Unlike my previous stories, this will NOT be a one-shot. This story is rated M for themes and language. You have been warned.

Sesshomaru's POV

I drew my sword and swung it at the lesser demon, making it disintegrate on impact. I have been practicing this way for months. It isn't nearly as entertaining as sparring with my half demon brother, Inuyasha. I have not come upon him since the fall of Naraku. After the fall of Naraku, I left Rin with him and the human girl from the future in a human village. She belongs there, safe and sound. Times are getting darker in these lands.

The lord of the Eastern Lands and I are at odds. He is trying to take over my lands because I have not taken a mate. I do not want a mate. Women are foolish and a waste of time. I have never met a woman who could hold my attention for long. If there ever was such a woman... no. There is no such woman.

I walked into my palace at dusk and straight to my room, ignoring the hopeless stares from my servants. They look at me as if I would want to look back at them as they hike up the skirts of their uniforms. Foolish women. They should know they are servants for a reason. Not to be seen or heard.

Tonight I am hosting the annual Winter Ball. I hate these things. It is the year for it to be held in my lands though. My father came up with this tradition, so I am even more obligated to host it. What a bother.

I put on a black kimono with the seal of the Western Lands and black hakama pants. [Hakama pants are the same pants he wears in the anime.] I put my armor away. I would not need it tonight. I did, however, attach my sword, Bakusaiga, to my side. I could hear the guests begin to arrive. It was time to make an entrance.

I entered silently, yet all eyes were on me. My aura could make almost any demon lose focus on what they were saying and stare. After all, I am the strongest demon alive. I saw three young women of noble families approaching me. Women... such fools. No status, no matter how high, could make me see a woman as anything more than a fool.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you look so handsome tonight. Your mate is one lucky woman." A woman in a green kimono remarked. Everyone knows I have no mate. I know this to just be a way of getting me to say if I had a mate or not and if I was looking. I simply nodded and walked away.

"How rude." One of the women said.
"He's still handsome though." Another one said. These words did not bother me. Actually, they were somewhat amusing.

Unknown POV

I am Nagawine Fuji, a well known entertainer born in a small village of the Western Lands. These details are not important though. I am merely a dancer. A moving work of art to be admired. Tonight is the most important night of my career. I have been hired to dance at the annual ball at the Western Palace. The sun had just set, meaning it was time to get ready. I slipped my plain red kimono off as I got my things together.

I stared at myself naked in the mirror as I painted my lips a dark red color. They looked succulent and delicious like an apple. My hair is black and loosely pulled back with just enough free to frame my face. My special eyes lined with black and smudged into infinity. All I needed was my costume.

I got up from the mirror and slipped into a short black kimono that had a slit in the material extending to just above where my thigh ends with a rainbow of colors making a design of swirls and a pink obi tied in the front. I saw the shoes I was supposed to wear in the corner, but I always danced barefoot.

I opened a small trinket box to reveal the final piece of my costume; a comb with feathers from the the Rainbow Bird of Paradise, the rarest bird in the world. It is my most prized possession. I placed the comb in my hair, trying to remember how she looked wearing it. I heard the door open to reveal my boss, Hisao-Sama.

"Fuji-San, it's time. Follow me to the ball room." He said. I obliged, walking after him to the ball room. After going over some guidelines about how to act around the noblemen, we entered from the back of the ballroom and went straight to the stage.

At the center of the stage was a chair and toward the back, the area where the music would be played. The front of the stage had been barred due to an unfortunate accident with a previous dancer, or so I was told. I figured I'd use this to my advantage though.

The room had gotten dark, only lit with a few candles to set the mood. I took a deep breath. It wasn't often that I got nervous, but right now, it felt like it was my first show all over again. That night I was performing for common men. Tonight, I'm performing for some of the most famous people in Japan.

"Everyone can I have your attention please?" Hisao-Sama shouted over the crowd. Once everyone was silent, he continued.

"For your viewing pleasure, Miss Nagawine Fuji." He announced. I felt my heartbeat in my ears. I tried to relax as I leaned back in the chair with my legs extended, staring up at the ceiling The curtain was raised and the music began to play. I turned my head slowly to face the crowd, and that's when I saw the most beautiful pair of golden eyes looking at me.

They belonged to a man, obviously a noble. I pushed myself out of the chair gracefully and spun to the front of the stage, gripping the bars. His eyes followed me as I danced. I slid down slowly while holding the bars until I was crouched down and leaned myself as far back as I could go, my head tilting back once I had reached that point. As I lay on the floor of the stage, I turned my head to face him. The crowd had seemed to disappear the second I saw those eyes.

My arms moved forward and back on the stage, much like the wings of a bird. I swiftly pulled myself back up and spun on my toes, stopping at the bars again. I gripped them from behind, then turned myself around, pushing myself from the bars and spinning around the stage slowly and stopped at the side of the stage, reaching down to my toes with one hand then to the ceiling. I spun back to the front of the stage, leaning back as far as I could to the side as I lifted one leg forward with my toes pointed.

I saw his composure let down for only a split second, making me almost lose my balance. The dance only lasted a little longer before my finale where I sat in the chair facing the audience, my legs spread and my hands in front of me in the chair. The music ended and I heard applause just under the beat of my heart in my ears. I stared into his eyes for a short while longer before I left the stage. I knew only one thing at that moment:

His eyes would haunt me forever.