It took a while, but when my eyes finally opened, I found myself staring at a ceiling and surrounded by unknown walls. I was buried in covers with a towel on my forehead. The sound of bones popping back into their joints filled the air as I moved my arms to move myself from the futon. I must have been out of commission for a while. After pulling myself up, I tossed my unruly hair behind me and observed the bandage that covered my chest. Luckily, I didn't open my sore wounds. I found a couple of white robes and threw them on. Unaccustomed to dressing while bruised, it took me some time to get dressed, but I managed to do it. After looking around some more, I found the door that led into the halls of where ever I was. Since there wasn't anyone around, I decide to go and find someone. I scanned the area for any type of movement, but found none. Was I alone in here?

I walked until I found my way outside. My gaze was met by the sight of a courtyard covered in snow. I thought I would be sick of seeing the frozen water, but it was surprisingly comforting. The snow glistened in the sun's rays alongside bleached flowers. Even with the cold weather, the flowers bloomed, exposing their white, pale blue, and cerulean petals. The tops of ponds were frozen, but the fish continued to swim without a care in the world. I walked into the frozen garden, mystified by it. Everywhere looked clean and crisp, as though nature had preserved this place to revel in its own beauty. I took in the cold beauty as I searched for another person, taking in the shrine that stood in the distance. Shortly after, I stumbled across another being.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" I asked.

The man turned to face me, revealing that he had similar features to the girl I had encountered earlier. Simply remembering her gave me a headache and intensified the soreness of my chest. The main difference between the two, other than their gender, was that this man's hair reached his shoulders and had a blueish tint to it. His sky blue kimono didn't make it easier to see him.

"Ah, the beautiful lady has woken." he said as he bowed lightly "This is the village elder's household."

"Where is everybody else?"

"They are meeting in a room in the main building."

"Oh, I see."

I can't just barge into a meeting, especially not this one. The whole reason we came here was meet with them. I would only cause a disruption. But now I was stuck with an unidentified man.

"I will return to the room I was provided."

"I am sure you tire of having no other company."

"Then you misread me." I told him as coldly as I could.

"I did not intend to make you hostile."

"Then what is it that you intended?"

"I intended to keep the company of a gorgeous woman."

"I am sure you can find another." I replied as I started to leave.

The man held my wrist to still me before letting go.

"No beauty compares to your own."

"You flatter me unnecessarily."

"I flatter you justly."

"What do you aim to achieve through this flattery?"

"I aim to attain your heart."

"Do you not know that I am already mated?"

"I know very well of your mating to Sesshomaru along with his lineage's tendencies." The man said as he circled around me. "His family's preference of their second mate over their first is more than well known."

I stared the guy, shocked at what he had just said, and how it rang true with Sesshomaru's father, and InuYasha. Were Sesshomaru's ancestors as this man had said? I erased the thought from my head, choosing to place my trust in Sesshomaru, just as I have before.

"Then Sesshomaru will be the outlier."

The man seemed to chuckle at my words through his eyes.

"One can never be too certain. All I ask for is a space in your memory should anything happen that would separate you two." He said as he kissed my hand.

I wanted to reply to him, to refuse his request, but our conversation was disrupted.

"Yuki, there you are. You should not have walked out like that." I heard a familiar voice cry out.

I took my hand away from the man and gave a short glare to the women who had broken my rib. The man I was talking to, Yuki, gazed at the woman before speaking.

"Perhaps you are right, Mizuki." He said as he walked toward her. "But I believe that my presence was unnecessary."

"Brother, you will be the one to take over once father's time is up. Please, be reasonable."

"Are you one to talk about being reasonable, little sister? Your irrationality caused this mess." the man replied coldly before leaving.

The two were siblings, and the children of this land's lord. Why was it that I just so happen to be caught up in both of their affairs? While one hates me, the other wishes to court me? Hopefully, I will be able to forget this all when I return to the manor.

"You, what were you doing with my brother?"

"I was having a chat with him."

Her glare narrowed as she approached me. "Do not think that you can trick him as you have Lord Sesshomaru."

"You should, at least, assume plausible things. Sesshomaru is, and will be my only mate. The next time you suggest such a thing, or that I have tricked Sesshomaru, I will not let it go so easily."

"And what will you do?" she asked, testing me.

"I'll crush your pathetic little existence." I said before walking past her.

I walked into what seemed to be the main part of the house, and was glad to see other people. I walked around, ignoring the blatant stares I received. The halls had thrown me for a loop, but I was able to navigate my way through and find my way to Sesshomaru. Once our eyes met, a wave of relief washed over me. I was glad to finally see someone I knew. Sesshomaru was in the company of an older looking man who had a tired smile on his face. Though I acknowledged the older man's presence, I made my way over to Sesshomaru and threw my arms around him. I let my head fall onto his unarmored chest and took in his scent. My feeling of alienation disappeared as his familiar presence seemed to carry me.

"You are awake." he said as I felt his hand run through my hair.

"I am." I said before eventually removing myself from him.

I faced the older man and bowed slightly as a silent apology for my actions.

"There is no need for you to apologize to me." the man said with a dismissive wave. "It must have been hard for you to wake up in a foreign place without your mate."

His voice sounded like the embodiment of aged wisdom, crisp, and weary. His years of experience had seeped into his very voice, silently commanding respect and complete attention. The man's gray hair was tied into a knot on top of his head, and his cerulean eyes seemed to be laden with knowledge. His skin was not s pale as the others' I had seen. Instead, his skin held somewhat of a light tan, and held wrinkles in his brows form his years of scrutinizing.

"I would like to apologize for my daughter's behavior. I never expected her take such extreme actions." he said as he bowed his head.

"I accept your apology on her behalf." I said without hesitation.

The older man looked at me with intrigued eyes. "You do?"

"I have had my own share of conversations with her, and I can tell she proves to be troublesome." I explained. "I know Sesshomaru will not allow this situation to blow over, but I will hold no grudge against you or your daughter."

I watched the aged man as a load of worry was lifted off of his strained shoulder. The older lord bowed before leaving Sesshomaru and I to each other's company. It really is cruel for a child to leave such heavy burdens on their parents.

"Why is it that you have such a softened heart?"

"I hate the thought of a parent burying their child."

"And what if you had not recovered? What if I had lost you to that storm?"

"I'd rather not think about it.

"You did not wake up for days."

I sighed. His worry warmed my heart, yet also filled it with guilt and grief. I couldn't dismiss this. He was right to want to punish the party responsible for hurting me, but I didn't have the heart to do it. A lot of things could have gone wrong, worst being that I died.

"I'm sorry for making you worry like that, but holding off my forgiveness would have placed that man in a situation similar to your own. He did nothing to deserve it."

"…"

"My death would have affected you, but you have Tensaiga. He does not. Since I am alive and well, a warning and probation should be enough. There's no need for death if we can avoid it."

He brought me back into his embrace. I held him back and enjoyed the silence that came with his company.