Author's Note: I have written several chapters ahead so that I can consistently post. I am rather proud of myself for it!


Sesshomaru did not mean to avoid Minako. He knew that she would be upset with him when she found out that he had arranged to mate with Masami. After all, the little hanyou had been following him like a lovesick puppy for months. He had learned enough about her during that time to have felt some kind of connection to her, a fondness of sorts. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but it certainly did not make sense to the cold lord. Even Masami, his soon-to-be mate, was just a business partner in his eyes. She had land and power, something that made her proposal worthwhile.

But the planning! Oh, how she loved to plan. He hated it, really. Of course, he did a fair share of planning for his own business, but this woman delved too deeply. What did he care of the minor details? If she started talking about drapes and furniture, he would not be in the least bit surprised. And he knew he had a lot more 'important planning' to look forward to.

Then again, he sometimes managed to slip away. He did not see Minako very often. When he did, she managed to disappear. She was avoiding him. Perhaps it was due to Masami's presence; the hanyou didn't seem to like his Lady. But even when the woman was not around, Minako ran off at the sight of him. Not that he cared, he told himself. What did it matter to him? She was just a hanyou.

And yet he concerned himself with her well-being. Was she eating at dinner? Did she sleep well at night? He knew that her time would be coming soon; he had never actually seen her human form, but she had managed to disappear during every full moon since he had met her. It was obvious enough that that was her changing time. How would she fair this month, though? And during mating season? He had told her to stay in the castle, but would she? Even if she did, he had no way of telling whether or not the demons in this place would take advantage of her weakness. Jaken would have to keep watch over her when she changed.

And so he waited, watching the girl from a distance. Masami did not seem to mind since they had plenty of time until the season actually began. She also did not question Sesshomaru's interest in the hanyou, as she believed the girls to be his wards. He had to lie, lest she grow jealous of Minako. Which was unnecessary. Completely ridiculous. She hadn't a chance with the lord.

So he told himself.

When the day arrived, Mina acted strange, as if nervously waiting for something. Seshomaru seemed to be the only who knew exactly what she was worried about. In the afternoon, he managed to pull away from Masami long enough to speak with Jaken. Mina and Rin waited in the other room, most likely eavesdropping.

Sesshomaru was quick and short with his demands: "Pay close attention to Minako tonight. She is not to have visitors nor leave this room. She is your full responsibility."

"Why, my lord?" Jaken asked curiously.

Sesshomaru glanced down at him before leaving the room. "Do not question me."

He then disappeared into the hall, leaving Jaken to wonder. There was no need to verbalize Mina's change. What if someone was listening? The little imp would find out soon enough, anyway. Sesshomaru trusted him with the safety of his hanyou, and if Jaken failed, he would be punished. But why?

Sesshomaru stopped briefly, a slight frown to his features.

Why did he even care?


As night drew near, Jaken herded Rin and Mina into their rooms, locking the door. Rin was confused, but Jaken assured her it was nothing. She eventually fell asleep, and Mina sat by the window. Jaken waited for something to happen, and as darkness set and the full moon rose in the sky, he watched as Mina's appearance changed.

He noticed the smell first.

The hanyou scent changed, now smelling like the stench of human. She turned to look at Jaken, and he noticed that her hair was a dull brown and her eyes now faded to blue. He realized immediately that the full moon was the time her hanyou body became fully human. How had he been so blind to it? Sesshomaru had somehow known, and wanted to ensure her protection amongst all the demons in this place.

"Forgive my stench, Jaken-sama," she said quietly. "I know I must reak of human."

Still the same timid Minako inside, he noted. Of course, that was not to say that she hadn't been improving lately. He had wondered about her sudden outburst in the cave; was that courage or stupidity? He liked to think the first, but thought it more likely to be the second.

"It isn't so bad," he lied. He much preferred her hanyou scent.

Jaken turned away, checking on Rin. She slept soundly, unaware that her friend was now human for just a little while. What was he supposed to do for the rest of the night? Cooped up in this room, he was expected to guard Minako during her human hours, but she didn't really seem to need much protection. The door was locked, and the castle's residents were unlikely to touch Lord Sesshomaru's ward. He was thinking about this when Mina suddenly began to cry.

Jaken immediately jumped up and down before her, "No, no, no! Please, Minako, don't cry! If Lord Sesshomaru hears, he will surely be furious with me!"

"Why would he care?" Mina sobbed dramatically.

"Oh, great." Jaken sighed, leaning against his staff, "It would seem you are more emotional when human. Would you like to, er, talk about it?"

She continued to cry, but quieted down a bit and looked up at him. "Do you mean that, Jaken-sama?"

He climbed up onto the bed and sat next to her, patting her leg awkwardly. "Why are you upset, Minako?"

She sniffed, wiping her runny nose on her sleeve. "I have been traveling with Lord Sesshomaru for so long, but he is going to leave for this mean woman. She treats me like a child, and not only does he allow it, he seems to do so in her presence as well! I am not a child, Jaken-sama, I am an adult now."

Jaken seemed to have an expression of doubt, but kept his opinion of her maturity to himself. "Lord Sesshomaru-sama is just busy with his plans, Minako. They have a very limited time to ready their lands and prepare for the future."

At the mention of the future, Mina immediately began sobbing again. Jaken bounced up and down, waving his hands, anything to distract the girl from her loud tears. "No, no, no!"

"Why do they have to have a future?" she wailed, "Why can't we keep traveling and just leave Masami with her pretty clothes and big castle and mean servants! She doesn't need Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Well, neither do you, Minako," Jaken said. "You are impressively self-preservative for a hanyou."

She looked down at her feet. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," he nodded. "And you will only grow stronger over time."

"Especially if I am on my own again," she mumbled.

"What?" Jaken shrieked. "You are not leaving this castle!"

She looked back at him, surprised. "I did not know that you cared, Jaken-sama."

He looked away in embarrassment. "Oh, I couldn't give a rat's poo about that! I just—if you left, Lord Sesshomaru would be furious with me and I will not take the blame for you running away like a silly child!"

"You're wrong," she muttered sadly. "Sesshomaru does not care about me."

"Why would you think such a stupid thing?"

She looked down at him, and her tears made him even more uncomfortable. "He loves Masami, and she does not like me. There will be no room for me here when they...mate."

His eyes softened as he suddenly realized her reason for crying so much. "I know for a fact that our Lord Sesshomaru cares for you, although I am not sure why." He shook his head and hopped off the bed, turning toward her. "His agreement with Lady Masami is strictly business, at least on his part. There is no love involved."

Mina's eyes brightened. "You are sure?"

"Of course. Lord Sesshomaru does not care for such frivolities. This is about land and heritage; he will still remain the same Lord Sesshomaru-sama that we have always known."

"You promise?"

"Yes." He let out a heavy sigh, "Now you must promise that you will not run away from this castle."

She wiped her tears away and smiled, "I promise."

He moved across the room to the other bed, and Minako laid down in hers. After a moment, she sat back up again and called for Jaken. He turned over with an exasperated sigh.

"What now?"

She whispered, "Please don't tell Sesshomaru-sama about...well...any of this."

"Alright, I won't. Now go to sleep before you bombard me with more human drama."