InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Eloquence and Persuasion ( Chapter 48 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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It had been several days since Sesshoumaru had visited Bokuseno, and in that time, he'd been a little more quiet than usual - and stand-offish. Kagome had noticed, but was unsure of what was wrong - and was afraid to ask, thinking that she must have done something to upset the daiyoukai.

With that, she began to pull away from everyone as well, contenting herself with staying near the children.

Rin and Shippo were beginning to get worried - things had been going so well...

Finally, one evening after dinner, Rin went over to where her Lord sat alone, and positioned herself on her knees near him, simply waiting until he decided to notice her presence and address her.

"Rin, what is it that you want?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Rin is worried about you, Sesshoumaru-sama - and about mama." That got his attention, and he looked down at her, a slight frown forming between his brows. "You have been far away in your mind for a few days now, and I think that mama's worried that you don't want to be around her anymore." The little girl sighed. "Her dreams are sad..." she trailed off.

Sesshoumaru stared at the child, troubled. So Kagome thinks that I am rejecting her... that troublesome low opinion of herself strikes again. She fears that something has changed between us. Of course, I suppose... it has looked that way. And Rin - to come to me and speak of this. Sometimes I wonder if she is truly a child or... something else.

"I am... merely thinking on some things, Rin, I am not angry with your mother."

The little girl tilted her head, and blinked up at him. "Sometimes it helps if you talk about it, you know. Even if you don't think Rin will understand, maybe all you need is to hear your thoughts out loud."

He cast a glance at her, slightly startled once again by the child. "Perhaps... you are correct, Rin." Standing, he motioned for her to follow him, then looked at Kagome.

"Rin wishes to walk with this one, miko. We will return soon."

Kagome shot him a startled look, but nodded, and smiled at Rin encouragingly. Rin smiled back, and then darted after Sesshoumaru, happy to spend some time alone with her Lord - and to help him order his thoughts.

He paced slowly out of the camp, making sure the little child could keep up, and they slowly tracked off into the trees.

They walked for several minutes, coming across a small pool in a shady glade, and a small distance away they could hear a waterfall. It was a peaceful place. Rin grinned when she caught sight of the little pond, enjoying the sight of the water lillies and lily pads - and the tiny green frogs that hopped off the floating vegetation to drop back into the water at their approach.

He stopped, seeing her pleased expression, and sat down facing the water, waiting for her to sit next to him.

He was silent for a while, and finally, Rin asked, "Sesshoumaru-sama... are you worried about mama for some reason?"

"In a sense, Rin. I am youkai, and your mother is ningen." He smiled a tiny smile inside when she nodded, a serious expression on her face. "She will die many, many years before I will."

Rin worked that through her mind for a moment, and a sudden look of comprehension and compassion settled on her face.

"You don't want mama to die - you want her to stay with you." She looked at him then, a look of shining confidence aimed his way. "You will find a way, Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin knows it!"

He looked away, draping his arm across his knee, and sighed. "This one already knows of one such way, Rin, but - there are... consequences."

"Oh." Rin sat forward a little and ran her fingers through the water for a few minutes. Then she tilted her head, a frown creasing her brow. "Are they bad things that will happen if you do this for mama?"

"In order for your mother to have an extended life, this one must give up some of his own."

At that, Rin got an enlightened look in her eye. "Ohhhh," she said. "Now I understand. You have to figure out if you care about mama enough to lose some of your own life. I see. That's a big decision, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Hai." They fell silent for a time, the youkai Lord once again lost in his thoughts, and the girl watching the frogs play in the pool.

Suddenly, he spoke. "It is not so much that I must decide whether I... care... enough."

Rin looked up with a smile. "Well, then, what is it?"

"I am... not sure," he replied. "And that is the problem. I do not know where this concern comes from."

A muffled giggle greeted this statement, and he looked down at her, brow raised. "You find this uncertainty amusing?"

She shook her head, her pigtail bouncing. "There's only one thing you need to worry about, really."

He frowned, interested to see what her answer was. "And that would be...?"

"Can you let her go, and live happily without her? You can just let her live her normal life, then die, and you live alone again - or you can even your time together out." She shrugged her little shoulders. "It seems simple to Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru blinked once, then blinked again, eyes still on the child.

"That is it?"

"Yup." She giggled again. "If you can answer that, then you'll know what to do."

He stared at her for a moment, then turned his gaze inward. I can either live forever alone - or live for a shorter time... but not alone.

I suppose...

And suddenly, his mind settled, and he knew what he would choose - though he still couldn't say exactly why.

Trust a child to reach through everything and grab the most important part of a problem. Life is so simple for them - black and white. Perhaps it is a bad thing that we grow... and lose that simple wisdom.

He eyed the water lillies, and shook his head. Eloquent, indeed - in a quiet, uncomplicated way... but it was enough.

Standing, he held out his hand for Rin to take, and pulled her up.

"This one thanks you, Rin. You have been told this before, but this one wishes you to know that it is true - you are, indeed, a wise person."

Rine beamed at him, and dusted off her kimono, making sure to clear the debris from the ground from her little backside.

Sesshoumaru watched with well-concealed amusement. She is taking on many traits of my priestess already. It will be interesting to see how she grows under Kagome's care.

If what I have seen so far is any indication, she will be a singularly unique woman...

Just as she is a very unique child.

With a shake of his head, he placed a hand on her shoulder affectionately, and then they walked from the little glen, the youkai lord once more in accord within his own mind.

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A/N: Out of the mouths of babes...

Amber