CHAPTER THREE

Sesshomaru

"When will she leave?" I asked, feeling my frustration rising. I ground my knuckles against the table, gaze freezing like a stream on a cold winter's night.

Meanwhile, the girl sat in the corner, holding her knees to her chest. She was gazing out the window, her blue jay feather-colored eyes sullen. She didn't bother to look at us, listen, she just stared out, watching as the rain fell upon the world outside.

"Come now, my son... I'm sure you wouldn't mind having her here for a while..." Mother capered, placing her cheek upon her hand. She stroked her nails gently against her cheek, staring at me with an unreadable emotion.

"I have no intention of allowing her to loiter about. You treat her as a pet. Where do you even plan to keep your new toy, mother? In my room? Because I won't let her wander about my room like a neanderthal."

"Sesshomaru, don't be so rude," Mother said, frowning with pursed lips,

"She isn't welcome here!" I growled, lifting myself quickly from the table. The mandarin orange bowl on the table rattled as I stood, filling the large room with echoing clanks.

Everything in the room got silent. The only thing that could be heard was the quiet breathing of Mother and the girl, and the clicking of the rain on the roof. It remained this way for a long while, and I continued to stand. I didn't loosen my muscles, didn't sit. Mother finally let out a short breath.

"Spiteful child," she muttered, turning her head to place her chin on her hand.

But the girl had no response to my declarations. She just continued to sit there, staring frozen out the window. It was like she was didn't hear any of it.

What a dull demon.

Without another word exchanged, I whirled around, heading back up to my room. I hoped that she would gone in the morning.

I awoke tangled up within the soft cushioning of my futon. Though the sliding paper doors to the right of me were closed, morning sunlight leaked through. It created lopsided squares of light stretching across the floor, the fresh fragrance of cherry blossoms filling the area around me.

I squinted my eyes in realization. That was it. The scent I had smelt earlier when she had first arrived. It was cherry blossom.

I pressed my back lower into the soft down of the comforter, brow creasing. Was she still here? Leaning my head into bedding, I wondered if I would return downstairs only to see her positioned predictably in a ball, legs next to her stomach. Or perhaps, she would still be awake, staring weary-eyed out the window still. I pushed the thoughts abrasively from my mind. Someone as low as her ranking should not even have a place in my mind.

I arose from the mess of a sleeping place I had made and gazed out the window. The morning light had hardly covered anywhere but the horizon, stretching its long tendrils over the area between ground and sky. Below the palace, trees and other foliage looked miniscule- none other than ants to my view.

"Just as it will be when you are Lord of the Western Lands," a voice reminded. I smirked quietly at that thought, feeling as my hair skimmed my cheek.

I kept that thought close as I stood. My kimono fell open a bit, band around my waist slack. I gazed into the mirror situated against the wall, looking at my long neck and thin shoulders. My skin looked like ivory, some lit by the rising sun. I only looked at it for a moment. I turned away before tying the wrap tighter, and beginning towards the stairs.

It took a while but I had finally gotten to the main room. As I had expected, there the girl lay, huddled by the window. Her eyes were shut. Though all I could see in the darkness was her silhouette, and a rather good look at her face.

Out of curiosity, I stepped closer. She bore a troubled look upon her face. I could see her better from this distance. The scratch on her cheek, I knew now, was not a mere scratch, but a gouge. Around its perimeter, the skin was swelling slightly, and red.

Behind me, Mother's scent was approaching.

"You let your pride get a hold of you too often, Sesshomaru. You truly made her upset. She spent a majority of the night crying, trying to stay quiet." Turning, I saw my mother standing in the doorway, wearing a deep blue kimono. I blinked a couple of times before returning my gaze to the girl. "You know, her crying over you may just mean she cares enough to forgive you," Mother said as she sat beside me. I sighed.

"I owe an apology to no one. I'm busy." I was about to get up and leave, but she stopped me.

"Sesshomaru... You forget. You are still a child. Stop acting so rude to your mother. And to her."

She motioned to the girl situated upon the floor.

"You know, you may just begin to think different of her when she shows her true colors," Mother ran a hand over the girl's sleeping torso, smiling just a bit when the girl reacted to the warmth of her hand. "She's a very interesting individual, you know. She could be promising. I know your father would say the same if he still were here." A pained look forced her mouth into a frown. Just as it made me narrow my eyes.

"Lady Mikage! LADY MIKAGE!"

A loud bellow of a man jolted us from our thoughts. Outside, muffled shouts of the guards mixed in with the frantic man's cries. Something was stirring up trouble at the palace's walls.

"What is it now?" Mother hissed bitterly, dark eyebrows wrinkling the skin just below it. She shook her head, lips pursing. "They're causing an awful racket. Take her upstairs, Sesshomaru. We wouldn't want to disturb her."

However, I had an objection. The man outside was yelling her name with all the wind in his lungs. If he wanted her, than he should take her- get her out of my hair. I didn't move a muscle.

"Let her leave," I protested, not prepared to do as she said. She whipped her head around to face me, obviously angered. Mother's temper was easier shown than mine, and she had a particular way in which she showed it. Small wrinkles appeared on the bridge of her nose as she glared.

"Do as I say, Sesshomaru." Her eyes dared me to make one more refusal. I could be just as obstinate as she, but decided not to push it today.

"Fine," I snapped. Picking the girl up in my arms, I absconded out of the room and up into mine. I had to stay light-footed, because I knew Mother wanted her to stay asleep. Why Mother didn't want her to leave, I wasn't sure. But I knew just how much I wanted my solitude to be restored.

Her frail body curled up against mine, warmth seeping through my robe. Looking at her face, her mouth was lying open, allowing ragged breaths to filter from her mouth. Her eyes squinted shut, jaw beginning to tremble. I remained silent, watching her face as I traveled up the stairs. What could possibly be so devastating to a girl of such a young age? Ridiculous.

Once I had gotten my room, I sat on the hard floor, and lay the girl in my lap. She was small, but still, I had to support her head and shoulders with one of my arms.

"Mm..." the girl squinted her eyes shut.

Dammit... I thought. She's waking up. I was astonished that she hadn't earlier. What does it matter? She can leave.

She yawned before repositioning herself. Then she seemed content. She was quite a heavy sleeper. Her breathing was light, and I could feel her chest gently moving up and down as she slept. Staring forward, I remained quiet. This was foolish. I could hear talking below me, but the floor was too thick for me to hear what was being said. There was some yelling, now. The girl's body was rigid at the sound. This demon was truly puzzling... What had happened to her?

I glanced out the window yet again to see a very disheveled guard being escorted- no, carried- out of the palace grounds. He writhed in their grasp, trying for a getaway, but their grips were hard. I watched as he was thrown out of the territory, tumbling to a stop in the grass.

Petty man. Did he truly believe he could get into the grounds?

"He's left, Sesshomaru."

Mother stood, looking quite triumphant in the doorway. She examined her purple nails before staring again at me with a complacent look. Her chin raised to me, she approached.

"This is getting out of hand. You have too much sympathy for this weak girl."

"Indeed I do," she replied. She had a smirk on her face, and looking down at my arms, the smirk became more mischievous. "You act as though you don't care about her, when in fact you do Sesshomaru."

This was just the type of behavior that annoyed me, but I wouldn't allow her to know that. I just tightened my glare, willing her to leave. I was tired of her sickly sweet scent, and her honeyed voice- especially within my room.

"Don't make me sick, Mother."

"Sick? I've done no such thing. Here you are with this girl in your arms, telling me you don't care at all. Your father would be so proud of you."

I suppressed a growl, jaw clenching.

"Don't bring up Father."

"Fine, fine." She shifted before taking in a breath. "Then tell me why you want her gone so badly."

"I think you can figure that out on your own," I countered, teeth now crunching silently.

"Very well, very well." She thrust Jaken into the room with a single foot, watching as he humorously fell directly on his face.

"That little demon has been bothering me. Perhaps you should keep him company as well."

I let out an inaudible sigh, watching as Jaken began raving about his apparent ill hospitality. I supposed I have to deal with these irritating imbeciles.