Kagura awoke with a start. Clutching at her chest as the wounds throbbed.

'Damnit. Haven't healed yet, huh? But where…?' she was no longer wearing her blue kimono, it had been replaced with a simple white yukata. She lay in a small room, only 1 jou* across and 3 long. It must have been later in the day, because the light that streamed in fro the slatted window above her head was golden.

Kagure notived the silver haired woman sitting near the screen door. She was obviously asleep, with her head lolled against the wall.

"Hey." Kagura said as she tried to lean over and nudge the girl, before she could reach the girl had jumped.

"Oh my! You are awake! I am so very sorry!" the girl bowed so deeply her forehead touched the floor. "I must go tell the Lord!" just as quickly the girl had dashed from the room, leaving Kagura speechless.

After several minutes the wind witch stood, not wanting to wait around for whoever this lord was. A maroon kimono lay near the foot of her futon, obviously set out for her use. She found her fan next to it, grateful that whoever had undressed her had not taken the weapon, even though it now sported several streaks of her blood.

That's right, she had been fighting Kouga. She thought as she slipped on the kimono, tying the obi loosely so as not to disturb her wounds. But shouldn't she be dead?

She waited a few more minutes, leaning against the back wall, before losing patience and practically throwing the door open. She was met with white.

"Se-Sesshoumaru?" she shrieked and jumped back. He was not wearing his armor and the swords were nowhere to be seen. It made him look even more ghostly than normal.

He regarded her coolly before stepping inside the room, he paused just past the door frame. "You are healed?" it was more a statement than a question. His eyes darted around the space, as if appraising it's worth and deeming it unfit for him.

She regained herself, "You're the one that brought me here?"

"Would you have preferred that I left you in the wolf's hands?"

She bit her lip. "No," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "But why'd you bring me here? Wouldn't put it past you to just leave me out in the woods somewhere." Kagura thought back to the last time she saw him, three years ago. It threatened to bring a blush to her cheeks. She had been surprised that he hadn't pushed her away, or done anything to stop her. She had faded away in order to avoid embarrassment.

Didn't explain why he had brought her here now, though.

"Hn." He looked her over and she squirmed under his gaze.

"What?" she finally snapped. Was he thinking the same thing?

"Your wound has reopened." He glanced down at her chest.

"Shit." She hadn't felt it, but pressing a hand to her chest she could feel the damp of her blood.

"Asuka." He called the girl from earlier in, she must have been waiting outside the door. Bright blue eyes were kept to the floor as she entered.

"Yes, my lord?"

"See to her until she is healed." His voice was low as he brushed past Asuka and out into the hallway. Kagura watched his retreating back.

"Hey, wait!" she sprung forward to catch him before he disappeared again. She leaned against the doorframe and swung her head to look down the hall. "You're letting me stay here?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru had stopped only a few feet away from the door. "Do as you like." And he continued walking, disappearing around a corner.

She narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't an answer…"

Kagura turned back to the girl who had merely stood inside behind the screen silently, now that her lord was gone she tried to shuffle past Kagura and away.

"Hey." The girl froze.

"Yes?" Asuka turned around to meet Kagura's gaze, she kept her own blue eyes to the floor.

"Did he say anything to you?" she looked the girl over, her silver hair, pale blue eyes, and the dark blue servant's yukata she wore.

"Who? My lord?"

"Who else?" Kagura bit back, stepping back inside the doorway and folding her arms across her chest. She winced slightly when the movement bit at her wounds.

"I was only told to inform him when you awoke, I know nothing else." Asuka bowed her head once more. "Please excuse me, I must go retrieve more bandages." And with that she darted around a corner and disappeared.

Kagura sighed, sliding the screen closed. 'This couldn't be too bad.' She thought, slipping out of the kimono, not wanting to stain it, and went and sat against the opposite wall, just below the window. She noted the slight pink tint to the front of the white yukata.

Staying at Sesshoumaru's castle? That couldn't be too bad at all. Three years had passed. Three long years. That was over half of her short life.

She hadn't seen him in all that time, but now the man who had taken up so many of her thoughts during so much of that time was back. Well, more like, she was back, since he couldn't really… well, whatever. It wasn't an opportunity to pass up.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

~xXxXxXx~

Why had he brought her back? He wondered that himself. It had just seemed… right. Not the right thing to do, just right.

It had felt right when he had lifted her up and held her tight to his chest, her head resting against his fur. The scent of her blood unnerved him at first, but he had calmed after a time, just the feel of her against him, even if his armor had blocked most of her warmth. He had even been able to ignore Jaken's obnoxious squawking.

The guards had stood in awe when he had arrived, the wind witch cradled in his arms. He had quickly deposited her in her own quarters, to avoid any further commotion, but he could tell that the news spread quickly around the castle. He did not need that, the fact that his first time back in several years was accompanied by an injured woman was damning enough.

But she was a presence he had more or less avoided these past three years, too much distraction. She made him feel… strange. Yes, that was it. It wasn't normal, but it wasn't bad. No, definitely not bad, this feeling.

Just something he didn't need.

He walked past a couple of bowing servants and couldn't help but let out a sigh.

This was going to be troublesome.

Of course he has a castle, he just wouldn't be the prissy dog we all know and love without it.

Like I said, I only added these last two this week because they are my least favorite, but it's going to be one a week from now on. (unless I get another chapter I really didn't like. xD)

*A jou is a Japanese measurement of room size, based on the size of tatami mats. So the room is only 1 wide and 3 long, which would be about 6 x 9 ft.