Being rudely awakened by a shake to my arm, I rose and looked to see it was just a little after sunrise. I looked down at my side and saw Shippo was still asleep, so I turned my body until I saw legs by my side. “Can I… help you?” I asked as I tilted my head and saw it was Lord Sesshomaru who had woken me.

 “Get up.” He ordered. I stretched for a moment to get the kinks out of my muscles and was about to stand when he roughly grabbed my right arm where the wound was still healing and yanked me to my feet. I hissed in pain and clutched my arm as I pulled it from his grip.

“I do not appreciate being treated like that, my Lord. I have other people who would appreciate not having to wait for their purchases because you tried to break my arm. Also, I would appreciate you not wake up the otokonoko. He needs as much sleep as he can get for what awful stress he is about to experience.” I bit out. “You will watch your tone when speaking to me, Kagome.” He told me darkly.

“Excuse me, my Lord. But you are the one who just rudely woke me, yanked me roughly to my feet, and nearly tore open my wound when it is just closing. I believe, my Lord, that I entitled to having a slight tone when addressing you; and as I am trying my best not to follow my instincts and shout at you; it is not for your benefit, but for that little otokonoko and my family that I give you the respect I am giving you. I am sorry for my attitude, my Lord, but I am not inclined to show respect to normal people who insinuate things about me, clearly insulting me, in front of my young siblings; and then the next day expects me to be bowing, and showing the utmost of respect to them."

 "I realize it is not my place to be disrespectful to you, but I can easily pack up my family, my shop, and out home; and move to the eastern kingdom here Lord Kouga is a good friend of my family and treats me like a person and not some type of possession.” I intoned angrily.

I heard the enraged growl he let out but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I turned my back to him and gathered the katana Shippo had helped me make and a sheathe for it to be carried in. “You know I could easily kill you and that I have killed others for far less than what you have done; why do you continue to disrespect me?” he asked.

“Because I know what you are capable of and I know you are a very proud being. You would never attack an unarmed onna, especially one that has their back to said attack. I simply cannot bring myself to care for your threats as I am not a threat to you."

"I am too tired to care; not to mention I have to deal with a couple that will cause great stress to me and Shippo later and I need to conserve what worry I have for that meeting. I do not mean to be disrespectful to you, but I cannot fathom being respectful to someone who treats me like an object to be controlled.” I told him, as calmly as I possibly could.

I turned to him, and as he opened his mouth to speak, Shippo started to wake and shift around in the pallet I made. Sighing in relief and smiling, I kneeled beside him and shook him the rest of the way awake.

“Time to wake up, Shippo. You need to eat and get cleaned up before they get here.” I said softly. He nodded and slowly made his way to the stream to clean up. I left Lord Sesshomaru standing in the middle of the shop as I started up the kiln and put the pot over the flames.

“Lord Sesshomaru, you were going to bring my payment today. Is there anything else you wish to say to me?” I demanded. “Show me your arm, Kagome.” He ordered. I sighed, knowing I was going to be taken to the castle.

Willing my arm to heal, I turned and unwrapped it slowly. Just as slowly, I pulled the bandages away, and clinched my eyes shut as he stepped towards me and grabbed my arm just below the wound to examine it.

He dropped my arm a moment before I heard Shippo entering the market. “My Lord, is there a problem with my arm?” I asked quietly. Then I glanced down at my arm, to see it was fully healed and there wasn’t even a hint that there had ever been a wound at all.

“Wh- what? It was just closing ten minutes ago. It’s not possible that it fully healed in a few minutes.” I whispered. “Momma, should I get you your katana in case they try to attack you?” Shippo asked as he entered the shop.

“Sure, go ahead and get it. Set it on the table and get something to eat.” I told him. He nodded and rushed to find my katana. “Kagome, we must speak. Outside.” Lord Sesshomaru asserted. I nodded and stepped out of the shop with him following behind me.

“What is it, my Lord? I have a few things to attend to before my latest customers come to get their ‘purchase’.” I remarked, turning to face him after exiting the shop. “That otokonoko called you his Okaa-san. Why? You do not smell nearly the same, or look the same. You do not smell as if you have had a child.” Lord Sesshomaru stated easily.

“I have decided to adopt him because the couple I believed to be his parents only claimed him as a child to trade any labor he does for free work. I gave him the choice to stay for himself and I offered to adopt him; he accepted.” I answered, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

I had forgotten that the only scent the bracelet hid was my blood status to anyone that has smelled my scent before smelling my blood. Lord Sesshomaru nodded slowly and held out his hand and opened it to show a small silk bag lying on his palm.

It was the most beautiful bag I had ever seen. “What is that?” I asked. “Your payment. It’s in the bag.” He responded, holding the bag out to me. I took the bag carefully; afraid it would fall apart in my hand. I poured the money into my hand and waited for him to take it.

He looked at me strangely and I tilted my head to the side trying to figure out why he wouldn’t take the bag back. “Aren’t you going to take the bag back?” I asked. I could almost swear I saw humor float through his eyes as he looked at me. “Keep the bag.” He said shortly.

“But, this is a very expensive silk bag. I can’t possibly keep this.” I stammered. “Do you not like the bag?” he asked. “No… no it’s a very beautiful bag. But I can’t have something this beautiful and expensive around would terrify me. I can’t possibly be able to care for something this fragile.” I muttered.

“Keep the bag Kagome. I gave it to you and I intended for you to keep this.” He stated. “B-but, this bag…” I mumbled. “That bag is yours. Keep it.” He asserted. I sighed internally before nodding. “Was there anything else, my Lord?” I asked.

“Rin would like to play with your siblings again. I would like to bring her here, as it would be less dangerous than around the castle. There has been someone skulking around the gardens where she likes to play and I will not risk her getting hurt while my guards start searching for this person.” He replied.

“I will tell my siblings. I’m due to collect them later for their training this morning and will be doing so after I meet Shippo’s phony parents. If you would like to bring her today, they will be done with their training for the day in a few hours.” I told him, turning slightly to the doorway of the shop.

“I will bring her here in two hours.” He decided, turning on his heel and practically sauntering away from my shop. As I entered the shop again, I was nearly bowled over by Shippo as he threw himself at me and wrapped his arms as tight around me as he could.

“Shippo, what’s wrong, honey?” I asked softly as I let my hands rest on the top of his head and his shoulder. “I was worried about you. Are you okay? I couldn’t hear what you two were saying.” He whispered worriedly. “It’s alright Shippo. I’m perfectly fine. He asked me about you calling me ‘momma’, he told me Hime Rin wanted to play with my younger brother and sister, and he paid me for the work I did on his katana yesterday."

 "That’s all; I promise you. Everything is alright… Come, let’s get ready for the anaguma to get here.” I suggested. To show he agreed, Shippo rushed to clean up the pallet and finish his stew. “Slow down, honey. You’re going to make yourself sick eating so fast.” I asserted, patting his head after setting my bowl on the table. He smiled up at me and slowed down.

Just as we were finishing our breakfast, I heard the couple outside the shop, getting ready to enter. “Put the bowls in a bucket of water so we can wash them later and stand behind me.” I whispered to him. He nodded and did as I said quickly. Just after he was behind me, the couple entered, smiling and laughing softly at some joke.

“Hello, again. Here is the katana we made. Where is your musume?” I demanded. “She is outside; she doesn’t know why we’re here.” the man replied. “Bring her in.” I ordered, leaving no room for argument. The woman left after a nod from the man and returned with a girl that looked like a younger her.

“Kon’nichiwa. There is something Shippo wants to give you before you leave for the southern kingdom.” I told her sweetly. I stepped to the left, handed Shippo the katana, and motioned for her to step forward. I heard the sharp intake of breath as she unsheathed the katana and looked it over.

“It’s beautiful. You even used the protection prayer we found months ago. Did you draw the designs before they were carved in?” she asked quietly. Shippo only nodded and smiled at her. She re-sheathed the katana and tied it to her hip.

“I hope you rarely have to use it but he chose well and it will serve you well.” I told her, smiling. The on’nanoko nodded and exited the shop, leaving Shippo to move behind me as her parents approached my table.

“We need two more katanas.” The man said. “No. I know all about what you are to Shippo and I know you just claimed him for free work. I am legally adopting Shippo and you will never get free work from my shop again.” I told them.

 “You can’t do that.” the woman argued. “Actually, I can. You lied to me, used Shippo, and you are greedy. I gave him the choice and he chose to stay. So get out of my shop.” I angrily ordered.

The man stepped toward me and I grabbed my katana off the table and unsheathed it as I turned the blade on him. “Get out of my shop! I will not tell you again!” I yelled. Finally, they turned and left. I sighed in relief and re-sheathed my katana.

“Grab a katana, Shippo. We’re going to go get my siblings and train.” I told him. He nodded, grabbed the katana I had made as a twin to mine and I locked the shop up after putting out the kiln. As we walked to my home, I smiled down at Shippo and stopped. I realized I forgot my own weapons.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” I told him as I turned back. I ran back to the shop; unlocked it; went in; grabbed my katana, bow, and quiver of arrows; then ran back to Shippo after locking up the shop. Quickly we made our way the rest of the way home.