Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha...that goes to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi

Ch. 1: A Stranger

By the dog demon village of the East, small children played carelessly in the fields. Their laughter rang throughout the land.

"Tag! You're it, Kenji!"

Kenji burst into fits of giggles. He was obviously the kind of child who looked for fun wherever he went. His wild silvery strands were pulled back in a small pony-tail at the nape of his neck. His bangs were divided on either side. His big golden eyes laughed at his friends who ran away from him. Chuckles reverberated from their chests.

"See if you can catch us!" the children taunted. Kenji kept running after them until he saw a figure in the distance. He could smell blood, lots of it. The aroma burned his nose and almost made him a bit light headed. He was taken out of his thoughts when one of the children asked, "Kenji? Why did you stop?"

Kenji replied, "I think someone is hurt over there."

The child sniffed and said with his eyes wide, "Yeah! I smell blood!"

In that moment, Kenji sprinted to the figure. Once he got to it, he realized it was a young woman with long white hair and chocolate brown eyes. Blood dripped continuously from her shoulder and her stomach. Even though she definitely had demon blood in her veins it was a serious injury. A human would have died right on the spot. She was using a rusty old sword to prop herself up. She stopped a few feet in front of Kenji, and looked into his eyes intensely for a few moments. Once the other children had reached them, she softly said, "Help."

It was barely audible to Kenji, but he heard it all the same before she plunged into the ground. Kenji's eyes widened. He quickly ran over to her side, and put his hand on her heart. It was still beating, but faintly nonetheless. The eldest child stepped out of the crowd, and harshly said, "Just leave her there, Kenji!"

Kenji was awaken from his trance, and replied, "Why should I, Kentaro?"

"She's a half-breed!"

Kenji stared at him blankly, "What's a half-breed?"

Kentaro shook his head and said, "Do I have to tell you everything?"

All of the other children and Kenji nodded their heads. The other children did not know either. Kentaro sighed heavily and said, "You know how everyone here has demons for parents?"

The children nodded in reply.

"Well, half-breeds only have one demon parent."

"Then what's the other parent?" asked one of the children. Unfortunately, his question was his undoing as Kentaro punched him on top of his head and yelled, "I was getting to that!"

"Sorry," the child squeaked out. Then, Kentaro continued, "The other parent is a human."

All of the children gasped. Ignoring their reaction, he continued, "So half-breeds are nothing but dirt. They should never have been born to begin with."

So, all of the children nodded and began to follow Kentaro's lead except for Kenji. When he noticed Kenji was not following him he said, "So, are you coming or what?"

Kenji was torn. She may be a half-demon, but she was living. Did that not count on her behalf? Such relations between humans and demons were looked down upon, but…did that mean the product of one should suffer? Though he knew he would be taking a great risk, he said, "No. I'm helping her."

Kentaro scowled, and said, "What? Even after I explained to you what she is you still want to help her?"

Kenji just stared at him intensely. Then, Kentaro put his arms behind his head, and turned around, "Ok, kid, but you won't be able to play with us again after this."

The children looked back at Kenji and the injured woman, but one look from Kentaro, and they looked away. Kenji looked back at them with disapproval written all over his face. Then, he began to carry the injured woman by himself to the village. Kenji was the Lord's son. So he would make sure she got the best care the village could provide. Sweat began to develop from his brow. Once he got to the palace entrance, a guard came to his aid, and stared at the child blankly. Kenji said, "Please, help her. If her wounds aren't treated soon she'll die."

"B-But Master Kenji…" the soldier began.

"I know what she is!" snapped Kenji. "But no one deserves to die."

Without hesitation, the soldier took the girl from Kenji, put her in one of the guest rooms, and alerted a doctor to her care. Though many tried to protest, no one could deny an order from the small heir.

Meanwhile…The Lord of the palace, Ichirou, was reading a letter he received from Lord Sesshoumaru of the West. It was a warning about a terrible half-demon who plagued the land, and that the terror might be heading toward his domain. His golden eyes narrowed at the paper before him. The way the light hit him made him look like a god. He was flawless among the eyes of the women who remained at the harem. All of the concubines plied for his attention. Unfortunately, he was still not over his deceased wife whom he loved with all of his heart. She was slaughtered mercilessly by the half-demon he suspected Sesshoumaru mentioned in his letter. All he had left of her was Kenji. Though the tragic event happened a few years ago, he still grieved for her… He was about to continue reading the letter when a soldier burst through the doorway. He panted heavily before he could explain himself, "Milord, Master Kenji has found an injured half-demon on the side of the road."

The lord's eyes widened in fear, "A half-demon?"

The soldier nodded. Could this be the half-demon Lord Sesshoumaru warned him about? Once the lord regained his stately composure he said, "Take me to the half-demon."

"Yes, milord," the soldier answered. Before leaving, the lord secretively took a knife in his sleeve. 'Just in case,' he thought. He felt like the anticipation was going to kill him with every step he took. Once they got there, a doctor came out with a smile, "The half-demon will be fine milord. For now she just needs some rest."

'She?' thought Ichirou to himself. The soldier opened the door for him. To his dismay he found the body of a young woman in the bed sleeping soundly. He sat next to her bedside, and looked down at her. Her white hair sprawled on the pillow. Her eyelashes curled up flawlessly. Her pink lips parted ever so slightly. She was ethereal. The stunned lord could only stare at her with a slight blush forming on his cheeks. Then, he shook it off. 'This woman might be the one I should look out for. I'll have to keep a close eye on her.'





The household waited for hours on end for the young maiden to wake up. Believe or not, Kenji stayed by her side the whole time. She was still breathing. Unfortunately, the doctor gave up on her and thought it best to end her suffering. He said he could not do anything more for her. So, they buried her alive the following morning. They gave a small funeral in her honor. Unfortunately, they could not say much about her since they never saw her in a better state. 'If only I knew her name…' thought Kenji and Ichirou at the same time. Then, they left in silence and carried on with their lives until night captured the demon village.

Back at the nameless woman's grave, the dirt above began to shift and move until a hand punched strait through the earthen layer.

Once the funeral was over, Lord Ichirou examined the sword the woman carried. He looked at it a bit longer until he unsheathed it. To his surprise, the sword looked like it could hardly cut butter much less be used in combat. 'Maybe she foolishly used this sword for defense and therefore got those injuries,' Ichirou thought. Then, he noticed something...a pulse? Before his curiosity got the better of him he sheathed it once again. This was definitely not an ordinary sword.

Meanwhile, Ichirou and Kenji were eating their dinner silently. Both of their thoughts traveled elsewhere. Then, pandemonium bursted throughout the palace. The doctor quickly slid the shoji screen door open and said frantically, "Milord!"

"Yes, doctor? What's the matter?" asked Ichirou.

"Th-The woman! She's- OW!!"

The doctor's face met the ground as the "dead" woman had her foot over his head. She was covered in dirt from head to toe, and had still not completely recovered from her injuries. An angry look appeared on her face. Fire danced madly in her eyes. This left father and son completely stunned.

"So," began the woman, "are you the lord of this castle?"

Once Ichirou had regained his composure, he answered, "Yes, what do you want?"

"To know why you burried me alive, and took my sword away from me!!" the woman said angrily. 'She looks scary,' thought Ichirou.

"The doctor said there was nothing else he could do for you. What did you expect for us to do?" said Ichirou. The woman boiled up in anger, "Then your so called 'doctor' is a fool! And you're a thief for stealing my sword!"

"Now," Ichirou said while trying to stay calm, "what is so important about your sword?"

"It's none of your business!"

"Then, I have no business giving it back to you," retorted Ichirou. 'This guy is so infuriating!' thought the woman to herself. 'Who is this woman?' Ichirou thought to himself.

"What's your name?" Ichirou said suddenly. The woman looked at him questioningly.

"What's your name?" the lord repeated. "And don't tell me it's none of my business considering I offered you my hospitality in your time of need."

"HOSPITALITY?! I guess burying someone alive is very hospitable in the East!" the woman said sarcastically while still maintaining an angry tone.

"What's your name?" Ichirou persisted.

"Will you quit that?" said the woman who was even more agitated than she was before. "What makes you think I would tell you?"

"I want to know the name of the half-demon who dares to address me so rudely," replied Ichirou. 'This girl is very difficult,' he thought to himself, 'I don't know how much longer I can keep my composure.'

"Oh! I see! Well, I know that a 'half-breed' such as I should bow down to your 'superior' blood, but don't think you're getting that out me!"

Ichirou's eyes widened in surprise.

"I wasn't asking you of that!" asked Ichirou.

"Oh really?! I've met enough full-fledged demons to know tha-"

"They are ignorant? Not all demons are like that you know!"

"Well I still have yet to meet one!"

The woman turned away from Ichirou with her arms crossed. Ichirou growled softly. 'Alright that's it!'

"He's right in front of you, woman!"

She gasped at his response. She looked over her shoulder to find the table turned over, food covering the ground, and a frustrated lord looking into her chocolate brown eyes. His golden eyes caused her to soften her gaze. 'She would be a gorgeous young lady if she wasn't so angry all the time...' he shook the thought off. He reminded himself that she could possibly be a criminal. If he was going to convince her to stay, he needed to maintain his focuss. Otherwise, if she was the evil half-demon and he let her go who knows what would happen. He needed her to be under his control.

"If I was anything like those other demons," Ichirou began, "I wouldn't have gotten a doctor for you, or let alone let you stay in my palace!"

The girl looked at him in disbelief. 'What kind of guy is he? Could this be a trap?' she thought.

Soon enough, the palace guards bursted through the door and were shocked to find the lord and the woman together unharmed.

"It's alright," said Ichirou. "Everything is fine."

A few moments later, a servant girl came into the room and bowed low, "Yes, milord?"

"Take her to-"

"What if I don't want to stay?" she said with only a slight hint of anger. Lord Ichirou looked at her and said firmly, "Your injuries haven't healed yet, and since you're alive we might as well treat them."

"But-"

"End of discusion."

Her temper flared once more, "Who says I have to take orders from you?"

"Would you rather I let you be bate to other demons who will take advantage of the situation?"

She paused.

"Well?" Ichirou continued.

"Feh!" said the girl with her angry eyes looking towards the ground as she appeared to have accepted defeat.

"Shinra."

"What?" replied the lord to what the young woman said.

Then, she turned around to face the lord and said with a softer look in her eyes, "My name is Shinra." The Lord looked at her surprisingly. She shook off her soft exterior and switched back to her previous attitude, "I don't want someone calling me 'half-demon' all the time."

Then, he said, "Very well, then. Take Shinra to her room, please."

Shinra followed the servant to her room. She clenched her fists in retaliation to the pain that consumed her.

"And, Akane? Treat her wounds no matter how much she protests! She needs her rest," shouted the lord as they were leaving. 'This man is really getting on my nerves,' thought Shinra.

'What a stubborn girl,' thought Ichirou, ' but her scent was…'

"Father?" said Kenji as he took his father out of his sea of thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Can I visit her?" he asked innocently. The lord hesitated.

"We'll see."

'We'll see if she(he) would cause you(me) any harm first,' thought Ichirou and Shinra at the same time.

A/N: Hey everybody!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, I'll post the next chapter either the following weekend, or the weekend after that. Also, I've started A LOT of stories, but I'm trying to stay committed to this one. So, if you don't like it, don't review unless you have some constructive criticism. Better yet, feel free to tell me that you like it. Good reviews make me feel all fuzzy inside and it'll encourage me to write more! ttyl ;)