Mari sat on the bed in her room at the inn, playing with her new kitten, Soshina. She'd just finished tying a golden-yellow ribbon into a bow around the animal's neck, and was making sure it wasn't too tight. She thought the color suited the dark animal and, though she wouldn't admit it-not even to herself-it also served as a small reminder of who had given her this new little friend. "You know, Shina-chan, you look a lot like Diru-chan..." She dangled another ribbon for the cat to pounce on and slap at, and laughed.

They were fairly close to the capital now, and in the morning, Eri was supposed to be taking her to meet the Emperor. Mari wasn't sure she wanted to meet the Emperor. He was the ruler of the entire kingdom, after all...what if she offended him? Would he throw the Miko in jail? She scrunched her face up in thought...did they even have 'jail' here? Or was it all dungeons and torture chambers and stuff? She thought briefly of asking Eri, but it felt like such a dumb thing to worry about. Maybe she'd find Rindou or Dazanshi before they left and ask them...they were bandits, so they'd know about jail, right? She almost wished they'd be going to the palace as well, but it seemed they'd caused a little trouble at the palace a few months back, helping a girl named Shouri escape. Nari wasn't clear on all the details, but all had agreed it would probably be best if they waited for them at the inn.

Which brought Mari back to her original train of thought...how did one greet an Emperor? Should she curtsy? She couldn't remember the last time she had done that...And what did she call him? Your Highness? Sire? Sir? She made a frustrated noise, deciding she'd do her best to just be quiet, try to behave, and look to Eri for hints as to how to act.

Mari flopped back on her bed, causing Soshina to jump, and then settle on her stomach. She scratched the kitten under her chin. "You know, I'd kill for chocolate right about now." She told the kitten with a sigh. "It always makes me feel better..." She lifted her head and looked at the kitten once more. "Do you even have chocolate here?" She considered. "I'd do just about anything for anything sweet, actually..." She sat up, holding the kitten and shook her head. "I'm losing it. I'm asking a cat about dessert options in a desert kingdom."

Technically, it was starting to get late, and she knew she should go to bed soon...but she was bored, even with her furry playmate. She was used to the constant hustle and bustle of Tokyo, and she wanted to see people. Talk, laugh...all that stuff. She also wanted to check her e-mail, but since that wasn't an option...

She stood, tucking Soshina into the crook of her arm, and she started for the door to her room. "Let's go see where everyone else is..." She could guess that Dazanshi was in the tavern, probably drinking some poor fool under the table, and if Rindou wasn't nearby cheering him on, she was probably dealing with her men. Mari wasn't sure how she got all those big scary guys to listen to her, but she did. Eri, she was sure, was making preparations for their trip. Right, she decided as she started toward her door, the tavern it was. Rindou and Dazanshi were always hilarious...

It could be stressful at times being both a samurai and a Seishi. Things that could be easily communicated in person had to be dealt with through letters because he had to look after Mariko. However, he would not let anyone else do his job, the miko needed protection and he knew the country was not safe for someone like her. His mind travelled back to the moment he found her surrounded by those bandits, those ruffians. He sighed and finished writing a letter before he walked back to the Innkeeper and paid him to deliver the message as soon as possible. He decided to go for a walk about the town, he needed some fresh air and had been so concentrated on answering to the Emperor’s letter and his suggestion of sending an escort of samurai that he almost broke the royal letter before he finally wrote a good and convincing letter where he stressed how unnecessary it was for the Imperial samurai to be relieved form their posts to escort the miko and her Seishi, he trusted his skills and he was more than capable of protecting her single-handedly. not that her other Seishi would not be close by in case needed anyway. He hoped this was not all Akhram’s doing, that fool just never learned, right? Judging by how angry he was, he feared it might have been that loathed person. Did he not have things to do, other people to annoy? He sighed and ran a hand through his long red copper hair while he walked about the streets and while he sighed, a woman smiled at him form her little bakery shop and his eyes looked at what she had to offer.

He wondered if Mariko would like any of these traditional Japanese sweets. He raised an eyebrow and wondered why he had thought of her upon seeing these deserts and sweets. She was the Byakko no miko, so surely all this was just the means to make her happy? She had accepted to be the miko so willingly and he could see its burden on her shoulders at times even though she did not show it. It was not easy, it was hard enough being a Seishi…he could not imagine how much worse being a miko could be. The woman asked him if she could help him with anything, he thought long and finally made up his mind. Not long after, he looked at the horizon and sighed at the sunset, his hand had a bag of a traditional desert called imagawayaki, made of batter in a special pan and filled with sweet azuki bean paste. They looked mainly like small rounded tartlets. He still could not believe he had bought those for, well, for his miko. He raised an eyebrow, he had to be careful with things like that, after all, he was only meant to be her sword, her protector and advice her perhaps, if she ever asked this of him. He was there to follow her orders, but nothing more. And yet, his heart wished to make her happy because her fate would be cruel and he wished he could prevent what was to happen…if legends were true, of course.

He reached a small hill and watched the sunset come to an end, he closed his eyes and took deep breaths, he truly enjoyed being in nature and it allowed him to take up moments to do meditation and relaxation. It was part of his training, for man not only had to know how to wield a weapon but also when not to. He was no man fond of cruelty or using power to harm others and so he ensured to practice that part of his truing as best as he could. After standing there for a long moment, he decided to finally go back to the Inn and check up on the other crazy Seishi and the miko, just in case they were planning to burn the Inn to the ground. They were surely quite a pair those two. As he walked to the Inn he sensed something and he looked around as he suddenly came to a stop and heard sudden noise in an alley. He could have almost sworn he had seen someone, but he decided he best go and see if Mariko was well, the other Seishi would have to wait.

He entered the Inn and nodded at the owner before he made his way to the staircases and his thoughts returned to the Miko, she was probably bored of always staying inside a room, maybe he could take her for a walk the next day before they set off again, show her what a typical Byakko town looked like. Make her enjoy her time in this world for as long as it lasted and judging by the fact that they still had several Seishi to find, she would not be leaving anytime soon. He walked up the stairs and he still felt the strange sensation of being followed or watched. He was probably going mad and needed some rest, but he would not rest until Mariko was safe in the palace. He realised he was standing by Mariko’s door and he thought he best knock, he did not want her to think him a daring young man and punch him or something. But as he looked down he saw Mariko opening the door of her room with her kitty in one arm and he took a step back so that they would not bump into each other. But then his eyes caught sight of… was that a golden ribbon around the kitten’s neck? Did she actually do that on purpose?

He looked down at her and said looking away from her and handing her the package of sweet deserts, “I… I got this for you…” He was still not looking at her and his hand was extended with the package for her to take it. It was the only explanation he could give for walking toward her bedroom. He did not want to see her angry eyes in case he had scared her although he was not sneaky on purpose it was a skill he had developed as a warrior and it was quite useful, so he could not see what her problem was with it.

Mari had been absorbed in her own thoughts, so the last thing she'd expected to see when she pulled her door open was Eri standing there. She gave a squeak of surprise, and took a step back. What was his thing? He always seemed to appear out of nowhere and just...lurked. It wasn't natural. Humans made noise...Eri had to be a cat or something, seriously. Amethyst eyes narrowed as she prepared to chew him out for lurking outside her door. "You big-" And then he spoke.

“I… I got this for you…”

Mari's eyes widened in surprise, her anger forgotten. She looked at what he held out, and the smell of something sweet reached her nose. Her eyes lit up, and she finished her sentence, though her tone had gone from annoyed to overjoyed in a very short time. "-Wonderful samurai. Are those sweets?" She accepted the bag, setting Shina down so she could look inside. They were! They really, really were...and they looked delicious. She couldn't help it, she moved forward, as if she had springs on her feet, and threw her arms around his neck in a hug of sheer delight. "Oh, Eri-san, I could kiss you!"

Her brain caught up with the rest of her, and she blushed deeply...deeper than she ever had before, perhaps. She pulled away from the hug and stared resolutely at anything that wasn't her Seishi. "I mean...um...that's just a saying, you know, not that I'd really..."

Was there any way the ground could be nice and swallow her up right about now? Oh, or that shiny light? It could take her hope where she wouldn't be so embarrassed. No? Alright then, she'd have to cover this herself, and hope she didn't look like a total idiot. "I mean...Thank you." She was still looking away, and still fairly red. "Would you like to share them with me?" Oh, wait, was that one of those improper things she wasn't supposed to say? It was so hard keeping all these rules and etiquette straight.

To keep herself from saying or doing anything else stupid, she stepped backward, back into her room where Shina had perched on the bed to watch the silly humans, and took one of the tartlets out of the package, biting into it, though the door was still open, and her invitation still stood, if Eri did want to share them with her. "Yum." Good, she thought. As long as she was chewing, there wouldn't be room to stick her foot in her mouth or something.

Seriously though, it was almost like Eri really could read her mind. She'd just been thinking she wanted something sweet, and then he showed up like magic with these yummy little things. She had tried asking Rindou if Seishi could do that, but the bandit just shrugged and told her each seishi's abilities were different, so she had no clue. She had made a pretty rose for Mari to cheer her up, though, sicne she hadn't been able to answer her question.

“You big-“

Oh dear, here they go again with one of those scenes where Mariko was determined Eri was trying to lurk about and startle her with the least effort possible. And once she was at it she would not stop ranting until she was satisfied. Eri did not dare turn to look at her for that sole reason, although, he was also a bit embarrassed for offering her a present of some sort. What would she think of him? He was not entirely sure what made him get her those sweet deserts in the first place. Well, he did promise himself he would help her enjoy her time here, right? And since they travelled often there was little time to go about walking through the villages and getting a feel of what each little place had to offer. He was not trying to prove that this place was the best, but, it was not so bad once you got used to it and knew where the best things could be found and this town happened to be the best at these sweet things and it was not too expensive either so he could get her a handful of those in case she wanted to levee some for the next few days. It was a presence, as such, she could enjoy them as she pleased. He was ready for the confrontation, his body tensed slightly and he did his best to hide his own annoyance, he did not want to repeat himself when he said that as her protector he had to ensure she was safe at all times. But then a silence followed, and since he was rather curious as to the reason she stopped an insult on mid-sentence his eyes moved to look back at her. She was taking in she smell of the desert and looking inside the bag like a small child. He almost smirked at such an image and decided he would test her about it the next time.

It seemed something both enjoyed doing, teasing each other. It never ceased to amaze him how both of them behaved. At times they argued, tease each other to get the upper hand it was almost as if they had entered a contest to see who could win. His eyes fixed on her face and he raised an eyebrow, the fire in her eyes diminished and her face softened in but seconds. Was that what happened when you gave sweets to a woman? Was that…happiness? He had to admit Mariko was such an easy girl to please, he almost smiled at that and was glad. She smiled warmly and took the bag to look better to what lied inside and he hoped she would like the tartlets. She seemed to like almost anything related to food but, well, he still did not know what things she liked and what she did not, it would only make things worse if he were to give her something she disliked, it would make her explode a tenfold worse and he would have to run away from the Inn, samurai or not, he did not want to drag too much attention. He looked from the bag back into her eyes, there were times when he wished there were not so many rules to being a samurai.

"-Wonderful samurai. Are those sweets?”

He sighed relieved although that was the closest she had ever been to give him any kind of nice compliment. Most of the time she criticised his seriousness or the way he acted or the things he said. So, for the first time in his life, he was speechless. Of course that did not mean he would not be taking this into account and so he smirked smiling to himself as he closed his eyes for a moment and rested a hand on his belt. In truth at this moment he did not feel the awkwardness typical of any moment he would spend with the miko nor did he feel the need to be on his guard at that very moment. He wondered if he was begin too arrogant in enjoying the actual praise but since it did not happen all the time, there was no harm in clearly showing how pleased he was with himself. He was not breaking any of his samurai principles nor was he bringing harm to anyone, besides, you could treat someone whenever that person seemed sad to you and that meant nothing further than that. He wished the miko to be happy, to enjoy her time here because it would get harder the closer they got to the palace and at times he wondered if he should warn her about…Akhram. It was a part of his life he had never shared and he was not comfortable enough to talk about it but, she probably needed to know because that man was not like a true samurai should be, he played the game with his own set of rules and he was very cunning, hence no one found him out. Looking back into her deep eyes he mused, it seemed easy for him to always know what she needed. Was that meant to happen so easily then?

He expected her to start nibbling the sweets, give her approval or disapproval or even dismiss him so she could eat, he was after all at her service. Or she could be picking Shina and then turning back into her usual moody self. She could be doing all these things but instead she attempted the impossible. She showed a side to her he never thought she possessed and even so, he felt completely unworthy of such: catching him off guard, she moved on an impulse and threw her arms around his neck and held him tight. He took one step back but that only made her embrace him more closely and he gasped, his arms spread suddenly and he looked down at her. Long light blue hair shook as she stood there holding him tight. He felt his cheeks flush lightly but-as if having a will of their own-his arms moved to wrap around her and he smiled softly, his eyes softened as he looked at her. He lost all awareness of his duty, Mirako’s reputation and everything he had been taught for years… But it felt so natural to allow her that moment of comfort and it reminded him of when he was younger and would fall asleep on his mother’s arms after she told him a tale of brave samurai and enchanting priestesses. Yet, he soon woke up from the memories at the sound of Mariko’s excited voice.

"Oh, Eri-san, I could kiss you!”

“Mariko-sama!” His eyes opened widely and he realised they were in each other’s arms and he quickly but gently took her hands and removed her arms from around his neck feeling his cheeks become crimson red and he quickly looked away from her thinking she had probably done the same because he did not feel her eyes on him. He looked at the ground for a long moment and he frowned, he had to be more guarded, he could not let anything destroy the miko’s dignity or his own. He placed his left hand on his katana’s scabbard to emphasise the person he was and would always be. He served the Empire and the Byakko no Miko, he must never forget that. Yet now, he was a bit agitated by the whole situation and the awkwardness returned. And he was not even sure how to explain his own actions. He hoped Mariko would not be hurt but he had to leave and keep his distance. It would not be professional otherwise and she was much to kind and innocent to be criticised by others if anyone saw what just happened…

“I mean...um...that's just a saying, you know, not that I'd really… I mean...Thank you."

As much as he enjoyed teasing her he did not want her to mentally beat herself up for what had just happened and so he simply turned to look at her, his eyes reclaiming their usual coldness yet he did not look angry but rather serious as if he were his peaceful self once more, “I am glad it pleases you so. I hope you enjoy them. But there is no need to thank me.” He never did things expecting a prize in return, but that was what made him a samurai and a good man. Looking at the floor next to her he could see Shina looking at him as if she wished he would be a bit more warm and open, but he honestly could not…

He watched her eat a tartlet and his heart felt warm, she was truly enjoying it and he was glad to have chosen that one. He turned around to leave and as he took a couple of steps toward his room he heard her voice again and he stopped on his tracks.

"Would you like to share them with me?”

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, “You need to sleep well tonight, we have a long journey ahead of us and we must be up sooner than usual. Enjoy the imagawayaki, it is something typical of this area…” his eyes opened once more and he walked away. He reached his chambers and he closed the door behind him. The same dark presence that had witnessed the whole situation looked at Mariko form the shadows and grinned, he had come to kill the samurai but, his new plan would be much better, let him live with the shame… He would wait until the miko was asleep and it was dark enough, then he would enter her chambers.

Once in his chambers, Eri walked toward the balcony and closed his eyes feeling a great gust of wind play around with his long red copper hair, as his eyes opened he sighed and they shone with hope and pain. He then looked down at his hands, which had held the miko and then he placed a hand on the back of his neck where her arms had been. He shook his head thinking he was being pathetic and then sat on the floor for a moment to allow some silence and meditation nurture his confused spirit. He did his best to concentrate and allow this tranquility fill him but something was amiss. Partly it was the memories of what had just happened but also the memories of…that feeling of being followed. He opened his eyes and closed them again and did his best to allow the peace soothe him and though it somewhat worked, he soon stood up and paced about in his room like an imprisoned predator, one could think that there was a good reason this samurai was known as the Cobra. He had a sixth sense and he feared the worse although he was not entirely sure why.

Mari had acted without thinking, hugging him in gratitude for the sweets. It seemed a natural thing, really. It was the sort of thing she'd do for Sai or Tama...maybe even Rindou and Dazanshi, if they did something nice enough. It was something friends did right? But, were they friends? Eri seemed to just barely tolerate her sometimes, and usually wasn't 'friendly' by any stretch of the imagination, but other times he surprised her. This was one of those times as he returned the hug. It was as nice a gesture as it was unexpected, and she felt for the first time like she might've really made some progress with her silent protector.

And then, of course, she'd ruined it by opening her big mouth and speaking without thinking. As usual. No sooner had the words left her lips than she realized they were a mistake, and as if to confirm this, Eri extracted himself from the embrace and stepped back. Mari felt her cheeks flush even more, as she tried to explain she'd only meant to thank him, hoping some of that little progress they'd made could be salvaged. Nope. He was back to his usual self, and Mari felt like an even bigger fool. As one last peace offering, she asked if he'd like to share the treats with her. It seemed it just wasn't her night to do anything right.

“You need to sleep well tonight, we have a long journey ahead of us and we must be up sooner than usual. Enjoy the imagawayaki, it is something typical of this area…”

She bit her lip as he turned and headed for his room, mumbling a soft. "Goodnight." Unsure if he'd even heard her, she closed her own door and leaned against it with a sigh. "Mariko Yukihara is a first class idiot." She informed Soshina with a sigh before finishing the imagawayaki she'd started and then set the rest on the table to save for later. She thought about going to find Rindou and Dazanshi, wanting to talk to someone besides her cat about what had just happened, but she decided against it. Wri said they'd be leaving early, and she didn't want to make him any more angry than she already had. She brushed her hair and changed into a nightdress Rindou had gotten for her. She blew out the lamp by the bed and made sure Shina's favorite ribbon was tied to a chair so she could play if she wanted while Mari slept.

The Miko then crawled into bed, and rolled to face the window, staring out at the moon above. The moon seemed so much bigger here than it did in Tokyo, and she could actually see the stars. She thought of home, and spoke aloud again, though barely a whisper. "Goodnight Tama-kun, Sai-cahn." She smiled a little. "And Diru-chan. I miss you all, but don't worry, I'm in good hands here...I think."

Well, even if she seemed to be messing up with every attempt to ease things with Eri, he had made it clear his job was to protect her, and hopefully he would. Maybe they didn't have to be friends. The hug had been a nice surprise though...almost as nice as the sweets. She felt herself blush, and was glad it was dark and no one but Shina was there with her. She sighed again, and felt the kitten jump up onto the bed. She reached out and stroked the soft fur for a few minutes feeling comforted by the soft purring noise.

She closed her eyes. What was wrong with her? Eri didn't want to be her friend, he'd made that clear...he'd probably only hugged her back because he didn't want to offend her or something. She needed to just put it out of her mind all together and try to get some sleep. She had a big day tomorrow, and though she wasn't excited about it, Eri was right, and she would need the rest. She was sleeping sooner than expected, though it was a little fitful, and not quite as restful as it was when she was at home. Her dreams were filled with strange shadows and vague presences that, though she didn't know how she knew, meant her harm. They were not nightmares, per say, just vague doubts nagging at her subconscious.

The man waited patiently, he knew or believed that no one would be able to stop him so why rush into things? He had to make sure everyone was fast asleep. The only one he would have to worry about was that samurai but his room was not next to hers, the other Seishi were right next to her so they could not possibly have the same keen senses as Eri. Just the thought of that samurai made his mouth sour. He shrugged, after this he would be completely destroyed so his revenge would have been complete. Besides, he had unfinished businesses with the lady and so he knew that it was his duty to ensure she realised thieves were not beaten that easily and since their leader had already punished them and dismissed them, he had nothing to tie him to that pathetic person. At times he wondered why he did not desert them in the first place. Perhaps it had not been the time or place yet. He truly did not care. Just a couple of hours more and he silently slid from his hideout looking around to ensure no one-especially that annoying warrior-was around. He then walked on to her door making no sound whatsoever, his thirst for revenge enhanced his skills and the adrenaline rush gave him even more eagerness for this.

He tried opening the door and grinned, in all the pathetic display of affection she had amused him with she had forgotten to lock. Made things easier for him. He silently entered and finding the key he locked the door, now entering would be much more difficult unless they arose the whole building and he was sure the samurai would not want that. He looked at the window and closed the curtains, smirking he moved toward the girl but when her little cat tried to attack him he used a nearby bag to capture it and then tied it to the nearby chair. He then saw the tartlets that Eri had given her and with a grin he tossed them to the fire. Oh he was cruel and wicked all right... Moving forth he looked at the sleeping beauty and grinned, she was lying on her back so it would be much easier to him to act. He moved her arms upward gently and tied the wrists to the headboard of the bed and her ankles to the foot of the bed. He had already been attacked by her in the past, he did not need a repeat of that. It would hush the samurai's attention.

He removed the blanket and was quite pleased the lady was wearing such a short and suggestive nightgown, it was almost as if she had wished to comply with him. To think that if it had not been for that ridiculous conviction on the importance of a person’s honour, he would have been prevented to enjoy himself that night if that samurai had shared the room with his miko. That man was blind but, if he would not have her, then he would… He finally moved to sit on top of her with a grin and he leaned down and decided to wake her up in the cruelest of ways. He expected her to be dreaming of her beloved samurai, so it would torn her to pieces to wake up and instead find herself in the company of the one thief who almost claimed her virtue. He already had a handkerchief to tie her mouth after she woke up. Finally his lips claimed hers but not like a lover would, but rather harshly and aiming to hurt her in every possible way. He smirked and said, "I hope you had sweet dreams... because they will be your last, we have some unfinished businesses doll." His dark eyes fixed on hers and he quickly covered her mouth with the handkerchief and drew a long knife pointing it at her throat, "Stay silent, or I will cut your throat..." He winked at her rather cynically and then put his hand on her neck and ran down a finger through her mid-chest and placed his hand on her stomach caressing it like a wolf would pounce on its prey. his other hand still holding the knife placed the blade on her throat and his other hand then moved to her leg and gently began to lift her nightgown.

He smirked and said, “Do not worry, your…Prince charming will join you soon enough… you do know what happens when a samurai fails…” Oh he would, and he would not have to fight him to kill him, as a samurai he would have failed his miko and the Empire so he would have to resource to the only way to reclaim his honour through sepukku. His hand stopped on her mid-thigh as he whispered, “I’m doing you a favour, I’ll guarantee you and immediate journey home miko…” He chuckled and added, “However, if you do not cooperate…” He slashed lightly her left shoulder and side with the knife to prove his point. But he was not planning to be nice, on the contrary, he would make her suffer, even if she did not move and let him do as he pleased she and her Seishi would be history. his hand kept trying to lift the skirts of the nightgown while he punched at her sternum with the hilt and he kept on slashing at her arms while he savagely tried to force himself upon her ad beat her up. He would leave no trace left of this girl, he would make them pay for the humiliation he endured…

Eri was unable to sleep. Ever since his little trip at the town square there was something aloof that made him uneasy. He was fully aware that due to the fact that she was the miko and he was a samurai, it was a good idea to give her a room of her own. Nothing would taint their names in that case. But he wanted to be able to protect her at all times and this arrangement of making his room be further than hers did little to held his situation. He sighed and leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes, meditating was always the best way to deal with whatever came to his mind, yet he could not take Mariko out of his mind, he wondered if she hated him now because he would not stay and share her sweets with her. He sighed noisily and crossed his arms around his chest closing his eyes. It could not be helped so why worry now? But then, for some reason his heart sensed something and he realised it was late at night, the moment his eyes opened though, they seemed to glow with an intense golden light, almost lithe the eyes of the creatures would shine. He felt movement in one of the rooms and he cursed under his breath. He moved to the door and as his hand moved to the pommel he turned to look at the balcony, no, the fastest way for him to reach Mariko now would be through the balcony, otherwise he would have to run and skip doors and people, if anyone was up at that time.

He ran a hand through his fringe which moved back into place as if it naturally did so even when he touched it. He was not sure what warned him of Mirako’s distress but he quickly walked to the balcony and looked at the bricks and rocks, yes, he could easily climb to her room. With one clean swing he landed on the parallel wall and moved sideways to his mike’s room. He only hoped that she would manage to hang in there until he arrived to help her. He closed his eyes and hoped that his thoughts reach her, for her to be strong, he was coming for her. He moved with great skill and speed. It was a good thing that he had such skill as a samurai for that also meant that he had control over his Seishi aura and would only use the enhanced abilities in the case of an emergency so he could not drag too much unwanted attention, especially now that the miko had appeared and was trying to gather the rest of her Seishi. He moved along and then balanced himself and jumped up and rolled into the balcony of Mariko’s room. There was a deadly silence, that was never a good thing, he should have been welcomed by Soshina for cats could feel those approaching an yet nothing happened, he did not even hear it call out to him. This could only mean something had happened and he frowned, his hand moved to the curtain when he heard something, it was like a struggle of some sort and it made his body shake in anger, his eyes flashed like piercing flames and shone even in the dark, one of the reasons those who feared him called him the Cobra, because once in battle he was merciless…a deadly foe. He clenched his fists and entered the room as silently as a gust of wind, which caused the bandit to shiver lightly and hist as he was about to lift her gown even more and stab her in the heart, with one swift movement Eri hit the man on the gut with the pommel of his pole arm and he then hit him again on the sternum causing him to fall from the bed. The knife swung in the air an Eri caught it. Once the thief gasped in surprise and fear, Eri tossed the knife at him, which landed on the neck of his shirt forcing him to the ground once more.

Eri’s eyes darkened and his face became much colder and his eyes shone as he said with disgust, “You… again?” The man was so angered, he almost had his revenge, but he had waited too ing and for some uncanny reason this samurai had sensed his mistress’ danger. How could that be? He was not even close to her rooms…unless…his dark eyes looked into the terrifying fiery orbs of the Cobra and though he was frightened he grinned as if he had realised something neither of them knew. Eri failed to see what was so happy about this and he leapt forth with weapon in hand. The thief just managed to skip the pole arm before he blew Mariko a kiss, something that angered Eri much more and he increased the speed of his attacks. So… the bandit realised his suspicious were well founded.

Mari was usually a fairly normal sleeper, not so light that every little thing woke her, but not so heavy that she could sleep through anything. That night, however, she'd been utterly exhausted. Perhaps it was all of the emotional strain and worry finally catching up with her. Perhaps it was the fact that, until that night, she'd been unable to really get comfortable enough in this world to sleep well. Whatever it was, that night, she slept heavily and soundly.

She dreamed of home, of shopping with Sai, and playfully arguing about who's turn it was to cook dinner with her brother while Diru and Soshina played happily in the living room. She dreamed of their band getting a cool new gig, and as she stood on the stage, singing with Tama, she saw in the crowd...Eri. And Rindou and Dazanshi. They were all in modern clothes, and seemed happy to see her. Well, Eri looked his usual stoic self, but somehow she could tell he was happy to be there too. It was really a very nice dream, but it made her realize how much she missed her home.

The sweetness of the dream turned into sour reality when she awoke, quite suddenly, to a very rough kiss. A second after she felt lips on her own, she was aware that her arms and legs were tied and she had been uncovered. She could feel a weight on top of her, and her eyes shot open, quickly adjusting to the darkness. She was not sure who she had expected to see, but she had not expected that bandit from her first day here. He was the one who had touched her hair...and whom she had elbowed to try and get away from him. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but he spoke before she could even draw breath.

"I hope you had sweet dreams... because they will be your last, we have some unfinished businesses doll. Stay silent, or I will cut your throat..."

The scream died in her throat. What could she do? If she screamed, Eri and the others would come, but this man would kill her, and he'd be too late. If she didn't scream, maybe they would sense something was wrong and be able to come to her anyway...but that was a slim chance at best. She knew she could sense their pain, but could they sense anything of hers?

He began to touch her, first running a finger down her chest, and then moving his hand to caress her leg, moving ever higher up her thigh. She tensed instinctively, but didn't make a sound. She had to hope someone would rescue her in time. 'Eri...' she thought silently, though she had no idea why she thought of him just then. 'Please...' Outwardly, however, she did her best to seem cold and aloof, channeling the arrogance Eri always seemed to portray. She remained silently, even without the gag he'd used on her, she wouldn't have made a noise, for he probably wanted her to act frightened, and instead glared at her attacker, as if he was worse than the filth on the street. She couldn't help herself as he touched her thigh, pushing her gown up, she tried her best to jerk away from his hand.

“Do not worry, your…Prince charming will join you soon enough… you do know what happens when a samurai fails… I’m doing you a favour, I’ll guarantee you and immediate journey home miko… However, if you do not cooperate…”

Her...Prince Charming? He mentioned the samurai...that could only mean Eri. Why would he call Eri her Prince Charming? Just because he'd come to her rescue that first day? And when a samurai fails...? She could vaguely remember something from history class on the subject. What was it? What was he hinting at? When a samurai failed, they lost their honor, and the only way to regain it was...Seppuku. Her eyes widened just faintly as she realized the extent of this terrible man's plans. He intended to violate and harm her, so she could not be the Miko any longer, and thus cause Eri to fail in his task to protector, driving him to take his own life. She found his plans for Eri more cowardly and vile than his plans for her, as it wasn't an honorable way to deal with one's foes...setting them up to do the work for you.

She was almost amused by that last thought. She was starting to think of things as Eri did...in terms of honor and what was right. That slight amusement was not enough to distract her from her current situation, however, and despite herself, she gave soft, pained grunts when he cut her, though she continued to glare at his the entire time. She didn't look away, she didn't allow the hatred and revulsion in her eyes to lessen, and she didn't stop trying to pull away from his touch, though there was little movement she could do, tied up as she was. She also didn't cry...even though she was scared and hurt. She wouldn't give this scum the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

'Eri...please help me!' She screamed out in her head, though she had no way of knowing if he could sense her in such a way. She jokingly thought before that he could read her mind...now she hoped it was true. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bag wriggling, tied to the chair. That must be what he'd done with Shina. She hoped the kitten hadn't been hurt.

She felt her resolve begin to weaken at the sight of the bag containing her kitten. If Shina had been hurt, it was all her fault. She was supposed to look after her, after all. Had Mari even remembered to lock her door that night? No, she hadn't. She'd forgotten until she was in bed, and then figured with the others so close, she was safe enough and didn't need to. In a way, this was all her own fault...and perhaps no one was coming to help her...

And then she felt it, deep in her heart. Some how she knew Eri was coming...and right now she needed to be strong and hold on for him...until he could arrive. He was quick, he'd be there soon, she just knew it. If she gave up now, well she'd be dooming them both, but so long as she kept her faith, and continued to do what little she could, then there was still hope.

Her resolve strengthened once more, and she continued to pull away as much as she could, and glared at the man, though she made noise now, calling him every foul name she could think of, though the words were too muffled by the gag to be heard, probably even by the man who was so horribly close. She was unable to keep the string of swearing up for long, however, as it was hard to catch her breath with him atop her, and with her mouth gagged. She soon lapsed into silent defiance once more.

It happened so suddenly. She sensed Eri on her balcony only a split second before he appeared, and she jerked her head toward him just as he knocked the man off her. His eyes...glowed like candles in the darkness. It was something she had never seen before, and it was a little unnerving. The ferocity of his look gave her a small shiver, and she was thankful that this man was her ally and not her foe. It was almost enough to make her rethink all the times she'd argued with him. She didn't want to think what he may be like if, someday, she pushed him too far.

And yet, she knew Eri would not harm her. He was her protector, and he was proving that now. Her eyes shone with relief as she looked at her Seishi, though only for a moment before she turned her head to look at her attacker once more. She didn't want him out of her sight for long...she was still in far too vulnerable of a position for that. She hated feeling this vulnerable. Surely, to someone like Eri who was always strong and fearless, seeing her so frightened and...helpless...she must look utterly pathetic. Would he even think she was worth protecting if she wasn't even smart enough to lock her door at night? Eri finally spoke, and despite the fact that his tone and words were directed at her attacker, she shivered, just slightly, at the pure disgust.

“You… again?”

Mari watched in the pale moonlight as the bandit began to grin. What was he smiling about? Mari wouldn't smile if that firey glare was pointed at her. Eri lunged, and the man just managed to dodge before...blowing her a kiss? Really? Disbelief colored her expression for just a moment. He must have some sort of death wish, as everything he did only seemed to anger Eri further. 'You can do it, Eri!' She silently cheered, wishing she could remove the gag so she could cheer him on out loud. 'Teach him a lesson he was too dumb to learn the first time!' Her eyes never left the sparring duo, however, as she hoped Eri would be victorious...sooner, rather than later...so he could untie her and she could...well, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she wanted to be free to move around enough to do it. She wanted this man out of her life...she wanted to feel safe again...

Something told Eri that in the middle of this despair, Mariko had called out to him and he was a bit surprised. Why not call some of her other Seishi? Why did she call out to him? He had to admit that when he kicked the man off her he was truly impressed by the way Mariko had fought. She was not crying or screaming, in fact, she reminded Eri of himself. She looked defiant and did her best to escape the man’s clutches even as she was tied to the bed and completely helpless and this angered him even more. The man knew she could probably pose a thread or fight him off and so he decided to disable her so that he could do what he had in mind. And all this, one way or another, seemed to be directed to Eri. So if he attacked Mariko it was in hopes to destroy him as well. Guilt torn at him and his fury multiplied and his eyes burned like never before, he would not let this scum live when he could come up with such despicable plans and dishonourable fighting techniques. If he wanted to fight him then he would gladly comply but he had to leave Mariko out of this…if he did not then he would show no mercy, men like that did not deserve to live. His hand gripped his weapon with resolve and then took a few steps forth, the man did shiver at that time though and he stood up quickly.

Mariko was talking, it was difficult to tell the precise words whenever the silence was broken by her melodious voice, but Eri’s intuition told him she was encouraging to fight her tormentor and it made him smirk. However, he never moved his eyes away from him, after what he had done he believed him capable of the filthiest tricks. How could this vermin show his face again after all he did…after he got humiliated? He gritted his teeth and the man’s eyes darkened, his evil mind was already coming up with another plan to get rid of this samurai once and for all. An idea that would not fail and his thoughts moved toward the sworn enemies of the Gods and their mikes and Seishis and he got his answer there… He grinned, yes, that would work. He did not care if this foolish girl opposed him, insulted him and even showed anger instead of fear. He did not care if her samurai came at him with anger and skill. He would defeat them with the help of the Fiend. He was certain they would aid his cause once he had a lot of information on the Seishi of this miko and if her guardians were killed she could not summon Byakko and it would all have been for naught. He snickered while Eri frowned and looked at him darkly.

If the man planed on laying one more finger on Mariko he would make him suffer a fate far worse than hell. He would not let him come any closer and the bandit took one step back knowing this to be a fact, for now this battle was lost and in any case there was no room to fight here, and they would wake everyone up. No, he did not plan to be thrown into a cold and damp dungeon, instead, he would find the means to escape now and grow stronger and challenge that samurai to a duel. It seemed like the best choice he had. He twirled around with a knife and laughed darkly, Eri then moved to strike him down but the bandit moved to the right and tossed the knife in Mariko’s direction. Eri quickly used his right foot and impulsed himself and with the polearm he blocked the knife. But as he turned to attack him he realised the bandit had jumped off the window and though he wanted to run after him and cut him to pieces he made for the balcony and could no longer see him. It did not matter, he could track him down, he had been trained among the best of his office. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment and sheathed his polearm.

It was then he turned toward Mariko and though his eyes still glowed in the dark, they no longer held that danger-like ferocity. But they still looked mysterious and it was a rare thing that few persons had in their personas. Eri had never stopped to wonder about it thought, he moved toward the table and he lit a candle. It was then he heard movement in a bag and he slowly opened it to see the cat he had given Mariko, surely that ruffian planned to take it with him. He set it free and it rushed to Mariko to confront her, it curled close to her left shoulder and placed its head on it, its eyes looking into hers. Eri brought the candle and placed it by the bedside table. His eyes now looked their usual golden with the flickering light. It was then he realised that Mariko was rather exposed and wearing a somewhat suggestive nightgown and it had been lifted considerably by that man. He felt his cheeks flush and he looked away he did not want to offend Mariko or make her think he was some sort of deviant samurai or the sort. He sighed and shook his head, he was her protector and had to behave like one. Yet, she was rather beautiful lyon like that, like the moon so pale and beautiful with a light of its own even at night.

His hand pulled down the skirts of the nightgown to protect her modesty and he noticed something sining at his eyes. He leaned down and picked up the knife that had been thrown at Mariko and he gently began to cut the ropes from her wrists, his body leaned slightly down on her in order to reach the ropes and his long copper red hair moved down his shoulders covering Mariko in silken curls. He did not notice how close they actually were until he felt her breathing in his ear and he felt even more embarrassed at this. But he kept on concentrating on cutting the ropes. He did all this with a gentleness he never thought he possessed. But he found it befitting to tending to a woman who had almost been the victim of one of the most atrocious crimes that could ever exist, according to his own opinion. He looked at her wrists and could see some small cuts and blisters but nothing mayor, he ensured not to touch the wound when he examined them. He then moved back, his eyes momentarily looking into hers. He cut the ropes on her ankles and then removed his cloak and placed it around her shoulders to keep her warm and render her comfort.

How did he know that would work? Well, his mother always told him that if he ever felt homesick the best way to feel with your loved ones was to wear something that could smell like them or belong to them. Now he did not expect to have a special place int he miko’s heart but, he was rather familiar to her and if she had called his name, well, that meant something. So by giving her something of his he was rendering her amenity. He looked at the chimney and moved a pot of some sort that had served for dinner and he filled it with water after ensuring it was clean and he placed some herbs in it. He then fed the fire to ensure the water would boil more easily. It was when ding so that he noticed all the cakes he had given Mariko had been tossed into the fire. At first he wondered if she had not liked them or had been too upset t him after he left, however, when he remembered the kitten had been placed inside a bag…that thief had been watching them when she embraced Eri and had disposed of the sweets. He was determined to take the miko for a walk the next morning and make it up for this and get her some more sweets if that would cheer her up.

Of course, if she was angry with him for not getting here on time to prevent her this traumatic experienced he would understand and would gladly let her go for a walk with one of the other Seishi. He sighed and once the water had finally boiled he took the pot and placed it on the bedside table. He was not sure how to ask this of her but he said softly, “Mari-san, I will need you lend me access to all the parts of your body that have been injured by that…rat. I know what you have suffered as such I wish for your permission to tend to you as well.” He waited for her to show him her wounds and to allow him to touch her and he placed the cloth in the warm water and ensured it was not too warm for her, Softly he placed the cloth on the cuts and bruises, slowly, one by one, and the touch was as smooth as that of a lover kissing the injured skin of the lady that stood near to his heart. Finally he took out a transparent paste and gently placed small amounts on the bruises and he placed bandages where he saw fit. He asked her if they were too tight and once he was done he began to put everything away and he disposed of the water. He began to put his belongings away and decided he would keep the knife to study this man and hunt him down, or else he would never stop attacking them, right?

He could not let that happen again. He knew the extent of the damage done to Mariko and he only wished he could have done more to spare her this. Yet, he had decided it would be best since she was a lady to allow her to have her own room, yet he usually served his charge within close proximity, he should have stayed away at the door or the balcony. Would she ever forgive him for this? Maybe it was best to let her vent her anger out at him and be done with it. After all, a samurai had to be responsible for his actions. He silently approached Mariko and he humbly knelt on one knee and lowered his head and closed his eyes as he said, “Ojou-Sama (My Lady), there are no words to describe how sorry I am for what you had to experience, nothing will ever justify my failure to keep you safe and so I will accept any punishment you see fit, even if you want me to no longer serve you, fair miko.” It was true that he was a Seishi and wished to serve his purpose since he realised what he was, a celestial guardian. But, he was a good samurai and that meant admitting when you were wrong and fulfilling all tasks commanded by the one you served. So, whatever Mariko ordered him to do he would obey, even if that meant leaving the party and never coming across them ever again.

He remained in that posture for a long time, waiting to hear what his mistress would command of him. That would not undo how upset he was at himself and how it pained him to consider that, well, this situation would never be undone, that she would not be spared these memories and feelings. He had been surprised at how strong she was though, but, even so, a person like her was meant to be free to fly and wander about and to protect herself, and this man had stopped her form even trying to escape the consuming feeling of helplessness that could overcome a person. There was nothing worse than feeling completely impotent at the face of such danger. And in this case it had all been his fault, for having brought the darkness with him, if he and discovered the thief the moment he felt him following suit, none of this would have ever happened. He was a complete nitwit…

Mari had felt relief the instant Eri appeared. Just knowing he was there assured her that she'd be okay after all. They were not completely out of danger, however, not so long as the bandit was there. He had it out for them, and she had a feeling he wouldn't rest until he felt avenged. She watched the brief battle, and dispute her resolve, she flinched when the bandit threw the knife at her. Eri stopped it, of course, and the bandit fled. She could still see his eyes glowing, and found it fascinating. she wondered if he even knew that his eyes did that...

He lit a candle and let Soshina out of her bag. Mari felt better instantly when the kitten curled up by her, glad to see she wasn't hurt. Eri moved to cut her free, and she realized two things almost instantly. First, she realized how exposed she was, and second she realized just how close Eri was now. She blushed faintly as he pulled her skirts down, but she was grateful that he had shown enough kindness to do that before anything else. He leaned over her to cut the ropes, and she felt her heartbeat increase slightly as she looked up at him from her prone position. She felt his hair brush against her skin, and she was surprised slightly by how soft it was.

The moment he moved away, Mari sat up, pulling Shina into her lap. Stroking the soft fur. Neither of them had spoken yet. She was again surprised slightly when he upt his cloak around her shoulders, though she instantly pulled it around her, taking comfort in it. She watched as he prepared some sort of water mixture, and approached the bed again.

“Mari-san, I will need you lend me access to all the parts of your body that have been injured by that…rat. I know what you have suffered as such I wish for your permission to tend to you as well.”

She nodded mutely at him, and moved the cloak to show him the cuts and bruises she'd received during the quick but terrifying encounter. She was sure she should say something, but she wasn't sure what to say. Now that the event was over, she felt shaken. She felt weak and useless, and...scared. Eri was so strong. How could she say anything that wouldn't make him think she was utterly pathetic? She looked at his face for just a moment before looking down at Shina in her lap as Eri continued to treat her wounds. When he asked if the bandages were too tight, she shook her head no, and watched with darting glances, at him then away, as he disposed of the water and returned to the bed where she sat. She turned and sat on the side of the bed, still holding his cloak around her, as, to her surprise, he knelt before her and began to speak once more.

“Ojou-Sama, there are no words to describe how sorry I am for what you had to experience, nothing will ever justify my failure to keep you safe and so I will accept any punishment you see fit, even if you want me to no longer serve you, fair miko.”

Soshina moved from her lap to curl up beside her in stead, and Mari at last found her voice to speak. "Eri-san..." Her voice cracked, and all the tears she had refused to let that bandit see her shed began to flow, as if someone had opened a floodgate. She reached out a shaking hand toward him, but again, she felt pathetic, so she pulled it back and held the cloak instead, speaking through the continued tears. "I...I was so scared and...I didn't know what odo, other than hope you'd come in time...and...and you did." She couldn't look at him. As strong as he was, she must seem so pathetic at the moment. Instead, she stared down at her lap. "If anyone's to blame...it's me. I..I'm so dumb...I didn't even lock the stupid door!" She shook her head. "Thank you for...everything..." She spoke this just barely above a whisper

Mari shook her head and figured, as long as she was swallowing her pride, she may as well admit the one last thing she wanted to say. Her tears began to ease up, for just a moment. She felt like such an idiot. "Eri-san...please...please stay here tonight." Despite herself, the tears began again, and she looked up to see what his reaction might be to her statement and request. "I...I don't think I'll be able to sleep by myself in here." Her chin dropped to her chest, unable to look at him any more. "But...I won't blame you if you don't want to. I can go wake Rin-chan, if you'd rather..." She bit her lip.

She buried her face in her hands to try and hide the last of her tears. She regretted saying anything she had...she regretted crying like this in front of him. She had always hated feeling weak. It was the reason she took charge of things at home, and it was the reason she often felt the need to be argumentative, especially with Eri. To be honest, she sort of liked his willingness to get annoyed with her, though he often tried not to show it. It let her feel that he thought she was strong enough to handle it, and didn't have to be treated like a fragile doll.

Tonight, however, she felt like that fragile doll, and she wanted the gentle comfort he'd shown when cutting her loose and tending her wounds. She wanted them, but she wasn't sure she deserved them, and she couldn't bring herself to out-right ask for them, not any more than she already had. So instead she sat there and waited, shaking slightly with the remains of her tears as she waited in silence for his reaction to her words.

Eri took pride in the things he did and he enjoyed them. Being a samurai was a truly difficult job to do but he relished in his abilities to protect others, especially those often overlooked by everyone else. Being an Imperial samurai had its advantages and one of them was the influence Eri had over the decisions made by the Empire. Having lived a humble life he knew what it was like to work for a living and even now he still worked at the forge whenever possible, some even argue that his eyes were so intense due to the many hours he had spent at the forge and though his skin was lightly gold though not too tanned due to that occupation it had never lost its paleness completely. Now, he wondered what would have happened had he not been a Seishi or a samurai, yet, his heart told him the answer, he would have missed out on this wonderful adventure and he would have bee able to do so much for others as he now could. It was a true sacrifice, the position he had not only as a samurai but as a man trusted by the Empire itself. He could not live a life of his own and he must obey every single command with no hesitation, at first he had solely protect the royals at the palace, but now, the miko had finally arrived to this world and he was honoured to be part of her group of celestial guardians and would do his very best and beyond to do a proper job. Now, he had saved her from a fatal experience but he wondered just how much of it had truly affected her.

She did not behave like her usual self at this moment, although, he expected her to be this strong. He had been waiting all this time for a snap or angry insults. He had approached her and tended to her wounds and ensured her modesty was intact, and yet she did not oppose any of that as she had once, when he found her in that alley. She did not protect when he approached her and moved so close to her, the one lady to have ever made him think independent women did exist. Even that very day she had been quite annoying. But now she simply watched as he worked and tended to her injuries, no questions asked. It puzzled him and he did feel tempted to inquire after such behaviour. But he did not do as much, it was simple to know why: this experience would have scared anyone so he deemed this the cause for her imminent silence. She was the noisiest girl he had ever met, so he was positive this would not happen every day form now on, rather, it would be the way in which he could always know she was unhappy or distressed. His deep golden eyes met hers and he sensed a darkness within her. He almost stood up and went after that man for what he had done. If only he had simply stated he wished for revenge and they would have fought to the death, he would have gladly complied knowing Mariko had been left out of this…

She seemed a bit happy with his cloak around her, and when he had finished with her wounds he helped her cover herself with the cape once more. He ensured she was kept warm and never did he once look at her with eyes that showed anything but concern. He had vowed to keep her safe and that was exactly what he would do. Soshina looked curiously at the samurai as he remained on one knee awaiting the command or punishment his miko would have in store for him. Her head moved with curiosity and then she looked back up at Mariko, it could almost be said she was awaiting the verdict. Eri was not afraid though, after all, he was taught in the observance of the main principles of a guardian and accepting to have made mistakes and giving in to retribution. But Mariko’s silence made him ponder what she could be considering.

“Eri-san…”

He winced at the broken sound of her voice. It was as he suspected, this experience had been to much and she had been busy hiding this form the bandit. Now it poured like a stream and he only had himself t blame. Would she dismiss him now? Would she ask one of her other Seishi to come ease the pain? His eyes closed and his head was bowed respectfully. He would not mind if this made her feel better, if she dismissed him…she had every right in the world to do so. He decided then to allow her to speak and find a course of action that would still allow her to fulfil her duties as the miko and not have him around if she so desired. But, he sensed movement and lifting his eyes gently he saw a hand moving toward him. It was no longer strong and defiant but shaky and weird and he could tell she was sobbing lightly, and she fought against this and tried to hide it. Did she consider eh might be offended at this? Oh, he had seen much sorrow and death in the battlefield, and he had seen his own fellow brothers in arms cry for the losses and the despair that could only emerge form war. He felt his heart shrink with the pain she could be concealing and his eyes finally looked up into hers, they shone with great power but they did not look as threateningly as they did when he fought the bandit. They were full of compassion and sorrow, if only he could have spared her this…

“I…I was so scared and...I didn't know what odo, other than hope you'd come in time...and...and you did…If anyone's to blame...it's me. I..I'm so dumb...I didn't even lock the stupid door! Thank you for…everything…”

He was a bit surprised at her words, his fringe covered his eyes as he felt her pain as if it were his own. He was a very emphatic person, maybe that was what helped him know what other sneered even before they voiced their wishes. He did to move or stir, her words were meant to be considered. He knew her well by now and her temperament was alike his in many ways, pride being one of them. If she was ignoring her ego to trust all this information to him, then it must be complicated for her and the ay she fought against the sorrow ate at him. But what could he do to ease the pain? What could he do to make her smile again and be her pedantic old self? He would rather have her bark at him rather than cry, because it also meant she was humiliating herself when she did this, she probably thought she should not be crying even if he thought it was normal in such situations. The fringe still covered his eyes, however, giving him the appearance of someone who was not happy with what she was saying. Despite it being completely the opposite, but he was so concentrated on what his thoughts are and the best solution for the problem to even realise this. But his mind was persuaded from working again when her voice resounded once more, and yet it was barely audible at this stage.

"Eri-san...please...please stay here tonight…I...I don't think I'll be able to sleep by myself in here…But…I won't blame you if you don't want to. I can go wake Rin-chan, if you'd rather…”

He gasped silently and looked up at her this time, his eyes showing Mariko’s very pain like mirrors. It was too much to see her in such state. And she hid her yes from him and tried to cry in ways that would not force him to take her for a meek girl. But alas, he could not, did not… Even men suffer if they face this predicament, abuse of this nature tortured a person for as long as they lived if effective. He was only glad he had arrived before anything serious happened. He also considered how compromising her request was, especially since he had to follow rigid rules and many could misinterpret his actions. But, he saw and felt her grief, he could not abandon her now to explain this to yet another person, no, he would not be a man of honour of he let her here now. He did not reply but instead he stood up and thought for a moment before he walked forth, facing her, and with one hand he gently and delicately moved her hair to her back, it was softer than anything he had ever touched. It flowed elegantly to place and with that same hand he gently pulled her head to his chest and held her with that arm firmly but not roughly. He hoped she understood his language. When it came to emotions and expressions he was usually at a loss for words. Having had no experience with women, of this true at least, he was not sure what he should or should not say or do, but instead he followed his intuition, it had worked so far…

Looking down at her he kept his hold with one arm and then closed his eyes briefly. And his long copper red hair stirred with a light freeze that filled the room and it once again caressed her skin and he finally spoke, “I will stay.” His voice was peaceful and determined, yet nonthreatening. His eyes did not open as he added with a whisper as gentle as a flower moving in a stream, “Mari-san, cry, sob. Let it all out… Set your body and soul at ease.” He waited for the sorrow to ease off and for her discontent to diminish. He gave her as long as she needed and he did not say anything else until he heard her sobs quiet down and once he was certain she was no longer crying he pulled back and with his other hand he dried her tears and face gently with the sleeve of his white vest. Once done he looked down into her deep eyes and he could see a better disposition in her and he was pleased with his intuition, for some reason he truly seemed to know how to cheer her up. He leaned down to pick up her new kitty and placed her on her lap so that she could also cheer the miko. He turned around and walked toward the balcony, his hair flowing like a ring of fire as he did so and he looked at the moon. An idea was forming in his mind.

“Get dressed. There is something I would like to show you.” During the time they had been in this place he had more than enough time to ride on his friend Ku and explore the area a bit and there were some lovely places, perhaps a ride would do her good although, he could not risk her being harmed by that man so this time despite it being against decorum he would ride behind her and guide the horse. The pint in doing this was to ensure she recovered anyway, so he wanted her to be certain that he had the situation under control and all she had to do was relax and enjoy the ride, the landscape and the creatures of the night. Besides, the sky was full of stars that night, it was such a sight… it would be a pity to miss it. Another reason for this decision was that he did not want her to be afraid to leave this Inn in case she was attacked again, and he promised himself he would not leave her sight anymore. He would always remain within proximity of the miko. He could not get three times lucky…it would be pushing fate too hard.[/blockqoute]

Mari watched Eri as she spoke, and noticed his expression seemed displeased...angry even. She didn't blame him. She was angry at herself. Once she'd finished with her request, she sensed him move, and was sure he was going to leave her there. He was too upset with her to speak, it seemed, and she felt sad that the little progress they might have made seemed to have been destroyed.

she was surprised, then, when he approached her. He pushed her hair back, and pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her. He was...trying to comfort her. This wasn't what she'd expected at all. True, he had shown instances of kindness before...but he'd also been so arrogant and proud, and she had been sure he'd despise her for such weakness.

“I will stay. Mari-san, cry, sob. Let it all out… Set your body and soul at ease.”

Mari did. She cried until the tears ran out, one hand holding Shina to her as the other reached up and gently gripped the front of Eri's clothing, much the way a child would when crying in their mother's lap. A small part of her noticed that he'd called her something far less formal than his usual 'Mariko-sama', though still more formal than how the others addressed her. She wondered if he'd even realized he'd done it, but decided she wouldn't point such things out to him...not in moments like this, when it really didn't matter.

When she'd finished her crying, she allowed him to pull back, releasing the gentle grip she'd had on him, and was again surprised when he dried her tears. "Thank you, Eri-san." She said at last, her voice much stronger and her eyes a bit more cheerful. She even managed to give him a small smile. She stood when he moved away, and sat Shina on the bed, watching as Eri headed for the balcony. He seemed deep in thought for a moment before he spoke again.

“Get dressed. There is something I would like to show you.”

Her first instinct was to bombard him with questions. What could he possibly want to show her in the middle of the night? Why now, all of a sudden? She bit these questions back, however and nodded. "Okay." She pulled off his cloak and held it out to him before pointing at the balcony. "You just step out there a minute, and no peeking." She felt some of her usual spark returning. She didn't think he'd peek on her...and truthfully, there was little he could see that the bandit had not already exposed, as he had made a point of putting her on display, but she hoped Eri would realize this was mostly her attempt to try and regain some of her defenses. She'd let them all crumble, and now felt she needed to save face a bit.

She waited until he had stepped out of the room, and closed the curtains before quickly changing into her new dress. She then brushed out her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, tying it back with one of the elastic bands she'd been wearing when she'd arrived. She pulled on the slippers that went with the dress and took a deep breath, reaching up for just a moment to stroke the necklace she wore. It was part of a pair, and together they formed a heart that said 'Best Friends'. Tama wore the other half. She didn't care if it was anachronistic, it was the one thing from her time she absolutely refused to change. Once she was ready, she strode to the balcony, and yanked open the curtain before crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "So, Eri-san, where to?"

"Thank you, Eri-san.”

He nodded at her words while he looked at the landscape, it appeared she was coming back to her old self and for that he was glad. However, he looked down at his hand which had held her to him so that she could just weep to her heart’s content. It felt somewhat warm and he was not sure why that surprised him. He lifted the palm gently and then looked at it as if he were trying to understand this strangeness. But it did not matter how much he considered the strange incident, he could not bring himself to fully analyse it. Maybe he was giving too much importance to something as trivial as a person’s hand but, it felt like he needed to. For now, he lowered his hand in a closed fist and his golden eyes looked back at the stars. He enjoyed the comforting cool whiff as it touched his face and he coded his eyes feeling his body relax and ease. How he enjoyed moments such as these, with nothing to do but enjoy simply being in a place where only tranquility reigns. He allowed Mari more time to recover from her past experience and to get some space. After what she had experienced he did not want her to feel as if he were enclosing the air she breathes. He heard Shina and looking down he smiled feeling her rub her back on his legs as she passed him by with a light meow as if saying goodbye for now.

He was sure that Mariko was feeling better as she played with the cat for a bit before she came to walk next to him. Would she dismiss him now that she felt better? He did not care otherwise, he was simply trying to help. Or, would she tell him that his idea of going out so late was foolish? Well, he would not mind so long as she could rest in peace now wit the certainty that he would always be there to protect her. It was his duty and as he had told her the day he found her, he wanted to keep her safe. She seemed to be enjoying the landscape as much as he was. But his eyes did not move away form the stars just yet. He allowed her a bit more time to talk and express what she truly wished to do.

“Okay.”

He felt her move and he looked down at her, he took the cloak she offered him and put it back on but turn his back toward the room so that he would not disturb her getting changed. He did not wish to appear a degenerated man, especially as he had just saved her from one. It would be too foolish of him and he was not that kind of person either. He had been brought up in a strict environment and so his senses were keen and his skills outstanding, however, when it came to his human side…that was where he was never in control. He did not recognise emotions and seldom knew what he was feeling with the exception of anger, rage and sorrow. Happiness was something he stopped feeling when he joined the order and stopped visiting his parents as often as he could. Yet, he still saw them, but, it was not the same. He had changed, perhaps that was why holding Mariko had been surprising to him, he had forgotten what human warmth felt like, what a heart could feel when heeling those in need… his thoughts were interrupted when he felt her push him out of her room and he turned to look at her for an explanation on her behaviour.

“You just step out there a minute, and no peeking.”

“I would probably be more interested in peeking at the drying sap coming out of that tree over there… besides, you are not my type.” He smirked and shrugged as he stepped out to the balcony and leaned on the parapet. In any case did she not realise that with the nightgown she had been wearing, well, unknowingly he had seen much more than he should have. And the memories of that moment returned to his head making him blush lightly once more. He sighed and ran a hand through his face in order to stop being silly and concentrate on the task at hand. He looked down and smiled pleased that it was not a high distance form the ground. He then whistled lightly and smiled when Ku approached, he was not wearing a saddle but Eri knew how to ride even without a saddle and in any case he wanted Mariko to truly get used to being on top of a horse and this time he would be riding with her, he hoped she would not be angry at that. But with that ruffian on the loose he did not want anything to happen to her. This was meant to help her recover… Once Ku was just below the balcony he sat on the parapet and stretched one leg on it and folded the other. He leaned his back weigh on a hand supporting him and he looked thoughtfully at the landscape.

He wondered how long it would take them to gather the other Seishi. Was Mariko enjoying herself despite the dangers and bad experiences? Did she like her Seishi and trust them as she seemed? Or was all this an illusion created by Eri who was so keen to make this group bond so that they could truly work together?

He felt her approaching but did not look behind him for a moment. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before he moved to stand back and took a few steps toward Mariko. He was not sure why she had taken the trouble to dress up so nicely and look so pretty, but he was grateful that also meant she wanted to enjoy this little ride, right? He looked at her for a long moment, a bit in awe at how lovely she looked but he soon took a deep breath to take up from his dream-like vision and then he turned to look back at the sleeping village. He did not want her to insult him for staring, she might get the wrong idea and say he had been looking where he should not.

“So, Eri-san, where to?”

He smirked and finally turned toward her and he asked for her permission before he lifted her in his arms as easily as if he were carrying a feather and as gently as possible. He then said, “Hold on.” He then stood on the parapet before jumping lightly down and landing on top of Ku. The horse turned to look at them as Eri gently placed Mariko in front of him and he gently squeezed the horse’s stomach with his heels and he gave a bit of the mane to Mariko so she held on and leaning toward her he said softly, “I will not leave your side, just… try to enjoy this, ok?” He then moved back to sit up straight and held Mariko with his left arm to ensure she would not fall and he ensured her back rested on his chest so she could be comfortable. He then held some of the mane with his left hand and urged Ku into a sitting trot the moment they left the village and then suddenly he said, “Just concentrate on all you feel, do not be afraid, you are with me.” He urged Ku even more and they moved at a very gentle and smooth gallop through the fields and meadows, they kept the river to their left as they rode on and he occasionally looked down at Mariko to ensure she was happy, comfortable and at peace.

“I would probably be more interested in peeking at the drying sap coming out of that tree over there… besides, you are not my type.”

Mari wasn't sure why, but that comment made her bristle. She glared at his back. "Be surprised if you had a type..." She grumbled. "Big jerk..." Hmph! Like she was even interested in being his 'type' anyway. He was far too arrogant and annoying for her. She grumbled a bit more as she moved around to get dressed. "Not like he's my type either...I like guys who know how to smile."

Still, she was curious as to where he wanted to take her, and so despite her annoyance, she did get ready, and headed for the balcony to meet him. She'd heard him whistle, and wondered why, but dismissed it. She saw him waiting, sitting on the railing and looking up at the stars. Despite herself, she found herself thinking he was rather handsome in the moonlight...too bad he knew he was good looking, or he might actually be likeable.

He indicated he wanted to pick her up, and though she was confused, she agreed. Weren't they going to walk down to the stables? Surely he didn't think she was fragile now that she couldn't even do that. 'I shouldn't have cried in front of him. I should've asked him to go and waited until I was alone.' She wasn't sure why, but the thought that Eri might think she was weak and fragile hurt worse than anything else that she'd been through that night. Once he had her in his arms, she instinctively looped her arms around his neck to hold on. She was about to ask what was going on when he moved to the edge of the balcony.

"Hold on."

She suddenly realized he meant to jump from the balcony, and her grip tightened slightly. "Eri-san, wait-" And hten he jumped, and she instinctively closed her eyes, giving a small squeak. They landed on Ku, and she realized there was no saddle. It made her a little more nervous, but she liked Ku, and though she wouldn't dream of telling him-he was arrogant enough already-she trusted Eri. She removed her arms from his neck, and allowed him to settle her into place as he saw fit. She hesitated before taking the mane he offered her, not wanting to hurt Ku, but after a pause, she took it.

“I will not leave your side, just… try to enjoy this, ok?”

So he'd ride with her this time? That was...reassuring. She'd meant what she'd said in her room...she wasn't ready to be alone just yet. She nodded. "Alright, Eri-san." She felt herself blush faintly as he put an arm around her to keep her from falling off, and looked over toward the river to try and hide her face from him. This was stupid. He had to hold her, it only made sense...so why blush?

She soon relaxed into the gentle motion of Ku's movements, and despite herself, she found she was already enjoying the ride. She held onto Ku's mane and looked from the things they passed up to the sky and then ahead to where they were going. Without thinking, she settled her free hand over the one of his that was holding her in place. She didn't really know what else to do with it, after all.

She saw a small nighttime bird, and gave a soft laugh. She had never been big into nature...but she was enjoying the quiet beauty around her. "This is nice." she said softly, though she almost regretted breaking the silence by speaking. "Could we...do this again, sometime?"

She felt silly when she said that. The only reason he was doing this now was because she'd been upset after that bandit attacked her. He'd made it more than clear that he wasn't interested in spending time with her...not like the others did, not like they were friends or something. And he was always reminding her when she did something that 'wasn't proper'. She fell silent once more, waiting for him to tell her she was acting out of place again, or that it was against his code. She became aware that her hand still rested on his, and she moved to grip Ku's mane with it as well, and returned her gaze to the scenery.

”Be surprised if you had a type...Big jerk...Not like he's my type either...I like guys who know how to smile.”

He smirked as he waited for her. That was like a typical comment he would receive from others. Although, he was a bit surprised that after getting to know him better she would judge him so harshly. Didn’t she previously say she could kiss him? He grinned and turned his attention back to the stars, what could he expect when he was no longer the young child he once was? Years of hardships and discipline made him a samurai but at the cost of his own humanity. He obeyed every command his superiors tossed at him and yet, he knew that little by little part of him was washed away like the shores of the ocean did with the sand. To the eyes of the world, Eri was merely an arrogant and annoying samurai too self-satisfied by his high rank and though he was a bit that-if not mostly-there was also this side to him no one knew and he had concealed for that sole purpose. It was the one that wished to protect the miko not only because he was one of her guardians but because he did not want her to suffer the same fate as others did. He even tried to make her happy and, in all honesty, it was not his place to do that. It should be enough for anyone to have a samurai looking after them morning and night, but he chose to go beyond that. So in a way he was a bit hurt by her mumbling but decided to just concentrate on the task at hand.

He thought that, if he were to be a Seishi, he would do things differently. Maybe that was a part of him that could still feel, could still do good things for others. It was also difficult for him to trust, but it would be for anyone in his situation. After all, wasn’t it difficult to confide in others when someone you believed in since childhood betrayed you? And even after, how could you be sure no one would only see you as what your position dictated? Not everyone liked samurais, and at times he had to put up with insults and rudeness for the sake of protecting the people of this country. But he did not mind, he liked being able to help others, even if he had to show his bitter sarcasm and arrogant self to others. At times he could not help it, it was like a mechanism of self-defence he would use so that others would not offend him so…You could only take so much…

When he felt her approach the balcony he felt her eyes upon him, and caught a glimpse of something, he was not sure what it was but it made him smirk inwardly. It appeared he was not to far off form her ‘type’. He could have teased her about it but he decided to simply concentrate on taking her to the edge of the balcony and landing on Ku. After all, if she got injured he would never hear the end of it. And though he enjoyed teasing her he knew he did not want her to get hurt. It was his job to ensure her safety, so he would not be doing what he was meant to if this failed. He laughed softly when she squealed as they landed on Ku. He was crash but not foolish, did she think he would simply jump just like that? Either way it amused her the way she reacted to things. She was very intuitive, he would give her that, to almost instantly guess what he was about to do. But he did not wish to scare her and so he ensured she enjoyed the ride.

He noticed she hesitated to hold on to Ku’s mane and he smiled, she was truly sensitive toward his friend and for that he was grateful. He looked down at her and said softly, “If you do not grasp the mane and hold gently, you will not hurt him, actually it is better for horses when you ride with no reins for that hurts them more than using their natural weapons for your protection. So fear not.” He also noticed when she blushed because he held her to him with one arm and he grind for a moment, puling her closer to him in an attempt to make her blush even more, but also to secure her, after all, she would ride with no saddle so he had to be extra careful, “Are you comfortable?”

He was glad she trusted him. Although, it had to be said that he had never given her any reasons not to trust him. But he knew she was still a bit paranoid after the little incident with that bandit, oh if he met him again he would give him quite a beating for his lack of intelligence. That was the only reason he would do the same thing twice, he just did not seem to learn. He was glad when, as they cantered on, her body relaxed and she seemed to be looking around her with awe. He smiled down at her and then looked back at the road ahead ensuring to take her through the most beautiful and safest paths possible. He lightly felt shaken when he felt her hand on his and he looked down for a moment noticing how small and for her hand was compared to his. His eyes moved back to the forest as he ducked a tree branch just in time and as he sat up straight he pulled her even closer and the fingers of the hand she held in hers intertwined with her own. He was not completely sure why he did that, but it felt almost natural: the feeling of her soft and small body against his strong chest and the sweet fragrance of her hair was intoxicating…

His eyes quickly looked away from her. What was he doing? First of all he had just managed to save her from a deviant buffoon so the least he could do was give her some space and let her ease down, that was the whole point of the ride so he could not mess things up and get the miko all scared up, he could not lose her trust, he was compelled to shield her from any harm. He almost sighed disgusted with himself, he hated that kind of men and now he was taking advantage of how close he had his beautiful miko? No, never, he would keep a cool head, he was a samurai after all, his life was ruled with struct laws that could not be chattered over the loss of his honour, he had to remember that. His eyes glowed a golden colour when the moonlight touched them and his attention was diverted by the miko’s laughter and the movement of a bird. And though he smiled he did not look down at her, he wanted her to enjoy the ride and if he was as disagreeable as she had said back at the balcony she did not need his attention.

“This is nice… Could we...do this again, sometime?”

He was stunned by her words, to say the least. Didn’t she just rant how she disliked his company? He felt his cheeky self return but he then felt her remove her hand from his and he relaxed his hold of her feeling a bit insulted. Did she think he would lecture her about propriety regarding the samurai code? He sighed and soon the horse reached a cove and halted. He jumped off with ease and then slowly helped Mariko descend from the horse. However, he did not move away for a moment. Mariko was in a way trapped between Ku and Eri, but the samurai was not aware of this, he simply looked deeply into her eyes, “Mariko-san… do you truly wish to do this again? Did you not say you prefer spending time with those who smiled?” A hand gently moved to take a lock of light blue hair and fiddled with it as he put it back into place. He felt himself leaning, no, he closed his hands in fists forcing his body to obey reason and he moved away from her, “We are almost there; but it is best to continue on foot.” He sat on a rock and removed his boots and socks and set them aside, Ku could look after them, he motioned for Mariko to do the same, “You might want to hold the skirts of your dress with one hand, we will be crossing some rivers and streams.”

He waited for her to be ready as he folded the edges of his trousers so they would not get wet and he held out his hand to her. The moonlight shone upon him and he glowed as if he could take his power form the moon itself and his eyes shone as if they held a great fire within.

“If you do not grasp the mane and hold gently, you will not hurt him, actually it is better for horses when you ride with no reins for that hurts them more than using their natural weapons for your protection. So fear not. Are you comfortable?”

Mari nodded at his words, and took hold of the mane. She did blush a bit more when he pulled her closer. 'Stop being so stupid!' She scolded herself mentally. 'He's just trying to keep you from breaking your neck.' And yet she wondered if he was enjoying this, knowing it was making her blush. He'd said back on that day they'd first met that he liked her blush, and thought it suited her. But he'd also said he found drying sap more interesting than looking at her, so it was a bit hard to figure out where he stood, and what his motivations might be. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, only belatedly realizing he'd probably felt it with his arm around her. She then realized she hadn't answered his question. "I'm fine..." She managed, looking off at the scenery as they passed.

Soon, however, she began to actually feel comfortable, and indeed relaxed ever-so-slightly against him. She was surprised when he ducked a branch, and pulled her closer still, intertwining his fingers with hers. It was a rather nice feeling to have him so near and to feel his fingers wrapped up with her own. For just a moment, she wondered if Eri would let her do this again...hold his hand and be so...nice and gentle with her.

And here she was, being stupid again. She'd asked if they could do this again sometime...this lovely nighttime ride, and he hadn't answered right away. She thought for sure she'd offended him, or that he thought she was foolish for not realizing this was a one-time-cheer-up-Mariko-Sama sort of thing to him. Nothing more. And she didn't want anything more...did she? He helped her from the horse, but didn't move away instantly as he usually did. Instead he stood there, quite close, and effectively pinning her between himself and Ku.

“Mariko-san… do you truly wish to do this again? Did you not say you prefer spending time with those who smiled?”

"Oh." She said simply. "You heard that." She blushed yet again, embarrassed that her own words had been used against her. "Well, perhaps if you smile for me, I won't mind doing this again..." She tried to sound nonchalant as she spoke, looking up into his golden eyes. She scarcely breathed, unsure as to what would happen next, as he pushed a lock of her hair back into place and leaned forward slightly. Was he going to kiss her? More importantly...did she want him to? He was an arrogant jerk sometimes, but he could also be quite...sweet. And he was handsome...but then again, he knew that, and that went back to the arrogant jerk thing.

Before her mind could stop chasing itself in circles, he stepped away and began to remove his boots and socks, and roll up his pants legs. She assumed what he would say before he said it, so she leaned down and pulled off the little slippers she had been wearing, because they had come with the dress and were less trouble than the boots she'd worn from home. That done, she looked to him as he spoke.

“We are almost there; but it is best to continue on foot. You might want to hold the skirts of your dress with one hand, we will be crossing some rivers and streams.”

Mari nodded and padded on bare feet over to him, gathering her skirts in one hand as he'd instructed. If she'd worn her clothes from home, her skirt would've been short enough that she needn't have bothered, but it was too late to contemplate a costume change now. Instead she looked back to her samurai Seishi and gave a curious little smile. "Where are we going anyway, Eri-san?"