Author's Note: Phew!!! __ Sorry! I'm still cranking, slowly but surely!!! I have a bit of a cold; typing and sneezing at the same time is a talent this author has yet to master :P …Special thanks to Glimmering Stars for rooting me on ^__O

Smoothing down the fabric of her robe, the slave walked the length of the hall with a strange mix of anticipation and fear. Not that I wanted him to return, not that I wanted him to come back here… its just empty without him. I dislike all the standing around… and the freedom… So know I will have order again, as slave to master.

Naga shook the thoughts from her mind as she neared the hall, trying to school her expression into something she imagined could be interpreted as subservient. She had no idea what mood her lord would be in; better to be safe and play the humble human role he seemed to approve of.

A noise from the far end of the darkened corridor made the slave lift her head-- Naga found herself frozen as the growling man hurtled towards her, a short knife glittering in his fist, hair streaming behind him as yellow eyes blazed at her. Naga's instincts took over; like a rabbit from a fox she turned to flee…

OOUFF!!

Her feet were swept from under her as the youkai tackled her, robes and limbs flying; Naga opened her mouth in a silent scream as his weight bore her to the ground.

"Where is he?!" He growled, gripping her by the wrists.

Naga opened her mouth to answer--Oh…

Her lord stared down at her in irritation for a moment; then his face changed as he was forced to remember what he had done to his slave. Mute… How could I have forgotten?

"Who has attacked my fortress?" The youkai shook her slightly, eyes bright as he searched the hall for evidence.

Naga's brows drew together as she looked up at him What? I saw no one… How could someone have attacked this place without my knowing…?

Seeing her face, Hiten snarled in frustration. "Someone was here! I smell the blood-- who attacked you?"

Without waiting for a reply of any kind, he searched her with his eyes. Catching sight of the cloth wrapped around her hand, he pulled it towards him.

Growling, Hiten tore the bandage from Naga's palm, searching the wound beneath for a moment in silence. Then his eyes settled on her again as he let the undamaged hand drop from his grasp.

"Who?"

Heart in her throat, Naga shook her head vigorously I have to make him understand, or he may go and tear the throat from the first thing he sees. Oh, Kami…

"No? What are you saying, wench?" He looked furiously at the slave as she cringed from his voice.

Letting out a gasp of hair, Naga pointed at her chest Me! I cut myself--

'Me' she formed her lips around the syllables, hoping he would understand.

For a moment, the youkai frowned at the seemingly senseless slave.

" You did this?" Lord Hiten looked disbelieving.

Naga nodded her head, face still as she waited for the abuse to rain down on her once he realized that it had been her own fault.

"…You? You cut yourself like that?" His voice was barely controlled as he stared at her. "What possessed you to take your own life, you damnable slave?!"

Naga's mouth flew open in shock at the turning of events-- What is he speaking of? I would never do such a thing to myself!

Tearing her hand from his grasp, she lifted her hands to her head, withdrawing the ill-favored hairpin. Taking it in her uninjured hand, she pantomimed the accident for him.

"You slipped-- is that all? You slipped…!" His face changed so quickly; one moment angry and scornful-- and the next, blank... With a quick movement, he was towering above her, pulling Naga to her feet.

For a moment he gazed silently at her, expression unreadable. Then he turned away, telling her to 'straighten up' and that his guests would not stand waiting for her to grace them with her appearance.

He left her standing in the middle of the hall, mouth pressed in a thin line as she watched him fade into the shadows at the far end of the passage. As she raked her fingers through her half-pinned hair and readjusted her gaping robe, she wondered if it wouldn't have been better if he just had stayed wherever he had been.

SSPLASH

Hiten lifted his face from the basin of cold water, taking a shuddering breath as the icy shock wore away. Plunging his hands in again, the youkai lord repeated the process, trying not to gasp as icy numbness replaced the burning sensation on his skin. That fool child makes my blood boil! It would have been much simpler if she had killed herself… However, I think I have had enough blood on my hands for a time…

He stared at the reflection the water cast, a strange intensity in his face as he searched the image, wondering what part of himself had changed in the past few turns of the moon. Could that woman-child have something to do with it? Hiten briefly allowed himself to wonder; with a snarl of disgust he knocked the bowl away from him and stormed out of the bath chamber. A 500 year old youkai does not bend their ways to the whim of a human-- a creature who's life begins and ends in the blink of an eye!… And yet-- how can I stand here and refuse to acknowledge that things have changed?

For a minute, the lord stood as if transfixed; then with a twitch of his shoulders, he turned to the clothing laid out before him and put his mind to the more immediate and less threatening matter at hand.

Author's Note: Angst!!! More than you could thumb your nose at, or shake a stick at… or something o__O… Anyways-- lots of ANGST!!! I hope you people are enjoying the events as they unfold as much as I am!! Oh, by the way-- tell me what your thinking! My faithful reviewers… and also the 'one-night-stand' ones, too-- I would love to get feedback! Tell me what U want--- it really will be taken into consideration!! SO pleaseeee review! ^__^