Author's Note: I took forever, once again. I had more than half of this typed out just sitting here and I decided to just finish it because it was easily collecting dust. Enjoy.

Thanks to my reviewers:

Soli-chan- Hmm, can't say that I've ever heard of that short story. But it sounds interesting. I also can't say that everything's been a lot better…but, eh, I can't ask for everything, now can I? I hope your new story is coming along just fine! I hope to see it out soon! Thanks for the review!

Sango's Counterpart- Yeah, I noticed that myself! I was worried that all of a sudden everyone got way too poetic…but, it happens. I was in a really poetic mood myself. This chapter you can tell I was in a, I don't know, affair/desperate love kind of mood. I don't really have any inspiration any more…but I wanted to write so I did. Thanks!

Aamalie- Geez, why don't you just predict the whole story? Just kidding. But it must have been writers intuition to know at least a little of what might happen next. You always know, how do you do that? Sheesh. Anyway, good luck on all your new stories. There seems to be a lot! Thanks for the review!

Irasuto- Me? Write for a living? How I wish. I'm just a sad little high school student who occasionally feels inspired and writes her world into her stories. That was quite flattering nonetheless! Sorry for making you wait so long and thank you!

Neko-Yuff16- I didn't update soon and I'm sorry. Hopefully you'll come back and read this new chapter! Thanks!

Aprill May- I wish I knew what was going to happen next. There used to be a plot…but now I'm kind of making this up. That was completely random, I know. But you spoil me in your reviews, you know that? I get way too many compliments from you! But it's all appreciated, trust me. Thank you!

ninalee-chan- Cliffies are my thing, what can I say? I guess you can say this is somewhat of a cliffy as well. But not so much. Well, thank you for reviewing!

Super Sheba- I agree, school is evil. It's an institution that takes away from everyone's writing time…what else could be more evil than that? Why can't there be a school called…"Fan fiction Academy." I know, lame name, but that'd be pretty cool you have to admit. Thank you so much for the compliments and the review!

A Poet's Muse

By Kikanemi

"Will he live? O, how will I ever repent for this?" Kirara squeaked, sobbing over and over.

Sango had continued to reassure her that it was only a minor bump on the head, followed by a cut, and a small swelling bruise. He would be fine as soon as he came to, but she refused to listen.

"Kirara, he is only unconscious. Not dead to the world, he still lives and breathes."

Kirara looked on in horror as Sango took her own hand and placed it on Miroku's chest. "See? Do you feel the beat of his heart? It still runs strong."

Sango, out of a moment of weakness, leaned over and rested her ear against his heart. She calmed when it beat up against her temple, pulsing in time to her own breathing, slow and steady. Even though she looked sure of herself on the outside, inside she was also afraid, but now her fears diminished to the beating of his heart.

"Sango?" the girl blushed, as did Sango, "Who is he?"

Sango pushed herself roughly away from him, willing herself to look away. "I do not know. Someone Lady Savanna knows, perhaps?"

"You murmured a name. Is it he that Kagome speaks of?"

Sango's anger rose quickly but then subsided as she gripped sanity once again. "Kagome cannot hold her tongue."

"What does he mean to you?"

Sango wanted to shout, to scream, to whisper in a fevered tone almost un-human and in a tongue so unfamiliar no one could understand. She wanted to spring forth and strangle Kirara, she wanted to make an open wound in her own chest to reveal her heart. It was not only beating, but jumping for sweet joy among the shadows of human passion and unmistakable lust. That would not be enough, it could not slake the heady rush of adrenaline every time she thought of what his existence has done to her in so little time.

Sango, who looked unsure of what to say, yet holding something back, stuttered, "He means…he means…"

They heard a groan, a small sound, and a sure sign of life. And then a moan, louder and more pained than the last noise. "Damnit…where am I?"

Miroku sat up on his elbow and cautiously rubbed his eyes, waiting for the blur to subside and the world to come into focus. The first thing that registered was his love, standing by his side, her long brown hair pulled back and her clothes were a dull brown color. He smiled faintly, waiting for her touch to calm him.

"Love…" he murmured.

Kirara raised an eyebrow and blushed a mad shade of red while raising a hand to her mouth. He looked drunk to her, almost insanely delirious. His cheeks were slightly flushed and a drop of sweat ran from his temple to the pronounced curve of his neck. Sango, on the other hand, resisted the urge to answer in a sultry tone and lean over him in comfort. He looked too pathetic from her standpoint. She wanted to hug him, hold him close and protect him from the world.

When no arms embraced him, Miroku knew just from instinct that he had made a bad judgment call. An awkward silence laced the air. He used the bottom of his palm to quickly strike his forehead and waited until he could see the world with crisp, clean lines. And then he realized he was far from being right. Mighty far off.

He sat up quickly and pointed towards Sango, horror drowning over him, "You!"

"Me?" Kirara asked, her face flaming, turning a light shade of purple now. "I am quite sorry, sir! I did not mean to hurt you in any way!"

He shook his head swiftly from side to side, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Not you! Her!"

"Yes, me. And?"

"You did this! For payback for when I-" he didn't need to finish to bring the small smile back to his face in remembrance. "It is not my fault your bottom is so delectable and round."

Sango growled menacingly, "Do not try me, Miroku!"

Sango gasped. Had she said his name aloud? She looked around, Kirara was nowhere around to save her. God bless the girl, she was smart to vacate the area when Sango was about to explode with anger…but now she was gone when Sango wanted her most. Sango's cheeks immediately turned a blood scarlet. Miroku looked at her in shock. He didn't want to say anything, but when she said his name, it made his heart ache to reach out and kiss this girl in front of him. He advised his mind and soul to keep quiet. The other option would be exceedingly strange to a girl whose name he did not know.

"I…do I know you?"

She busied herself by gingerly tucking a stray hair behind her ear and going over the sink to fetch a bowl of water. She found a rag and ringed it out before slinging it over her shoulder as she carried the bowl back towards Miroku.

"No."

"You said my name."

"You are delirious."

He expected her to say that. He knew she would act as if nothing had ever happened at all. He could pretend, for now. Miroku sighed and layback down as Sango let the cool cloth slide over the small dry cut on his forehead. He closed his eyes and imagined Lady Savanna in his head, her soft gentle hands running over his face in the same caring caress Sango was treating him to now.

Miroku's mind wandered off. Immediately he imagined a woman with long brown hair, her chocolate brown eyes stared into his own. He watched as she swayed in time to music. Soon after, though, her face became marred with soot and she began dancing with a broom. He grimaced, although not entirely sure why.

Sango removed her hand from his face, afraid she had hurt him. "Sorry…"

His eyes drifted open, his expression was glazed over. It looked as if he was almost lusting to feel her touch him again. Even if it wasn't her touch he lusted after. "No…please, don't stop."

Sango blushed and nodded, the polite thing to do was oblige. After all, she had only been in charge of a young maid who happened to ram a bucket into his head so he lay bruised and bleeding on the ground.

The silence grew awkward. He hadn't meant to sound so sultry when he spoke to her. He hadn't realized he had let his voice slip out that way. Lady Savanna would be ashamed to know that her lover had taken a shy fancy to a maid he once found himself thinking of for an afternoon only.

"Your name, please?" he slipped out casually. If she had so easily taken his command to continue perhaps she would let this one pass. But she did not.

"I am much to clever, young master."

He chuckled, "You are a smart one, I cannot deny that."

She giggled lightly, shaking her head. Soon after, though, all seriousness crept back into her face. She watched the cloth slide over his skin and she studied the easy lines and contours of his cheek. He was beautiful, he was perfect, he was her god. His eyes fluttered open, he watched her staring at him. She watched back.

She felt something. He felt something. There is no denying there was a mutual feeling sparked between the two, maid and writer, lady and penniless foe. He could not understand the multitude of feelings he could get from one person…and then somehow find that another could easily do the same.

"You know Lady Savanna?" he whispered on her lips. He gulped, he hadn't noticed that they had fallen so close to each other while he had thought. She immediately backed away in a flash and turned around, twisting the cloth nervously in her hands.

"Yes, I know of her. But I have yet to meet her." She lied, dumping the cloth in the bucket and walking somewhat angrily to the sink to wash out the rag.

Miroku fell back onto the futon, hands behind his head, looking thoughtful. "Mind if I speak about her to you, oh nameless maid?"

She nodded and went to sit beside him. She still did not face him and rested her elbow on her knees, her cheek in her palm. "Do what pleases you."

"I do not know how to say this but I find myself thinking of her. Her image in my mind has caused me to lose all strength in my knees, I feel hot, my breath leaves me. I have never once felt this way before. It is strange. Love, I mean. I could have never asked for so much but here I am lusting away after the most beautiful woman, who is still untouchable to me."

Sango's other hand had wandered toward her chest where she was now grasping at her heart. The pain was almost unbearable. He could not even see it was her he spoke of in front of him. He could only see the dirt, the dust, the disheveled clothes and hair. He could not see Sango, or Lady Savanna within her.

"I see. Perhaps…you should marry her." Sango suggested, afraid of his answer. Would he say yes and find Lady Savanna? That would surely mean Sango's grave.

"Me? Marry her? You must be mistaken. If I were to marry her, I would marry the world. Imagine me. A penniless writer, a lowly peasant, the ground she walks on. How can I marry her?"

"What does that have to do with love?" she turned, throwing the cloth against the counter and holding back bitter tears, "Love is not caged, it is boundless, free of all emotions that may rope it…"

"Where did you hear-?"

He was interrupted by the door swinging open so fast that it almost crashed off of its hinges and onto the floor. It did not, but emerged from said angry passageway was Lady Savanna. The real, jeweled, dolled, and spectacular Lady Savanna. No mask. But still looking wonderful nonetheless.

Kirara stood aside, blushing as she spoke to her Lady, "This is him. You should be glad to know that he is safe. Once again, my lady, I am beyond sorry. I would like to make it up to you."

Lady Savanna's face looked…evil. She inspected Miroku as if he were her meat on the chopping block. Her eyes roamed over his body, mercilessly, carelessly, scandalously. This was the god who she had come across, and once again he had wandered back into her awaiting paws.

"Do not mind that, girl. I have other matters to attend to." With a flick of her wrist Kirara knew to leave as soon as possible, but Sango did not even flinch. Her heart was raging, with jealousy, anger, vivacious violence. She wished to lash out but could not. Her own fear of how Miroku was entranced in Lady Savanna and what it would lead to kept her put.

"Sango. Leave."

Sango shook her head, "I should stay. His wounds may need to be tended to."

"He will be fine." Her hand trailed slowly up his side, eliciting shivers from Miroku beneath her. He blushed; she smiled cruelly at his reaction. "He is in the best of hands."

"But I do not want an infection to occur."

Savanna, not quite yet annoyed, lowered her lips so that they were but a whisper above Miroku's. "It will not."

"I-I think," Miroku stuttered, not comfortable with her breath across his mouth. His mind and senses flashed to when he had last kissed his love. The sensation had been horrifying, for he had felt he was falling over the edge of sweet death. This was almost disgusting and her presence felt suffocating. He feared his feelings that changed from hour to hour and minute-to-minute would soon be the end of him. "I think that perhaps she should stay."

Savanna licked her lips. "No."

He gulped and nodded, "Sango. Please stay."

It did not matter so much that he now knew her name. The game was over, she could care less whether or not he could now pick on her for being the lowly maid she was. He had said her name, that was what stopped her. The way it sounded on his lips made her chilled body tingle. It made her eyes tremble, her heart clench, her knees to become like silk and slowly cascade to the floor.

Miroku held his breath; he in all honesty did not want Sango to go. She was the only one who seemed to understand his plight. Too straightforward was she that now leaned over him like some common tavern whore. Savanna put her finger to his lips quickly before moving away. "I suppose this will have to wait until you are up to it. Yes, love?"

He wanted to say no. He wanted to yell and ask the woman what she had done to his lovely ladylove, but refrained from doing so. "I suppose."

She made slow movements to the door, swaying her hips, and lightly grazing her fingers over any skin exposed on her own body. Savanna waved slowly, "Until then."

And the door shut.