CHAPTER FIVE

Sesshomaru

The girl's eyes rolled back before her knees buckled.

"Milady!" Jaken called out. I felt my grip on her arm . Holding her up, I was startled. Her body... Was so limp. Jaken ran up to me, looking over the girl. "Milord don't just dangle her like that!" However, I didn't listen to him. Her head fell forward, and her weight seemed to fall to her lower half. She just seemed so... Lifeless...

But what my mind was really thinking about, was how she had fallen from such a tremendous height, and landed safely, without a scratch or bruise in sight. Perhaps that is why she had passed out. From realizing her accomplishment.

Below me, Jaken stamped his foot.

"Milord! Did you hear me?! Don't just dangle her like that! You could dislocate her wrist, or something! Milord!"

"I can hear you, Jaken."

Slipping my other arm beneath her legs, I lifted her up. Being so close to her, I noticed what she smelt like. Honeysuckle. That, and a tint of cherry blossom. The slight tang of citrus mixed in with a light honey scent immersed me easily. Of course, Jaken interrupted.

"Milord! We must get her back to the palace!" he cried. I knew he was right. Mother would know what to do about such a thing. I could do nothing more here.

Sakura petals drifted past us, mere pink blurs through the wind.

Closing my eyes, I began to head in the direction of the palace. Jaken was keeping up for once as well. As I walked, I realized just how hard the ground was here. How had she landed so softly even? Her feet were bare. The pain may have also rendered her weak. Whatever the case, I would find out later from her when she awoke.

Eventually, I became tired of the infinite stairs, deciding to waste no more time. As I teleported, I heard Jaken's cries of surprise below, but paid no mind. I continued into the door, feeling the rush of cool air against my face.

Inside, sat mother, upon her throne as I expected. As I approached, she let out a gasp.

"Sesshomaru! What has happened to the girl? Tell me quickly," she exclaimed, getting up and running over. She picked up the girl from my arms, only using one of hers. Mikage's weight was removed from me and shifted to the tall demon before me. She felt her forehead, and then returned her gaze to me. "Well?"

I cracked my neck out of boredom. It made a hollow noise.

"Ask her. She was the one careless enough to fall out of a window," I retorted. Mother's jaw dropped.

"And you were careless enough to let her?!" she yelled. I snorted.

"You care for this girl as though she were your own."

"I think of her as my own, now, Sesshomaru!"

That made me look up. Jaken finally caught up, and ran up beside me, probably giving her a look of shock that should have been on my face.

"What Lady Mother? You truly care for this child that much?!" He dropped his staff onto the floor, creating a loud noise that irritated my ears.

Mother, most likely fed up with both of us, just spun on heel and stormed off elsewhere. We must have annoyed her. At least the girl could disrupt her day instead of mine. I had better, and more productive uses of my time than taking care of a light-headed princess.

Turning, I was prepared to head back outside, if a certain imp hadn't stopped me.

"Milord... Do you not think that you should at least follow to check on her? I mean, no disrespect, but you do owe Milady after treating her so unkindly!" He leaned on his staff that he had retrieved from the floor and gazed up at me. The look I made him must have been horrible, since he recoiled.

"Do not tell me that I owe that girl anything. She does not belong here, and I think that it is about time for her to go home."

I was completely fed up with this nonsense. I did not like that girl, I didn't care if she was a princess, and she was certainly no demon to me! What kind of fool did Mother take me for? Playing matchmaker and setting me up with that pathetic excuse for a daiyokai! I had had enough.

"M-Milord... Come now... What did Lady Mikage ever do to hurt you...? You might at least try to be kind... I mean, she has been so sweet to both you and me!" Jaken's voice was faltering, knowing very well that he could be risking his life by saying such things. But he continued, seeing as I had not done anything. "I mean think about it... She didn't blame you for her hand, her fall, even for what you said last night! Now don't you think that you might just thank her? Just one little thank you." Jaken looked hopeful, but was soon put down.

"No," I replied simply, and continued to the doorway. I wouldn't be caught dead thanking that girl, or anyone, for that matter. I simply didn't commit to such filthy acts. But for some reason, I had to wonder. Could fragments of what Jaken had said been true?

Later, as I re-entered, I noticed the girl sitting on the ground, holding a cloth to her head. It dripped with cold water, collecting fluid on her leg.I said nothing as I walked past her, but suspected she had most likely followed me with her eyes.

"T-thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," I heard her say softly. I turned my head back to look at her. What could she possibly be thanking me for? I made sure that I hadn't done a single thing for her. She kept her eyes directed at the floor, not even looking up when I came to her.

"For what?" I questioned, slightly curious by her gratitude. She lowered her voice even more, before answering my question.

"Lord Jaken told me what you did for me. That you helped me back into the p-palace. I-I didn't mean to faint." She had curled herself up a bit, plausibly doing so as an act of self-protection. Did she fear me? Or did she fear everyone? She was so unnaturally shy. It was hard to tell.

Sighing, I shook my head.

"I only did so because I was heading towards the palace anyways, girl. I didn't do it for you," I riposted. Finally, she looked up at me. She had this look of sorrowfulness on her face that really shouldn't be on such a young girl's. I couldn't figure out why. She had just escaped death on her own, and she wasn't even nearly joyed.

"Even so," she whispered, shaking her head. "I wanted to thank you." She seemed to bite her tongue a bit, before continuing. "D-do... You really not want friends, Lord Sesshomaru?" she inquired. This question I hadn't expected.

"No, I do not," I told her. Looking at her, her expression had gone from simply upset, to downright crestfallen. She closed her eyes before replying with a small,

"...I see."

There was a long silence.

"My needs are different than yours, Mikage. In order to understand each other at all, you need to realize that about me," I said quietly. Her eyes widened, probably since I had used her name. Deciding not to dwell here any longer, I stood up, and walked out of the main room.

Of course, I knew that there was a woman watching us from behind a supporting pillar, and I knew the exact identity of that woman. As I came to the pillar, I stopped, but I didn't look. I didn't want to breathe in that sickening floral aroma, or look at her disapproving face.

"Be happy, Mother. That is the most you're getting out of me. I'm not being kind to her any longer." With that, I continued off. Jaken had followed me, of course. I had begun to think that perhaps he just enjoyed being vexatious. But no matter. I wasn't listening to anything he had to say, anyways.

"LORD SESSHOMARU! HOW CAN YOU BE SO CRUEL?!" he screeched. Bashing me over the head with that atrocious staff, he screeched again. "I am much older and wiser than you are right now, and I find it my right to inform you of how childish you are behaving!"

My head was throbbing, and all I could think was how much I wanted to pop a certain imp's head off like a dandelion flower. Growling, I shot my hand out, attempting to take a chunk of skin off with it. Jaken shrieked, and just barely moved out of the way.

"You ungrateful dog!"

"That's right, Jaken, I'm the dog that is going to tear your head off..." I rumbled furiously. Jaken widened his eyes and hid behind a pillar.

" I-I'm sorry, Milord! I-i-it won't happen again, I a-a-assure you!" he cried. Squeezing his eyes shut, he hid his head yet again.

"It had better not. For should it happen again, you will die. And the blood will be on my hands."

Quietly, I turned my head away. As I continued to walk, I gave the fear-stricken Jaken one simple direction.

"Watch over the girl."