Author's Note: Carrying on. . .thanks to everybody for suggestions and reviews! Otherwise, not much to ramble on about. Thanks to everyone who reads! Please read n' review, it makes me feel all happy and fuzzy!

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha, not me.

Inutaisho sat in the grass still staring at the young woman in front of him. A cool breeze stirred through the trees. He had hardly realized she had asked him a question. She sat staring at him also, a puzzled look on her face. She had never seen a demon before, and had heard that the ones in human form were the most dangerous. But this creature in front of her seemed to be completely harmless.

Inutaisho blinked a few times, clearing his head. He couldn't believe he had been taken so off guard by this simple situation. "Yes. . .I got rid of the bandits that attacked you." he said at last.

The girl looked relieved. "Thank you so much!" she said, a smile brightening her face. She suddenly became serious. "Are. . . you a demon?" she asked quietly, staring at the ground.

Inutaisho understood. "Yes, I am a demon." he said, an air of disappointment in his voice. He was sure she would scream and run away. "However, I assure you that you have nothing to fear from me." he said quickly. He turned toward the slain guards. "In fact, let me help you further." he told her.

Standing over the guards' bodies, he drew Tenseiga from its sheath. After a moment, he saw the emissaries of the afterlife standing over them, preparing to take them away. He made a swift stroke, and the imps faded into dust. The guards began to stir, and sat up and looked around in confusion. One started at the sight of him, and reached for his sword.

"Stop!" the young woman cried out to him. "This man saved me!" "He has even brought you back from the dead!" she said, hardly believing her own words.

"Lady Izayoi, this is no man!" the guard shouted at her. "He is a demon, a great demon at that!" "No other kind can transform into the form of a human body!" "He is extremely dangerous!" he said frantically.

"Quiet Tetsuya!" a voice called from behind him. The leader of the guards had awoken and taken in his surroundings. "Can you not see that Lady Izayoi tells the truth?" he asked. "I know I was wounded, and I felt my life slipping away." "I am certain I was dead, but suddenly I awoke as if from a dark dream." "Demon though he may be, this man has indeed saved us." "We owe our very lives to him." he finished.

"Let us continue on to the castle then, Ryujiro." the guard called Tetsuya said. The small band regrouped and readied themselves to continue their journey. The chests were reloaded onto the carriage, and the horses were put back into their harnesses.

"Thank you so much for all your help." the lady Izayoi said to the kind demon who had saved them. She bowed low to him. "Please, before I go, will you tell me your name so that I may remember you always?" she asked.

At that moment Inutaisho felt a strange warmth building inside him. Looking into her eyes as she asked him that question, he felt that he would have done anything she asked. "My name is Inutaisho." he told her softly.

"My lord Inutaisho, thank you again." "I will never forget you." she said genuinely. She stood looking at him for a moment, reluctant to turn away from him.

As she turned to step back into the carriage, Inutaisho felt a sudden panic at the thought of never seeing her again. His rational mind was quickly being overwhelmed as he found himself speaking once again. "May I escort you back to your home to ensure that you arrive safely?" he heard himself ask.

"Of course, if it is your wish it is the least we could allow for your services." the leader, Ryujiro told him. "We should be there by sunset." he said.

The group traveled on to their destination in peace, and they arrived at sunset as Ryujiro had predicted. There was much fanfare when they arrived and the story of their incredible rescue filtered through the castle. Izayoi's father, Lord Katashi thanked Inutaisho many times over for his daughter's safe return, but Inutaisho saw the look of fear and suspicion in his eyes when he praised him.

After all the commotion settled down Lord Katashi approached him just after night had completely fallen."I cannot thank you enough for rescuing my daughter and bringing her back safely to me." he began. "However, I am certain a great demon lord such as yourself has grown weary of our petty praises; we certainly must not detain you here any longer." he told him.. Inutaisho knew well what he meant. "Lord Takemaru of Setsuna will certainly be grateful as well for you returning his future bride unharmed." "He is away in the south with my army now." "They are to be married in the summer." he said with emphasis.

Inutaisho felt as if someone had dealt him a heavy blow just under his ribs. He tried to look unaffected. "You speak too lowly of yourself my lord." Inutaisho told him. "But, I suppose it would be best if I were on my way." he said, trying to hide the touch of sadness in his voice. What was it about the young princess that held him in such sway?

Inutaisho took his leave of Lord Katashi once again, and began his long trip to Toutousai's. He had almost forgotten about visiting the old swordsmith. Each step he took felt heavier than the last, until he suddenly found himself standing still in the forest, staring up at the stars. He looked up into the cold night sky. Why was he so haunted with thoughts with Lady Izayoi? Thoughts of her beauty and kindness were all that had filled his mind since her first spoke to her. She had taken his defense without question at the young guards threat to him. She had a kind and loving heart, that much he was sure of. Beauty inside and out was a rare find indeed.

He shook his head and growled at himself. He could not do this. It would only end badly for the both of them if he returned to her. Never the less, he found his feet moving back in the direction they had come from. He suddenly realized that the restless, empty feeling in his heart was growing again. In just the short amount of time he had spent in the presence of the lady Izayoi, it had ebbed away to nothing. He quickened his pace.

Inutaisho slipped quietly along the perimeter of the castle, looking for what might be Izayoi's bed chambers. He did not have to look far. The doors to a large room were open overlooking the castle gardens. Izayoi sat on a bench in the garden, looking up at the sky, as he had done earlier. He approached her in silence. He suddenly had the urge to embrace her, protect her. Always.

She suddenly sensed the presence behind her, and stood and turned quickly around. She stared at him in shock when she saw him in the shadows. "Lord Inutaisho, what are you doing here?" she asked in a sharp whisper. "If my father sees you here, he will. . ." she trailed off.

"I only wished to . . . he started, but fell silent. What was he supposed to tell her? That he wanted to see her again? That in just the few hours they had spent together, she had eased his heart in a way that no one ever had? Ridiculous.

"I only wished to see that you were safe." he finally said, embarrassed at himself.

She smiled. "Thank you." she said again, her eyes full of compassion. They stared at each other for a long moment. Inutaisho decided to speak up.

"Your father informed me that you are to be married this summer." he said quietly. The thought still made him feel ill.

"Yes, to Lord Takemaru of Setsuna." she said, a trace of unhappiness in her voice. "He is a good man." she finished, as though she were trying to convince herself. She hadn't really given it much thought until this afternoon, when she saw Lord Inutaisho. . .

Izayoi looked at small stream running through the garden for a moment. She didn't want Lord Inutaisho to go, she felt safe and at ease in his presence. But what reason did he have to stay? She decided to change the subject. "How were you able to bring the guards back to life?" she suddenly asked in wonder.

They fell into conversation then, Inutaisho telling her of Tessaiga and Tenseiga, and old Toutousai. They talked for several hours, on into the early hours of the morning. He suddenly found that she was beginning to nod off. He put his hand gently on her arm to steady her. "You should go to bed now." he told her warmly. She suddenly perked up.

"But. . . you will. . .you will return tomorrow won't you?" she asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"Just as I did tonight." he promised. He could deny her nothing now. He watched her go inside and slide the doors closed. He smiled to himself as he stood up, and decided that he would go to Toutousai's home that day, and return that night. If he used his ability for speed, he could make a short trip out of it. He hurried on toward Toutousai's and as the afternoon wore on and his sword was repaired, he made the journey back to Izayoi's home.

He did return that night, and every night after even through the long winter months. They spent many hours talking to one another and became closer with each passing day. As winter approached its end, Inutaisho held her close as he told her grand stories of the things he had seen. When they were together, thoughts of the consequences rarely entered their minds. But rumors were already beginning to circulate, in both demon and human circles. A threat was approaching, and it would make itself known soon.