Book 3. The saga continues. With her mating to Haku rapidly approaching, Chihiro has a number of new problems to face. But these are nothing compared to the plans a new foe has for her. Sequel to Enchantment of the Heart.
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Meeka was sick of being on watch. She knew that the windows were all closed and she knew that there were no intruders on this floor. Yet she did her job and checked everything anyway; Master Haku was depending on her, and Mistress Chihiro would be home any day now. She hoped Mistress Chihiro's mother had recovered fully.
Meeka paused to gaze out of yet another window she was checking. The moon was a fingernail in the sky and provided little illumination. There were still a few hours until dawn but the night was not cold despite the sky being completely clear, showing a myriad of stars burning with their cold fire. It would be summer soon, and Mistress Chihiro would have been in the spirit world for almost a year.
Meeka wished the summer would hurry; she always felt more alive when the trees were in full leaf. Besides, the mating season had been difficult for her this year; with the summer, the last of those disgusting urges would leave her. It was almost enough for the spirit to wish she was human; how blessed were that race not to have a mating season! She idly wondered how many of the staff had let themselves get pregnant. A nursery would have to be set up again; another one of Master Haku's innovations. Before, Yubaba would have just fired workers when they were too near their time to work.
Of course, there was always at least one case of forced fertility. Master Haku was very strict about such things. Meeka imagined his opinion on such issues would have hardened even more since he became a mate to a human. The last perpetrator he caught had been ordered to be whipped and banished from the bathhouse and surrounding lands as well as paying the mother reparation. Meeka dreaded to think what penalty the dragon would demand now he had his own female to protect. Then, of course, there was rape.
Rape was exceptionally rare in the spirit world; as Meeka understood it, such a thing was a crime of anger rather than passion. Spirits must have a different make up to humans as it happened so infrequently, but there had been individuals desperate enough to force themselves on another, but again usually for the purposes of procreation. If that ever happened in the bathhouse, Master Haku would not have to intervene; the staff would tear the offender limb from limb.
A grey cloud floated across the moon. Meeka sighed; maybe it would start raining after all.
"MEEKA!" a voice snapped, making the wood spirit jump. Rin was stalking up the corridor and Meeka cursed herself for not remembering she was Watch Leader tonight. The waspish woman was extremely strict; why Mistress Chihiro liked her so much was beyond Meeka. "That's the third time I've caught you daydreaming this week!" the woman growled. "If I catch you once more, I'll put you on slopping out the pig pen!"
Meeka wrinkled her nose delicately at the thought. Her sense of smell was very acute and such a task would probably make her vomit; which was why Rin was so fond of the threat when dealing with spirits such as herself.
"I'm sorry," Meeka whispered, sounding as abject as possible. "I was just checking the weather; it looks like it may turn bad." Rin glanced at the window.
