Chapter 7: Close Call

The following day was much of the same for Sae. Lady Fukui had not called on her until mid-afternoon the next day. All in which, Sae had been grateful for. She was still trying to come to grips with her experience of affairs between the nobility. She really didn't think she could get through another night of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Fukui associating again. Sae may be 17 but she was most certainly not ready to deal with the aspects of physical relationships between men and women. And Sae may have had to take care of herself most of her life, but it didn't mean that she was prepared to face the truth behind the mysteries in the bedroom.

"Satoru."

Sae turned her head and nodded in acknowledgement. "Hello Asumi."

The red head sat next to her on the cool grass. "What are you doing all the way out here?" she asked, tucking her legs underneath her.

"Thinking," Sae replied, looking out at the field as the breeze blew by.

"Are you alright?" Asumi's voice sounded concerned.

Sae shrugged, never taking her eyes away from the landscape.

"Did something happen?"

Another shrug.

"Satoru," Asumi's hand gently settled on Sae's shoulders. "Did … did Lady Fukui … er … did she … take advantage of you?"

"What?" Sae snapped her head towards Asumi in surprise. "No!"

Asumi blushed. "Well, there are rumors about the lady. You know about her a-affairs with the servant boys."

"Oh," Sae relaxed against the grass, laying on her back with her arms behind her head. "Yes, I suppose there is a lot of gossip about that.

So far though, she hasn't done anything … to me." A shudder ran down Sae's spine at the reminder of the night before.

"Then what troubles you?" Asumi leaned over her friend, her face blocking Sae's view of the sky.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out Asumi's apprehensive features. But the attempt made the disturbing sounds of the night before all the more potent in her head.

"Urgh," Sae groaned cracking her dark eyes open.

"You are starting to worry me, Satoru," Asumi leaned closer, her eyes brimming with anxiety.

"It is nothing Asumi, do not concern yourself," Sae sighed, rolling her eyes. She really did not want to tell her friend about what happened. It was troublesome enough that she herself knew of it. The experience would be ten times worse should someone else know of it too.

Asumi's eyebrows knitted together. "I will not stop until you tell me what is wrong," her words rang with stubbornness.

Satoru threw an arm across her face, to hide her rising blush. "Asumi."

"Do not Asumi me," was the girl's response. "You always force me to express myself and now it is your turn to do the same."

Sighing, Sae searched for the words to explain her current turmoil. "Er … you recall that I was to serve the Lady Fukui last night, right?"

"Of course," there was a hint of impatience.

Sae cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Yes, well Lady Fukui had also requested my services for well into the night."

There was a slight shifting of movement. "For what?" Asumi asked in bewilderment.

"To … um …. keep a look out as she and the lord … er … slept together."

"Oh."

There was an excruciating moment of silence.

A small breeze swept past, rustling the fallen leaves.

Slowly removing her arm, Sae peeked from behind closed lids to gauge her companion's reaction.

What she was met with made her scowl.

"Oh Satoru," Asumi giggled behind the hand that covered her mouth. It didn't do a good job of muffling her laughter however.

Sae's scowled deepened. "It is not funny."

Asumi's body began to shake. "B-but it is!" she laughed, removing her hand and instead holding her stomach.

Feeling her neck begin to burn, Sae sat up and began to stand. "I am leaving."

"W-wait!" Asumi exclaimed, still laughing.

Sae looked down at her friend in annoyance.

Asumi's small hands grabbed a hold of Sae's arm and tugged her back to the ground. "I'm sorry," Asumi grinned.

Sae's glare was murderous. "You do not look sorry."

"I am! I am," Asumi pursed her lips to keep from smiling. "I am."

Sae scoffed, but decided not to point out that the red head was doing a poor job at hiding her mirth.

"It's just that you sounded so ... so ... scandalized," Asumi began to giggle but abruptly stopped at the glare that was shot her way.

Sae sniffed. "It was horrifying."

"Did you see anything?"

"No."

"Then why was it so terrible?"

"Because!" Sae threw up her hands. "I could hear everything!"

"So?"

"SO it was repulsive!"

"Oh Satoru, please," Asumi snorted. "You say it as if it is a surprise that Lady Fukui slept with Lord Sesshomaru. You already know of her reputation and her history with the lord. You act as if you've never even done it yourself."

Sae became rigid.

"It is only natural that men and women come together," Asumi continued on, unaware of her friend's sudden stillness. "It is true that Lady Fukui is a married woman and what she is doing with the lord is most certainly wrong, but who are we to tell them not to? It does not take away from the fact that Lady Fukui is grown woman and Lord Sesshomaru is grown man. Both have needs and it is better for them to satisfy themselves on each other, rather than the maids or servants boys, no?"

Sae nodded jerkily, when she knew Asumi waited for her response.

"Exactly," Asumi nodded, glancing at her. Immediately she stopped. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sae forced herself to relax and leaned casually on her arms.

"You're really … red," Asumi peered closely at her face.

"I'm just hot," Sae waved a hand, but ducked her head to hide her face.

"Mhmm," Asumi hummed, biting her lip. "Satoru are you … embarrassed by this topic?"

"No!" Sae protested vehemently.

"Oh my," Asumi's hands covered her mouth. "You are! Do not tell me that you have never had relations with a girl?!"

"I h-have!"

Asumi dropped her hands to reveal a knowing smirk. "Oh Satoru, it is nothing to be ashamed about. I think it is very sweet that you have saved yourself for this long!"

Sae could feel her whole face burning. "Shut up Asumi."

Asumi leaned in closely, lowering her voice. "Do not worry Satoru, your secret is safe with me."

Sae looked down at the ground grumpily. "Thanks," she mumbled, unable to defend her 'male' pride. How could she pretend that she had any experience with girls when she herself had no experience with boys? Her life had not given her a chance to meet anyone that she could become intimate with. She and Youhei had become orphans at a very young age. They had to learn to fend for themselves since they were 7. At the age of 15, when most of the village girls were worrying about what kimono to wear to impress on of the village boys, Sae had been stealing food and supplies for her and her brother to survive.

Males had never been something she prioritized.

"But that explains much," Asumi's teasing voice broke into her thoughts. "It is no wonder that you felt rattled by Lady Fukui's and the lord's actions. You have probably not even been introduced to that kind of behavior. Have you even had your first kiss?"

An image of Hina's face flashed across Sae's mind. "Not really," she muttered, wishing for the millionth time that she had never flirted with the kitchen girl. Although the brief meeting of lips could barely count for a kiss, it had still been the closest intimacy Sae had ever shared with another human.

"I can't believe this," Asumi's voice rang with playfulness. "You, Satoru -the boy who all the maidens in the castle fawn over- has never even kissed anyone? Oh, the irony!"

Sae glowered.

"I wonder what all the other girls will think when they find out that the man they have their hearts set on is really just another shy boy that's never been kissed?" Asumi laid a hand over her head dramatically. "Their hopeful dreams of being swept away by the roguish Satoru will be crushed!"

"Are you done?" Sae's demanded, peeved. Did she really have to be so theatrical?

"Yes," Asumi giggled. "I'm done."

Sae rolled her eyes. "Good. Now that you've had your fun, may we put this behind us? I never want to discuss this little discovery ever again."

"But why?" Asumi asked, tilting her head. "One day you're going to meet a girl you really like and you're going to want to … do things. And when that time comes you can come to me for advice and I can finally shed some wisdom on your innocent mind," She grinned proudly. "Like you have done for me."

Sae snorted. "That is never going to happen."

Asumi looked perplexed. "And why not? Maybe it hasn't happened yet but you are a pretty boy, Satoru and many girls like that about you. I'm sure you will find the right girl that will suit your tastes."

"No girl will ever suit my tastes," Sae chuckled at the irony.

"Don't say that Satoru," Asumi reprimanded. "I know you have never really shown any interest in any particular girl but one day -when you least expect it- you will meet the girl of your dreams and you will fall in love."

Realizing a little too late that she was supposed to be a boy, Sae shifted uncomfortably. "Eh, right."

Asumi patted her shoulder. "Don't lose hope. She's out there, just waiting for you to sweep her off her feet."

Sae scratched her head awkwardly. "May we talk about something else, Asumi? I think I've had enough talk about that for today."

"Oh," Asumi blushed, taking her hand away. "Yes, of course. I forget you are male sometimes Satoru. Men never do like to speak of such things, do they? We can just drop the subject if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Exhaling in relief, Sae smiled. "Thanks."

"Of course," Asumi smiled back. "We can just talk about Lady Fukui and Lord Sesshomaru's night in the bedroom."

Catching the mischievous glint enter her friend's eyes, Sae groaned.

For the next half an hour Sae was forced to spend the time answering all of Asumi's ridiculous questions. Although she would have liked nothing better than to forget anything and everything about that night, Asumi made Sae describe every little detail of what she could recall. And, unfortunately, Sae recalled a lot. It was imprinted in her mind like a nightmare that could not be forgotten. Or a scar that would not fade away.

But did Asumi care in the least if the incident had left Sae emotionally impaired?

No. Her friend listened to every horrid detail with a bright smile on her face.

It was difficult not to resent her for it.

"Oh Satoru," Asumi clasped her hands together. "Do you think they are in love? And the only reason Lady Fukui acts the way she does is because she is married and she cannot have the one man her heart yearns for? Oh, and the lord only holds these parties so he may see his beloved without looking suspicious! Oh, how romantic!"

Sae rolled her eyes. "Hard to think that Lord Sesshomaru could actually love."

"But don't you see?" Asumi gazed earnestly at Sae. "Lady Fukui must act as she does so no one will suspect her undying love for Lord Sesshomaru."

"No," Sae said after a second of thought, shaking her head. "I really think he is incapable of love and even her, for that matter."

Asumi tsked. "Fine, be cynical. I still believe Lady Fukui and Lord Sesshomaru are caught in a tragic love story."

Sae shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. For the first time that day she was feeling relaxed and felt like she could breathe normally again. Perhaps she had over reacted. Now that the shock had worn off, Sae could look back on the previous evening in clarity and not feel as if she were about to vomit. Having spoken about it and explaining it in great detail to Asumi had given Sae a much more logical perspective on the whole ordeal.

Yes, having had to endure the previous night had been repugnant but Sae believed that she could handle it better now. She had to, anyhow, seeing as Lady Fukui wanted for her to spy on all of the lord's bed mates. The idea may still bother Sae but she thought it would be easier to deal with.

And it was all thanks to Asumi.

"Don't you have to be back soon?" said girl asked, turning towards Sae.

Sae looked up at the sky and realized it was already close to sundown. "Almost. Lady Fukui had wanted extra rest after last nights … excursions."

Smiling knowingly, Asumi nodded. "I'm glad I'm not assigned to any of the lords. I do not think I could cater to them very well. I am better off in the kitchen where no one can see me."

"Lucky you," Sae murmured under her breath.

Asumi's eyebrows rose, "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," Sae waved off her comment, pushing herself off the grounds and standing up. She held out a helping hand to her friend.

Asumi took it and gracefully made it to her feet.

"Better head inside," Sae said before beginning to walk towards the castle.

"Back to Lady Fukui?" Asumi inquired, coming to walk beside her.

"Back to Lady Fukui," Sae echoed solemnly. She really wished that a repeat of last night was not in store but Sae knew better than to hope.

"Do not worry Satoru," Asumi tried to console her. "Only a few more days of this and the guests will be gone."

Only? Sae thought in exasperation. She wasn't sure if she could handle the rest of the afternoon. Forget the next few days.

"Who knows?" Asumi's shoulders lifted nonchalantly. "Maybe you could learn something from this."

"Only thing I will learn," Sae grumbled. "Is how to keep a meal down when wanting to throw up."

Asumi sighed. "You are hopeless."

This made Sae chuckle.

"Well, I will see you tomorrow? Have a good night," Asumi waved at the door, once they arrived at the entrance.

"Wait, Asumi," Sae called after her friend.

Asumi's red head turned to look over her shoulder. "Yes?"

Sae smiled in gratitude. "Thanks."

Asumi's smile was wide. "You're welcome." And then she was gone.

Blowing a raspberry, Sae entered through the door of the great hall, a feeling of unease settling in her stomach. She had actually lied to Asumi about her orders from Lady Fukui. The lady had in truth already sent Sae on her first assignment regarding Lord Sesshomaru. Because of last night's performance, Hina was a major concern of Lady Fukui's. So Sae had to find out if this particular kitchen maid had any relationship with his lordship beyond servant and master.

Upon hearing the order, Sae had felt a heavy weight begin to press down on her shoulders. And it became heavier with every step she had taken away from Lady Fukui's chambers. So much so that Sae had ran out and towards the fields, away from the stifling air in the castle. There had been no time limit for her task. Lady Fukui had only asked to be told everything once she discovered the truth.

So when Asumi had joined her, Sae had taken the distraction as a stroke of luck.

Now, however, she knew she could dally no longer.

Sae slowly walked up the stairs, taking one unhurried step at a time. But even with her sluggish pace, the spiraling staircase leading to the West Wing was behind her in no time and the corridor leading to the lord's chambers lay ahead.

Sae did not rush as she walked along the halls, each wall decorated with rich colors and the floors covered with lush rugs. It was a rare opportunity for Sae to observe the fine décor. Most of her time was spent down in the kitchen and main rooms. Since all servants were forbidden, with the exception of the chamber maids, Sae hadn't ventured to the western part of the castle at all. So she took her time observing the paintings along the walls, as well as the beautifully crafted ornaments on the tables.

All too soon, however, Sae arrived at the door that led to the lord's sleeping chambers. Because of the night before, Sae had had no trouble finding the place. Something, Sae suspected, Lady Fukui had planned.

Taking a deep breath, Sae lifted her hand towards the wooden panel. She knew what was expected of her. Lady Fukui couldn't have made it any clearer. But this "task" was going against every survival instinct Sae had obtained over the last ten years. If Lord Sesshomaru ever found out what she was doing, she'd be killed. No matter who ordered her to do it in the first place. But if she didn't, Lady Fukui would have her killed too. Either way, Sae would be dead.

It was a double edged sword.

And really really unfair.

"Here goes nothing," she uttered in resignation and pushed open the heavy door.

Taking small noiseless steps inside, she shut the door behind her, using all her body weight to shut the enormous thing. Huffing, she finally got it closed. "Over sized piece of-" Sae muttered, dusting her hands off.

She took a step forward and stopped, gasping.

The bedroom was gorgeous.

The floor was made out of clear white marble, its shine lighting up the room. A bed, covered with silken sheets lay in the center, its size looking big enough to hold ten people comfortably. But the thing that caught Sae's attention the most was the crystal chandelier hanging directly over that bed. Its majestic size was nothing compared to the sparkling diamonds that clinked together in the breeze. It was the most beautiful piece of craftsmanship Sae had ever seen. So mesmerizing that she had a hard time taking her eyes off it.

Only when the sound of chirping registered in her mind did Sae break her stare and shake her head. She continued on, making a slow progress around the room, searching for something that she wasn't even sure existed.

She took her time though, not overly worried about being caught at the moment. She had been informed that Lord Sesshomaru would be gone for the day, leaving the care and entertainment of his guests in the hands of the lord's servants. But his chambers were left empty. With the exception of the chamber maids whom cleaned the lord's sleeping quarters every afternoon, the room was practically deserted for the day.

As she ran her fingers through one of the buttery sheets, Sae could see the evidence of the maids having cleaned. She knew at what time they usually came up. So she had known exactly when to venture into the lord's chambers.

Sighing, Sae glanced around the room. What was she looking for? What, exactly, had Lady Fukui expect her to find? With the lord -thankfully- away and the maids off doing their chores, there really wasn't much for Sae to spy on. Or report.

Sae blew out a defeated breath and slumped down at the edge of the bed.

"Well you see my lady," Sae began in a mocking tone. "I didn't find anything in the lord's chambers. Why, you ask? Oh I don't know. It may have to do with the fact that the lord was not here today!"

Sae chortled darkly, wishing she could say it but knowing she couldn't.

A gentle breeze blew through the open canopy windows, the sweet smell of spring carried in the air. Sae inhaled deeply, taking in the pleasant smell of fresh grass and budding flowers. It really was a rather serene feel in the chamber.

It did not suit the lord's character, in Sae's mind.

The cold and emotionless demon could not possibly feel comfortable in such a peaceful and tranquil room.

Sae could barely envision it, let alone comprehend such a thing.

Yet, here she was. Sitting on the very evidence of Lord Sesshomaru's taste.

It was odd. As she ran her hands over the delicate sheets, Sae felt a strange feeling of intimacy. Like being in this room and sitting on the bed, Sae was somehow … closer to Lord Sesshomaru.

"Ew," Sae shook her head, throwing that thought aside. Absurd. Absolutely absurd.

She stood from the comfortable bed and moved over to the glass doors, intending to soak in the cool afternoon air-

When there was a slight turn of the doorknob.

Freezing, Sae froze in her tracks.

The knob completely turned all the way before the alarming creak of the wood began to move.

In a panic, Sae frantically searched for a place to hide. There was nowhere! Everything was so open. On a whim, Sae dove for under the bed, the only place she that seemed big enough to hide within.

As Sae's heart thrummed loudly in her ears, she laid on her stomach and lowered her head to the chilling white marble floor.

This was the exact scenario she had feared would occur! If anyone found out that she was in the lord's chambers without permission, she knew there would be hell to pay. Swallowing a terrified lump in her throat, Sae watched as the door swung open with ease and in glided two familiar pairs of black clad feet.

Lord Sesshomaru walked gracefully around his room, going directly over to the bed. Sae held her breath as the lord removed his armor, the metal clanking as he tossed it on the bed. There was a small rustle of clothing, one she hoped indicated the removal of a shirt only.

A second later, his -thankfully- clad legs made their way towards the threshold that led to the bathing room.

Exhaling in relief, Sae sagged boneless into the marble. She heard the sound of running water hitting the tile and the door shutting quietly behind it.

Knowing what that meant, Sae crawled out from under the bed. Fortunately, it seemed as if the lord was going to take one of his baths.

Sae gave thanks to whatever god had given her this opportunity to escape. She scurried hastily out of the room, trying not to cause a ruckus as she exited.

In the hall, Sae attempted looking as casual as possible; in case any other servants happened to pass her. She feared, however, that her harsh breathing and the high color in her cheeks may give away her composed appearance.

She successfully made it to the staircase leading back down to the main rooms. At the top of the stairs, Sae decided to stop and for the first time take a deep breath. If this is what Lady Fukui was going to make her go through every time Sae was sent to spy on the lord, than she thought that perhaps she'd rather just die. It was not worth the heart stopping stress.

"Oh," a small voice gasped.

Sae looked up and her mouth literally fell open.

Hina paused mid-step, one hand on the railing and the other going towards her flushing face.

"W-what are you doing in the lord's wing?" she asked nervously, looking around.

Sae shifted uncomfortably. "I was … just retrieving something for my lady."

"Oh," Hina looked skittish. "Well, I must be going."

Sae waited a moment for the other servant girl to turn around and make her way back downstairs, but Hina just stayed rooted to the step. "Aren't you going back to the kitchens?" Sae asked, waving an arm towards the staircase.

"No." Hina's chin came up proudly. "I am not."

Sae's eyebrows rose. "Then, where are you going?"

Hina's whole demeanor became pretentious. "To the lord's chambers."

"So you and the lord …?" Sae's let the sentence hang, the question clear.

"Yes," said Hina loftily, crossing her arms over her generous breast.

"For how long?" Sae asked, a little bit curious. Lord Sesshomaru hadn't seemed the least bit interested in the kitchen maid at the dinner last night. Not that Sae knew how the lord treated any of his bed mates, but she had assumed that he would treat them with a bit more courtesy.

Surprisingly, Hina's blush rose. "That is none of your business."

Sae smirked. "So not yet."

"And so what!" Hina retorted, taking a few steps up. She came towards Sae and got nose to nose. "It's not like it matters to you. You missed your chance, Satoru. I have found someone better and more handsome than you!"

Sae took a step back, her hands up in surrender. "You're right, Hina it's none of my business. I'll just leave now." And with that she carefully made her way around the angry girl and dashed down the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

"W-wait!" Hina's surprised voice called after her.

But Sae didn't turn around, nor stop. She really didn't want to be caught up in that little incident again. She'd rather be risking her life spying on the lord then listen to Hina's ranting about finding better suitors. It was difficult not to laugh out loud at the idea of being jealous of such a thing. Hina was a seriously confused girl if she thought sleeping with the lord would help solves any problems.

But it wasn't something Sae's was going to worry about. Hina was old enough to decide what she wanted to do with her time. If she wanted to sleep with the-woman-utilizing lord, then so be it.

"Stupid," Sae snorted, thinking back on Lady Fukui's night with the lord. What was so appealing about him anyway? Sure, he was a handsome lord. Yes, he was also rich and powerful. But … what of his heart? Or character? They were as ugly as almost all the men Sae had ever encountered.

Selfish. Rude. Arrogant. Cruel.

Sae shook her head and continued her way towards the kitchens. She really did not understand but she couldn't wait to tell Asumi about what she discovered.

Sesshomaru exited the wash room, his mood blacker then ever. His mission had not gone as planned, the results speaking for themselves. And now he had guests to attend to. If he had the option of never hosting another one of these "parties" he would never play nice again. But Sesshomaru knew he had to keep appearances up. As Lord of the Western Lands, he had to keep some measure of peace between the nobility.

With a sadistic curl on his lips, Sesshomaru went to his bed and started to pull his clothing on.

A faint smell of roses caught his attention.

Stopping, Sesshomaru inhaled the rosy scent deeply. It could only be described as a fragrance you would find in the gardens. But no such smell should be in his own chambers.

Eyes narrowing dangerously at the bed, Sesshomaru bent on one knee and looked under it. Although the scent was stronger there, he did not find the source of the smell.

He straightened in irritation. He was going to find the lowly and vile human who dared enter his chambers and punish them severely. There was no excuse for direct disobedience. All his servants knew to stay out of his room when he was away. Anyone who did not obey, were to be taught a lesson.

A knock came at the door.

"Enter," Sesshomaru bit out coldly.

The servant girl from the night before timidly came through the door.

"M-my lord," she began, bowing deeply; an obvious attempt to reveal her breasts. "I am here at your request."

A sardonic brow had risen at the apparent display of flesh. "You made it plainly clear last night wench, that you wanted to be here."

A blush rose on the servant's face. "O-of course."

Sesshomaru inhaled, the smell of fear immediately filling his nostrils. He could not deny that he enjoyed when humans quaked in his presence, it brought him a measure of pleasure watching as they waited in cowardice for him to do as he wished. And this female was no different.

He slowly walked over to his bed, a deliberate move to inflame her fright. The dumb wench would learn to never provoke her lord and master.

"Well?" Sesshomaru sat on the sheets, surveying her coldly.

"W-what should I do, my lord?" the girl asked, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

Feeling a twinge of annoyance, Sesshomaru gestured towards her plain kimono. "Take off your clothing."

She took a step back in surprise, clearly not having expected that. "B-but, shouldn't w-we-?" the girl looked at his bed and then at him.

He lips twisted masochistically. "Only the worthy may lay on my bed and you, wench, are not."

She gulped. "B-but I-"

Sesshomaru was up and in front of her before the servant could finish. As she let out a gasp, he grabbed her around the throat. "You dare question me?" he asked menacingly.

He could feel her throat muscles move as she swallowed her scream. "N-no my lord," she panted out in terror.

"You will never utter another word of objection again," He squeezed her delicate throat tighter. "Yes?"

"Y-yes," she gasped, grabbing at his hands.

His eyes narrowed as he squeezed a little more. "Yes, what?"

"Y-yes, my lord!" she choked out, now clawing at his hand -trying to breathe.

Sesshomaru allowed her to struggle for a moment longer before letting go.

She crumpled to the floor, gasping.

Repulsed, Sesshomaru turned back to his bed and sat. He had no interest in bedding the wench. On occasion he did feel the need to sate an appetite for woman flesh, and although he used some of his own servants for that purpose, he did not particularly enjoy lowering himself to human women. They were merely bodies to sate his cravings. But the task became tedious. After a while, he became very irritated with dealing with these lowly beings.

The girl continued to pant on her knees, desperately gathering her breath.

He felt that familiar disdain begin to rise. "Get out," he ordered icily. He no longer wanted to set eyes on the pathetic female.

Breathing heavily, the girl scrambled to her feet, bowed, and rushed towards the door; leaving the lord in an even blacker mood.

"You are sure?" Asumi asked in surprise, a hand going to her chest.

Sae nodded confidently. "Yes."

"I can't believe it," Asumi's voice sounded as astonished as she appeared. "Hina and the lord together? I just- who would of thought?"

Sae shrugged and took a bite of her apple. As she chewed, she looked around as the other servants bustled around the kitchen with some measure of satisfaction. She was very pleased to have the rest of the evening off.

Almost immediately after escaping from Lord Sesshomaru's chambers, Sae had gone to Lady Fukui's own quarters and reported on what she had witnessed. Which was Hina making her way to the lord's chambers. Sae had felt a small twinge of guilt as she stood in the middle of Lady's Fukui's room and reported on the day's events. She felt as if she were selling out a fellow servant of the castle. But she couldn't come back to Lady Fukui empty handed. She had to tell her something. Otherwise, Sae would be on the receiving end of the lady's anger.

And what a temper it had been. Lady Fukui had practically been shaking from her outrage. It apparently did not suit the lady that Lord Sesshomaru be bedding chambermaids at the same time he bedded her. Although Sae did not see the logic behind that –since Lady Fukui herself was rumored to have slept with the male servants herself –it was not her place to point that minor detail out.

So as the lady fumed, Sae had instead waited patiently for her next orders. Amazingly, all Lady Fukui had asked after pulling herself together had been for Sae to retrieve a maid for her and wake her first thing in the morning. Which meant that Sae had the rest of the evening off.

"It is strange, don't you think Satoru?" Asumi asked, sitting across from Sae on the old wooden table.

Sae turned towards her friend. "What is?"

"How little these other girls value themselves," Asumi rested her chin on her palm. "I mean, why go out of your way to sleep with Lord Sesshomaru when you know he doesn't love you? Never had and never will. What do you have to gain from it?"

Sae clucked her tongue. "Pleasure?"
"Besides that," Asumi said with a roll of her eyes, but a telling blush rose on her cheeks.

"I don't know," Sae shrugged, taking another bit of her apple. "Nor do I care. Let them do what they want to do. They are all grown woman."

"Satoru," Asumi looked disapproving. "As a fellow human being you should not be so aloof to the others. What if it were a relative of yours that choose that path? You would not be so disinterested then."

Sae sighed. "I suppose not."

"Exactly," Asumi nodded. "Now think how horrid it is that all of these girls are lowering themselves by sleeping with someone they do not love. I know it is naïve to think all men only share their bodies with woman they care for, but I still believe the act should only be shared between two people whom care for each other deeply."

Sae shifted awkwardly in her chair. The dreamy and dazed look on her friend's face was a bit embarrassing. Sae knew Asumi had little -if no- experience with men, but even then the girl knew 10x more than Sae. So the topic made her extremely uncomfortable.

"Asumi! What are you doing just sitting there girl!" the older housekeeper came rushing over. "We have guests to attend to!"

Asumi jumped up and apologized to the larger woman before rushing out into the dining hall.

The housekeeper huffed under her breath. "The nerve of that girl, sitting around like she were of noble blood. Peh."

Sae chuckled.

"And what are you laughing about boy? Shouldn't you be seeing to Lady Fukui's needs?" The woman asked archly, her thick arms folding across her chest.

Sae couldn't help but smirk smugly. "No, the lady wishes to be left alone for the rest of the night."

There was a slight snort. "And I suppose that means you are free for the rest of the night as well?"

"Yup," Sae took a crunchy bite of her apple, grinning.

"Hideo!" the woman called loudly, causing Sae to twitch. "Did you not say you needed someone to get you a few extra buckets of water for this evening?"

Hideo, the cook, turned away from his steaming pot and towards his wife with a confused expression. "No, the maids already-"

The housekeeper cleared her throat strongly, her eyebrows rising haughtily.

Her dark bearded husband quickly checked himself. "I mean, yes my dear. I do recall needing a few extra buckets for tonight."

Nodding in approval, the woman turned back to Sae with a domineering smile that revealed her yellowing teeth. "You hear that boy? We need more water. Seeing as you don't have anything to do, why don't you be a good lad and fetch the man some, hmm?"

Gritting her teeth, Sae stood up. "Yes, ma'am. Right away."

"There's a good boy," she cackled and bustled out of the kitchen, bellowing at a few more maids as she left.

Rolling her eyes, Sae sighed and went to retrieve the wooden buckets.

The weather outside was rather pleasant. The sun was already starting to set but the air was still warm and dulcet. Yet Sae dragged her feet as she went down the trail that led to the well. She had not forgotten the first incident when she retrieved water on her own. She just hoped it did not happen again. She knew that Lord Sesshomaru was still in his chambers and would not be showing his presence until that evening, at dinner. And Rin was not allowed out of the castle after a certain time, but … you could never be too careful.

With that in mind, Sae slowly made her way down the path, picking up dirt with her feet as she walked.

"Pssst, hey."

Sae stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hey, pssst you. Over here."

Slowly looking around, Sae searched for the source of the soft voice. "Who's there?" she called out, not seeing anything but tall dark trees.

"Over here."

"Where?" Sae demanded, whipping around and still finding no one.

There was a light snicker. "Up here."

Sae looked up and her mouth dropped. "Youhei!"

Perched comfortably on a branch of a tree, her twin brother grinned down at her. "Took you long enough."

Flushing, Sae returned the playful grin. "Idiot. Why are you up in a tree?"

Youhei shrugged. "Hiding."

Sae arched an eyebrow. "From who?"

"Me," came a low voice.

Sae turned around and saw Touya trudging up the path, an amused expression on his face.

"Damn," Sae heard her brother mutter.

"So this is where you've been hiding?" Touya asked upon arrival, coming to stand next to Sae. "In the bushes?"

"Trees," Youhei retorted, leaning forward and jumping down. He landed firmly on his feet; a patronizing look to his features. "They are not bushes."

Touya shrugged. "Same difference."

"Why were you hiding anyway?" Sae asked, one eyebrow raised.

Youhei puffed out his chest. "That dear sister is none of your concern."

Touya ignored him. "He doesn't want to compete."

"Compete?" Sae was confused. "Compete for what?"

"Money," Touya threw his friend an arched look. "The army generals are holding a fighting competition for the males in the castle. The 1st place winner will receive a large sum of money as his prize. Your brother, for all his idiocy, has the best chance at winning. But he refuses to participate."

Sae's jaw dropped. "Why?" she demanded, whipping around to face her twin.

Youhei snorted as he tilted his nose up. "I do not need to win to prove I am the best in Lord Sesshomaru's army."

"But the money!" Sae exclaimed, going over and shaking her brother's shoulders. "With that amount of money you could buy our freedom! We can finally leave this place."

Youhei gazed down at his sister with sympathetic eyes. "Sae," he began gently, settling his palms on her narrow shoulders. "Even with that money, Lord Sesshomaru would not let us go free. No amount of money could buy us our freedom from here."

"And why not?" Sae questioned, her features becoming angry. "We have a right to leave if we can pay. I have heard stories of previous servants who have done it before."

Youhei shook his head sadly. "That's all they were little sister. Stories. They hold no truth to them."

"I don't believe you," Sae took a sharp step back, her body becoming rigid. "Are you telling me that we are to live here for the rest of our lives?! Serving the lord and his guests till the day we die?! I refuse to believe that, Youhei. I refuse to believe that we are never going to have the chance to be free again. And I'll prove it to you. I'll prove you wrong, brother."

Youhei sighed. "And how do you expect to do that Sae?"

She tilted her chin up stubbornly. "I'm going to compete."

*Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. Any violence, perceived abuse, or negative behavior should not be taken literally. The plot is for entertainment purposes only. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material.