Author's Note: This is an idea that I've had for years—over half a decade by now. It started when I woke up one morning after having a really strange dream about being a little girl, abused and cold in the winter, who was invited out of the cold by a man I loved. It was a vivid dream, and I remembered the man's face from somewhere, but couldn't place it. Later that day, I watched the episode about Kikyou and Inuyasha's past, and the story was heartbreaking. As I moved to turn off the TV after watching the episode, I suddenly thought back to my dream…and this idea just clicked. Suddenly, I had the entire plot outlined in my head.

Of course, this was long before Inuyasha had ended. So originally, the premise of this story was going to be very different. It would have been a non-canon final battle and Kikyou's actions at that battle that would have comprised the prologue. I even had that prologue all written out. But as I procrastinated on writing the story, time went by and Inuyasha ended. Now, with most key points of the story written (yes, I'm not writing it in order), I figured that I might as well change the premise to match the end of the manga and get around to publishing it. So, it is now compliant with canon. I hope you enjoy, and tell me what you think!

Lord of my Dreams

Prologue : The End

The year was 1502.

"Today's the day," said Rin the moment she opened her eyes. Her voice was thick with sleep and the words were somewhat slurred, but Kaede heard nevertheless.

"That it is, child," she chuckled. Rin grinned and sat up.

"You know that you're always welcome here." Rin turned to see Sango in the corner. A pang of regret struck her at how kind Sango was being.

After a moment's hesitation, Rin opened her mouth. "About Kohaku…"

Sango laughed, cutting her off with a wave of the hand. "He's young," she said. "He's more mature than most boys his age, but he's still a young man. I promise: he'll get over it soon enough. Maybe you'll even get to be friends again."

Rin smiled. That sounded perfect.

"It is a shame though," sighed Miroku, entering the hut. "He left you here so you would get over your fear of humans and have a choice."

Rin blinked. "Why is it a shame? I'm glad I'm not scared of people anymore."

Miroku looked like he would argue some more, but Sango threw a ladle at his head, and he shrugged sheepishly and said no more.

"Is it past dawn?" said Rin suddenly, realizing that everyone else was up and about. "I slept in! Wait, Sesshoumaru-sama isn't here yet? Why?"

"I'm sure that he just got a little delayed," assured Kagome from the doorway, behind Miroku.

"He's never delayed," said Rin crossly at the same time as Kaede said, "Do you all really need to crowd in here at once?"

The conversation ended when unified screams outside the hut rose into the air. However, more than anything it was the inclusion of children's screams among the chaos outside that sent Sango, Miroku and Kagome catapulting out of the hut with Kaede and Rin not far behind.

Inuyasha was already there, frantically trying to find all the children and take them away from the huge, perfectly spherical black cloud that was hovering at the level of the top of the trees, perfectly over the village.

"No," said Kaede, her face pale with fear.

"Kaede-baachan, is this…" Rin's voice was little more than a whisper.

"Yes, child."

"Then there's no hope. We'll all be dead in minutes."

"Yes."

"But there must be something we can do!" Giving up was not an option as far as Rin was concerned—especially not today. Today was the day when she was supposed to rejoin her Sesshoumaru-sama, to remain by his side for the rest of her life. She couldn't die before that. "What about the spell? The reincarnation spell!"

"Child, I told you, that-"

"We're all dead anyway!" cried Rin. "You're a priestess, Kagome's a priestess, and I at least have some training! With the three of us together, maybe…"

She didn't wait for Kaede to respond. She ran into the chaos, finding Kagome clutching the lifeless body of her two-year-old.

"Come!"

Kagome shook her head. Her face was dry, but her eyes empty. "It's hopeless."

"There's the reincarnation spell! Just come!"

Kagome looked up, but it seemed to Rin that she did not see anything. "What for? It can't reincarnate those who have already died."

Rin took Kagome by the shoulder. "It's all lost if you give up now. Just bring his body—maybe you'll give birth to him again, the same little boy!"

"It doesn't work like-"

"You don't know that, because it's never been tried before!"

"It's been tried. No one's succeeded."

"Of course they haven't, the spell kills you, and everyone's afraid to die at the last moment! But we're going to die anyway so we've got nothing to lose and there're three of us, so come!"

To Rin's utmost surprise, Kagome got to her feet and mutely proceeded to stumble her way towards Kaede, who was setting out the incense.

Rin ran about and gathered Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango, trying to be as soothing as possible without being cruel while still getting them all to come with her and quickly.

Soon Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango were at the center of the circle; the six dead children's bodies too, cradled delicately by their parents.

Rin did most of the scattering of ashes around the area in which they sat. She worried that the grief would lessen Kaede and Kagome's spiritual power, but as they began to chant she saw that this was not the case at all. If any thing, their power had been strengthened by this utmost loss which made them more desperate than ever to succeed in their endeavor.

Rin's mind suddenly turned to her lord Sesshoumaru. It had suddenly occurred to her that he would not be included in the reincarnation spell—she would never see him again. And yet here she was, executing an idea that had been begun by the thought that she wanted to live to see him again. What good was living if he was lost to her for good?

She turned her thoughts to the children. She would do this for their sake.

Steeling her heart, Rin joined hands with Kagome and Kaede, and joined in on the incantation.

Nevertheless, her last thought was that she only wished she could have seen her lord one more time. None of them noticed the toad stumbling into the circle as they completed the incantation.

Far away, a demon lord woke from a deep slumber to realize that it was past dawn. This puzzled him, for he hardly slept at all, let alone overslept.

He had a promise to keep, so he cast aside the question for later. Rin would be worrying, as he had not shown up at dawn. He set out towards the village as fast as possible, a strange foreboding filling his veins. He shook off the thought, for nothing logical supported it.

Half way there, when he suddenly felt all his strength leave him, he fell to the ground knowing he was dying without the faintest idea as to why. As the world went dark, he thought of Rin.