Silver turns to Red

Dedicated to Silver Wolf my latest reviewer and supporter and to my fantastic beta, without which this story wouldn’t be half as good as it is.

I’m sorry this took so long, but I was originally going to make this a very long chapter, but after almost a month and at 18 pages it’s still not finished. I didn’t think it was fair to make you lovely people wait any longer so without further ado I give you the latest chapter in this saga.


Chapter 6 – Homeward Bound


Dawn’s early rays barely illuminate the large, snow-covered clearing, as dainty snowflakes scatter upon the three resting creatures. The two females sleep peacefully in the gentle embrace of the great white hound as he keeps the vulnerable members of his pack safe and warm from the inclement weather. Unlike the tired humans, he is not truly asleep as he is able to keep the instinctual portion of his mind awake and alert for any possible threats. Therefore as his rational mind sleeps and his body recuperates, the more primal part of himself analyzes the strange new female that fate has placed in his company.

Once he laid down next to the woman he is pleased by her ready acceptance of the situation as he feels her relaxing against him. His rational side is already asleep but is almost startled into wakefulness when he feels her fingers gently scratching behind his sensitive ears. But he soon calms down, growling contentedly as the strange woman affectionately strokes his fuzzy ears, like a beloved mate. Realizing the oddity of the situation he flicks his ears away from the vexing woman’s wandering fingers and gruffly commands the female to go to sleep. He is amused by her disgruntled snort at his brusque command but she quickly falls asleep buried in his fury body.

Sniffing the air he determines that there is nothing unusual in the area and certainly nothing dangerous as his presence, even while resting, is enough to keep most predators from even contemplating attacking. His nostrils twitch as he takes in more of the strange woman’s scent than he was able to last night because of the foul weather. ‘What is this mysterious aroma permeating her body? It completely eludes me…in all my travels I have never come across such a delightful scent. It is a quite pleasant and wonderfully calming perfume she must have rubbed into her skin.’ Sniffing again he confirms that it mixes well with her natural odor, which he happily notes is practically nonexistent. It is his experience that most human’s – whether they bathe regularly or not – always have a lingering offensiveness to their scent.

Blinking his crimson eyes open he finds himself practically eye to eye with the alluring woman, who was now snuggling up against him, as if he were a giant ‘Teddy Bear’. Letting his eyes wander over her soft features, he admires her long eyelashes as they fan out against her smooth fair skin, with a light dusting of freckles across her nose. His attention is drawn toward a few strands of pale red hair peeking out from her hood as they curl delicately upon her rosy cheek. ‘Humm…I wonder what her skin tastes like…would it be as sweet as it smells?’ he wonders just before he catches himself about to lick that captivating cheek. Mentally reprimanding himself, for such behavior is most inappropriate to someone of his station. ‘Besides’ I think, ‘I should be treating her with great courtesy, since she went out of her way to protect my pup, during that horrible storm.’ Attempting to justify his behavior, he reasons, ‘I must be more tired than I thought.’ Sparing another glance at the young woman, his eyes wander over her lush lips, slightly chapped from the frosty air – stirring a desire to heal them with a lick of my tongue. ‘Dear god, what is this woman doing to me!’ mentally groaning he quickly distracts himself by glancing around the quickly brightening land.

He avoids looking directly at the woman again for fear he might truly embarrass himself and begins noting the humans’ steady breathing and small sighs as signs that they will soon awaken from their deep, restorative sleep. Glancing at the sky, he decides that they must begin their journey now, before the storm intensifies once more. He brushes his wet nose under the woman’s chin, attempting to gently nuzzle her to wakefulness. His efforts are in vain as she roughly bats him away, mumbling in English, “Stop Bran” and proceeds to burrow even further into his warm fur.

In retaliation to his gentle ministrations he lets an irate rumble shake her nice fluffy bed and jabs her sharply in her side, causing her to awaken with an outraged cry, “What the hell was that for, you mangy cur?” She is immediately taken aback by the disgruntled sight of a dog who is most certainly not Bran. ‘That’s not Bran? What’s going on? Where am I?’ are just a few of the hectic thoughts racing through her mind as she hastily looks about at the frozen terrain, trying to remember how she got here. With a heavy sigh she quickly composes herself while shooting a dark look at the offending canine.

Unlike Tara’s stressful awakening, Rin gently rouses from the land of slumber upon recognizing the reverberations under her head. She stretches languidly and greets the two adults with an almost offensively perky “Good Morning!” She then soundly swats the white monstrosity in the ribs, not so subtly telling him that she wishes to get up.

He lurches to his feet, a bit unsteadily at first due to his stiff muscles, but quickly enough untangles himself from his charges. As he stands, he shrugs off the huge snowdrift that formed on his pale fur during the night. Noticing the many snowy inclines surrounding them he decides to aid his females in their trek to the privacy of the forest so they may attend to their morning needs by packing the powdery snow under his large fuzzy paws, swiftly creating a neat path.

Once finished with that task he decides to walk about the clearing for a few minutes to further stretch and warm-up his taut muscles while he waits for the rest of his pack to ready themselves for the coming journey. After a few minutes he hears the woman struggling through the snow only to stop abruptly. Turning about to see what is going on he is unsettled by her surprised expression upon realizing he’s missing his left front leg. ‘I wonder if it makes her uncomfortable? I know most humans are repulsed by deformities. Honestly, I often forget that it is missing as I have been without it for years and have learned to do without it quite well.’ His worries are quickly dispelled when she smiles up at him while gradually approaching the formidable inuyoukai.

With only a few inches separating them, she slowly raises her hand towards his muzzle intending to greet him as an equal by allowing him to sample her scent as a way of showing she wished to become a part of his pack. Usually, when a lone female wishes to become a member of a pack she will greet the alpha male by submissively exposing her neck and torso to him. Looking up at the tall inuyoukai she inadvertently defers to him by showing off just a bit of her pale throat, meeting his bejeweled eyes for just a moment. By not locking her gaze with his, she conveys to him the message, ‘We are equals but out of respect for your position I will defer to you as alpha.’ With a guarded look to his eyes, he lowers his head and nuzzles her outstretched palm, even taking a sly lick as he accepts her into his pack. ‘This woman is quite the mystery. Last night she greets me like a threatened inuyoukai female, (which I don’t even need to tell you how bizarre that was since she is completely human!) then today she formally greets me as one warrior to another? Female warriors are rather rare in inuyoukai society. I know they are almost unheard of in human society.’ With a final snuffle, he peers into her surprised eyes, ‘I shall enjoy learning more about this woman.’

‘Wow, I can’t believe he just licked me! If Bran’s tongue had ever felt that nice I doubt I’d have broken him of the habit. I swear he actually had a delighted, almost human, grin on his face when he did it. This is one really strange dog.’

They stare at each other for a few moments, until Tara breaks the ice, “That must have been quite a fight?” she says directing her gaze to the stub of his left foreleg. “I hope you gave as good as you got.”

Raising one floppy ear in surprise at this strange saying, he doesn’t know exactly what she meant, but after observing her pleased expression and aura, he decides to take it as a compliment.

She steps forward and absently mindedly begins stroking his neck, picking tiny icicles off his silky white fur as she continues her conversation with the silent Lord.

“You are definitely the biggest dog I’ve ever seen. I thought Bran was huge, but noooo, he’s just a little puppy compared to you.” She giggles softly at her own joke. “Bran’s my dog, if you were curious.” she says as he cocks his head toward her melodious voice. My Da wouldn’t let me leave home without his ‘trusted wolfhound to guard and protect his baby girl’s virtue’” she says the last part in a deep, patronizingly gruff tone, obviously meant to imitate her Father. He lowers his head to better appraise the woman standing before him and to get a better whiff of her delicious aroma.

She slowly brings her hand to his head and lightly strokes the jagged lines, “I wonder if these purple slashes across your muzzle have any significance?” He makes an agitated noise in the back of his throat at the ignorance of the woman, but when her nimble fingers begin fondling his ears he gladly leans into the caress.

Laughing happily, “You like that don’t you boy” she says as she leans into his chest, rubbing her face in the downy fur as another laugh escapes her throat, its bell-like tone tickling his senses. Peering up at him, with a quizzical expression, “I swear I’ve seen that crescent moon, and even those stripes before” she queries. “Oh well, I’m sure it will come back to me sometime. Besides they’re probably just your master’s markings, to show which Lord you belong to.”

‘So, she believes this Sesshoumaru has a master’ he smirks as an idea forms in his mind, something he hasn’t considered since he was young. While she continues to stroke his ears, he decides to put all he has learned to memory with the intention of examining it later. He soon sees Rin bounding towards them like a happy little puppy.

Tara straightens away from the great dog just as Rin reaches the beast’s side. She takes but a moment to catch her breath before rambling excitedly, “I’m so glad you came to rescue us, Sesshoumaru-sama. We probably would have been all right though. We built a very good hut and a nice fire, but I was very happy to see you anyway,” she gushes. Her honey tinged eyes dart back and forth, surveying the two adults as a nagging feeling rapidly envelops her being until it finally dawns on her that she has neglected the etiquette befitting a lady of her Lord’s house. She straightens to her full, still quite diminutive height creating her impression of noblewoman as she respectfully bows toward the magnificent beast, and speaks with all the pomp and circumstance of a regal herald, causing the other woman to suck on her bottom lip to keep from giggling.

“Allow me to introduce you to my new companion. Tara-san, I present to you my guardian, Sesshoumaru-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama, may I present Tara-san, my rescuer.”

Impatiently acknowledging the introductions, he jerks his head sharply over his shoulder, indicating that the females should climb onto his back. He sees the woman comprehend his silent commands and quickly races to the well, grabbing her satchel, shield, and bow and full quiver. Swiftly she slings the shield and quiver onto her back and slides the bulging pack over her shoulder. ‘How strange…this woman is practically an army unto herself’ he ponders the oddness that is Tara-san as he lays in the snow waiting for her to return and position herself behind Rin. With practiced ease she straddles the great beast as if he were merely a furry horse and not a giant three legged dog. Carefully rising so as not to dislodge his passengers, he takes a few tentative strides. Feeling that they have a secure hold on his thick bushy mane, he picks up speed. Soon his strength and size become apparent as they race though the snowy terrain towards his mountainous abode.


***********


The painfully white landscape glares in the noonday sun, as ‘The Great Dog’ trudges up a steep incline bearing a pair of human females upon his back. As the beast’s labored breathing can attest they had been traveling at a relentless pace for several hours. Though the journey had been arduous, it had also been surprisingly pleasant for his traveling companions sang many songs in a thankfully harmonious duet. He didn’t recognize the language but would have to personally thank Tara-san for teaching her these new songs. As much as he enjoyed being in Rin’s company she had a penchant for singing the same songs over and over again on their long campaigns through the countryside.

Tara contemplates the last twenty-four hours while her eyes rove over the tall pinnacles, awash in a brilliant display of dazzling whites and shadowed blues. Her body stills as a delighted sigh escapes her lips in admiration of the wondrous sight before her. This subtle declaration of her pleasure in his people’s ancient lair pleases the beast beneath her immensely.

‘I never would have guessed a three legged dog would have such a smooth gait if I weren’t comfortably traveling upon one, right now. I wonder if they travel this way often? He certainly is faster than a common horse, even accounting for his larger size I can tell by the ferocity of the wind rushing past us that we are traveling at a ground consuming clip even for an automobile.’

At the end of the winding, snow laden pass their journey comes to a halt at the base of another tall peak with a boulder strangely resting up against it. Sesshoumaru quickly lays down, allowing the females to dismount into the knee deep snow.

With a bright smile Rin gives her fury rescuer a big hug, exclaiming loudly into his ear, “Thank you for traveling so quickly Sesshoumaru-sama. I’m glad we’re home now, ‘cause I’m famished!”

Trailing behind Rin, as she walks toward the huge stone, Tara gives a friendly pat to their canine companion. “I can hear from your labored breathing how hard climbing this last stretch has been for you. I hope you get to rest now that we have arrived and your master gives you an extra tasty bone tonight. You have certainly earned it.”

Weary from maintaining his canine form, Sesshoumaru, after obligingly shoving the boulder out from in front of his lair’s entrance, quickly reverts back to his humanoid body. After seeing the newcomer disappear inside, he slowly steps into his home waiting for the humorous reaction he expects from his little prank. ‘I can not wait to see the look on her face when she realizes she wanted to give ‘The Great Dog Lord of the Western Lands’ a treat.’

I stumble through the snow and enter a richly decorated cave, instantly inhaling the pleasant aroma of burning wood. Examining the vibrantly colored tapestries adorning the dull gray walls, I notice how well they blend with the intricately woven rugs. There are a few low cushioned chairs resting in the far corner, easily accessible for guests’ comfort. A large fireplace and a few glowing sconces illuminate the foyer as Rin dashes toward the brightly burning fireplace calling out, “Yasu-san, we’re home!”

Soon the hurried footsteps and a woman’s anxious voice are heard echoing through the hallway, “Stop yelling you little imp, that’s no way for a lady to act.” With arms out-stretched, a traditionally dressed plump matron rushes to enfold Rin in a bone-crushing hug. If it wasn’t for her ample bosom providing a convenient cushion, at least one rib would certainly have snapped.

“I’m alright, Yasu-san. Let me go,” she squeaks out trying to gently push away out of the distraught woman’s overwhelming embrace. Secure in the knowledge that Rin is safe and sound she unfolds herself from around the young girl and finally notices the oddly dressed stranger standing a few feet away. Not even needing to be prompted Rin begins introducing the two women, “I would like to introduce my new friend, Tara-san. After Ah-Un died defending me she came and protected me during the storm.” Turning slightly she gives Tara a respectful little bow, “Tara-san this is Yasu-san. She’s the most important person here. She takes care of us all.”

Bowing in response to Yasu’s greeting, I am immediately the recipient of one of her famous crushing hugs.

“Thank you, Dear, for seeing to my adventurous charge.” Seeing the melting snow on Tar’s coat, Yasu exclaims, “Oh my, you must be frozen. I’ll see to a room and something warm to eat.” As she’s turning away she notices the stunned look on her guest’s face and glances in the direction of Tara’s gaze.

Lounging in the entrance way, with the sunlight behind him, stands Sesshoumaru in all his mischievous masculine glory.

Noticing his significantly depleted youki (demonic energy) and his desperate attempts to hide that knowing impish grin from her, ire overtakes the little inuyoukai woman. His humor quickly shifts to a visible concern for his wellbeing as his former nanny pins him with a glare that would cower even the most hardened of veterans, - a look he’s come to avoid since he was pup. “I can’t believe you actually did that Sesshou-kun. Not telling this precious lady about your transformation abilities, just so you could spook Tara-san…” she starts wagging her finger at him, “…as if you were some misbegotten whelp - that is no way for a Lord to behave!” She fairly shrieks at him, barely catching her breath as she barrels onward in her chastisement. Tara tries to shield her reaction by covering her mouth with her hand. “And if you don’t apologize to our guest for that immature stunt…so help me God, I don’t care how big you are I…I’ll take you over my knee and smack that fuzzy bottom of yours ‘til you can hardly sit!” She finishes her tirade with an impressive growl for such a small creature and hastily retreats grabbing an awestruck Rin on her way out.

‘How does she do it? Even now, I can barely keep from squirming under that piercing glare, as if I were still an ill-disciplined chibi?’ He thinks as he desperately tries to keep from hanging his head in shame.

He is about to bite the proverbial bullet and apologize to the woman when she starts laughing uproariously, sputtering the barely discernible words ‘fuzzy bottom’ several times. He is slightly offended at first at the woman’s audacity to laugh at him, but her energetic behavior is so contagious that he admits to himself the absurdity of the previous scene and soon his own deep chuckles joins her joyful glee.

While their laughter subsides he moves two chairs over to the fireplace. Gracefully easing himself down into one, he arranges himself in cross-legged position in a subtle indication for the woman to join him.

Coming round to sit next to him, she is finally able to speak after stifling the last chuckle, “Wow! I haven’t seen a grown man scolded like that since my grandmother caught my older brother spying on the widow McLaughlin one day when she forgot to draw the shades while she dressed herself.”

Regaining his regal aura once more after such a lighthearted moment, he speaks in a firm, deep voice, “I apologize for shocking you, but the opportunity was too good to resist. Allow me to properly introduce myself,” he bows his head, “I am Sesshoumaru-sama, Inutaisho of the Dog Clan and Lord of the Western Lands. In gratitude for saving my young ward’s life I offer the hospitality of my home and my personal protection within these lands for as long as you have need of it.”

Silence envelops the room before the young woman returns his bow with a graceful one of her own, “I am O’Connor Tara, a simple lass from the Emerald Isle. I gratefully accept your offer Sesshoumaru-sama. I am pleased that everything has worked out for Rin. She was quite distraught when I first met her,” she finishes with a slightly worried frown marring her face.

“I’m sure she was, Rin was very attached to Ah-Un,” he utters softly as a veil of sadness briefly shadows his golden eyes, vanishing in the blink of an eye. His expression flees abruptly as he takes command of the situation and briskly states, “First we must send word to your family that you are safe and will be well taken care of in my clan. I am sure they are quite worried.”

“That’s alright, they don’t actually know I am here,” she says with a slight catch to her voice.

He narrows his eyes at her, “Does this have anything to do with the Guardian’s Heart?”

At her uncomprehending expression he explains, “The Guardian’s Heart is the proper name for what human’s call the Bone Eater’s Well.”

She stares into his golden eyes for a moment gauging his trustworthiness, “Yes it does. I presume you already know about the inner workings of the well, so I’ll be honest with you. I am from the other side of the well – five hundred years in the future to be exact – I’ve been staying with my cousin’s family for a couple of weeks. They are aware that the well would call me for some purpose but they have been away these last few days so they won’t know I’ve crossed over ‘til they come back tomorrow.”

Silence ensues as he mulls over the last bit of information she divulged, verifying for him that it is from the future that this woman hails and not a parallel dimension.

“So you have met my half-brother?” he asks in a guarded tone.

“You mean Inuyasha?” With a quirky smile she continues, “Yes I have. As a matter of fact he challenged me to a duel. I punched him the stomach with the hilt of my sword. He slapped my leg with the flat of his blade. After all was said and done, we called it a draw.”

He looks at her thoughtfully, “I’m impressed, he is not that easy to strike.” His lip twitches in the beginnings of a smirk, “He was probably holding back since you are a woman.”

Tara surprises him by looking him dead in the eye and answering him with a devilish grin, “Who’s to say I wasn’t holding back…hmm?”

His retort is cut short with a servant’s arrival notifying them that the young woman’s room is ready and that the cooks noonday meal awaits them in the private dining room. With the help of her guide, Tara carries her belongings triumphantly from the hall.


*********


‘Wow…that guy is beyond hot! I guess he wasn’t offended by my treating him like a common dog…but I better apologize for that anyway, just to be on the safe side.’ She muses to herself as she follows the maid down the never-ending hallway toward her new room. ‘I hope Bran’s doing okay without me’ is her last thought when the servant finally stops at an unobtrusive door, but when she opens it she is met by an even more pleasant room than the beautiful foyer she just left. It is quite spacious with an intricately decorated screen in the center, effectively creating a small receiving area with a table and chairs for personal guests shield from sight the covered tatami mats used for sleeping. A small fire blazing in the corner fireplace casts the room in a gentle light, accentuating the soft feminine pinks and greens adorning the room. Her eye is drawn to the wide tapestry depicting a fantastic battle scene between a dragon and an inuyoukai in a rocky valley with both clans gazing down upon the dueling foes. A soft noise intrudes upon her examination of the beautiful needlework and she turns around eyeing the mousy servant woman who is timidly watching her.

She bows low and with her eyes cast aside, the petite woman begins to speak when Tara interrupts her –

“Oh my, I seem to have forgotten my manners, I haven’t properly introduced myself yet,” and gives the stunned woman a small nod of her head, “My name is O’Connor, Tara.”

It takes a moment for the woman to get over her shyness and she quickly bows fully at the waist saying, “You may call me Hanna, noble lady. I have been assigned to assist you in whatever you need before leading you to the Lord’s private dining hall. Clothing has been provided for you in the wardrobe” she says as she points toward a tall, beautifully carved oak dresser nestled in the far corner next to the tatami mats. “There is also a basin full of warm water for you to freshen-up from your long journey.”

A warm gleam blossoms in Tara’s sky-blue eyes, “Ohhh…let’s see what’s we have here,” stepping lightly toward the dresser. Opening the double doors in one wide flourish she gasps in awe at the bounty of beautiful kimonos just begging to be worn.

In her daze she utters her amazement in English, “These are the most beautiful clothes I’ve ever seen!”

“I trust they meet with your approval” queries Hanna in Japanese, attempting to ascertain if the odd woman’s unintelligible utterance was actually as pleased as it sounded.

Switching back to Japanese, she offers Hanna an apologetic look, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even realize I was speaking in English just then. Yes, they most certainly do. But most of these are far too elegant just to wear for a simple meal.” Upon closer examination she realizes that most of them are too short for her and were obviously designed for the petite women native to Japan. Not wanting to appear rude she searches for a garment that will fit. Panic slowly blossoms as she rummages through the copious amount of silk until she eventually spots, tucked between two dark kimonos, a simple pair of pants and a blouse. With relief she exclaims, “Ah ha” and pulls out the forest green, billowy pants accompanied by an equally flowing cream colored blouse. Worn with her boots the shortness of the trousers will look to her modern eye quite stylish.

“How did they get in there” Hanna blurts out upon seeing what Tara has chosen. “Those are a man’s clothing!”

With a heavy sigh “Well then I think we have a problem here, Hanna. I didn’t want to say anything unless it was absolutely necessary, but…” she gestures toward the dresser, “Nothing else in there will fit me and I highly doubt that what I’m wearing underneath my coat is appropriate either.” To give her words effect she unbuttons her coat, displaying her stretchy hip hugger jeans and low scoop necked T-shirt.

“Oh my” is the only thing the servant woman utters at the sight of the scandalous outfit the young woman is wearing. Recovering her wits quickly, she walks over and removes the woman’s long coat, “Well you’re a foreigner so you will be allowed certain liberties.” She circles around, examining how best to improve the tall woman’s predicament. “I think a long haori will make your strange ensemble appear more appropriate for dining with Sesshoumaru-sama and the rest of his household.”

Hanna searches through the wardrobe and promptly finds a simple, slightly worn, cobalt blue haori. “This one is rather old, but it’s the only one long enough for your tall frame so it will have to do.” She fingers a few worn spots upon the attractive silk jacket, “Even though it’s not new I believe it will still add a touch of elegance to your ensemble.” She helps Tara into the garment moving her long hair out of the way and then smoothing the back of the long jacket free of wrinkles. “Oh my,” she gasps softly, “I didn’t notice those silver leaves upon the sleeves.” Tara eyes the beautiful garland of oak leaves cascading the length of the billowy sleeves, remarkably similar to her own clan’s ancient symbol. Hanna whispers to herself, “I wonder if that comb I saw the other day will match it?” She looks critically at the young lady standing before her and nods approvingly before ushering Tara to sit at the charming wooden vanity, with the air of a determined lady’s maid says, “Now to give that lovely hair of yours a style befitting a princess.” Releasing the pony tail, not even sparing a glance at the strange stretchy tie she lays on the vanity. With brush and comb in hand she starts running them unmercifully through the woman’s red locks, making it glisten like red gold. All the while mumbling incoherently as she pulls part of the waist length hair up, creating a small bun, high on the crown of Tara’s head. Once that is secure she pulls out from a vanity drawer a delicate silver comb in the image of an oak leaf and sticks it neatly into the bun. Hanna continues rummaging through another drawer searching for a make-up kit. “May I add color to your lips? I think you need this to look more like a lady, yes?” She deftly applies the bright red pigment with a small brush to Tara’s full lips. “We’ll highlight those pretty blue eyes of yours like so,” and skillfully coats her eyelids with a swoosh of black pigment, accentuating their almond shape.

Looking at herself in the mirror Tara is taken aback by the beautiful image reflected back at her. “Wow! Thank you so much Hanna, I look amazing. I just can’t help but think, is all this truly necessary for a simple meal?”

She gasps, aghast that Tara would even consider such a thing. “Oh absolutely! Not only are you dining with Sesshoumaru-sama but Natesa as well, and you don’t want her to outshine you, do you?”

“I guess not. Is there something about her I should know before we meet?”

Hanna speaks in a clipped tone, “No, she is a nice person, and is very kind to the staff. She is known for her elaborate style and I did not want you to feel inadequate.”

“Thank you for your concern Hanna, with this beautiful comb and the wonderful make-up, I’m sure I’ll feel quite comfortable in her presence.” She gives the small woman a confident smile. She starts to rise when a thought obviously crosses her mind as her brow furrows slightly before asking, “Is there anything else I need to know? Are there any customs or protocols I should be aware of, so I don’t accidentally offend my host?”

Hanna thinks for a moment before counseling, “Do not sit before the older people. Wait until the elder person speaks to you before speaking yourself. When you seat yourself at the table, you must do so without bending. Amongst inuyoukai, as a female you never bend over in the company of a male – it is viewed as a very lewd act amongst our kind and could get you into a lot of trouble as some men would view it as a signal that you wish to engage in carnal acts.”

Tara blanches slightly at the last remark, but quickly squelches the sensation and turns with a grateful smile, “Thank you so much Hanna, not just for the advice, but for helping me appear like a proper lady.”

“Of course Tara-san I am happy to be of service to you. Now we better get moving, we’ve kept the others waiting long enough,” and swiftly ushers the young lass out of the room.

Following behind Hanna, Tara steels herself for the upcoming meal she is sure will be a taxing adventure.

***********

Here's the deal: If this were a real novel then the last two updates belong in one chapter - which because it's absolutely humonguous with several little scenes and several important characters and plot things going on I'm still reworking it to make everything better and more interesting for my readers - and to be honest I just don't feel like writting everyday - which sucks for both of us 'cause I really do want to get this chapter done, but it just refuses to end...grrrrr

Anyway, please review so I know what's going on


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha that privilege belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I do however own Tara O’Connor and her dog Bran.