{Chapter Eight}

I smiled as I finished checking the anchors on the barrier changing them after the wall around the palace had been fixed. It had been two weeks since that last spy in the palace had been caught, Commander Tsao. I had been so relieved when they informed me that my instincts were correct. It at least confirmed that I was not going insane although since that conversation two weeks ago on girl's night made me feel like I was.

I chuckled watching Shippo play with Rin's hair seeing how cute they were together. I hoped that Shippo would man up soon and ask her out already. I knew first hand through after seeing a potential suitor request permission to court Rin how Sesshomaru reacts to such things, it was the only time I have ever seen him be so ruthless. Everyone had tried to calm him down and it wasn't until I placed a hand on his shoulder that calmed him immediately that I realized that he did react to me differently than the others. It made things much worse for me, since all I wanted to do was run. Just as Kagome foretold.

"Lady Elessandria" Rain said behind me causing me to smile at her "You are being requested in the study"

"Of course, thank you Rain" I said softly before heading off towards his study quickly

I walked into surprised to sense how worried he was and looked at everyone in his study in confusion "You requested to see me Lord Sesshomaru" I said softly looking at him trying to find out what caused the distress

"the traitor has refused to talk despite all the methods that have been used" He explained, and I nodded in understanding "Kagome has informed this Sesshomaru that you may know of such means to get him to talk"

I twirled around to look at Kagome in shock "I heard stories of your skills and made the connection when you told me your code name" Kagome said sadly while I was still confused on why she never asked me about it

"Can you get him to talk?" Juntao questioned seriously looking over me and I nodded in confirmation

"I can try" I said seriously before looking at him "I need a knife, a flat board, a small pool of water, a cloth, and him to be sealed in a room with no natural light with his hands bonded behind his back and his ankles ties as well on blindfolded. I will charm them to seal away his powers"

"Just what do you plan to do?" Inuyasha questioned with confused and wide eyes

"Break him" I said seriously before turning from the room "General come retrieve me when everything is set up to lead me to the room"

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha shouted and I paused slightly

"To become the shadow again" I whispered sadly glancing at Kagome

I went back to my room and sat down allowing every guard to come back in place as I needed to become the one thing that I turned away from so long ago. I went into my forgotten pack pulling out black long sleeve shirt, pants, and gloves before pulling a hood over my head allowing me to disappear in the darkness. I grabbed a small bundle from the bottom of the pack. I didn't talk to Juntao as I followed him to the dungeon showing no emotion, my mask rivaled Sesshomaru's. I saw Sesshomaru's eyes attempt to read me as he stood outside the door and I nodded to him.

"Do not disrupt me once I enter this room, you will receive a full report when I gain what we need" I said with no emotion and I could see Juntao flinch slightly at the harshness that he had never heard from me before

I walked into the room shutting the door without another word allowing the darkness to surround me. I walked up to Tsao placing a seal on his powers taking away his demonic abilities temporarily allowing him to be rendered defenseless. I set up the water to drip hoping that the low level would be enough. I was careful as I waited in the room not making a sound as he struggled against his bonds.

"Who is there?" He questioned after about an hour

"Death" I responded next to his ear with no emotion knowing he would not be able to recognize my voice

We continued this over the next few hours until his senses were disoriented as I wanted. I would hit him from different angles or appear talking from different placing until I was sure he didn't know where I was. The sounds from the room the water and the occasional taping of the blade against stone had done well enough.

"What do you want?" He whispered, and I could detect freight, he had been trained in Sesshomaru's methods of torture but had yet to know anything about physiological warfare

"Who did you report the information on the West too?" I questioned receiving a growl

I sighed in disappointment before allowing this for a few more hours receiving a little information, nothing too important. I needed to know who this enemy was and what they were planning. I removed the blindfold hearing his breath quicken attempting too see finding nothing but darkness and still not able to locate me. After a few more hours where I caught a nap he reported the information I already knew, that the leader wanted Rin and me for some reason. He had been the one to tell him of when and where to attack, information that is useless now.

When I hit a wall where he was still more scared of betraying the enemy then telling me the information I needed, I moved on to water boarding. After a few hours of this he informed that he wanted to force me to be his mistress and kill Rin in front of Sesshomaru. I had wanted to kill him then, but I still needed to gain more information on this enemy. When he still would tell me, I began doing that one thing that made my own stomach turn. I began to cut him repeatedly in various spots that hurt but wouldn't kill just enough to allow the smell of blood to fill the air.

After a lot of time he begun to beg me to stop to him a lot more time has passed then a little after two days. It was on the third day he broke telling me everything including things I didn't even ask for. The name of the leader and those he had met up with to exchange information. The locations he knew where troops were and potential targets they were going after. I learned everything I wanted and more. I unsealed his powers allowing him to heal wanting nothing more than to kill him, but it was Sesshomaru that deserved the honor.

I debated getting a shower still smelling blood from the days in the room, but it was important to inform them. I walked into the study surprised to find everyone there. Sesshomaru took a deep breath and was before me before I knew it checking me for injury.

"Did you get what we need?" Juntao questioned softly as if scared of me or worried about me

"He told me everything and more" I said seriously looking up at Sesshomaru "The leader is a male hawk demon named Seiko, he is out to destroy all the demon houses but openly wants you dead and the west destroyed. He wants to kill Rin in front of you"

Sesshomaru growled with his eyes flashing red and I gulped as Juntao must have sensed it "What else does he want?" Juntao questioned

"Me" I said as Sesshomaru growled loudly in rage and the others gasped in shock "He wants to force me to be his mistress and bond me to him making me his slave"

"That will never happen" Sesshomaru said coldly coming before me "I will never allow him to touch you"

"I know" I said honestly with a smile causing his to relax slightly breathing in deeply "Besides I have enough information to do some real damage to his troops, like the location of four of his camps and his potential targets"

Everyone look at me in shock as I provided the information of the troops being located mainly in two areas in the mountains in the Eastern Lands, in a large underground cave in the north, and a port town in the south. We went through every single detail of information coming up with plans to send out spies to confirm the information that I had gained to confirm the surroundings to formulate an attack. We went through plans of defense to protect Rin. I was going to set up plenty of barriers to protect her and create a safe room to get her to should there be an attack again.

"Now Lady Elessandria should remain in the palace as well" Juntao said seriously and I growled loudly at the information causing him to jump in surprise

"Over my dead body" I said in anger "I will go to battle when the west does, and I will agree should I go to the villages in the west or wish to go somewhere to allow soldiers to come for added protection, but I will not be caged"

"This Sesshomaru agrees" He said looking at me "You have proven capable of protecting yourself and those around you. You will have added protection should you leave and will stand at my side when we go to battle"

I relaxed at the statement and despite being dirty I hugged him in happiness "Thank you so much" I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me tightly before I release what I had done "Forgive me"

"It was not unwelcomed" He whispered low enough for only me to hear causing me to smile brightly

"If the rest can wait, I would really like to get a bath now" I whispered in embarrassment causing Inuyasha to snort

"Very well" Sesshomaru said allowing me to walk towards the door "Lady Elessandria, you did well"

"I did want was needed" I said with a sad smile before walking out of the room to go to my own

I sighed deeply as I dipped into the water allowing the tension to drop from my bottom. I pushed back the sound of the screams and the haunting memories of the past. I allowed myself to think of Sesshomaru and how he believed in my ability to protect myself. I wondered what he would think if he learns just how deadly I used to be, how far I had gone to follow the commands of my government. My country was not perfect, far from it, and many mistakes can be made in war. I was a weapon before I turned away from that path after a mistake was made that put those I was meant to protect in harms way, killed some of them.

I had long since come to terms with the things I had done and knew that most of them were needed. While I didn't want to be that person all the time as I once had, I have hopes to find a balance between the two because the west needs no just the savior but the warrior I had once been. This time though I would ensure to follow my code of ethics and valor. Kagome was aware of the risk that she took informing them of that and she had been right, I was the person to get the information from him. I still didn't know what to make of the fact that this Seiko wanted me. If I was being honest, it wasn't the first time that someone wanted me, but I didn't even know this one. I knew that Sesshomaru wouldn't allow that to happen, but I would have to be prepare should somehow, they manage to get me.

I was more upset at his plan for Rin, I came to think of the girl as my own even though she wasn't much younger then myself. I would die to protect her and even willing go with someone to spare her, that terrified me more. I sighed thinking of the girl that I knew loved Kit and wondered how he felt about this since he was her protector. I didn't want anything to happen to her, Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't survive if something happened to her. I knew that from all the stories I had heard, she was the one that changed him and was the most important thing in the world to him. Most likely the only thing he placed before his lands. I frowned knowing that it was even more important to ensure that this male didn't get his hands-on Rin. I started thinking on the ways that the could harm me and ways to ensure our safety should something happen. Plans I would share with no one, even Rin.

"Can I join you?" Kagome questioned from the door way and I nodded with a smile "Are you okay?"

"As well as I can be" I said honestly as she quickly got into the water "I mean there is a psycho out there trying to force himself on me and kill Rin, but I believe we can beat him"

"There is the Ellie I know" Kagome said softly looking at me with sad eyes "I am really sorry that I told them you could get him to talk, I wasn't thinking"

"It's okay" I said honestly knowing that I got everything we needed "They needed it and I offered all of my skills, so it made sense to use me"

"I didn't like seeing you like that" Kagome whispered looking at me

"I know, I don't like being like that. I am going to have to try to find a balance between the two though. I am not always like this Kagome, sometimes the other side is more important. That is the side needed to fight this war" I explained honestly causing her to frown

"That's true" She said reluctantly before looking at me "You are really okay?"

"Really okay" I confirmed with a smile "Anything interesting happen in the past three days?"

"Yeah" Kagome said with a blush causing me to raise an eyebrow in question "I slept with Inuyasha"

"Really?" I said in shock taking completely by surprise and she nodded "How was it?"

"It was amazing" Kagome said with a blush causing me to chuckle at the look on her face "You know that it was well, you know, my first time"

"As much as it is amazing me, I know it was" I said softly "How did this happen?"

"We went for a walk under the stars and he walked me back to my room. He kissed me goodnight and I just knew I didn't want him to leave" Kagome said surprising me, she had made the first move

I listened much to my own embarrassment to the details as she rushed out the story. I could tell that she was happy, and I respect that Inuyasha seemed to ensure that she felt no pain, lord knows that I felt it and it hurt so bad. She was over the moon in love and I would have to have a talk with Inuyasha, I would have to push him to take the step that I knew they both wanted. I didn't know what he feared but there had to be some reason why he hadn't asked her yet.

"You going to make a move on Sesshomaru?" Kagome questioned suddenly causing me to slip under the water in surprise

I coughed out the water as Kagome patted my back "Sorry" Kagome mumbled with a blush

"God Kagome, Sesshomaru doesn't feel anything for me" I said seriously tired of hearing about it "He is the Lord of the West"

"You need to stop denying what you are feeling" Kagome said softly looking at me "You deserve to be happy"

"Kagome, I know that I am attracted to him. I know what I feel for him but like I said before he is the Lord of the West and I am just his Ally" I said seriously before frowning "I won't even be here after the war ends"

"What do you mean?" Kagome questioned in confusion

"He accepted me as an Ally in this war, there is no reason for me to stay once we defeat this enemy. No reason for him to want me to stay" I said seriously before sighing in depression "I just want to sleep"

Kagome nodded in understanding and I could sense she was saddened by it. I went to bed and for the first time in over a decade cried myself to sleep. The realization that I had known all along at the front of my mind, this was not my home. I didn't have a place to call home and hadn't in so long that I didn't know if I would ever find one again. The worse part was that there was a huge part of me that want it to be home.