"I'm home!" the young excited voice rang through the large hut. Her greeting echoes in her mind as the silence finally hit her. Where was everyone? Her brother's where usually in the kitchen—well her middle brother, Inuyasha, was at least. That young man had the appetite of a full blooded demon! Making her way through the kitchen, she walked out towards the back door. Once again, the sun seeped into her golden skin and warmed her.

Hearing several grunts from the dojo across the yard, she stepped into her sandals and followed the sound. Several of the villagers waved at her in acknowledgment, others simply nodded towards her. She'd grown up around them all, most had seen her as a babe, yet they still refrained from getting friendlier. They still feared her brothers, especially her older brother, Sesshomaru. The sudden thought made her sad. Sad for these people that have lived so long near her brothers, been rescued and protected by them continuously, and still they treated them so harshly. Harshly, because even thought they do not point or attack them, they single them out by simply not wanting to associate themselves with them.

In more than one way, it made her sad. They were her brothers, the only family she had left. Though they might now be full blooded siblings, they all shared the same father.

Placing one gentle hand on the wooden door of the dojo, she closed her eyes and listened to voices inside. She clearly heard the clashing of swords, various grunts and snarls, and a few chosen words that only her brother Inuyasha would utter. Smiling at their antics, she slid the door open and stepped inside. Immediately she ducked to the side as the leg of a chair flew out the door.

With a wide grin on her face she clapped, "Wow, brother, that's a record—nine chairs in a week!"

Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru halted in mid strife. Inuyasha stood frozen, a wooden table leg in one raised hand, aiming it at a crouched Sesshomaru's head. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was crouched low, muscles rippling under flawless skin. His hand had been fisted, ready to make contact with Inuyasha's now clueless face. Apparently, they'd taken to fighting with the furniture instead of with swords, the thought brought a smile to Rin's face.

"How long have you two been here?" Rin asked, sliding the door close behind her. Inuyasha's brows furrowed, in thought.

Sesshomaru straightened and lowered his eyes in thought. It wasn't until Inuyasha's stomach gave a loud growl, that they all turned to stare at him. Sheepishly, he rubbed his head, "Guess we lost track of time, ne?"

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but simply nodded at his younger sister. He made his way to the adjacent wall and picked up his kimono from the floor, where it laid neatly folded; next to Inuyasha's red one—which was bunched up to the side. He felt Inuyasha glide towards him silently, and knowing what he would probably do, he turned just in time to catch the wooden leg. Crushing it in his bare grasp, he let the splinters fall to the ground, glaring at his younger brother.

Rin chuckled at them, one for being caught, the other for simply being so unpreoccupied.

Sesshomaru scolded at his younger sister's small chuckle at their expense. "Rin, where have you been all day?" he asked her.

Rin's chuckle died out at his question. Suddenly a fresh wave of nervousness washed through her, making her stomach clench. Now would be the right time to tell them—to forewarn them. Her throat felt too dry all of a sudden, and her voice refused to aid her. What if they didn't approve? What if they force her to stop seeing him? What if they harm his? What if they—? No, they would never do anything to harm her, not intentionally. She knew her brothers better than they knew themselves at times.

Her beloved brothers always stood by her, no matter the consequences. They would understand.

Sesshomaru sensed the sudden worry within his sister, and placed one pale hand on her frail shoulder. He often worried about her health, thought she'd never been the sickly kind. Even though he did not know how to express his feelings for her, he tried every day to show it to her. It was her cheeky smile, her cheery aura that kept them all together. At least it was what kept him sane all those years ago, when their parents had been murdered and their house burned down.

Making up her mind, Rin decided it was time. She was nearing her twenty first birthday, no longer a child, and she needed to have the courage to tell these things to her brothers. After all, if she didn't trust them, who could she trust?

"Actually, I've been out thinking. I would like to speak with both of you please," she spoke shyly, with a firmness underlying her tone though that surprised her. Inuyasha threw his red kimono over his bare shoulder, and looked up at her. His warm honey eyes noting her soft flush.

Sesshomaru didn't miss the sudden tint to her warm cheeks either, but said nothing. What ever his younger sister wanted to speak to them about was obviously about a male. The faint crease between his brows puckered in though, and wondered. Who had captured—and held, their young sister's attention?

Without putting on his kimono, he nodded, "Let's go back to the hut and we'll 'talk'." He emphasized the word talk, because he knew if this did have something to do with a male, Inuyasha would be the first to roar his disapproval.

Walking slowly through the village, they made their way towards their rather large hut at the edge of the woods. The tense silence seemed to stretch further as they crossed villagers, or blushing girls. Rin tilted her head to the side to see both her brothers through her peripheral vision, and saw them deep in though. They really didn't notice quite the attention they received by the village girls at their exposed body, suddenly she wished they would of put their kimonos on.

The sun's gentle rays glistened off their bare toned chests, casting every muscled dip and curve with shadows; emphasizing them. Their long silvery hair flowed about them with gentle breeze. Sesshomaru, sensing Rin's gaze upon him, he turned his knowing amber eyes on her, glowing with the sun's reflection. So, he knew. He knew what I wished to speak to them about.

With a sigh, Rin turned her gaze back to the front, until they stopped at the entryway to their home. Home. I would soon leave this place I so many times called home. The thought brought sudden tears to her eyes, making them sting. Like many other young females in the past, I too would leave my family behind, to start one of my own. But unlike them, I didn't know how this would affect my beloved brothers.

Sliding the door to the side, Rin removed her wooden sandals and stepped in. Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha followed her example. Walking towards the kitchen Rin placed one of the pots on the open fire, and boiled water, dropping a bag of herbs into the water; for tea.

Rin decided to stay in the kitchen and wait for the water to boil. She was not a coward, she simply wanted to be settled and with no distractions when they did speak. At least, that's what she told herself. Deep down, she didn't know how she would start to tell them. How she would confess she'd fallen in love with a human, that he was a lord, or...that she now carried his child.

That last thought made her heart swell and burst with love and joy.

His child.

His. He did not know yet though.

Knowing that within her, the child of the man she loved so deeply, was growing stronger and bigger each day, gave her the strength to face anything. Even her brothers.

The water came to a rapid boil then, and with it, her determination rose. Spilling the water into three cups, she carried them to her brothers. Taking a deep breath, and preparing for what was to come, she walked towards their stiff, tensed forms.