For those I've brought to tears with my last chapter...I am sorry. But it will get better. I promise =]

I was shaking like a leaf as InuTaisho stared me down like the intimidating warlord he was. I don't think I've ever been so deathly afraid in my entire life & I've been alive a long time.

"You will tell me the truth, servant, or you will face my wrath, do you understand me?" InuTaisho in his booming baritone.

I couldn't swallow around the lump in my throat so I just nodded, my eyes on the floor.

"Were you responsible for Head Maid Kaede's death?"

"N-no sire, I honored Old Kae-uh, Head Maid Kaede like my own mot-"

"You will only answer my questions & nothing more, half mongrel!"

I felt heat in my chest. How many times had I heard that insult before Lord InuTaisho took me in? How many fist fights had a gotten into from that one phrase?

"If it was not you then who was it? I am sure you know at least that much"

I opened my mouth but didn't say anything. If I ratted Sesshomaru out he more than likely would only be exiled. Murder was not tolerated under InuTaisho's rule but this was his son; he surely wouldn't have him killed. But that was not a risk I was willing to take. "I...I-I-I don't know, sire"

"Horse shit!"

"My lord" Inukimi said gently, not wanting such language to be spoken in her presence.

The counsel shifted uneasily. This really should not be something they should be called in for. I was just a servant. Exiling me would not be a justifiable punishment, considering I had nothing to my name. All InuTaisho had to do was announce to the counsel he was going to have me beheaded & then once the deed was done, that was that.

"Bring my son in" InuTaisho said, pacing the floor & slowly rubbing his mouth in irritation.

The bailer opened the door, stuck his head out & made a gesture. A few seconds later Prince Sesshomaru stepped in in all his gorgeous glory, chin held high, lips closed but teeth apart & his shoulders back just like he'd been taught all his life. His eyes were watchful but not nervous, calm but with a certain kind of fire behind them as if he was angry. He stood in front of the counsel, just out of my reach. He never looked at me.

"You are aware that Head Maid Kaede was killed sometime today, yes?" InuTaisho asked.

Sesshomaru nodded once. "I am"

"My shamen tell me she'd been dead less than two hours before I happened upon you & this...servant in the hall. Where were you before we sat to eat?"

I noticed Sesshomaru swallowed before answering. "I was in the kitchens"

"Doing what?"

"Demanding a light meal before I went to the dojo to train"

InuTaisho stopped pacing & narrowed his eyes. It was a moment before he responded. "Was there anyone there who can confirm your story?"

"The cook, Onigumo & Head Maid Kaede's daughter, Kikyou"

Now InuTaisho crossed his arms & his mouth was set into a thin line. He was up to something. "What enemies could Head Maid Kaede possibly have?"

"Of that, I am not sure. You would have to ask the half breed"

It was a moment before I realized he was talking to me & my heart dropped.

InuTaisho shifted his weight between his left & right leg, tilting his head slightly. "& neither of you know who killed her?"

I shook my head while Sesshomaru said a simple, "No"

InuTaisho began to pace slowly across the counsel hall, his beefy arms still crossed across his buff chest & his two tails swishing behind him. "I find it interesting that you wanted a meal before going to train, Sesshomaru..."

A sickening feeling came over me. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"...Especially considering not even an hour later you told me at the table you lost interest in training altogether"

Busted.

Sesshomaru made no indication he was nervous. Either he didn't hear what his dad had just said or he was crazy.

"When I followed you & found you two murmuring in the halls, the half mutt-" he spat the word in my direction, "Said something about you not being able to tell me what's really going on. Please enlighten me, Sesshomaru, what is really going on?"

The prince swallowed again & shifted his weight from foot to foot for a little while then glanced at his feet as if the answer was on top of his boot. InuTaisho looked so smug like he'd just gotten his way with little to no fuss. It infuriated me because I felt like the warlord was always looking for a reason to "teach Sesshomaru a lesson" which usually only meant he was about to squash his son's confidence. Maybe that's the reason I blurted-

"I did it"

Every head turned towards me, all the same expression of confusion & curiosity.

"You did what?" InuTaisho growled, narrowing his eyes.

"I...I killed Head Maid Kaede"

I heard Sesshomaru suck in a panicked breath while the counsel members murmured in concern. This just made the decision so much easier for them since I was only a servant. Now they didn't have to figure out what they were going to do to punish the prince.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sesshomaru growled under his breath. I didn't even look at him.

"So you admit up until now you have been lying to the counsel about a murder, which is punishable by death & you would not get to choose a particular way you wanted to die?" InuTaisho asked.

Up until now? He made it seem like I'm just now telling the truth. "Yes, sire"

"Why would you do such a thing?" Inukimi whispered, her hand hovering somewhere between her mouth & neck in utter shock.

"It does not matter" the warlord snapped, "The boy killed an old woman who was the best maid in my household. I hardly believe it was in self defense; he will be sentenced to death at dawn-"

"The counsel will deliberate, Lord InuTaisho" the head counselman said sternly, "We will discuss it thoroughly amongst ourselves"

Translation: We will talk about it & you won't be present.

InuTaisho clenched his teeth a few times before he directed a harsh glare & a stabbing finger in my direction. "You. I want you dragged to the dungeons until a decision has been made"

Two guards grabbed me roughly by my wrists like I was trying to fight them & they hauled me down the dark, wet dungeons under the palace. They lit a torch to navigate the winding maze of cells & torture chambers. The only people in the dungeons were long dead; it smelled of a pile of dead bodies, body odor & mildew. It was cold & humid which was done on purpose to make your stay especially uncomfortable.

One of the guards threw me in an empty cell & locked it. "I hope you rot here & in hell"

Before I could even consider a response they walked away, taking the light with them & leaving me in complete & utter darkness with only the skittering of rats & dripping water stirring the silence.

.
..

I woke up, not even realizing I'd fallen asleep. I could almost sleep anywhere but this was not an environment I ever thought I'd be able to sleep in. Guess that's what happens when you-

All of my sense went on high alert when a felt body heat caress my face. I stayed perfectly still & tried my best not to breathe.

"Inuyasha? Are you awake?"

I jumped at the voice but relaxed when I recognized it. "Sessh...what are you doing here?"

"Why would you lie to the counsel & Father about Head Maid Kaede?" the question was aggressive, like Sesshomaru wanted to yell it instead of whisper.

I sighed. "Look it was better me than you. I don't have anything to lose. So what if they kill me? At least you'll be alive & well"

There was something in the silence that followed that I was looking for, that pregnant pause that let me know Sesshomaru thought otherwise. "They will behead you at dawn"

"I'm not surprised"

"You are not concerned?"

"No. If I cannot show you off on my arm as my mate then I don't see the point of living"

I could even hear the frown in Sesshomaru's voice. "Our relationship is not more important than your life"

"But-"

"You were thriving on your own before you met me. You can continue to live afterwards. Do not try to convince yourself that it is romantic for you to die unnecessarily. It is not. I do not own you. You will be fine without me in your life!"

I scoffed. "Is this your way of telling me you don't want to be together anymore? Considering I'm dying tomorrow morning I don't think that speech was necessary"

The door opened & the bailer poked his head in. "With all due respect, Prince Sesshomaru..."

The prince stood to his full height. I regarded his glowing yellow eyes staring down at me. I vaguely noticed his lips moved & the slightest hint of breath passed his lips before he turned on his heel & walked away for what was more than likely going to be the last time [the royal family always attended executions so I'd see him in the morning but not from behind]

My ears twitched. Wait, didn't he say something before he walked away? I opened my mouth to ask him but thought better of it. I'd say it would haunt me for the rest of my life but considering I'm dying tomorrow...

I spent the next...however long it was, thinking back on my life...being out on the streets after my mother died & how hard it was. It was rare for a half breed of about ten years old to survive this cold world for as long as I did. To be honest I really don't even know how I did it. There were many, many close calls & dumb decisions I made that almost got me killed but I guess it just wasn't my time.

I usually slept in barns & abandoned houses. It was never comfortable but most of the time I didn't think much of it...except in winter. Sometimes the old homeless men would share their moonshine with me to warm me up some. I would always go to the huge barns on those night when I was drunk & it was really cold. The horses never minded & their barn was always kept warm with a fireplace so I figured why not. I'd be up & outta there before anyone knew I was even there. But this one night I had gotten so drunk I didn't wake up till well past noon...

& that was the day I met Sesshomaru.

I'd woken up to someone poking me in my side & grunted in annoyance. I waved the offending thing away but it kept coming back.

"Go away...damn..." I muttered.

"You shouldn't be here"

My eyes shot open & I sat up quickly, only to grab my head as a stabbing pain shot through my temple. Ugh. I felt like an arrow had gone completely through my head then someone went digging through the wound. How am I not dead?

"Father will kill you if he knows you're here"

I opened my right eye just a little to find the most beautiful boy squatted down to my eye level. The first thing I noticed was he was fuckin' gorgeous. The second was that he smelled like honeysuckle. The third was he had to be of royalty if his scent, demon markings, outfit & straight white teeth were anything to go by. & that's when I realized I was in big trouble. My dumb ass fell asleep at the Western Palace barns & was caught by the prince.

"I...I-I-I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't try to steal a-a-anything, I j-just wanted to g-g-go to s-sleep-"

The prince looked around the barn & saw that nothing was out of place minus the body print I left in the hay. He glanced over his shoulder before he looked at me again. "What is your name?" he asked, eyes watching me carefully but not in a suspicious way. More like he was just curious & found me fascinating [though I don't know why he would].

"I-Inuyasha"

"Prince Sesshomaru!" a voice called & I stiffened in fear.

"Inuyasha. I will come fetch you later. Stay here" Sesshomaru murmured before he straightened & went to what I thought was a horse but turned out to be a two headed dragon [how had I missed it having two heads?]. He threw a leg over its back & rode out into the blinding sunlight then I took a deep breath. So I'd just met the prince of the Western palace. I expected him to be older but he looked like he was in his early teens. He was going to grow up & be so incredibly beautiful.

I blinked as I shook myself out of my memories. That seemed like it just happened a few days ago rather than hundreds of years. Who would have guessed the ice prince would fall in love with a homeless orphan-

The door opened & closed so quickly I wasn't sure if anyone had even come in. I pressed my back up against the opposite wall from my cell door & tried to keep my breathing under control. Damn it sucks that I couldn't see & my sense of smell was pretty much shot.

"Inuyasha"

I relaxed. "Sessh, what are you doing here?"

"Be quick & quiet. We don't have much time"

"Much time for what?"

I scrunched up my nose at the acidic smell of something burning & felt my heart rate pick up considerably when the cell glowed an eerie green as Sesshomaru melted the bars that imprisoned me with the poison from his claws.

"What are you doing?!" I whispered harshly.

Sesshomaru seemed to frown in concentration. "According to our messenger, the dragon tribe plans on attacking sometime tomorrow. He hasn't been back to tell us exactly when so we can assume she is dead. I need to get you out of here as soon as possible"

"You will be stripped of everything to your name & beheaded for this!" I growled, quelling the panic that vibrated in my chest at the news of the dragon tribe looking to attack soon. Was the Western Palace even ready for such a heavy attack, especially without Sesshomaru? That tribe was ten thousand strong & the Western warriors only roughly about five thousand.

Sesshomaru didn't seem to really care about those odds at the moment. "Do you think I am not aware?"

He carefully set the bars to the side that he'd melted off before he started on the next one. I crawled over to the now gaping hole through the bars. I knew my eyes were wide with fear. Fear is what kept me alive all of these years so that wasn't what made me uncomfortable. But to think that someone I love was trying to save me, putting themselves in danger...I've never had that. "Why are you doing this?"

Sesshomaru pulled me up by my wrist & through the hole he'd made for me. I couldn't see very well but the green embers from the smoldering iron bars lit Sesshomaru's eyes up in a way that made him look possessed. He scared me, fascinated me & turned me on all at the same time. "Because I love you"

My eyebrows shot up & I felt like sitting down to fully comprehend what I just heard. But before I could really process it Sesshomaru tugged me towards the door & peeked out before slipping out like a shadow, his movements careful but quick. I stepped over the guards with their necks snapped or heads cut off & shivered involuntarily. Sesshomaru was ruthless.

We kept to the shadows as we continuously made out way to the gates that led out into the village. No one was awake at this time of the morning but we needed to hurry before the farmers came out to begin harvesting. Sesshomaru had handed me a dark cloak that masked my hair & most of my face while he donned the same thing. I felt like I was going to suffocate; it was a humid summer morning but I knew how important it was to just get used to it.

"Please tell me you know how to ride a horse" Sesshomaru whispered as we spotted the gates.

"I do"

He nodded to himself & seemed to relax. "As soon as we mount-"

I smirked. He said mount.

"-We're going to need to run as fast as those horses can take. I only brought what we need. What we don't have, we will build, find, kill & make on our own"

I raised an eyebrow. "I guess some royalty are taught to survive on just the basi-"

"Who goes there?!"

Sesshomaru swore as he reached under his cloak & pulled out a bow & arrow, a weapon I'd never seen him use. "Do you have a weapon?"

I blinked. "Uh..."

He quickly handed me a dagger & quickly pressed his back against the pole that was off to our right. "I pray you know how to use it"

A handful of guards came jogging from the barracks to the left of the gate & some look-outs peeked from over on top of the gates with their bow & arrows, ready to shoot. Dread gripped my spine when I noticed Sesshomaru touch the arrows under his cloak as he counted them & make a face. He didn't have enough to take them all out. We'd have to try hand to hand combat.

"Friend or foe?" a guard called out, a muscular one that I never really cared for.

"What are we gunna do?" I whispered.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath & instead of answering, he notched an arrow & let it fly. It stuck into one of the guards' neck & they immediately formed a Roman line, their shields in front of them & ready to block if another arrow came their way.

"Do you even have a plan to get rid of all these guys?!" I asked.

"No" Sesshomaru answered & shot another arrow hitting one of the look-outs straight through his forehead.

"Sessh-" I started but he stepped behind an adjacent pole & shot off another arrow.

I could only assume Sessh brought five or six arrows. Now he had three or four. I had to do something. He didn't give me this dagger to clean out from under my nails. I slid behind the pole he'd been at before. "Sesshomaru, aim for the look-outs"

The prince gave me a side-long glance before he nodded & took down another look-out. "Make it fast"

I wanted to say something like, "Be safe" or "Don't get stabbed in the throat" or something else to let him know I really needed for him not to get killed but I knew he could handle himself. As long as he'd been training, whether he liked it or not, I knew he had a good fighting chance. I ran straight into the Roman line & attacked without strategy. I knew it was stupid; I could very easily be overwhelmed but Sesshomaru had my back. Still it frustrated me to see our new enemies dropping like flies around me with arrows sprouting from their backs like gruesome plants.

'Save your damn arrows!'

But when I glanced at the look-out post & saw no one standing, I realized he'd already taken care of them & he'd also brought more arrows than I realized though I hoped he wouldn't use every single one on this fight. I was almost positive there would be another skirmish before we were free.

I stabbed my dagger into one of the guard's temple & kicked him away before I took one the next one. This one had been watching me so he knew I wasn't very skilled in training & could anticipate my moves. He swayed away from my swings & shied away from my thrusts. He was trying to tire me out & man, was it working. I didn't have the opportunity to look for an opening but I couldn't just start swinging on a new opponent either. I knew this guy would just cut my head off the moment I looked awa-

My eyes widened when a sword slid out from his chest & blood dribbled from his mouth. He looked at it then at me like he was confused then fell to his knees, revealing Sesshomaru who snatched the sword out & immediately began cutting down the remaining guards one by one. I watched, stunned by how beautiful & graceful my love was, blood splattering like roses being thrown at his feet in appreciation for his dance. How could someone like me even get attention from someone like him?

I grunted as I was grabbed into a tight bear hug from behind & lifted from my feet. My arms were pinned to my side so I didn't have the range I needed to stab behind me & my dagger was too short to simply use my wrist. I kicked & threw my head back in an effort to head-butt whoever was behind me in the nose but their head jerked to the side everytime. I brought my knees up to my chest & kicked back as hard as I could. Luckily it was right in the crotch & I was let go immediately. I turned around & slit the guard's throat, my mouth watering as I watched the blood bubble out from the wound. I glanced at Sesshomaru & found he was still holding his own against three guards, his sword glinting in the rising sun-oh shit the rising sun!

I came up behind two of the guards, stabbed one through his chest & broke the other's neck. When Sesshomaru took care of the third & got his attention & pointing towards the lightening horizon. His eyes widened considerably & he wrapped his cloak around his hair.

"We need to hurr-"

"Sesshomaru!"

We both froze & Sesshomaru turned his head to glance over his shoulder. InuTaisho's face was distorted with anger & disbelief as his eyes zero'ed in on his son, the left side of his mouth raised in disgust. A warning blared in my head to run but I knew InuTaisho was much faster than me. He'd cut me down the moment I even considered if I could get away.

"Father" Sesshomaru said in a cool voice. He turned to fully face his sire.

"How dare you taint the name of the Taisho family with your betrayal!" InuTaisho snapped.

"I hold no loyalty to a family that prides itself on being ruthless more than being right!"

The glare InuTaisho sent him gave me chills. "You would sacrifice yourself for a mere half breed...a low born half breed at that! I took him in so that you would have someone around your age you could play with & this is how you repay me?! You turn against your own family for...that?!"

Sesshomaru's jaw clenched several times before he answered. "Yes"

Just as InuTaisho was getting ready to respond a flaming arrow shot over the gates & right above the warlord's head. My eyes widened. The dragon tribe was here. We'd been so busy fighting the guards & arguing we hadn't even heard their approach.

"Sessh..." I whispered in warning.

InuTaisho glared at his son, his face a mask of rage. I'd never seen him so infuriated & to be honest, I hoped I never saw it again. "You will pay for this Sesshomaru. You will pay dearly!"

A wave of dragon demons surged over the gate, their claws, axes, bow & arrows & maces held high. They took no time in looking around to find their victim; they simply attacked. They were huge demons, thirteen feet high & muscular, colorful scales protecting their skin. Some flew over & dove straight into the line of archers that had just begun to form. I grimaced at the screams that arose from the ones that were engulfed in flames or crushed under the dragons' taloned feet. My heart thundered in my ears & my blood rushed down to my feet. I was paralyzed with fear, a kind of fear I have never felt before in my life. I felt like I was going to throw u-

I jumped when a slender hand wrapped around my wrist.

Sesshomaru, face bloodied with blood that was thankfully not his own, pinned me down with a ferocious stare, like he was barely able to hold down his bloodlust. "We need to leave while Father is distracted. If we don't we'll have to fight & we will lose"

I knew how hard it was for him to retreat; Sesshomaru was built to fight until his dying breath, not run away before Daddy came to spank him. I nodded, still unable to speak. I glanced over my shoulder to see if InuTaisho was watching us just as a dragon thrusted his claw through the warlord's belly.

I really don't remember how we got away. One minute I was running around thick, tree stump like legs of dragon demons, cringing when they roared, flinching when they belched fire & jumping when they stomped or when I heard the flap of their wings & then the next Sesshomaru was pulling me off of my horse & pushing my sweaty bangs out of my face.

"Inuyasha. Inuyasha, you're fine. Everything is alright"

I blinked & focused my eyes on his face. There was blood in his hair & part of his sleeve was singed but otherwise he seemed fine. I looked around & was mildly surprised no guards or warriors of the Western Palace had pursued us but I guess when there is a surprise attack...& then all those horrible images came flashing through my mind again.

"Are you hurt?" Sesshomaru asked.

I shook my head. "I...no"

There were a few patches on my clothes that had been burned & I had a few very shallow cuts on my arms & face but otherwise I was just fine. I scanned Sesshomaru's face, arms & torso for any injuries but he seemed alright too. His eyes watched mine carefully, like he was waiting for me to say something.

"We're...free" I whispered.

"We're free" he confirmed, a smile curling his lips. I'd never seen him smile before. To be honest, it kind of scared me but he was so gorgeous at the moment I just kissed him involuntarily. Oh Kami his lips were so soft & molded so perfectly with mine. I put one hand on the back of his neck to hold him to me & the other on his hip. At first he stiffened, forgetting there was no chance of being caught out here & even if we were it wouldn't matter, & then he slowly relaxed & put a hand on my chest. This just felt so natural, like every single event that happened between the moment we laid eyes on each other & just a few minutes ago led up to this & it was great.

Sesshomaru leaned back & stared at me for a long time before he smiled again...& then a laugh bubbled up this throat. My eyebrows rose slowly as he tried to smother it but failed & began laughing even harder. Maybe he hit his head while we were trying to escape? I didn't see it but maybe it happened while I'd been looking away. Maybe he'd gotten bopped on the head while we were fighting those guards. Either way this was starting to get uncomfortab-

Sesshomaru doubled over & wrapped his arms around his middle in his attempt to better deal with the pain in his abdomen but he...just kept laughing. He raised his face to the sky & wiped at his eyes. His laughing calmed down into just chuckles & snickers...then he looked at me & started laughing hard all over again.

"Uh...are you alright?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to approach him or run away from him.

"We're f-free! Do you even know what that means?"

I looked around without moving my head. I think I should probably run away now...

Sesshomaru pressed a hand to his mouth for a moment before continuing, interrupted by his laughter. "T-that means...I will not train anymore! You d-don't have to...to be a servant anymore! We can be...whatever the hell we want!"

I really didn't understand how this was so funny but I simply smiled & nodded, taking a step back.

"Father won't b-be lurk-...lurking around every corner...I can...get out of bed when I feel like!"

I paused. There was something about his tone of voice & facial expression that made me feel like he was starting to lose it a little. How can someone who grew up as royalty all of a sudden be ok with not living as royalty? Not having all that you used to? Having to fend for yourself? Being exposed to people that may or may not have the best intentions for you? He was scared. He would never admit it but the thought of not having Daddy there to make everything better freaked him out.

"No...no more council meetings! No more...planning for an unnecessary war-"

I put both of my hands on both sides of cheeks to grab his attention. "& we don't have to hide our love"

Slowly, he sobered up & he reverted back to the Sesshomaru I was used to being exposed to: stoic, observative.

I searched his eyes, feeling his heart beat as my hand settled on his neck. "Of all the things to be excited about why is that not one?"

I knew it was somewhat unfair to expect him to dive into a relationship with me when we both have grown so accustomed to hiding our feelings for each other but after he told me loved me...well, I just figured that was the start of us moving forward together.

Sesshomaru's eyes dropped to my mouth. "Our lives...together...has just begun, Inuyasha, you cannot expect me-"

I frowned. "Expect you? I don't remember saying anything remotely similar to what I expect from you"

"Apparently you expect me to faun all over you all of the time?"

"What? No! But when you tell someone you love them after hiding your relationship with them from your family for hundreds of years-"

"It's only been about seventy..."

"-You can't just expect them to continue on with the relationship like it's not a big deal"

"It isn't"

"It is! I love you too & I refuse to hide it any longer"

A blush colored his cheeks. "Inuyasha..."

"Listen, I'm not saying we have to go to the highest mountain & yell at the top of our lungs that we love each other-...I mean...unless you want to...then it's completely fine with m-"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"I'm just saying it doesn't have to be boastful. But if I want to hold your hand while we shop in town then I will because you are mine & I am yours"

"I do not want to own you, Inuyasha"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. You are my lover & I am your lover. Better?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth & he turned his head away [I guess to hide the fact that he was gushing like a schoolgirl]. "Yes that is enough"

.
..

The next matter to be concerned with was food. My stomach was growling like a pissed off dragon demon & a few times I heard Sesshomaru's stomach sound off as well though he didn't think I heard. Being on my own for years before I met the Taisho family, I knew how to hunt already. Sesshomaru, however...

"Well are you going to just eat it like that?"

His nose wrinkled. "No"

"Then you have to kill it & rip it open"

"But the blood will get on my attire"

I sighed & rolled my eyes towards the darkening sky. "I've already done this for you several times. You have to learn how to feed yourself in case I'm not around"

He looked at me, eyes flashing in alarm. "Are you saying you think you will die?"

"No! I know how to survive off the land! You see it's not as easy as you first thought eh?"

Sesshomaru grimaced at the deer that was moaning pitifully on her side, eyes rolling in fear. He reached down & broke her neck to end her agony but then stepped back.

"Um, no sir, you have to cut her open & cut off the meat you want to eat & save for later"

"So messy..." he grumbled. After we stood there, going back & forth for a couple of minutes he finally squatted down & carefully carved the deer open, making a strange sort of panicking noise when the blood washed over his boots. He kept at it though until all the meat was off the corpse, set to the side in a neat pile.

"Good. Now how will you eat this, raw or cooked?"

"I am a demon, not a savage, Inuyasha"

"...So will you be eating this cooked or...?"

He shifted his eyes in a deliberate way, his own way of rolling his eyes. "Cooked"

"Alright so we need a fire. We need wood & a means to start a fire"

He looked at me expectantly like I was just going to pull both out of my ass. I scoffed. "I will help you look for it, not do all the work"

But in the end I found the wood, carried it back to our little campsite & arranged it for a longer burn time.

"Now I'm going to teach you how to use a flint" I told him while he watched. I struck two rocks together a few times, aiming it at the sticks until a spark started & landed on the pile of wood. I set the rocks aside & very gently blew on it, watching the spark grow into a tiny flame then into a reasonably sized one.

Sesshomaru set a piece of cloth on the ground & sat on it. "This is tiresome"

My eyebrow twitched. "You didn't even do anything!"

He watched me skewer the deer meat on a slender twig & stick it into the ground at an angle so it could cook without me having to hold it. "What will we do for seasonings?"

Oh Kami. Please just take me now.

.
..

I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed sleeping under the stars. Sure, I missed my bed but nothing compared to watching the billions of stars twinkling & the moon so big it almost seemed like you could reach out & touch it. The calming sounds of the night animals made it even better. Sesshomaru however...

"Sessh. Come lay down, nothing's going to attack"

He didn't move from his spot in the tree, only his eyes moving as he surveyed our surroundings.

"Unless you're scared of bugs, you honestly have nothing to worry about. Take it from someone who has lived out in the wilderness on his own, ya know?"

"Inuyasha, be silent" Sesshomaru growled.

I rolled my eyes & tucked my hands under my head. "Fine. Stay up all night for nothing. You'll be the exhausted one, not me"

Less than an hour later I heard a thump & a rush of wind stir to my left before someone lifted the cloth I was using as a blanket & burrowing under it. I never took Sesshomaru to be the cuddling type. He certainly never did it before but then again you didn't have much time for cuddling when you were trying to make sure you weren't caught.

"You miss home yet?" I asked, my eyes closed but he never answered that question.

"Make love to me" he said instead. So I did, right under the twinkling stars.