An: Thank you all for reviewing! YOU GUYS ROCK and oh yeah I don't own any of Inuyasha just this idea for the last one thousand chappies. Sorry about the delay I came down with a virus and haven't been in school for days.
0000
Arashi floated into the woods, finding the sound of the waterfall soothing. As the red cloud dissipated he felt his spirits lifting. Wasn't he too young to be married? Didn't his father care that he wasn't really in love with that girl.
Sighing he twisted his hair up and around placing two chopsticks in the thick silky bun. And after a few deep breaths he removed his small katana and began to go through his exercises.
The twilight came in the heavens as Arashi removed his robe and pants revealing long alabaster legs, a white loincloth wrapped around his delicate waist. Loosening his hair he slipped into the water, summoning his magic to scrub away his sweat, conjuring bubbles to wash the rest of his hair. Surfacing after a long five minutes, he stared up at the sky. The stars already coming out, Arashi smiled sitting back in the water that was rapidly losing its shield of bubbles. Here he felt at home, here there wasn't any responsibility or the vision of that icy girl.
"What are you doing?"
Arashi jumped and turned stupidly his cheeks flaming, there crouched on a small tree stump in the middle of the clearing was Midori Tsuki, gone was her long kimono. Now she wore more of a free flowing western style dress with a high empire waist. The patterns embroidered on the fabric were still extravagant, and her hair was bradied into two long pigtails tied with bits of colored ribbon. Lying next to the stump was a long pole, tipped with a sharp blade called a Wushu snake spear.
Arashi quickly conjured a spray of large pink bubbles and slipped under water, and swimming under the waterfall to the small ledge. Standing he used more magic to dry out his wet body and drape himself in a long robe that skirted his ankles. Stepping out from behind the waterfall he blushed. Midori was at the edge of the water playing with the soap bubbles, popping a few with her long fingernails those of which were a sign of royalty in the Japanese caste system.
"Why do you grow your nails, you don't belong with human royalty." He began casually hoping that he would stop blushing soon.
"Don't worry I didn't see anything" she looked up at him, and he was shocked. She wore no makeup save for the strange symbol on her forehead.
Arashi gulped, feeling the wind rustling his trousers beside the girl, turning she picked them up and grinned adding "I didn't see much, but enough of those nice long legs of yours."
Arashi groaned and sunk to the grass, going from white to red to purple and then blue. He remained that strange tinge for a long time, until Midori threw him the white pants.
"I grow my nails because it makes me look desirable." She replied averting her eyes as Arashi scrambled into his trousers.
"For who, the human males?"
Midori grinned "No for pale haired boys like you."
Arashi balked and nearly fell into the water "I thought you didn't like me, Midori" he yelped suddenly red again.
"I changed my mind, what's the harm in that?" she answered coyly, seeing the moon starting to peak out from the clouds.
"I wonder if the moon is full in the modern world too" she muttered, closing her eyes. When she opened them Arashi hadn't moved, he was staring at her spear near the tree stump.
"You?"
"Fight, yes. My parents didn't train me to be entirely a harmless little girl."
She heard a snort and watched as Arashi rolled his eyes, Midori bit her tongue so she wouldn't laugh, he was still bitter. She had done so much to Arashi, Midori wondered if it were possible to still make him love her… Momentarily she felt the fear froma few hours agoreturn and Midori took a deep breath. Resolving to change her ways, to learn to…
"It's getting dark we should be getting home soon." Arashi's voice broke her thoughts, he was still very embarrassed, as he passed her and picked up his shirt and weapon.
"You don't want to spar?" Midori cried shocked, Arashi straightened and looked down at her.
"For Kami's sake no, you've given me enough exercise to last ten weeks of training."
Now Midori laughed loudly and Arashi turned crimson once more
"Will you forgive me?" she asked innocently
Arashi seemed thrown off guard by her sudden change, he stood there staring for a long time.
"I don't know, but we should be getting back. Mother will be handing out all sorts of treasures from your homeland and I shall not miss that." This time Midori was thrown at the intense look on his face. It quickly faded as he reached out his hand
"I don't think you want to walk back to the castle in that" he said motioning to her frilly dress which pooled around her thin form.
"No lady would dream of it" she teased and took his hand, after gathering her spear Arashi conjured the warm pale red cloud and they floated up and away to the mansion, where a mountain of gifts awaited.
0000
Once inside she followed Arashi's willowy form to the heart of the mansion. Here it was darker, the screens were painted with grotesque flowers and strange demons, the ceiling made of teak painted with things that were to dirty to see. This was part of the mansion that maybe had not or could not be restored, finally at one of the largest and thickest screen doors Arashi knocked.
"Come in" Lady Rin's voice chimed, Arashi slid open the screen door to reveal a beautiful wood paneled room, painted with scenes from Japan and China. Sitting on the woven floor was Lady Rin and Lord Sesshoumaru dozens of unopened boxes all around, cushions scattered about. Sesshoumaru was playing with his wife's hair before sticking a red peony behind her ear.
Arashi ran up to his parents and tackled his father with a deep hug and then kissed his mother's cheek, gently enveloping her in an equally warm embrace.
Midori watched the family with a detached gaze, her left hand was shaking as Sesshoumaru's golden eyes came to rest on her form.
"Rin, this new fashion is quite becomes the girl."
Midori felt her cheeks flame and walked over as Sesshoumaru motioned her forward. Sitting beside Arashi, she felt awkward as Arashi began to talk excitedly to his mother. He seemed to turn back to the dense headed little boy she had met less then twenty four hours ago.
A soft hand touched her shoulder, Midori stiffened and looked up into the kind eyes of Lady Rin.
"Are you homesick? I brought some things from Amon Suu for you." And there laid out before her was several boxes of her personal things. Small containers of perfumes and powders, her mother's pearl handled brushes. Her father's signet ring, Midori felt her throat catch. When Lady Rin had come there had been no time to pack, her father had rushed her out of Amon Suu with a note of finality, of disownment.
"Thank you." She whispered feeling the tears building up in her eyes, Rin smiled
"Be glad you have parents who are with you. Because once they are gone, there is never any way they will ever be able to come back."
For a moment Midori detected a hint of sadness in the majestic Lady's voice, a flash of sorrow across brown eyes.
With a shaking hand she picked up her father's ring and placed it on her middle finger, the crest of the Tsuki family shining in the lamplight.
Sesshoumaru relaxed at the sight of Rin and Midori exchanging quiet words, his son had ceased his chatty ways and turned to the two women. A genuine smile appearing on his immortally young features.
"Father?" Arashi turned a look of uncertainty in his young eyes
"Do you realise how hard it is for Midori to be here?" Sesshoumaru replied pushing a box to his son, who stared at it for a moment.
"I don't understand"
"From what Rin has told me, young women of high caste have it very hard. Their destiny is not their own. It is dictated by their father and husband. With this arranged marriage, your mother and I are trying to give Midori back her destiny. It is entirely up to her whether or not she will marry you… In either six months or six weeks or a year. Your duty is to come to understand her as a person. And hopefully if the both of you develop some feeling for one another, there will be a grand wedding come next year if not…" Sesshoumaru paused for a moment and added
"I would have to speak with Tsuki, it was already quite unfair to rip his only child from Amon Suu so early in her life… And to bring her here to court my son who has barely reached puberty."
Arashi felt a knot in his stomach tighten as his father spoke, he didn't want to believe it that all of this was moving too quickly… But now even Father was upset.
Arashi turned to hear his mother and Midori laughing oblivious to the serious conversation held a scant three feet from them. All the other boxes had been opened up around them and the two young women were dressing themselves up with all the jewelry and ribbons within.
Sesshoumaru relaxed against the cushion feeling the tension ease, his son was still very worried but proceeded to tear open the boxes with zeal. Squealing with delight at the new things his mother had brought from across Japan.
And that was how the rest of the evening went, until the two children had fallen asleep amid the boxes of ribbons and silk. Sesshoumaru sighed and picked up the two of them one under each arm and brought them to their soft beds full of down and warmth.
All the while wonderingwhat the gods would have in store for his son and daughter in law…