CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Mikage

Wind chimes tinkled softly by the window as I became conscious of my surroundings. A light breeze was making it's way into the room, making me shiver a bit. But if it was that cold, wouldn't I be? I didn't feel like opening my eyes yet. But still, I was able to hear the quiet beating of a heart. Lord Sesshomaru's heart, against my ear. Had I really gotten this close to him during the night...? Knowing him, he probably be angry with me if he had found out. I better move.

Placing my hands on either side of me, I became ready to lift myself away from him.

"Milady!" hissed a voice. Lord Jaken scrambled over to me, something clutched in his hands.

"Yes?" I asked. He held out the item. It didn't take long for me to discover what it was. It was my crown. How did that get off of my head?

Standing on the tips of his toes, he attempted to place it back onto my head. When he did, however, the sleeves of his kimono slid back, revealing long scratches down one of his arms. Not only that, but the bark-colored fabric was torn to near shreds. I gasped. "Lord Jaken! What has happened?"

He secured the tiara onto my forehead before looking down at his shredded skin.

"Ask that wretched feline!" he squawked. He pointed to Yuuhi across the room, who had a rather smug look on her face. "She has completely demolished my beautiful clothing!" I shot a glare at Yuuhi, who just responded with a chuckle.

"Don't worry, Lord Jaken. I'll sew yours again. I'm sorry that Yuuhi has been so impolite to you," I said, pulling the bandages back out of my top. Pulling around a foot of it from the roll, Lord Jaken continued.

"She should be sorry! As Lord Sesshomaru's head adviser, I deserve some respect!"

"Of course you do. Yuuhi, say you're sorry," I murmured, devoting most of my attention to applying my treatment. Jaken looked back at her expectantly. When she said nothing, he turned back to me angrily. "Yuuhi..." I sighed, finally looking up at her. She groaned.

"Fine. I'm sorry."

Looking back down at my work, I smiled.

"Thank you, Yuuhi."

Jaken began grumbling under his breath as I tied it off.

"Lord Jaken, she has apologized. It's time to move on. Maybe you two could even become friends," I suggested. At the same time, they refused. I chuckled, and shrugged. "It'll take time, of course." Oh, yes. That's right. "Lord Jaken?"

"Yes, Milady?!" he exclaimed, turning his attention back to me.

I traced my finger along the band on my forehead.

"Why did you have my crown?" I asked. I still didn't understand how it could have gotten all the way across the room when it was sturdily secured to my head most of the time.

"Oh! It was a very strange occurrence, Milady! One moment you were fast asleep, and the next you were bustling with rage, and had thrown your crown at my head! I can still feel the bump where it had hit!"

So that was it. I knew that I could get rather cranky when I was woken up.

"I see." I paused for a moment to listen to the chimes. Then, returning my gaze to Lord Jaken, I decided to explain. "I'm sorry, Lord Jaken. It's just that when I am woken up so suddenly, I sometimes can get hostile. It isn't your fault... But... Is it possible that you were being noisy?" I questioned, placing my hands in my lap. Lord Jaken began playing with his fingers as he glanced to the side.

"Well..."

"Yes. See? If you be noisy when I try to sleep, I can end up accidentally hurting you. Just keep that in mind please."

"It wasn't just me, Milady! It was also the dastardly cat! She got me into the whole argument in the first place," Jaken accused.

"Arguing?"

Jaken nodded his head fast.

"Indeed! We were debating Milord's feelings for you!" Yuuhi laughed heartily in the corner.

"He totally likes you," she jeered, coming beside us. I felt my cheeks flush again. Here we go.

"He does not!" Lord Jaken and I cried in unison. Yuuhi just began cackling uncontrollably.

"Sis, Yuuhi? Could you be a little quieter?"

Gakupo was sitting up now, rubbing his eyes with one hand. Yuuhi took no time running over to him, prepared to ask him his opinion. I just wanted to get away from here. This whole situation was absolutely ridiculous. Lord Sesshomaru and I weren't even friends, and here these three had already begun arguing over some supposed feelings he had for me.

Slowly, I drained the air from my lungs, running my fingers through my bangs as I did so. I knew that no matter what I said, they probably wouldn't stop- so I gave up on it. That was when I realized something. What was really keeping me within this room at all? I could easily just get up, and take my leave. Seeing as they were so into this subject, they probably wouldn't even notice.

Crawling to my feet, I felt the chipping wood of the floor rub against my knees. Even as I settled on my soles, small creaking noises sounded from the boards. It must be old, I guess. How old though? Fifty? One hundred years? It was anyone's guess. I should ask Lord Inu no Taisho later on. It was his house, so perhaps he had built it. If that was the case, then he would know its actual age.

How old was he, even? He's so wise, and kind, and intellectual. He probably knows a ton of things.

Just as I approached the door though, it swung open. I fell on my bottom, startled. It had just about smacked me in the face! I was lucky that I had moved out of the way in time.

Speak of the devil,

I thought as Lord Inu no Taisho came in.

"Time to wake up, everybody!" he yelled, coming into the room.

He had a rather cheerful look on his face this morning.

CLANG! Clang!

Covering my ears, I saw what he was banging. He was holding a soup pot in one hand, and a wooden spoon in the other. Gakupo was also holding his ears, a look of sheer pain contorting his face.

"Inu no Taisho-sama please! Stop banging the pot!" I cried over his incessant banging. Was he deaf? How could he stand to even clash those two things together without severely damaging his own hearing?!

Across the room, Lord Sesshomaru pressed his face against the floor, attempting to use his own kimono to shield his ears. His knees were now tucked beneath his body, and his hair draped over his bottom. If I weren't in extreme pain, I would probably be thinking about how silly he looked- but I totally understood why he was in such a position.

As Lord Inu no Taisho made his way over there, Yuuhi's fur poofed. I watched as she yowled and hid behind Lord Jaken for protection.

"Up up up up up!" he shouted, bending over. He began pounding them directly by Lord Sesshomaru's head.

"Will you be quiet?!"

Lord Sessho-Maru reached over to what I thought was his armor before chucking it straight at his father's head. Inu no Taisho-sama quickly ducked, simply by bending his knees. The armor flew diagonally across the room, going right through the paper and wooden doorway. Inu no Taisho-sama whirled around to look at it.

"Whoops. I can fix that," he said, before turning back to him. Then, he did something unexpected. Discarding the pot and spoon, he bent down to Sesshomaru-sama, and picked him up.

"Father-"

He was unable to finish his sentence before Inu no Taisho-sama began grinding his knuckles on his head.

"Come 'ere you scrawny yokai!" he bellowed, barring him to his body with his arm. Lord Sesshomaru's legs were kicking, trying to get him free.

"Father stop it! I'm not scrawny I-"

"What? You call yourself muscular? Look at you! You feel like you weigh two pounds!"

They continued like that for a while. I honestly couldn't help but smile. Sesshomaru-sama was actually in a way, playing with his dad. Sometimes, it didn't even seem like Lord Sesshomaru was a kid anymore. But now... I was able to see the side of him that I had always kind of wanted to see.

Finally, Lord Inu no Taisho dropped him to the floor. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked at all of us.

"Okay, kids! Plan for the day!"

"What plan?" Sesshomaru-sama grumbled, trying to straighten his mussed hair. Lord Inu no Taisho let out a loud guffaw, throwing his head back.

"Well I am glad you asked, son!"

He reached up to his pony tail, removing the string. When he shook his head, it all came loose. Pointing to all of us individually, he smirked.

"You all, are going on a fishing trip!"