Comments: Don't ask me where this story is going..first of all even if I knew I wouldn't tell you and second..i don't know..sorry. Its kind of a surprise for me too! But thanks to everybody who emailed me about that! It shows ppl are reading it.

Disclaimer: don't own nothing…I mean it!

Oh, and everyone is a bit out of character, so gomen!

Chapter Six: Keino

Sesshoumaru knelt there with the girl's body in his hands.

Was this a human? If so, how did she kill all those youkai? Sure, she was wounded but to fight this many…even he would not escape alone unscathed. It was hard to admit even to himself.

He stared down at her. Her face, no longer in the shadows, was covered in dried blood. He would have to wash her to see what she really looked like but even with the blood something drew her to him.

After a moment he tore his gaze away from her. And looked around the clearing. **I should get back…just this once I'll forsake Inuyasha's torture…** and with that thought, left the way Rin and Jaken were.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"What's the matter, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked Kagome. He had been watching her pace back and forth. There had to be something wrong.

"There was this girl I met a couple of days after I ran fomr here…she saved me from some drunk men and took me under her wing. She taught me how to fend for myself and she was the one who prompted me to come back…but…but I don't know where she is right now…and I haven't seen her since I left her…"

Inuyasha listened as Kagome spilled out what was bothering her. He felt as if he should go look for her not only Kagome's sake but also because he needed to thank her for saving Kagome's life. But as he grew more resolved to find her he realized from all the things Kagome just said, she never once called her by name and she didn't sound like she wanted to be found.

He shrugged. It would be hard to find her without a scent but without a name as well…it was nigh impossible.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Back at Sesshoumaru's castle, Sesshoumaru was tending the girl.

As he washed her face he wondered at the beauty slowly being revealed. Why hide a face so fair? Just in the middle of his musing a rap sounded on his bedroom door.

"Enter." He commanded with easy authority in his voice.

"Sesshoumaru-san…I have brought the hot water and poultice." Jaken slowly walked in and set the items on the bedside table. As he turned to leave Jaken glanced at the girl in his lord's bed. He would have preferred to stay and gaze longer at her but he was too afraid of Sesshoumaru-san to defy him.

As the door closed behind Jaken he stood there in thought. Who is that girl and what has she done to his master? He was actually showing tenderness to a human…Rin was an exception of course. He shrugged. Things well fall into place later.

Inside the room Sesshoumaru was tending the girl's wounds. All over her body was faint traces of wounds long healed. Too many to be a slave beaten many times. He flushed as he took care of the wound on her stomach. He had taken her whole top off to tend the gaping wound since it could not be unbuttoned.

Wait. Why was he blushing? He's been with many well-endowed females without so much as a blush and then this girl comes along and he blushes when tending a wound. What has the world gone to?

He looked one last time as he covered her back up and got up to leave. What was she like? He turned and gently closed the door with a click.

* * * * * * * * * * *

She woke up as she usually did. Before she used to fade back into consciousness but the world has taught her the folly of such leisure. Now she sprang awake, ready to defend herself if needed. But it seemed she was alone…

…In a strange room. She sat up and put a hand to her head.

**Where am I? What am I doing here?** she pondered. Then her head snapped up. **I remember. That youkai that was watching Inuyasha and Kagome…is this his room?**

She slowly looked around. The bed itself was very big and roomy but the room was gigantic. The stone walls were sparingly covered with tapestries and a writing desk sat in the corner with its chair next to the bed. Before she could complete her scrutiny the door opened.

She tensed and reached for her daggers…

…but found she was practically naked. She had no weapons, no strength, and no clothing. At least not much. She looked at the door and prayed he was friendly. It was too cold to make a run for it in the shift she was in.

Sesshoumaru came into the room and noticed she was up. And currently looking at him as if he might force himself on her right there and then.

He repressed a chuckle with his usual skill and walked further into the room. Her eyes followed him into the room and watched him sit on the chair next to the bed. And they widened when he reached for her.

He applauded (silently) her when she didn't move. Just watched him. He pulled the covers off her and began inspecting her leg injury. When he was satisfied that it was okay he released her and sat back.

Sesshoumaru's scrutiny was unnerving her. She had felt queer when he touched her…

"What is your name?"

She didn't show her surprise as his voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked at him and cocked her head to one side. The movement caused her waist length hair to weing across her shoulder and neck.

She regared him as she debated the answer. And settled for the truth.

"Keino."

He wondered how he never heard of this beauty. He silently stood up.

"There is a change of clothes over there," he gestured toward the door, "and be free to roam around…but do not leave the premises."

Fire leapt up in her eyes as she listened to him order her around but just as quickly it was doused.

He wondered at her self-control as she lowered her head in agreement.

"Good." And he left.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The door opened again and Keino slipped out in her new kimono. It was a dark blue silk one with silver moons decorated on it.

She walked down the hallway and turned into a big kitchen. The smell was not very appetizing and she didn't want to know what was cooking. She began to feel a tug a war within herself as part of her wanted to do some damage to the cook and take over and a part of her wanted to leave things as it was, seeing as it wasn't any of her business. Instincts warred with her brain as she struggled to not take over.

**NO! This isn't my kitchen…must..not…must…restrain..OH WHAT THE HELL!!**

She stopped trying to restrain herself and walked up to the figure next to the sink. She watched him for half a second and saw the myriad of cuts on his hand.

**Oh, gross!** She thought as she battled down nausea and hit his temple with her knuckle. As the man crumpled unconscious to the ground without a noise she fervently prayed that he wasn't the cook. As she carried the body to a corner, she took off her outer kimono and set herself to work.

* * * * * * * * * * *

As night fell…

Sesshoumaru was tempted to look in to Keino. Now that he knew her name, he couldn't get it out of his head. **Keino…why haven't I heard of this one?**

But she was too weak to socialize just yet. He would give her time.

As the servants brought in the meal he smelled something different. **Did we get a new cook?**

There was definitely something different. It wasn't the crap the cook regularly cooked up. He was sure they had changed cooks. The food was just too good to be made by that sorry excuse of a cook…but he hadn't authorized any hiring of a new cook.

"Jaken."

"Yes, m'lord?"

"Bring in the cook."

"R-right away."

Ten minutes later Jaken returned. "M-m'lord? The cook was found unconcious.."

Sesshoumaru turned slowly. " So what are you waiting for?" he asked with a cold look. "Look for the one who cooked."

"Y-yes, m-m'lord!"

As Jaken left and Sesshoumaru was alone, he turned back to his meal, thoughtful.

"I did…"

Sesshoumaru turned toward the voice. "Keino? Why?"

"I saw the cook…" He could detect a small shudder run through her body, "and I had to do something…it makes me sick…I can't believe he was a cook!"

Sesshoumaru blinked at the sudden vehemence of her reply. Then he felt a corner of his mouth curve up despite his effort to retain his usual placid face. The amusement was bubbling and for once he couldn't contain it. He started chuckling and then that grew to full out laughter.

Keino watched as this magnificent specimen threw back its head. And laughed. Somehow she didn't think that he laughed much. But it was still a pleasure to watch.

"I don't see what's so funny. Its downright disgusting how you eat that guy's cooking day after day."

He slowly brought his laughter to a chuckle.

"First you concern yourself to oblivion for my sake, than you have the gall to say it wasn't safe for me, and you kill the cook because he cooks bad food…why does this not surprise me?" he said with apparent amusement.

He doesn't even hide his damn amusement. "I didn't kill him. He's just…sleeping.."

He smiled, mockingly and lifted his eyebrow.

"Hmph! If your going to be that way I might as well go to sleep." And she stalked to the doorway.

"You look good in that kimono."

Keino froze at this. She started to turn back but changed her mind and kept walking.

As he looked bemusedly at her retreating back, he kept on thinking how, whenever Keino was around he always lost his composure and revealed something else. How did she do that?

* * * * * * * * * * *

Jaken returned to the room to report. He was naturally scared stiff of what his master would do because of his failure. But that was life.

He opened the door to find Sesshoumaru looking out the window.

"M'lord?"

Sesshoumaru knew he was there before he spoke and knew why he was there. But he would play with this amusing creature a bit.

"Yes?"

"I-I couldn't find him…"

"You couldn't find him?" Jaken shivered at the remoteness in his lord's voice.

"n-no."

"you have the audacity to come in here and report failure?"

"S-sorry, m'lord.."

"Hmph. You know the rules." And Sesshoumaru pulled up his hand as if to prepare his poison claw (thingy..i donno what u call that..).

"A-AAAAAAAAAHH!! P-please m'lord. I beg you! Give me a chance!"

Sesshoumaru merely lifted his eyebrow and calmly stated, "Scram."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Jaken ran for his life as he screamed.

Sesshoumaru sighed. **The little pleasures in life…**

So what you guys think? That last part was not supposed to be in there…but I decided to put it in cause I needed to laugh at myself..as Fluffy said..the little pleasures in life..

Gomen for the huge delay..my birthday is this Thursday and I have a HUMONGO Chem test that day…life just sucks sometimes.

Thanks to all those that emailed me and suggested names..everybody is just so ::sniff:: nice..anyways, please R/R kay? I need em for my ego..no ego..no chap..then theres those ppl out there that say..GoOd! I donna want another Chap..oh well..we'll see, eh?