"Don't raise your voice to me. I have brought you here for reasons I only know and you are to stay here." He says darkly.
"I don't want to!" I get up and try to run but I drip over my kimono and fall. I feel tears start to well behind my eyes. I whisper "I don't."
Warm hands pick me up and I'm looking straight into his eyes.
"I'm not giving you a choice." He sets me down and wipes my tear away with slim grey fingers. I'm suddenly frozen unable to look away from him. He truly is handsome in his way.
The dark wavy hair frames his face and his gold eyes have changed to a dark tone. Looking more closely, they have black specs through them.
He comes close to my ear and speaks, "Your to be my wife here and that's final."
He turns to leave, opening the door leaving me with my racing heart with confusion, and my body seething in anger.
I go back to dinner, eating by myself without anyone to speak to. The food is so delicious and warm. It's nothing like the food from home. I have much more delicate flavors and savory spices here. I suddenly miss my mother and father while I eat.
When I finish and Tomoko appears.
"Miss! How was your meal with the Master?" She excitedly pesters.
"It was...Intense. He didn't eat at all."
I look down at my folded hands and back up confused.
She furrows her brows, "Well, he never really eats too much and he is always busy with matters. This is the first that anyone has seen him in a week."
I frown and walk with her to my room that has been prepared.
"This is where you will be staying from now on. Master had it decorated for you with your tastes and hopes you will enjoy it." She backs away from the door.
"Why is he doing all of this?" I look at her confused.
"That is not my place to tell." She walks away leaving me to the new room.
I walk in closing the doors behind me and look upon the room.
A bed, containers for keepings, a mirror, and a wardrobe. I turn and notice my shamisen my father gave it to me. My chest aches again reminiscing about my home.
Why am I here? I sigh and prepare myself for bed.
I lay down and his face appears in my head again.
Orochi. The demon.
I shiver thinking of his voice again when he got angry. I bite my lip in embarrassment thinking about such a peculiar man.
But I won't be his wife. It would bring shame to my family's name to marry such a horrible person.
The night passes on with my thoughts filled with home and him again.
~~~~
I scream when I wake up to the big green and yellow eyes right in my face.
Tomoko starts laughing hysterically, "Miss you should have seen your face it was priceless."
"Who let you in! I was still sleeping!" I question her.
She giggles, " I did. It's time for you to get up. Master would like to see you."
I frown and lay my head back down. "He can wait. I'm still tired. Tell that brute to go find some other woman to bother."
"NO! Miss, you must! C'mon!" She shakes me and I groan at her pestering.
"Fine." I get up and she smiles with delight.
I sit on the floor as she combs the bed hair down and ties it back in a high ponytail falling down my back. I feel pins stick in my hair and the flowers fall right behind my ears making a soft jingle.
"Miss, you look very pretty." She smiles and dresses me in some floral kimono again.
I look down at the pattern admitting to myself that indeed the print is beautiful, "Thank you..."
We head down some rooms and knock on a door. Tomoko leaves and the door opens with Orochi towering over me like a godly statue.
"So, you awake now?" He smirks at me like a predator hunting his prey. He stands cross-armed in the door away and stares at me. He was dressed in some type of black silk garment with golden branches sewn into it making his hair stand out.
"Yes, I woke up to Tomoko. That curious fox girl staring at me." Sheepishly, I say back.
"I'm sure you are hungry so let's get something to eat. I'm starving." We depart from his room and walk to the eating area where we are served breakfast in silence.
After a few minutes, he speaks up, "Do you like it here?"
I look up to see him staring at me again. "Well, being taken from your home for no reason isn't that great. There isn't a lot of people I might add. Stanger."
He chuckles deeply, "Hold on," He grabs my hand with his slender fingers. His hand makes me feel so small and delicate like a china doll but he suddenly puts something cold on my wrist.
My vision becomes cloudy and clears, "That should help. You couldn't see the other since you are not used to seeing the supernatural but with that, you can see and hear everyone that is here."
I blink and hear voices going around us as we sit.
"There were people around?!" I yelp thinking about the bath and how there might have been people I couldn't see there.
"Yes, but not where you." He goes back to eating and finishes right before I do.
"Why am I here?" I ask him again hoping to get an answer this time.
He frowns deep in thought breaking his angel-like features. "Let us walk."
"Why?"
"Because you want answers right?" I nod and we head outside to the garden I saw yesterday.
"You are here for an important reason. I am looking for someone to be by my side in the demon world." He turns to look at me when I freeze still.
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed.
He turns serious again and stays quiet.
"You brought me here. To become your queen or wife here? Without permission. Without my family. Without even knowing you. Taking me when I was alone shopping by myself and expect me to marry you!
"I would never want to marry an evil and dirty demon like you! You all play cheap tricks on humans and deceive all you come across!" I yell at him angrily.
The words that flow out of my mouth are the opposite of what I think of him. I didn't think he was dirty or evil. He was dark and mysterious and most all, attractive.
He turns angry again in his eyes and steps close to me, backing me up against a stone pillar in the garden, giving me no space to move. Placing is arm right above me creating a human-like cage.
"I don't expect you to agree right away but I'm not giving the right to talk down to me." He breathes warmth into my face and I shiver.
"I'm not going to agree ever," I whisper.
He closes his eyes for second processing what to say next and opens them again.
"You are to be my wife and that is it." He said harshly to me as he leaves me staring after his dark figure fading away from me.