this caused sesshomaru to turn and cock an eyebrow at his ward and adoptive daughter.
"What makes you think that there is going to be any kind of union between Lady Kaida and myself?"
"well, probably the fact that you are actually making sure the place looks acceptable for when her father visits. something you have never done before, so my guess is that you are trying to make a good impression before telling her father that you to are head over heels about each other."
sesshomaru looked at his troops, they were now either staring in awe at rin for being so outspoken to the western lord or at sesshomaru because if what rin was saying was true then that meant their lady general had managed to melt the ice heart of the westren lord and also may possibly be becoming the new lady of the western lands. Or a mix of both.
"rin."
"yes mi'lord?"
"go stand with kaida. Lord ryu is bordering the lands and should be here in a few minutes."
rin did as she was told and sesshomaru even joined them just before lord ryu and his son keiji arrived through the castle gates.
"lord ryu, keiji."
"sesshomaru, still as formal as ever i see. good to see you."
"like wise."
"Father" kaida gave her father and brother huge hugs. "Keiji"
sesshomaru noticed that she looked radient when there was sincere warmth in her face at seeing her father and brother again.
"ah, kaida. lovely to see you. so how has he been looking after you? no spars that have almost ended in both of you being dead yet?"
"no father. not yet anyway. i haven't been here long. and sesshomaru knows the need of a warrior to rest before continuing training after a long journey."
"of course he does."
"so kaida, i think you and i need to talk." said keiji grabbing his sister's arm and dragging her away.
ryu and sesshomaru just stared as rin ran behind them after excusung herself.
"what was that about sesshomaru?"
"i have a vague idea."
"keiji stop! what is the meaning of this?" screamed kaida.
"what is going on between you and sesshomaru?"
"what! nothing."
"bull. come on you can tell me, remember when we were younger? we made a pact to tell each other anything and everything. so come on, tell."
"this is different. this is something i can't tell you because there is nothing to tell. Rin! tell him there is nothing going on between sesshomaru and i! Tell him!"
Rin looked and her teacher and then at the guy who could possibly be her uncle in the future.
"As much as i'd like to, i can't. I have suspicions of my own."
"really! what are they?" asked an over enthusiastic keiji.
Kaida left, leaving keiji and rin to discuss the suspicions.
kaida returned to her room, thinking that she might get a bit of peace and quiet before having to answer her brothers questions. sesshomaru would be in the middle of gradually getting to the fact that he and kaida were in, spose you could call it love.
but just after she got to her room there was a knock on the door.
"come in."
Sakaki entered the room.
"hey sakaki. what's going on."
"nothing much. i just wanted to ask you something."
"sure go ahead. what's it about?"
"it's about what i heard rin saying to lord sesshomaru."
"what was that?"
"that you have melted the ice heart of of our esteemed lord of the western lands. and that the reason lord ryu and keiji are here is so that he can ask if you can become his mate."
"what?"
"yeah! so is it true? are you about to become the lady of the western lands?"
"I doubt it."
"Oh, well theres goes the mens gossip." said sakaki going from slightly dissapointed to happy all in a matter of seconds. "But what do you mean by doubt it?"
"I mean, you've known the western lord for a good many years. Do you seriously believe that it would be possible for anyone in this world to melt the ice surrounding any form of a heart that sesshomaru might have? Do you seriously think that sesshomaru could care about anyone or thing but himself, rin and all he possesses?"
"I guess not. Oh well, just be warned lady general. The rumour mills gone haywire down at the barracks." With that sakaki left kaida to think about what kind of rumours the soldiers could come up with.
"Oh and by the way general kaida?" sakaki said sticking his head in the door.
"What is it?"
"sesshomaru asked me to tell you to start getting ready for dinner, and that he expects you dressed like a lady for once in the dining hall in 20 minutes."
"k, i'll be there."
20 minutes later
kaida was walking down to the dining hallwhen she ran into...kaze.
"kaze?"
"kaida, love, how are you? have you gotten anywhere in capturing his heart?"
"i'm fine. and of course i have i never fail a mission once i set out to it."
"well? whats happened?"
"we've gotten very close." kaida seemed almost reluctant to talk about it now. but she knew that if she didn't tell him about it now he would work it out of her later.
"is that all?"
"no. but if i tell you about it now, i'm going to be late for dinner. excuse me."
and as she started to walk off, she turned around and said playfully to him:
"well aren't you coming? you don't want to starve do you?"
kaze ran to catch up with her.
when they arrived at the dining hall everyone fell silent at seeing kaida dressed as the lady she was meant to be. and with Kaze.
all that could be heard was a barely audible growl coming from sesshomaru's throat.
Kaida could tell sesshomaru was jealous, so she walked right up to him and said
"can i talk to you for a minute."
"of course lady kaida." was his very flat response.
They walked out to the balcony with everyone's eyes following every step they took.
"what's the matter?"
"nothing"
"don't lie to me. I can tell something's bothering you."
"i'm fine."
"is it because i entered with Kaze?"
silence
"Hey what do i have to do to prove that there is nothing going on?"
silence
"hey how about this, am i dressed to your satisfaction mi'lord?" kaida asked playfully spinning around.
"You look beautiful. sigh "
"So what's wrong?"
"i'm just worried about what your family will say."
"hey relax, i'm the one who's related to them." kaida said reassuringly.
"Yeah, i spose your right, but soon i might be too."
"hey we can take 'em no worries."
"well that's a plus side."
Kaida and sesshomaru walked back inside, kaida smiling and sesshomaru with his same passive, stoic look on his face.
a servant then came to the door before any more questions could be asked.
"dinner is served." he shouted, his voice echoing through the hall.