Rin sat at the edge of the village, staring into the mountains. She huffed and ran her fingers through her now long hair. She'd be seventeen tomorrow and Lord Sesshomaru had not shown up, as he had promised. Six years ago, Sesshomaru had left her in the care of the elder priestess of a village. Though, the village was really nothing special, it had kept Rin safe for as long as she had been promised. But her Lord had promised- had promised- that he would return to her on the eve of her seventeenth. She was, after all, a woman now. Even the rough, dirty human men of the village she was in acknowledged her ascent into a beautiful and gracious woman. Rin, however, paid these men no attention. Barely even a minute of her day was spared for their calls and desires for her. They were all the same; dark hair, and dirty skin from working the fields, soiled clothing and rough callused hands. They were not what she wanted, not the slightest. What Rin wanted was fair with long silver hair, shining gold eyes and a voice that was smooth enough to melt a glacier.

A gentle breeze picked up and Rin lifted her head off of her hand. She sighed, staring emptily into the sunset, sinking, like her hopes. Sesshomaru wasn't coming. Part of her had known that, all of these years. He wasn't coming for her. She shut her eyes, fighting tears. She couldn't cry- what would her Lord say if he saw her cry? He would tell her that she hadn't grown up, and that she should stay with the weak and dirty humans. The imperfect humans. The men that lusted after her every chance they got. The men that cornered her... Rin shivered.

"Why are you sitting alone like this, child?"

"Oh, Lady Tomoko... I was just-"

"Looking for your demon lord?" Lady Tomoko smiled knowingly.

"He told me he'd be here," Rin began, "but he just... He didn't show up. He's never not shown up before! You don't think that... You don't think that he'll leave me here forever would he?"

"Would that really be so bad, dear child?"

"Well, no, but Lord Sesshomaru said..."

"Lord Sesshomaru said what he did to make sure that you would be safe while in my care, Rin. Are you not safe?"

"Yes, I am." Rin lied. Lady Tomoko smiled, clearly satisfied with Rin's answer.

"Why not come and eat? You're so thin, a gust of wind could carry you away at any second."

"Yes, Lady Tomoko." Rin stood up and followed the elderly priestess back to their hut. While walking, Rin glanced down at her body. She wasn't really that thin, was she? She had worked very hard to make sure that her figure remained perfect for when her Lord returned to her. She never ate too much, and never over-exerted herself when she trained. The one man she did trust- her Sensei- greated them at their hut.

"Ah, Rin, child, there you are!" shouted Masahiro, waving at his pupil. Jokingly, he poked her arm. "Still no muscle, eh little girl?" he teased.

"Plenty of muscle to wield the sword you keep sheathed, old man!" Rin played back, laughing at her sensei.

Masahiro had helped Lady Tomoko care for Rin since she arrived in the village. Rin was energetic and eager to learn, so he had taught her how to use a sword as well as a bow and arrow. She had mastered both in no time and was now perfecting her almost flawless hand-to-hand combat skills. While Masahiro was clueless as to why such a pretty girl wanted to know such boyish things, he did not complain. He was happy to have such an eager and bright student.

"You didn't come to practice tonight, everything okay?" he asked the dark eyed girl.

"She was at the edge of town, waiting for her Lord." Tomoko answered for Rin, as she poured stew into a bowl for Rin.

"Is he coming back, Rin?" Masahiro directed his question and the girl this time instead of leaving it open for someone else to answer.

"I... I don't know, Sensei. He said he would but... But he's late. I don't think Lord Sesshomaru has ever made me wait before." Rin blinked back more tears, this time to save herself from embarrassment.

"Ah, Rin. Lord or not, he is still a man. And, as a man, I can promise you, he will be back for you," Masahiro then added with a laugh, "I mean, what sort of fool would leave such a pretty girl alone anyways?"

Rin smiled, but lowered her eyes. What sort of fool, indeed. The men here must not have been fools then, as they never left her alone. Even now, two of the men closer to her age were approaching her.

Their names were Kazuhiko and Kazuhito. Brothers, only a year apart. The younger women in the village were obsessed with these two, and even Rin had to admit they had a special charm. Rin had played with them frequently when she had first come to the village. She actually enjoyed their company until their father and his friends...

"Happy birthday, Rin" said the boys at the same time.

"Oh, thank you, though, it's tomorrow." Rin responded, graciously as ever. She smiled at the two young men then slowly turned her eyes back to her bowl, sitting silently.

"Why so glum?" asked Kazuhito, taking a seat beside Rin.

"Yeah, you should be excited about your birthday." Stated Kazuhiko, seating himself on the opposite side of Rin.

"Yes. Well, I am excited for my birthday. I'm just..." Rin trailed off, pondering a way to explain that she was waiting for Sesshomaru. Only Lady Tomoko knew that he was a demon lord. The few villagers just assumed that he was a human lord who had taken an interest in Rin and had left her here until she was old enough to be taken as a wife. "... I'm just waiting for my Lord to return, as he said he would when he left me here."

"Aw, why you wanna marry a Lord anyways?" Kazuhiko asked. This caught Rin off guard, though she knew what the villagers thought.

"M-Marry? L-Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Well that is what he wants you for, isn't it?" Kazuhito joined his brother in questioning their friend.

"I... I don't know really." Rin pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head. She'd never really considered Lord Sesshomaru in a marriage sense. In truth, she'd never really considered their relationship at all. They were just themselves. Rin and Lord Sesshomaru. But... Lady Rin and Lord Sesshomaru? A breeze blew through the hut and somewhere in the distance some villagers laughed and carried on. She wondered in silence if Lord Sesshomaru was really coming or not. Perhaps he was just going to leave her here with the humans, and let her live out a mundane and boring life like a normal human.