Blood Freely Given

Youkai no Miko

:Last Time:

Sesshoumaru stood there for a while, quiet from the Hanyou's outburst towards, of all people, him! Normally the Demon Lord would have killed anyone who would oppose him in such a way; But you need her,... the little voice inside of the great Lords head spoke, but the lord pushed the voice away, and let the Hanyou slide with her importunes. Besides, she is going to be of SOME use,...

:Now:

Kirei and Sesshoumaru walked through the woods in silence, the hanyou walking slightly behind Sesshoumaru, caddy cornered to the left. She was behind him out of respect, and afraid that if she opposed him again, she would not last long. The expression upon her face was sollemn, as she let out a sigh. The Taiyoukai in front of her looked back to her over his shoulder, glancing through the corner of his golden eyes. Kirei looked up - as she had been keeping her eyes to the ground - and looked a tad bit taken aback that he would pay any attention to any noise she made. He probly does not trust me, and is meerly keeping guard. I am no fool,...I know better than to attack a Youkai stronger than myse-! Stronger than myself,... She thought to herself, and smiled slyly when Sesshoumaru turned his attention upon where they were headed again.

Sesshoumaru picked up a bit of speed, inwardly anxious to get done with this,...true, he was not sure if the Lady Hanyou would be able to grant him his arm back, she had, after all, said that the magic works two ways. He stopped when they reached thier destination,..the hot springs. At the time, Sesshoumaru did not question the setting in wich the young Miko was to do her magic, but now the question arose in his mind.

"Here we are, what is it you now, must do?" He said in his usual voice, no trace of any of the things that raced through his mind in it.

"Well,..." Kirei began, stepping up beside the Lord, a bold move in her oppinion, "I take it you used the herbal mix I made for you?"

"Hn, that I did,.." As putrid as it was He said looking over at her.

"Well then, now we must enter the springs" Kirei said a bit hesatantly, watching the look Sesshoumaru gave her, she then shook her head, realizing why he looked at her so, "Clothed!" She blushed a light shade, "Though you will need to remove your armor, m'lord"

Sesshoumaru looked at her when she called him "m'lord." It struck him odd, for some reason to hear that, never mind if she had called him that before, at this moment it did not seem correct.

"Hn,...verry well," He began to undo his armor with ease, used to the ties that helled it all in place.

Kirei had gone to the edge of the hotsprings, bareing no armor, nor fine silk to remove, she had nothing to remove, so was as ready as she could be - certainly not ready, ready, but fair.

Sesshoumaru walked up behind her, "This Lord is ready,..." Kirei nodded.

"I have one request,...PLEASE do not kill me for anything I happen to do during this" Her earm flattened against her head, the way she said it in though, was actually quite humorous, however, Sesshoumaru meerly nodded. Kirei hesatantly took his hand, but when she hid, she quickly stepped into the water, and continued to wakl in, till it was up to thier waists. The Lady Hanyou let out a nervous sigh, and Sesshoumaru could feel how shaky she was - did he make her this nervous, or was she meerly not confident in her abilities? He mused, but it was not untill Kirei spoke again, that his attention returned to the task at hand, and it was when she spoke that he realised she shook out of fear.

"Okay now,...concentrate on what your arm was like before,..." Her voise wavered, as she slowly moved her hands beneath the Lords haori, moving her hand slowly over the soft skin, to his shoulders, the haori moving with her hands - She knew it would be off by the time they were done (Omg, no not take tha povertedly XP). Her nimble hands continued thier journey; from Sesshoumaru's shoulers, down his toned arms until she came to the end of the Lords cut arm. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on what the arm would have looked like, slowly,.oh ever so slowly,.down Sesshoumaru's arm, feeling skin form as she moved her right hand down his left arm.

It went like that for a while, untill eventually, they stood together, hand in hand. Sesshoumaru had regained his arm, markings and all, however it's skin was way lighter than his other skin, and it would take time for it to tan. The Lord marveled, though, as per usual, no emotion showed, untill he felt the Lady Hanyou, whoms debt has been paid, began to fall backwards, unconsious. Sesshoumaru caught her before she fell completely in the water. He looked down upon her,

"You really gave it your all,...didn't you?" (Oh, Final Fantasy X quote, sry, but it worked!) He said to her unconsious form, walking towards the bank, setting Kirei down beneath the tree at it's edge. The Taiyoukai staired down at his regained limb, touching it with his other hand, and yes, he could feel, and just like a young pup that had just discovered its tail, he almost smiled - why he stopped, one would not know,...there was noone there other than himself and the unconsious hanyou,..noone to impress, nor hide from; however he stopped anyway. The thought passed through himm to thank the hanyou; Why should I? She was meerly repaying a debt,...

:Later:

Kirei awoke, back in 'her' room in Sesshoumaru's home. She noticed the door too her room, ajar, and a childs hand, and gently she called out;

"Hello? Enter if you so wish"

In entered Rin, cinnimon hair in its usual style, her brown eyes wide and full of wonder,

"Hello" She greeted, "I'm Rin" The human child held out her hand to the Hanyou, who sat up when the child entered. Kirei shook Rin's hand, and smiled,

"I'm Kirei, nice to meet you, Rin," Kirei automatically took a liking to the girl, she had such an innocence and carisma about her, that one couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, your so much more nicer than master Jaken!" Rin exclaimed happily,...she hadn't ever really spoken one on one with any other youkai, or half than Sesshoumaru, Jaken, or her maid. Kirei smiled, and giggled a little at the girl.

Unknowingly, they were watched by a pair of golden eyes, watching through the door, which was left slightly open when Rin had entered. Actually, it was he that had sent the child in there,...he was intrested in seeing the Hanyou's reaction. He had been doing much thinging over the past night, and had come to the conclusion, that if Rin and the Lady Hanyou got along, then Kirei could stay, and serve as a companion to Rin,...a mother figure of sorts. The union went as He thought it would,...Sesshoumaru knew Kirei well enough by now to know she was a gentle, careing person, but there was still youkai in her,...and he wouldn't leave his ward alone with the Lady Hanyou if whe showed any hostility to the child.

However, Kirei appeared to not care if the young one was human, and Sesshoumaru could not help but feel relief; What should I care if the Hanyou was to stay or leave? He thought once he caught himself. Reassured that Rin would be alright, he turned away from the door, and made his way down the hall, in wich appeared his bumbling toad-like servant, Jaken.

"Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru! Rin is not in her room, mi'Lord! Do not worry, though! I am searching for her!" He bowed slightly, not knowing his Lord knew where Rin was, and whom was with her.

"No, Jaken, that will not be necissary,...this Sesshoumaru knows where the child resides,..." Jaken looked at Sesshoumaru with a somewhat shocked expression.

"B-but, mi'lord!" Jaken began, but could not finished, he meerly watched as his beutiful lord walked away, back down the isle to his study.

Sorry guys, I really don't have a preview for the next chapter, and I'm really REALLY sory for the wait for this one!