Catriona held Rin close as the young girl took her afternoon nap in her arms. Both were happy that Sesshoumaru, Isamu, & Inu Yasha were returning back to the castle; & neither could wait to see him walking through the castle doors. She heard a noise outside the door, so she carefully pulled away from Rin & left the bed before she walked to the door. She opened the door a crack to see Miroku leaning against the wall across from the door. He gestured to her to come to him, so she slipped from the door & quietly shut the door. "What is it Miroku?" She asked, slowly crossing her arms over her chest since she was a little cold.
"Catriona, since Sesshoumaru has passed to the other worlds, I think it is best for you that we should leave this castle," he spoke softly, his violet eyes looking deep into her brown eyes. "It will be hard for you to move on from him if you are in a place full of nothing but his memories."
"Miroku, if it's alright with you, I would rather stay here for a little while longer," Catriona replied, looking down at the floor. "I know his memories are here, but I like this castle & I want to stay here a little longer before a different Lord comes to claim the lands."
"Catriona, I've heard that there is already a Lord on his way to take the lands & should be here within a few days. Even though you would like to stay here Catriona, it's not safe," Miroku spoke, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but we leave tomorrow."
Catriona put her hands to her side & balled them into fists, earning a surprised look from Miroku. "We're not leaving Miroku," she said, a stern look coming to her eyes.
"Catriona, why are you willing to risk your life & Rin's for memories that you will forget with time anyway?"
Before Miroku had a chance to react or a chance to expect it, the palm of Catriona's hand collided with his face, leaving a stinging sensation. "I'm tired of you lying to me Miroku," Catriona hissed, glaring at the confused monk. "I know my mate is not dead Miroku, so quit acting like he is!"
"Catriona he is-" Miroku was cut off by another, harder slap across his face.
"Do not lie to me anymore Miroku. You have done enough of that! I heard you in the library; you no longer have your air rip, Naraku is defeated, Sesshomaru is coming home to me!"
Miroku glared at the woman that had the nerve the slap him once more at the end of her words. "You are pushing my nerves by slapping me Catriona. You & Rin are coming with me so we can be a happy family somewhere else far from here."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Sesshomaru placed his claws on his son's neck. "Trust me Isamu," he said before he ripped out the young hanyou's throat, blood spurting on his face. He grimaced slightly & rose to his feet, staring down at his son as he withdrew the Tenseiga from its sheath.
Inu Yasha couldn't believe what he had seen, wondering if the sword would indeed be able to save Isamu's life.
Sesshomaru felt the sword pulse in his hand as he looked at his son's body, watching as the messengers from the other world appeared on his body. He raised the Tenseiga & sliced through Isamu, destroying the messengers & bringing his son back to life.
Isamu opened his eyes & groaned softly as he sat up, looking at his dad & uncle. "How...?"
"My father, before his death, had one of his fangs forged into a sword for me; the Tenseiga. The sword can be used to save 100 lives with one swing as long as the soul is still in the body & the flesh has not begun to rot from death. Do you honestly think I would kill you if I had to? Without a way to bring you back?"
"I did not know... I haven't known you long enough to pass that sort of judgment."
"This is true." Sesshomaru helped Isamu to his feet & looked at Inu Yasha. "Are we ready to return to my castle?"
"I know I am... I'm ready to kill Miroku for what he's doing," Isamu growled, looking around for a moment to get his bearings before he took off in the direction of the castle.
"Oh yeah, he's yours," Inu Yasha said before he took off in the same direction as Isamu with Sesshomaru following close.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Catriona panted heavily, holding a crying Rin close to her, as they both hid from Miroku. When she refused to go with him, he had gone into a slight rage & began to hit Catriona. Rin came out & when she saw what was going on, she ran up & grabbed Miroku's staff, hitting him over the head with it. It had dazed him long enough for her & Catriona to get away & find a hiding place. Sesshomaru, where are you? How much longer until you get here? Catriona thought as she winced from the pain in her ribs where Miroku had actually begun kicking her when she fell.
"Catriona," Rin whispered, looking up at her. "What do we do now? He'll find us soon, I know he will."
"He will Rin, but until then we have to stay hidden, okay?" Catriona whispered back, her eyes glistening in the dim light being provided for the room by candles that the servants lit everyday. "We can't let him find us before Sesshomaru returns to us, or something bad will happen."
"What will happen?"
"I don't know Rin... I just know it'll be something bad..." A noise near the door made Catriona's head jerk in the direction before she placed her hand over Rin's mouth, hearing the girl begin to breath harder, about to scream. Rin, please don't scream... You'll blow our cover! Catriona thought as the door opened up & a figure stepped in the room & began walking around, looking throughout the room.
"Catriona? Rin? Come on out," Miroku spoke, his eyes slowly scanning the entire room, trying to find a sign of the two girls.
Rin shook against Catriona when she heard Miroku's voice, & Catriona rubbed her back softly, kissing the top of her head. He won't find us Rin as long as you stay calm, she thought, fighting the cry of her body to tremble. When Miroku got closer to the cabinet they were hiding in, Catriona's mind began to race, trying to think of some way to escape if he were to find them, but Rin's stirring caught her attention. the girl in her arms was starting to make noise that was getting Miroku to look in their direction. She wrapped her arms tighter around the girl to calm her stirring. Rin, stop it!
"I don't know why you girls insist on hiding from me when you know I'll find you sooner or later..." Miroku said, moving closer to the cabinet where the girls were.
Since the girls had been hiding in the cabinet for nearly an hour, the heat of the tightly made cabinet was starting to get to Catriona, making her dizzy as she stared at Miroku through the slight crack between the doors of the large cabinet. Her eyes closed slightly as a wave of dizziness washed over Catriona. At the same time Miroku opened the doors of the cabinet, Catriona lost consciousness, falling out. Rin had been let go when the dizziness washed over Catriona, so she was left standing in the cabinet.
Miroku quickly knelt down by Catriona, feeling her cold, clammy forehead. How long has she been hiding in there? He asked himself as he picked her up & carried her to the bathing room where he knew the water would be cold since no servants had warmed it yet. In the room, he undressed Catriona & himself before he careful brought her into the water, testing it first to make sure it wasn't ice cold & wouldn't send her body into shock.
Rin quickly followed after Miroku, looking at the two as he eased into the water. "What's wrong with her? What did you do?" Rin asked, tears building up in her eyes once more, fearing for Catriona's life that was currently in the hands of Miroku.
"I did nothing to her Rin," Miroku answered, cupping handfuls of water to splash them on her face, trying to make her wake up. "She merely fainted from heat Rin." Once she has awaken, I will make her believe she had illusions that caused her to pass out... He thought to himself as he watched her eyelids flutter slightly. I will also have to convince her to come a village with me to seek proper care for her health. That will be my chance to get her away from here.