Curiosity and wanderlust were powerful, but his responsibility to the West still prevailed. However, his return to the stronghold allowed Sesshoumaru to peruse the library in search of a gift for the miko.

Quickly selecting a scroll on youkai folklore, he tucked it into his robes before tackling the pile of missives on his desk.

The image of the miko engrossed in her oddly bound stories, her face bathed in firelight, had a permanent place in his mind, but he had a feeling such modern conveniences had been lost on the other side of time.

Hopefully, she would find the embellished tales of his ancestors just as entertaining.