She smiled slightly, but grew serious when Rin stirred. The little girl opened her eyes and looked at Aryana with surprise. Then at Sesshomaru with a great deal more surprise.
"Aryana and Lord Sesshomaru? What are you doing in my bed?" she asked as she sat up.
"Do you not remember?" Aryana tried to sit up, but Sesshomaru was still sleeping, and he wouldn’t let go. "Sesshomaru!" she called. He bolted strait up, sending both of them tumbling to the floor. This sent Rin into a fit of laughing, as the two embarrassed Taiyokai picked themselves up off the floor.
"Why is she laughing?" Sesshomaru asked in confusion.
"Because you just sent the two of us flying out of her bed. I would laugh, if it hadn’t been me," Aryana said as she brushed the skirt of her kimono off.
"Why were you two in my bed at all?" Rin asked again.
"You had nightmares all night. Do you not remember?" Aryana asked.
"No. I don’t remember any nightmares. I remember you singing to me. Then the next thing I remember is the two of you falling out of bed," Rin shrugged and got out of bed.
"I guess it’s good she doesn’t remember," Aryana said in a low voice that only Sesshomaru could here. He nodded in agreement, then left the room.
"I’m glad I don’t remember, if I had nightmares all night. That doesn’t sound like a good thing," Rin smiled and skipped out of the room to take her bath. Aryana stopped and looked at the floor. There was a silver hair, just at the edge of Rin’s bed. Aryana picked it up and looked at it carefully. She put it in her pocket. She couldn’t wait to put it in the Love Locket. But that would have to wait. This was going to be one hell of a week.
"Where are we going?" Aryana asked as she and Rin threw some things into a bag.
"We always travel around Lord Sesshomaru’s lands. He has to make sure everything is always in order," Rin told her as she tied the top of her small backpack.
"Okay," Aryana nodded and tied the top of her own bag. Soon, they were off. Sesshomaru, and Jaken rode on Ah-Un. Rin rode on Aryana’s back as she flew beside the dragon.
Sesshomaru was deep in thought. If she is the daughter of Makena, that would make her my intended mate. I remember now, that I was told that she was dead. Everyone thought that Aryana was killed in the massacre. Even if she holds no major grudge against dog demons, she could never love me after what happened to her family. He was surprised that it bothered him as much as it did.
"Lord Sesshomaru, can we land there?! I think I’ve been there before!" Aryana snapped him out of his trance. He nodded and followed as Aryana dove for the ground. Rin let out a small scream as Aryana dove faster than she should have. She landed and let Rin off her back. Then she shot around the lake that they had landed beside.
On the other side, there was a large tree. It was huge! 900 years old at the least.
"I remember this place. This tree," she put her hand on the rough bark of the tree. "I’ve been here before. Why can’t I remember?" she wondered aloud as she looked up into the branches of the tree. It was covered in apples. That rang a bell to her, but why?
"What are you doing?" Sesshomaru arrived next to her. Rin, Ah-Un, and Jaken were on the other side of the lake.
"I know this place. Why can’t I remember it?" she asked. She was talking more to herself than him. He remembered this place, and he knew why she couldn’t.
"I was in this tree. Someone was there with me. We were trying to here what whoever was under the tree was saying. It was important, I know that much. Why does it feel like it’s blocked off?" she had a few pieces of the memory, but nothing all together helpful. "Someone was getting married, but who? Damn! What is wrong with me?!"
"You fell out of the tree. I tried to catch you, but I only got your shoe," a small smile played around his lips. "It was our mothers talking below us. The branch you were on broke, and down you went. You landed on your head," he shook his head as he looked into the branches. The broken branch was only slightly visible in the newly grown braches.
"You were the one in the tree with me? I. . . I remember now. It was my wedding and. . ." her mouth fell open as she stared at him.
"They were speaking of our wedding," Sesshomaru moved close to her.
"Our wedding?" she repeated in a whisper as he got ever closer. They were on the side of the tree, so that Rin and Jaken couldn’t see them.
"Yes," he whispered in her ear. Before she could say anything, he pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes were wide for the first second or two, but then she closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. He held her around the waist with his one arm. Her fingers were threaded back into his hair, holding her face to his. This lasted until they had to break for air. Which for the two demon was about half an hour later. "Let’s disappear after they’re asleep," Sesshomaru breathed against her lips. She answered him with another long kiss.
"Where have you two been?" Rin asked when they came up to the fire she had started.
"That tree had so many perfect apples, I didn’t know which ones to bring back," Aryana lied as she put down a small bag of apples. Jaken rolled his eyes and Rin just grinned at the red apples.
Once Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un were sleeping, the two snuck into the night. And they snuck back into camp just before sunrise.
They continued this over the next month. During the day they never showed a sign of what happed under the cover of night. Before long, they were a little more open with their relationship. They talked a lot more, held hands, and kissed. Just small things, until they became natural.