He stared, watching her with unbroken attention. Internally unable to order the jumble of emotions, thoughts and principals that he had set for himself over time. This internal conflict had all been stirred up again by the sight of her. This . . .this . . human!

A familiar smell brought him out of his diligent watch. He looked around calmly for its source; being only slightly aware of Shippo's entrance.

The little fox demon skipped into the tent, logs in hand, carefully eyeing the other demon. They had kept a close eye on him all day and nothing, other than his presence, seemed suspicious. Although, it was apparent to the group that he kept his attention on Lady Shira. Almost always silent unless spolen too, he would place himself beside her or walk behind her if she travelled outside the camp. Shippou's inquizative stare was broken off by Shira's warm face as she bent down to greet him.

"I brought some logs for the fire, Myouga said it will be cold tonight,"

"Thank you Shippo," she said lightly, taking the logs from him. Her smile quickly faded though as she felt the weight of the logs straining on her back. She winced at the unexpected pain. Shippo saw this and moved, confused, to help her. He brushed a hand over her upper back causing a whimper of pain to cross her lips as she let the logs drop to the floor. She quickly clasped a hand over her shoulder willing the pain away as she swayed a bit, leaning against a nearby table.

Sesshoumaru's reaction was instant as he came toward them a strange wide-eyed look on his face. Feeling very vulnerable and alarmed by Sesshoumaru Shippo ran off calling for Inuyasha.

"What-" He started reaching a clawed hand out to her, only to be cut off as she stumbled away from his touch.

"It's nothing," she said calmly straightening up. Her answer however didn't satisfy the demon lord. He stepped toward her.

"Sesshoumaru I said it's nothing! I mean it Sesshoumaru-" she said backing away from him, putting the table she had been leaning on between them. "I'll scream- Sesshoumaru- I'll- AHHHH!" she shrieked as he pulled her to him, her arms pinned to her sides as she struggled.

"Let go of me!" she hissed as he ripped open the right shoulder of her gi. His eyes widened and his grip loosened on her, she violently pushed him away.

He stared at her strangely as she gathered herself together a disgusted, angry look contorting her fair features into a snarl.

'What makes him think he has the right to-OH! Nothing's changed! To violate me like that! Oh!' she screamed angrily in her head as she rushed into the maze of colored curtains set up in the back of the large tent for privacy.

Sesshoumaru suddenly became angry, all other emotion lost from his handsome but fearsome features.

"What happened! Who did that to you!" he growled into the curtains knowing full well not to venture within.

She sat cross legged on the ground gently washing out her reopened wound.

"Tell me!" she heard him bark again. She smiled to herself pulling a clean robe over herself. She had ought to tell him. Would serve him right, and certainly shut him up.

'How dare he do that to her, her opinion, her voice didn't matter. Never did, she was just another possession.'

Sesshoumaru was growing angrier by the minute at the thought of someone doing that to her, to his . .no she's a human but . . "RAA," he growled again in frustration.

He heard her laugh from behind the sea of color.

"What is so funny?" he snarled in that surreal demon voice of his, as he attempted to calm himself down.

"My betrothed," she said bitter-sweetly.

Sesshoumaru stood in shock bombarded by more emotions and thoughts than he had never thought himself capable of . . . or even to understand.

"Your what!" he roared.

She calmly emerged from the curtains taking on her usual content face as she walked toward him. This devil, this spawn of hell feared by all, all but her. He could do nothing more to her than he had already.

"My betrothed." She said again calmly. "He's the one who's been chasing me."

He stared at her. She looked at the floor almost loosing her will to tell him.

"Almost a year back now a prince traveled through the village on whose outskirts I had made my home. He caught sight of me one day and for whatever reason decided I had to be his. He-well that's not important-"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

There was a pause.

"So you aren't his ma-er-wife," he said coldly.

She nodded, "and never will be if I can help it."

She turned from him taking down the blanket from the night before, now dry.

The silence was burning into Sesshoumaru's ears

"So what happened to your back?" he asked impatiently.

She sighed closing her eyes. She was tired this contact was wearing on her. "He-He attempted to brand his crest onto me."

Sesshoumaru face twitched slightly as his temper flared.

"I escaped, but unfortunatly as they tried to hold me they pressed the brand harder than they should have, pushing the side of it into my flesh. As you saw it has still not healed."

She looked at the floor. 'Well that was certainly uncomfortable.'

Sesshoumaru stared unsure of what to do, or how to feel how to respond but it didn't matter she moved first.

"So now you know . . .I'm tired-I going to retire to my bed now. Good-night Lord Sesshoumaru," she said as she disappeared again in the sea of color. He could only nod in response.

She sat again in the shelter of the curtains staring at the ground. She breathed in deeply through her nose.

'Why was this so hard, so strange it-'

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the crashing sounds of no other than Inuyasha and company as they came charging into the tent.

It was apparent Sesshoumaru was gone.

"Hello! Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha growled

"Where is she?" Shippo cried.

"You don't think he took her do you Inuyasha?" Kagome asked worried.

"He's gone," Shira said coming out from within the curtains.

"Did he hurt you?"

"We heard you scream,"

"No he didn't hurt me," she said her nose twitching slightly, "I'm sorry about the scare."

"Are you ok?" Kagome asked giving her a small smile.

"Just tired, always tired," she mumbled disappearing into the colors.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome and they both shrugged. Kagome motioned with her head for them to leave and reluctantly they did. Kagome venturing into the sea.

"Shira what's the matter?" she asked sympathetically when she finally found her sprawled out on the ground her hair fanned out about her.

She remained silent.

"Does it have something to do with Sesshoumaru?" she asked in the same tone.

"Does it show?" Shira smirked wryly.

"If I may ask, what happened between the two of you?" Kagome said kneeling beside her.

She sighed, "A-lot and yet . ."

'This is so strange something went on between Sesshoumaru and a human! How was that possible?' Kagome thought quickly as hundreds of other thoughts took over her mind.

"But that actually isn't my biggest worry, my biggest worry is-" she stopped shooting up from the floor suddenly.

"Him," she gasped looking to tent's north wall.

"wha-" Kagome started but her voice drifted off as Shira grabbed her wrist and pulled her running from the tent.

"You have to get out of here, he's coming." She said quickly looking around.

"How?"

She pointed to the jewel shard on her head "My curse and my blessing remember," with that the light shot out from the shard over the horizon.

"We can't leave you,"

"You had better-INUYAHSA!" she called back.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha said jumping down from a tree.

"You have to take Kagome and the others and get out of here! He's coming fast!" Shira said running back to them.

"What? NO I'm not afraid of some prince!" Inuyasha said stubbornly.

"Fine you stay, we have to go." She said grabbing Kagome and running into the forest the others at their heels as the prince's army of demons and men came charging over the hill.

They ran as quickly as they could through the dense wood. It was a clear night tonight. Shira found herself thankful for that while as the same time wishing for fog.

Sesshoumaru sensed something from high in the mountain above the camp and quickly appeared by Inuyasha's side.

"What's going on? Where is she?" he asked tonelessly.

"In the forest with the others, this is the prince's army coming over the hill here," he said readying himself as he unsheathed tetsaiga.

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"What do you want with the girl anyway?"

"It's not as if it's any of your affair but lets just say I need her to answer a few questions for me." He said standing at Inuyasha's sise.

Inuyasha cocked a eyebrow curious but said no more.

"I still hate you,"

"Likewise"

Sesshoumaru nodded.


Author's Post Notes: I know I know I know! I am so horrifically sorry! It took me soooo long and then it's this lame . . . . .and Sesshoumaru is so out of character . ..the leading up was aweful! . . .It's so short and nothing happens oh! . . .

"Will you shut up-" Garland (my muse) says quickly appauled by her friend's actions.

Sorry . . please just bear with me. I haven't written in so long . ..and honestly life as of late has been simply dreadful . .

"Truly," Garland sighs

So please be patient as I remember what I'm doing . .the story has great potential . . .plus I'm writing almost a prelogue to go with . . .that explains everyone's actions . . that will most likely be better than this . . .who knows. . . I just don't know if I should post them at the same time as two on going stories or wait till this one finishes . . .let me know . .

"We'll negotiate" Garland says matter of factly

Thanks so much for your patience!

Evil out