Chapter 1
Thief
Running faster than she thought her legs could carry her, she knew she needed to get away from the men chasing her. She thought they would have stopped when she entered the forest, but they were relentless. She was now further than she had ever been, but she could not stop if she wanted to live. All this over something so small geez she thought to herself and rolled her eyes. "Baka's!"she yelled over her shoulder, and then promptly tripped and face planted to the forest floor. Wonderful just wonderful, she thought as she got up to run but was stopped by a huge hand on her shoulder. Before her assailant knew what hit him she was able to quickly turn herself and land a hard kick to the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. She started to run again but a hand caught her ankle effectively bringing her face to the ground for the second time today. "Ahh nice to see you again." , she told the ground. This time she quickly rolled over on her back and kipped herself up to a standing position and into a fighting stance. Might as well get this over with so she could be done with them. "Oi wench, you stole from our lord now give us back what you took like a good little bitch, and we may not kill you.", said the shorter ugly man that she had just kicked in the face. "Since you asked so nicely you pompous bastard….umm.. I mean… I have stolen nothing from you or your lord.", she finished unconvincingly, as she winced at her big mouth for getting her in trouble again. "Oh really, then you won't mind us looking in your bag then?", said the dumber looking of the two. "Sure you can look in my bag when you pry it from my cold dead hands!", she yelled. Stupid, stupid mouth. She was able to easily avoid shorty, when lunged at her bur not quite quick enough when dummy caught her wrist twisting it behind her back throwing her to the ground, and pinning her with his knee. "So we meet again my old friend and so soon too.", she announced to the ground. Ripping her small satchel from her hip the taller man tossed it to his companion to inspect. "Now we will see what a lying whore you are.", tall and stupid said. She rolled her eyes but only the ground could see so the effect was lost. "It isn't here.", called short and ugly. "I told you I took nothing.", she said amazingly calm. "I guess that just means we have to search more thoroughly.", said the tall man with a lecherous smile. "Yabe", she was in trouble now. Even if she was a well trained fighter she had gotten herself in quite a bad situation. "Such a foul mouth, wench maybe you should be taught some manners.", said the man with his knee still in her back. Everything was going wrong today. " I am sure we can talk about this heh." Well that was lame couldn't think of anything better, baka brain.
Suddenly she heard a commotion behind her, and felt the fear rolling off of her attackers in waves. Without even a word said they were fleeing back from whence the came. When they were gone she still remained facing the beloved ground still in shock. "Get up woman.", stated a low silky baritone voice. For once she was smart enough not to speak and did as she was told. "Face me.", the voice commanded. Slowly she turned to see her savior. What she saw was stunning. There before her was a tall beautiful man. He was about a foot taller than her, with hair that reminded her of a roaring fire that was short except for his bangs that fell into his emerald green eyes that almost glowed against his pale perfect skin, His face looked like a chiseled sculpture, strong yet angelic. His lean muscular body was clothed in green armor that was lined with gold. He was ethereal. She noticed he was holding a huge scythe that had an ebony handle with a golden blade, and thought he looked like a gorgeous angel of death. He looked very intimidating with it slung over one shoulder and hoped he wasn't there to take her into the abyss, but with her luck… Finally she noticed that his ears were pointed, chikishou she thought to herself my day wasn't bad enough I had to run into a demon, and here she was thinking he was attractive, bleh. "Yes." ,she replied flatly. He raised one finely sculpted eyebrow. What an indignant little wench, he thought, she doesn't even have the decency to thank me and I feel no fear from her. Interesting. "I am Lord Shikatsu and you should address me as such. You will give me the respect that my station demands." "Forgive me my Lord.", she said with a bow. I need to get out of here alive so I should not upset his obviously over inflated ego, even though she hated showing him any respect. Oppressive demons. I hate them all. "Your name wench." , he commanded. "My name is Murasaki my Lord." It was good to see that she had some manners for a ningen onna. But he still could not feel any fear from her in fact he felt nothing. Puzzling. "Hand over the jewel onna." "
"Of what do you speak of my Lord?", she said looking a little too innocent.
"Don't feign ignorance with me." "If you prefer I will retrieve it myself," he said with a devilish little smirk.
"That will be unnecessary,", she said with much disdain letting her hatred show just long enough for him to sense it. Interesting I wonder why that emotion is so intense. She turned around to retrieve the well hidden trinket. As she did he allowed himself to observe her form freely. She was actually quite stunning although in need of a bath. Her long raven hair came down to a very curvaceous waist, highlighted with subtle streaks of purple that reflected in the moonlight. As she now turned back to him he took notice of her almost ghostly blue-grey eyes a color he never knew even existed. She was radiant, her body was like that of samurai-ko beautiful, with curves in all the right places, yet strong and toned. I think I would like to get to know this little vixen better, he thought. She placed the bauble in his outstretched hand. "You will get this back when your debt to me is paid in full.", he stated. "I owe you nothing demon!", she yelled aghast at his audacity. Damn me and my mouth she mentally reprimanded. He pinned her with a cold stare. "You owe me your life ningen, and you would do well to remember that.", he said placing his scythe to her neck. So she does have some fire behind those eyes he smiled inwardly. Fighting back everything in her that wanted to scream at him. "Forgive me my Lord I meant no disrespect." Lowering his weapon he continued. "Now since you are in debt to me for saving you, you will be coming with me back to my castle, on my travels, and anywhere else I deem worthy to go. You will be my servant and do as you are told until I decide that you have paid your debt in full. Then, and only then will you get this back.", he said holding the heart shaped amethyst necklace she had just procured. That was it.
"Are you out of your mind!", she screamed at him. "I will do no such thing for the likes of you. I didn't ask you to do anything for me, and I will not be your servant."
"I am quite sane I assure you, and you need to be taught some manners.", he said moving towards her faster than her eyes could register, and placing metal arm bands on her before she could protest any further. "What the hell are these?", she yelled holding her arms up to look at the newly acquired golden bands with unknown symbols on them. "Those my dear, he said with another devilish grin are magically imbued bands that will allow me to find you anywhere you try to go, of course they also restrict you from going too far or showing me disrespect. So in essence they are like your leash and will punish you when you are a bad puppy." He beamed at her with a brazen smile. "So you just happen to have these on you at all times huh?", she said raising one eyebrow till it almost disappeared beneath her bangs.
:No you were just lucky.", he replied with a sinful chuckle.
"You are sadistic you know that?", she said trying hopelessly to get them off.
"I have been told that." He said over his shoulder as he turned to leave expecting her to follow. He was only about 100 yards. away when he heard her yell. "Bastard! You knew that these things would burn me if you got too far away. Why did you not say anything?" " I did, but you chose not to listen and so it is your own fault.", he said as he turned to her with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. "Come you need a bath."