Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, he belongs to the wonderful Manga-ka Rumiko Takahashi©, Viz© and The Sun©

Authors note: heh heh... wow you all look like your going to kill me :ducks flying weapons: but never fear, I am updating heh!

解氷の候、(hee hee like my new page breaks? Arigato Lexy-chan!)

HERE ARE YOUR RESPONSES:

FluffyDoggyInuEars: 'I' lol :anime sweat drop: its oki I hoped you like the story:smiles widely:

PrincessRose1: oh..wow, my ego is officially blown lol :big smile: and don't worry you didn't sound mean at all :big, big smile:

Cassie: oh wow:blush: I feel so special now lol :anime sweat drop, teeth blackening does sound disgusting ne? at least they didn't smile that much lol, but I think the blackening had something to do with not cheating against you husband? And I can understand why lol. Thankies for your review:big smile:

OrangeInuYasha: hey Joe, are you busy? (please say no lmao!), its all gramtically errored cause I didn't have my favorite beta! ;; lol thankies for doing this chapter though lol. And yesh I like Megumi from Kenshin lol. Also me and Michelle decided we're going to 'calmly talk' to you-know-who, call me after you read this chapter lol :anime sweat drop:

Chibineko192: OMG! I LOVE THAT! Lol poor InuTaisho lol but that is extremely awesome that review...but sadly he's going to have to be pushed back one chapter please forgive me:bow bow:. Thankies so much for your review!

まずは用件のみ。

JAPANESE DICTIONARY:

Kami: God

梅花の候、

Life can be cruel ne? One minute you think you like this fellow the next you realize that if anything, he would just be a friend.

This is my constant thought running through my mind as I sit here on my silk cushion, playing with my stiff horse-hair brush as Miaka obaa-chan sits behind me and pulls the pots and oil cups towards her. Today, unfortunately, is my hair cleaning day, once I month Miaka obaa-chan sits behind me dips her hands in wax and oil and brushes my hair repeatedly until my scalp is raw.

The room I sit in now is not my sleeping quarters, oh how I wish I could be sitting there at this point. Right now I'm currently in the wash-room that lays many a step outside the garden and is the hottest place. its filled with the normal bathing tubs and long public baths of the court, but the room is always sweltering hot, sweat trickles down my brow and my kimonos become too much to bare. Miaka obaa-chan, though, lets me take off my twelve-layer kimonos and lets me sit in my clean cotton miko robes of my mother. I usually am self conscious when I wear these, I feel too naked...the irony of a bath tub and my 'nakedness'.

Oh am I sour today...

Miaka obaa-chan hums a gentle tune as she comes closer to me, her knarled hands expertly spreading my locks and running the pig's fat and the wax through my tresses, my hair is so long that I can't even feel the amount of strength she is using, just gentle tugs, but its only a matter of time before she creeps up to my scalp once more.

I close my eyes and listen to my nanny, her tune reminding me of the chords on my fathers almond wood sitar. My father is a well accomplished musician as well as the lord of the eastern lands. A few months before I left to meet my...betrothed... he taught me a song on his sitar, a song that he told me related to my mothers lullaby to me, the song of 'The Sakura Petals'. I smile as I lean into Miaka obaa-chan's hands and her song as I close my eyes gently; my mothers tune...the words on the tip of my tongue...

"Ah so here you are my lady"

I jumped as I heard the loathing tone of Megumi filtering into the bath house, her voice thick with an overly sweet tone.

"Megumi...how it is to meet you here?" I inquire as I still feel Miaka obaa-chan's old, yet gentle fingers run through my hair as if helping to keep my calm.

"Oh...my reasons are quite simple you know" she came to sit on her knees and move towards me "seems...a messenger, dear fellow really, came to the lords home requesting the lady Izayoi...well of course he's been brooding in his chambers ever since you so... dishonorably insulted him, so I came to take this letter"

I saw her pull out a heavy scroll from her kimono sleeve; I noticed the fine, stark white parchment to be some of my fathers. She gently rolled the letter over till she showed my fathers seal... it was marked black meaning urgency...or death...

"I ask of you to give me my father's letter now" I more or less commanded throwing out my hand, I barely noticed Miaka obaa-chan seizing her motions and staring at my fathers scroll in utter shock.

"Now that dear messenger did say this was of utmost importance...though I can't remember why..."

My eyes narrowed shamelessly in utter anger, and my outstretched hand started to shake. My ears were ringing with her over-sweet tone and my lips got tight with utter, sheer, loathing for the woman who held my fathers words that was marked with the black...

Megumi put the pot to boil; now the water was pouring over the edge.

I drew my hand back, my eyes pouring into Megumi's face, she was smiling, smiling... she knew what my father wrote and was purposefully not letting me see the letter...that to white face and her bony hands rolling the parchment scroll over and over and over...

I let my hand swing forward with a speed that you would miss with a blink. My small, pale hand now pink with the stinging of my slap, Megumi looked shock with my hand print shouting on her face. I smirked and snatched my father's letter from her grasp.

"You, insufferable wench! How dare you smack me!"

I let my eyes brighten with sheer, morbid happiness as I stood and tapped the scroll against my palm.

"One, I am not the wench, you are the whore, two, I've been begging to do that and three, you are the ugliest, prudent, absolute disgrace of a woman I have ever seen in my entire life! My maids, even the five year-old foot servant has more honor in her little finger than you will have in your entire life, and you know what, I will give the dogs more credit than you... I can't even believe Takemaru uses you for sex! And thank Kami that I never have to see that over done face again!"

I walked out of the bath house leaving a confused and angry Megumi for sure, but I felt so...good, that was definitely simmering longer than it should have. I looked behind me to see my old nanny beaming with pride as she gave an approving nod.

I gave her a gentle smile back before my face became marred with a frown as I turned to my fathers letter with the black seal. The heat of the bath house melted the wax and I unfurled the pages...

Dearest Izayoi,

How have you been my beloved daughter? I pray the house of Lord Takemaru is

suiting you...I hope... but I bet you are wondering why I have stamped the black seal on my letter...

My daughter, I confess that it takes all my strength to move this quill back and forth and I tell you this regretting news., seems that this old man has fallen ill with the current plague that has been running through the towns. This...has been a longing problem that I have tried to keep from you for some time... it's only come to be that now all my energy is starting to fade and I fear...that my life is in danger... I and asking your return home to be immediate if possible...

Your loving father,

Lord Yukino Tanakashi of the East.

My heart stopped as I re-read the letter maybe three times... maybe ten times...the world became silent to me, and finally my thoughts started chanting one thing to me...

'Father is ill'...

I sighed heavily, trying to keep my calm as tears were pounding on the back of my eyes.

"Miaka obaa-chan...father is ill...rouse the guards, we leave now" my voice was firm and the eyelids were quickly filled with unshed tears.

"H-Honey-child...now...?" Miaka obaa-chan's voice was filled with uncertainty and concern... she reflected me once more...

"It's not a matter of discussion, I leave now"

"Y-Yes Izayoi-sama" she quickly bowed before jogging towards the servant's quarters as I turned and ran to my chambers. My bare stocking feet skidded and slipped against the polished pavilion and my handwriting was messy as I quickly grabbed a painting brush and left a note for Takemaru:

Takemaru-san,

It is not a matter of discussion nor of agreements to which I address in such little time. By the time you read this I will be back home to my land of the East. It is not the matter of the terms that we fought over concerning our betrothal, but of a matter of a family crisis. I do not know if we are to meet again, but before I depart...I wish to say in such little time we had to meet, to talk, to have the chance of getting to know each other, I feel that I have found a friend in the Human West.

Take care,

Lady Izayoi of the East.

I dropped the brush onto the lacquered tatami mat floor and didn't even bother putting it back into the ink well as I quickly blew on the wet ink and rested it my pillow. I reached for a pen to keep it down, but then a flash caught my eye...it was a string of coral that I wore usually on special occasions. I smiled and laid the coral on a corner of my note before saying a small prayer and getting up to run to my awaiting palanquin.

さて

Authors note: ugh this is so short, but it will have to do, I hoped you all enjoyed it, I had the most fun smacking Megumi if I do say so myself lol, more to come soon, and don't worry, InuTaisho might not have gotten in this chapter but I swear he'll be in the next one, I ultimately promise :anime sweat drop: