Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 9: Abducted

Saphira woke up, someone was moving around in the room. She looked up to see Rin putting fresh flowers in a vase.

"My Lord wishes you to breakfast with him," Rin informed her seeing that she was awake. "Would you like me to plait your hair?"

"Yes, please," Saphira said getting out of bed. Rin had laid out a midnight blue kimono with a pink obi. Saphira sat in a chair while Rin plaited her hair. After Rin was finished she left Saphira to get dressed.

When Saphira opened the door into the hallway, Rin was waiting to lead her into the dining room. They made their way down the hallway with many twists and turns.

When they reached the dining room, Saphira hesitated in the doorway. For the first time in her life, she let her feelings show on her face.

"Please, sit here," Sesshoumaru said sensing Saphira's unease, he pulled the intended chair away from the table. Saphira slowly made her way to the chair and sat down.

Sesshoumaru sat at the head of the table with Saphira to his right. Inuyasha came in as Sesshoumaru was sitting down. Inuyasha sat across from Saphira and to Sesshoumaru's left.

Several servants began bringing out the food.

"I don't know very much about my father's family," Saphira admitted carefully. "Could you explain to me how we became betrothed?"

"Our families were at war," Sesshoumaru began. "They had been fighting for many decades over land and power. My ancestor and your ancestor, Ryuu, finally decided it was time to stop the bloodshed. They made a pact that the fifth generation of their descendants would marry and bind the two families forever."

"But, why me? I mean, there are two of you, couldn't there be someone else that's the fifth generation too?" Saphira asked.

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru. "You're family was slaughtered."

Saphira was shocked into silence.

"Did Kagome ever tell you about Naraku?" Inuyasha asked, when Saphira nodded he continued. "Well, after our father, Inutaisho, sealed Ryuukotsusei, he was killed. But, when Naraku came around he released Ryuukotsusei. Ryuukotsusei then went after your family, and killed everyone but your father."

"My father survived?" Saphira said, then it clicked. "He was banished...because of my mother. It saved his life!"

"Yes," said Sesshoumaru. "When a member of the family is banished, they are no longer considered family. So, when Ryuukotsusei attacked your family, he didn't even think about your father."

Tears flooded Saphira's jewel eyes. "They're all dead?"

Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were surprised by her reaction, neither one of them had expected her to react in this manner. They had expected anger, dishonor, and shame, but not grief.

"You still have your father," Inuyasha said quietly realizing what she was upset about. She had said earlier that she had only known her father and no others. She was grieving for the family she would never have or know. In a way, Inuyasha could understand her grief, never knowing his own parents very well before their deaths.

"Excuse me," Saphira said getting up from the table and running out of the room.

Sesshoumaru sighed and got up as well.

"Should we try to find him?" Inuyasha asked uncertainly.

Sesshoumaru stopped in the doorway. "I am not sure that would help the situation."

Inuyasha frowned, but made up his mind and left the dining room too.

Sesshoumaru stood at the window in his study. The window was facing the garden.

"How long has she been out there?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"A few hours, my Lord," Rin answered. "She is still grieving."

"Where is Inuyasha?"

"He left, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru turned at this. "When?"

"This morning, just after breakfast, my Lord," Rin said.

Sesshoumaru growled, then said. "Make sure she isn't hungry."

"Yes, my Lord," Rin bobbed and left the study. She made her way to the kitchen and picked up a small plate of food. She then left the kitchen and went to the garden. Saphira was sitting by the small brook underneath the cherry blossom tree.

"My Lady?" Rin said uncertainly.

"Yes?" Came the soft reply, her face was pale, but her eyes were dry.

"I brought you some food, my Lady," Rin said approaching Saphira with the plate.

"No thank you, Rin," Saphira said looking up at Rin.

Rin bobbed and left the garden passing Sesshoumaru on her way into the house.

"Please, my Lord," Rin pleaded.

"What?" Sesshoumaru didn't know what Rin wanted.

"Talk to her, my Lord," Rin pleaded. "She is alone in this world, and has no friends."

Rin hurried away before Sesshoumaru could reply. Sesshoumaru made his way out to the garden to find Saphira studying her face in the reflection of the water.

"Why must we all conceal who we are and how we feel?" Saphira asked.

Sesshoumaru was taken aback by her question and simply sat down next to her.

"I don't even know who she is," Saphira said gesturing at her reflection. "But I don't know him either."

She smiled at his reflection. "We don't even know each other. How are we supposed to marry?"

"How do people marry in your time?" Sesshoumaru asked.

She laughed. "Well, it's supposed to be boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy loses girl, and boy wins girl back."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Is that some sort of mating dance?"

Saphira laughed even harder. "No...no, it's a sequence of events. You know, the way something is supposed to happen?"

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow at this. "Like becoming a lord?"

"Yes!" Saphira said. "There are certain things that have to happen before you can become lord. It's the same concept with marriage, there are things that have to happen before the marriage can take place."

"Like?"

"Like falling in love!"

"What does love have to do with marriage?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Both of Saphira's eyebrows shot up at this comment. "Love has everything to do with marriage. That is why people get married because they love one another. Didn't your father marry Inuyasha's mother for love?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed to invisable slits. "My father did many foolish things, things that eventually caused his death."

"You call marrying the woman you love foolish?" Saphira exploded. "And what about you, Sesshoumaru? Are you going to marry for something 'foolish' like love? Or are you going to marry so that you can get more land!"

She stood up and stomped off before Sesshoumaru could reply. She passed Rin in the hallway.

"Rin?"

"Yes, my Lady?" Rin had heard the argument in the garden and could barely contain her laughter.

Saphira didn't notice this. "Please bring me some lunch."

"Yes, my Lady," Rin bobbed and hurried off to the kitchen. On her way to there she passed Sesshoumaru.

"One minute she's crying and the next she's blowing up in my face," he muttered, then he caught sight of Rin.

"Rin!"

"Yes, my Lord?"

"What should I do, Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked her.

"Why are you asking me, my Lord?" Rin asked nervously.

He waved his hand at her question. "You know humans better than me. I do not understand this girl."

"Well, my Lord, from what I can tell love plays a very important role in her society," Rin started slowly. "She does not know how it is in this society. The concept of a woman marrying a man without loving him is completely foreign to her. She also does not know that in this society, you must marry the person you are betrothed to or there will be severe repercussions. And the two of you are betrothed..."

"I know all of this, Rin," Sesshoumaru growled. "What I want to know is what to do about it all?"

Rin thought for a moment, then smiled. "Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl...that's what you're supposed to do right? Chivalry, my Lord. Fall in love with her, and she will fall in love with you."

Sesshoumaru looked like he was about to protest, but Rin cut him off.

"You asked me, my Lord," Rin shrugged. "You could take her lunch to her...?"

Sesshoumaru, defeated, nodded slowly and followed Rin into the kitchen. He took the tray that Rin prepared and made his way up to his room that Saphira currently occupied.

He knocked, and when he heard, "Come in." He entered the room.

"Thank you, Rin, I'm s-" she stopped when she turned and saw Sesshoumaru. "Where's Rin?"

"She had other things she had to attend to," Sesshoumaru said coolly, setting the tray on the small table.

"Thank you," Saphira said quietly, she felt bad about her outburst earlier. Her host had been very kind to her and she had forgotten her manners.

Many weeks went by and Sesshoumaru continued to court Saphira and she found herself often gazing into amber eyes. She finally realized that she was falling for the boy, and decided to learn more about his family.

She found herself in the library with a very old man.

"Excuse me?" Saphira said.

"Eh?" Mayr grunted looking up. "Oh! Mistress Saphira! What can I help you with?"

"Well, could you tell me about Lord Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's family?" She asked shyly.

"Ah, want to know what you're getting youreself into, huh?" He winked at her. "I can certainly help you!"

He began to tell her about Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's family history, but when he got to the war between her family and theirs things got interesting.

"So, they finally made a pact with each other so that the fighting could stop. They would join their families together by marriage, thus bringing the east and the west together at long last!" Mayr said.

"But, my family was killed and my father was banished!" Saphira said.

"Ah, yes, very sad, I'm afraid," Mayr admitted. "But your father did sire you."

"But, my father was banished and had no claim on my families lands," Saphira argued.

"Yes, that is true. Your father would have no claim on the land, but you do," Mayr said.

"What do you mean?"

"The sins of the father are not passed on to the children," Mayr said. "You are the only heir to the family's lands and estates. That would make you very wealthy indeed! Anyone would marry you for lands you possess."

That was the wrong thing to say, and Mayr unconsciously upset Saphira.

'He only wants me for my land!' Saphira thought hotly. 'Well, he won't get my family's land!'

"Thank you, Mayr," Saphira said getting up to leave.

"You're welcome, my Lady," Mayr said bowing.

Saphira made her way to the room she had been staying in. She was fuming, and unfortunitely, she didn't always think straight when she was angry. It was near dusk and all the servants were busy preparing the evening meal.

Saphira quickly dressed in the clothes she had come through the well in, and belted her sword to her side. She crept out of the house and through the garden silently.

"Where is Saphira?" Sesshoumaru asked as he sat down for dinner.

"She was in the library, my Lord," Rin answered pouring him a glass of wine.

"Well, send someone to fetch her!" Sesshoumaru commanded. He had gotten used to her presence, and missed her sorely.

He drank his wine slowly, enjoying the taste, when he noticed Mayr standing guilty in the doorway.

"Are you going to tell me what you've done, Mayr? Or are you going to stand there all night?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Mayr walked into the room, his head was still bowed. "I have made a grievous error, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows at this. "Continue."

"I unconciously insintuated that you..." Mayr stopped, afraid to go on.

Sesshoumaru growled.

"That you only wanted to marry Mistress Saphira for her land and wealth," Mayr choked.

"WHAT!" Sesshoumaru roared. "She has no land!"

"Oh, but she does, my Lord!" Mayr said earnestly. "She is the heir to the eastern lands of Ryuu!"

"Those lands have been occupied by Saibairyuukotsusei!" Sesshoumaru yelled.

"Yes, but they are not his lands, they belong to the rightful heir. Since Doragon was banished, the next in line would inherit it," Mayr said. "They are Saphira's lands."

"Oh no," Sesshoumaru breathed.

"Sesshoumaru! She's gone!" Rin yelled running into the room.

"Oh, no"

Once Saphira had gotten over the wall of the garden, she transformed into her dragon form. Within a few beats of her wings she was in the air and flying over Sesshoumaru's castle, she let a roar tear from her jaws and flew into the sunset.

She flew for several miles, until she was well away from Sesshoumaru castle, then landed and reverted into human form. She wanted to accomplish one of the many reasons she had come into the past. She wanted to find her father, but she didn't know where to find him.

"Have you lost something, lovey?" Came a familiar voice from the shadows.

"Oh, no."