Wounded

Karappo stared at the moon through the silk curtains that adorned the windows of her room. She sat in silence as the shadows around her provided her with the warmth she desired. If you were to look closely enough, you could see the shadows moving, ever so slowly, toward her. She sat, unmoving, upon the edge of her bed. She was adorned with a black sleeping kimono. Her hair was pulled back into a long French braid that pooled in a circle formation like a snake upon the bed. When her head shot up, she shadows that had gathered around her and that were crawling toward her scattered back to where they had originally been. The torches that were posted in each corner of the room suddenly lit themselves as she stood and walked over to the full length mirror.

Before gazing into the mirror, Karappo scanned the room she was aloud to occupy. It was a very large room with a queen sized bed in the middle. The walls were black. The floor was covered with a rug that was the color of freshly spilt blood. The curtains were also black. The sheets that adorned her bed where crimson, the pillows and the blanket were black. Her hand caressed the blanket, it was made from velvet. So soft to the touch. Just like SesshoMaru's Boa. She shook her head and returned her gaze to the mirror when that thought entered her head.

Karappo almost didn't recognize herself. Her bangs, which usually covered half of her face, were now split down the middle allowing anyone to gaze at both of her black eyes. Her bangs also trailed down farther. Instead of ending under her chin, the ends rested around her stomach. She shook her head back and forth. She watched as the braid flew through the air like a black whip. She smirked when it came to rest over her shoulder. Her hands gripped her sleeping kimono in amazement. It felt like silk but was warm like wool. She looked at her form. The kimono clung to every one of her curves but fanned out around her knees. She liked the black color as the obi was a beautiful silver and acid green. Her three colors.

Knock, knock, knock.

Karappo quickly stopped admiring herself when some one knocked upon the shoji door. She quickly put out the torches and quietly walked toward the door. She grasped the wood without a sound as she opened the door a crack to see who had disturbed her.

The rustling of papers was all that could be heard next to angered grumbling. SesshoMaru sat at his desk, surrounded by nothing but papers that he needed to sign. He growled to himself as the stack of papers seemed to get bigger. He sighed as he continued to sign. After about an hour and one severely cramped hand later, he was done. He placed his feather pen down as he tried desperately to ignore the pain in his hand. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, facing the ceiling. He released another sigh as he opened his eyes once again and looked out the tall picture window. He stared at the moon in envy. It didn't have to do paperwork to keep its position.

SesshoMaru leaned his head against his hand in boredom. He closed his eyes again as he thought of something else to do until dawn since he didn't need to sleep that night. As he continued to think, the shuffling of feet echoed through the hall. He looked to the large double doors as one opened. The door closed and Jaken stepped toward the desk. The toad grabbed a pile of papers and began to turn and leave. He looked out the window again, it was then an idea dawned on him. He ordered Jaken to put the papers back and do a job for him.

"What do you want?"

"Milord wishes that you join him for a walk in the gardens."

Karappo's eyes narrowed upon hearing that.

"Well, you tell SesshoMaru if he wants me to do anything, he can ask me himself."

With that said, Karappo shut the door and returned to the mirror. As the torches lit themselves again, she looked to her balcony. It was then she realized that she had been in his palace for almost a week and she hadn't left her room. She turned back to the mirror with a smirk. She could imagine SesshoMaru's anger when the toad told him what he said. She could see him stomping down the halls to her door. She could even see the pure aggravation upon his face as he demanded her to join him. She heard a knock upon her door as she finished that thought.

"What did she say?"

"Well milord, she said if you want her to anything, you can ask her yourself."

SesshoMaru growled at what she had said.

"Take care of the papers. I'll return sometime later."

SesshoMaru walked down the long, dark halls of his palace with only one thing on his mind, Karappo. He couldn't believe that she had said that. She was a guest here, he could throw her out. But he wouldn't because that would break the trust he was rebuilding. He sighed heavily as he tried to eliminate all his anger educed thoughts. He slowed his pace as he neared Karappo's door. Her room was the one next to his. He stood before the shoji door a moment, trying to see if she was awake or not. When he heard her grumble then let out what seemed to be a laugh disguised as a sigh, he knocked upon the door.

The door opened a crack but enough for SesshoMaru to see at least half of Karappo's face. She looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and excitement in her eye. They stayed silent for what seemed like eternity, neither moving. After a moment, she sighed and looked at him again with her usual sad expression. It was then that he chose to speak.

"I wish for you to join me in the gardens for a walk to pass the time. Will you?"

Karappo closed her eye a moment and let out a staggered sigh.

"I'll be out in a moment."

"Meet me in the gardens under your balcony."

"Fine."