Disclaimer: I don't own anything InuYasha. I do own Kyra though. Naomi is my best friends' creation.
_
CRASH! The loud sound of breaking glass echoed though-out the castles' stone walls.
"Rin, get back here! If Lord Sesshomaru hears about this, I'm done for," yelled a high pitched demon voice, followed by a young girls laughter.
"But Master Jaken, she's so pretty and she's hurt. Lord Sesshomaru much be told of her," the girl replied, coming to a halt.
"No, Rin. You must not tell him," the toad demon squealed.
"I must not be told of whom?" the above mentioned demon lord asked, appearing out of nowhere.
"Of the pretty lady in the garden. She's very hurt and she asked for Master Jaken's help but her told her no because she is a half demon and then she passed out. Please Lord Sesshomaru, can we help her? She's so pretty," Rin said breathlessly.
"Lord Sesshomaru, don't bother yourself with sure petty tasks. I shall have her disposed of at once. We don't need her half-breed scent befouling," Jaken started but was cut off by Sesshomaru's next words.
"Show me to her," the Lord stated simply.
"But, but…my Lord," Jaken stuttered. One piercing look from Sesshomaru shut the impudent toad up and he led them to the gardens, muttering all the way.
When the small party reached the implied lady, Sesshomaru turned to the other two.
"Rin, go inform Naomi I require her assistance her in the garden," he told the child. Rin nodded her head and raced back to the castle.
"Jaken, go clean up the mess you made gallivanting through the castle," Sesshomaru told him.
"Hai, my Lord," Jaken sighed and headed back inside. With everyone out of his way, Sesshomaru was free to examine the young woman laying unconscious on the ground before him.
"Rin was correct in saying she is pretty. I feel as though I've seen her before," he silently admitted to himself, but shook off the feeling. It was clear the woman was a half demon. From the shape of the furry ears atop her head, he could tell she was a fox. She had long blue hair, tied back with a black piece of cloth. She looked to be a little more then a head shorter than the Lord and was very fit. Had her eyes been open, he would had seen piercing violet irises staring back at him in a look that rivaled his own. She had a sword slung over her back in a dark blue colored sheath. As for her wounds, she had multiple cuts and bruises covering her body. Her right arm was bent at an odd angle. Sesshomaru could tell she had also been poisoned by the smell and greenish hue of her wounds.
"My Lord, I was told you require my assistance," a quiet feminine voice stated from just behind Sesshomaru.
"Naomi, I want you to bathe her and dress her wounds. Get her settled in a room, then come see me in my study," he stated, his eyes never leaving the mystery woman.
"Very well, my Lord," the servant replied, gathered the woman in her arms and followed Sesshomaru back into the castle.
"Milord, I've done as you've instructed," Naomi said, appearing before the Lord a while later. Sesshomaru had his back to the her, his gaze out the window, watching the coming storm.
"Where is she now?" he asked the servant.
"She is resting in room four of the East Wing," she told him. Naomi knew something was bothering her lord but, she knew better than to ask.
"Has she awoken yet?" he asked, not moving.
No, my Lord. The healer made a paste for her wounds to negate the poison. She may be a half demon but she is strong. Her body has already started to heal and get rid of the poison," Naomi said.
"Hn. Snake I take it?" he asked.
"Hai. Her ribs were also crushed so her breathing is labored but they should heal by tomorrow," Naomi replied.
"Very well. You may return to your duties," he told her. Naomi bowed and left the study. After a few moments of thought, Sesshomaru rose, exited the study and headed towards the Eastern Wing. He had questions and it was about time he got some answers.
Sesshomaru walked to the East Wing thinking about this mysterious woman. Why did she capture his attention? She was indeed beautiful, but she was still a half-breed. Why didn't he have her killed? Sesshomaru shook the thoughts from his head and knocked on the door to room number four. He was mildly surprised when he heard a timid voice tell him to "enter". He walked into the room and quickly scanned it, as was his habit. He saw the blue haired woman sitting in the window seat, watching the rain pour down.
"I thank you for your kindness and hospitality, Lord Sesshomaru," the woman said, standing and bowing slightly before the Lord. Her stiff movements and the small grimace on her face showed the pain she was trying to hide.
"You know me?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Everyone knows of you, my Lord. My name is Kyra. I'm pleased to have officially met you," she said, sitting back down and smiling warmly at him.
"You are welcome to stay as long as it takes for you to heal. You will not be harmed while on my grounds. You may go anywhere you like except for the West Wing," he stated.
"Why?" she asked.
"You question me?" he asked in reply, raising an eyebrow.
"Has no one ever done that before?" she asked, her violet eyes copying his amber ones.
"They have, but they never live to tell about it," he said. A look of fear flashed through her eyes.
"Do what you must, my Lord," Kyra stated, turning away to watch the lightning that accompanied the rain.
"This woman must have a death wish. She questions me then turns away, basically telling me to kill her," he thought.
"Why are you so ready to die? And by my hand at that?" he asked aloud.
"I have nothing left. Besides, it would be an honor to be killed by the great cold hearted Lord Sesshomaru of the West," was her sarcastic reply.
"Hn. If you need anything, ask for Naomi. She will assist you with anything you need," he said after a moment and walked out of the room.
The next day, Sesshomaru found Rin and Kyra out on the grounds. As he watched from afar, it looked like Kyra was trying to teach the young girl how to fight. Curiosity getting the better of him, he went down to where they were on the wide expanse of lawn.
"Hyah," Rin yelled, trying to kick Kyra in the stomach. The young girl under estimated the force behind the kick and quickly found herself on the ground.
"Rin, are you okay?" Kyra asked, concerned about the young girl.
"Yup, I'm fine," Rin said with a toothy smile.
"Good. I think that's enough for today," Kyra said, helping the girl up, noticing Sesshomaru watching.
"Okay. I'm going to the garden to make you a present," Rin laughed and skipped away.
"She's not hurt, correct?" Sesshomaru asked, appearing beside Kyra.
"Of course not. I was trying to do my daily training and she wanted to learn some," Kyra told him.
"Good," he nodded.
"Um, Lord Sesshomaru, can I tell you something?" she asked, bouncing on her toes, much like a child.
"What is it?" he replied.
"You're it," she laughed, touched his arm briefly, and was gone. Sesshomaru only sighed.
"Am I really doing this?" he asked himself, slowly following her scent to the gardens.
Kyra was hiding from Sesshomaru in a tree near Rin. The young girl was singing quietly while making a flower crown. All of a sudden, a large snake demon burst out of the forest and wrapped it's tail around Rin.
"Lord Sesshomaru, help me," Rin screamed.
"You are not her. Where is the half-breed fox?" the demon hissed. Kyra jumped down from the tree yelling, "Fox Fire!" The ball of violet fire struck the demon in the back of the head.
"You! I was not finished with you," the snake hissed, lunging for Kyra, dropping Rin to the ground in the process. Kyra dodged its fangs a few times before the tail wrapped itself around her chest, squeezing. Kyra struggled to breathe as she felt her ribs break again and pierce her lungs. Sesshomaru, responding to Rins' yell, burst into the garden and made short work of the snake demon.
After checking to see that Rin was all right and sending her inside, he made his way over to Kyra. She was leaning again a tree trunk struggling to breathe and had blood dribbling out of the corner of her mouth.
"Calm yourself down. You are trying to breathe too much and the wounds won't heal. Take slower breaths," he told her. Sesshomaru then started towards the castle but stopped when he heard Kyra whimper.
"Don't leave me. Please, please, don't," she started.
"I will stay if it will calm you down so your wounds will seal," Sesshomaru said and sat next to her as she attempted to slow her breathing.
"Lord Sesshomaru, is there anything you need assistance with?" Naomi asked, walking up to them.
"As soon as her internal wounds heal enough for her to move, she too it that Kyra's ribs are wrapped. She is to stay in bed and you will stay with her to make sure my orders are carried out. Yukari will take over your duties for as long as that takes," he told her.
"My Lord, could it be you, never mind. Is that all, my Lord?" Naomi asked, stopping herself from asking the question that had been on her mind.
"Yes, that is all," he nodded.
"I think I can move now," Kyra said, standing up, holding her ribs.
"You are to stay in bed. As I said earlier, Naomi will help you with anything you need," he told her.
"Thank you for sitting with me, Sessho. I mean, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. It just slipped out," Kyra said, quickly covering her mouth.
"Hn. Take her to her room. I will have a meal sent up for her," Sesshomaru said and disappeared into the castle.
As soon as her was out of earshot, Kyra started giggling hysterically.
"Do you have a death wish?" Naomi asked her.
"No, I just think it's cute. I grew up hearing stories about the cold Lord of the West but he doesn't seem bad. Maybe misunderstood and lonely," Kyra trailed off as the reached her room. Naomi wrapped her ribs and made sure she was comfortable before taking a seat next to the bed.
"Why does he not have a mate?" Kyra asked a while later.
"My Lord does not love another. Nor does he believe he is in need of a mate. He acts strange with you," Naomi stated.
"What do you mean?" Kyra asked.
"If a half demon or a human lay dying in the gardens, the Lord would have it disposed of. You must intrigue him. You even flirt with death and he saves you every time,"the other woman said.
"I've dreamt of him for so long. I believe it's fate that I wound up here. I saw him once when I was young. I was at the Spring Setsubun with my Father. Lord Sesshomaru was there also. He was so breathtaking. I remember my Father caught me staring at Sesshomaru. He told me one day I would meet a man that would take me as theirs and love me forever. All I could ever think about was Lord Sesshomaru," Kyra admitted as Naomi laughed.
"Fate, huh? That is quite funny. Funny, yet not impossible. The Lord has spared your life. He would kill his own brother for stepping foot on Western Territory, but he spared you. Why? He has ordered me, his personal servant, to watch and cater to you, a half demon. Why? Clearly, you must mean something to him. Now, please rest," Naomi replied seriously.
"Yes, ma'am," Kyra laughed. After a few moments, the only thing that could be heard in the room were her soft snores.
A few hours after dark, Kyra awoke feeling much better, but in need of some fresh air. After using her fox magic to create a copy of herself, she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Naomi asleep in the chair. Kyra silently walked the halls of the castle. Her feet instinctively led her out the front door and towards the garden. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she failed to see the Lord of the West sitting on lawn before her. Sesshomaru too, was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the fox until she tripped and fell into his lap.
"Lord Sesshomaru! I'm so sorry. I was so busy thinking that I didn't notice you sitting there. I didn't mean to trip and fall," Kyra apologized, scrambling off him while blushing a bright pink.
"What are you doing out here? Did I not instruct Naomi to keep you in bed?" he growled, ignoring her apology.
"Please My Lord, she was asleep and I awoke in need of fresh air. I used my fox magic. If she were to wake, she would still believe me to be in bed. My feet carried me here on their own accord," Kyra said.
"Clever," was his only response.
"My Lord, Naomi says I'm lucky to be alive," Kyra said, sitting quietly for a moment.
"Yes, that snake demon could had killed you," Sesshomaru told her.
"That's not what she meant. She says you would kill your brother for being a half demon among other reasons. Yet, you have done nothing but save me from danger since I wound up here. Why is that?" she asked, looking at him.
"She would notice. I've asked myself that question many times. I have come up with only two conclusions," he said.
"Which are what?" Kyra asked him.
"One is I've gone insane; highly unlikely. The other is , I care for you. Equally unlikely, or so I thought because it seems that it's true," he said, looking at her.
"Are you being serious, My Lord?" Kyra asked, looking up at him.
"Yes, Kyra. I want you to stay here, with me. You instill a sense of, tranquillity and completeness in me like I've never felt before," he said.
Of course, Sessho. I'll stay for as long as you'll have me," she smiled, and placed a small kiss on his cheek.
"Stay forever, my love," Sesshomaru said, and unusual smile gracing his face and he grabbed her by the chin and captured her mouth with his.
"Forever," she agreed and fell asleep in his arms under the bright stars.