A strange bond

(I do not own any rights or have affiliation to Inuyasha, or its characters, that belongs to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi.)

Sweat fell from her brow, making her eyes sting. The sun was high, and she had been training since morning.

"Again."

She silently lifted her wooden sword, shaped as a blade, to mid-body height, facing the Inu no Taishou, who she liked to call Lord Toga. The silent, fast strikes of her Lord almost knocked her off her feet, but she learned long ago to not only not ask questions of her opponent, but to never fall. That meant most certain death.

Ever since the Inu no Taishou saved her after she was orphaned in her village, she tried to shadow him as much as possible, to learn to be strong even though she was human. The Lord tolerated her presence at first, almost as if she was a lost puppy, then he started to take interest in her almost as if a distant niece. The Lady, Inukimi, saw her as a nuisance. A tolerated pest, but as long as The Lord wanted her around, and Ryusei didn't cause any mischief, The Ladies opinion was mute.

"Ryusei, if you're determined to be distracted and knocked around, I'll find a less busy demon to do the job!" Lord Toga bellowed at her as she slammed to the ground.

"Sorry." She mumbled as she wiped the sweat from her brow, and the dirt from her chin.

"Again."

After training that day, she took her bruised body to rest in the shade of a wild apple tree. Being five foot seven inches in length at only twenty years old, she stretched her full length and sprawled in the shade, looking at the sky as she bit into the sweet, crisp skin of her apple. She thought it just as well that she wasn't stuck in her village as she grew, knowing how humans can be vicious when it came to someone who was different, and with her looks, she knew she was different... she had green eyes, with black hair and blonde running through it. She was called names by the humans, freak being one of them, when she had traveled to the village by the bone eaters well, the few times she had dared to make the trip. But among the demons in the Western Lands, she was just another stray of Toga's. She could deal with that.

He was strict in his ways, but fair. She knew the training he instilled in her was for her best. He may be a demon and live for hundreds of years yet, but he wasn't immortal... if the time came, he knew as well as she that Inukimi wouldn't lift a finger to protect his former ward. Toga had mentioned having an heir, Sesshomaru, but he didn't expect him to be much help either if help was needed. He stated that his heir was more interested in power and expanding lands than the plight of a girl. Ryusei didn't much blame Sesshomaru for that, but it didn't endear her much to him either...

She sighed, finished her apple, and stood. "Here's to another birthday old girl." She said to herself, while stretching the kinks in her muscles from the day's training. Her exact birthday, no one knew, so Toga deemed it the day he found her. He also named her that day. She was only a year and a half when he found her, so she couldn't fill in the details. He called her Ryusei, which means fallen star, because of the blonde streaks in her hair. She loved the name he had given her.

She made her way to a nearby stream to bathe. The crisp temperature was perfect for her over-heated body, and she made a hissing sound through her teeth as she lowered herself into the swift water. After the sun began to fall behind the trees, she got out, shook off, and got dressed again. Then she began the trek back to her guest quarters located at the sprawling mansion. She didn't mind living and taking her meals here. It was quiet, and she preferred to not have to go through a meal with the cold eyes of The Lady on her the whole time.

The guest house was decent in size, with a wood roof and floors, a fire pit in the center, and big fluffy futons for sleeping, situations could be worse. Even though she was a little higher in status than a servant, almost as a permanent guest, she never lost her down to earth attitude towards life within the splendor of palace living, and was thankful for whatever blessings came her way. Even a dry place to stay was a blessing to her.

"Whats for dinner Hideo?" She called out to her tutor and companion. She had known the Dragon youki since coming to the mansion. He was a part of a shaky peace treaty between the Inu youki of the West and the Dragon youki of the East. Not finding any other use for him, he was cast to teach and be a companion to Toga's ward. She enjoyed the companionship of the youki, because he was very intelligent and understanding. He stayed in his human form most of the time, she had only seen him transform into an intimidating black dragon a handful of times, and only then for a lesson she was learning. In his human form, he had the typical black hair and olive skin, but with purple eyes.

"Fish and rice, very stimulating for the senses..." He responded sarcastically. Hideo wasn't much of a fan for the West's idea of cuisine, even after nineteen years.

"Awe, could be worse, could be human I guess. Don't even Hideo..." She said as soon as Hideo's eyes lit up at her sarcastic human suggestion.

Hideo just laughed and moved the scrolls on their low table to the side so she may sit with him. After a comfortably silent meal, Ryusei cleared their bowls off the table and washed them. Hideo cleared his throat when she was done to gain her attention.

"Yes?"

"The Lord informed me he wanted to speak to both of us tonight after we have finished eating, he said he will be here shortly."

She didn't like the worried look on the youki's face.

"What would he want to speak to us about?"

"That, I couldn't tell you. But he almost seemed saddened, and as you know from the normally serene Lord, it must be something serious..."

Ryusei just nodded her head and straightened the room while the youki put his scrolls away.

After they were both settled at the table, the Inu no Taishou walked into the house with a fur covered package in his hand and silently sat at the table with his ward and his ward's sensei.

"Hideo...Ryusei." He nodded to them. "I have brought you a gift, my child, for your birthday."

Ryusei instantly knew what it was, its hard to mask what a sword looks like...

"My Lord! Thank you!" she said, bouncing in place on the floor. She grabbed the packaged and unwrapped it. It was a beautiful inlaid sword, with the maps of constellations on the hilt and sheath. They were both the color of cherry wood, with the stars the color of gold. She pulled the blade from the sheath slowly, and admired the smooth, slick surface of the silver colored metal, which was so sharp, it could cut through a sheet of paper with little pressure. "Its...beautiful. Like the first bloom of a cherry tree in spring, My Lord. Thank you." She replaced the sword in the sheath, and bowed low in her seated position to Toga.

"On your twentieth birthday, and with the training Hideo and I have given you so far, such a gift is only worthy of you, my child. You have come a long way since I have brought you here, and for that I am proud. I had my trusted sword smith Totosai create it just for you. It's name is Hoshi no ha. " This statement brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly blinked away. Toga, did not like tears.

"Star Blade?" She asked.

"Yes. Now, for what I wanted you two to hear tonight...Ryusei, I must send you away now, and Hideo, I need you to go with her..."