Sora: Sadly no reviews for the last chapter, I love being faved, but please review, it just makes all of this so worthwhile!

Last Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

The young man who stood before Goshinboku wasn't even a human at all, he was a demon. Goshinboku stood still, appraising him. Inutaisho stepped forward, bowing slightly, grasping her hand and brushing his lips gently against it. She bowed in return, but said nothing.

"Well Lady Goshinboku, I have heard so very much about you," Inutaisho commented, his eyes twinkling.

"Hopefully all of it good," she replied stiffly, unsure of how to take this man, and unsure of how to act, so she fell back upon her formal airs.

"Why surely nothing bad could be said about someone as lovely and intelligent as you," he replied, just as formal, but with none of the coldness that Goshinboku had infused into her voice. Her eyes raked over his appearance; there was all too much strangeness to take in. He had three swords at his side, and she wondered what someone could ever use three swords for, it was not like he had an extra hand to fight with. Jagged purple stripes adorned his cheeks, and his long, fluttering, silver hair was tied into a high ponytail, as was the style for many at that time. Her eyes lingered still on the white, fluffy mass that seemed to be draped around his shoulder, it seemed too bulky to be worn on an everyday basis, but perhaps that was a demon tradition, to have a large bulky fluffy fur on…well one never knows.

He seemed to sense that she was assessing him, staying silent as she looked on.

"I am intrigued to see what knowledge you will have to pass on to me," Goshinboku commented, silently challenging him.

"I believe," Inutaisho began, "that you will find that there is a great deal for me to teach you."

He winked at her slightly out of the eye that was on the opposite side of her parents; was it just her or did he mean that with more than one meaning? Goshinboku felt her blood boil a little, the nerve of that man.

Her father walked over to her,

"I am glad that you two are now properly acquainted, I will show Lord Inutaisho to his room, and then later I expect that you will show him around and get to know each other better," Goshinboku's father remarked to her.

"Of course Father," Goshinboku replied, bowing to him and Lord Inutaisho,

"I would be glad too."

"Well come this way Lord Inutaisho," Her father said leading the young demon lord towards his room. In the distance Goshinboku could hear him reply,

"Please Lord Kazuhiko, just call me Inutaisho."

"Well Inutaisho, only if you call me Kazuhiko."

Goshinboku's mother looked at her, smiling as she watched her daughter look upon the retreating back of the young daiyoukai. If her suspicions were correct, there could be a marriage in the family very soon, and to such a prominent man! This was all working out exactly how she had schemed, although no one besides herself was in on it, not even her husband.

Goshinboku glared at the small figure of Inutaisho, she couldn't understand why, but something about that man just rubbed her the wrong way!

Goshinboku sat on the small bench in the garden, the small stream trickling near her feet. Her mother had left some time ago, giving her a small kiss on the cheek and gliding away without another word. Why she needed ignorant men whose behavior could have been bested by pigs as tutors she never could understand, of course he was polite now, but later it would be all the same. Telling her what a woman's mind was capable of and what he knew that she would never understand. She picked up a pebble angrily and tried to skip it across the stream, it sank immediately, her angry throw not making it go anywhere.

"It is all in the wrist," came a voice from behind her. Before she could react two arms snaked out from behind her, one offering her another pebble, the other grasping her wrist. She looked frigidly at the pebble being offered to her, why on Earth would she accept this from that man? Well maybe because she was being unfairly biased and hadn't even given him a chance to let her get to know him. At this thought she took the stone, and a grin appeared on his face although she couldn't see it.

With a flick of his wrist and her's together, the smooth pebble was sent flying, skipping neatly across the stream and flying past it, where it successfully landed in the grass. A small "Ow!" was heard from where the stone had landed and both Inutaisho and Goshinboku stared in curiosity. They saw nothing, and after a moment both mentally shrugged. Almost instantaneously they both realized what they still doing, Inutaisho had his arms wrapped around Goshinboku and her right hand had come back to lay on his left. Inutaisho leapt back, nervously running his hand through his hair, which he had let down.

Goshinboku chuckled evilly on the inside, taking just a little pleasure in the fact that he was uncomfortable, she stood up and turned to face him.

"Is there a reason why I am being graced with your presence?" Goshinboku queried, with maybe more than a hint of sarcasm. Inutaisho smiled at her, not phased a bit, his fangs overlapping his bottom lip as he grinned toothily.

"Why, does there need to be a reason if I wish to come visit the lord's lovely daughter," Inutaisho replied, his pretty, silken hair fluttering in the wind, maybe she could just reach out and stroke it, maybe he wouldn't notice, she bet it would feel so soft— No! Goshinboku mentally berated herself, could she concentrate on the task at hand, please?

"Oh cut the formalities would you? It is not like there is anyone out here to hear us," Goshinboku said.

"By all means I would love to be more informal. But tell me, when did you become such a cynical little child," Inutaisho retorted his golden eyes flashing in the sunlight. Goshinboku gaped at him, why that little—

"I will tell you Sir, that I am by no means cynical, but most importantly I am Not. A. Child. I bet I am older than you, if judging by the way you act is any suggestion," Goshinboku replied. He smirked at her,

"I think," he said, "that if you were older than me, then you would be six feet under."

"Why? How old are you?" Goshinboku asked her curiosity peaked.

"Hmmm, let me see, at my last birthday I was…Ah yes! Four hundred and seventy-three years old," Inutaisho watched in satisfaction as a look of awe and confusion came over Goshinboku's face. She looked at him carefully,

"But, you look to be no older than eighteen or nineteen."

"Demon, remember? And if you don't mind telling me, how old are you, oh wise old woman?"

Goshinboku huffed, crossing her arms, that wasn't fair! He knew that he would be older than her no matter what. Trying not to act like the child he had accused her of being earlier she swallowed her pride and said,

"Seventeen."

Inutaisho said nothing, only smirked; flashing his toothy grin that Goshinboku could already tell would be a familiar one. At that very moment there was a strange noise, as if someone was drinking noisily out of a straw. Goshinboku looked at Inutaisho and she saw him raise up a hand and….smack his own face with it? As he drew his hand away a now paper thin flea floated gently down to the ground.

"Oh Master you are so unkind to me," the flea grumbled picking himself off of the ground and hopping up onto Inutaisho's shoulder.

"What is it Myoga?" Inutaisho asked, rolling his eyes when he thought Myoga couldn't see.

"What? Why does there have to be something wrong for me to come visit my Lord?" Myoga said, chuckling nervously.

"Because," Inutaisho said patiently, "there is always something wrong, especially if you come to see me this far away from home."

"Well, if you must know," Myoga replied steadying his shoulders, "there are about fifty dragons headed toward the eastern part of the castle, they don't seem to have any sign of stopping."

"How long until they get there?"

"Oh, a day, maybe two," Myoga said, glad his lord was taking the news so well.

"Go to the demon slayers' village and ask them to take their best slayers and take care of the dragons," Inutaisho commanded calmly.

"Kill…all of them?" Myoga questioned, usually his lord would attempt some sort of peace treaty, especially since he was a demon himself.

"Yes, eliminate them all," Inutaisho said and seeing Myoga's horrified look decided to explain himself, "you know how my mother died a couple weeks back?"

"Yes, Lord Inutaisho," Myoga said, hanging his head, Lady Sasuke had been loved by all.

"Those are the dragons that caused her death," Inutaisho continued coldly, and he knew this was the truth since there was only one clan of dragons in all of the Western lands. Inutaisho felt something on his arm; he looked and found himself staring into Goshinboku's brilliant blue eyes which glinted with sorrow and compassion. He thought he could get lost in those eyes.

"I am very sorry," she whispered, her face was rather close to his own, and during that split second Inutaisho experienced a gripping need to kiss her. At that moment however fate was against the two. Myoga, with a loud "ACHOO!," sneezed, blowing himself off of Inutaisho's arm, and right down the front of Goshinboku's kimono.

It didn't even take a second for Goshinboku to realize what had happened. With a shriek she started to dance around, patting the front of her kimono. She threw hands in the air, a finger catching on her bun and pulling it out, her hair now cascading down her back. She started to run in circles, yelping like a puppy with its tail on fire. Inutaisho certainly was in no condition to help her; he was on the ground literally rolling while bark-like laughs were choked out of his mouth. Myoga on the other hand was being traumatized and beaten by Goshinboku's quick hands. With a few neat and tidy jumps he emerged from Goshinboku's kimono, and hopped back over to his master who was currently making a fool of himself.

Goshinboku flopped on the ground, her kimono askew, her hair pulled out of its bun, and her eyes bright. Inutaisho thought she looked even more beautiful than before.

"Was that informal enough for you?" Goshinboku asked acidly.

"Yes, I expect that every day you will act like that from now on," Inutaisho said. Goshinboku huffed, but a small smile crept onto her face, she couldn't hold it back. Soon she was guffawing almost as loud as Inutaisho had been; as she threw her head back and laughed Myoga watched her from behind one of his lord's pointed ears. This girl had a strange effect on Inutaisho; he was acting more carefree and blithe than he had ever seen him act before.

They both turned around quickly when footsteps sounded behind them, Ume was approaching quickly. Goshinboku leapt up, trying to smooth her kimono and fix her hair, Inutaisho did the same, and unfortunately both failed miserably.

Ume had been watching them for quite awhile, their antics even more entertaining than the lecherous cook, who happened to also be a monk, trying to woo the many women at Himeji Castle. Although she had seen what had happened she decided to give her young mistress a hard time. From the kimono half sliding off of Goshinboku's shoulder, to her tousled hair and the fact that they were out here alone would seem suspicious to anyone who had not been, well…spying.

"What, in the name of Kami is going on here," Ume said sharply, both of her fisted hands on her hips. Both Goshinboku and Inutaisho looked at the other, seeming to take in what she meant for the first time. They both blushed a deep red and Goshinboku's pale face betrayed her, letting the blush creep in more easily on her light skin, although Inutaisho was almost as bad.

"I cannot believe this," Ume said, breaking the silence again.

"Wait— This is not what it looks like— Ume! How could you ever think—"

Both Inutaisho and Goshinboku broke out babbling over the other wildly. Ume held up a hand,

"I know, I know," Ume giggled, "I just wanted to see your reactions! Now come along Goshinboku we will get you tidied up and then it will be time for your archery lesson! Inutaisho, I think you know what you must do."

Inutaisho nodded his head and watched as Ume dragged Goshinboku off, chuckling as he saw Ume scold Goshinboku when she tramped through the mud, staining her kimono and shoes. Although it was not like the mud mattered too much, she already had grass stains all over her back from flopping on the ground earlier.

Goshinboku pulled back the bowstring, her left elbow up high, she took her finger that had been steadying the arrow off, not making the amateur mistake of letting go with her finger still on.

"Hit the mark," she whispered quietly to no one in particular, perhaps speaking to her bow itself. She released the bowstring, hearing the satisfactory thud of it burying the arrowhead into the target she had carefully painted onto a large tree. They did have a professional range here, but she preferred to be in the woods. Many have tried to explain the pull of nature, and while many have created great dedications to its wonder, others have failed miserably. It is something indescribable, if there truly is something called magic in our world, love and nature would be its products. It fills the heart, creates a roaring in the ears, deafening you with beauty, and blinding you with song.

Goshinboku looked critically at where her arrow had gone, it was in the bulls eye, but near the edge, she could have sworn it would have gone straight in the middle. A rustling of the grass behind her alerted Goshinboku to another's presence she whipped around and came face to face, well face to chest since he was so much taller than her, with Inutaisho.

"You need to keep the wind in mind," he remarked, also looking at her arrow.

"Do you intend to keep doing that?" Goshinboku asked, ignoring his remark.

"Do what?"

"Sneak up on me and then offer me little tidbits of advice!"

"I most surely was not sneaking up on you!" Inutaisho retorted, pretending to be insulted,

"Your little human ears just aren't strong enough! And besides, aren't I your new tutor? Shouldn't I be teaching you something?"

After just a few pointers and adjustments Goshinboku could fire perfectly in the wind which had been steadily increasing while they were out there.

"Well, you can shoot a stationary target in the wind," Inutaisho remarked, "but can you hit a moving one?"

"I expect so," she replied, shrugging slightly.

"Well, then shoot me," he responded seriously. Goshinboku looked at him incredulously,

"But, what if I hit you?"

"Trust me, I won't get hurt, and besides you have to catch up to me first!"

And with those words Inutaisho dashed off, only jogging, because she was only human. Goshinboku ran as fast as she could, the air whipping her face. She could barely keep up with him without even trying to draw her bow.

They ran for hours, although she took several breaks in between. She was very fit, but even the strongest human cannot match a full demon's stamina. While he had been in her sight she had taken several shots at him, most coming extremely close, but never close enough. One would have struck him, but at the last second he had caught it between his thumb and forefinger.

The sun had all but disappeared and she had lost sight of Inutaisho. She reached back into her quiver for another arrow, only to find it was the last one. Trembling slightly from exhaustion and now just a hint of fear she heard the crack of a stick come from behind her. Quickly she notched the arrow, scanning the trees.

She heard a hiss come from the row of trees and knew that that was not Inutaisho.

Sora: Ah evil cliffy!

See that little button at that bottom that says review, well it's lying, if you push it then you get to touch Inuyasha's ears!

Inuyasha: HEY! I am not even in this story, and yet you try and sell my ears!

Inutaisho: Son, you have enough stories about you on here. I get this one *grins*

Sora: Love to all of you! And Merry Christmas! (It is 12:40 am on Christmas Day) See how I slave for you guys? :P

^_^ Sora