I could barely will my eyes to open as my consciousness started to return and connect my thoughts to my physical body. The pain in my chest ached and was begged me to stay still, to allow myself to heal. I would have listened to my body's pleas for inactivity if I wasn't buried in snow. Unless I wanted to die of hypothermia or asphyxiation, I had no choice but to move. It took me a while, but I managed to pull my way out of the snow. I took a huge, painful breath of air before slowly wiping off the remnants of my frigid burial. Every muscle in my body was chilled stiff, making movement much harder to occur. Even so, I attempted to stand, and found myself giving up rather quickly. I was thwarted by intense chest pains that somehow made my frozen body feel like thousands of microscopic needles were being stabbed into it. I decided to wait a while before I attempted to move again, and would instead allow my eyes to readjust to the light of the sun. Not soon later, a voice as fragile as glass floated into my ears.
"There is nothing special about her!" the voice said, sounding very distraught.
"I didn't think I would be welcomed so warmly after getting out of that ice trap." I replied, brimful with sarcasm.
"You are truly horrible; you lack all the qualities of a true lady!"
"Does it look... like I care?" I asked as I sat myself against a tree, blinking the dark spots out of my vision.
The wind picked up, sending another chill down my back as it carried snow to a spot a couple of feet in front of me. The snow continued to pile up in that spot before condensing into the shape of a young woman. The snow-filled wind then filled in her details, giving her white hair, tear-filled pale blue eyes, lips, ears, markings 'cross her cheeks, fingernails, etcetera. When the wind died back down, I noticed that her fists were clenched and that she was biting her lip gingerly.
"Do you come here to torment me, to rub in the fact that Sesshomaru chose you?!"
I ignored her, trying to make the pain in my chest subside. I warily placed my hand on my chest, only to wince from the unbearable pain that coursed through my body, stimulating my thawing muscles as I yanked my hand away. At least one rib was definitely broken.
"Are you listening to me?!" The demoness questioned.
"I would prefer to deal with this pain without you shrieking in my ear." I growled back.
"Shrieking? How dare you?!"
"And you only proceed to get louder."
"Your audacity is repulsive. I do not understand how you won Lord Sesshomaru's favor, and how I did not. It upsets me to the point that I let it snow for so long."
I sat quietly before speaking again. "Are you serious?" I let out a stressed sigh and held my head. I had almost immediately dismissed the thought, but now it turns around to rear its ugly head. I mean, I wouldn't infringe on a contract created between my home and a larger, not to mention more powerful, nation because I was upset that someone I liked didn't chose me to marry him. I'd understand depression, but this was ridiculous. She was endangering people's very livelihoods. If there's one thing I absolutely hate, its spoiled brats. Unfortunately for me, those were the only two words floating around in my head.
"Then I assume you were the one that did this to me."
"You brought it upon yourself. You should not have come here."
"Then I… am correct?"
"I do not know." she said as she puffed out her chest and turned her back to me.
'You ought to be careful before I scar that pretty little back of yours.'
Whoa, calm down Tiger.
'I am closest to a Shiba inu.'
It was a metaphor.
Would Sesshomaru be a Kishu inu?
Does it matter?
"If this pup isn't careful, her bark will get her into a dangerous situation."
"I am no pup." The girl responded, astounded by my warning.
She said that out loud? Oh dear.
"Your behavior has me fooled then." I growled.
"Ha! If anything, you speak for yourself. You growl at me, but here you lie, weak."
She kicked her foot into my already injured chest, sending a new wave of numbed pain over me as my breath escaped to some unknown place. I soon found myself holding my freezing chest again as I pulled myself out of the snow I somehow ended up in. I could feel my warm blood seeping through the first few layers of my kimono, clinging to whatever it touched. I took me forever to regain my breath, but when I did the little patience I had left me.
"Lord, give me patience." I said aside with bated breaths.
"Completely, and utterly pathetic." The girl spat.
"You really are imprudent. Do you realize that you have assaulted me twice now?"
"What of it?"
"Are you truly so spoiled that you delude yourself in your own world?"
"You speak nonsense."
"You aren't the first… to say that." I replied.
"Really? And who was this other person who agrees with me?"
"Sesshomaru." I said before giving off a pained chuckle. "He finds it endearing, I believe."
The girl's face instantly reddened as she allowed her emotions to control her. "My hatred for you will never fade! You stole him from me, and you know it!"
"Stole? In order to steal, one must own. He was never yours, so stealing, is not the word you should use."
"Shut your mouth already!"
"What's wrong? Can't you think of anything better to say? Or are you realizing that you cannot hold a discourse with me for anytime longer than a minute?"
"How dare you?! Now you assault my intellect? You are a horrid creature!"
"At least I am a horrid creature who understands that the world does not revolve around me, and takes time to contemplate the consequences of my actions."
"Do you think that I do not think of such things?"
"Then you understand the situation you have placed yourself in." I stated, ignoring my shallow breathing.
"Of course I do."
You realize that Inu's are very prideful creatures, especially Sesshomaru."
"Even a peasant would know that." the girl sneered.
"Then I assume… that you also know that Sesshomaru is very protective."
"Would you stop your round-about ways? I've told you; I can think just as well as you, if not better."
"Truly? Then you also realize that Sesshomaru does not enjoy having those he protects assaulted." I said as my body started to go numb.
"As I have said, I have thought of this. His rage will not reach me. I am not under his jurisdiction. Have you forgotten?"
"Your understanding is as superficial as your personality. Have you forgotten that you have broken the pact that keeps you from being under his jurisdiction, the very pact that keeps you safe from his rage?"
She was silent.
"And you do know that the scent of my blood acts as a lit candle at night in a leveled field?"
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. His entrance was prominent, considering the fact that he was in his large dog form. He stared at me before lowering his head to sniff me. I brushed my fingertips across his warm nose, finding comfort in his intense aura. I didn't realize how cold and tired I was until Sesshomaru shrank back to his human form and caressed my cheek with a warm hand. For once, I couldn't read his facial expression. I prided myself on my ability to understand his silent language, but his mask this time was impenetrable, reflecting my inquisitive glances like a mirror. Maybe I couldn't read him because I was going delusional from blood loss.
"Kazumi." Sesshomaru called as he knelt next to me.
"I'm still upset with you." I joked as I placed my hand on his cheek. "My speech isn't intolerable now, is it?"
When he tried to move me, I winced as my ecstasy lost its anesthetic like effect. His hands left my body as he turned his back to me. I could only watch as Sesshomaru walked towards the girl as her skin managed to pale further.
"You harmed my mate." he stated.
She remained silent.
"I will also assume that you are the cause of this snow. Do you understand the charges you have placed against yourself?" He asked as he towered over the girl.
She tried to back away, but lost her footing and fell.
"You are subject to my judgment, and my verdict is death." He said as he took out Bakusaiga. The girl was quaking in her boots as more tears formed in her eyes.
Just as Sesshomaru brought his sword up, readying to kill the girl, I spoke up. "I think that's enough, Sesshomaru." I said as I felt a sinister grin creep onto my face.
"…Why should I let her live?"
"Why? Do you think killing her would make things simpler?" I attempted to get up, but ended up hurting myself further.
"Her death would not affect anything."
I wanted to roll my eyes. Some iron pills and pain killers would make this a lot more bearable.
"We didn't come here to kill."
"She harmed what is mine."
"That's true, but that doesn't mean you have to kill her."
"Allowing her to live is a sign of weakness."
"It is not your place to judge. It is mine."
"My place is to keep and protect you. Not striking is irrational."
"I'm… not going to argue with you." My eyes suddenly became heavy, as my consciousness faded.
My body was too tired to keep up with my will. The pain from a broken bone, blood loss, and oncoming frostbite had shut me down entirely. I had ignored it for far too long, and this was my punishment. Though this is my second time having a rib broken I was not prepared for this excruciating pain. Maybe the pain differs because I was knocked out the first time, and wasn't freezing at the same time.
