From Deep Within

An InuYasha fanfiction by Jacquelyn J.M. Fisher

Chapter 4:  Flowers, Hot springs, and a Gift

     The strange group spent the next three days in the forest glade while Tora's injuries healed. She was taken care of by little Rin, who hardly ever left her side. Jaken, apparently on orders by the daiyōkai, never let the child out of his sight, so he was often hovering around as well. Tora grew used to his grumbling and temper quickly, as it hardly ceased. She also grew familiar with the two-headed creature Rin called Ah and Un.
     
     By the third day, the young woman was able to move around with only a slight pain. Around midmorning, Tora was resting against a tree and watching the little girl pick wildflowers.
     
     "Sesshoumaru-sama will be returning soon," the girl said as she carefully selected a yellow flower to add to her small bouquet. She stood up and brought the flowers over to the young woman. "Do you like these, Tora-san?"

     "They are beautiful."

     "Sesshoumaru-sama will like them."

     Tora wondered if the stoic daiyōkai would find five small flowers appealing.  She could not picture him accepting the colorful bouquet...


     As the armored daiyōkai approaches, Rin races towards him with her small bouquet of red and yellow flowers. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I gathered these just for you!" she exclaims, beaming her childish smile. The tall daiyōkai grabs the girl as she reaches him and swings her around in the air. Both laugh happily and carefree. Then Sesshoumaru sets the child back on her feet, and he takes the flowers with his hand.  
     
     "They are beautiful, Rin-chan. I will cherish them." And he slips the long stems into the top of his sash so that the blossoms are over his heart. "There," he says. His golden eyes sparkling with paternal mischief. "Now they are as near to my heart as you."  

     Rin leans forward against the daiyōkai, her face pressing against his fur, and Sesshoumaru embraces her. His face is aglow with love and joy, his features softened by a wide smile.


     ...Tora could barely contain her laughter at the bizarre thought. She caught herself just in time and cleared her throat.

     "Rin, you and I should bathe," Tora changed the subject quickly. "There is a hot spring nearby."

     "You cannot go!" Jaken glared at the young woman. "Sesshoumaru-sama could be coming back any time now."

     "Jaken, do not argue with me," the young woman warned calmly. She used the tree to assist her in standing up. "Come, Rin."

     "Coming!" She raced over to Jaken and handed him her five small flowers.  "Please, Master Jaken, could you hold these for me?"

     Without waiting for a reply, the little girl took Tora's hand and the two walked away from a stunned Jaken.  

     Jaken glanced down at the flowers in his hand and then up at the departing humans.  Suddenly, he panicked.

     "What do I do? Oh, what do I do? Sesshoumaru-sama will kill me if anything happens to Rin. Ah-Un, we must follow them. At once!"

     The hot spring was just a little ways away from the small clearing where they were camped. A few exposed boulders as well as overgrown trees along the bank gave the place enough privacy. Rin quickly undressed and left her kosode and obi in a pile on a rock. She stepped into the water quickly and laughed as her hasty plunge caused water to splash over the rocks.

     Tora smiled as she set her sheathed katana against a rock and slowly untied her obi. She then carefully removed her old kimono. She looked over the torn fabric stained with blood, faded from exposure to the sun, and threadbare from years of wear. She sighed. Then she removed her undergarments and the bandages, and joined Rin. The hot water felt wonderful on her skin, easing her aching muscles. She ducked her head under and then ran her fingers through her hair.

     "Tora-san, why is your hair so short?" Rin asked suddenly.

     The young woman pushed her wet bangs from her face and looked at the girl.

     "I am a lady samurai. Since I was younger than you are, my father trained me as a warrior. When I was older, I fought alongside him and other great samurai for his daimyo. It is very difficult to fight properly when one has long hair."

     "Sesshoumaru-sama has very long hair, and he is the strongest warrior," the child replied.
     
     Tora laughed softly.

     "He also is a yōkai," she pointed out. "I am merely a human."

     Rin's face suddenly turned serious. "Tora-san, if you did have long hair, you... you would look like..."

     "I would look like whom?"

     The child averted her eyes and shook her head. "Someone I once knew."

     Tora gazed thoughtful at her for a moment, wondering who in her past she was referring to. It was obviously someone very dear to her. However, Tora decided not to push the subject. If Rin wished to tell her, then she would eventually do so.

     The young woman reached out and took a hold of Rin's hand. She pulled the girl through the water to her. She cupped her chin and gently raised the child's face upwards.

     "Rin, why do you accompany Sesshoumaru-sama? What happened to your family?"

     Tears threatened to fill the girl's eyes, and she looked away.  

     "They were killed a long time ago by bandits. I was all alone until I found Sesshoumaru-sama." A smile appeared on her face again. "He is kind to me."

     A blur of white flashed by her vision and four soldiers dropped to the ground.  She forced herself to look despite the excruciating pain and the exhaustion that was taking hold of her.  He was standing in the midst of the fallen men, blood dripping from his fingers.  He was so calm as he stared at the last remaining of her attackers.

     "And whenever I'm in danger, he comes to save me," Rin continued softly.

     He stood with the sheath in his hand, the fur draped over his shoulder dancing in the slight breeze.  His piercing golden eyes staring at her, through her, without so much as a flicker of emotion.  She felt as if he was peering deep within her to a place not even she knew of.

     The girl looked up towards the sky and watched a cloud, white and puffy, float lazily by.  

     Her right hand grasped the sheath just a hairs breadth away from his, and she bowed her head. Solemnly, she said, "You have my gratitude, my lord.  What do you want me to do?" She saw his clawed fingers release the sheath and drop to his side, vanishing inside the long, flowing sleeve of his kimono.

     "I want to be with Sesshoumaru-sama forever," the girl whispered, just loud enough for Tora to hear.  

     "Do as you want."  There was no scorn in his tone of voice as he spoke those words, and she caught her breath in surprise.  Looking up quickly, she discovered he was already walking away, and something from deep within her called out.  She needed to follow him.

     "I'm done!" Rin suddenly announced with a giggle.  

     Without warning, she shook her head playfully. Droplets of the warm water flew everywhere, including into Tora's face, pulling her abruptly from her thoughts. Rin left the hot spring and quickly dressed in her kosode. Then she sat down on a rock to ring out her hair.

     Tora finished washing the blood, dirt, and sweat from her body. She sat down next to Rin to examine her injuries. She was surprised at how quickly her wounds were healing. She had always been a fast healer, but these wounds, potentially life-threatening only days ago, were already closing and new skin was forming. Still, she took a small jar from her kimono sleeve and opened the lid.

     "Rin, could you put this on my back?" she asked.

     "Yes, Tora-san."  

     Rin took the salve, and Tora turned slightly so her back was to the child.  

     "This smells good," the girl commented as her small fingers gently brushed the cool paste across the ridged wound. "Tora-san, what does this do?"

     "It is a special mixture of herbs that wards off infection," the young woman replied.

     "Did you make this?"

     "I did."

     "There! All done."  

     Rin gave the jar back to Tora. The young woman dipped her own fingers into the pale, greenish ointment. She was about to apply it to her side when her senses were overwhelmed by a strong presence. He was behind her, and Tora's hand wavered slightly, uncertain what to do.

     "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin exclaimed happily.

     The little girl leaped from the rock and rushed to the daiyōkai's side.

     "Tora-san is feeling much better today, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin continued excitedly.

     "My lord, Sesshoumaru-sama! You have returned!" Jaken cried out. Tears of relief swelled in his large eyes.

     The yōkai retainer pushed his way through the bushes and planted himself right next to Sesshoumaru. He looked ridiculous with his hat askew, the staff of the two heads in one hand and a bouquet of small wildflowers in the other.

     Sesshoumaru gave the child a look.  "Did you behave, Rin?"

     "Yes, my lord," Rin replied cheerfully. "Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un all behaved."
     
     Quite a few thoughts rushed through Tora's mind. This was not the first time in her life that she had been seen naked. However, that knowledge did not make her situation any more comfortable. She resisted the temptation to hastily grab her kimono to cover herself. Such an act would definitely appear foolish. Instead, she applied the ointment to the wound on her side with as much composure as she could manage.

     "Tora."

     Her entire body stiffened at the sound of her name, but she did not turn around.

     Sesshoumaru gazed directly at the young woman's back. The blade wound stretched from her left shoulder to her right hip, but it was healing together nicely and unusually fast for a human. In a short time, there would not even be a scar to mark the injury. Without a word, he approached and set a neatly folded bundle on the rock next to Tora. Then without another word, he turned to leave.

     Tora looked down at the brand new garment in surprise. The kimono was a crisp white with a beautifully deep purple color around the collar, shoulders, and sleeves. She touched it lightly, it was of smooth silk, and traced the small flower pattern with her fingertips. She wondered if this had been the reason for his absence.

     "Thank you, my lord," Tora whispered softly.

     The daiyōkai paused for just a moment, looking over his shoulder at the young woman. Silently he continued into the trees, followed closely by Rin and Jaken.

     "Rin, will you take your flowers now?" Jaken implored. "Rin?  Rin!"

     The girl turned her head towards the yōkai retainer, a look of surprise on her face.

     "Um, did you say something, Master Jaken?"

     "Oh, never mind," the small yōkai sighed. He let the flowers fall to the ground as he hurried to catch up with his master.

     When Tora no longer felt the presence of the daiyōkai, she stood and dressed in the new kimono. It fit her perfectly and was vaguely similar to Sesshoumaru's own attire. She tied the new, sturdy obi of dark purple about her waist and slid her katana securely into it. Then she slipped the small jar of salve into her sleeve.

     She gathered her old, stained, tattered kimono. It would have to be burned. With that thought in mind, she left the hot spring quickly.