Sango collapsed to the ground next to the fire as soon as they returned to camp. Her leg felt as if it was on fire, and her armor was soaked through with blood. So much for being clean, she thought to herself, hissing under her breath as she rolled the leg of her taijiya's garb up over the wound. It was deeper than she had thought, and still bleeding quite badly. She looked around, trying to find something to use as a bandage, but nothing caught her eye. Dammit, I could really use Kagome right now. The taijiya sat back carefully, doing her best to keep her leg out of the dirt.
Rin and Jaken both stood silent, staring at the taijiya, barely noticing that Sesshoumaru was staring at both of them.
"It is not polite to stare," he said, and the imp and the little girl jumped, startled by the sound of his voice.
"S..sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama," said Rin, her voice low. Jaken merely shook his head. "What happened to Sango-chan? She's hurt, again!" Rin's voice was thick with worry.
"That is none of your concern, Rin. The taijiya will be fine." He turned to Jaken. "Go down to the stream and fetch some fresh water. Her wound needs to be cleaned.Take Rin with you." Jaken nodded, and took the little girl by the hand, hurrying off to do as he was asked. Then the taiyoukai turned to Sango. "You will not move, do you understand? You will allow Jaken and Rin to gather food for you, and tend to your wound. Until it is fully healed, I do not want you on your feet. At all."
Sango glared up at him. "I am hardly weak, Sesshoumaru. I am not going to allow a little girl and an imp to wait on me hand and foot just because I was stupid enough to get myself injured!" To prove her point, she rose to her feet slowly, wincing as she put weight on her injured leg. Then a white blur passed in front of her vision, and she felt a hand close tightly around her throat. Her leg gave out and she lost her balance, her hands flying up and clenching tightly around his wrist to keep as much pressure off of her windpipe as possible.
"Do not disobey me, fool. I may have brought you back from death, once, but should you choose to cross me, I will not hestitate to send you to the underworld, permanently. Do you not understand that your life belongs to me now? That you are indebted to me, forever?" Sesshoumaru's golden eyes stared into her chocolate orbs, filled with anger, and he squeezed his hand around her neck a bit tighter, his claws digging deep into her flesh.
Sango nodded weakly, and opened her mouth to speak, but he was holding her too tightly. She felt her eyes start to roll back in her head, and the edges of her vision went dark. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, he let go and she fell to the ground, landing hard on her hands and knees, gasping for air. "Why don't you just...kill me then?"
He glared down at her. "I have my reasons, taijiya. And they are not for you to know. In time, perhaps you will come to understand your place. Now, I must leave. I have business to attend to. If I do not find you here, in this very spot, when I return this evening, you will not live to see the sun rise again." Then he turned and walked off without a word.
Sango turned over, rubbing her throat and drawing in deep breaths. Her first instinct was to run. Fast. Far. But she knew that she couldn't. She knew that he would find her, kill her, just as he said he would. She rolled onto her side, wrapping her arms tightly around her chest and staring off after him, bewildered. After a short while, exhaustion finally took over, and the taijiya's eyes closed, falling into a deep but restless sleep.
Sesshoumaru moved quickly. He had no clear destination in mind, but he needed to get away from her. Far, far away. The taijiya was far too stubborn, far too strong willed, and would not be easily controlled, even by a taiyoukai such as himself. This did not bode well for his plan. How could he use her against Naraku, use her as bait, if she wouldn't cooperate? He needed to find a way to make her submit. But how?
Without realizing it, he had been travelling toward his castle. A trip that would have taken him days, travelling with Rin, Jaken, and Sango, had taken him only a few hours on his own. The sight of the solid, stone structure was most welcome, as this was the only place where he truly felt at ease. He could let his guard down, if only slightly, and gather his thoughts. He walked through the gates, ignoring the many greetings he received from his people. He wasn't here to socialize.
Sesshoumaru moved easily through the hallways, arriving at his chambers with little interference. He walked inside, closing the door tightly behind him, and moved over to stare out the window. He controlled the lives of so many, and yet he could not bend one simple human's will to his own. It was very frustrating.
I need to gain her trust.
With other youkai, that was simple. All he needed to do was provide for them, make sure that the lands were safe, and they trusted him completely. But Sango had no reason to trust him. He had just tried to end her life. He was planning on using her for his own gain, and then casting her aside.
There has to be some way to win her over without comprimising myself and my goals.
He didn't understand humans at all. Moreover, he didn't understand women. And she was both.
How can I make a human female trust me? What can I do for her? If she does not trust me, then all of this has been for nothing. I have wasted my time.
He remembered how desperate she had seemed to be clean. Perhaps there was something he could work with, in that. Her taijiya's garb was filthy. She would need something else to wear. He turned away from the window, and walked into what had once been his mother's chambers. A room he had not entered in years.
Everything was just as she had left it, when she had died. His father had long since abandonned them for his human wench, and Sesshoumaru had been busy trying to keep his lands under control in his father's absense. There had never been any time, or reason, for him to change anything here.
Lying on the bed was a dark blue, silk kimono. It had belonged to his mother, years ago. He moved over and picked it up, running his fingers absently over the fabric. Surely this would be more comfortable to the taijiya than the stiff fabric of her armor. He turned and left the room, taking the kimono with him. He had no other ideas, and perhaps even this small gesture of...humanity...would go a long way toward earning Sango's trust. If not, he could always dispose of her. It would be so simple.
Then why did I bring her back from death? Why did I not just leave her be?
He shook his head, and left the castle quickly. It was all just a means to an end...