Chapter 7

That night the moon was full and the group of demons and humans had settled down for the night. All was peaceful but up in the trees someone was watching.

"Why haven't they placed a guard? Something is not right. Sesshoumaru would never leave himself so open, would he?" Tosha mused to herself. She knew the great lord. He was a formidable opponent who never let his guard down even for an instant. What could have changed? Has he grown soft in the company of so many humans? "I don't think so my lord." She smelled a trap. She would not attack tonight. She turned to leave and as she did she was struck from behind.

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried out. He had her in his iron grip.

"Tosha, you wish to see me." Sesshoumaru's tone was level and calm but his eyes bespoke of great danger.

"I... ah" She stammered. What excuse could she possibly offer the demon lord that would explain her presence? Especially since he was obviously expecting her.

"You wish to destroy my wife do you not?" Sesshoumaru pointed to the sleeping form on the ground below.

"She is not worthy of you!" She cried out in her pain. "How could you do this? She is human and you are a high lord. Why would you do this thing?" Tosha looked into his eyes. They were cold. "You should have been mine. I waited for you. I should have been your mate. Answer me Sesshoumaru why her. Why taint your family with more half breeds?"

"You wish an explanation? Very well." He grabbed the demoness and flew off some distance away from the group. He didn't want to have what he had to say overheard by anyone. "Tosha, are you sure you wish to know my reasons for taking and keeping the mate I now have. For if I do I will kill you."

"Sesshoumaru!" Tosha's eyes went wide with fear at the coldness of his statement. Then they went red, very deep red.

Sesshoumaru grabbed the demon woman from behind and held her tightly as he explained his father's decree, the decision to link her to his life and the deaths of those who had threatened harm to his beloved wife. Tosha struggled but was unable to free herself from his terrible strength.

"Let me go!" She screamed." Release me at once."

"As you wish." Sesshoumaru had finished all he had to say and decided that this was as good a time as any to destroy her. He took her neck in his hands and snapped it. Tosha fell to the ground dead. "You will trouble me no more." He said to the lifeless demon at his feet. Then flew back to the camp."

Inuyasha was waiting for him. "I saw you take her away. Will she be back?"

"No." And with that one word he had said all that was needed to say. Tosha was dead. Sesshoumaru lay down by his wife and pulled her close to him. Tosha thought she should have been his mate. She wanted him, but he wanted this one. Human or not, he wanted Katame. No one must ever be allowed to come between him and his beloved Katame. He would see to that.

Inuyasha decided to take up a formal lookout position in the top of a tree nearby. He had a lot of thinking to do. His brother had been acting strangely lately. It seemed he was changing. He had become fiercely protective of Katame, which in his estimation was a good thing. However this thing with Sango had him troubled. Sesshoumaru never bothered with humans. He either ignored them or destroyed them. Why take Sango as a slave? He certainly didn't need any. He had a whole host of imps at his beckon call. What was he planning? More importantly would Sango survive it?

Two days later....

"It is time we took our leave Katame. I'm anxious to return to my home. I have things that I have left undone for too long." Sesshoumaru stood by the riverbank watching his wife as she bathed. "We shall leave tonight."

Katame looked up at her husband. He was always difficult to read. She wasn't sure if it was something she had done or not. "Sesshoumaru? Are you angry with me?"

He took a step forward and crouched down to look into his wife's eyes. They looked sad and a little afraid. "No, my Katame. It is as I said. I have left certain things undone. I wish to amend that. Come." He put out his hand for her to grasp. He helped her out of the water and dried her off. He watched her dress. He loved to watch her. She was so beautiful and he began to want her again. He struggled to control himself. Now was not the time for self-indulgence. There would be plenty of time for that, later.

Back at the camp Sango was busy at the fire making breakfast when she overheard her master discussing them leaving to return to the palace.

"What you're going back now? We haven't finished with the jewels yet. I can't leave now."

"Silence! You were not spoken to. Keep your place girl you have no choice in the matter. You gave that up when you challenged me. Remember? Now go about your chores and be silent. One word from you and you will feel my hand."

Sango stood for a moment dumbfounded. She didn't dare talk back to him although she desperately wanted to.

"Move!" Sesshoumaru barked raising his hand.

Sango did a little half bow and went back to the tasks she had been given. She was thinking to herself. 'How can I get out of this? He's going to take me back to that fortress of his and I'll never get out. I don't care if he said he would release me after a year. I don't trust him. He is going to go out of his way to make my life miserable. I hate demons. Why didn't he just kill me when he had the chance?' She looked over at him. 'He's so arrogant. I'd like to wipe that look off his face.'

"Sango?" She was startled by Inuyasha's voice. "I want to talk to you. Come with me."

"I can't, your brother will have a fit." Sango's voice was harsh and full of hatred.

"It'll be fine, you'll be with me. I'll just tell him I borrowed you for a minute. Come." He took her by the hand and led her away from camp.

"You'll be leaving soon to stay with my brother at his palace." Inuyasha looked at his friend closely. "Why, Sango. Why did you risk defying him? You know he has killed for far smaller offences."

"I can't stand that demon ordering me around like that. I'm not.... I wasn't his to order."

"Well now, you sure fixed that problem didn't you?" Inuyasha said sarcasticly. "Now you are his to order about. You'd better get used to it Sango. Sesshoumaru is one tough demon. Don't cross him, I mean it Sango." Inuyasha took Sango's face in his hand and tipped it up to his. "Sango I care about you. You are a friend of mine but I can't help you now. You did this to yourself. The only thing I can do for you, is to offer this advice. Behave yourself. Do as he says, exactly and quickly. He has given me his word. He will release you, but only after you behave for a full year. Sango, one slip up even a small one and he will reset the year, and you will have to start all over again. He will do it Sango so don't kid yourself. Please Sango, don't risk his hand. He has no love of humans if you bother him too much he will kill you." Inuyasha studied his friend for a moment. "Sango, you don't want to die, do you?"

Sango looked up at her friend. "What do you mean?"

"I mean did you do this so that he would kill you? Do you want to die Sango?"

"No!"

"Good. Then you will follow my advice. I mean it Sango. Sesshoumaru is totally ruthless. He will have his way, one way or the other. So do as I say. It wont get you out of being his slave but at least you will live and eventually be released." Inuyasha took her by the arm and guided her back to the camp where he instructed her to continue with her chores.

"Inuyasha!" It was his brother's voice.

"Yeah Sesshoumaru?"

"Do you think your little pep talk is going to change things for her? She is too stubborn for that Inuyasha. These humans, you insist on calling your friends, are in over their heads. They have no idea what we are capable of. You waist your breath on them." He turned to leave.

"Sesshoumaru, you underestimate them. Give her some time she may well surprise you."

The demon lord did not bother to acknowledge the statement. He knew that humans could do more. He thought of his Katame and what she had accomplished. But she was a rarity. Most humans were weak and useless or like Sango too cocky for her own good.

That evening....

Katame found herself again saying goodbye to her friend. "I hope it will not be a whole year again before I see you again." Katame was about to cry. Her lord and husband had been in a foul mood all day and when she made the mistake of asking about the reasons behind the mood. Sesshoumaru growled fiercely at her and told her to mind her place. He had not done that for a long time and it hurt.

He had given the boys instructions and they had left earlier with the female huntress. Katame was not told of Sango's new role in the household of Sesshoumaru.

"I'm going to miss you terribly I'll get Inuyasha to bring us by there every few months, Ok? If I can get him to stop looking for the few remaining jewel shards long enough."

"I hope you find them all quickly and then you can settle down for a while. Instead of living out doors all the time." Katame hugged her friend.

"Katame! It is time to go." Sesshoumaru's mood was showing again.

Katame wondered what she could have done to put him in such a temper. She wanted to ask but thought that he just might beat her if she asked any more foolish questions.

Inuyasha and Miroku as well as Miroku's wife Hikarame also said their goodbyes.

"I will come see you in about six months." Inuyasha said.

Katame looked at her friend. "I had hoped to see you two sooner than that.

"It can't be helped. I have a lot of traveling to do to find the last of the jewels. Don't worry, Katame. I'll make sure Kagome comes to visit."

"Sugumi too, right?"

"Right, like I'd be able to keep him from his favorite aunt."

She smiled up at him. She really liked Inuyasha. He was half demon but he was always kind to her. She would miss him.

Sesshoumaru nodded his goodbyes and took Katame in his hands and flew off into the evening sky.

"Poor Sango." Kagome buried her face in her husband's chest. "He is in a foul temper. Do you think he'll kill her?"

"No. Don't worry Kagome. That is one tough girl. Besides, Sesshoumaru gave me his word. He will not easily break it."

"Yeah but what if she really gets him mad. Inuyasha I'm scared. I'm afraid we wont ever see her again. Why do we have to stay away so long?"

"Sesshoumaru specifically asked me to stay away at least six months to allow Sango time to adjust to her new role. If we were there then she would likely try to save face by being disobedient. Trying to prove to us that no one can control her. If she is alone there perhaps she will relent and then he can begin to count her year. He wont start until she does."

"You think he will? Let her go, I mean, after the year is up."

"Of course he will. My brother may be many things, but he is honorable. He will keep his word once he gives it." Inuyasha gave Kagome a little hug. "How would you like to have a visit with your mom?"

Kagome squealed with excitement. She hadn't seen her mom in months. "When?"

"Now. Lets get going." He spoke briefly with the monk and then set of for Inuyasha's home village with Sugumi and Kagome in tow.