Kurome sighed in content as she sat with Sesshomaru on a nearby hill overlooking the festival grounds. "That was delicious!" She had never tasted a sweet bun such as the ones Sesshomaru shared with her before. She glanced up at him and cocked her head to the side. "What are you thinking about?"

Sesshomaru glanced down at her. "Who says that I am thinking of anything in particular?"

Kurome smiled. "You have that look like something is on your mind." She stood and came to stand in front of him. "Though, what I can't figure out with you is what you could possibly be thinking." She reached up to touch his forehead. "You're too serious."

Sesshomaru flinched and caught her wrist, slowly lowering her hand away from his face. He looked down at her, her icy blue eyes lined with teal markings meeting his.

"Sorry..." Kurome said, her pointed ears dropping a bit. Sesshomaru's grip loosened on her wrist and she pulled her hand free, letting it come to rest limply at her side. She took a step back and started to turn away.

"Kurome."

She looked at him and sighed. "I should return to my family, Lord Sesshomaru." She offered him a smile. "I enjoyed the night we spent together. Thank you for joining me." She turned away and started down the hill, only stopping when she felt the sudden and overwhelming youki burst coming from behind her.

Sesshomaru knew it have to be now or never if he were to activate the runes and give her the earrings so he lit up his youki like festival fireworks and watched the runes glow with a soft golden light. He smirked when the glow faded and Kurome had turned back to look at him, her ears dropped down in fear and worry.

"Why did you do that, Sesshomaru?" she asked, narrowing her eyes while still remaining cautious. "What have I done to offend you so much that you would flare your youki at me?"

Sesshomaru strode down to stand in front of her, the angle of the hill making it to where they were eye level with each other. "I did not do it to present you with a challenge, nor to offend you. You have done nothing to offend me."

"Then why flare your youki like that?" she asked, her narrowed eyes softening and her worry shining in the pools of icy blue.

Sesshomaru presented her with the small package, the silver earrings shining in the moonlight. "These are for you."

Kurome looked down to see the earrings she had spotted in the festival market, then looked back at Sesshomaru. "These are-"

"I purchased them from the vendor when your cousin called your attention away for a few moments. You clearly admired them and I thought they would suit you well."

Kurome took the package gingerly, removing her old chandelier earrings and replacing them with the new ones. When each was in place, hanging lightly on either side of her neck, Kurome felt a soft surge of youki resonate from the earrings. "That's your youki..." she noted, looking at Sesshomaru.

"The runes those earrings bear are ones of protection. The vendor instructed me on how to activate them." Sesshomaru explained, reaching up to brush aside her hair so that he could better see how much the earrings complimented her. "In order to activate the runes, a flash of youki would suffice and its signature or aura would become embedded within the runes. Though you are a skilled warrior and your tribe's prowess shows greatly with each step you take," Sesshomaru paused for a moment and looked back up to her, meeting her gaze as he continued, "I want to be able to protect you when I am not at your side. So long as you wear those earrings, the runes will sing with my youki and they will protect you."

Kurome felt her cheeks burning and she did something she had wanted to for a long time but had always thought against for many reasons. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips gently against Sesshomaru's cheek, lingering only for a moment before pulling away. Looking at him, seeing his surprised face, Kurome felt her blush deepen and she stepped around him, lightly touching his gift to her. "T-Thank you, Sesshomaru..."

Sesshomaru stood there, only turning to watch her hurry down the hill, his fingers touching his cheek and feeling the warmth of her kiss. When he sensed her youki rejoining the others of her tribe, he managed a small smile before turning away at the rustle of someone joining him.

"Who goes there?"

"Hush, now my dear boy. It's only your mother." Inami said, stepping out of the shadows. "Did you have fun, my son?"

Sesshomaru relaxed only slightly, annoyed that his mother had most likely witnessed his moment with Kurome. "I did enjoy myself for a moment, yes."

Inami slammed her fan closed and came towards him, her tail wrapped around her like a shawl. "Sesshomaru, what is that girl to you? Why do you wish to protect her?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and glared at his mother in annoyance. "What Kurome of the Rain is to me matters not to you, Mother. She and I are-"

"Are what? Friends?" Inami scoffed. "You would consider a lowly wolf youkai a friend? Be she royalty or not, that wolf girl is far beneath you. You should be with someone of your own station, your own kind."

"And why is that?" Sesshomaru closed the distance between he and his mother, now towering over her like his father did. "Kurome means a great deal to me, in many ways, and has earned my trust and my respect. I want to protect her for that simple fact alone. She gives me something to look forward to, she brightens the room each time she walks into it. She is good with her people, having their respect through progression, reputation, and through the kindness in her heart. Though I admire Father for his conquering ways as it has accomplished much over his lifetime, Kurome of the Rain is a natural born leader who does nothing more than protect her people and what she believes in. Something which has gained her favor among many nobles, Father included." He let his youki flare just ever so slightly and huffed when he saw his mother beginning to sweat. "If I chose to court Kurome, that is my choice. If I chose not to pursue things with her, that is my choice. It is my life and my right to choose what path I take and whom I wish to be with."

Inami's ears dropped back and she took a step away from her son, opening her fan and beginning to cool herself off. "You are as passionate as your father, my dear son." She turned away, summoning her cloud and levitating up into the air. "Do not tarry here much longer, Sesshomaru."

"You will not interfere with my affairs." Sesshomaru said plainly, glaring at his mother.

"I will not promise anything. If I find someone more suited for you, you cannot stop me from trying."

Sesshomaru glared after his mother as she ventured towards the palace, very much annoyed at her incessant prodding into his personal affairs, but their discussion had brought new thoughts to mind. 'What is Kurome truly to me?' Wandering around the outer grounds of the village, Sesshomaru needed time to think about what Kurome was to him, the kiss on his cheek she had given him, the time he always looked forward to spending with her, the implications of taking her as his mate, the pups he could sire with such a powerful dame- wolf or not- and that was just brushing the surface. He wandered around for the entire night, only returning to the palace grounds when the sky was beginning to turn from dusk to dawn. As he approached the grounds, his father stood waiting patiently for his return.

"Sesshomaru, we must talk."