Disclaimer: All characters are NOT mine they belong to the creator's of Inuyasha!

Chapter 13: Heading into a new future

"Ahhhhhh! This feels soooooo good!" Rin exclaimed stretching happily enjoying the feel of her joints popping. Sesshomaru had woken Rin up before the sunrises, Sesshomaru had gotten a bag ready before waking her. He had let her sleep a little longer since they had a ways to go. Today was important day for him if all went well; he prayed it would because today either Rin will be his or she'll head for the mountains. He watched her stretch her muscles inwardly smirking at the sight. She was wearing her winter kimono with a cloak for added warmth; it was white with fur lining on the edges. Rin had the hood up to cover her ears from the cold. Sesshomaru walked over to her; "Ready to go?" he asked; Rin smiled and nodded happily. Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around her waist making Rin gasp; "Hold on..." Sesshomaru stated before taking to the air. Rin held on to her Lord tightly enjoying the feel of being in his embrace as they flew through the air. "Where are we going Sesshomaru?" She asked curiously. "You shall see when we arrive..." he said keeping his eyes forward and unemotional. Rin watched the scene around her as her and her Lord flew to their destination unknown to Rin. Today was going to be her one of her best days that she would love to retell later.

~Noon~

Rin was resting under a tree eating lunch which consisted of an apple, bread, and cheese; while she ate Sesshomaru was resting since he woke up earlier than Rin. When Rin finished eating her food she leaned against the tree and looked out smiling. After awhile Sesshomaru woke up from his mini nap. He found Rin making little snowmen while he had slept; he stood; Rin had noticed her Lord woke up so she looked at him and smiled. "Let's continue on..." He said offering his hand to her. She took it and he re-wrapped his arm around her waist; they took off again. Rin loved being in her Lord's arms he was warm compared to the season.

Soon after their break Sesshomaru had descended; "I must retrieve something from mother before we go to our proper destination..." He said calmly as he landed in front of his mother's castle. Rin and Sesshomaru walked to the door greeted by his mother, like always she had her fan and looked uncaring. "Well...well...well...If it isn't my useless son...what brings you to your beautiful mother's humble home?" She commented sourly. "Mother...how have you been?" He asked equally sour. "If you must know still sore about being used like I was and then my son took this long to come console his upset mother..." she said dramatically fanning herself; wiping away imaginary tears. Rin sweat dropped seeing this; "Mother I've come to retrieve...that..."Sesshomaru vaguely told his mother. Upon hearing 'that' she stopped her dramatic show and looked at Rin then Sesshomaru. She walked over and stare right into Sesshomaru's eyes intently like he was hiding something. Rin could feel the tension from them both as they both stared at each other neither wanting to lose this weird staring contest.

Finally, it was Sesshomaru's mother who broke the contest by laughing. "So that's the way it is very well son I shall give THAT to you..." she said with a small smile. She called a servant to lead Sesshomaru to where he needed to go. Leaving Rin and his mother alone; she turned to Rin. "Well then...what shall we do?" she smiled out and noticed that Rin was wearing a normal, plain, unsuitable winter kimono. She let out a horrified gasp; "Child do not tell me my son allowed you to wear such attire!" she mocked anger. Rin nervously laughed; "He didn't seem to complain my lady..." Rin yelped in shock when his mother grabbed her wrist and dragged her inside. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE I AM FIXING YOU KNOW!" She screamed making the whole castle shake from it.

From inside his mother's vault of treasures he heard his mother rampage about something and then about how she was going to fix it. He had a feeling it was Rin's appearance; he really didn't care to him she looked beautiful in anything. He walked over to a section that the sunlight hit a certain item he was after. He reached and picked it up alone in the vault he smiled happily at the item in his hand. "Rin...I hope you like it..." he took out a specially made box and put the item inside. He walked out to go save Rin from the most threatening demon in the whole world...his mother.

"Rin...can't...breath..." Rin complained as the servants tightened the sashes to make her already thin waist thinner. "Beauty is pain!" Sesshomaru's mother yelled at her; Rin groaned from pain when they tied the sashes. From the closed door; "Mother stop tormenting Rin and loosen the sashes so she may breath properly...I do not want her to faint on me...Do not think I could not tell the difference..." Sesshomaru's voice came. His mother sighed and nodded to the servants they loosened the sashes. Rin took a breath when she could; "That was close..." she panted out. They finished dressing Rin up like she was a doll; Sesshomaru looked up when his mother threw the doors open smiling. "My son I have fixed your beloved...she is know ready to go out into the world and not bring shame..." she said happily stepping aside. Sesshomaru had to force himself from reacting but it was hard when he felt himself tighten under his clothes. Rin stood in front of him shyly; she wore a white winter kimono it had red flowers printed on the hem and trailed up her side. The sleeves were fur lined; she wore another cloak. This one had a train and matched her kimono but the flowers stayed along the edges to look more like flames then flowers. She had minimum amount of make-up her lips stained red, her eyes had liner on her lower and upper eyelids. Her hair was pinned up with a flower hair-piece. "Well son don't just stand there like a idiot say something to your beloved..." his mother snapped. Sesshomaru walked to Rin and took her hand; he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "You look lovely..." he straightened as Rin turn bright red; Sesshomaru heard his mother chuckling. "Well shoo you 2 before the moon arrives before you..." she stated. Sesshomaru and Rin bowed to her and left. "She will make a beautiful bride..."she smiled watching her son love with his woman in his arms.

Rin was even more confused on where they were going that is till she recognized landmarks she gasped. Sesshomaru landed in a certain clearing; where a certain dog demon lay almost dying so many years ago. Rin looked around shocked the area looked beautiful in winter; icicles hung from the branches. The evening sunlight hit them beautifully; Sesshomaru watched Rin look around confused. "What are we doing here for Sesshomaru?" Rin asked looking at Sesshomaru. "I wanted this to be perfect so I decided to bring you here for it..." He stated Rin looked at him lost. He walked over to her; "Rin...I have never been good at showing emotion it is against all I had been taught so before you speak let me..." He said with a bit of difficulty; Rin just nodded and stared at her Lord. He took a deep breath before talking, "Rin years ago you saved my life in this clearing and since then you had followed me everywhere...At first I thought of you like Jaken...a servant nothing more...but that started to change...from a servant you became like a child to me...then that too changed to a little sister...I left you at the village of Inuyasha in hopes of forgetting my growing feelings but it just made it worse...finally the reason I had gone to retrieve you those few months ago...it was because my feelings had grown to that of love of a lovers...then our love became mutual...after what happened with that bastard Ikazuchi I realized...my plans had to be finished faster...and finally I may put that plan into action..." Rin looked at her Lord as he spoke getting more and more suspicious of what her Lord was saying. "I love you Rin I always have I just labeled them as a love they were not...so I hope you accept this as my proof..." Sesshomaru lowered to one knee making Rin gasp. He pulled out a small box; it was a black box with a vine design around it a golden clasp closed the box. Sesshomaru slowly opened the box reviling a beautiful ring. It was a silver small band; on the top was a perfectly polished diamond that shaped a heart. Three mini diamonds were on either side of the heart. "Rin...will you be my mate for life?" Sesshomaru asked looking Rin straight in the eyes. Rin covered her mouth tears run down her face. Rin sobbed out; she slowly nodded, "Yes..." she said through her tears. Then Sesshomaru did something unbelievable he actually smiled. He placed the ring on Rin's ring finger; he then stood and lifted her and spun her around. Rin laughed happily as they twirled; Sesshomaru lowered her to him and kissed her on the lips gently. She kissed him back and then the kiss turned passionate as they kissed one another.

Their lips moved in perfect sync as they kissed, time and space seemed to stop for this glorious moment. When they separated to breath Rin looked at her Lord tears running from her eyes and a huge grin plastered on her face. They just stared into each others eyes as the world went on. All Rin and Sesshomaru cared about was each other and the future they were going to greet happily.

Author's Note: Sorry it's so short but this one I wanted to be only about the proposal! So I hope you thought it was cute even though it was so short! And sorry that it sounds so western...anyway! Leave a review! Question of the chapter! How are the others going to react when they see the ring?!