CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Sesshomaru

Her body was different than normal. Instead of being able to feel the warmth like usual, she was cold, and wet. I could feel her shaking. Was it from fear, that I smelt so strongly? Or was it because of the cold? Either way, I felt her lower herself a bit, just so that she could wrap her arms around my neck.

This time, I didn't protest.

My toes pointed, I lowered myself to the ground. Lilies blew in the light breeze around us. Mikage let go on her own, just as I was about to let her go. She stumbled a bit, trying to find her footing. I watched her, fascinated. Why was she so persistent?

"Come on," she said, as she finally settled. "You said we were training, right?"

I was surprised to find myself looking into the face of a determined little girl who truly wanted to learn. Her sopping wet hair was so heavy that it couldn't even blow with the wind. Yet she stood, hands at the ready. Her lips were blue, her skin was pale. If she didn't get warmth quickly, she would most likely get sick.

Believing that she would follow me, I walked past her. When she didn't, I stopped.

"You're going to got sick."

"I... I don't care. I don't want to insult you anymore, Lord Sesshomaru. I want to learn... O-okay?"

I glanced back at her. She still was holding her hands in front of her. I sighed as I turned back around.

"Your legs."

"Huh?" she asked, a note of confusion in her voice.

"You will never manage to hold a defense if your legs are like that."

Her legs were close together, knees bowed. Any attacker could easily knock her down.

"R-right..." she stammered. "Tha-"

It was then that I heard her cough. At first it was light, but then, it got worse. I turned to face her. She was covering her mouth with her arm. I sighed again. I knew that she would.

So, reluctantly, I made my way over to her. She attempted to stifle her hacking as I came closer, most likely expecting me to either interrogate her or say 'I told you so'.

"I-I'm fi-INE," she attempted to say, before another shuddering cough racked her entire small body. Reaching out to her forehead, I wasn't surprised to feel the beginning of a fever. The soaked clothes that covered her body wouldn't help at all. There was only so much that such a young child could take, and I knew that.

"Take the wet clothes off," I commanded, averting my eyes.

I could just imagine her face flushing as she let out a startled cry.

"W-what?" she exclaimed.

"The cold is making you sick, Mikage."

"I run around naked?"

"You wouldn't be."

I draped the over cloth of my kimono over her head, knowing I could bear just having the one underneath.

"Oh- okay then. Thanks!" She began to slip down her sleeve, much to my disgust. I quickly thrust my head in the other direction. I had no intention of seeing her get undressed at all. I heard her shuffling, then finally, the wet slosh of her clothes hitting the ground.

"Hey Lord Sesshomaru! Look!"

I turned my head slowly, silently praying that I wouldn't turn to see bare skin. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to hand her something to tie it with. So, much to my horror, the kimono top draped open.

She giggled, looking down.

"Wings!" she cried, running about in a circle, arms spread wide.

I heard myself let out an exacerbated cry as I launched forward, eager to close it.

"Don't do that! Do you have any idea what could happen if a boy was around?" I snapped as I brought the one side over her stomach. Holding that there with one hand, I untied the sash around my hips. She giggled again as I brought it around her, having to wrap it several times before it would stay.

"But you're a boy," she hummed, looking down at my work.

"Not me, Mikage."

Tying off the ribbon, I looked her over. The loose fabric bagged a bit over the tight ribbon. The bottom of it went about mid-thigh. She grinned up at me. Holding up her hands, which were thoroughly covered by the sleeves, she growled playfully.

"Look at me! I'm you, Lord Sesshomaru!" she roared, seeming to easily get over her previous coughing fit. She ran about the lilies, pretending to chase after something. Just as I was about to question what she was doing, she shouted, "Better run away demons!" This was humiliating... Yet amusing. The playful girl that I had met few times, was returning. As she ran, and tumbled, I began to think, that maybe. Just maybe, this girl was the real Mikage.

"Mikage, we've been here for well over an hour..." I reminded her, watching as she began rolling.

Suddenly, she popped up like a groundhog, peeking over the flowers. She was far away, so I couldn't quite see what exactly she was doing.

"Well," she called. "If you want to go home, then you'll have to catch me first!"

No way. I wasn't about to frolic like a toddler. She was in no position to object, or tell me when we were going home. Now that I thought about it, though... She did have an admirable amount of gall to be telling me what to do.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she cried, using a sing-song voice. "Come on!"

So, deciding to waste no time, I merely teleported in front of her, wrapping my arms around her.

"Eek! No! That's not fair!" she squealed, squirming to get free.

"Define 'fair'."

I felt my lips pull into something that I had never done before. Just as I realized what it was, so did Mikage. She just began gaping.

"Y-you... You're..."

She struggled to find words.

I was smiling.

I knew it as soon as she did, and I was flabbergasted.

"No I'm not." I said, letting her go and looking away. She ran around to the direction I was facing, and tried setting her words straight.

"You are! You're smiling!"