A-Un looked away from the back of their master and looked toward their tail where the child was slowly trekking along. The dragon could smell that she was still exhausted and it flew off of her in waves, the little child had not even trying to sleep since she joined the pack some days ago. Slowly Rin blinked away the exhaustion that creeped upon her but she refused to let it take her. Every time she went to closer her eyes, the darkness was nothing but screams, blood and fire which were echoed by snarling wolves. The idea of sleep petrified her and she would rather stumble in a daze then let the grip of slumber hold her.

A small whiff of mint flowed into the nostrils of the dragon and with a small whisper of a command upon the wind, the dragon slowed to a halt and waited for the child to slowly reach them.

Sesshomaru heard his dragon come to a stop and with a gentle roll of his eyes, he turned his head to look over his shoulder and saw that the child still followed behind him. Her form screamed exhaustion as she tried desperately to keep up with his stride.

He had saved her three days ago, has she been following since then? He knew that she slogged behind him and he ultimately ignored her, even having it in his mind that she would give up and find another village to reside in. Sesshomaru snorted but felt a rush of pride at the vigor the child showed, never once complaining to him and who had not spoken a word as she gimped after him.

Rin stumbled onward and upon seeing that the dragon had stopped and so had Lord Sesshomaru, she halted as well and let her tired brown eyes fall onto the tall silver form that stared at her with cool amber. After staring at each other for a few moments, Sesshomaru closed his eyes and turned around to continue his walking. Rin went to start as well until his iron like voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Climb onto A-Un. He will carry you until we reach our destination." His tone held no room for interruption and with his back turned toward the company, he continued his way and Jaken followed behind him loyally, the little imp throwing an annoyed scowl over his shoulder toward the girl who stood in mild shock at the Lord's words.

The dragon turned both heads to stare at the little girl and after giving her soft nod they kneeled down, letting Rin slowly clamber onto the massive dragon but with her tired arms and heavily growling stomach; she had no energy to pull herself up. A-Un saw the struggle and used his massive tail to give her push onto his back, where she sat comfortably and sighed with a smile.

With Rin settled onto his saddle, A-Un picked up his pace behind his master and watched the girl from the corner of their eyes as she fought to stay awake; nodding this way and that before rapidly blinking her eyes in hopes to not catch slumber. At the moment there was nothing the dragon could do for the child but silently look over her as she fought the battle within herself quietly as they trekked toward the Western estate.

The castle of the western lands operated like it always had. The servants tended to the chores of the house, the cook prepared the meals for its occupants, the Lady of the House ran business smoothly and it seemed like every demon was content with their jobs as they lived day to day doing what they knew best; although there was one demoness whom slugged around the castle with a cloud of sadness looming over her head. Pale purple eyes that once held vibrancy were now dulled as they ghosted over the demons pacing about her with their chores; the plum eyed demoness gripped her watering can as she passed quietly through the halls; Saiya bowed her blue hued head and threw a strained smile to those who gave her one.

All the demons in the estate understood why their once fast paced and hardworking head housekeeper was so depressed. Souya, a demon who once worked under Saiya, stared at the retreating demoness as she passed the last servant and disappeared behind the doors that led to the gardens; the very gardens that were cared for by her. Pain struck her heart when the image of a laughing green eyed woman appeared behind her eyes and the demoness quickly shook it away before the sadness grew.

She was a friend to everyone, the first human to work among them when the Lord Taisho was alive. She was the kindest human Souya had ever met and even though she was a friend to all, her untimely and horrible death had sent Saiya into a downward spiral that not even Souya could stop and it got to the point where her name was uttered no more in the house. Saiya loved that human like her own and she had died along with her that night centuries ago. Everyone has grieved and mourned, accepting the fact but Saiya continued almost two hundred years later. She has had no closure. Shaking her head to clear the swelling memories of her past, Souya went back to work and spouting directions to those who could hear her.

Souya sent a silent wish for strength toward her friend before shaking her head to clear the swelling memories of her past; Souya went back to work and spouting directions to those who could hear her.

She was the Head Housekeeper now after all.

Saiya stood with a blank face as she held the watering can over the red Amaryllis blooms, watching with lidded eyes as they swayed under the water droplets with the wind. It was strange; Saiya turned her attention to another cluster of the stark red blooms and let the water fall upon them. The blooms were bright red with life and the stalk even greener than the grass around them. The time for fall was upon them, the times when the trees begin to die and certain blooms of flowers disappear for the coming months.

For two hundred years these blooms have stayed crisp with life and ever beautiful with each passing season of the year without wilting.

Saiya began to walk among them and swayed her watering can as thoughts crashed through her mind. The garden held a variety of flowers that the Lord's mother planted eons ago it seemed and each followed their scheduling of wilting for a season but then returning for their own. The red Amaryllis lilies stayed yearlong which was increasingly strange but then again it was not.

A small smile appeared upon Saiya's lips as she touched the large glittering pearl that hung around her neck and let the last of the water drain from the can.

"These were you favorites." She sighed with a nod as she held the can to her belly. "I know you have something to do with this." It was true; the red Amaryllis lilies were her favorite amongst all the flowers the majestic garden held. The garden was her main job but the Amaryllis's received the up-most of her attention.

Saiya stood there silently, fingering the pearl that dangled from her neck and closed her eyes; her mind was becoming weak as the last memories of the red haired woman flowed behind her eyelids like a nightmare, the nightmare long since passed but it was still so fresh and ever so vivid.

Saiya couldn't breathe, she couldn't think and upon seeing her dearest friend lying dead in her Lord's arms, she fell to her knees in despair and screamed out her anguish. Tears sprang from her violet eyes and she reached her arms out for the girl when Taisho stepped closer. With a choking breath, Taisho leaned down to where Saiya could snatch her away and held the body to her breast.

Dropping her face into the crook of the chilled neck of the human in her arms; Saiya cried and screamed and shook the limp form, praying that she would breathe and wrap her arms around the demoness with her chiming laugh. Holding the body closer she continued to pray for her friend and threw a snarl out when other servants stepped too close.

"I was supposed to protect her!" She wailed into the cold skin while her fingers glided through the bloodied red hair, her claws becoming drenched in the sticky fluid. "She was supposed to stay at my side!" She was heartbroken and the overwhelming flow of guilt raged over her heart like a giant wave that would never stop crashing. Gently pulling the limp girl from her tear and blood stained face, Saiya desperately tried to wipe away the red that covered her beautiful skin, not wanting the human, even in death, to be stained but all it did was smear it over the milky flesh.

Taisho tried to grab the body from the sea serpent but was only greeted with a mix of wails and snarls. "Saiya please, you must let her go." His voice came out broken as his large hands wrapped themselves around the cold body and pulled it away from the red stained fingers of his head servant. Saiya's arms went up with the body and once she was removed, she could see the red that covered her arms and kimono; the blood of her best and dearest friend. Tears welled and flowed from her eyes as she covered her face, screaming out her sorrows as Souya reached down with tears of her own and lifted Saiya to her feet.

"Miss Saiya?" A call of her name shook her from her vision of guilt and pulling her hand from her wet eyes, she turned to see Souya standing before her with a slight sheen of sweat upon her skin and a pant leaving her lips.

Saiya quickly wiped her face and tucked the pearl into the front of her dress before turning and fully facing the yellow eyed snake demon.

"Yes, what is it Souya?" She asked quickly and cleared her throat to make the soreness disappear.

Souya swallowed quickly. "It's Lord Sesshomaru, he's back."

At the mention of her lord and friend's name, her heavy heart leapt with a new found joy. It has been almost sixty years since his last return to the estate and upon hearing that he was back, it lightened her mood and a smile sprang to her face.

Then Saiya noticed the look that appeared on Souya's face, it was frozen with small grin and a light to her eyes.

"He has personally requested you and you won't believe what accompanies him."

Saiya placed the forgotten watering can next to the blooms and followed Souya as she turned and began to walk into the castle where other servants were in a bustle at hearing that their Lord has finally returned.

After not receiving a quick answer, Saiya gripped the sleeve of Souya's kimono and halted her fast paced steps.

"What is accompanying him?" She asked impatiently and Souya gave her light smile.

"A little human girl."