A few weeks had passed, and the castle was beginning to rebuild. The damages that were laid about due to Sesshomaru and Kojitsu diminished little by little. Kojitsu made more of an appearance than in the beginning of the month, but only briefly. He would walk about the corridors, one bandaged arm out of his kimono sleeve and wander the hallways at night when it was quietest. He walked about alone, against the guards' and Mitsuki's wishes, and gathered his thoughts under the moonlit sky.

As much as Mitsuki tried her damndest to impose her positioning, he knew it would never be. He wasn't blind, but he was surely amused. She would do everything in her power to exert herself physically when, in all actuality, she would never be fit to bear his heir. She was a human, and a sneaky one at that. Her actions were mimicked in her original village; sleeping her way to safety until she was discarded and bought to be a concubine in his manor. And for that, he would never hold her to that regard as a potential bride.

"Feh," he shifted his position while seated, a hint of disgust riddled across his face. He rested his elbow on a lowly positioned table, plopping his cheek in his palm. As he looked up at the stars, his auburn eyes glimmered under its reflective light. His eyebrows raised in surprise while he caught a glimpse of what he thought was a shooting star. As it disappeared, he sighed longingly as Chiho's face flashed across his mind for a split second.

"Where are you, Chiho. . ."

The maids and concubines would hear him wander the halls. They would lay still, silent, cautious not to sneeze out of place. Gossip had spread through the courtyards that Mitsuki was the stay-in replacement for Chiho and that she was proud of it. There was also rumor circulating that the Gardener that developed a romantic relationship with Chiho had "disappeared".

Some assumed him to be dead. Others assumed him to have escaped when all the calamity came about. And others thought him to have escaped with Chiho. Nobody really knew. But it seemed to the remaining concubines there noticed Naomi was gone as well.

It was all innocent chamber gossip. Without the main source of the gossip - Chiho - things would have to go about as scheduled.

Down an endless corridor laid one room with double doors. Two human guards positioned themselves outside of the doors, one with boredom's etched into their faces and the other attempting to get a peek at the three women who giggled around eachother as they exchanged lighthearted gossip.

"Hehehehe, just you wait, Atsuko, I'm going to be the new mistress of the manor." Cheered Mitsuki. Her long hair was fastened in a bun atop her head as she waded in the luxurious in-house onsen with her two closest friends - Atsuko and Tomoe.

Atsuko was petite with round brown eyes and medium length chestnut hair. She was confined to the wellness quarters where she aided in the nobles pampering themselves and keeping up their appearances. It was better than being a cleaning or cooking wench, she was for certain.

Tomoe was assigned to the arts quarters. She maintained the upkeep of all the fine paintings and musical instruments lacquered around the chambers. She was blessed with a gift to play on the Koto and the Shamisen which in turn saved her from laborious work around the house that could damage her fingers.

Atsuko and Mitsuki were assigned to the same quarters and became friends first, Tomoe followed soon after.

Mitsuki, with a small cup of rice wine in her hands, wrapped her free arm around Atsuko and smiled gleefully. Her cheeks a blushed red from the alcohol, she felt utterly gleeful this evening.

"What ever do you mean, Mitsuki?" Atsuko quizzed.

"You don't think he's just buying time till he figures out what happened to Chiho? Granted, she wasn't the most talkative but she was very beautiful. And she always had this air about her. I don't know how to say it," Atsuko circled her hand around in circles as she tried to find the correct words to say but it just wasn't coming to her.

"What would you call it, Tomoe?" Atsuko flipped her hand Tomoe's direction with a raise of her eyebrow. Mitsuki pushed her breasts on her arm, humming an incoherent song that only she knew.

"We used to always say she was so airy," Tomoe snided.

"Like she wasn't of this world. Maybe a nymph or a demon."

"A demon!" Atsuko snapped her fingers and sucked her teeth at the realization.

"Yes, and she has those piercing eyes about her. I don't know, Mitsuki. I wouldn't get my hopes too high. And besides," Atsuko cupped Mitsuki's chin in her hand, nuzzling her nose playfully.

"Don't you miss us downstairs? We surely miss you~"

"Oh, cut it out, Atsuko!" Mitsuki shrugged her off, taking another sip of rice wine.  She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, squinting her eyes at the two on the opposing end of the onsen.

"Demon or not, Kojitsu enjoys me. I do whatever he wants and he makes me feel ah-mazing. Can't you two be happy for me?"

"We are happy for you, Mitsuki." Tomoe chimed in, crossing and uncrossing her legs uncomfortably. Her and the other girls knew of Mitsuki's "ways" and it never ended up well from her storytelling. She worried she was getting too far over her head for something so conditional.

"We just think it would be better if you remember you are what we all are at the end of the day. Who's to say the Lord won't switch you out for someone else the next day? I'm just saying its not permanent unless the Lord says so."

Mitsuki sucked her teeth, tucking a stray hair behind her ears.  She was silent after her speech while her words eased from stinging. She knew her role in the castle, but she knew she was in the perfect position to leave the whore routine behind. She wasn't going to stop until he told her too. And the way he pleasured her made her think otherwise.

"Hmph, i don't care. If you were to ask me, I'm already the mistress here." She hiccuped.

Tomoe and Atsuko looked at eachother wearily. As Atsuko took another sip, Tomoe opened her mouth to speak but decided otherwise as she looked up at the entrance of the onsen. A golden light shined through the gap of the door and a large shadow stretched itself to the edge of the onsen and disappeared in the water. Mitsuki had her back to the pair so she could not see who was in the doorway.

"How cowardice of her to just leave the lord like that!" She scoffed. "And you swear by the gods above that he will make someone so wretched like her a bride?"

"Mitsuki." Tomoe whispered.

"I mean," Mitsuki continued, "Have we forgotten about her and that dirty gardener? She tried so hard to hide the fact that they were lovers when it was obvious to anyone with eyes. And you want me to believe that the Lord sees someone as her as valuable? Pfft!"

"Mitsuki!" Atsuko's eyes darted from Mitsuki to the unknown figure behind her. She wished her friend wasn't so arrogant with her confidence.

"I am what Lord Kojitsu wants," she sneered, "i am what Lord Kojitsu needs, and if anyone has a problem with it then-"

"Then what, Mitsuki?"

Mitsuki's eyes grew big at the familiar dark voice behind her. She hesitantly turned around to look Kojitsu in the face while the guards peered in with curious eyes. Both Tomoe and Atsuko, without announcement, picked up their clothes, wrapped themselves in towels and rushed out of the room with their heads down to avoid his gaze. The guards took the two girls back to their assigned chambers, leaving the large double doors to boom closed.

Kojitsu and Mitsuki shared an intense eye contact with eachother. She tried her best to hide the fear in her eyes but in an instant she regretted not listening to her friends. How long was he standing there? What all did he hear?

"M- My Lord-"

"Hmmm," Kojitsu tilted his head to the side, squatting down to look at Mitsuki as she drifted closer to the edge of the onsen.

"I would have never guessed someone as delicate as you in my bedchamber had such an expressive disposition." He spoke.

"Oh, My Lord, I didn't know what came over me. It must be the heat-" she nervously chuckled. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, eyes never leaving Kojitsu's. His expression never wavered but due to this face she felt immense unease.

"The heat, hm? Well, i just have one question."

"Y-yes, My Lord. I'll answer whatever you want."

A small smirk hinted on one side of his lips.

"If I were to make you the lady of the manor, what would you like me to do with Chiho once we find her?"

"Oh," she cleared her throat, feeling her guard go down. He must not be so opposed to her ideas afterall, she assumed. With her hand on her chest, she opened her mouth confidently.

"I would say she needs to be banished to the weaponry for the rest of her days. Left with the marking of the traitor and polishing silver for  all of her life's worth. That way, she won't distract you any longer from us ruling over the land."

"Is that so?" Kojitsu wondered. He rubbed his chin briefly before smoothing some hair down the back of his head.

"Yes, My Lord. And I want to be the one to w- guh! L-lord Kojitsu, what are you doing?"

Kojitsu swiftly latched his hand around Mitsuki's throat, squeezing just enough to restrict her airwaves. Effortlessly, he lifted her out of the onsen, throwing her to the floor in front of him.

She shielded her naked body from him, whimpering in pain. When he walked over to her, she instantly flinched. She was right, he wasn't intending for anything she sought so hard for in her mind. And now this was her end.

Kojitsu squatted over Mitsuki, reaching out to smooth her hair down. She flinched but never deflected his movements. She only hoped his punishment would be swift.

He leaned down to her ear, lips curling as he whispered.

"I'm glad you thought of such a rightful punishment. You were truly an excellent lay."

He stood up and walked to the double doors, opening them to reveal two large guards who awaited his gesture towards Mitsuki.

"No! Wait! My Lord, no! Please!"

"Shut up, you bitch." Spat one of the guards. He restricted her movements by grabbing both arms and holding them behind her back. When she began to flail about the other guard took her legs, holding her mid-air like a fresh pig.

"If we didn't receive instructions from Lord Kojitsu, we would have gleefully sampled you first before taking you to the traitor's den."

"Traitor's- No! Please! Not my face!" Screeched Mitsuki. Kojitsu didn't take a final look back as the guards carried her the opposite direction. As he walked down the corridor that lead to the stairs to his chamber, all he could hear were her repeated cries for forgiveness.

"Lord Kojitsu! Please! I'm sorry!"

"Please don't let them do this to me!"

"I beg you! Please!"

Don't let them take me away!