Miroku had hit his head hard, cracking his skull, and Kaede could not bring him around. Finally, he was bundled up and given into Hiten's arms to carry to the Castle. Sango jumped on Kirara and the demon cat followed Hiten's swift flight. Kouga was very worried, wondering what had happened. Was this just a chance accident? Ever since the incident with Jodah, Kouga was suspicious of everything.  He and the wolves searched the area where Miroku had fallen, but found nothing sinister. It must have been an accident after all.

Dawn was breaking when Hiten reached the Castle, with Sango and Kirara right behind. Guards were sent running for Kaiba while Hiten took Miroku to a guest room. Soon the healer mage was examining the monk's wound carefully.

"It looks like a concussion. I will give him a potion that will stop any swelling of the brain. He should be fine after a week of bed rest."

Sango breathed a sigh of relief. After all the perils they had been through, to be hurt by a simple fall!

It was not until the next morning that the monk began to stir. His eyes fluttered open and he grimaced as the pain set in. Kaiba appeared at his side and poured a bitter tasting liquid down his throat. In moments, the pain eased and his head began to clear. Miroku looked around, seeing his mate and reached for her hand.

"I'm glad you are feeling better," he said.

"I wanted to speak to you about my fall," the monk began.

"I thought it was an accident." Aara questioned.

"Tala? I don't understand. If the girl is wandering at night…" Sango began.

"I did not see our granddaughter. I saw a male Tala. He looked almost exactly like her -- same blue eyes, same face, but he was a man."

"Are you sure? That is a pretty bad head wound." Kurama commented.

"I am positive. That's why I was so startled." Miroku assured them.

"A male version of Tala? What could this mean?" Aara mused.

Bakura entered the room and was told about Miroku's strange sighting. He suggested that Tala be brought to them. Hiten was sent to fetch the girl and bring her back to the Castle. He was instructed to say only that her grandfather wanted her care while he was at the Castle.

The next morning, Hiten returned with Tala in tow. The girl rushed to Miroku's side, concern written all over her face. Before she knew what was happening, Kurama, Bakura and the Princess had walked into the room. She looked at them, noting the stern looks on their faces and the color drained from her face. They knew!  She had no idea how they had found out, but she was sure they knew about the males.  Perhaps they had captured one of them.

"I saw a male version of you when I fell, Tala. Do you know anything about it?" Miroku asked.

"I...I..." She wanted to tell them everything -- to be free of this curse, but the male inside of her controlled her tongue and she could not get the words out. Tears began to run down her cheeks. She sunk to the floor, weeping in despair, "Please help me."

Aara bent down to the girl, taking her face in her hands, using her power on the girl. The fear was raw, but there was more than that. There was an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. "Help you how? Tala, we want to help you -- but we need to understand."

"I...I…He won't let me say anything!" Tala cried.

"He?" Bakura asked, "He is not here -- he cannot stop you and we will protect you."

"You can't! I am lost! I am my father's child!!" Tala fell prone on the floor sobbing in anguish.

"Your father? Naraku? Does this have anything to do with Naraku?" Kurama asked, his voice grim.

But Tala said no more, she just lay on the floor, weeping her heart out. What was happening here? Aara asked Sango to take the girl out of the room, and when they were gone, the four tried to figure out what was happening.

"This makes no sense. Naraku is dead. But how can there be another Tala? And a male version of her?" Miroku said.

"I don't trust Naraku. We never figured out what kind of a demon he was, or even if he was a demon at all. And we do not know all he was capable of. Perhaps he seduced another female and produced a son?" Bakura conjectured.

"Even if he did have a son, how could that child look exactly like Tala?" Aara asked. "Ayala does not look like Tala - she looks like her mother. And Tala does not look like Naraku."

"Nor does she look like anyone in my family. No one on my side or on Sango's side has blue eyes like hers. Or her beauty. Mirago is cute but not beautiful. And Naraku was beautiful. We have to admit that." Miroku said.

"What shall we do?"

"I suggest that we keep Tala here in the Castle under a very close watch." Kurama said.

"She wants to tell us the truth - but something is preventing her from doing so. I felt fear and helplessness when I touched her. And I don't think she is afraid of us." Aara commented.

So it was agreed, Tala would stay in the Castle, effectively under house arrest, never allowed alone. Her bedroom would be locked at night and a guard would be posted at the door. Tala did not protest at all -- she seemed almost grateful. And she was!  Perhaps with their help she could be released from their control if they captured the next Tala before he inseminated her. She would be free!

The long days passed very slowly, everyone waiting for something to happen, but no one knew what to expect.  Tala spent her days with her embroidery, working on a large tapestry in an effort to pass the time. But she was never alone. At night, one guard stood just outside her door and another was on the balcony. During the days, someone was always with her. Miroku had left after a week, with a promise to tell no one what had happened. Until they understood what was happening, the fewer people that knew the truth, the better. The Villagers were told that Tala was apprenticing with Kaiba. Even Mirago and Shippo, her parents, were not told the truth.

Finally a month passed and the moon would be full once more tonight. The Castle was silent and dark as the midnight hour approached. The guard heard a noise coming from the dark bed and asked what was wrong as he moved to the bed. Suddenly a naked man flew from the shadows and fell upon the guard, pulling the sword from the guard's scabbard before he could react. In a one sweeping flash of steel, the guard fell dead. Tala screamed at the top of her lungs, awakening the entire household. The guard at the door rushed inside, just in time to see the intruder disappear over the balcony. Guards rushed to the gardens but no one was found.