Crimson Petals upon the Wind

Sesshoumaru sighed as he closed his eyes again as she brushed his hair. He was exhausted and really didn't feel like talking much more and before he realized it he had fallen asleep in the water against the edge of the tub while she was brushing his hair as the young prince slept soundly, a peaceful look crossing his usual deadpan features as he sank a bit lower into the water

Sayuri would blink when he suddenly slumped against the tub and she would soon grab his shoulder shaking him "Hey...." she shook him again but it would seem his exhaustion had hit him rather hard. Looking around she would soon climb out of the bathtub and dried off before reaching down to grab him but almost with no luck.. "w...why are you so heavy!" she stated as she glared at him.

With a deep breath she glanced around "I suppose..I could do that here...I'm not that big..." she whispered more to herself, before taking a calming breath her golden eyes turned blood red as a sudden surge of demonic energy swirled around her. It was enough to call the attention of everyone who could feel it in the palace, but as the spike died down a black dog demon stood there just small enough that she could slid through the doors as she grabbed Sesshoumaru and pulled him out of the tub and soon was laying him in his bed. She would then change back just as the doors opened for the servants to walk in, as she sighed "the baka fell asleep in the tub!" she stated looking at them, as if she didn't just realize what she had just done.

Izanami was startled by the sudden power she felt, it wasn't her sons she knew that "it couldn't be that..." she would push herself up from her spot as she went to her son's wing only to see her mate standing there as one of the servants spoke. "We went in to check out what caused it....it was the female....pup...she turned into her youkai form to carry the young prince to bed...we saw her change back....her fur....was like looking at a night sky...."

"That will be all thank you"Inu no Taishou said dismissing the servants as he looked back seeing Izanami entering the room "And to think you cast her aside as trash"he commented before he turned his attention to the girl sitting by Sesshoumaru's bed "Well aren't you one full of surprises. And please learn to watch your tongue. It's usually not a good idea to call your prince an idiot. I'm sure if he was awake he'd have some choice things to say to you."the man said softly "Now onto the reason we came down here. Sayuri, you can call upon your beast? Just who exactly are you...even among dogs, only those descended from the Great One can invoke our youkai form."

"Considering he can't even take a teasing and tried to choke me in the bathtub I'll do so" Sayuri stated her arms crossed as she sat there glancing at Sesshoumaru then back at the two demons that had entered the room. Izanami looked the girl over, with her clean she trully looked different and her stench wasn't everywhere...but she did still smell of the wild.

Though Sayuri soon was tilting her head when Taisho asked about her beast, "I thought all inu's could call their beast...I spent a good part of my life with my parents as it....so did they" she stated confused, not sure why she was being asked that. "as for who I am...I told you Sayuri Ren.." Izanami would then step up more "Ren...Taisho....isn't that the name of the son of the black inu's? He didn't side with his father who went against you during the wars...I had heard rumors that he vanished to the mist islands or in that area."

"That is an order that you are to treat Sesshoumaru with respect"Taishou said a bit more firmly to the girl "Have him apologize to you when he wakes up, and you no more teasing. It's not lady like and for you to live amongst our kind you will be brought up like a proper Lady as well. You are no longer in the wild, and Izanami, you will be in charge of her training as well as Sesshoumaru's."he said before listening to the two of them "Ren...that would be him yes" Taishou said with a deep sigh "When the wars started, he chose to separate from our clan with the rest of his kin and after his father's defeat they were disbanded and scattered though not very many survived. The last I had heard both he and his wife died, but I did not know they were with child. All the more reason to raise her properly, her house is former nobility and with the lack of our kind around Sesshoumaru will one day need..."he said before pausing "Perhaps we can discuss this when we go to bed"he said "and little puppies need to get their sleep"

She wanted to roll her eyes even glare at the man but she just bit the inside of her cheek some, she couldn't take the chance to be tossed out when she had been giving this place as a home. Though when he brought up 'lady like' she looked at him a bit puzzled and Izanami sighed rubbing her forehead slightly, "Very well...I suppose if that is what must be done...probably wouldn't hurt if Sesshoumaru revisited those manners as well." she said simply eyeing her sleeping son, before glancing at Sayuri.

"The servants have set up a meal for you in your chambers child, eat then to bed" Sayuri just pushed herself up and would soon leave the room to head to the door that an older demon stood waiting with a kind smile. "This way milady" she said ushering Sayuri inside though the girl was to be Sesshoumaru's servant of sorts she still needed someone to look after her when the Lord and Lady could not. Izanami glanced at her mate soon after they left their sons room and ventured to their wing. "You plan on betrothing them don't you Taisho?" she said once they were in their chambers.

"Though I oppose it....her being of the daughter to Ren...if he was still around and had fought with us...would have been the most logical choice..." she didn't want to have her mate be 'right' but sometimes she had to agree with him on such things...specially for the future of their clan.

"Indeed"Inu no Taishou said once they were back into their room as he crept up behind his wife as he wrapped his arms around her and tackled her onto their bed "It would be, and still is the most logical choice. Those who were unloyal to our clan were also turned into White Wolves while those of the Ren were turned to brown. Our family is of the last few Silver inu youkai and Sayuri may in fact be the very last of the Black inu. You know as well as I that I do not believe merely in chance coincidences. Lady Luna clearly guided the girl all the way from the Mist Isles back to the Western Castle and into the care of Sesshoumaru."he said as he lay beside his wife gently tracing the outline of her features. While they butted heads quite frequently over the upbringing of their son, they had been together for many centuries and he was still constantly in awe of her beauty despite her mischevious mind and sharp tongue. "Besides we have seen what our son will be like in the future. He needs a strong woman who cares about his well-being to serve under him and take care of his day to day whims, just like a certain woman does for me"he said as he nuzzled her "Besides, she's going to grow into a very pretty woman one day I can tell."

Izanami didn't even attempt to fight against him as she felt his arms wrap around her slimmer frame, and then him more or less pinning her to the bed as she looked at him. A faint smile curving on her lips one that was rarely seen outside of their chambers, though as he talked about how the clans fell out of grace she sighed some. "I know well...those wolves constantly are at our gates either demanding something or pleading to return...." she said shaking her head, but at the thought that Luna held the girls hand to lead her here made her wonder.

"I doubt the girl knows much of Luna, if her parents did parish to where she cannot barely recall them...then instinctual she knew what to do...that in itself is impressive....it took both of us quiet a bit to control our beasts let alone let it instinctively guide us..." her eyes closed feeling his fingers gently run against her features, enjoying the soft caress "a strong women...with a mind of her own to keep him on his toes?" she chuckled, recalling what the girl had called her son. "I rather not limit what she says to him...it was rather amusing for Sesshoumaru must learn that not all will just bow to him or grant him respect." her eyes opened to look at Taisho. "remember how long it to you?" she grinned.

"That is true, but you learned you place as well. You may pull faces in my direction but you dare not speak out against me in the public or in the face of other lords, only behind closed doors in which you are allowed to yell at me. She must learn your situational control. Calling the Prince an idiot in front of servants in front of the Lord and Lady could not go unchecked, but teach her your social graces on how to properly put a man of power in his place"Taishou said as he pulled her close gently kissing her shoulder and neck "I may be a baka sometimes, and you tell me I am all the time, but no body else knows that. Sesshoumaru will likely need the same thing if he's anything like his foolish father. But I believe the girl will be a good thing for him. He will finally have something he has to protect. That is where my strength comes from. I protect you, and him and the will of our lands and our people. Until you have something to protect you have nothing to lose and that is where Sesshoumaru is stuck. He is a powerful youkai already. Even I get winded when I seriously take him on, but his strength is not growing and his frustrations are rising because he cannot reach his higher goal"

Izanami leaned up to gently kiss him as she smiled at him, "Oh i know what to teach the girl..." she stated as she slid her hand slowly down his chest and then into his hiori some to let her clawed fingers brush against his bare skin. "but...let us discuss that later" she said with a dark grin, only for him to soon feel him pinned down to the bed with her on top. "for now...its time to obey your mate..."

~~
The next day Sayuri found herself sleeping soundly in the soft and rather large bed that she was told was hers now, her black hair no longer matted or thick with the wild world outside the palace was now almost like black silk. She yawned faintly as she curled into the blankets, no longer feeling cold as she sat up blinking a few times wearing a simple kimono that now was hanging off her shoulder a bit. Though before she could attempt to fall back asleep the door opened, Izanami stood there with three other servants, "Good your awake." she said simply moving towards her, "we have a rather busy day, more so you do...before I allow you to become my sons attendant you will undergo some education...."

She glanced back to the door, "that goes for you as well Sesshoumaru, your manners and book studies have been slacking...till I deem you both perfect we sadly will be going to the basics.." she said simply as the servants where quickly getting Sayuri ready for the day. "Sesshoumaru as she is your future attendant she is your responsibility...this is a direct order from your father as well...after lunch you two will then begin some combat training...then bath before dinner and then bed...this will be your schedule till I see improvement in your education as well as training..."

"Hai"Sesshoumaru said softly and sleepily as he bowed his head in his mothers direction as the servants bustled about them dressing them in their clothing for the day and shoving random bites of breakfast and sips of tea into their mouth before they were both ready and followed Izanami out of his chambers and into the study as he sat down behind a large stack of books and scrolls as he picked one up and began reading it listening to what his mother had said

Sayuri sat there next to Sesshoumaru a stack of books and scrolls for her to read, she watched him for a moment before izanami took notice when the girl was watching Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru!" Her voice causing the boy to look up quickly, "Sayuri clearly does not know how to read, what is your responsibility?" She stated quickly.

Sayuri bit the inside of her cheek some, shifting in her spot she didn't know how or at least not a the level he was at. "I can...read just a little but....I don't understand any of these.." She said feeling ashamed.

Sesshoumaru sighed softly "I forgot"he said as he placed the book down in her lap and stood behind her to read over her shoulder as he pointed down at the words so she could follow along "I'm going to read a page, and then you are going to read it back to me so you can practice okay?"he said and didn't wait for an answer as he began reading "The Legacy of the Western Lands" he began before he began reading the story of Tenzen the Great, Sesshoumaru's ancestor and first daiyoukai to rule the western lands after being born of the Goddess Luna. In her kindness and in her likeness she created for him a mate with black of hair to match the white stars reflected in his silver locks. This woman was known simply as Ren and was the ancestor to the Ren ancestry. He paused as he read over that and looked at her. He had studied this story before, but now with possibly one of the last remaining Ren remaining he couldn't help but let his curious mind addle "That is where your black hair inu descended from...from Lady Ren..."

She would take the book as he set it in her lap, and she would mouth the words as he read. Listening to how they were said and trying to make sense of it, though she glanced back at him some as he talked into her ear before letting her eyes drift back to the pages infront of her. Izanami smirked some as she sat to the side watching, a book in her clawed hand seeming to be more into the book than the children but she could see the faint 'charms' of her own mate within her son. 'Oh Taisho...it seems he is far more like you..' she thought to herself.

Sayuri would then speak as he brought up Lady Ren, "I remember father talking once about that...and that its cause she was our ancestor that Lady Luna allowed us to remain as Inu's and not turned to wolves." she said looking back at him, her golden eyes meeting his before glancing back at the page as her finger slid to the first word of the sentence as she attempted to read it. It was far slower and a bit 'butchered' but she wasn't horrible it would seem more out of practice.

"That's not too bad"Sesshoumaru said as she finished reading the first page as he went back and corrected a few words that she got wrong or pronounced funny "Alright the next part of the legend talks about the lineage down to my father's birth...this is a very old book"Sesshoumaru pointed out more so to himself never realizing it now that he was going through it slowly looking at the ancestry of daiyoukai that came before him though the list wasn't too long the men pictured there seemed fierce and powerful

Sayuri would nod some as she listened to him correcting her, she didn't mind she just listened to him and would soon attempt to state the words he had helped her fix. When he got to the next part she could hear a faint change in his voice, as if he was reading this for the first time or was now just finally taking notice of what he was reading. "You have a lot of powerful youkai in your blood Sesshoumaru." she said.

Izanami continued to smile watching till she would soon speak "Sayuri its 'sama' at the end of his name, at least in public here I will not scold you to much." Sayuri looked over to her as she nodded "Yes Milady"

Sesshoumaru nodded his head "Yeah it looks like it...but they say my father is stronger than any other youkai that has come so far in our family, and one day I'll be even stronger than he is"he said pridefully as he looked over the page again "My picture will go right there"he said pointing to the bottom of the family line "And my children beneath me"

"Then you better hope someone will even become your mate for that to happen....cause right now your still a puppy" she stated with a smirk and Izanami actually chuckled at that one enough to get their attention. "My dear...your sounding a bit like myself when I was your age...now return to your studies you have more than just that book to read by the end of today"

The two would continue to study together even after Izanami left to tend to some things, a smirk on her lips as she slid into her husbands study. "Sesshoumaru has his work cut out for him to win the hand and heart of Sayuri....she just called him a puppy to his face." she said chuckling. "I remember doing the same to a certain youth long ago."

"No thing worth having comes easily"Inu no Taishou said with a smile as he sat back looking out of the window as he strummed his fingers along his table "I am growing bored...our wars have been fought and our peace is lasting for now...I grow hungry for a new challenge, new conquest. I feel my senses dulling."he said

Sesshoumaru continued studying with her until the time for lunch came and he stepped back from the table "It's time to go eat, let's go, I'm hungry"he said "And this time, I'm going to show you the proper way to eat, not just scarfing it down with your hands like you did last night."

"Then perhaps you should go and travel for a bit, I can easily handle duties here" she stated simply as she stood there, "theres bound to be some dispute that you can settle or get riled up over."

Sayuri almost glared at him when he stated how she ate, "well you try and be starving once!" she grumbled a bit after him, he was so critical and she doubt he even knew what it was like to survive on his own without the comfort of the palace or his parents looming over him. When they got to the dinning hall she paused a bit already seeing trays of food sitting out for them and it was just for them, while the servants sat and waited for them to ask for one of the dishes.

"Well from now on, try acting like you aren't"Sesshoumaru said simply as he took a seat at the table as the servants instantly began bringing over his favorite dishes piling them up on his half of the table as he began eating hungrily devouring food as if he hadn't eaten, the boy just had a large appetite

"Easier said than done..." she stated as she would ease down into the spot close to him watching a bit shocked at how much he was eating, though she soon let her attention go down to the food before her. She wasn't sure what to even choose as one of the older servants smiled and soon slid a few bowls infront of her, "Lady Izanami said you hadn't had a true proper meal in some time...so try and eat some of this it will help give you strength without making you feel sick" the older women said. Sayuri looked at her nodding as she went to pick up some of the food with her hand till she felt a 'glare' from Sesshoumaru.

Sayuri would glare back at him before soon reaching out for the chopsticks, mimicking how he had picked up his own dishes and would start to eat. Her back was straight, shoulders not slumped her eyes closed as she took a few bites. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes the state she was in when they first meet..he could almost swear she was of noble upbringing.

"Much better"Sesshoumaru said with a nod complimenting her now proper look as he took a deep drink of his tea before returning to eating again "Besides you may actually taste your food now that you are slowing down to actually eat it"he said though he himself was still devouring food "Make sure you eat enough, physical training comes after lunch and it'll be time to fight"

Inu no Taishou sighed "Perhaps I shall take a trip for a few days and see who wishes to challenge me now."he said tapping his chin "You'll be fine managing the children and castle for now."

"I've managed when I was pregnant with our child and a war was banging at our gates...I do believe I shall do fine. Though Sesshoumaru will probably attempt to throw some sort of fit once he learns you've left" she stated with a small sigh.

Sayuri would watch him out of the corner of her eye before speaking, "I tasted it just fine before, I bet you've never gone a month without food" she said quickly and took another bite, she wasn't going to acknowledge him as a prince he was just a spoiled brat...her father she could respect as well as his mother but him...he was her age...

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow looking over at her "You talk to me as if it is a privilege to struggle"he said shaking his head "There is no point in trying to compare our lives so I suggest you quit attempting to do so."he said off-handedly to her as he finished eating placing his chopsticks down bowing his head respectfully before standing to leave the table