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Chapter Three
From his spot at his window in his bed chamber, Sesshomaru watched the strange woman walk through his castle's garden with Rin. The two females had grown closer over the past few days & Sesshomaru was beginning to think his idea to give Rin someone of her kind was a good one. Many times Jaken had tried to rid Sesshomaru of Rin by saying it'd be for the girl's best to be with her own kind, but this way was better. He wouldn't have to part with her.
He didn't know how this girl was what he'd discovered she was. He'd finally figured out she was more youkai than hanyou when he finally got a glimpse of her in her bath, looking different than she had earlier that day. Her hair, once black now was a rainbow of brown & golden shades; the tones ranging from a burnt golden brown to a gold so light it was almost the silver of his own hair. Instead of stopping at her shoulders, her hair was now the same length of his own & her ears were now positioned on the top of her head & had a rounded, yet sharp appearance, having the same coloration as her hair. Then he looked at her closed eyes, taking in the now more almond shapes. He looked for any signs of a tail, but she must have had it tucked to her side since he could not see any sign of it.
His thoughts traveled back to the previous night after he'd slipped undetected into her room.
He stood behind her now, watching her brush her hair in the mirror she had been provided. "What are you hiding from me?" he asked her, his eyes locking with hers as she looked up at him in the mirror.
"What do you mean?" she questioned.
"I know you're not human," he answered, looking from her hair to her face. "So, what are you?"
Takara looked down at the brush in her hands. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw your true form in your bath. Your hair, your ears, your eyes... They were all different. What demon are you part of?"
Takara sighed & looked up at him before she let her human disguise go to reveal he form he had been talking about. Her hair was still damp, but it managed to shine still. "I'm a mixture."
"Of?"
"My mother was a fox youkai & my father was a feline hanyou. I took on more of her, than him, but I sill have his gifts."
"You're mother was a youkai & you father a hanyou? What an unlikely couple."
"I know. But they're dead now, may the Gods rest their souls."
From somewhere inside himself, something went out to this girl & he found himself placing his hand on her shoulder. "What took them?"
"A stronger demon whose name I do not know." A soft sigh escaped her & she went back to bushing her long hair, wincing when she came upon a tangle. She wanted to ask for his help, but doubted that he would even consider helping her. As if he had read her mind, he took the brush from her & brushed out the knot the way he remembered his mother doing on his own hair when he was a young youkai. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."
His mind was so far out of his mind that he only noticed that instead of being in the garden, she was now behind him with her hand on his shoulder blade when a warm feeling came to he skin covering his shoulder blade. When she started to rub across his strong shoulders, he tensed & turned to face her, her hand ending up on his chest, their eyes locking. "What is it?" he asked, pushing her hand away despite the good feeling that filled him when she was touching him.
"I saw you watching me from the garden & I thought perhaps you needed something so I came up here," she answered, "but you're still staring out the window. "Is there something wrong?"
Sesshomaru looked into the eyes of the woman before him. Her eyes, instead of fear, were full of worry for the demon lord. Something he wasn't used to unless the person behind the eyes was Rin & he still wasn't completely used to having a human care for him. "I was merely thinking."
"About?"
"Why should I answer you?"
"Because I asked you nicely...?"
"Humph... I was thinking about your kind, what you are. I was hoping to have found a human for Rin, but that human is almost youkai."
"If you were looking for a human for the girl, then why did you bring me from the village?"
"Because among the smell of smoke, blood, & fire, it was hard to pick up your true scent. Even you know how hard it was to differ smells in that village. If I would've known you were almost youkai, then I would've left you to fend for yourself. Why did you not just escape when the village took flame? Or why did you not just kill, or fight, the demon that caused the fire?"
"I-"
"Save it," he cut her off. "I have no time to sit & listen to some woman to tell me little excuses." He moved to leave her, but she put both hands on his chest, holding him in spot. He could've easily killed her right then & there but something inside of him took over & the next moment, he found himself reaching out to touch the side of her neck gently, his eyes boring into hers.
She couldn't understand what was going on, but before she understood what was happening, he had drawn her closer & was looking at her with half-closed eyes that held a look she'd never seen in a pair of eyes that happened to be looking at her. "L-Lord Sesshom-maru...?" She tried to move her hands from his chest but he held them there.
"Please," he spoke, "would you stay here with me for a while? I think I'd enjoy your company." Takara couldn't think straight as she nodded. She'd meant to shake her head 'no' but it was as if she wasn't even controlling her own body; as if it had taken over itself. Before she could try to resist, his lips pressed to hers & she lost herself to his gentle hold.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sesshomaru awoke the next morning, to find Takara still sleeping sound in his arms, her head snuggled on his shoulder, eyes closed. This all made her look so peaceful & trusting that he had to force himself to move from under her. When he made his attempt, her arm that he hadn't noticed were draped over his waist, suddenly tightened & he looked to her face to find her still sleeping. Her mind must know I'm leaving... he thought as he managed to escape her grasp, standing by his bed where he once laid with her. She had found his warmth that still remained on the bed & was now laying on it, a small, content smile on her lips.