CHAPTER 2:

A soft breeze played with her long black hair that was wrapped up in a high braided ponytail. Her eyes were closed and she sharpened her hearing. She held the Katana in front her and took a step forward. It had become a hobby, that she would do in the early hours of the morning, before her day would start. She had found the Katana at the attic one day, all beaten up and mistreated. So, she took it with her, cleaned it up, asked the blacksmith to sharpen it, and started to practice, in secret first, in the mornings.

The sword came down and dancing on a melody only the young woman could hear she started to practice her moves. How long had it been? Three, four months since the day that he had bought her? She didn't remember. Her life had changed dramatically since that night. It seemed that she was the only that could penetrate the darkness of his heart. She was just human and people often told her that she was ugly and unworthy to live at all. She thought about the origin about her name. The origin came from the name Firesa; a vixen from ancient times… One that controlled fire, and was an excellent fighter. Firesa was said to be the daughter of the Fire God Fujimi(*) and his sister Amara, goddess of the sacred fire dances.

The difference though, between her and the vixen was that Firesa was focused and coordinated. Master of both professions. Two things that Faya lacked. Skilled with every sword and known for her beautiful dances. Her mind filled itself with questions and images and so lost her concentration. She tripped over her own feet and fell flat face onto the ground, the sword falling next to her. She let out a heavy sigh and tore her face from the ground and wiped the dirt from her cheeks.

It had been quite a surprise, to the both of them, when The Lord of the House was standing behind her one morning, and the tip of the Katana was pressing at his artery with assassin prescision. The sword fell to the ground and they both looked at each other. After it seemed the longest time Sesshoumaru bowed forward and took the Katana from the ground. He looked at it for a while and said: 'This cleaned up allright... you have a way, with swords... how's that?'

'My previous Master taught me, why?'

'Why did you leave...?' He asked then.

Faya clenched her jaw and veins were working at the side of her head. 'I was taken from the House...' she said.

'By the slavedriver?'

'A henchman.' She answered and swallowed

'It seems that you get more releaxed when you do this, carry on...' He said and then shifted away, leaving her alone with her thoughts once again.

'Damn it...' she cussed as tears threatened to spill and almost violently she pushed them back.

She stood up and picked up the katana. As she bent forward she saw a pair of familiar shoes and she rolled her eyes. 'Did you lose concentration, again?' The smooth, dark voice of her Master came to her. Faya sighed and rose to her full height. 'No, I just love to see the ground up close, like all the time…' She bit back. 'Really now…' He answered with an evil smirk and raised a delicate eyebrow. Faya's eyes grew a few sizes. 'Maybe you want to see it up close again?' And wiped her feet from underneath her, making her eat dirt once again. 'Tell me…' She began as she sat down instead of standing up again. 'What is it with you men…?' She moved with lightning speed and wiped his feet from underneath him. '...and showing off their strength…?' She asked as looked at Sesshoumaru who lay sprawled next to her now.

'Are you sure you're not a vixen?' Faya rolled her eyes and stood up. 'Funny you mention that to me… I was just thinking about one.' She answered as she looked over her shoulder at him. She then snapped her head to the forest and narrowed her eyes. Sesshoumaru knew that look and got up, stepping in front of her. The young woman had a sense for lurking danger. He never knew that humans had this capability as well. He also figured out that she sometimes sensed it before he did; sometimes even days prior to the event. He had asked her about that skill, she told him that it was because she was living with a youkai for a master, so she had to. She had been lying, but he hadn't pressed the subject which was not comon for him.,

He remembered that three weeks after their night together he found her staring at the woods, fear spreading from her body, so much that it almost made him sick. This was the same fear he picked up on, but it was different, it was almost undetectable. This made Sesshoumaru wonder, who was this woman, behind him? After four months together he was still getting to know her, and discover new things about her. Which was odd, cause he always knew someone at first sight.

'Duck…' She suddenly called and literally wiped his feet from underneath him once again. Damn it, this was the second time she did that... The human was getting faster by the day. A thin dagger cut through her black braid and a few strains fell to the ground. Faya looked at the strains of black hair and then at the woods, then at Sesshoumaru who was looking at her with a face that spelled fury. 'Whoever it was, it's gone now…' She whispered and then stood up and stretched out her hand. He took it, pulled her down, rolled on top of her and started to put pressure on her throat. 'Who are you? And how do you know these things?' He hissed as his eyes turned red. Faya did nothing, didn't struggle, had no fear in her eyes, just looked up at him. Eyes that spelled hurt and pain, a cornered animal… 'I told you… I live with a youkai as master, it was only a matter of time before…' She gasped for breath 'You lie…' Sesshoumaru hissed as he gave a little more pressure to his claw that was wrapped around her fragile neck. 'Then apparently I don't want to talk about it..' She hissed back as her eyes sparked with held back fury. 'Not good enough.. do I need to beat it out of you?' With that Faya shut down completely and started to struggle to get away from him. Which was a pathetic sight causing him to smirk wickedly. 'Hit a soft spot, huh?' He whispered dangerously low in his throat. 'Don't make me tell it…' She whispered. 'Oh, you will, little one…' He smirked darkly, causing her not to shiver but to tremble in fear. It was the first time she trembled before him, and it made him feel confused. One way delighted that he had accomplished in something, that no one was yet able to do, and at the other hand… GUILTY! Damn it, the woman HAD made HIM weak! 'You will tell me, and you will tell me now… else I will turn into a not so happy dog demon.' His eyes promised her living hell if she would not tell him.

She adverted her eyes but Sesshoumaru forced her to look at him. Her mouth ran dry and it became difficult to swallow. 'Please…' She begged him. 'Your begging will not help you today, servant…' He hissed and saw how a mask fell over her face and something fade away from her green eyes. 'My mother had the same thing, Master…' She whispered 'They have always called me the cursed one, because I see things before they happen, I know things before others do… I dream about events yet to come…' She swallowed. 'The same happened today?' he asked her as he narrowed his eyes at her. Faya nodded and closed her eyes. He stood up and turned to the forest. 'May I retreat, My Lord?'

'You may go, for now…' He said. With that Faya nodded and left the Master of the House.

So, she was a witch, huh? A seer. Someone that did not need special attributes to see the future… just herself. This could become very interesting indeed. He was looking forward to the day that he was finally able to break her, and mold her in what he really wanted her to become… His lover, his mate for life.

This was very amusing, and a dark smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Meaning of the word:

(*) Fujimi = phoenix