Chapter 3: Complications of the heart…

Authors note: So far I don't seem to have many readers, or at least reviewers. But that's alright, thank you Sesshomaru420 ) you've been a faithful reader. Well here I go on with the next chapter…

Midori jumped off catching Juro before he feel, blood was covering everything and now dripping onto the floor. Midori could feel panic rising worst and worst, and she knew that she couldn't get him into the castle alone. She had already made her poor horse walk up the stairs with them on her.

"HELP!" Midori screamed as people stopped working and stared. It took moments before anyone actually ran out to her throwing down their utensils. Midori held the son of King Halder and Queen Sagoe in her shaky arms as they helped lift him up. Midori sat there a moment shaking as they ran the boy to the medical room, slowly she began to look up as they carried the bloody limp boy through the doors as she sat on the bloody floor her dress soaked.

Rin saw her daughter sitting on the floor and dropped her book running to her daughter. Midori sat there trying to hold back the tears. Rin dropped to her knees checking Midori for any injuries making sure she was alright before pulling her into a hug that took a moment for Midori to return. Her grip on her mother was so tight, and Midori couldn't help but let the tears flow.

"I… was so scared," Midori cried, and could feel her daughter shake as she spoke. She gently stroked Midori's hair as Midori let loose the tears she tried to hold back, never had she seen anything like that.

"It's okay to be scared, it's okay…" Rin tried soothing her daughter thankful she was alive, "come inside lets get you cleaned up and checked."

"I'm fine mama," Midori mumbled as she slowly released her mother. Rin sighed before standing up pulling her daughter along with her. Rin would not listen, and so she walked her daughter into the castle. Men and woman came together to clean the blood from the ground, and the horse.

--

"How are you?" Rin asked her daughter who laid in her bed not wanting to leave. She had spent the rest of the day and most of the night in bed, she had even missed dinner, "do you want to talk about what happened?"

"I… erm, uh… not yet," Midori tried to find the courage to let slip what was bothering her. She knew her mother would be there when she was ready, but she wasn't ready yet to let go of all the fears and thoughts that ran through her mind at that moment.

"Alright well you know where I will be when you need me," Rin said closing the door softly so she wouldn't disturb the others sleeping, or put out the flame on her candle. It took another hour before Midori could get out of bed lighting her own candle and leaving her room.

She walked down into the kitchen to eat some leftovers, and found it empty. She began to wonder just how late it really was, fore everyone was already safely tucked away in bed. Midori's mind began to wonder as she sat at the cooks table and munched finally realizing just how hungry she really was. Midori watched her candle as the flame flickered in the cold nippy darkness of the night. The walls were made of stone, and so it was always either really cold or hot.

Midori stood up putting her plate away, and then grabbed her candle. She left the kitchen and headed for the stairs, but something tugged at her through the cold night breeze which told her to get into her warm comfy futon bed. Her glance looked down the hall at where the medical rooms were, and something told her… she had to know. So slowly she slipped off down the dark hallway, the only light was protruding from her thin long white candle in the silver candle holder. She checked every room until she found the one that was being used… 'Juro?'

She walked in and set her candle down on a dresser. The room was lit with a large fire pit by the bed to keep the room warm from the growingly cold winter. Midori stepped towards him afraid to see him dead, but he was not… he looked in pain. However he seemed to be healing rather well, and quickly. Midori was about to turn and leave when his voice caught her off guard.

"Juro," Midori said before turning around to see him looking at her, "I just wanted to see if you were…"

"Are you alright?" he asked coughing a little before wincing in pain. Midori's pride made her want to turn and leave, but something more made her drop to her knees beside his bed.

"Yes," Midori said watching him as he watched her and smiled, "thank you…"

"Don't let it go to your head," he teased making her glare at him. Midori just glared at him before standing up and turning around. As she snatched her candle she was stopped by his voice once more, "I'm glad…"

"For what?" Midori asked snottily not able to see his small smile on his face.

"That your alright," he said softly making her eyes widen in the dark.

"Oh," Midori smiled before nervously fumbling for the handle and quickly leaving. But before she did she muttered, "th… thank you."

"Any time," he whispered when she was gone before rolling painfully onto his back.

Midori quickly ran up the stairs and into her room shutting the door behind her. Midori swallowed nervously as she climbed into bed thinking about what had happened. Closing her eyes dreams began to plague her, nightmares… except for one. One where Juro and her stood in a field, he watched her… analyzed her. But just as fast as it came, he turned and disappeared into mist. The dream was over, and then more dreams of blood and war terrorized her.

--

Rin and Midori were woken up by the sounds of trumpets and cheers. Rin walked to the window of her room and saw some sort of parade. Midori was changing for the even, not quite sure what it was. Rin met her daughter down the stairs and walked outside to where the steps that led to the main city was.

"What's going on?" Midori asked her mother. Rin shook her head no before taking a few steps down and noticing in the back of all the excitement was her husband.

"Your fathers home," Rin said staring unbelievably at his white form far off. He was back early, and he would be mad about the guests. Midori gave a small smile, she wasn't too happy with her father… and at the looks of it neither was her mother. Rin just looked at Midori then turned and entered the castle.

Rin paced back and forth thinking about how she was going to do it, how she was going to talk to her husband. She had for the past few days been visiting her new friend down in the village, it was so nice to be noticed for a change. Rin jumped when the doors swung open and her husband walked through… with someone by his side.

"My lord," Rin bowed catching him off guard. When Rin did such things, Sesshomaru knew she was thinking hard on something important, or plotting something.

"Rin?" he asked as he stopped with a younger youkai male with him.

"Whose this?" Rin asked as Midori walked in and stood beside her mother waiting for her to stand up to him for a change.

"Your not going to welcome me home?" Sesshomaru asked used to his usual big hug and kiss from his wife, and a hug from his daughter.

"I said who is this… my lord," Rin said getting irritated with her husband. Sesshomaru's eyes widened and was in shock in the manner she spoke with him.

"Rin?" he asked trying to not let his anger boil over.

"What did you return once more with a new advisor so you can spend your whole time buried away in your study plotting out what next you will take ignoring your family? Is that who he is?" Rin asked crossing her arms, "you know what…"

"Enough," Sesshomaru demanded watching Rin and her new spark of courage. Normally she would except the way things were, like she knew she would have to… that's what she knew she was getting herself into.

"Your right it is," Rin said turning to leave, leaving an angry and confused Sesshomaru and a surprised Midori. Rin left the room and Midori just looked to her father.

"Midori," Sesshomaru said finally noticing his daughter.

"Father," Midori said watching him but not giving him the hug he couldn't wait to get home and get.

"You've grown, how've you been?" Sesshomaru said feeling slightly awkward.

"Growing up," Midori said watching him with the same eyes as Rin. Sesshomaru swallowed before remembering the man next to him.

"This is Benjiro," Sesshomaru said as Midori gave a weak smile and bowed, "he is your future husband…"

"What?!" Midori's eyes flung open as she backed away and then back to the young youkai lord, "no…"

"Midori…" Sesshomaru was cut off when she turned around and fled the room, and then could no longer stay in the castle. Midori packed some clothes and some food and then turned to leave the castle heading for the stables. Little did she know someone had seen her, and decided to follow her.

Midori packed her horse with her weapons and items and climbed up ready to leave. She gave her horse a tight squeeze and then rode off towards her forest, the one she usually hid away in. She would hide away for the night… and decide where she would run away too. Then she would send a letter to her mother letting her know of her safety, and ask her to join her.

Midori finally found her spot in the forest and tied her horse up near the river. She sighed as she laid against a rock trying to remember the maps that she studied in her classes. She couldn't help but feel a small whicker of fear and nervousness as she began to think of her rode ahead. Midori stood up nervously at the sound of her horses whinny.

"Whose there!?" Midori yelled out grabbing her bow and arrows. Midori's eyes widened when Juro walked out from behind the forest scenery hiding him away, "why are you out of bed?"

"I've finally healed enough so to leave," Juro said walking towards her his horse slowly walking behind him, "you know if your going to run away, you should do such… to sit and ponder on it would only give you more fear and doubt to go."

"What do you know about the such?" Midori said feeling her heart beat as he walked towards her. She took a step back nearly falling off the large rock she was standing on.

"Enough to know you are not prepared to go by yourself milady," Juro bowed before walking up the rock to stand in front of her. Midori swallowed as she watched him analyze the nervousness on her face.

"What makes you think so?" Midori asked trying to pick up her stance. He just smiled and pushed her backwards making her stumble as she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the freezing water with her. He hadn't thought she would grab him along with her. She emerged from the top of the water only half a second after him shaking as her teeth began to chatter, "wwwhhhhatttt wwwwaassss thhhhatt foorrr yyoouuu jjjjeeerrrkkkk."

"I ttthhoougght yyouu wouuuld rrreeeaalize that yyoouuu arrrennt shhaarp eeennnouugghh ttooo ggggoo oonnn your oowwn," Juro said also chattering as he swam for the bank and helped drag Midori out. Both shook as she shook herself, "coommee closer…"

"NO WAY! Your such aaaa perverrrt," Midori said trying to keep her stature. Juro laughed a second before scooting closer to her.

"I mmmmeaan to keeeep our warmth," Juro said wrapping his arms around her. She tensed up a moment before relaxing feeling the warmth of both their bodies keeping each other. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest as she glanced at him. He quickly looked away before he finally spoke up, "why… do you want to leave?"

"Because," Midori didn't know how to say it without getting upset, "my father. He has, uh, well brought into the castle my uh… I am being forced to uh, well my father has told me I am to marry someone I've never even met."

"Oh," Juro said feeling something inside of him turn, something he had never really felt before, "Well uh…"

"Well what? What am I supposed to do?" Midori said watching him as tears began to fill her eyes. He just sighed before pulling her into an unexpected hug. They stayed that way for awhile… and not only for the warmth. It was a feeling that strangely felt right to them, it felt… right. As if they were exactly where they were at the exact time they were supposed to be. It was a new feeling, but for a moment they just let things be.

"Midori!" Sesshomaru yelled breaking them up almost an hour later. Midori jumped and turned around to see her father glaring angrily at them. Who was this boy, "what are you doing! And who is this?"

"Lord Sesshomaru," Juro jumped up pulling Midori up beside him. Midori looked to Juro nervously afraid of what he might say not realizing the consequences of it, "I am Lord Juro son of King Halder and Queen Sagoe…"

"Your…" Sesshomaru glared in anger at them. The son of Halder? Halder was there… oh no. Sesshomaru took a step forward, "I've heard stories about you… how dare you with my daughter. You have unrightfully stolen the virtue of my only daughter! Seize him…"

"NO!" Midori screamed out standing in front of him catching both the men off guard. Midori swallowed still shivering, "no, it was nothing like that. My virtue has been not jeopardized or tampered with in any way, and if it so was then it is a choice I would make for it is mine. I fell into the river because I was angry and thought of ending it the easy way… he jumped in and saved me. He was merely keeping me warm so we could begin our journey home, nothing more nothing less my lord."

"Is that so? It must be the human blood in you, Sesshomaru said feeling anger with everyone in his family, "well I wish him and his family to leave immediately. You only get into trouble with this kind of boy Midori. Go home now we will talk later, you go back and pack."

"Yes milord," Juro bowed looking to Midori who looked back at him sadly. Together they stumbled for their horses where they rode back to the castle. Neither talked as they went to their rooms, bound to be separated by distance… never to see each other again.

--

Midori sat there for a moment in her room dressed in her new warm clothes thinking about what had happened. She knew that soon the whole family would be packing to leave, and they would leave… that would be the end. Midori stood up and ran to where Juro's room was and pounded on the door. When he didn't answer she pounded again until he opened it.

"Midori?" he asked in surprise as she pushed past him and closed the door, "what are you doing?"

"You can't leave," Midori said nervously pacing before noticing he was almost packed… and he wasn't wearing a shirt. Midori's eyes widened and she turned.

"You don't have to be nervous Midori it's just a chest. It's different from yours… well a females, not that I've noticed yours, I mean not that I haven't its very nice oh… I mean I haven't been looking, but I did notice… I uh, why can't I leave?" Juro said stumbling nervously. He had never questioned, doubted, or been nervous with himself… the ladies had always loved him. But something about Midori made him nervous, maybe it was because he actually had to try with her… "you can look at me."

"I know, I just, wanted… to be respectful," Midori said blushing as she turned to look at him noticing how well put together he was. Every line from his abs and his well defined chest… it strangely gave her the chills. Juro smiled at how much redder her cheeks became, "and I just, don't want you to go."

"Why?" he asked making her bite her lip and look down, "this was a bad idea…"

"No, wait," he said grabbing her arm as she tried to walk past him, "I just wanted to know…"

"Please I just, please take me with you," Midori said not turning to look at him, "please don't leave without me…"

Authors note: I know its been a long time coming for this chapter, sorry it took me so long. I have my own little issues going on. Anyways thank you for reading… PLEASE review if you've gotten to this point so I know that I do have readers. Meanwhile I am going to live you with the questions… what will Juro say? What will he think? Where will they go… and what is going to happen with the two?