Disclaimer: Check the first chapter :p

prompt: I.O.U

words: 1, 047

Sesshoumaru walked through the hall of his shiro ignoring everything on his way. As always his face was stoic but everyone could easily detect how his youki was sparkling with irritation. Soon he arrived before the door when two guards were standing and they bowed low seeing their master. Sesshoumaru didn't acknowledge their greeting, quickly walking inside.

Once the shoji screen behind him was closed his eyes landed on the small figure that was sitting on the tatami mat near the corner. Her trembling lips and slumped shoulders spoke loudly about her distress. Hearing his entry she had looked up quickly, only to bow her head once again so her dark hairs covered her eyes.

"Speak," the lord ordered. The woman sighed softly.

"I have nothing to say you haven't heard before. I don't know what have happened. The quarters were ready this morning and everything was in perfect order. You was there when I was doing the last check up, after that I left to great your Noble Mother as you ordered me," Kagome said quietly. She was wondering if Sesshoumaru was actually believing her.

"My mother has the right to punish you for that disrespect."

"I know."

"It can mean your death." Kagome's face snapped at him with mix of panic and slight disbelief.

"What?"

Has she missed some point of the youkai rules? She really couldn't remember that for 'her' crime someone would sent her to death. To her worst feeling Sesshoumaru wasn't looking like someone who was telling a joke.

"Have you been trained in the art of using your power?" the youkai lord asked suddenly. The miko shook her head.

"I had a little training in the art of healing with help of herbs and I can purify my enemy with the arrow, sometimes using my bow, or by direct contact," she explained still a bit confused. What her training or rather lack of it had to do with her potential death sentence?

"If your powers are untrained, during the punishment they would rise up in your protection. It would be received as a disobeying and the threat. You will be killed in a defence."

Blue eyes widened in horror before the girl hid her head in her hands.

"Someone really must hate me," she mumbled.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but agree with her-whoever had done this, had the most negative feelings for the miko. Somehow that realization displeased him. He might have been viewed as not the most merciful youkai, but he didn't found pleasure in punishing those who didn't deserve it. And the miko surely didn't deserve that.

His golden eyes narrowed. He had the time until tomorrow to find the real offender, but was he willing to take the steps to do so? Looking at the broken figure of his assistant the daiyoukai found out that he did. Not willing to dig into the reasons of that desire he turned around going to the door, stopping for a moment before them to cast one last look at the girl.

"Go to sleep. The morning can bring the solution," he said leaving the room.

He walked quietly to his study. If he wished to save the miko from the death that was hovering over her he needed to act quickly. And that was exactly what he was going to do.

oOoOoOoOo

Jaken smiled to himself. His great plan worked and soon the problem he had been dealing with through the past months would be out of his way. Everything he needed to do now, was sit and wait. He knew that after tomorrow the miko that had sneaked into the life of his Master would be finally out of this place.

Because Sesshoumaru-sama would be obliged to sent her away after the insult she cast to his Noble Mother. The little youkai couldn't wish for a better peresent. With the girl out of the shiro Jaken would be once again Lord's Sesshoumaru right hand. He couldn't wait for that.

Something moved on his right side and the little toad youkai turned to that direction.

"Akira-san," he greated with a formal bow.

"Jaken-san," replied the female bowing in return. Jaken reached to his sleeve and took out the small bundle that was hidden there. He passed it to the obviously pleased woman. Gentle clicking of the golden coins made her green eyes glow in the dark.

Her red lips curved up in a smile.

"Thank you for your generosity Jaken-san. I owe you," she said hiding the money in the lapels of her clothing. Jaken shook his head.

"You did your work well. Our Lord is bound up to punish the miko tomorrow, I had gained what I wished for."

Akira smiled again, she had quite good fun creating the mess in the royal quarters. She was after all still a young youkai and this kind of act was in her nature. She turned her eyes to the small youkai.

"I'm to your service Jaken-san. Thank you once again. Have a good night," she said turning around and walking away. Jaken waited few more minutes before he went back to his own quarters. His little scheme had come out wonderfully and he couldn't help but be pleased. Everything was perfect, nothing could destroy it.

Basking at his sharp mind and great strategy Jaken never noticed that the full exchange was heard by someone else.

oOoOoOoOo

The knock to the door's of his study took Sesshoumaru from his thoughts.

"Enter," he ordered sitting straighter at his desk. The door were opened and some dark figure slide inside before soundlessly closing the door and moving before his lord.

"Do you have any news?" the dog youkai asked. The male nodded with a grin handing the Lord his report. Sesshoumaru's eyes quickly scanned the scroll before narrowing slightly. He turned to his servant.

"You did well. Go back to your work."

The spy bowed and went out quickly fading back into the shadows of the night.

Sesshoumaru growled when he read the report the second time. It seemed some people in his house were thinking about him as a fool. Well, he was going to prove them their wrong.

He was not the one to be crossed, because once angered he could be most deadly.

AN: I like reviews so.. well, you get the idea, right?