InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Constancy ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I still do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

A/N: While I probably should use only flowers native to Japan, I am not going to, instead, I will use flowers that I am familiar with, and that I know the meanings of. I am sorry if that offends the purists, however, this is a story, and as the author, it's my call. I'd rather deal with what I know, than mess up something that I don't.

---oOo---

Kagome smiled to herself as they walked, eyes pinned to the ground as she thought back over the last few days.

Bringing back the little booklet that gave a listing of flowers and their meanings for Rin was probably one of her better ideas - it kept the girl happy and bent on making new memories to tie in with the blooms, so that she could keep them in her book.

In fact, she thought, with a small laugh, if it kept up at this rate, she'd have to bring a new scrapbook for the girl soon.

The funny thing about it was that, when he'd thought everyone sleeping, she'd noted Sesshoumaru reading the little booklet, obviously curious about the things she'd been sharing with Rin.

She wondered what he thought of the various meanings.

Shippo was pretty good about helping Rin look for flowers while still keeping safe, and she was glad for that. Of course, Inuyasha was pretty intolerent of the pastime, but he didn't dare to argue with his brother and Kagome, so his complaining was kept to muttering most of the time.

Even Sango and Miroku had shown a bit of interest - to pass the time, of course, while traveling.

She started a bit when Rin came running up to her from the field that the road ran alongside, carrying a deep blue flower, and asked her what it was.

"Well, that's a hyacinth, Rin. Blue hyacinth. What does the book say it means?"

Rin looked at the little booklet, and brow furrowing in slight frustration, slowly read through it, looking for the right one. She wasn't very good at reading yet - she'd had some lessons from Sesshoumaru, and Kagome had also started teaching her, but it was still slow going.

"Ah! Here it is, Kagome-sama. It says... con - con-stan-cy. Constancy." She frowned a little, looking up at the miko. "What does that mean?"

Kagome thought about it for a moment. "Hm. It means... steadfast, stability. Something you can count on to always be there, you know?"

Rin tilted her head thoughtfully, looking off into the distance for a few minutes, and Kagome wondered what she was thinking. Finally, a breathtaking smile crossed her face, and Kagome blinked.

"Then this flower stands for Sesshoumaru-sama. There is no one that is more steadfast than him - Rin knows that she can always count on him. This will go in the book as a memory of my Lord." With a decidedly firm nod, she started to move away, then glanced back at Kagome with a smile.

"Kagome-sama might not understand Sesshoumaru-sama and con-stan-cy right now, but she will. Rin knows it with all her heart." With another beautiful smile, she continued on towards Ah-Uhn to grab her book, leaving Kagome with a startled, considering gaze that soon turned inward.

Constancy?

She looked ahead to where the daiyoukai walked, trying to see the Lord through the eyes of his ward.

I would say immutable, more than constant...

And then she thought about it.

Immutable... that carries too many connotations of an inability to change - and obviously, that's not the case, because Rin... she changed him from what he was before.

Lowering her eyes, she stared at the ground as she walked.

Steadfast -stable - loyal. All words that she could suddenly see as applying to the daiyoukai.

With another, more understanding gaze, she looked up again and stared at the swaying silver hair of the youkai Lord, and then she glanced back and caught Rin's eye - and was startled to see the strangely knowing smile on her face.

Constancy.

Rin sees very clearly, doesn't she?

I wonder what else she sees...

---oOo---

A/N: Rin scores her first point! There are a lot more to come, though. I have a very long list of flowers... lol.

Amber