Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

No beta so I do apologize for any mistakes. Thank you all for your lovely reviews.

(-)(-)

Sesshomaru watched from the balcony as his ward and the fox kit played, it was a fine sunny day with the wind bringing up the smell of the sea. It was smells that currently had the Lord frustrated most humans took on the smell of their surroundings, a fishmonger smelled always of fish, a lumberman of the woods, and so on and so forth. But the foundling, for they still had not found a name that suited her, had not taken on the smells of the castle. She still smelled so damnably fresh and unlike anything he had smelt before, which being a dog demon frustrated him further.

She was a strange creature, the few times he had seen her did she stare at him with those large doe-brown eyes that made the beast in him rise. He shook the thoughts from his head immediately.

'No human will grace my bed, especially a washed up foundling of no land.'

He told himself once more he was merely curious about the foundling because she was strange, and that she was mystery, if he solved the puzzle the fascination would cease.

'Or I could cast her from my lands and hope to forget her entirely. She is human, and would fade soon.'

Hearing Rin's laughter he knew that wouldn't be too easy, the girl had grown fond of the foundling and it was doubtful the two could be separated without great pain. Still a plan needed to be formed, the healers had informed him her injury would be fully healed by the end of next week. Oh how his father would laugh to know if he added another human to his staff, or taken to ward.

Ensuring no one was around to hear him sigh did he then bring his hand up to rub his temples. Deciding the oncoming headache was not worth it did he push the matter from his mind, determined to think on it at a later date.

(-)

Kagome had become so caught up in the feeling of being a dry-lander, sometimes she felt as though she had forgotten she came from the sea. Everything seemed to be more, when one was not a merling, pain ran deeper and lasted longer, but also so did joy. Then there was the warmth, the warmth made her forget most of all. It came in the night and radiated from her mark to the center between her legs, but it always left her frustrated and feeling unfulfilled. Then she would remember what she was and guilt would flood her all over again. So before she fell asleep every night did she recite to herself.

'Thou merlings of the sea, you are given these rules three,

Shun the above, to break this will cause calamity.

Partake not in the blood or body of others, you are fed by me.

Always remember the language of the Ocean, forget and lose all rights to the key.'

Kagome remembered how all the young were taught that rhyme, and that most could recite it before their first swim outside of the reef. Legend had it that when the first merling came into being the sea spoke directly to them, laying down the three rules to live by. Although no one could quite seem to remember what the key was at the end of the rhyme.

'And you broke the first rule, and now look all your people are gone and you're on dry land.'

But if she was honest in her heart of hearts she knew, even if she could go back in time, that she could not have let the dry-lander die. Her thoughts then turned to the girl, Rin, she had pondered her a great deal, although she felt the pull as one merling did to another she still could not figure out how she had come to be. From a painting that Kagome had found of the girl one day she had been found by her monster when she was very young and had aged. Merlings didn't age that quickly, there was also what Kanna had told her when Kagome had been given legs. If she couldn't age then how could Rin.

'You should focus on your primary quest, then you can worry about Rin.'

She sighed to herself, she had a duty to her people and to find Kanna's heart, but the longer she stayed here the more that goal seemed to slip away.

(-)

Kanna watched her mermaid in the mirror, silently cursing Kagome for her memory. Every night she whispered through her mirror to the mermaid to forget that she had ever come from the sea, but the merling was highly resistant to her words.

'I should have found a way to take her memory before I gave her legs.'

Kanna pulled her mirror away and lamented.

(-)

Upon spending the week with the foundling Sango had come to the conclusion she liked the girl, and had elected to help the girl learn their language with haste. She dearly hoped Lord Sesshomaru allowed the girl to stay, but if not then she needed to have a working knowledge of the land, people and language.

Today herself, Shippo, and Rin were sitting with the woman, each one would ask her to point to something, so far the foundling was doing exceedingly well.

"Cup," Sango said, and the woman pointed to the cup in Rin's hand. They all smiled and nodded.

"May I join you?" came the voice of Miroku.

"If you promise to behave," Sango said harshly.

Miroku smiled sheepishly, his arms ached, cleaning out the dungeons had indeed been quite a task, and it had forced his lovely Sango even further away from him.

"Anything for my lovely Sango," he declared.

"If that is true then you will stop being such a letcher," replied Shippo.

Sango and Rin merely nodded in agreement.

"I brought you all a gift," he said sitting down next to his Slayer. "I had heard the three of you were playing teacher and I thought this may help."

He pulled a sack out from his robe and emptied the contents onto the ground, wood squares fell out all with different carvings on them. All four were surprised when the woman reached out picked up six squares laid them back down then pointed to herself and then back to the squares.

Sango was the first to lean over to see what had been placed down.

"Kagome," she read out slowly. The woman, Kagome now, reached out to grab her hands and nodded vigorously.

"Kagome," Rin repeated. "Such a lovely name."

(-)

Her leg was better, it had been better since the day before, but she had forgotten that she had to leave. Today she remembered, and she needed to leave. So in the pre-dawn light she silently, and with sadness walked out of the castle. Her above friends had taught her a few more words and how to even spell them out so with the wooden blocks Miroku had given her she spelled out the words 'thank you,' and 'goodbye.'

She hadn't been able to take in much of the outside world during her time in the castle, it was strange, terrifying but also beautiful. She had come to a freshwater stream by a meadow and was in awe of everything she saw. Those feeling instantly turned to panic when she heard a loud crack and a light came down from the sky.

"What have we here?"

Kagome looked up in horror there was a voice coming from the light and as her eyes slightly adjusted she seemed to be in front of some strange shark with dry-lander legs and arms. She stood up to flee only to be blocked by another beam of light, it was hot on her flesh.

"Manten, we do not have time for this," the figure that spoke looked more like the dry-landers she was use to, but his expression did little but stir fear in her.

"But brother Hiten, how can you ask me to pass up such a tasty morsel, look at her, surly with her blood I would be able to sprout a full head of hair."

"We were hired to carry out a mission, you can chase women once we are done."

"Go on without me, you are fully able to do this without me, I must have this women."

"Very well, do not get carried away. The dog doesn't enjoy trespassers," with that Kagome watched the red eyed full haired man leap back into the sky.

"Now that it is just you and me, my pet let me hear your beautiful screams, it will make my potion much better."

The shark like one walked closer to Kagome, and while she didn't understand every word he had stated she did know he held ill will toward her. She stood again trying to run, being stopped when the creature reached out and grabbed her arm roughly yanking her back to him.

"Now now my beauty, I won't have you leaving me so soon, I want to hear you scream."

He pulled harshly on her arm again, but when no sounds left her mouth he repeated the actions with more force. Again he was dismayed to hear no sound leave the human's mouth.

"Think you're tough huh? Let us see how tough you are after this," he threw her down with great force, Kagome felt all the air leave her as she hit the ground. She heard the beast growl behind her turning to look she saw him raise one hand up toward the sky, light surrounding his fist, the air suddenly became hot, oppressively so.

'Kanna please forgive me, I have failed you.'

Kagome accepted that she was going to die, she resolved to meet her end with dignity looking up at the beast she glared harshly.

Suddenly the beast was blasted away, and in his place stood her monster.

(-)

Sesshomaru watched the woman leave his castle mixed emotions welling up inside of him. If she left on her own accord then he wouldn't have to make a decision, but how could she leave him, he had provided her shelter. She should be bending over backwards to try and please him, he shook his head again at the images that cropped up.

'It is no business of mine, she is no business of mine, let her go.'

He had been set firmly in that resolve until he felt a flash of youki, known well to him, on his lands. He sprang to the sky moving through the air quicker than he ever had before, looking down he spotted his target, down in his beast's favorite clearing was one of the Thunder Brothers, and he rolled his eyes Shippo's little foundling.

Letting out his poison leak from his claws he formed a whipped and slapped the intruder away, landing lightly on his feet Sesshomaru stood between the woman and the demon.

"Tell me why you are attacking this Sesshomaru's ward," he said icily.

He didn't deny the large amount of pleasure he felt when he saw fear fill the intruder's eyes.

"One-thousand apologies my Lord, she carried neither your scent nor the colors of your house, I thought she was just a normal human," Manten cursed his luck, something like this would never happen to Hiten.

"Be that as it may, you are on my lands, without permission. This alone is worth death."

Manten watched as poison flowed freely from Sesshomaru's claws and feared for his life.

"I was sent as an envoy to-"

"Do not lie to this Sesshomaru, I will give you one more chance, tell me what you are doing here. Lie again and I will kill you."

Manten just looked at the ground unsure of what to do next.

"You serve the Ookami tribe, correct?"

"Yes m'lord," hating the terror that filled his voice.

"So only one of the four wolf nobles could have sent you."

"Correct."

"Hn," Sesshomaru looked at the woman, she seemed to be trying to make herself smaller, as though she could escape his notice.

"Where is your brother?" he said distantly, remembering the two were always together.

"Finishing our mission, m'lord."

"Why were you hired to spy on this Sesshomaru," he stated.

Manten's eyes widened, he had hoped he could be vague enough the Western heir would drop it.

"We were not spying per se, it has been rumored the Western heir was looking for a mate. We were asked to find out if there was anyway the Ookami princess could curry favor," he looked at Sesshomaru.

"You are still spying," he walked closer to the thunder brother. He let his poison slowly drip onto Manten.

"Call your brother back, if I see you on my lands again I will kill both you both."

He called forth his whip on more time and slashed Manten's face, the yokai howled in pain, reverting to lighting and going to the sky.

He turned fully to the woman, she was still on the ground he moved toward her imposing his large frame over hers.

"You left," he uttered. For once she didn't met his eyes, he found her submission pleasing, but was pressed with a new issue. He had claimed her as his ward, and he had let Manten live, he could see his father right now, howling with laughter, at his son claiming two human females as under his protection.

"You're mine now, you cannot go without my leave," he breathed.

He took in her appearance, she had on a servant's overshirt, it showed off her legs and had become open at her chest, the hint of cleavage peeking out, unbidden he felt his eyes redden he sank to the ground his hand reached out touching the tops of her breast lightly. A sweet smell entered his nose, aroused, the woman was aroused. It was tantalizing, teasing, and tempting him in ways he never thought possible. He forced his nose into the crook of her neck, hand forcefully touching her breast. He wanted to cover this woman in his scent, and make sure it stayed on her. He wanted to take her over and over again, he wanted to sink himself so far into her they forgot where one began and the other ended.

'If you take her, no one would have to know, she cannot speak.'

Oh how he wanted to follow that little voice, he had never felt a lust like this, and she wasn't resisting.

Images of her on her knees face contorted in pleasure filled his mind.

'You've claimed her as your ward, you must show her respect.'

He pulled away immediately, he had honor, and no human would share his bed. Quickly he picked her up, returned to his home, placed her in the room next to Rin's locked the door, and summoned Rin and the Slayer to meet with him.

His ward smiled brightly at him, with the slayer following shortly behind.

"What does Lord Sesshomaru need?" she asked happily.

"I have taken Shippo's foundling as a ward," he replied.

"You mean Kagome will be like me?"

Sesshomaru hated knowing her name, somehow hearing it inflamed him more.

"Yes, but I have a task for you. You are responsible for her conduct, teach her to be a lady. I will be checking on your progress, in three months. Do you have any questions?"

"No, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Good, return to your chambers, I must speak with the Slayer."

They both waited until the girl was well out of earshot.

"I am leaving today for the Southern lands, be vigilant, kill any unknown yokai on sight," he needed to leave, perhaps if he mounted a demoness this fire would leave him. He refused to want a human.

"Yes, my Lord."

"And if Kagome," he could feel his mask slipping, merely from saying her name. "If my new ward tries to leave the castle, stop her. Make sure she fully understands what it means to be my ward. If anything is needed Jaken will know where I am."

With that he fled.

(-)

Kagome was extremely confused, she had seen the interaction between Sesshomaru and the land shark. But then the evil one had left, and she was left with her monster.

'Well I suppose I cannot call him my monster anymore, I guess now he is my saviour.'

When he stood over her she felt shame, but then when he touched her she felt the warmth again. This time however it was stronger than it ever had been, she saw his eyes become red and she was unafraid, she felt a need and she didn't know how to fix it.

Now she was back in the castle, albeit in a room that was much nicer than her last one, but the door didn't move. Her mind raced, was he mad that she had tried to leave, was she a prisoner, she had only tried to do what was right...what she was meant to do?

'What was I meant to do?'

It was strange she knew she was supposed to do something, she had a purpose, right. It was like trying to cup water in her hands but no matter how tightly she gripped the more she thought about it the fuzzier it became.

She then fell into a fitful sleep, with a gnawing feeling that she was forgetting something big.

(-)

Kanna fell to the floor exhausted, finally, she had buried her merling's memory. She had given up on removing the memories of her sea life, but it was buried, locked far away. So long as nothing triggered it, it would stay that way.

'Stay safe Kagome.'

Kanna suddenly felt a tug on her senses, looking back at her mirror she saw her master, smirking. Worry flooded her for one moment, had he been watching her. Did he know what she had been doing?

"Kanna, you look tired is everything alright?" Kanna knew his concern was faked, but she smiled as best she could.

"No Master Onigumo, this worthless one thanks you for your concern, how may I assist you?"

"I need a beautiful treasure, send up something worthy of Cardinal Lady."

"Yes, Master."

(-)

The Western heir watched the concubine fall to the mattress, breathing heavily with black hair fanning out about her. She looked up at him, smiles not reaching her eyes, they had been at it for hours, and the lord seemed possessed. He would go, again and again, until his want for her left him. He refused to admit he chose the concubine due to her resemblance to the foundling, he refused to think her name, he refused to imagine her lips wrapped around his…

He picked the concubine back up, relentlessly pounding into her again.

'I will not bed a human.'