Sesshoumaru signaled to his doormen to unlock the gates of his domicile. It had only taken an hour to reach his mansion, the girl was still unconscious and her wound was beginning to fester. Sesshoumaru's own injury was also beginning to infect, but the gash was not as deep as the hanyou's . The guards of his home bowed briefly as he walked past them into his abode.

Instantly Jaken came running out of one of the many long corridors hidden in the house. "Lord Sesshoumaru, where have you been?! I've been so worried!" The toad was cut off when his master promptly stepped atop his misshapen head, squishing him into the polished floor. Jaken quickly recovered and gasped when he realized what his mentor was carrying.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! You've brought home a woman?!" Again Sesshoumaru refused to reply to his servitor. He walked on from the lobby of his home to the kitchen, where his servants were preparing him a late meal.

An elderly weasel demon approached him and bowed before speaking, "My Lord, is there something I may assist you with?"

Sesshoumaru nodded before replying, accepting her greeting, "This woman is harshly injured, doctor her wound and bathe her. When you have finished you will dress her in a fresh kimono and place her in the guest room across from my chambers, watch over her. I am to be notified when she has awakened."

The servant bowed again before Sesshoumaru placed his opponent into her arms along with her affects. He then exited the kitchen and turned for the direction of his own room, with Jaken trailing behind.

"My Lord, why have you brought a woman here?! Women are nothing but trouble!" Sesshoumaru halted and turned to face the toad demon, who was quivering at his bold ad disrespectful remark.

"That is no concern of yours. Leave me." Jaken gasped at his master's command, but obeyed his order and slowly turned walking in the opposite direction with his head hanging in disgrace.

Seconds later Sesshoumaru entered his room, he walked over to his armoire to store his sword and armor. He removed his weapons, still stained with the blood of his adversary and placed them in the wooden closet. For quite some time he stared at them, the blood still smelled of her. He closed his eyes and instantly saw her face, angry, determined, hateful....beautiful. He sighed, not knowing why he'd brought the woman here, nor what would occur when she would awake.

Sesshoumaru gazed upon the hanyou. It had been three days since she had collapsed during the battle. He'd learned much about her. The first night she was brought here he overheard his servants whispering of her; how she reminded them of a fable they'd been told. The subject of the myth was a young woman lavished in beauty and voice along with skills in combat and strength. The description of the legend fit the girl perfectly, her appearance, her weapon, her mysterious instrument, and her voice. But what he found most intriguing were her weaknesses. Her first, the ability to sleep with no disturbance, left her quite vulnerable, but her second seemed to be her worst and final fault. If she was injured in any way, if blood was drawn, no matter the smallest drop, or a slight bruise was left on her, she could not battle; her only defense was her bewitching voice.

It was a hypnotizing method, and Sesshoumaru had fallen victim of it. He detested the thought of a female, a hanyou, a half mortal having the ability to control him, though it interested him at the same time. She had just been bathed, her hair lay damp on the silkened pillow, and her kimono clung tight to her moist body. Her sword and the rest of her belongings sat beside her bed on the floor, so that when she awakened they would be in plain view, perhaps not allowing her to feel so threatened with her unfamiliar surroundings. The room was quiet and dim. The only light was the sun, it was setting, only illuminating half of the small room with an orange glimmer. The only movement was the girl, every few seconds her chest would rise and fall, inhaling and exhaling beneath the maroon afghan. Suddenly her lashes began to flutter, her hands clawed at the satin sheets, and a faint whimper escaped her full lips.

Seconds later her eyes opened, slowly, revealing their emerald hue. It did not take long for her expression to change from rested and comfortable, to angry and confused. She quickly sat up, looking above her, to her left, then her right, where Sesshoumaru was standing beside her bed, watching.

She met his gaze, for a full minute she held it and stared, giving him a look of hate, before she quickly leapt from the bed, spotting her sword on the floor. Jade darted behind the demon, pulling him down to his knees with all that was left of her brute strength.

Once behind the youkai Jade lurched her blade lightly against his throat with her right arm, all the while her left hand searched her abdomen for the wound the demon had given her on her hip...it had disappeared. She recalled their battle perfectly, the youkai had pierced her lower body with his sword and pinned her to the tree, she had only given him a mild injury, but that did not explain why she had been brought here, though at the moment she did not care for the reason she was in this unfamiliar dwelling, but how to escape it.

She brought her lips to the youkai's ear, "I will spill your blood here unless you direct me out of this place."

Sesshoumaru slightly grinned before replying, "You have been brought to my home, and been under my personal care." Sesshoumaru made no point in threatening the girl, her heavy breathing and dilated pupils gave her away, she was malnourished.

It was obvious she needed sustenance; she had not eaten in over seventy-two hours. Her voice quivered, her stance was weak, and her blood was running slow through her body. Sesshoumaru quickly reversed the situation, putting himself behind the hanyou. He'd flung her sword from her hand and brought her back to his chest. She was out of breath; just standing was making her weak. Sesshoumaru brought his right arm over her waist, assuring she could not escape him, while his left hand clasped around her neck. He lowered his own lips to her ear, she instantly began to struggle, but was far too debilitated, she had no chance of breaking his hold. To still her Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on her neck, sinking his claws gently into her flesh, allowing light drops of blood to draw from the gouges.

"You will be civil, Wench. I have spared your life and even aided you in recovery; you are in debt to me."

Jade scoffed at the demon's command, "I owe you nothing!"

As she spoke, Sesshoumaru engulfed himself with the hanyou's scent and touch. He could smell anger in her, as well as fatigue. He could feel the warm blood run down his fingers, over her neck and chest, and into her kimono. He noticed a change in her mood, her blood began to rush faster, sweat began to bead down the back of her neck, and she was worried. Sesshoumaru recalled what his servants had spoken of the tale, 'If the young woman is injured, she cannot battle for a full day and night, depending on only her voice as a weapon.' Instinctively he brought his left hand to the hanyou's lips, preparing to block her singing if she decided to use her voice.

"Keep your defenses on hold, Wench. I know who you are...Sung Beauty." Jade instantly stilled herself; she knew now that she would have no opportunity to escape the youkai until she was able to battle. She had come across many people, human and demon alike, that were told a legend of a young woman abundant in gorgeous features along with talent in combat and voice, unfortunately, Jade was the true subject of the saga. She closed her eyes in shame, she did not believe that a legend, fact or fiction, targeting someone's outer appearance instead of the inner self was something to flaunt. She began to feel unsteady, just standing was making her weak, she needed food and drink quickly or she would soon collapse, and perhaps not wake up. She sniffed the air; the youkai's scent read him well. 'He is overly controlling, calm, sophisticated, and obviously judgmental.'

As Jade's thoughts began to churn she suddenly felt the demon's grip loosen, then finally drop. She fell to her knees with a soft thud. The rugged floor gave slight cushion to her legs. Sesshoumaru watched as the girl recovered from his grasp. 'This woman is unlike any other I've come in contact with; she exudes strength and wisdom, but also distrust, pain, and caution.' "Dinner shall be prepared shortly, I will return soon to escort you to the dinning area to feast with me." Sesshoumaru quickly exited the guest room after speaking. Jade slowly and painfully pulled herself off the floor. She felt the length of her neck; the blood had begun to cake.

She searched the room for a cloth to wipe away the thick fluid. She noticed an elegant wooden nightstand beside the elaborate wooded bed, on it was a ceramic bowl filled with warm water and a cotton rag. She thought again why the youkai would take such noble care of her while she wiped away the red substance from her neck and chest. She winced in pain as the water stung at the gouges. The stains had just been wiped away when Sesshoumaru entered the room, with his hand stretched out to her.

"Come, you must eat, you've gone too long without nourishment."

Jade scowled at the youkai , "I need no assistance." Her voice was angry as she attempted to step, but stumbled from fatigue. Before she could fall Sesshoumaru rushed to her side, catching her near limp body.

Jade growled at his actions, but allowed him to aid her. It took ten minutes to reach the dinning area. Sesshoumaru soon realized the girl was not only distrustful and cautious, but also independent and difficult.

"You shall sit beside me, in case more assistance is needed for you." He lowered the girl to the floor to take her seat on the satin pillow near him. Jade's mouth was watering at the sight of the spread. Misou soup sat before her in a large bowl, supreme cuts of beef and pork lay beside it along with noodles, bread, vats of water, and Sake. She ignored the chopsticks given to her by an elderly weasel demon, whom Jade assumed was a servant to the youkai , and quickly reached for the meat. With both hands she began to shovel fistfuls of the cooked animal into her mouth. Sesshoumaru watched as she soon finished with the meat and went on to the bread, but halted when she spotted the Sake. She snatched the bottle and consumed half of it in one swig. He grinned slightly as the hanyou continued to indulge herself while he barely touched his own meal. Finally, after finishing half of the food and drink on the table, Sesshoumaru decided to press the matter of finding out more of his desolate guest.

----------------------------------------
<<previous chapter | next chapter >>