Nanashi slept like the dead, absolutely exhausted. When she awoke, she was in an unfamiliar room on an unfamiliar bed. She lay flat on her stomach. She pushed herself up by her hands. She arched her upper back, hearing some of the bones creak. She stretched out her wings as far as they would go. She felt relieved that right one felt fine. That healer, Asa, had healed the bone properly. She was not sure what she would do if she lost her ability to fly.

She turned around in the bed, sitting up tall. She kicked the blanket covering her off. It was both soft and warm. She noticed her clothes were different. The shirt she wore left a hole in the back for her wings. The collar was connected at the back of her neck with hooks. The cloth felt like the nicest she ever felt. The pants she wore were just as nice. Her hair was loose behind her back. She pushed it over her shoulders to keep it out of her wings' way.

'Where are we?' she asked the wind serpent.

'Not sure, mistress,' it replied.

Gingerly she stood up, stretching her arms and legs when she stood up. She walked around the room she was in, impressed with how grand and large it looked. Two large windows loomed off to the right of the room. She stepped slowly over to the window, pushing the curtains awake to look outside. She was struck by how lush and green it was. The garden was expansive. She could see a training yard and the entrance to stables.

She heard a knock rap on the door. She froze, listening intently. The knocking happened one more time, then the door opened. The stranger who had read her mind came into the room. She instantly recalled this was the king.

'Kneel,' the wind serpent told her.

She bit her lip, bringing herself down on one knee before him. "Your grace," she mumbled out. She took a second to notice how well her knees felt. No pops or aches like they used to have.

The king came in, shutting the door behind him. "Rise," he instructed her. "Sit with me," he instructed, nodding his head over towards the couch, coffee table, and chair placed next to the unlit fire place. He went over there and sat himself down on the couch. He was so thick, in a barbarian sort of way, that he took up more than his fair share of the couch.

She rolled up onto her feet, walking over and sitting in the chair across from him. She felt uncomfortable with the chair sitting higher than the couch, but the king still was taller than her sitting down.

"Stunning," he said in awe. She looked down, too nervous to make eye contact. "You have nothing to be afraid of, you're safe here." She nodded, too intimidated to speak. "Once Asa healed you, we ended the hunt early and brought you back here to rest up. You seemed in need of rest and a proper meal. You still look like you need a proper meal." She was unsure if or how to respond. She merely nodded. "You're not what we expected at first glance. My son, Takashi, said you were an angel that fell from the sky. In reality, you are a half human, half angel, transported to the spot where my son should have died by the cape of no return. Unless your father was a fallen angel who chose to stay in our realm, your mother should not have been able to see your father, let alone have a child with him."

"I don't know," she answered.

He leaned forward towards her, elbows resting on his knees. "I know you don't. I saw enough of your memories to know that much. Being half angel, you have no idea how rare and precious you are. It doesn't matter in this case that you're a half breed." She frowned at him subconsciously, not like his words or tone at that. "My wife and I have talked long and hard about what to do with you. If you were younger, or my son were older, I would marry you to him. Alas, you as a part human will age faster and he slower, so a match between you two isn't fitting, being that elves age at one third the rate humans do." She gasped at that. He kept going. "So it was quite a surprise that you fell in with three former pit fighters, trained by one who was on the run and wanted for murder. The other two being my wife's bastard brother and his half breed lover." She frowned again at that word. "I sent a squad of men after the three of them anyway, to deliver them here to you because I promised to save them before I realized who they were you begged me to rescue. My men have also be ordered to retrieve and destroy the cape of no return you in your stead."

"Thank you," she replied. "Your grace," she added in.

"Yasha and Kurama have committed no crime, beyond their attempts to aid Hiei after he fled. I am willing to pardon them for that for their helping you in your journey. Hiei, however, will need to stand trial, being he is accused of murder and ran off," he explained. "In return for these favors on our part, you will stay with us on castle grounds for the time being. You will be trained to become a member of the royal family guard, with the goal that you will one possibly serve as my son's guard. Also, the crown will pay the debt you owe both Sakyo and Ruka. We will pay both of them off handsomely so neither one of them can come after you demanding their money from you. Do you agree to these terms?"

She swallowed thickly. "I don't think I could refuse," she thought aloud.

The king smirked up at her. "Woman of few words..." he mumbled. "For now, you have the run of the castle and the grounds. You will begin your training for the guard tomorrow. When you are not with the guard, someone trustworthy needs to know where you are. My son and Jiro saw you fight, so you can defend yourself if necessary, so I won't put a guard on you." He sighed, staring at her for a few moments of silence. "This room will be yours for now. Third finest in the castle, just behind my wife and mine and my son's. Jiro was a bit put out to give them up for you, so when you see him, try to act grateful about it. An angel, even a half bred one, needs to be treated and housed in high regard. You are the rarest person in the world. A child born on this world from one of the Great Hawk Spirit's servants."

"Yes, your grace. Thank you, your grace," she rushed, feeling flushed.

He bent farther forward, taking her hand in his. "Hayate, angel. My name is Hayate."

"Yes, King Hayate," she said formerly. The idea of just calling him by his first name felt off putting in her mind.

Hayate tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her to stand up and follow him. "Right now, you need to accompany me to dinner and let the others in the castle see you are real and are alright." He lead her towards the door, dropping his hold on her hand as he did so.

"Yes, your grace," she answered. He stopped dead in his tracks, looking back at her. "Yes, King Hayate," she added breathlessly. She brought a hand up to her face, hoping he would not push her farther to address him just by his name.

He gave her a longing look before opening the door and saying, "let's go, my angel."