Nova opened her eyes and found herself staring at a pale chest, her arms curled up in front of her. Feeling a hand shift on her hip, she looked up and found herself looking at Sesshomaru, his eyes still closed as he held her against his body. Feeling something twitch inside her, her eyes widened in surprise that they both had fallen asleep still joined with only his Mokomoko around them as they laid on top of the covers. Knowing that there would be no way to get out of his grip without waking him, she sighed.

"Sesshomaru," she called quietly as she pressed her palm to his chest and his brows furrowed for a moment before his eyes opened partially. "I need to get up."

"Hn," he closed his eyes again but pulled his arm back.

She pulled away, his semi hard length slipping out and she inhaled sharply as it did. Refusing to look up to see what his reaction was as she felt his eyes on her, she quickly got off the bed and immediately headed to the spring to wash herself.

"My lady?" Mikasuki entered from the false wall.

"Please bring some tea for both Sesshomaru and myself," Nova spoke and the Neko bowed before leaving silently.

"Are you well?" She glanced over as Sesshomaru entered the bathing room and stepped into the spring.

"I think so," she spoke after thinking about how she was feeling and about the events last night. "I think... that after my rant and our conversation, I feel like things have changed. Even when your beast emerged..."

"This one did not let it out completely. Where did you learn that position? You were a virgin," he inquired as he came to her, lifting her chin to look up at him.

"I enjoy reading," Nova whispered, feeling her cheeks get warm.

"Hn," he hummed as he lowered his face to hers, pressing a kiss to her brow before pulling back so that they both could clean up.

"My lady, I brought the tea. Do you want...?"

"Leave it here, Mikasuki," Nova spoke as she saw the Neko hesitate, her head low.

"Yes, my lady."

She placed the tray at the edge of the spring before leaving without another word. Nova waded over to it and smiled, seeing two small pots. She poured a cup with each and handed Sesshomaru the black tea brewed before sitting to drink her rose tea.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She heard Jaken squawk and groaned quietly as she lowered herself into the water so the water went to her collarbone as the imp scrambled into the room from the bedroom and immediately turned his back. "Lady Nova! My apologies..."

"Jaken," Sesshomaru growled and the imp flinched.

"My apologies, lord Sesshomaru. The Indian Lord's things had arrived and he insisted that two large chests be brought for Lady Nova immediately before she got dressed for the day."

"Place them in the closet."

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. Shall I have the servants come take care of the bedding?"

"Hn."

"I wonder if Baba brought other styles of clothing if he demanded that the chests be brought before I got dressed," Nova mused as Jaken waddled out of the bathing room and closed the sliding door as she heard movement from the bedroom.

"You complain when this one brings gifts but not him."

"He's my father, they're expected to spoil their children," she shrugged, "but have you actually ever heard me complain about your gifts?"

"Last night."

"I complained about a lot of things but I never said I didn't appreciate the gifts, just that I felt like I didn't deserve them," she mused as he drank his tea.

"Hn."

"You're pouting," she gasped and placed her cup on the tray.

"This Sesshomaru does not pout, woman."

"Maybe not visibly, but you are," she chuckled as she waded over to where he sat.

"Until it is announced, many may assume he is merely trying to court you," he spoke as he set his cup down and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his lap.

"What would you have me do? Avoid him for, what is it, a week? He had already mentioned that he will be going back to India after the announcement gathering," Nova frowned as he pushed her hair away from her scarred shoulder from the many times his beast had bitten her.

"Allow this one to place the courting mark across your skin and you do the same."

"But I have neither fangs or daemon energy..."

"As long as you are willing, our energy will follow your will to mark this one."

"Okay."

He guided her head to his neck as he pressed his nose against hers on the side of the bite scars. She wrapped a hand around the nape of his neck and whimpered as she felt his fangs pierce the junction of her shoulder. She bit into his neck as hard as she could and tasted blood as her teeth broke through the skin. She felt his hand around her waist tighten as his other slid into her hair. She felt almost a whisper of a breeze along her skin and she felt a shiver go up her spine as she locked her jaw so she wouldn't pull away before she was supposed to and clung to him.

When she felt his fangs slid out of her neck, she released her jaw and pulled back to look at his neck. Two wounds from her teeth decorated his neck but she saw two magenta crescent moons form around both wounds as his wound healed almost instantly. She felt him lick her neck several times before pulling back to look at her.

"You may go get dressed," he spoke.

Nova rinsed off once more before stepping out of the spring and wrapped a robe around her and towel around her hair to go investigate the chests that had been placed in the closet which was large and a tall wardrobe sat opposite her chests most likely with Sesshomaru's clothes. She opened the first chest and was immediately bombarded by a multitude of colors. On the inside of the lid, there were words carved letting her know that this chest was all Lehenga Cholis.

She closed it and opened the other, revealing more colors of silk but these were tunics, cropped tops, harem pants and legging style pants. On top were two smaller chests, one that when opened she found more bralettes and underwear and the other held hair accessories. Grabbing a black tunic and purple leggings and a set of black underwear, she dressed.

The tunic's sleeves when to her wrists but was not too loose or tight and had a square neckline that revealed of her collarbone and the tops of her shoulders, giving an uninterrupted view of the mark that was identical to the two crescent moons on Sesshomaru's neck. The hem of the tunic went to mid calf but had slots up both sides all the way up to her waist. She dried her hair and braided it, tying it off with a golden clasp that was several inches long.

Once she was dressed she looked through the different tied bundles that kept outfits together, she found several pairs of silk ballet slippers in several colors that would go with all of the different outfits. Pulling out a black pair with white beading, she slid them on as she closed the chests and left the closet. She grabbed her Matha Patti from the dresser that had held the hair combs and brushes and put it into place before she heard movement from the spring. She headed towards the common area as she heard him enter the closet to dress and stopped seeing Satori still where she was the night before.

"Your hopeless," Nova sighed as she sat at the low table, allowing the piece of furniture to separate herself from the woman.

"You really think that I have not learned my pup's tricks after five hundred years? All the rooms in the West Wing have silencing seals around the bedroom."

"Then may I ask why you have remained here all night?" Nova frowned as she propped her head into her hand and Satori looked up from her book finally to look at her.

"So the courting wasn't just a farce," she hummed, her molten eyes going to her neck. "I wouldn't have put it past my pup to play a game with a woman he tolerated as an excuse to ignore the guests of his castle."

"Well, know you know," Nova spoke cooly.

"What I want to know is why he would choose you, a human taken in by a daemon lord of foreign lands."

"Satori, if he cared for you to know why he would pick someone like me verses a hoard of whores, he'd tell you. As it is that he has not, it is none of your damn business."

"Satori, remove yourself from this ones quarters or you will be escorted out," Sesshomaru growled as he came into the room and Nova noticed that he wore dark blue silk hamakas and haori with a white inner layer. The same floral stamping from his white outfit were on these but was in silver instead. His Mokomoko was over his shoulder and his hair perfectly straight down his back.

"You will talk to me pup."

"Then make an appointment," Nova scoffed as he held his hand out and helped her to her feet. "He is Lord and won't come at your call when you whine like a neglected pup."

"Do not threaten me..."

"And what are you going to do? Send me to hell? Come up with a better threat, Satori, but nothing you try will change anything. Not now, not in five hundred years. Get over yourself and go complain to someone you don't bribe to care," Nova smirked before Sesshomaru led her from the room. "Think she'll catch on?"

"That is questionable. Clothing of your heritage suit you."

"Thank you," Nova smiled as she let him guide her down for the morning meal.