For the next few weeks, Ricardo and I met in secret at our hidden barn in the labyrinth. He taught me skills that took most swordsmen years to acquire in those short weeks. I performed swiftly and precisely to each and every one of his instructions. Discreetly, he was quite impressed. It had taken him 5 years of intense training to accomplish what this small girl had only done in two weeks.

Clank! Sparks split the air as two dueling silhouettes danced around and around in a game of who could oust the other. Ricardo lunged forward to his opponent and I narrowly missed the sleek metallic blade by inches and brought down my weapon upon his head. Ricardo quickly arrested the sharp object's momentum and twirled around to elbow me in the back. I fell face-first into the mud at my feet.

Ricardo paused for a moment, then, realizing he had won, chuckled as I brought up my head to reveal a muck-covered face. I gave him the dirtiest look I could, peering dangerously at him through the ooze. This only made him laugh harder, giving me an opening. I swiveled my legs and swung my right leg, grunting loudly to put more force into it. I felt my leg connect and throw his legs out from under him, landing him square on his back. A satisfied thud and grunt ensued from the young man before me. Now it was my turn to chuckle.

He sat for a moment, while I cackled evilly at his demise. With a grunt of effort to get up, he sat up, force my head to his chest and grasped me in a headlock. I struggled and writhed, giggling while doing so, and pushed against his arms.

"So you think you can beat the master, eh?" he taunted at me.

"What's there to-beat? I easily triumphed over your sorry arse!" I huffed out in between his arm and his underarm.

"Really, now? For that you stay here for another hour and run laps," he said smugly. I sneered teasingly at him and gave a finally push before my head popped out. I fell unceremoniously on my rear and blinked a few times. He grinned brazenly at me. I rolled my eyes and got up, dusting my pants that I had borrowed from him.

I shook my head at him and sighed, running a hand through my hair. I grimaced and pulled my hand back out in disgust for my hair had turned wet and oily from all the sweat even in the cool air. He watched me intensely, as if analyzing me. I turned my eye on him and inquired silently. Shrugging he turned to the open barn doors.

"I was just joking about the hour thing, I am growing hungry. Do you wish to have dinner with us tonight? I could send down a messenger to tell your mother," He asked politely. Again with the intent watching! I wish he would stop! I looked around uncomfortably and shifted my weight from side to side.

"You would make a great pirate, if you really could get away with it," He said slowly, breaking the silence. A question then formed in my head.

"When am I going to get out of here?" I said more to myself than to him, but still wished to know a general time. He looked to the side and scratched the back of his head.

"Hmm, basing on how well you are doing, I'd say about another week. Then we'll enter you in a small tournament before you leave," he said after a moment. I nodded, satisfied with the answer and walked over to him.

"Well, the sooner I get out of here the better," I said depressingly. He looked at me, no emotion revealing itself to me.

"Do not rush into things you do not have all the knowledge about. Once you go that is final, you cannot come back. You would be hanged as most pirates are around here. Most are for treason, or thievery, but some could be so petty that it has our heads scratching for an answer of why that pirate was executed," He warned me. I nodded.

"I understand. However, I do believe this is the correct choice to make. If what you say is true, then I would wish to be out of here within the next week or week and a half. I really do not belong here in this lifestyle," I retorted. He shrugged and put an arm around my waist, I imitating the action, and walked out into the bright, dying sun.

As usual we crept back into his room through the back door and I changed into the dress I wore previously. Since I had muck on my body, I quickly hopped into the bathtub, shivering at its chilled temperature and hopped back out to dry myself. I slipped my dress back on and walked out.

Tonight's dress was a light blue and brown combination with light blue earrings and necklace to accompany it. The dress squeezed my waist and billowed around my legs. The sleeves hung in frilly bells at my arms. The neck came down until it only showed a little cleft that was in between my bust. Ricardo turned to look at me and smiled.

"Even if you are living a lie, you look absolutely astounding," he remarked. I smiled gently, but sadly at him.

"I thank you. However, it is neither my taste nor my personality," I said remorsefully. Concern dropped like a curtain over Ricardo's graceful features and he walked passively to my side. Raising a hand, he cupped my chin in the crevice of his thumb and index and looked at me square in the eye.

"It may not be, but I still warn you about the perils of doing this. It is especially dangerous for you, as a woman from high class. If anyone were to know who you really were, they could use you to their advantage and dangle you about your mother's head as bait to receive ransom. Seriously, look me in the face and tell me you will be extra cautious," He said sternly. I gazed up at him from beneath my eyelashes and studied him for a moment.

"Yes, I promise I will be careful," I uttered quietly. He nodded and dropped my chin. Motioning for me to follow, we walked down the stairs and into the dining room where his parents and food awaited us. My stomach growled hungrily at the sight and I sat down immediately with Ricardo at my left and his parents further to the left of me.

The butlers brought out the meals and we ate in contented silence. The only thing that broke it was the occasional discussion or two. Had I been looking at Ricardo, I would have noticed he was glancing at me sadly then entire time.

Ricardo and I walked slowly and leisurely back to my home, discussing and deciding what should happen later.

"I think we should cut some of that hair of yours to seem even more masculine," he suggested, I cringed as he laughed at my face.

"Let me decide on that one, because more often than not there are males that have long hair," I answered back. He grinned and shrugged.

"Whatever you prefer, but we do have to do something about those," he said pointedly to my chest. I looked down and realized I didn't know what to do about my breasts. I furrowed my eyebrows to try and think of something.

"Well…I could always use strips of fabric to restraint them, and if I wear a tunic, it shouldn't matter then," I thought out loud. Ricardo nodded his head to indicate his approval.

"What are we going to tell your mother?" he asked. We met each other's eyes. I sighed, unsure of what to do.

"I guess I'll tell her the truth. I didn't like it here, but I won't tell her face to face. I'll tell her by a letter that I'll leave for her in her room," I said.

"What if she wakes?" he inquired again. Another moment of silence.

"I do believe my mother sleeps deeply, I do not think she will wake," I answered again. He nodded.

About the time that I answered, we had entered the doorstep of my home. I turned to him and looked at him. He, in turn, looked at me in question, wondering what I wanted. I rushed to him and gave him a great, almost bone-crushing, embrace. He stood still for a moment, in shock, then reached his arms up and returned the heartfelt action.

"I thank you, Ricardo. I thank you for helping me, I thank you for teaching me…, but most of all I thank you for being the most wonderful friend anyone could ask for," I said, unleashing a dry sob. I saw the corners of his lips draw in a small, sad smile. I looked up at him and gave him a sad, but sisterly kiss on the cheek. He mock-grimaced, but smiled once I punched his shoulder softly.

Little did I know that Ricardo only pretended to be sad. Little did I know that he was really planning to run away with me.

I walked into the house and saw my mother, fast asleep on a chair in the study with a book in her hand. I gave her a bittersweet smile and walked over to grab a blanket. I encased the old woman in the folds of the material and gazed at her, content with the silence and stillness of the warm glowing room. A fire had been lit in the fireplace and it had almost died out. I walked unhurriedly to the warm, dying fire and stoked it to renew its flames. I reached over to grab another small log and placed it gingerly into the inferno, watching the little flames lick at the wood's roughness. The wood responded with a few loud snaps, but they were only loud enough to stir my slumbering parent, but not wake her.

I walked back to my mother and grabbed the book she had been reading. I paused for a second to look at the cover, and then enacted a double take. It was the same story that my father used to read to me, over and over, so I could sleep.

I glanced at my mother curiously. I did not think that my father ever told anyone that he read this particular story to me. It was one that I had fallen in love with the moment he spoke the words written on the pages. It was about pirates and romances on the sea and fierce battles upon ship decks that swayed in a thunderstorm. I also did not think that my mother would read such material, since she had forbade me to ever speak of pirates again.

I shrugged, still curious, but could not speak with her now about it and returned it to its place on the shelf next to the other books. I spun abruptly and walked out of the study, only halting my movement by looking back at my mother.

I walked up the stairs, calmly but surely. Walking into my room, I closed and barred the door. I commenced in my evening rituals to get ready for my bed. I bathed quickly, for the water was quite cold, washed my face and teeth and walked out nude. I had grabbed a towel on my way out. I still shivered, for the autumn air at chilled my room. I looked around my dark room in search of a candle to light.

A gasp of relief, my hand felt the familiar parts of my candlestick and I lit it. Instantly the room illuminated softly, the shadows dancing with the small flame. Sighing in satisfaction, I walked to my wardrobe and pulled out a nightgown and pulled it hurriedly over my head. It only provided a little warmth to my cold body.

I walked to my fire place and set a small fire inside. Just as the candle had illuminated my room, the inferno had quickly heated my frozen appendages.

I rubbed my hands over my arms to get the blood flowing enough to warm them I walked to my massive, four-poster bed and was about to crawl in when I noticed something poking out from underneath my bed.

Intrigued, I tilted my head to get a better view of the unknown object and realized it was a letter with the word, "My love" scrawled in large loopy, but elegant penmanship across its front. I picked up the letter with fascination and looked at it for a moment.

I opened the back of the envelope carefully, afraid I would break the letter's hypnotic spell it had cast upon me. I slid the paper out and it read:

"My dearest lady,

Though I may not know you and you I, I felt obligated to write you this before I left this morn. I had not the heart to stir you from your peaceful slumber and had to get back to the docks. My ship sails within the next month.

I felt compelled to deeply apologize to you. I imagined that you come from a wealthy background and had possibly a suitor in your midst when I had taken you selfishly. I deeply regret what I did and hope that I have not completely tainted you. I also felt this need when I realized I had broken into you. I had thought that your maidenhood had been taken by another, even before I had pursued your bed.

I also had marked you in the middle of our love-making. I had not wished for this to happen. I had practically forced myself upon you and claimed you as my own without realizing it. I hope this also had not offended you or turned you away from your own pleasures and romances in any means.

Since I know you are a woman, there was no doubt in my mind of course, and one from a wealthy family, I figured you probably would not seek me nor my hand in marriage. However, if you should ever grow curious I wanted to leave a few things about me. This shall also go to our pup , should you become with child.

My name, sweet woman, is Inuyasha Takashi. I am of 20 years in age and I am a buccaneer. I have a instinct feeling that you might pale to hear that, but it is true. I am captain of the ship deemed with the wonderful name of Die Weisse Rose. It is a German ship and translated it is 'The White Rose'. I am also a dog demon, hence the fang like punctures that you were probably curious about on your shoulder. Well, really, I am only half a demon, a hanyou

If you wish to rid yourself of this child, I would completely understand. Being a pirate and a hanyou, I'm not very well liked because of my blood and my profession.

I also wish to ask one favor, should you bear my child and do not wish to be burdened with it. I wish to have him. I would love to meet and have him should you not want him. I come to this dock often, for the small, poverty-ridden village near the house I took you in is my home. I visit my father, who is slowly dying of illness when I come here. I usually come every 3 or 4 weeks and stay for a week at a time.

I hope you can seek me, for I wish to see your beautiful, and bountiful, body to grace and soothe my sore eyes at least once more.

Thank you dearest for your time,

Inuyasha Takashi"

I stared dumbfounded at the parchment, clutched in my hands. I single, happy tear fell on top of the beautiful handwriting and smeared the once straight lettering.

This is it! This is where I could go! My heart lifted joyously at my new discovery. I drug the paper to my chest and held it there like a lifeline and embraced it fiercely. It crinkled in happy response. Not only would I find my compatible suitor, I would also escape this hell! I almost squeaked and squealed with jubilation. I couldn't wait to tell Ricardo that where I was going, I would at least be looked after. Then my thoughts skidded to a dead halt.

What if he doesn't accept me? What if this is just a letter to ease my mind? He did mention that I probably wouldn't look for him, but he also did mention to seek him if I could. Does that mean I seek him as one who desires his love or as one who has his love-making wrapped in a womb? Questions, upon questions swirled and collided in my head. I sought frantically for the answers to each, but only succeeding in answering a few.

Well, there's only one way to find out. I must go, disguised as a boy and see if he recognizes me. Should he, I perhaps could continue the male charade to protect us. That is if he accepts me…I thought dishearteningly. I was petrified even with the possibility that something should go amiss. However, it was a chance I was most willing to take with this man.

My mind relived that fateful night, the images replaying vividly. I shuddered as the hair stood up on my skin. This time it wasn't from the cold that I had shivered, it was from longing and desire. As blasphemous as it might have been, I yearned for his loving, gentle touches and his exquisite poetry that had set my heart aflame. The burning desire grew a ten-fold now that he wished for me to seek him.

The desire also carried a more bittersweet tone. It turned my excited mind mellow and made me blush with quiet contentment. I wished to learn about this man, this demon. Wait, correction, this half-demon, named Inuyasha. My sheer guts told me he was my right one, the one I wish to fight, live, breed, experience, love and die with.

With this in mind, I crept back into the oblivion of my large bed and fell immediately into a dream induced slumber. Dreams that had me chasing wildly and desirously after a silver-haired pirate.