Author's note: Ses-chan &C. aren't mine but of Rumiko Takahashi (it was sometime that I don't say it), but Anna is really mine. The place of Inuzuka comes from another tale of our dear Rumiko. A warning: this is the last calm chapter. From now on will happen every sort of things and I don't know if you'll be so happy about those things.but, please, be patient and faithful (hands ahead, hands ahead!!! ^_^;;;)!! CHAPTER 15 INUZUKA In this way, Anna took again her place in Sesshoumaru's castle. Her return was taken with joy from who had known her in those months. Since the girl was gone, all the servants was been in terror of their Lord. They all murmured about the reason of Lord's bad mood, probably because he missed Anna's shining presence. No one, naturally, spoke it loud when Sesshoumaru or Jaken were near. Life was only one, by the way. Now that their Hime was returned, all would be going better. Even the Lord's face was more calm now. Jaken's bad mood was submerged in the general happiness. It's futile to say that Rin was full of joy for Anna's return. She cried, laughed, than she carried her to Misao and Rika, both happy about it, she told her about what she had done (like Anna was gone away for one year or more), than she cried again and kidnapped her for the entire day, and she didn't sleep if not with the hand of her Anna-nee-chan in her one. Anna was happy herself. She had missed Rin very much and she was happy to be another time near her. More of that, to know that everyone in the castle loved her had filled her of a big warmth. It wasn't so difficult now to consider the Palace her new home. While she was lying on the bad, awake, with Rin's hand still in her one, Anna rethought about her talk with Sesshoumaru. Anna was sure he didn't even ask her to stay, but, against her thoughts, he had done it. In a way. Now she could think about it, he hadn't really ASK. He had talked about a possibility. Anna grunted. It was Sesshoumaru's way. In this way, no one could understand what the youkai was really thinking. "Well, go on step by step.- she thought closing her eyes- He had let me stay. Maybe Inuken had showed me the truth, but I won't discover it if I'll show my feelings to him. He's not ready, yet, and I don't want to suffer." Now she was able to hide her feelings. Maybe she'd lost her control in front of a big shock, but she had time to work on it. Sesshoumaru was the one who had to reach her, not her. Anna would be ever available and at his side, but nothing more. Sesshoumaru had to learn how to decode his feelings, then he could be able to understand her own. Maybe accept them. Or feel the same things. "Stop." she said, her voice muffled in the hands she used to cover her face. From the day after, something had to change. It was better to think how to help Sesshoumaru in the was profiling at the horizon. Sesshoumaru, on the other side, had notice with surprise the affection through Anna and his servants. Her relief when she was returned was not passed unobserved to Sesshoumaru's eyes. Sesshoumaru couldn't understand why. He hadn't ever thought servants could feel something for their lords. For him, no way for sure. For his father, he remembered only respect, and he was sure it still existed under his government. But the affection? Why? From where did it come? He was annoyed that Anna could make the other feel something for her. He passed an hand through his hair, annoyed. It wasn't time to lost himself into such a think. Anna was returned, and here the matter was closed. He had recovered what he had lost, maybe because his father's will, maybe because she had wanted to return. It was enough. Sesshoumaru wanted to pass time with her. Much time. Anna was a multi-faceted mystery and now Sesshoumaru had decided to understand every of those faces. When Anna would became unattractive, Sesshoumaru's been free from that sting that hit his chest every time he thought about her. Well, there was a near war, too. This thought didn't fill him of the typical satisfaction, but it didn't even annoy him. Action, finally. If the Lord of East needed a little fresh to his mind about Inu-youkais power, Sesshoumaru was glad to give him an entire lesson. Now, it was better to study enemy's movements, and write precise reports about his armies. Sesshoumaru didn't believe there was something real behind the threats, but it was better not to have to kill an entire army by himself. After all, thank to his bastard brother Inuyasha, he didn't got Tetsusaiga. Think about Inuyasha made him remember his fist hit Anna's face, so Sesshoumaru dispelled it immediately. He had to send spies and be ready. If things would go bad, and the news worst that he thought, he 'd call a meeting to Inuzuka. He hoped to have not to do it, but, in the worst situation, Anna would go with him. Satisfact, Sesshoumaru called Jaken and ordered to him to convoke his best spies. The spies returned. Not all, neither in a good health, but they returned, carrying with them many news about what attended them. The Lord of East was serious. He was organizing armies of youkais, and he had found an alliance with human warriors, mikos and houshis, saying to them he would fight the bloody Sesshoumaru, killer of humans and youkais. It seemed that the true attack's day was still far, because those peoples had to find a point in common, yet, but it was sure that the Lord of East would move against them, soon or late. Sesshoumaru was not very impressed. He listened to the spies with a very calm and cold face, sit with nonchalance on the throne while Anna was at his side, on the right. Anna's only reaction was a darkening of her face. The spies couldn't restrain theirself to gave a strange look to each other: they wasn't news for be so calm. It seemed they had just said about a dead fish in a lake of the gardens, nothing more. But the two was already prepared to the worse. Since the day after the spies were gone, Sesshoumaru had started to look into the armies he had, his power and the allies he had. Anna had the work to write his considerations while he studied maps and letters, then she had to make an understandable summary to Sesshoumaru, giving to him a clear vision of facts. In a couple of days, Anna was so inside in her role she had started to enjoy his thoughts about tactics and politic. Sesshoumaru had found her words acute and direct, and he had started to talk with her about every particular. This work had go on for one month, one month they had passed together, every day and many nights, when they talked about tactics or wrote letters to the allies. Sesshoumaru and Anna knew well what they had. More of all, they gave ideas one to the other, giving answer to every problem they had. Sesshoumaru dispelled the spies, then stood in silence, thinking. "It's a surprise, he's enjoying with humans." he murmured. Anna sat at his feet. "It seems that he's preparing a total war.- she said, raising her eyes to him- If we have against Buddhist and Shinto powers, the things become bad." "Humans." Sesshoumaru said, annoyed, doing an angry deed with his hand. Anna didn't replied, knowing this was only a vent and that Sesshoumaru's mind was already at work over the problem. Standing close, she had learned to wait. "By the way, yes, this is unexpected.- he said after one moment- We'll find a solution. Meanwhile it's better to call a meeting with the Family and talk about this problem." "Have you decided to call them?" Anna asked. Sesshoumaru had told to her about the Family of Inu-youkai. He was their king and they were only full- blood youkais. They hadn't duties one to the other, and Anna had understand it because Sesshoumaru had almost killed that inu-youkai she had absorbed later, but in danger one of them could call a meeting. Whoever was called was obliged to go and the meeting had place on a special ground, Inuzuka's hill, where they told was born the first of their kind and where no one could drip blood of other inu-youkais. In the present days, dogs and humans who loved them were affected by that place. Sesshoumaru nodded. "I don't think they could be useful,- he said, arrogant- but they'll be something more, and they may have some allies." Anna nodded. She knew Sesshoumaru hated the Family, even if he hadn't ever tell this to her. After all, the Family had made fun of him when Inuken had showed him like his heir. That evening, Sesshoumaru went out alone, out of the Palace. Beyond the walls, he changed form, becoming a dog and leaving his power run freely in his veins. He raised his head to the moon, excited. It was much he was in his human form. Sometimes he asked to himself why he took it so long. The waning moon shone over his snow-white hair. Sesshoumaru raised his muzzle to the moon and howled with all his breath. The echoes propagated everywhere, filling up the forest, the clearing and even the sky. It was the call and no one of tem could resist. He called every name in their primordial language, howling till the last was called. "Will you go to Inuzuka?" Sesshoumaru turned. Anna was at a little distance and was looking at him. A golden light, really demonic, shone in her eyes in the darkness. He made a step, impending over her, who in her human form seemed very fragile. Sesshoumaru asked to himself for the fortieth time when Anna would decide to transform herself. He was.curious. One of the few human feelings he could feel. He returned in his human form. "Yes.- he said, closing his eyes- And you'll come with me." When he opened his eyes, another time two amber drops, Anna smiled. Sesshoumaru felt that sting near his heart. "Yes." she said. The day after, the two left to Inuzuka, going to the north. The left alone and without bags. They were powerful youkais and they needed nothing. Anna, very nervous before the leave, relaxed day by day. They run in silence for the entire day, then they stopped at the sunset and rested all the night. Sesshoumaru was silent during the day, and Anna respected his decision, but in spite of this, the youkai didn't took Anna far from his as always. Anna was near him even in the silence. Sesshoumaru had accepted her presence. In the nights, they told about the Lord of East and his movements. Sometimes, one of them slept and the other watched all night. When was Sesshoumaru's turn to sleep, Anna passed the hours looking at his face. Her heart made her cry in pain because the love she felt was constrict inside. Their relation was radically changed, indeed, but what were they now? More than lord and slave, naturally. But less than friend, and that was a fact. They hadn't ever told about personal facts. the time they had passed together had neared them, making them able to understand the other's movements and thoughts, but nothing more. Thanks to gods, Sesshoumaru didn't suspect that the active and friendly girl near him did all that hoping to see in his eyes a bit of affect when he looked at her. Foolish hopes, maybe. Sesshoumaru didn't notice anything. He understood very well how he appreciated Anna's company instead of Jaken's one. Anna respected his silence, talked with him when they rested. Her sweet voice relaxed him, rubbing away the bit of nervousness he got during the day. Really another thing. An evening, a couple of day before reach Inuzuka, he asked to Anna about her world. He noticed she was surprised, but the girl started to talk and in brief she told about her human life, her parents and the habits she had lost, not really by her will. When she stopped, Sesshoumaru nodded. "A.very different life.- he said- It's not difficult understand why you have still such a difficult to accept your new life. But you are better than some moths ago." He looked at her but Anna didn't even breath. In that moment was too much astonished. "My destiny was script at my birth. Your is deranged." he said, touching without really think Tenseiga. "A destiny involved with life." Anna said. Sesshoumaru look at her, puzzled, and Anna pointed at the sword. "A destiny involved with life.- she said again- But you always try to avoid it giving death." Sesshoumaru darkened and stood in silence. "You don't know many things." he said after a while, with a cold voice. Anna sighed. "It's really difficult for me, because you never tell me about." she replied. Her sweet tone made him darken again. "Don't dare to judge me. It's not your business." he thought, turning to close the argument. In that moment, Anna yawned very prosaically. "Sorry.-she muttered- I'm awake from two nights." Sesshoumaru's anger flew away. He felt a bit of amusement looking at Anna's sleepy face. "Come here." he said. "What?" Anna asked, more awake. "You're too much tired, it's better you could sleep well. I don't want to be damaged by your weakness, tomorrow.- he said, sarcastic- Come here and lay over my tail. It's soft. You'll sleep well." Anna made a big work trying to not show the red which was near to color her cheeks, but she didn't speak, noticing Sesshoumaru's cold glance. Showing a deep calm that she was far to feel, Anna accepted and sat near him, laying her head over that 'fluffy pink thing' over his shoulder. "Kami-sama, I'll never sleep in this way!" she thought, her heart beating madly, while Sesshoumaru approach her more. But, maybe because the warmth of his body, maybe because the feeling of protection he gave to her, after some minutes Anna was asleep, with her head over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, who was thinking just in that moment how bad was been his idea. Anna's smell was drive him crazy. he had never felt anything like that, not even in the battle excitement. His ayes was attracted by the refined lines of Anna's face. He heard her breath slowly, her lips almost open. He would touch her lips with his. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes wide. What kind of thought was that, by the Hell? He had always felt annoyance for such things! He was never caught by his instincts in that awful way!! It was better to go far from Anna, before. Like she had understood his intentions, the girl pushed herself against his chest, making him feel a deep warmth. "How can you do this to me?" he whispered. He laid his lips over her head. A sweet and melancholic wave he couldn't understand fill him. Sesshoumaru hugged Anna and landed his head over a tree behind his shoulders, trying to decipher that strange pain. In this way, he fell asleep.