Page 35

One night Sesshomaru as impatient as always snuck over to where Kagome was making tea and slipped the love potion into the cup he knew belonged to Naomi. She unknowingly took the tainted tea from Kagome and drank it down. Within moments Sesshomaru himself was drinking his tea with the contents of his bottle inside of it. By the end of her tea, Naomi had figured out that it had been tainted by someone there was a residue in her cup. She looked around the area unsure who would put something in her tea, but she got a yokai signature from the remains of the item. She used her finger to taste it on its own quickly realizing what it was she knew it was one of the men that had done it. She stormed out of the area they had set camp up in, and once she was sure no one was around to see her she took off to where the Crone that had made the potion was. She stepped into the humble shack, and became startled when she heard, "Take a seat my dear I will explain my actions in a moment."

Naomi took a seat, and watched the elderly women work on creating new potions finally deciding to ask, "What's your name please?"

The woman replied, "It's Sakura, my dear, I am afraid that I had to give Lord Sesshomaru that love potion although it is only to affect him by melting the ice around his heart."

Naomi felt her concealment spell being pulled at, and let it go with ease seeing no reason to fight the women on it saying, "He must first learn that all life holds value only those that deserve death, and hardship should get it. Without that, he will never accept what his heart is telling him."

Sakura paused a moment before turning around the woman before her was breathtaking she could see straight into the woman's heart, and soul she knew it was because she allowed it to be so. Finally, Naomi spoke saying, "I know he is my soul mate, and while at the moment I am angry at him for thinking the thoughts he did while I repaired his arm. I still want to repeat history, and become his mate again. The Kami's graced me with views of our past life together so while I didn't know who he was upon first meeting, I knew he was the man from my dreams only very different from before. So I ask instead of melting the ice around his heart as I can do that on my own. I would like for you to make him human until he learns some compassion."

Sakura thought a moment and agreed with her assessment Sesshomaru needed to learn a lesson she pulled out her pot. She quickly started throwing things in before grabbing Naomi's hand and pricking her finger letting a drop of blood fall into the bowl. She watched as the stuff in the pot swirled, mixed, and then the life of the woman now standing next to her flashed before her eyes. She felt sorry for the woman the kami's seemed rather pissed at this latest turn of events as Sesshomaru had been returned feeling more hurt and betrayed than initially. The timeline had been severely messed up. Drastic action did need to be taken, or their first pup would never be born into the world. She sighed saying, "My Lady there isn't much I can do but when he goes to the realm of dreams from this potion, I will allow the Kami's to give him the lessons he needs to see what he has before it's too late."

Naomi sighed in frustration until Sakura gave her a cup looking at the woman questioningly she chuckled saying, "You have already lost your innocence twice I see no need for you to suffer that a third time."

Naomi smiled pushing the cup away saying, "I will manage with that it is just hard to know the one you want is so close, but you can't have him because he isn't ready to love you as you are."

She poured the cup out into the sink saying, "I can understand my dear I was young once and desired a man to love me for me, and not for what I was. But don't be so proud as to miss your opportunity to love, and be loved that ultimately was my mistake. I'll make you a deal I will send a male to court you until you have defeated Naraku at that time if Sesshomaru hasn't given a courting mark to you, you will show your true self to him and see what happens."

Naomi sighed saying, "I will do as you ask but if he is stubborn, and even that doesn't work?"

Sakura chuckled she knew Sesshomaru well, and knew it was possible even then he'd turn his back on her. She sighed saying, "I will make it, so he feels honor bound to return you to your shrine. You will go into heat along the way, and nature will give you, your daughter if he doesn't claim you as a mate I will find you, and help you. You will make him put a courting mark on you before giving into your heat. No matter how tempting it maybe you can't give in without at least a courting mark."

Naomi nodded before saying, "I best return or they will start to miss me."

Sakura nodded using her magic to return the woman to where she had come from she prayed to the Kami's to give Naomi strength, and to not lose heart in the man she was to love. She hoped, and prayed that he would claim her on his own but with Sesshomaru anything was possible even going as far as to claim the pup wasn't his. She sighed as she went to work if it was the last thing she did she was going to make sure the stubborn Western Lord claimed his soul mate.