin almost looked purple. You ve been warned, Sesshuomaru! Don t say you haven t been!
Shut the door, Jacken, Sesshoumaru said simply.
Jacken closed the door on Mr. Brennan. Rin could see from the shadow underneath the door that the farmer hesitated for long moments before he finally left the doorstep and lumbered away. Rin s shoulders slumped in relief.
Who is that guy? And what wild animal is he talking about? Rin asked.
There is no animal. It is all in Mr. Brennan s drink-addled imagination, Sesshoumaru answered coolly. Aren t you supposed to working? I am not saving your family just to have you hanging about in my hallway.
I was just ... Forget it. You are right. I wasn t trying to help. I was just being lazy. Rin, sneered, taken aback by Sesshoumaru's dark mood being aimed at her.
Sesshoumaru stared at her. His face though was in shadows so that Rin could not read his expression. The edge of the hand-print burn was visible. It looked raw and red this morning. An angry colour Almost a fresh colour Rin felt a sympathetic prickling along her own skin.
She was trying to help, sir, Jacken said softly.
Sesshoumaru shook his head. His long hair falling loose around his shoulders. We do not need her help against the Brennan s of the world. I just need her strong back in the garden.
And with that, Sesshoumaru strode away, leaving Rin gritting her jaw and thinking it was going to be a very long year.