I was only ten years old when my father told me my mother had died. She was the most powerful priestess in a century, and I, as her first born daughter, had inherited all of her power. 

My little sister was only one. 

At ten, my father drifted away from us. I had to raise my sister by myself and I slowly realized my father wasn't leaving us because he wanted to. It was the pain of losing my mother, Midoriko.  

For that reason alone, I took the job of raising my sister and becoming shrine priestess.  And the first protector of the Jewel of Four Souls.  

I was deadly with my bow and arrows, and was pretty handy with a dagger, too. I was also pretty good with a sword, but I preferred my bow or my dagger. 

Demon attacked daily, making me shoot them through the head with my sacred arrows or my dagger through their heart.

By age 17, you'd think I would have been angry at the world for having such a cruel fate thrust upon my shoulders. I cared for my sister, was the shrine preistess, cared for the sick, and protected those who were weak. I was busy, but never too busy for someone in need.

In all truth and seriousness, I think it made me a better person, having my parents ripped from me. I was able to understand human pain better, care for them, hold them when they cried... I was just a preistess with a soul that ached for human weakness and human loss. 

One day, two months away from my 18th birthday, I was picking medicinal herbs in the forest when I heard a man grunting in pain. I stood up and looked around, the sacred jewel hanging around my neck under my white kimono. The sun filtered through the trees as the grunts of pain became more frequent and much more pain filled.

I walked hesitantly toward the noise. Even if it was a demon, I could never leave someone that was in pain. I walked through some more trees and saw a beautiful man. His silver hair was pulled into a ponytail and he looked like he was dressed for battle. His amber-gold eyes were glazed over in pain.

And I finally saw the crimson stain on his front. I gasped and dropped the basket of herbs, and forgetting all caution, walked hurriedly over to the man. In the back of my mind, I knew he must be a demon. No one was this perfect. But, I didn't care. He was in pain. The preistess in me said to kill him. The woman in me said he was pain and I needed to help him.

As if in agreement with my woman side, the man spoke And when he did, his voice was low, and glazed with pain.

"You're the preistess Aurora. Please... I've done nothing to your people, and I don't plan on harming them. If you let me explain-" 

I placed my hand on his mouth and slipped my arm around his waist. I helped him over to a tree and helped him sit down. He looked at me like I was crazy, and I almost agreed with him.

"Relax, please. It will be easier to heal you," I said softly. His eyes widened as I gently pulled apart the top part of his kimono. He didn't move, but I felt him tense up under my touch. I smiled sadly.

"You don't listen, do you?" I asked. I finally removed the cloth and saw a jagged mark down his chest and stomach. I frowned and ran my fingers down the wound. I could tell it was deep. If he was a demon, if I managed to clean it and make sure he didn't lose anymore blood, he would heal in about two days. I sighed deeply and turned to grab a few medicinal herbs.

"Why are you helping me?" He suddenly asked. I grabbed a few cleansing herbs and turned to face him. I went over to him and smiled.

"I'm helping you because I cannot stand to think of someone in pain. Now," I paused and looked around. "We might have to move you closer to a river. I need water to clean your wound. And, if it is not too much to ask, could I have your name?" I told him, standing up. I offered him my hand, and he took it with very little hesitation. 

"Inu no Taishou," He said, looking away. I smiled. I was right, someone from the Inu clan, and the leader. I was good at reading auras. I smirked happily to myself as I walked beside the great dog demon. He staggered, and I lunged, dropping the herbs, and caught him before he fell. 

I helped steady him, and refused to let him walk on his own. He grumbled the whole way there, but he let me. We finally made it to the river, but he was considerably paler. I helped lowered him to the ground. He was breathing, but it was labored.

I took his face in my hands and looked it over. He seemed alright, just the wound needed to be dealt with. I looked around and let out a growl of frustration. No cloth to clean it with. I sighed in defeat and unwound a cloth belt of red fabric from my waist. I walked over to the water and got it soaking wet. I went back over to Inu no Taishou, and cleaned the wound as gently as possible.

He tensed in pain but didn't cry out. I smiled and offered my unoccupied hand for him to squeeze if the pain was too much. That, he refused, but he sighed.

"The wound was caused by another demon. The reason it affected me so, is because the demon was poisonous. Thank you... For helping me," He said through clenched teeth. I smirked. His teeth were not clenched in pain, but in embarassment of having someone clean his wound. 

"Thank you, that will help with the treatment, but... I'm afraid all I can do is clean it, put some sterilizing herbs on, and bandage it. You should be okay in about two days if your demon blood is pure," I said, wiping away some dirt from his wound. 

"I am not a half blood."

"I was not saying that, Inu no Taishou. What I meant, is that if the poison is still in your blood, it will take longer heal, and your blood wouldn't be pure anyore. It's okay, and you'll still heal, but more slowly. So, just relax and let me clean your wound,"I told him gently, yet firmly. 

I looked up and saw he was smiling down at me. I rewetted the cloth and started to clean the wound again. He was considerably more relaxed after I explained the pure blood thing, and that he would heal.

Once I was pleased with the cleanliness of his wound, I chewed up some herbs and spat them on his wound. He seemed surprised, but I merely rubbed them into his wound, and made sure to rip off a large portion of my kimono to bandage the wound. I cleaned it in the water throughly and let it dry. While we waited, we talked.

I found it to be enjoyable. Easier than talking with humans. He would say something that brought back a rush of memories. But good ones. The way my father would stick his tongue out at me as I ran away from him with his sandal, and my mother running her hands through my hair and braiding it. I smiled sadly and absentmindedly, found myself laughing along with the demon, even talking more than I had when I was around my sister. 

"I think the bandage is ready," He said, leaning his head against the tree behind him. I nodded and grabbed the cloth. I expertly wrapped the clotharound his chest, and tied it. I absentlysmacked it like I did with all the other patients to test how healed it was. 

He growled in pain and glared at me. I merely stared back and smiled.

"Does it hurt more than before?" I asked.

"No, but-"

"Then I don't think the poison is in your blood, Inu no Taishou. But be careful, okay?" I warned him. He grinned at me and pulled himself up. I heaved myself up and stretched.

"I'm glad your okay," I told him. I laid my hand on his shoulder and smiled kindly."I'm going back to my village. If you anything, come and seek my help." 

I turned away and started the walk to my village, dreading the accusations they would throw at me. My kimono was torn and I probably had a little blood on my body. 

"Lady?" Inu no Taishou called. 

I stopped and inclined my head back toward him.

"May I walk you to your village?" 

I warmed at the offer and quickly accepted. He walked me back, his face kind and he seemed to care about me and my safety. But how could he? I just... saved his life. No wonder. He felt obligated. I sighed and stopped at the edge of my village. I watched him walk away. 

He was a demon, and he was kind. Something I had never heard of. I snorted and turned away. Maybe miracles are real, I thought, as I walked back to my little home. I changed, my mind oblivious to the coming strife the demon would cause in my life.

The next three days, I busied myself with the duties of a preistess. I tried to get the demon out of my head, but I couldn't do it. He was kind, but had a problem with his pride. I smiled to myself, and brushed my pitch black hair behind my ear.

"Lady Aurora! Lady Aurora!" My little sister's voice rang out. I turned to see my sister, her chocolate brown hair whiping behind her as she ran.

When she reached me, she grabbed my white kimono and pulled me down to her height.

"What is it, Korime?" I asked, setting my bow down. 

"A man is asking for you! I was out washing our clothes, when a man with silver hair stumbled into the clearing and saw me. He immediately asked for you!" Korime rattled off.

A deep sense of foreboding rose inside of me, as I stood up. I took her hand and dragged her behind me, my bow forgotten. 

"Show me where he is, sister," I commanded. She nodded and ran ahead of me. I lenghtened my stride to match her run. When we entered the clearing, the scent of blood assaulted my nose. I gagged and looked for Inu no Taishou. I saw him leaning up against a tree.

I ran to him and placed my hands on his shoulders. 

"Inu no Taishou!" I said, shaking him. His eyes opened and met mine. He tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace of pain.

"What the hell happened to you!?" I demanded, helping him sink to the ground. I brushed the hair from his face and slipped his arm over my shoulders. I stood up, and watched him closely.

"I'm... The same wound. I think the poison was in there," He muttered. 

I frowned in worry, and started to haul him to my village.

"Where are we going?" He asked as he tried to walk with me. 

"My village. I can help you there a lot better. Just relax and try to walk." He nodded as my voice reached him. 

When we entered the village, the people saw me and the demon and started yelling for weapons. Rage boiled beneath my skin as I saw them readying to kill the poor demon. 

I took a deep breath and summoned my command-giving voice. Even to me, that voice was super scary. It was cold, and authoritive. 

"Stop what you are doing! This demon is under my protection! Anyone caught harming him, or trying to kill him will be severly punished! Do you understand me?" My voice ran through the village, and Inu no Taishou stared at me reproachfully.

All the villagers stopped gathering weapons and glared at me. But being the preistess, I could easily let demons kill them, so they were trapped. Kill a demon, and be killed. I smiled in triumph as the lord's son walked over to me. 

"The lord wants the demon gone, Lady," He said icily. I narrowed my eyes at him. Lately, he had been asking for my hand in marrige but I had refused. I tightened my grip on the demon and brushed past the lord's son. 

"Then tell him if he kills the man, I won't protect the village, only the jewel," I tossed over my shoulder. I reached my little home and lugged him inside. I sat him down on my sleeping mat and saw him sniff a little.

"What? Do I smell that bad?" I asked lightly, as I helped him lay back. He smiled up at me and winced in pain. At the wince, all lightness faded from my face and was replaced but determination.

"Sister Aurora?" I heard.

I turned my head and saw Korime. I smiled and beckoned her over. She walked over slowly, eying Inu no Taishou with distrust. I placed my hand on his forehead, a sign to my sister that she could trust him.

"Sister Korime, I need you to get the Iris and Lily paste that I made this morning. And, to add a little training, why do I use it? And how?" I told her, pausing before I slid the cloth off of Inu no Taishou's upper body. He closed his eyes and left me wondering if he was going to sleep.

"The Lily and Iris paste is used to create a barrier around a vital organ. The heart, or brain. You spread the paste over the organ and infuse your own spiritual power in the paste, and it protects that organ for a week," Korime said, bringing me the paste. 

I nodded and dipped my fingers in the oily, slippery, and really good smelling paste and spread it over Inu no Taishou's heart. His eyes flew open and he eyed my fingers. I smiled at him, and spread some of the paste over his forehead. He growled and my fingers froze on his skin.

"What?" I demanded, shock ebbing away into anger.

"That feels..." He blushed and looked away. "Never-"

"It feels what? Cold? Oily? Icky? Nice?" I demanded, setting the bowl down, and wiping my fingers on his old shirt. I could feel his eyes on me, but I ignored it. I placed on my hands over his heart and closed my eyes.

"You better not kill me," He growled out.

I paused, trying to stifle the laughter that wanted to explode, but... Soon, I hit the floor and laughed so hard, I turned red in the face. Inu no Taishou stared at me, then seemed to realize what he said.

"I'm so sorry, I-" 

I waved my hand to exuse him. It was funnier than it was offensive. I sighed, and put my hands back over his heart.

"Now, don't talk or I will kill you," I told him, smirking. He bared his teeth playfully and relaxed. 

I focused on pushing some of my power into the paste, and around his heart. I could feel my strength ebbing, but I hissed in a deep breath and focused on finishing it. Once I was sure the heart had a barrier that couldn't be pennatrated by poison, or stuff that could kill it, I worked on the brain.

That was harder, since things had to be going in and out of the thing, but I managed it. It seemed stronger than the heart barrier. Good...

My body hit the floor, and I drew in a shuddering breath. Stupid powers draining my strength because my power was inside him... I grumbled silently. I felt him trying to sit up, but stayed down. My head hurt, and I could feel my strength coming back. Super, duper slowly. 

I felt hands grip my arms and pull me into a sitting position.

"Sister Aurora!" I heard fuzzily.

"Mmmhmmm mmm hhmmhhmm?" I mumbled. I felt shaking around me and I frowned. I punched whatever held me. "Stop shaking... I'm tired.."

I felt the shaking increase and "humphed."

"I'm sorry, Lady Aurora. It's just, you fell on the floor, and I feel a little bit better, so I helped you like you helped me. And... You sounded funny."

I sighed and leaned up against Inu no Taishou's chest and breathed deeply. His smell was odd, but oddly enticing. It was musky, spicy, and... homey. He smelled like home. I inhaled his scent and relaxed. I could feel my strength returning and opened my eyes and found my face was buried in the demon's chiseled chest. I pulled back and gave him a tentive smile.

"You should relax. I need to get a few anti poison herbs... Wait, Korime? Do you remember the herbs I showed you that fight poison?" I asked.

She nodded and eyed my position. I realized I was still in his arms, but I ignored it. 

"Go get me some, please. There should be ten of the twelve in out storage supply, but I need all twelve. Get the ones in storage and give them to me, then get the other two from the forest, got it?" I told her.

She nodded and disappeared. I pulled away from his grasp and stood up.

"I'll be right back." I looked at his wound. "I need to clean that and apply some herbs to that." I scowled at him. "You make me work harder than sick month in the village."

He chuckled and watched as I left the room. I grabbed a wooden bucket for water, and saw Korime running toward me.

I knelt down and looked into her eyes.

"Korime, I need you to crush those up and let them sit while I get water, okay?"

She nodded.

"Why are you helping the demon? And are you smitten with him?" She asked.

I froze and fell over onto my side with a loud "thump." I could feel the muscles in my face twitching. 

"No I am not smitten with him, Korime! Now go do what I just told you!" I snapped, jerking into a standing position and storming over to the river. I filled the bucket with cold water and walked back. 

Just as I entered, I heard someone fall to the ground. I hurried over as fast as possible, so I didn't spill the water. I set it down just as I entered and saw Korime looking down at Inu no Taishou. His face was twitching and his arm was twicthing too.

And then it hit me.

"You didn't ask him, did you?" I demanded, glaring at Korime. She grinned.

"Maybe."

"I'll take that as a yes," I muttered. I picked the water back up and dismissed Korime so she could get the last two herbs. I grabbed a clean cloth and started to gently clean the wound. He stared at me, his lips twitching into a smile. 

I smiled back, and set down the cloth and got the paste like substance that Korime made. I helped Inu no Taishou sat up and helped him eat the paste like stuff.

He grimaced while he ate it, but he made it through. I smiled and set the bowl down. I wiped the paste from his head and heart, knowing the barrier was strong enough to stand by itself. 

He laid down and closed his eyes. I smiled and stood up, and cleaned the room a little. I put the bucket by the door, his shirt by the bucket, and pulled my hair into a white ribbon. 

And then I heard his groan.

I spun around and saw his face was a fine, light green. I scrambled over to him and wrapped my arms around his chest.

"Inu no Taishou! Stay with me!" I yelled. I slapped his face, not knowing what was happening. I knew it had something to do with the poison, but it didn't stop me from smacking him a lot. His eyes finally flew open and he stared at me. Without thought, he pulled me into a hug andevened out his breathing. 

I sighed into his shoulder. He was okay,but I was going to need to keep an eye on him.  

"Are you okay?" I asked. 

"Yes, because of you. Thank you."

I blushed in the hug and went limp. He was okay, and he thanked me. He almost died. I hugged him to me. I was not going to let him die. I was too used to death. I felt a single tear slide down my cheek and his the skin of his shoulder.

No more death, I vowed. I will not let that happen.