Life within the shrine on a day to day basis was slow and steady. Moto decided to stay to teach me, and so the guest room that was off to the right of the hearth room was opened up and given a quick cleaning despite his desire to do it himself. As the shrine's guardian, I reminded him that this was my job to find people to hire. I was glad he had the second largest room aside from my own upstairs.

Moto had informed me that the Nisse made good followers for the shrine, and so did the Fey as they did not age. But one could only get them from Slave traders if one were lucky enough to find them.

He said it with such an air of normalcy that I had blinked and stopped myself short while scrubbing the floor. I glanced at his lounging form upon the porch-- the double doors wide open from his room, letting in the spring breeze.

"Wait...Nisse, aren't those Elves? And...did you say slaves?!"

"Humans call them that yes," he said, flicking a leaf off his arm. "But don't you let them catch you; it is quite insulting. If Sentinals and Nisse are seen, it is typically due to banishment. They are sold in exile."

I gulped, "t-that is so cruel..."

"Did they not have slaves in your world?" He puffed his pipe methodically.

"It used to be that way, but many of the world see it as barbaric," I said with a tone of disdain. "It is not something that is done; we were known as a Free World...but it wasn't for everyone, so of course, it happened, but people just ignored it." I felt tears prick my eyes, and I shook my head. I would not revisit that life. "Moto," I asked.

"You want to find a slave trader?"

"I want to free as many as I can and bring them here if they wish to serve. I want them to have a good life." I was firm in my tone. My eyes were starting to feel sharper, and sparks snapped off of my gaze with power.

"My, my, quite the caring little fox." He smiled at me. "It seems there shall be some lucky banished and Cursed Ones."

"Cursed?"

"I shall explain later. Let's take a Torii." He got up, and after we made sure things were set and packed food to spare along with clean cloths and other items we had found within the shrine's bathing room and loft for Shrine servants, we headed to the courtyard.

He smiled at me and presented his robe for me to hold onto. "Come now, little fox," and with that, he took a step through the Torii.

But when I followed, the world was skewed, filled with clouds, and blurred around us. Before us, there were many gates following a bright shining path. Above us, the moon and sun shone equally sharing the sky, and below, the stars sparkled in a river of blue sky that ran in rivers tinged with the foam of spiritual haze.

I blinked stupidly as I was guided, gaping at the beauty of it all. "M-Moto," I whispered.

"I know." he chuckled, "I remember the first time I walked this path. It is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes." I felt tears fall down my face. "More than I could ever imagine." I gasped.

He gave an affectionate smile and ruffled my hair before we continued on. "We're heading to an outpost in the mountains. It borders on a coastal village that heads to the mainland. Those woodlands are filled with the Nisse and Fey."

"The Sentinals?"

"They are not exactly welcome in either territory; they hold a land that is within a valley not far though."

"Right, they are half Fey and half Nisse. Is that why they cannot have children with their own?"

"That is correct, there is the rare occasion that they can, but they adore children and have a pact with mortals." He waved his hand, "it is a long story." I nodded, "ah, here we are." After a time, he stopped at a Torii. With a gentle hand holding onto my arm, we both stepped through.

I was glad for that hand, as I almost fell flat upon my face. "Ah!"

"Haha!" He pulled me back and set me upright. "There we are. And here we are at another Shrine."

He nodded at the Shinto Shrine behind us. It was far more extensive, and I could see many servants either mortal or immortal working amongst the courtyard. They didn't even seem to flinch at seeing us.

"There are Shrine Maiden's here and there along with Guardians of the Shrine who have come and gone."

"I see." I didn't really, but I'm sure I could ask for an explanation later on. We disguised ourselves and made our way down to the small city of Oleon. It was huge compared to the small Village I was now the Messenger of. And waiting in line, we were allowed through once, showing we meant no harm and what was in our bags-- nothing. I did bring the Gold that Moto gave me and the remaining money the shrine had provided to get a few things for the bathhouse behind it.

So many people! I was giddy with the sights and smells; although my fox ears and tail were hidden by magic, it did not diffuse the sharp hearing I possessed now. Children laughing, carts splashing, horses munching. So many smells and sounds! Shouting and bartering, women gossiping in hushed tones, the roughness of men working in the shops, and the banging of metal and wood tools.

I took a moment to gain my bearings. "Ready?" Moto asked me.

"Yes." I gulped and allowed him to guide me deeper into the city. The cobblestone streets were paved well, and the stone buildings and thatched roofing provided quite the scenery; I felt like I was in a movie set in a fantasy-- oh wait. This was a fantasy world. I chuckled to myself.

Soon, I was brought to a large open building, the beams of wood that held up the roof, and thatching also held up an upper walkway where tables and merchandise were held.

But I missed all of that. Because inside the building, people were being walked in line, clanking of shackles followed in the stench of human refuse and grim hygiene. I could feel the bile rise, but I held it down as memories tried to overtake me. My own cramped living space threatening to suck me back in despite being a world away from it.

"Taka?" Moto felt my forehead in a very parent like fashion. "Are you ill?"

"No, Moto, I apologize, just startled. This is horrid." I whispered.

He made a curt nod, and we walked through to the center of the building where a man sat, fat and greasy; he glanced at us and gave a gold and silver scattered smile. "Well, hello there...."

"Lord, and Lady, this is my..." behind his guise, I could see the shimmer of his ear slant. "... Granddaughter?" His voice almost tilted in question at the end.

I almost laughed.

"Granddaughter, mister, you don't look old enough to be a grandfather, let alone a father!" He spat with a grin. "Immortals, pah!"

"He is my guardian." I stated, "he has a sense of humor."

But I could feel Moto tense, and his nose scrunched as his lip curled, eyes flickering with power. "I could show you a bit of respect, you insolent wretch."

Sweat popped on the man's face, "I-I apologize, it's not often we have such an esteemed guest!" he bowed hastily and stood up. I placed a soft hand upon my companion's arm and shook my head.

"Hmph, be lucky she is so benevolent." He growled. His voice inside my head, [[I am too old for insolent mortals.]]

The man nodded, mopping his forehead with a cloth. "W-what can I do for you both?"

"I require servants," I said firmly, putting an air within the tilt of my head and the straightening of my shoulders. "I want to look at your stock." It took all my self-control not to hurl upon the words I spoke. But I wanted to see who needed me most. "The ones in particular who won't sell," I added.

This earned me a look of shock, "m-my lady, I have many a slave who is pliable and--"

"Did I not speak clearly?" I snapped. "You leave what I need to myself, and that is that."

He stumbled over himself in acquiescence and shouted orders. Soon, several lines of men and women were brought out--decrepit, ill-kept, sick, and nearly dead.

My heart shattered. I saw myself so easily here.

I glanced at the women and walked along the line; there had to be twenty if only I could take them all--one day. I promised myself. A girl, in particular, looked to be of descent from Tatsu. And I brought her chin up to look at me.

"A halfer." Was the grunt. "Elf and from that Orient." I twitched at the slur and bit back a snarl; seems it was even here in this world. Casting a glare at him, he shut his mouth fast.

"What is your name?" I asked. She blinked at me, all emotion gone.

"She doesn't have one, she's been here for a long time, but before that, she was a household slave."

"I'll take her--"

A voice sprang up as a woman jolted forward, "no! Please!" She looked the same age as the girl in front of me; they also had what looked to be similar features. A sibling?

She was dragged back, but the guard was stopped by raising my hand. "Bring her to me," I commanded. Roughly she was dragged. "Do not damage her." I snarled, feeling a fire welling within my stomach. Moto placed a restraining hand upon my arm, and I instantly doused it with a thought.

The woman I was going to buy looked panicked, and the one before me panted with tears in her eyes, "please don't take my sister!"

I gently placed a finger under her chin and turned her head this way and that, "fine then. You as well."

But as I handed over the money-- two silver and five coppers each a large mass caught my eye. Turning, I felt a chill go down my spine as ice eyes and ink hair passed across the courtyard.

"That one!" I shouted. The giant was shackled in multiple chains, weighed down with manacles and ropes at his throat from what I could tell as the several guards that held him were startled. "Did I not give you an order?" This caused the guards to pause.

The Slave Trader was at my side. "My Lady, he is not for sale."

"Why ever not?"

"He is a Companion Killer." I didn't understand, and it was apparent. "He is a Sentinal who killed his companion, and so he is marked with Death. I am afraid this exile is not--"

Despite all of this, I had a sneaking feeling...I needed to buy him. No matter the cost.

A soft nudge from Inari brushed across my thoughts. Everyone deserves a second chance kit...

"I want to look at him." I started with a low growl rumbling from my throat; I could feel my fangs peeking in my feral smile.

All the better to eat you with I suppose. I thought as the men all backed up. Moto just looked proud for a moment puffing up. Sigh, Kitsune...

It was at this moment the Slave Trader realized he was not dealing with just a mere Immortal. "Yes, My Lady." He bowed and scraped backward and snapped his fingers at the men.

The Sentinal that was brought forward was even taller than I thought, at least six and a half feet. I barely came to his upper rib cage. But was hunched due to the manacles and chains strung about him. Blood was pouring from wounds open and festering, the shackles I realized were spiked, and the chains glowed with an ominous black ooze that dripped off and vanish before hitting the ground.

A high cheeked and masculine face held its eyes downcast, unbroken but also unwilling to look at a potential buyer. Within a moment, a whistle cracked, and his face flinched, and he fell to his knees. "Is that how you show yourself to a potential Master!" A guard barked. As the whip was raised again, I stepped forward and caught it on my own arm. Blood pooled upon the wrapped whiplash as I jerked it out of the Guards' hand and flung it down. Everyone froze, Moto standing in front of me in a protective stance. The guards had no choice but to stand down. Without a word, I knelt down and took his face between my hands. "Look at me," I whispered.

Cold eyes darted up with a mixture of surprise and distrust.

I gave him a warm smile. Standing, I looked at the Slave Trader and handed over two gold. "I'll take him."

Apparently, this was far above the asking priced for one such as this man. "Of course! B-but he is dangerous. You will need the collars on these slaves, so I shall make sure to put them on. I flinched but realized this was part of the bargain. I am sure Moto would know of a way to remove them.

"Very well. See to it that it is done."

The process was somewhat complicated. All five of us were brought into the inner room of the Slave Traders building. I watched as blood mixed with the collar along with a branding-- the smallest I could find in the shape of a fox. With magic, it was placed as I requested upon the fatty tissue of the upper arm-- a comfortable place to remove it later on despite how painful it would be.

I demanded that I be given the room with my new slaves and my companion, it was almost not given, but Moto made it a nonissue. He stood outside the door after handing me the packages we had brought. I turned, feeling tears well over and fall down. "Please sit," I whispered, pointing at the chairs and the bench.

"B-but we-"the girl began.

"It is an order," I added.

That could not be denied, and so sit they did. But the man did not. I sighed. He was still shackled and chained up the keys upon the table. He was bearing it all rather well, but I could feel the rage boiling within me the longer he stood. "Ladies," I said, handing them ointments, the robes that would be a bit too big but work, and the package of food. "Please use these while I get him unshackled."

Large eyes bore into me, "y-you're going to release him?"

I raised a brow, and she quieted. I pat her head, "do not be afraid." She had winced at the touch, but her eyes fluttered in startled bewilderment when it was gentle--poor little thing.

With that, I walked over to the Sentinal man and stood in front of him. "Can you not sit?" I asked. But he did not answer. Taking the keys, I started to meticulously find each locks mate and relished in the sound as the clanking metal dropped. "Almost done," I said, watching him watch as I worked at them. I could still feel tears falling; how could someone survive this. Immortal or not, this was not the way you treated someone. When the chains at his legs were undone and his ankles, he swayed a bit, "easy!" I placed a hand upon his shoulder, which earned me a sharp glare. "Sit. Please." I chided. Slowly he did so, allowing me to work on the remaining chains, and finally, he was free. "Now hold still." I took ointment and sighed helplessly; the wounds were not clean enough to put it on. "One moment." I flung open the door and snapped at a guard to bring me hot water and a towel to "fix the damage done to my slave." It was brought without question. Muttering to myself as I brought the bowl over and wrung the towel out, "you will not be referred to as a slave after this day, or I shall roast the person responsible."

The girls were watching me in shock, tending to each other gently and trying to straighten their robes out. "But we are slaves." The one who spoke said. The one who did not talk nodded in agreement.

I smiled and sighed, "I shall explain in time."

I tutted around his wounds, feeling his entire body clench, "I'm so sorry." I whispered. "It's going to hurt." I took the sake I brought out and placed it on the cloth. "Breathe in for me." He did so and exhaled sharply when the alcohol touched it. "I know! I know, shh, shh, it's alright." Leaning forward, I blew on the wound, trying to relieve the stinging before placing ointment on it. This went on till I was sure the superficial ones were done. "I am afraid this is all I can do for the moment. Come." Without thinking, I took his forearms and tugged him up. "Let us go."

And so, they followed- to not do so would mean the collar around their throats would choke them till they obeyed or died. Even an immortal had to breathe after all.

Once outside the city, I waited till we were in front of the shrine. Turning, I glanced at them. "This may startle you." The girl's brows furrowed, but the stone-faced Sentinal merely regarded me with blatant curiosity. And with a whoosh of power, my ears and tail were present, Moto's as well. The girls squeaked in shock. The Sentinal, although attempting to not show it, had the faintest hint of surprise and distrust deepened within his furrowed frown.

"Come." I held my hand out to the Sentinal. "Moto take the girl's hands."

He had remained silent the entire time, fuming with rage it appeared. Now, it flowed off of him with his twitching tails. "Come, little flowers." He soothed and took each hand while I took his robe in my free one. The Sentinal had attempted to deny my hand, but a sharp look and a raised brow caused him to give in. Better that than an order, it seemed.

Calloused, working hands. How much labor had they made these poor people do?

With that, we went through the Torii; the gasps and awe of the girls almost made me laugh. The Sentinal did not seem phased so much as intrigued. He cast his eyes around as if looking for a shadow or an attacker, ever on the lookout. Survival at it's finest.

Finally, we made it to the other side and stood before the Inari Shrine of my own.

"Welcome to my Shrine, where you shall be living for the time being," I said, walking forward, keeping a grip upon the Sentinal. Now, he seemed dazed obviously from loss of blood and lack of food and water; his cracked lips and glazed eyes were miserable to look at.

Moto and I ushered them into the entryway, where I instructed them to take off their shoes. "Come," I said like a Nursemaid and pushed gently at the Sentinals back. The girls all too easily followed though nervous. The Sentinal, of course, looking disgruntled. I exhaled and felt my cheeks redden at the task I had to handle. "Girls," I said, glancing at them. "Follow me, you," I said to the man. "Sit there and do not move." He glared but did so. Guiding the girls to the washing area, I was glad for the natural hot springs that were an obvious gift from the mountain. "Please sit there and use these," I handed them bars of primitive soap, of which I would have to remedy later on. "Clean yourselves and soak after rinsing."

They looked puzzled. But shrugged at each other and seem to look forward to being clean did as instructed. I helped the two girls scrub their hair, rewarded with pleasing sighs of bliss. Once done, I ordered them to soak, but not for too long, and that I would send Moto to check on them and set up a screen provided in the hot spring area where they could be hidden when he came in.

Coming back out, I glanced at the Sentinal. "You. Come." I wasn't even sure if we spoke the same language, as he had yet to talk to me. But Moto had said that I would be able to converse with magic the way I did to him. Sentinals supposedly had the same kind of power amount a young Kitsune, some as much as Elder Kitsune. [[So, I am sorry, but I need to make sure you don't faint, and I need to tend to your wounds. You won't be able to soak, but I need to get you clean.]]

The first look of shock, his eyes widened, but he did not give a response.I did not wait for one. I didn't want this man's wounds to become infected. [[I am sorry I did not use it sooner. I'll turn around, but please remove your tunic if you can; if you need help, just let me know.]] A grimace, I was right; there was too much-dried blood. Nodding, I went and got scoopfuls of hot water and cooled it with water from the well where it was warm enough to soften the caked dirt and blood from the cloth and skin. The man winced and hissed a breath in as I poured it over the fabric. I shut my eyes feeling nothing but remorse.

Finally, the deed was done, and I felt a new wave of rage consume me as I took in his battered state. And so slowly, I went about the task of cleaning each wound and bathing him as best I could without causing further injury. [[I have to sew a couple of these up.]] He nodded and grit his jaw.

Luckily, I was aware of how to do this one task quite well. Blocking the reasons behind an iron gate in my mind, I went to work. When done, bathing the wounds with an antiseptic solution of pine needle tea and honey, I sighed in relief.

Handing him the soap and some clean cloth, [[please feel free to clean yourself, I shall be on the other side of the screen.]] With that, I sat down on the opposite side as he went to work.

It did not take long, but he emerged from the other side after a few splashes and some rustling later on in a clean yukata that Moto had laid out; luckily, it was only a tad short for him showing his ankles. Thank the Goddess for tall foxes.

He seemed perplexed by the clothing, which made me curious about what Sentinals wore, to begin with. Tugging on the edge of his robe, I motioned for him to follow me back.

Upon entering the residence, the girls were sitting at the hearth with Moto, who had them sipping tea around the low table, a high fire being built to keep off the chill from their damp hair. I smiled and pointed to the empty spot at the table and nodded to the Sentinal. He sat down on a cushion with confusion; apparently, they had chairs. I chuckled as I disappeared into the kitchen.

Foxfire at hand, I cooked up a frenzy, chicken porridge, whole trout grilled to crisp skin perfection. A mountain of rice, along with cooked mountain greens and mushrooms in pools of butter and rich spices, bring out their earthy goodness. The roast chicken was even better, rubbed with herbs and butter, and cooked surrounded by a ball of foxfire till the juices ran clear.

And finally, leftover fried tofu stew heated up and bubbling.

I called Moto to set the table and brought out all the food to place it on cloth pads to protect the wood. "My, my look at my little fox showing off."

I blushed, "hush, I don't know if they won't like certain things."

They all looked stunned--even the Sentinal. I grinned to myself. Ha!

With that, I sent a message along the spiritual path to them all. [[please eat. But don't eat too fast or you'll get sick, there is always food if you are hungry you need only ask me.]] I added, [[ That's an order.]]

Serving rice and tea to everyone, I handed the bowls out and then pointed to each item and offering it to someone; the girls apparently both were fans of the greens and mushrooms. Rice was a favorite, as well as the fried tofu.

The Sentinal seemed to favor the chicken and the fish, and even the stew was savored. He looked at the bowl approvingly. Then he began glancing at me as if to figure out where he had been taken to. I merely smiled brightly at him, which caused a deep blush to surge across his face; he quickly went back to eating, disgruntled, and bristling. Freaking Tsundere. They couldn't overeat-- which was not a surprise. But they did enjoy themselves.

"What are your names?" I asked.

All three stared at me. "Taka." I pointed to myself. Then I told Moto, "Moto." I gave them a meaningful look.

The girls nodded but shrugged. No names, it seems. "Hmm." I then took a moment to take in their features.

The one who could speak had hair that looked like warm honey, spindled with silver. Her slightly pointed ears gave away her heritage, but she had an air of Tatsu about her, the thick straight hair and the dark brown eyes as well as her skin.

The sister was more Nisse, it seemed; she was far more Elf like with blond and silver hair and bright blue eyes. But their facial features were the same. Fraternal twins? Perhaps they were. I pointed to the girl who could speak, "Freya," And to her sister, "Fauna."

They both blinked back tears and nodded, then looked at each other and clasped hands. "Fauna!" Freya said to her sister, pointing to her chest, and then to her own, "Freya."

Looking at the Sentinal, I raised a brow and pointed to myself. "Taka." And then placing my index finger on his sternum.

"Gaelan." Gruff, and to the point.

I smiled and nodded. Dinner continued in silence, and soon it was off to bed.