"Are you done? His Majesty will be waiting at the carriage." Kagura bluntly spoke as the demon maids made finishing touches on Sango's attire.

Sango smiled at Kagura's reflection through the mirror. Kagura rolled her eyes and left the room.

It has been two weeks since Sango has last seen Kaho and despite her better words, Naraku ignored her pleas of meeting her father as the demon king has lost patience of waiting for them to be wed.

"Beautiful as always." Naraku greeted as Sango entered the carriage.

"I've warned you, you will only enrage my father by introducing yourself to him." Sango responded after sitting down.

Sango was surprised to see Naraku discarding his baboon skin and mask for this occasion. It was the first time she saw his face. It was sickening how such a beautiful creation would be so full of cruelty and darkness.

"I do not wish to behead the shogun but if he refuses, I will not have a choice but to do so." Naraku uttered.

Sango shifted her gaze outside. There was nothing she could do, she could not stop run away from him and she could not even stop him from killing her father. She loathed how weak she has become.

She didn't know she was crying until a cold finger brushed her cheek. She faced Naraku and pushed his hand away.

"If it upsets you, tell me and I won't do it." Naraku claimed as he leaned back on his seat.

A stinging pain erupted from Sango's back as Kanna's words repeated inside her head.

You are the Demon King's wife and you will act as you were.

Kanna's torturous words echoed as it reminded her to act with power and with grace.

Ignoring the pain that Kanna's magic created in case of disobedience, Sango wiped her tears and held her head high as they neared the market.

The market is the only neutral area where demons and humans interact as it is the trading area and is located at the point where the four territories meet.

Naraku escorted Sango off the carriage. As they began to walk, people started whispering as their eyes followed them.

"The Demon King, himself. It's nice to see you here." A demon of nobility greeted Naraku.

"Priestess Tsubaki." Naraku greeted.

"Who's this?" The priestess asked after her eyes traveled Sango from head to toe.

"My wife to be, Sango."

Priestess Tsubaki gasped. "The taijiya and shogun's daughter."

Sango sent her a brief smile.

"That she is."

"I shouldn't bother you any further. I hope you have a nice day." The priestess bowed as Naraku and Sango continued their walk.

As they were about to make a turn. A child accidentally bumped into Sango.

"I'm very very sorry."

Recognizing the voice, Sango looked at the girl and instantly helped her up. Kanna's magic did her work and sent an agonizing pain on Sango's back but she ignored it.

"Are you okay?" Sango queried.

"Lady Sango?" Rin looked at her.

"Lady Sango!" Rin happily smiled and hugged her.

"Do you know her?" Naraku asked.

Before Sango could answer someone called out for Rin.

"Rin!"

Sango and Naraku faced the woman.

"Ohhhh." Was all Kaho could say.

"Rin, come here." Sesshomaru stated as he came from behind Kaho.

Rin was reluctant at first but she slowly released Sango from her embrace and headed to the daiyoukai's side.

Sango shifted her gaze to Sesshomaru after Kaho avoided her eyes. She didn't know what to feel as she gazed upon that emotionless face. She missed him so bad that she wanted to run into his arms but she also felt hurt as she once again felt the guilt of being in another man's presence. She quickly averted her eyes and bit her lower lip.

"It's rare to see you these days, Lord Sesshomaru." Naraku began.

"I try to avoid breathing the same air as you." The demon warlord spoke nonchalantly.

Naraku chuckled and brought his arms around Sango. "Do have the honor of meeting my wife, Sango, the wielder of the Sacred Jewel."

Sesshomaru glanced at Sango.

"I see, you are indeed better than your father. Settling with a witch and a very powerful one. I congratulate you." Naraku continued.

Sango saw Kaho's fingers flick.

"My father must be waiting we should head our way, Your Majesty." Sango interrupted.

"It was nice meeting you Lord Sesshomaru." Sango looked at the man's eyes.

"I'll see you again sometime, Rin-chan." Sango smiled. She turned to Kaho and gave her a brief bow.

"Excuse us, Lord Sesshomaru, Milady." Naraku bid.


Sango wanted to scream as the last thing she saw was the disappointment in her father's eyes while he spoke of 'if it'll make you happy'.

"Leave me alone." Sango barely whispered.

"Milady, His Majesty is waiting." The coachman tried to persuade.

"I said leave me alone! You can tell Naraku to go ahead if he wants to go back that badly." Sango commanded.

She yelled in pain as the nerve wracking pain of Kanna's magic once again hit her spine.

"Milady." The demon spoke in concern.

"Leave!" Sango ordered.

The coachman bowed and left the room.

Minutes later, she heard the carriage leave.

She wanted to kill herself, she wanted to scream, she wanted to cry but her body refused to listen. Taking the bottle of sake she drank a good three gulps.

"At least my father didn't die." Sango thought of good things that happened that day.

Another swing of sake.

"At least I got to see Kaho and Rin."

She drank again.

"At least I saw Sesshomaru."

And that simple memory triggered everything. She threw the bottle on the other side of the room with a painful scream. The bottle broke into pieces as she herself broke apart.

"I might as well die." She mumbled to herself.

Remembering that they were on the fourth floor, Sango walked towards the window and opened it wide. The cold evening breeze felt nice on her skin. She closed her eyes to be tranquil feeling. Carefully she leaned her body forward until she was no longer stepping on hard wood floor. She felt gravity pulling her down before she felt two strong familiar arms.

Without opening her eyes, she leaned onto his chest, his masculine scent wafting under her nostrils.

"Sesshomaru." Sango giggled.

The demon warlord looked at the woman in his arms and held her tightly before heading to the inn they were currently staying at.

"What happened?" Kaho worriedly asked after she saw Sesshomaru enter their room with Sango in his arms.

"Rin, can you please get me a clean damp cloth?" Kaho asked.

"How many did she drink?" Kaho wondered as she aided the inuyoukai in settling the taijiya on the bed.

"Here you go." Rin handed the wet cloth.

Kaho wiped Sango's face and chanted a healing spell.

"Warm." Sango murmured as she felt herself getting better.

"She should be feeling better once she wakes up. I better go put Rin to bed and explain to her what happened." Kaho bid as she entered through another door.

Sesshomaru remained by Sango side as he watched her sleep.

"You wench! You made this Sesshomaru worried." Sesshomaru spoke.

"Killing yourself shows how weak you are. Crying because of pain. You are weak for having these emotions. I despise you for being weak." Sesshomaru grazed his long nails on Sango's cheek.

"You weak loathsome being, wake up! Wake up so you'll feel the pain when I kill you. Marrying another man when you are clearly mine. Filthy wench!"

Tired of his insults, Sango balled her fists and punched his face.

"I could drink three jars of sake and that won't keep me down. You obscure bastard!" Sango stood up from the bed and headed outside.

"Taijiya." Sesshomaru called out.

Sango ignored him and walked down the empty road.

"You'll get cold." Sesshomaru uttured as he wrapped Sango with his pelt.

"Can you leave me alone?" Sango asked.

"No." Sesshomaru answered.

"That was rhetorical." Sango huffed.

"Why are you with the half-witted spider that calls himself a king?"

"It's not like I wanted to." Sango barely whispered but the taiyoukai didn't fail to hear.

"Sango." Sesshomaru warned.

"He saved my brother."

"And marriage was your idea of gratitude? How pathetic."

Sango turned and faced him. "It's not like I have a choice. Believe me, I didn't trust him either. My brother's life was on the line and for me to believe him, I needed to enter a contract-"

"He marked you?" Sesshomaru cut her off as his eyes turned blood red.

Sango couldn't answer as his eyes searched for Naraku's mark.

"That two-faced demon!" Sesshomaru snarled.

"Sessho-"

"I must remove that from your body."

"But the only way for you to do that is-"

"I'm going to kill that eight-legged son of a %* +#! I'll rip his head off with my own hands!" He threatened.

Sango needed to calm him down. Removing the pelt around her, she encased the inu no taisho and pulled him to a hug.

"Take me back to the Northern Kingdom." She requested after Sesshomaru's breathing became even.

Before the demon lord could protest. "Please." Sango interrupted.

"I know you can save me but not when you are clouded with rage. Calm the seas before you board the ship and I will see you at the end of your voyage." Sango closed her eyes as she felt Sesshomaru teleport them.

"Wench, are you aware of the intensity of hostility I hold for you?" Sesshomaru murmured as he rested his forehead on Sango's.

"I love you too, Fluffy-sama." Sango giggled as she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his.

Sesshomaru growled at her nickname. "Woman, you dare to call this Sesshomaru-"

"Fluffy-sama." Sango teased.

"Hn." Sesshomaru heaved as he let the sensation of having the taijiya in his arms linger.

Flattering here eyes open, Sango once again fell in love at the sight in front of her. Sesshomaru had his eyes closed as he clearly longed for that moment as well. He is so serene and beautiful that it took every will power of Sango to stop herself from taking the demon lord there and then. She had to avoid any intimacy that may leave the daiyoukai's scent on her.

"You must go. Any moment longer will attract the guards." Sango whispered.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes, gold met brown.

"This Sesshomaru will burn this place to the ground if such occasion shall arise but you must indeed take a rest. I shall leave you to your comfort." The inuyoukai began to step away.

"Sango." Sesshomaru spoke as he began to disapparate.

"You are mine and mine alone."

Then, he vanished.

"As you are mine." Sango mumbled.


"What is that awful smell?" Kagura covered her nose with the sleeves of her kimono.

Sango squinted her eyes open and began shaking her senses awake. She began to panic but thankfully, the alcohol proved stronger than Sesshomaru's scent.

"You reek of alcohol." Kagura spoke in disgust.

"Hurry up and enter this room!" She berated the maids who followed behind her.

"Make sure to thoroughly clean her up before she meets with the king for breakfast." She ordered as she yearned to leave the room for the strong scent of alcohol was breaking her senses.

The maids went their way as they began preparing Sango and leading her to the dining area as they finished.

"As we've already received your father's approval, we are as good as married. Forgive me but we shall not be following any type of ceremony. You shall be wearing that ring and when the moon lights up the sky, I anticipate your presence in bed with me." Naraku stated.

Sango found it hard to swallow as her eyes moved to the ring that was placed beside her. She swallowed the bile that began to rise from her throat. Nauseating, the mere glance of the ring stood as a symbol of Naraku's dominion.

"Do you wish to flaunt that you own me? Isn't the mark you gave me enough to drive demons away?" Sango's voice started to rise.

Naraku did not respond.

"I refuse to wear such accesory. I'll leave you to your meal, I've lost my appetite." Sango stood up from the table and left the room.

Soon enough, Kanna's appearance into Sango's room was of no surprise. By now, her arrival was always expected as the demon exterminator unfailingly misbehaved. Hence, the walls of the palace were once again filled with the echoing sound of Sango's voice.