InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Kiss for A Prince ❯ A Promise of Home ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I wish I did. If anyone can help with that desire, please let me know. For now, I'll just stick with my stories, my tapes and my Kirara plushie. Oh, and I've managed to do a sort of layout for the castle grounds. If anyone wants it, let me know and I'll send it to you!

Chapter Nine: A Promise of Home

InuTaishou quietly walked the halls of the eastern wing, his intent to fully enjoy the castle before the first bustling of life began for the day. He stopped by the door of one of the dojos and peered inside, an affectionate smile spreading on his lips at it's occupant.

Nassi sat alone in the middle of the room, dressed in her training gi with her right side facing him. She seemed to be lost in thought, a small smile on her face as she gazed up through the open skylight to the clouds above.

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SF: Hey, does everyone remember what her and Kagome's training gis are? If not then see chapter four!

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'Such a somber youkai,' InuTaishou mused as he watched her. 'It's rare to find her like this. Her aura is so calm, so peaceful, almost like she does not have a care in the world. There are few times I've seen her like this, with so much love, admiration and trust in her aura and scent.' He thought back to those few times, his brow furrowing when he began to notice a pattern.

'Those few times seem to always be around my youngest,' InuTaishou realized. 'Could she be infatuated with him?' He thought about it a moment, then shook his head. 'No, the nervousness that normally comes with that isn't there. And she's normally nervous around Kilik anyway. No, this is more like a child's hero worship but why would she feel that way toward Inuyasha?'

InuTaishou thought a second more on the subject, then shrugged and continued down the hallway. 'After all,' he thought to himself as he rounded the corner toward the royal dojo. 'If it were meant to be understood, she will explain.'

*

Nassi came out of her musings the instant roses flooded her senses, along with a barely noticeable scent of vanilla. Her head tilted to the side, her face marred by concern as Kagome walked across the room to her. The young princess looked more forlorn than usual, something that Nassi felt may be to Sesshoumaru's absence as she stood up. "What is it Kagome?"

Kagome shrugged, something Nassi figured she'd picked up from Keni'Chi. "I don't know. I just don't feel very well today. May I be excused Nassi-sempai?"

"Um…sure," Nassi nodded quickly. "You go right ahead and rest. Call for me or Inuyasha if you need anything."

"Alright." Nassi watched as Kagome left the room, the normal tinge of sadness that inhabited Kagome's scent seemed to engulf her today. 'No,' Nassi determined as she too left the room to inform the others. 'This has nothing to do with Sesshoumaru-dono. This is much deeper.'

*

"She's sick you say," InuTaishou replied minutes after Inuyasha, Kilik, Keni'Chi and Nassi informed him of Kagome's sudden lethargic mood. "What makes you think so?"

"She said she wasn't feeling well," Nassi answered.

"And you took her word for it? Did she smell as if she had an illness?"

"Um," Nassi's face turned thoughtful, then she shook her head. "No, not really."

"Then our Kagome just needs time to herself," InuTaishou said with a sigh. "Don't worry. She should be fine once Sesshoumaru comes back."

"But it's not like her to be this sad," Inuyasha argued. "Kagome's normally so bright, so happy. And Sesshoumaru's scheduled to be back by tomorrow right? She knows that but she's still walking around like somebody died!" He yipped when Nassi smacked him in the back of the head, glaring at her as she shook her head in mild disgust.

"What was that for?" he demanded while the others laughed around him.

"For being stupid," Nassi answered. "Pick your words better!"

"You do that again, and you'll pick which hand you want to keep!"

Nassi's frown deepened into a scowl, she and Inuyasha standing toe to toe as they growled at each other like puppies. "You try it and you'll have to pick up your teeth!"

"You two stop!" Kilik scolded. "We have a bigger problem, and you're not helping any."

Both youkai stopped arguing immediately, a sheepish grin spreading across Inuyasha's face as Nassi scowled at him. "You're right," Keni'Chi said to Kilik when Nassi opened her mouth to say something. "Maybe we should talk to Kagome ourselves."

"That is a good suggestion," InuTaishou agreed. "Nassi, could you send the nearest servant to collect her?"

Nassi stuck her head out the throne room doors and called to the nearest servant. "Crystal! Come here a moment!"

"Hai, Nassi-sempai?" Inuyasha and the other males heard the kitsune female say before Nassi groaned.

"What's with everyone calling me that today? Look, I need a favor. Could you get Kagome for me? I'd really appreciate it."

"Sure," was Crystal's enthusiastic reply before Nassi closed the door with a smile. "She should be here any moment," she told the others, then sat down to wait.

The throne room doors burst open minutes later, but it was a rather frazzled hanyou who stood in their threshold. "What is it?" Inuyasha asked as Crystal stumbled into the room.

"Kagome-san isn't in her room."

"What?!" shouted Inuyasha and the others. "What do you mean she's not in her room?"

Crystal winced fearfully, her furry red ears flattening to her skull before answering. "I went to retrieve her but she's not there. Her scent leads a few paces away from her door, then completely disappears."

"Just great," Keni'Chi growled as Inuyasha tried to contact Kagome telepathically. "Where could she have gone?"

"I suggest you search for her," InuTaishou replied. "After all, she cannot go past the Outer Gates, so she's still on the compound."

"Right away InuTaishou-sama," Keni'Chi said as he, Nassi and Kilik bowed before leaving the room to search.

"OK," Nassi began once they stepped outside the room. "Keni'Chi, you search the southern wing of the castle. Kilik, you search the west. Inuyasha, you search the training grounds and Wild Territory while I search the north."

"But she can't be here," Keni'Chi argued as Keni'Chi and Inuyasha ran off. "So why would you even waste your time?"

"Because every wing has to be searched," Nassi replied as she floated in mid air. "So you guys go ahead. We'll meet in the courtyard behind the Inner Gate later." Nassi watched as Keni'Chi sped off, then began her own search for the missing princess.

*

'It's so beautiful here,' Kagome mused as she gazed into the horizon. 'So peaceful and quiet. It's too bad the others aren't here.' She stood alone on the empty pier, her dark hair fluttering to her right side like a banner in the strong ocean breeze. She inhaled a lungful of the salty afternoon air with a wistful smile before sitting on the edge of the dock. She quickly shed her heavy boots and gloves and set them beside her before gazing into the sky that reminded her so much of her mother's eyes.

'You'd never believe how much I'm learning,' Kagome thought longingly, secretly wishing her mother could hear. 'Everyone's been so nice here. It's hard to believe the stories Father used to tell about the youkai during his travels. I have so many friends here, but I still miss you. I miss both of you.'

Kagome sniffed quietly, a large tear rolling down her cheek to splash into the waters below. "I miss you both so much…"

"Kagome!"

Kagome glanced over her shoulder as the wind picked up around her, her eyes closed as she felt the aura of the approaching youkai. 'Worry, with deeper reflections of grief and anger. That's no one but Nassi.' The kencho youkai landed on the pier beside her soon enough, her normally light gray eyes darkened in concern.

"Kagome, where have you been? We've been looking all over for you. How in the world did you get down here?"

"The cliff?" Kagome asked softly. "It really wasn't as hard of a climb as I thought it would be. I guess it's because of the training and such."

"Why did you run off?" Nassi asked as she sat beside her. "We would have gladly brought you down here. All you had to do was ask."

"I just wanted to be alone for a while," Kagome answered with a sigh. "You know, I just wanted to think."

"Hey, that doesn't sound like the Kagome I know," Nassi teased lightly. "The Kagome I know is full of sunshine, flowers and happy rays of light. Now what's wrong?"

"I'm…I miss my family," Kagome admitted. She brought her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her head on them. "I want to see my mother and father so badly. I miss them so much. Father was so angry when I left, and I think he might be still angry with me."

"How could he be?" Nassi asked. "What could you have done for him to be angry with you?"

"I came here against his wishes."

"Big deal," Nassi said with a wave of her hand. "I'm sure he understands by now. Why are you homesick? Doesn't it get boring just staying inside a palace all day?"

Kagome sighed deeply, her tone regretful and pained before turning to the warrior beside her. "Haven't you ever just wanted to go back?" Kagome asked, unaware of the sudden shock overtaking her friend. "To see someone you really love just to tell them you love them just one more time?" She squeaked in surprise when Nassi hugged her, her head resting on Kagome's shoulder as she started to cry. "Nassi? Nassi, are you ok?"

"I'm so sorry Kagome," Nassi said with a sniff. "You're right. You have every right to be homesick, and to see your parents." She hastily wiped her face with her hands with a goofy grin. "I must look really silly crying like this."

"No, not at all," Kagome replied. 'What could make her do that?' she wondered as Nassi calmed down and turned her gaze to the ocean. 'Was it something I said? And exactly why is she so sad all the time?'

"I tell you what," Nassi began, derailing Kagome's train of thought. "I'll make sure you get home, ok Kagome?"

"You will?" Kagome squeaked hopefully. "You promise?"

"I give you my word as…" she paused for a moment, then smiled. "As the complicated mess that I am. In return, I'll have to ask for a favor."

"Anything, just name it!"

"Train Inuyasha tomorrow."

"What?!" Kagome exclaimed, her voice echoing off the cliffs around them. Nassi stood up and dusted off her hands.

"Train Inuyasha. That's all I ask."

"But why me?" Kagome countered. "I mean, shouldn't someone else train him? Someone with youkai blood?"

"Keni'Chi and I will still train him," Nassi assured her. "But I think it would do him some good to train against a miko, don't you?"

"But I'm not fully trained!" Kagome argued. "I'm just now learning how to read auras and put up barriers but I haven't started weapons training!"

"Then this is the perfect opportunity," Nassi replied nonchalantly. She studied the crestfallen look on Kagome's face and sighed. "Look, if you say no, I'll still find some way to get you home. I just think that training would be good for the both of you. Besides, you're teaching him archery anyway."

"You're right," Kagome agreed after a second. "I have wanted to elaborate on that."

"And you can pick whatever it is you want to teach him, no matter what it is," Nassi told her. "But I would appreciate it, and so would he."

"Alright then," Kagome said as she too stood up. "I'll be more than happy to do it."

"Great! That's my girl!" Nassi cheered as she hugged the shocked teenager. "Now let's get back! Everyone's about to freak out about you!"

"Alright," Kagome agreed. She watched as Nassi changed shape, turning into a giant black bird. 'Get on,' she heard Nassi say in her mind. Kagome obeyed hesitantly and gasped when the kencho suddenly took flight, leaving Kagome's breath and stomach behind.

"Slow down!" Kagome screamed. "I'm going to fall!"

'You won't fall,' Nassi laughed in Kagome's mind. 'I won't let you! Just relax!'

Kagome groaned in reply, then looked down and tried to judge how far the ground was beneath her as the northern tower came into view.

*

"Come on Inuyasha!" Kagome called as she skipped ahead of the slightly grumpy youkai. Inuyasha glared up at her and folded his arms inside the sleeves of his haori and sighed. 'It should be a crime to be so cheerful so early in the morning,' he griped to himself as Kagome walked ahead of him. 'And where is she taking me? Doesn't she realize that we have practice in an hour?'

"You're so slow Inuyasha," Kagome giggled then ran back, grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag him through the castle entrance to the courtyard. Inuyasha blushed upon contact, something the passing servants noticed as the chipper young lady dragged their lord across the grounds to the Inner Gate. "Come on! We don't have all day! I want to get a lot of training out the way before lunch."

"Training? What training?" Inuyasha asked as the passed the Inner Gate and entered the training grounds. "Kagome, what's going on?"

"I get to train you today Inuyasha-chan!" Kagome teased happily, never noticing Inuyasha's deepening blush. "Nassi said I could! We're going to learn so much and this will be so much fun and-"

"Woah, wait a minute. What do you mean by 'We're going to learn so much'? How are you supposed to train me if you don't know what you're doing?"

"That's kinda the point," Kagome replied as they approached the woods. "To help you learn how to defend yourself from someone like me, and for me to learn how to defend myself from someone like you."

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted while they ventured deeper into the forest. "I don't need to learn how to defend myself against a ningen. What's the point?"

Kagome sighed and shook her head, the single tendril framing the left side of her face fluttering in the breeze. "You still have to do it Inuyasha. Be still a moment."

Inuyasha stilled beside her and felt the invisible barrier surround them. From what his senses could tell, the barrier stretched twenty feet from either side of them, leaving them plenty of room to spar without crowding them in. "Now what?"

"Now we train," Kagome replied as she un-strapped a bow from her back. "You go that way," she pointed to her right. "And we'll begin."

"Begin what?" Inuyasha asked before pulling the bokken from his back. "What are we doing again?"

"You're going to defend yourself from my arrows. I'm going to try to shoot you."

"Oh hell no!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "You're not shooting me in the ass! I've had enough trips to the infirmary fooling around with you!"

"Please Inuyasha?" Kagome begged. "I need to practice shooting at moving targets, and you should learn how to avoid a miko's power anyway. I don't want to have to make an amulet for you or something."

"You can do that?" Inuyasha asked, amazed. "Wow."

"I can, but I don't know how. Even if I did, I'm not going to! Let's just do this, OK?"

Inuyasha thought for a second, then sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll do it, but I won't like it."

"I'm going to be shooting at you," Kagome replied sardonically as she nocked an arrow and aimed. "I don't think a lot of people like it."

"Smart ass," Inuyasha growled, then leaped in the air when the first arrow streaked toward him. He landed in the same spot on his feet, and then sprang to his left to avoid the next. The arrows sped in procession, and soon Inuyasha was leaping from tree branch to branch around the perimeter to avoid being run through.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Inuyasha taunted down at Kagome from a nearby tree. "I thought you said train, not play!"

"I'll show you," Kagome mumbled angrily. She nocked another arrow and fired in Inuyasha's general direction, not bothering to aim directly for the hanyou as he jumped and avoided the projectiles. She shot off two more then turned her bow sideways, nocked two arrows on the bow and released.

Inuyasha ducked the first one, only to feel the second one wiz past his ear. He stood up and held up his hand toward it, then brought it to his face and glared at the few tiny white hairs in his palm. "Hey! What was that for?"

"You're not taking me seriously," Kagome responded.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'll show you serious!" Inuyasha charged toward her, a wicked snarl on his face with his bokken extended at his side. Kagome stepped back, repositioned her bow, nocked an arrow and fired. The arrow flew toward Inuyasha in a violet comet-like streak, one he barely avoided before pouncing on her. Kagome quickly pulled on of her arrows from their quiver and raised it between them, squinting when the splinters from the bokken rained down on her face and hair from the contact.

"Ha! I've got you now!" Inuyasha jeered triumphantly. Kagome smirked back. "You think so?" She quickly rapped the back of his knees with the bow, then jumped back and away when he stumbled. She stepped past his next attempt to catch her, then ducked when he tried to pounce on her again. She watched with a grin as Inuyasha sailed inches over her head and crashed face first into a nearby bush.

"Are you alright Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as he fought with the bush's prickly leaves and branches.

"Damn it! Let go you little sons of bitches!" Inuyasha snarled while mercilessly whacking at the poor plant.

"Here," Kagome said gently as she moved to help him. "Maybe I can help."

"You should," Inuyasha growled, looking on as Kagome untangled each branch from his black and white dragon print hakamas and white haori. "It's your fault."

"I don't see how," Kagome countered. "I didn't tell you to try to jump on me!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha yelled heatedly.

"You know what it means! I didn't tell you to jump on me like some kind of cat, you psycho!" Kagome hollered back, her fists instantly going to her hips. Inuyasha snorted and jerked his head away. "You're the bloody psycho!"

"ooooooo….fine! Stay in that bush for all I care!"

Inuyasha watched as Kagome stomped off, leaving him entangled in the middle of the clearing. "Kagome?" he called into the empty wood. "Kagome? Aw come on! Get me out of here!"

Inuyasha snarled to himself, then sighed and rested his chin on his chest. "Fine. I'm sorry ok? Just get me out of here."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

"Gahhh!!!" Inuyasha hollered when Kagome popped up beside him. "What's the matter with you, twit? Tryin' to kill someone?"

"Yes Inuyasha, I'm sure I scared the daylights out of you," Kagome replied as she once again got to work on the bush. "This should be the last…there! You're all set!"

"Thank goodness," Inuyasha cried as he leapt from his confinements, only to moan when he glanced back. "Why is my hair in there?" he gaped accusingly. Kagome shrugged. "Some of it didn't let go, so I-"

"You cut my hair?" Inuyasha asked. "I can't believe this!"

"I didn't cut all of it!" Kagome argued back.

"Whatever. Hey," Inuyasha began with the quickness of a village lush. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know, the whole arrow thing. That's pretty cool."

"Oh that. That's a result of my meditation exercises with InuTaishou-sama," Kagome admitted. "Would you like to try?"

"You mean, sit in the middle of a bunch of daises and go 'om' for an hour? No thanks," Inuyasha passed. Kagome giggled behind her hand, then sat at his feet and motioned for him to sit down as well.

"Meditation is about clearing your mind. It's to help structure your thoughts and teaches you think during battle. Here, I'll help you. Sit like this." Inuyasha waited until she sat on her knees, her legs tucked underneath her before following her example.

"Now hold out your hands with your palms facing me and close your eyes."

Inuyasha did so reluctantly, his hands out in front of him before closing his eyes. They shot open instantly when Kagome pressed hers to his, her tiny fingers curling around his long ones. "Now relax and breathe," Kagome said next, her eyes closed and her breathing deep and even. Inuyasha looked from their hands to her face and back again, the nervousness he felt when she first initiated the contact melting away to awe.

'She,' his mind stuttered as Kagome continued her deep breathing. 'She's willing to touch me. She's not afraid of me, not repulsed by me like so many others. She even tries to help me, especially when I don't want it. She doesn't tease me. Why doesn't she tease me?'

"Inuyasha, you're not relaxing," Kagome reprimanded softly, then cracked an eye open. Shimmery blue connected with amber instantly, and Inuyasha could see the concern deep within her stormy blue depths. "I tell you what," she continued before closing her eye again. "I want you to relax and think of the one thing you'd wish for. It could be anything, just so long as you want it. Focus on it and only it and let that thought relax you."

"Right," Inuyasha replied as he finally closed his eyes. 'What do I want more than anything?' he asked himself as Kagome's fingers twitched around his. 'I could ask for my mother, but I know that won't happen. Plus it wouldn't be fair for me to have mine and Sesshoumaru not to have his. I don't really want anything but…' A small, happy smile graced his features, then melted away before anyone could notice it's presence.

'Kagome's the only one who accepts me for me. I'm not InuTaishou's son to her, nor am I Sesshoumaru's younger brother. I'm just Inuyasha, and she sees that. If I had to have one wish, it would be that Kagome and I stay friends forever. That's what I'd want more than anything in the world.'

Inuyasha nodded in agreement and focused on that one thought, neither he nor Kagome aware of the sudden pink glow that enveloped Kagome's gi sleeve before disappearing into the four winds.

*

"Come on Kagome!" Inuyasha demanded, this time with him in the lead and dragging a very miserable Kagome from the archery grounds to the Inner Gate. The afternoon sun glared down on them unrepentantly, and Kagome wished for the third time since lunch that she could go and take a bath. "Why are we hurrying?" Kagome asked as they finally passed the Inner Gate and made their way through the courtyard to the castle entrance.

"Sesshoumaru's coming!"

"He is?!" Kagome squeaked excitedly, her earlier worries melting away at the mention of the older inu youkai. "How do you know?"

"I can smell him on the wind. He's probably past the Outer Gate by now," Inuyasha informed her as they crossed the wing intersection and made their way to the throne room. Servants scurried around them, each struggling to find a spot nearest the main hallway to see Sesshoumaru as he passed.

Inuyasha shoved the heavy throne room doors open and jerked Kagome inside, leaving the doors open and stepping out of the way seconds before Kilik, Nassi and Keni'Chi scrambled inside.

"How's my hair?" Nassi asked Kagome as she kneeled for Kagome to see. Kagome looked over the braid, fingering the bright red ribbon weaved throughout it to wrap at the tip of the braid before nodding in approval. "It's perfect."

"Thank God. That's the last thing I need to hear," Nassi breathed before grabbing Keni'Chi and straightening the collar of his red, ankle-length jacket. "Why are you dressed like that?" Kagome asked as Kilik laced up his boots. "You haven't worn that since my arrival."

"These," Nassi gestured to the red uniforms. "Are our formal royal uniforms. We wear them whenever a lord comes to visit, or a lord comes home."

"Oh, ok then," Kagome replied before Nassi gently grasped her arm and pulled her toward the door. "Now Kagome," Nassi began as the whispers in the crowd got louder. "This is what you're supposed to do. Stand here and bow like you normally do at the door. Don't do the whole kneeling thing that Kilik, Keni'Chi and I do, ok? Stay bowed until told otherwise, alright?"

"Alright," Kagome nodded, the excitement of the moment rushing to her head. "Anything else?"

"Don't speak unless spoken to. Don't be too insulted, because we can't speak either. The only ones who have free reign are Inuyasha and InuTaishou. Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

"Ok," Kagome nodded, then quieted as Jaken ran into the room. She said nothing as Nassi rushed toward the front of the room, leaving Kagome to stand by herself at the door's threshold.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, InuTaishou-sama," Jaken announced before disappearing. The entire hallway quieted as the sound of footsteps echoed. Nassi, Kilik and Keni'Chi bowed immediately, their right knees resting on the cold stone floor with their heads bowed. Kagome bowed as well, though she remained standing as Sesshoumaru walked into the room.

Sesshoumaru breezed past Kagome, his gaze set ahead though he was well aware of Kagome's presence. He stopped before InuTaishou and gave a polite bow, to which both Inuyasha and their father returned.

"Welcome home Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou greeted as he sat down. "What news do you have from the north?"

Sesshoumaru turned around, his golden eyes thoughtful before speaking. "Kagome?"

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome answered instantly, her back straightening upon answer.

"Prepare for dinner. Nassirudden will be with you shortly."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome relented with a bow then retired from the room, her curiosity burning despite her dismissal. Sesshoumaru waited until her departure, watching for himself as she closed the doors behind her before turning to InuTaishou.

"We were tricked."

Those three words seemed to still time, for the room's other occupants stopped what they were doing instantly. "What do you mean?" InuTaishou asked.

"There was never a threat to the Northern kingdom, not at the time that we received the message," Sesshoumaru answered. "The trouble did not start until my arrival. The three weeks in Kouga-san's territory have proven to be eventless, except for two raids on his villages."

"Two raids are two too many," InuTaishou said to himself. "And what of the messenger we sent? Have you seen him?"

"No, nor had Kouga-san upon my arrival."

"Then it's safe to assume that the Dark Army tricked us into sending you there," Inuyasha offered. Sesshoumaru nodded, his keen nose picking up Kagome's scent on his brother's person. His eyes flashed red for an instant, then calmed back to their normal state as he motioned for Kilik and the other generals to rise.

"Why would they though?" Kilik said as he and the other generals stood up. "What would they have to gain by having you there with Kouga-san?"

"Fear," Keni'Chi guessed. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. "Yes, they wish for me to see their destruction first hand so I may fear them. A foolish notion if I do say so myself."

"Why is that?" InuTaishou asked. Sesshoumaru smirked knowingly. "Because I fear no one."

"Right," Inuyasha drawled with a roll of his eyes. "So what else happened? No doubt you did what you could for Kouga, right?"

"Correct Inuyasha. There was only one thing of true interest," Sesshoumaru replied. "A day or two after passing Rose Castle, I spied what looked to be hundreds of thousands of lower level youkai and oni, each with the stench of the Dark Army. They seemed to be heading east, toward Katsumi-san's territory."

"Why would they enter the neko youkais' territory?" Inuyasha wondered aloud. InuTaishou shrugged. "I do not know, but it does not bode well for us. Thank you Sesshoumaru, for your report. Everyone, you are dismissed to prepare for dinner."

Everyone but Sesshoumaru and InuTaishou walked out of the room at InuTaishou's request. Sesshoumaru waited patiently, his arms folded over his chest as Nassi closed the door behind them. "Yes Father?"

"I wish to speak to you about Kagome," InuTaishou began, noting to himself the way Sesshoumaru's shoulders instantly tensed upon her name.

"What about her?" Sesshoumaru asked dryly, though inside he felt a sense of dread. 'What on earth could have happened while I was away?' he wondered as InuTaishou stood up and walked toward the outer edge of the room.

"She is homesick," InuTaishou replied. "She misses her family, and it's creating a problem. She separated herself from the others yesterday and somehow found herself at the port."

'The port?' Sesshoumaru mused with a frown. 'How did she get down there without help?'

"We're not sure how she got down there," InuTaishou unknowingly answered Sesshoumaru's question while looking at the rapidly darkening sky. "But she was in a fragile state of mind when Nassirudden found her. Ningen sometimes do this Sesshoumaru, and a visit with her kin would do her good."

"I see," Sesshoumaru replied. "You think she should return home?"

"Not for good Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou assured him as he turned around. "Just for a while. Kagome needs to be assured that her family still love her, and maybe even miss her. She needs to know that she still has a place in the world where she can feel safe."

'She has a place in the world,' Sesshoumaru thought as InuTaishou continued to explain. 'It is here, with me. No, not with me," he quickly dismissed with a mental shake of his head. "But it is here. She no longer belongs with those simple ningen.'

"So I think she would appreciate it if you sent her home for a few days," InuTaishou concluded. "She could go with the next shift of guards and teachers, but she should go."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, his gaze lowered to the floor at his feet as he wandered the maze of his mind. "I will give it some thought," he finally said before leaving the room. InuTaishou sighed, shook his head and returned to the ocean-side view behind him. 'Yes Sesshoumaru, you do that,' he thought as he inhaled the cool sea breeze. 'Think before you choose, because you're next decision may be an important one.

*

Kagome sighed as she dumped the chilly water over her head, her teeth chattering together as it trickled down her body to the bathhouse floor. 'To be clean at last,' she thought happily as she made her way across the cool blue marble to the hot spring in the center of the room. 'I don't think I'll ever get tired of this place. I still love my home though, and would love to be able to see the sun rise over the northern tower like it used to.' She sighed again as she lowered herself into the warm water, her eyes closing as she drifted off into a pleasant daydream.

She was bought out of it minutes later by water splashing by the wash-up area, then turned around as Nassi stepped into the spring. "You can turn now Kagome," Nassi told her. Kagome turned and found Nassi's back to her as the warrior leaned against a submerged rock, folded her arms on the surface, rested her cheek on them and sighed. "Now this is what I'm talking about," Nassi drawled lazily as Kagome laughed from behind her.

"I thought something similar to that when I stepped in," Kagome admitted. "I think it has something to do with the spring itself."

"I think so too," Nassi said as she reached back and jerked the ribbon from her hair. She tossed the bright ribbon to the spring's edge and combed her fingers through her hair before returning to her rock. She brushed her hair off the right side of her neck and scratched her shoulder, unintentionally bringing a small scar to Kagome's attention. It was round, about the size of one of the pearls Nassi normally used to decorate her hair, raised and slightly darker than the rest of the skin around it.

"What's that?" Kagome asked. Silvery eyes fluttered open, following the path of Kagome's pointed finger before sitting up.

"That," she said as she brushed the pads of her fingers against it. She turned toward Kagome, her neck and shoulders exposed above the water's surface as she touched a similar scar on the other side. "And this are scars from a weapon where I'm from."

"What kind of weapon could create such a scar?" Kagome wondered aloud. 'Father has scars, but never have I seen one so odd in shape. What could have caused such a wound?'

"In my country, the soldiers there have a weapon called a musket," Nassi explained. "It's pretty much a hollow metal tube with gunpowder in one end and a little round piece of metal at the other. You light the end with the gunpowder in it and zoom! The little metal ball goes flying out. It hurts anything it touches, youkai or ningen."

"Sounds horrible," Kagome gasped. Nassi nodded. "It is. The soldiers there have no concept of honor, so they don't realize that using such a weapon makes them cowards. My people don't have these weapons and they know it. They use that against them."

"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered softly, inwardly flinching at the hate and grief that suddenly flooded Nassi's aura. Nassi brushed it off with a shake of her head.

"No big deal," she told her as she settled back into the water. "There are more important things going on anyway."

"Like?" Kagome asked, eager to get on a lighter subject.

"The test you and Inuyasha have after dinner."

"What test?" Kagome inquired curiously. Nassin merely winked in response and dived underwater. 'I guess I'll see,' Kagome told herself before relaxing against the side of the hot spring. 'After all, how hard could it be?'

*

"Where are we going?" Inuyasha whined as he and Kagome followed Nassi, Kilik and Keni'Chi out of the dining room and toward the southern wing of the castle. "Do you guys know how late it is? Let's just get tonight's lesson over with so I can go to bed."

"I'm surprised Inuyasha," Keni'Chi teased as the group exited the castle and stepped into the courtyard. "You're normally not so tired. Did Kagome actually wear you out this afternoon?"

"Hell no!" Inuyasha spat at the amused kitsune. "I'm much stronger than that girl!"

"What was that?" Kagome yelled back. "Just what are you trying to say?"

"That I'm stronger and faster than you!"

"And that's how you ended up stuck in that bush, right?" Kagome countered. Inuyasha turned away from her, his nose firmly thrust in the air with a-

"Don't say it," Kagome sighed with an outstretched hand. "Let me. Feh."

The generals burst into laughter, their merriment at Inuyasha's expense fluttering throughout the castle grounds toward the royal library to Sesshoumaru and InuTaishou.

"What is that about?" Sesshoumaru asked as he looked up from his reading. InuTaishou shrugged in answer. "I do not know, but I would like to see." InuTaishou stood and left the room, Sesshoumaru close by as he followed the laughter to the courtyard. Nassi and the others were just settling down when they left the castle grounds, and the kencho was currently calling for the others attention.

"Alright, that's enough," she said with a giggle. "We're supposed to be doing something."

"Oh, right," Keni'Chi wheezed. "OK you two, stand beside each other."

Inuyasha and Kagome did as they were told, leaving a couple of feet between them. "Now what?" Inuyasha asked.

"Now we tell you what's going on," Nassi began. "You're going to be tested today on what you've learned during your nightly instruction. So far we've studied ookami and inu youkai, so that will be what we'll test you on today."

"Alright," Kagome said. "But what does that have to do with us being out here?"

"I'm getting to that," Nassi told her. "There will be ten questions asked, but you both will have to answer five correctly. Not only will you be answering my questions, you will also demonstrate your training. Inuyasha, you've recently started the Tenpu-Kasai-Ryu-Kai, correct?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied apprehensively. "What about it?"

"That's the technique you'll use today. Kagome, you'll use your basic defense training and gymnastics. Understand?"

"Hai," Inuyasha and Kagome replied. Nassi smiled. "Alright then. Sparring partners, get ready."

InuTaishou and Sesshoumaru watched with inward surprise as Kilik stepped in front of Inuyasha and Keni'Chi approached Kagome instead of the other way around. Inuyasha and Kagome appeared to be shocked as well, as Inuyasha quickly disputed the arrangements.

"You guys have to be nuts!" he shouted. "There's no way Kilik can stand against me, nor can Kagome compete with Keni'Chi! Besides," he gestured to Kagome and himself with an irritated hand. "We're not exactly dressed for this!"

Nassi eyed them both critically, her gaze sweeping over Kagome's attire before glancing at Inuyasha. Kagome stood quietly in a petal pink formal gown, the skirts falling past her ankle with the blood red petticoat peeking from beneath the helm. The dress itself was sleeveless, with a bandeau top laced in red ribbon. Flowing matching sleeves were tied to her upper arms using the same color ribbon and Kagome's hair sprang from the ponytail at the crown of her head in a tight mass of ringlets.

Inuyasha was dressed similarly to the earlier afternoon, with a midnight blue haori and hakamas with a golden dragon snaking down his right leg to his boots. Nassi shrugged indifferently. "So?"

"You're bloody hopeless!" Inuyasha tossed up his hands and dropped the subject.

"Now," Nassi sighed. "Maybe I can finish explaining. You each get five questions. You can get one wrong and still pass. Get more than one wrong and you review the chapter over again for the next two months. You can fall three times, but any more than that and you fail. You two understand?"

"Hai Nassi-sempai," Inuyasha replied, then smirked when she growled at him. "Don't call me that! Anyway, on my mark you can begin."

"Should we 'stick around' as they say?" InuTaishou asked Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru moved to a nearby bench, making sure to leave some room for the elder inu youkai as Kagome and Inuyasha dropped into their ready positions. "This should be interesting," InuTaishou whispered. "After all, neither seems to be aware of our presence."

'Yes, it should be interesting,' Sesshoumaru inwardly agreed. 'I've wanted for some time to watch Kagome spar. I wonder how she will perform.'

"Ready?" Nassi called, her answer nothing but the swirling wind around them. "Ok then. Oh, wait! I forgot something!"

"What now?" Keni'Chi growled, his onyx black tail swishing angrily back and forth. "You're such a twit sometimes!"

"Shut up you little brat," Nassi grumbled. Oh, um, what I forgot was that you can't use powers. No elemental attacks or special attacks of any kind. Don't help each other either. You can push each other out of harm's way, but don't try to take on the others partner. Is that understood?"

"Hai Nassi, now can we get this over with? My tail's starting to hurt?" Keni'Chi complained. Nassi sighed and shook her head, her right hand raising to lightly slap her forehead.

"Begin."

The sparring started immediately, with Kagome ducking Keni'Chi's forward leap and Inuyasha blocking Kilik's attempt to kick him in the side. Nassi stood by quietly, reaching back once to scratch an itchy part of her shoulder before asking the first question.

"True or false Inuyasha: Ookami have a stronger sense of smell than inu youkai?"

Inuyasha leapt back and away from Kilik, then used his left leg for balance as he executed a series of quick high kicks. "Um," he huffed as he spun out of Kilik's reach. "True."

"Very good," Nassi said with a yawn, then turned to Kagome. "Ookami youkai are faster, true or false Kagome?"

Kagome's brow furrowed in annoyance as she leaned backward to avoid Keni'Chi's attempt to claw off half her face. "True, I think," Kagome responded as she grabbed Keni'Chi's arm, twisted it behind his back and shoved him forward.

"Correct. You two aren't bad at this," Nassi congratulated as InuTaishou and Sesshoumaru looked on.

"She's quite skilled isn't she?" InuTaishou whispered to Sesshoumaru as Kagome managed to slide between Kilik's legs to avoid Keni'Chi's next attack.

"Hm," Sesshoumaru responded absently, all the while his eyes fixed on Kagome. 'She seems to have learned her lessons well,' he mused as he watched her. 'And she demonstrates a sort of grace I never knew humans could accomplish.'

The questions continued in rapid fire procession, with Nassi standing in the exact same place as she did when the test started. Inuyasha displayed his two weeks of training with Keni'Chi well, the new technique like old hat to him as he parried Kilik's attacks. He even managed to distract Keni'Chi long enough for Kagome to sneak behind him and pull his tail.

"YOW!!!!!" Keni'Chi quickly jerked his tail out of Kagome's hands and into his own, whimpering as he soothed the offended appendage.

"Keni'Chi, are you alright?" Kagome asked. "I hurt you didn't I? Gomen nasai Keni'Chi-chan!" She moved to hug him, her arms almost around his shoulders when he grabbed her by the waist, picked her up and tossed her into the air like a ball.

"Got ya!" he called as she shot through the air, soon becoming nothing more than a pink speck in the sky. Nassi quickly rapped Keni'Chi upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" he cried as he rubbed the lump now on his temple.

"You're so simple!" Nassi scolded loudly. "How in the hell do you think she's supposed to land after a stunt like that?!"

"oh yea," Keni'Chi mumbled sheepishly. Nassi sighed and shook her head then turned as Inuyasha jumped up after her. He came down seconds later with a badly frightened Kagome in his arms. "Sorry about that Kagome," Keni'Chi said with a sheepish grin. "But you really should learn not to let your guard down."

"You're right," Kagome admitted as Inuyasha put her down. "I shouldn't have pulled your tail, and I shouldn't have dropped my guard. However…" She quickly grasped the front of his tunic, spun him around and shoved him down to the dirt at their feet. "You shouldn't drop your guard either."

"Why you little-"

Kagome flipped back as Keni'Chi charged toward her and the test began anew. InuTaishou and Sesshoumaru sat amused and awed by Kagome's little display.

"I thought she would cry," InuTaishou admitted as Kagome danced around the confused kitsune. Sesshoumaru gave a lordly snort and rolled his eyes. "Of course she did not cry," he rumbled in the night air. "Her bravery is one of the reasons she resides with us."

"Yes Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou relented teasingly before standing up and approaching the group. "I have a question."

Nassi looked up with a smile, as did the sparring test takers as he stopped before them. "What can we do for you InuTaishou-sama?"

"I have a question I would like to see answered," InuTaishou replied with a smirk. Nassi smiled back as he stood beside her. "We would welcome anything you'd like to add," Nassi replied.

"My question is for the both of you. The stripes on an inu youkai's face, wrists and ankles are yellow. I want Kagome to tell me what kind of poison the youkai uses and Inuyasha to tell me what it smells like."

Inuyasha and Kagome froze for a second, then quickly ducked or jumped away from their opponents as they thought about the question. "Um, I think yellow striped inu youkai have violet colored poison. I think the violet colored poison interferes with your breathing."

"And if it's violet colored," Inuyasha continued, instantly using the information Kagome gave him as a hint. "Then it would smell like the juice of those weird round fruit things."

"Weird round fruit things?" Nassi repeated. "What color are they?"

"Orange. Yeah, that's what they smell like, those things. What are they called-Damn it Kilik! Watch the ears!" Inuyasha growled when Kilik swiped at the top of his head. Nassi giggled and nodded in approval.

"Correct you two. You may stop now."

Inuyasha froze immediately, his right arm raised to block one of Kilik's punches as Kagome stood from a deep crouch. She brushed off her skirt, tossed a stray curl out of her face and surprised everyone around her by giggling.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she grinned happily. Inuyasha shook his head, a minute smirk on his face as he propped his hands on his hips and sighed. "Onna, you are really strange."

"Did we pass?" Kagome turned and asked Nassi, choosing to ignore Inuyasha completely. Sesshoumaru stood and walked toward the group as Nassi nodded. "Yup, you guys passed!"

"I knew we would," Inuyasha growled as Kagome grinned happily. "Well, I knew I would. Kagome passed by luck."

"What?!" She spun around and glared at him, then stopped and gasped when Sesshoumaru stood behind his younger brother.

"What?" Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, then groaned and turned completely. 'Should have known,' Inuyasha thought as Kagome bowed.

"Come here Kagome."

Kagome did as Sesshoumaru requested, walking past Inuyasha to stand in front of the taiyoukai. "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"You've done well for your first test," Sesshoumau told her as he looked down on her. Kagome leaned her head back to look up at him, her curly hair framing her face like a dark halo. "Have you been told about your next one?"

"No Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome shook her head, the bouncy ringlets springing around her head.

"Your next one is to be on your defensive training, correct Nassirudden?"

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," Nassi said with a bow. Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks and returned his attention to Kagome. "Nassirudden will explain it to you when the time comes, but I will tell you the rewards and the consequences of your efforts."

'Here he goes,' Inuyasha and InuTaishou unknowingly thought together. 'Can't he do anything without the pomp and circumstance?'

"Should you pass, then you may go on to offensive training and anything else Nassirudden and the others wish to teach you," Sesshoumaru explained to inquisitive deep blue eyes. "Should you fail, then you must spend another three month in defense. Is that understood?"

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome answered with a nod. "I understand."

"Good, because I would like to add another incentive to your reward. Should you pass, I will take you to see your kingdom."

"Really?" Kagome whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You-you will?"

"I will," Sesshoumaru assured her. "But you must pa-"

"Oh thank you Sesshoumaru-sama!" Kagome interrupted, throwing her arms around the stoic youkai and burring her face into the front of his surcoat. "Thank you so much!"

The others looked on as she hugged him, watching the abnormally clueless Sesshoumaru as he stared down at her. He listened to her as she repeatedly muttered her thanks, then reached down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You should go back to your training," Sesshoumaru admonished as he gently pushed her away. Kagome nodded in understanding and turned back to the others.

"Actually, I think we'll give them the rest of the night off since they did so well," Kilik announced with a smile. Nassi nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. I sense rain coming anyway. You two are free to do what you wish."

Kagome and Inuyasha bowed to their teachers and turned to leave with only Kagome noticing Sesshoumaru's and InuTaishou's disappearance.

*

>RUMBLEBUMBLERUMBLE-BOOM!!!!<

Kagome bolted out of a deep sleep, her eyes wide and fearful as she sat straight up in bed. 'What was that?' she wondered before glancing out the window. The gentle spring rain Kagome went to sleep to had become a fierce thunderstorm sometime during the night with lightening flashing angrily in the sky as the dark clouds smothered the stars overhead.

'I'll be fine,' Kagome thought to herself as she buried herself deeper within the covers. 'It's nothing like last time. I'm sure lots of storms passed while I was asleep for those five centuries. Everything's going to be fine. I'm going to be fine.' She whimpered and jerked her head underneath the furs at the next thunderclap, it sounding more like the boom of a cannon than a force of nature.

'No, everything's going to be fine. Mother's not here, so I can't run to her. Oh how I hate thunderstorms.'

>BOOOOOMMMMM<

With a gasp and a shriek Kagome was off and running, leaping out of bed and sprinting out her chamber door and down the hallway toward whatever safety her panicked mind could find.

*

Golden eyes snapped open instantly, the lightening glittering off their cold surface. He stared at the adjacent wall a moment, sleep disengaging his normally stoic, cold demeanor as he sat up, yawned and quirked a curious, sleep depraved brow.

'What was that?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he looked around the room. The lightening outside flashed minutes before the thunder boomed in his ears, something Sesshoumaru regarded without interest while he attempted to figure out what woke him out of a dead slumber.

'It could not have been the rain,' Sesshoumaru determined. 'I've never been one to be wary of a simple storm. I remember a scream and-' His sleep-fogged brain finally awoke before Sesshoumaru remembered the sounds of a door slamming, footsteps running toward his room, the door to his library and inner chambers slamming and-

"What on earth is this?"

Sesshoumaru warily eyed a large lump at the foot of his bed, watching as whatever it was underneath the mass of furs and blankets shook at the sound of his voice. Too sleepy to really think straight, Sesshoumaru picked up the edge of the blanket covering the mass and peered underneath. A flash of white was all Sesshoumaru could see before a tiny hand jerked the blanket back to it's place.

"Kagome?"

The lump stopped shivering, and seconds later a wide eyed, bed-frazzled and frightened Kagome stuck her head from underneath the covers. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" She 'eeped' when the thunder sounded and ducked back underneath her safety.

'I will never get to sleep if she keeps this up,' Sesshoumaru bemused before reaching underneath the blankets, hooking his hands underneath Kagome's and gently pulling her up the length of his body to face him. She came willingly, her rapid heartbeat slowing some as her legs uncurled from beneath the confines of the covers and her nightgown.

"Now what is this about?" Sesshoumaru asked as he settled her head onto his chest.

"I-I'm afraid," Kagome admitted, then whimpered when lightening flashed across the sky again.

"Why? It is just a storm. There is nothing to be afraid of," Sesshoumaru assured her. He frowned when her trembling increased and she hid her face against his bare chest.

"Thunder storms are always bad!" she retorted. "Something bad always happens!"

"Nonsense," Sesshoumaru disputed as he held her closer to him. "It's just a storm. It is nothing to be afraid of. You're inside the castle walls, and it cannot come in here."

"I know that Sesshoumaru-sama," she said with a look up and an indignant sniff, then hid back against his chest. "But that does not mean I have to like them."

'Silly ningen,' Sesshoumaru thought with a tired smile. "I will teach you something Inuyasha's mother taught me. Would you like to hear it?"

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome replied as she looked up again, her blue eyes staring into his trustingly. "What is it? What did she say?"

"That a storm may not be where you are when it happens," Sesshoumaru explained and bit back a smile at the curious and confused quirk of her left brow.

"Really? How is that?"

"I am not sure. It is one of the many things she did not get to tell me. However, she did teach me a trick that deals with storms. We'll wait until the next lightening flash." They didn't have long to wait, for the sky lit up seconds after he spoke.

"Now we count, but count slowly. Ready?"

Kagome nodded.

"One…two…three…four…five…six… ;seven…eight-"

>RUMBLERUMBLEBOOOOOOMM<

"The more numbers, the further away the storm," Sesshoumaru explained. "Now you try."

Kagome flinched, but began counting at the next flash. "One…two…three…four…five…six…seven̷ 0;eight…nine-"

>BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!!<

"It's moving farther away!" Kagome whispered excitedly. Sesshoumaru nodded. "It is. Now wait for the next one." He gently pushed her head back to his chest and smoothed her hair as she breathed her count again. She made it all the way to ten the next time, her light puffs of breath dancing across Sesshoumaru's naked skin. She relaxed little by little, her eyelids drooping and her heartbeat slowing until she was fast asleep.

Sesshoumaru shifted underneath her, moving her body so that she lay comfortably between his legs as he looked down on her. 'I'm becoming entirely too soft when it comes to her,' he thought with disgust as he remembered his earlier actions toward her in the courtyard. 'She is but a mere ningen, yet I cannot stop myself from being gentle with her. I should have never considered the idea of taking her home for a visit. I should ignore Father entirely and be done with it.'

'But smile that lit her face was most endearing,' Sesshoumaru's conscious reminded him. 'And no one else since your mother has ever touched you in such a way.'

'Perhaps, but such actions are not allowed,' Sesshoumaru thought as he traced a finger down the braid in the back of her head. It started a little away from her forehead and trailed completely down her back to brush against the back of her thighs.

'You yourself told her that she could take certain liberties with your person without asking…'

'Yes, I remember that, but some things-'

'Just stop,' his conscious sighed crossly. 'Stop trying to be angry at something you're not. You've never been one to lie to yourself Sesshoumaru, so don't start now.'

'I've never been one to talk to myself either, but here we are,' Sesshoumaru thought sardonically as his thumb traced circular patterns underneath the armlet on Kagome's left arm. He sat for a while, deciding that he did in fact enjoy this little time spent with her. It also pleased him to know that, despite her and Inuyasha's closeness, she still sought him out in times such as these. "Come now little princess," Sesshoumaru whispered as he swung his legs off the side of the bed. "It's time you were in your own bed."

He positioned Kagome in his lap, ignoring the way his hunter green sleeping pants crumpled beneath her faint weight before picking her up and carrying her out of the room. He nudged the doors open and closed with his tail, then used it to push the covers on Kagome's futon back before lying her down. He re-tucked her in then sat down beside her and sighed. 'You are more trouble than you seem,' he thought with an amused smirk.

'It is too bad that I do not get to spend more time with you. It would be interesting to see how you react in certain situations. You seem to be growing as well, becoming more of a woman and less of a child every time I see you yet your innocence still remains. How remarkable.'

'Thunder storms are always bad!' Sesshoumaru remembered her saying as he brushed aside a stray hair. 'Something bad always happens!'

"Nothing bad will happen," Sesshoumaru whispered as he pressed a petal soft kiss to her forehead. "Not so long as you belong to me. Sleep well beautiful one." He stood and left the room, and was just closing the door when InuTaishou appeared beside him.

"Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou greeted, his brow raised suspiciously.

"Father," Sesshoumaru responded dryly.

"What has happened?" InuTaishou asked, his keen senses picking up the old scents of Kagome's panic and fear.

"It would seem that she does not favor storms," Sesshoumaru answered while flicking a infinitesimal piece of lint from underneath his claws. "She came to my room for help and I'm returning her."

"Oh, I see. Well then," InuTaishou turned serious immediately, his eyes glittering brightly in the dark hallway. "We have a problem Sesshoumaru."

"A problem of what kind?" Sesshoumaru asked. InuTaishou silently beaconed for Sesshoumaru to follow, leading Sesshoumaru away from the eastern part of the castle to the second floor of the southern wing.

Sesshoumaru entered a conference-like room first, with InuTaishou walking in behind him. Kilik, Keni'Chi, Inuyasha and Nassirudden all sat at the long rectangular table in the center of the room, each in various states of weariness. Inuyasha, Kilik and Keni'Chi were in the same state of undress as Sesshoumaru, in varying colors of sleeping pants as they all stared at Nassirudden. She sat with her forehead pressed against the table, wearing a violet pair of sleeping pants and a thin white haori. Her hair, normally so tame and polished, stood around her head as if she shocked herself.

"Man, I was having a really good dream," she mumbled to the table surface. "It was me and this guy named Hugh Jackman, and he wasn't wearing a shirt. It was a great dream."

She squeaked in surprise when Inuyasha's fist slammed down on the table, then frowned as the others laughed at her. "Ha ha, very funny," she growled before reaching over and grasping Inuyasha's hand. He jumped next, his hair sticking out on end like a cotton ball as the others laughter merely grew.

"There are more important things to address than this foolishness," Sesshoumaru said with a scowl, inwardly wondering what made his father promote this set of screw-offs to the grand general position. Nassi blushed in embarrassment as her fellow comrades calmed down.

"Gomen Sesshoumaru-sama," she replied. Sesshoumaru brushed the apology aside. "Why are we here?" he asked. Kilik stood, opened a door to a smaller sitting room and stepped aside as a hawk youkai stepped into the room. He and Kilik were the same height, with glowing yellow eyes as water dripped from his dark brown hair and wings. He was dressed all in black from his boots to his pants, tunic, and cape with a sleeveless forest green surcoat with a black Star of David on his chest.

He bowed to Sesshoumaru and InuTaishou as they sat down at opposite ends of the table. "Forgive me for disturbing your rest on such a night, but my lord requested haste."

"You're from the south aren't you?" Inuyasha asked, his finger pointing at the sopping wet messenger. "One of Hiroshi-san's servants."

"Hai, my lord. I am. My name is Saki," the messenger responded with a bow.

"What purpose do you have here?" Sesshoumaru questioned. Saki reached underneath the cape, pulled out a pair of scrolls and spread them in the middle of the table.

"These are the maps a sentry drew over the course of three nights," Saki explained as Sesshoumaru and the others leaned in for a closer look. "Here," he pointed to a large black dot on the map on the right. "Shows the position of the Dark Army as the crossed the Southeastern border into the Southern Providences. The map on the left shows the Dark Army as they were this morning. Their speed is exceptional and at this rate they'll be upon the Southern Citadel in less than three days, not including today."

"So how can we be of assistance?" InuTaishou asked as Inuyasha and the others studied the map.

"We are in need of your help InuTaishou-sama. Over half of our troops are training overseas and-"

"You mean to tell me," Sesshoumaru interrupted coldly. "That Hiroshi-san allowed half of his army to leave during a war?" He shook his head at Saki's nod, as did InuTaishou and Inuyasha.

"We should leave Hiroshi-san to his folly," Sesshoumaru growled. "After all, he should know better than to do something so foolish at a time such as this. However," Sesshoumaru said at Saki's crestfallen look. "He is an ally and we should help him in his time of need. What do you think Father?"

"I agree with you Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou admitted. "We will discuss our next course of action Saki. If you don't mind waiting in the other room."

"Of course," Saki said with a bow, then returned to the sitting room. Sesshoumaru immediately grasped the most recent map of the southern lands, eying it for a moment and frowning at the poor quality before setting it back on the tabletop.

"What do you think we should do?" Keni'Chi asked InuTaishou.

"It's obvious that Hiroshi-san needs our help," InuTaishou began. "So we shall give it. We shall take two thirds of the army with us and leave the remaining third and one of you generals here to protect the castle in case of danger."

"Alright, that sounds like a plan," Inuyasha replied with a nod. "So which one of the three get to stay here?"

"I planned on leaving that to Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou answered as he looked at his eldest. "Who do you think should stay here?"

Sesshoumaru immediately immersed himself in thought, his back leaning against the cool wood of the chair as he glanced over each general.

'All three should go, and Inuyasha stay in case of attack,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. 'But Father has decided against that, and it would be rude to go against his decision. So that leaves the kencho, the kitsune and Kilik. The kencho's lightening attacks could be useful, since they span both a short and long radius and are extremely powerful. The kit's ice and water attacks would be useful as well, as would Kilik's innate power. Keni'Chi's attacks are better suited for protecting a large area, such as if the castle defenses fail. Kilik's abilities make him the most suited for defeating an army.'

"Kilik, Nassirudden, prepare the troops. We leave at first light."

Nassi and Kilik stood and bowed immediately before leaving the room. Sesshoumaru turned to Keni'Chi with an inward sigh. "Keni'Chi, inform those that are staying of their positions. You are to continue with Kagome's lessons while we are away."

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," Keni'Chi answered as he too bowed and left the room. InuTaishou left to speak to the southern messenger, leaving Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to themselves. "Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru spoke after a moment's silence. "I suggest you prepare. Wear your fire rat gi. I think you will need it."

"Hai Sesshoumaru. See you at the Outer Gate."

Sesshoumaru waited until he was alone to sigh to himself, propping his elbow on the table and resting his forehead in the palm of his hand. 'To arrive, only to have to leave once again,' he sighed. 'Maybe I should step aside, allow Father to be Great Tai and Inuyasha to inherit the West.'

*

Kagome awoke to a bright, sunny morning complete with birds chirping away outside her window. 'Such a beautiful morning,' she thought to herself as she sat up in bed and peered out the window. The sun shone merrily in the cloudless sky, all traces of the storm from last night gone with the exception of a slightly wet scent in the air.

Kagome quickly ate her breakfast, washed up and dressed before running toward the dojo where she knew Nassi would be waiting to begin her morning lessons. She opened the door to the dojo in a hurry, huffing slightly from her exertion as she bowed in apology. "Gomen Nassi. I don't mean to be late."

"You're not late," Keni'Chi answered and smiled at Kagome's confusion. "Nassi and the others left late last night to handle something. They should be back in a couple of days."

"Inuyasha left too?" Kagome asked while Keni'Chi tossed her a spear. He nodded. "Yup, everyone left. Sesshoumaru-dono, InuTaishou-sama, everyone. There's only a handful of us left to protect the castle."

"Oh."

Keni'Chi smiled sympathetically and draped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. They should be back soon. As a matter of fact, I'm sure it won't take them longer than a few days to come back. You'll see. Until then, we can spar, and I'll teach the night classes. Oh, and we can harass the cooks too."

Kagome smiled back and shook her head. "Alright then Keni'Chi-chan. If you say so. Now let's get started."

"Now that's my girl" Keni'Chi responded with a smile. "Let's see… I believe we should start with you on a long range weapon and myself with a mid range. Where's the nearest bokken?"

Kagome sighed sadly as Keni'Chi searched the room, the only thought on her mind

'He's gone again…'

*

"When did you say they would be back again?" Kagome asked during her evening lessons. Keni'Chi turned away from the bookshelf in front of him and frowned.

"It's only been two day's Kagome," he told her. "I do imagine that they're just arriving in the southern territory and are setting up camp as we speak."

"Oh." Kagome propped her elbows on her desk and set her chin in the palm of her hands. "OK then."

"I have something new to teach you today," Keni'Chi said with a grin. "It's the line up of the military."

"Wow," Kagome drawled dryly. "How interesting."

"It is," Keni'Chi agreed, either unaware or ignoring the sarcasm in Kagome's voice. "You see, every army in Japan is exactly alike."

"Yippee…"

"Just pretend that you're interested, alright Kagome."

"Gomen Keni'Chi-chan. Sure, I'll try harder."

"Thank you. Now as I was saying; the basic military structure looks like this…" He rolled what looked to be a chalkboard to the front of the room and began to draw a pyramid. "At the bottom of the pyramid are the infantrymen, which are divided into four groups. Those groups are the land, water, air and underground sections. Each section is divided into companies, with four commanders over all the companies in that section."

Kagome yawned as he drew the sections beneath the word.

"Above them are the officers, which are also divided into four sections. There are three Lts. per section who answer to two cols. of the same section. Those eight officers report to the four grand generals."

"Four?" Kagome asked, coming out of her boredom-induced stupor. "Did you say four? But there are only three of you."

"Right, there are. We haven't appointed another general yet," Keni'Chi answered sheepishly. "But we're planning on it. Now," he erased the chalkboard quickly, replacing the pyramid with the word 'water'. "Let's go into depth with this shall we?"

'Oh no,' Kagome groaned as Keni'Chi droned on and on in her mind's background. 'This is so boring. I can't wait for the others to get back.'

*

Sesshoumaru stood deep within the woods of the southern providence, his mind elsewhere as he allowed his senses to search the area. 'The kencho should return any moment,' he thought to himself as Inuyasha and InuTaishou stood beside him.

"Is Nassi back yet?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, not yet."

"What could be taking her so long?" InuTaishou asked as the wind kicked up around them. "It's not like her to be so-"

He stopped at a bird call in the distance, all three inu youkai turning as a large hawk landed in front of them. It transformed immediately, revealing a humanoid form with black wings tipped in brown, black hair, lime green eyes and a black Star of David on his right cheek.

"Thank you for coming Sesshoumaru-sama, InuTaishou-san," Hiroshi greeted. "I do not know what I would have done had you refused."

'Lost your country, bakayarou,' Sesshoumaru quipped to himself as he and the Southern tai exchanged greetings. "Your thanks are not necessary."

"What word have you received from your scout?" Hiroshi asked. Inuyasha scowled. "She hasn't arrived yet."

"What of your troops?" InuTaishou inquired. "When are they arriving?"

"They are already at the campsite," Hiroshi answered before looking up. "Someone's coming."

Sesshoumaru looked up as well, his nose already catching the familiar scent as Nassi landed before them. She was dressed in a dark, charcoal gray outfit that resembled her training gi, with shoulder armor with the western symbol stamped in gold. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, with the ribbon that covered her forehead weaved into the braid itself. She bowed before the three then followed them back to camp and a tent in the center of the encampment.

Nassi stood at one end of the table, with Inuyasha and Kilik beside her with the others on opposite ends as she reached around the pair of short ninja swords strapped to her back for a rolled up scroll.

****

SF: For those that care, Nassi's battle uniform is Taki's from 'Soul Caliber'. Everyone else (she's practically the only girl) is dressed like Mitsirugi from the same game.

****

She unrolled the scroll on the surface of the table, revealing a well drawn map for the others to see. "Here," she began, pointing to a certain part of it and saying, "This is us. This area over there," she pointed to a clearing in the map drawing. "Is the clearing where the Dark Army is camping."

"What can you tell us about the area?" InuTaishou asked.

"For one, it's a clear, open area. These guys obviously don't know how to avoid the enemy, or they're trying to lure us into a trap. Behind their camp are mountains, big ones, and around it on three sides are the woods we're hiding in."

"What about the army themselves?" Sesshoumaru asked. "How many are there?"

Nassi thought a moment, her right thumbnail reaching over to scratch the inside of her left elbow before pointing to a large black spot in the middle of the map. "It's at least a good hundred thousand of them, but they're lower level youkai and oni. On a bad day, half of our army could dispatch them easily. The one that's going to prove to be a challenge is a ryuu by the name of Ryu-"

"I know that monster," InuTaishou growled deeply. Nassi and the others gave him a questioning stare, but mentally shrugged and continued.

"It's a small batch of them, nothing like the masses we've fought in the past," Nassi continued. "My only concern is one of them escaping during the attack and informing others."

"You think there are others?" Inuyasha asked. Nassi nodded. "There's just to few of them not to be. I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of them, but the army we normally fight are enough to choke out the skies. These few hundred thousand Sesshoumaru-sama could take on himself if he truly wanted to. It gives cause to be suspicious."

"I find myself agreeing with her," Sesshoumaru admitted as he studied the map. "If her deductions are correct, then we should make sure our strike is a surprise, and that none are left alive."

"Then what would you suggest Sesshoumaru?" InuTaishou asked, figuring that those extra strategy charts Sesshoumaru studied before leaving for the Northern kingdom would give him some idea.

"We should attack from all sides," Sesshoumaru replied as he turned the map to him. "Instead of attacking from the east or west of their camp, we'll attack from all three directions. We could start with an attack on the southern part of their camp, then attack from the east and the west when appropriate."

"I like this plan Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou approved with a smirk. "And since no one has offered a better one, I think we should go with that. We'll split our forces into thirds-"

"What's with the thirds?" Inuyasha groaned while InuTaishou explained.

"Nassi and Sesshoumaru should control the eastern part of the attack. Inuyasha and Kilik will control the western part and Hiroshi and I will lead the first attack."

"Why should your generals lead my army?" Hiroshi demanded. Sesshoumaru frowned. "Because you're army is being supported by ours. You should thank us for allowing you to participate instead of sending you and your paltry excuse for a defense home."

"Sesshoumaru," InuTaishou reprimanded, but was quieted by Hiroshi's quiet ascension. "He's right," Hiroshi admitted. "I have not been hospitable. Forgive me. We will go along with your plan InuTaishou-san."

"Very well then. I suggest that we all inform the troops of our decision and of who they'll be following. We will begin in the morning, before the first light of day," Sesshoumaru said in dismissal. "Nassirudden, I wish to speak to you privately."

Nassi stayed where she was on the other side of the table, waiting until everyone else left before looking up at him. "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"This map is like nothing I've ever seen. Tell me," Sesshoumaru looked from her to the map and back again. "Who taught you to draw so efficiently?"

"My uncle," Nassi admitted with a blush. "He drew the best maps, and the few moments I spent with him he taught me how as well."

"I would like to meet your uncle," Sesshoumaru told her. "But for now, I wish for you to teach me the same skill. We will start upon our return."

"Of course Sesshoumaru-sama," Nassi replied as he left her alone in the tent. 'As if I don't have enough on my plate,' she groaned to herself as she studied the map. 'And he wants to meet my uncle.' She giggled quietly to herself, using her hand to cover her amused smile.

'I suppose he will, in a few hundred years.'

*

"Nassirudden will give the call at first light," Sesshoumaru told the others in the wee hours of the morning. "On her first one, the first battalion attacks. On her second, the rest of us will go forth. Is this understood?"

Everyone else nodded, and soon they separated into their individual companies. Sesshoumaru and Nassi sat hidden in a thicket near the Dark Army's camp. The sun rose over the mountains, and at the first ray of light Nassi sounded the call. She and Sesshoumaru watched the madness that began instantly as InuTaishou and Hiroshi led their troops down the hill and out of the forest to the Dark Army, their weapons brandished and ready.

'It would figure that Father would attack the hardest one,' Sesshoumaru thought as he watched InuTaishou charge the large gray ryuu in the center of the camp. InuTaishou seemed to become nothing more than a gray speck of light as he attacked the ryuu, the blade of his sword shining in the morning sunlight.

Yet something seemed to be bothering him, some sixth sense nagging at the back of his brain as he watched the battle. "We will not me moving on the second call," he told Nassi after a few seconds of thought. "Inform the others and come back."

She was back and kneeling by his side in minutes, her hand resting on his shoulder to inform him of her presence. "All is ready Sesshoumaru-sama," Nassi whispered as they watched the fighting below. "Everything waits on your word."

"Make the second call," he ordered, quickly covering his ears as Nassi's deafening screech pierced the rapidly warming air. Inuyasha, Kilik and their battalion emerged from west of the Dark Army moments afterward, Inuyasha's loud battle cry echoing throughout the forest.

"When will he learn not to do that?" Nassi groaned as she and Sesshoumaru winced at the sound. "Now what Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Now we wait." 'But for what?' he asked himself as he watched the battle rage on without him. 'I am no coward, yet there's something telling me to stay here. What could it b-'

Sesshoumaru turned at the sound of metal singing against a sheath and found Nassi standing, one hand at the blade handle strapped to her left side with her right hand armed and ready. "We have company," she growled, her fangs lengthening slightly as she glared up. Sesshoumaru stood and unsheathed Toukijin as hundreds of dark youkai rained down on them, the battle below forgotten as Sesshoumaru blocked the claws of a spider oni.

"We are so screwed," he heard Nassi say before the battle began and the first clash of sword against sword rang in his ears.

*

>BAMBAMBMABAM!<

"Kagome-san! Kagome-san, please wake up!"

Kagome moaned groggily, one eye cracking open to glare at the door. "Go away," Kagome groaned. "It isn't even light yet."

"Kagome-san, you must hurry! Miroku-san needs your help!"

Kagome shot up instantly, the idea of the beloved (if somewhat perverted) man being injured awakening her from her stupor. She opened her door and stepped to the side as Crystal entered her chambers, her auburn ears scarcely visible beneath her wild hair and frantic greenish yellow eyes. "What is it?" Kagome asked. "What's wrong with Miroku?"

"Miroku-san asks that you meet him at the Inner Gate immediately! He can't handle them all by himself!"

"Handle who?" Kagome asked, but Crystal disappeared before replying. Kagome dressed hurriedly, quickly buttoning up a white blouse and a blood red day skirt and tying on a pair of black shoes before running from the room and the eastern wing to the Inner Gate.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when she finally spied Miroku's purple and black robes, her heart leaping at the unexpected surprise of seeing him standing there talking to Nassi. She stood there in a gray cape, her hands deep within the folds as she nodded at something Miroku was saying before glancing up and smiling at her.

"Konichiwa Kagome," Nassi greeted. "How are you?"

"How am I?" Kagome huffed as she stopped beside them. "I'm half panicked, that's how I am! Miroku, what's the meaning of sending Crystal to my room in such a state?"

"Ah, I was hoping Crystal had found you. I need your help."

"My help," Kagome said as she followed he and Nassi through the Inner Gate. "Help with what?"

"With them."

Miroku waved a hand over the training grounds, drawing attention to the endless sea of tents that covered the area. Each tent seemed to be a makeshift infirmary, with youkai of various kinds and sized lying on the ground. The few infirmary assistants under Miroku scurried from patient to patient, each with a large leather sack slung over their shoulders.

"What happened?" Kagome whispered, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"I will leave Nassi to tell you," Miroku said as he handed Nassi a brown sack of her own. "For now, I need for you and Nassi to attend to the others on the right side of the training field. Don't worry, it's mostly cuts, bruises and a few burns. Nothing too serious, and something you can definitely handle. If you need me, I'll be on the left side of the field."

Kagome watched as he proceeded down the hill, the little brass rings on his staff jingling with each step of his right foot. "Well," Nassi began, breaking into Kagome's thoughts. "Shall we be off?"

"What happened?" Kagome asked again as she followed Nassi to the other side of the field. Nassi sighed deeply, her fatigue evident in her normally light voice.

"We were ambushed. It was supposed to be set up to trick the Southern army, but we were tricked instead. They fooled us into attacking a small part of their army, then pounced on us with the real thing when we weren't prepared. We would all have died if it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Why is that?"

"Because he kept our squadron from attacking. We were the first to see the rest of the army, so we were the first to alert attention to it. I doubt that there are any of the Southern soldiers left. They seemed too shocked to have survived for long."

"Oh." Kagome frowned thoughtfully, then sighed as she came across her first injured patient. The rest of the day; from morning until mid afternoon; went as such, with Kagome nursing the wounds of battle weary youkai and Nassi looking on and providing whatever herb she called for from the sack on her shoulder. Some youkai would protest her presence, spitting that they didn't need a 'Weak ningen wench' to care for them while others quietly took pleasure in her gentle hands, pleasant scent and soothing voice. Kagome asked each their name and their position in the army, then proceeded to relax them with questions about their families or lives outside the castle compounds. Soon every youkai on the training ground knew her name and respected the young princess that walked so fearlessly among their kind.

"Kagome," Nassi said as Kagome bandaged an injured youkai's arm. "Have you noticed something interesting about the wounds?"

Kagome thought for a second, then shook her head. "No, I haven't. Why, what have you noticed?"

"That they're not healing right," Inuyasha answered as he entered the tent. He stood in his fire rat gi, a long piece of white gauze wrapped around his forehead with a shallow cut along his cheek below his left eye. Kagome jumped up and to his side immediately, her fingers gently probing the wound like a mother hen.

"Are you alright?" she asked fearfully. Inuyasha snorted. "Keh! As if a little scratch would bother me!"

"That's ignoring the enormous gash in his forehead," Nassi added helpfully, then shrugged when Inuyasha glared at her. "What?"

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, so stop worrying. I can smell it all over you."

"As I was saying," Nassi said loud enough to regain their attention. "These wounds shouldn't be as serious as they are. I think there's something wrong with the wounds."

"Do you think it's poison?" Inuyasha inquired. "That would explain why the wounds aren't healing."

"No," Nassi replied with a shake of her head. "We would be able to smell the poison. I think its miasma."

"Wouldn't you be able to smell that too?" Kagome asked.

"Normally, but the entire Dark Army is coated in the smell of a dark, evil miasma. We'd never notice the scent until it was too late."

"I see." Kagome patched up the last bandage, then patted the youkai's hand and moved on to the next cot. A dark haired hanyou lay on the ground, the blanket beneath him blood soaked as he lay there shivering. Kagome kneeled by his side and used some water in a flask tied at her hip to wet a cloth to put over his face. She smiled when he opened his eyes, his crimson orbs unfocused for a moment before his lips pulled back in a snarl.

"Get away from me ningen," he growled, his claws extended at his right side. Kagome merely wiped away the blood and dirt from his forehead, his angry gaze bouncing off her completely. "You need help, and I'm here to give it," she told him in a voice that left no room for argument.

"I said get away from me!" the hanyou shoved her backward, a low growl ripping from his throat as Kagome caught herself with her hands. Nassi growled as Inuyasha helped Kagome to stand.

"Whether you like it or not, Kagome-san has been assigned to help you," Nassi growled to the hanyou. "So stop being an ass and let her tend to your wounds."

"I don't have to listen to you ei-"

Lightening flashed in the sky above them, Nassi's eyes lighting to a pale, silvery gray as she glared down at him. "What were you saying?"

"Nothing Nassirudden-sempai," he answered meekly, though inside his mind whirled angrily. 'How dare that disgusting female!' he growled in his mind as Kagome once again tended to his wounds. 'She can't threaten me though…her power was something to feel. The look in her eyes was wild, un-harnessed. What would it be like to tame a creature like that….'

"Are you feeling alright?"

He turned toward blue eyes, becoming lost in their concerned depths instantly as he inhaled her scent. 'Ummmmm…' He relaxed visibly underneath it, something Kagome was grateful as she continued to clean his last wound. 'This ningen, she's not like any other. She's clean, and smells so good and-'

"I'm Kagome," he heard her say. "What's your name?"

"Onigumo."

"How old are you?" Kagome inquired. Onigumo shrugged, then winced when she pressed a compress to his shoulder. "I'm so sorry about that," Kagome quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Like you could hurt me," Onigumo grumbled irritably. Kagome smiled in understanding, something Onigumo found himself quickly becoming addicted to. 'Who is this ningen? I must know…'

"All better!" Kagome chirped as she stood up. "You shouldn't move your right arm for a while, at least until it heals," Kagome told Onigumo as she passed Nassi her supplies. "Other than that, you should be able to walk around just fine, if not with some soreness. That will only last for a few days, alright?"

"Alright," Onigumo nodded. Kagome smiled back, then turned around just as InuTaishou, Keni'Chi and Kilik entered the tent.

"Good day Kagome," InuTaishou greeted. Kagome bowed to him and the others in greeting. "Good afternoon InuTaishou-sama, Keni'Chi and Kilik. What may I do for you?"

"It's not you we wish to speak with," Keni'Chi answered. "It's Nassirudden."

Nassi seemed to pale upon mentioning, her gaze nervous as well as her scent as they turned to her. "What is it? What can I do for you guys?"

"You can be still for one," InuTaishou said as Keni'Chi and Inuyasha approached her. Nassi turned to the both of them, attempting to back away in escape before Keni'Chi grabbed her. He wrapped his arms around her torso from behind, effectively pinning her arms to her sides before tightly coiling his tail around her legs like a snake.

"What are you doing?!" Nassi screeched as Inuyasha grabbed her waist and held her still while Kilik grabbed her left leg. "Let go of me!" Her eyes paled instantly, something Keni'Chi quickly remedied with a quick burst of his water technique.

"Let go! Let go!" Nassi screeched in outrage, water flying from her uniform and hair as she struggled in her captives grasp. Kagome moved to her aid but stopped when InuTaishou gently grasped her arm and held her still.

"What are they doing to her?" Kagome cried as Keni'Chi and the others forced Nassi to the ground. "Make them stop InuTaishou-sama! They're hurting her!"

"They're helping her," InuTaishou corrected gently. "Nassirudden is injured."

Kagome gasped in surprise, glancing at the youkai as Nassi attempted to buck Inuyasha from her waist and bite Keni'Chi at the same time. "Are you sure?"

"I am," InuTaishou nodded. "Nassi's leg was knocked out of place defending one of the soldiers from an attack they weren't aware of. Keni'Chi and the others are going to put it back in place."

Kagome nodded in understanding and watched as Nassi's struggles slowed to a stop, a light sheen of sweat covering her face as she glared at the males holding her. "Let. Go," she growled again.

"No way Nassi," Inuyasha replied with a shake of his head. "You should have done this earlier. Then we wouldn't be sitting her in the mud dealing with you."

"Forgive me for being such a-AAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Kagome winced at the sound, as did every other youkai near her when Inuyasha jerked down on her leg. Nassi's back bowed in agony, her entire body stiff as she screamed from the pain. They heard a pop moments before Nassi passed out.

"Oh man," Inuyasha groaned as he and Kilik relinquished their hold on the unconscious kencho. Keni'Chi gently gathered Nassi in his arms, his forehead pressed to hers as he whispered his regrets.

"Kilik, please take Nassi to her room," InuTaishou ordered, the command both for the mentioned intended and a silent one for Keni'Chi to let go of her so she could rest. Keni'Chi complied hesitantly, the instinct to protect his younger cousin battling with his sense of duty. He unwrapped his tail from her legs and watched as Kilik picked her up, briefly setting his staff on the ground before hooking an arm underneath her knees and enfolding his other arm around her shoulders before retrieving his fallen weapon and walking out of the tent. Keni'Chi watched them go for a moment, then exited the tent as well as Inuyasha stood up and sighed. "Man, I do not want to do that again. That girl is strong."

"Hai, she is. Kagome, would you like to help in the kitchen for the rest of the evening?"

"Sure InuTaishou-sama," Kagome nodded. "But why?"

"With so many soldiers to feed, I believe that Diandra is in need of some help. She and the other kitchen staff seem to be quite overloaded."

"Alright then, I'll go." She reached down, smoothed Onigumo's damp bangs from his forehead and gave him a warm smile. "I must be going. Do get better Onigumo."

"Hai Kagome-sama, I will." Onigumo looked on as she left the tent, his mind no longer on his wounds as he wondered how to make a sudden yearning a reality.

*

Kagome stopped at the kitchen entrance, her mouth agape as she watched the kitchen staff scurry about in a blind panic. She counted twenty females of various species fluttering about, scrambling to find some odd or end. Diandra stood in the middle of it all, leaning against a rectangular prepping table with her head in her hands. "Diandra?"

She looked up quickly, her warm lilac eyes seemed to smile the instant she saw Kagome's small form. "Child, am I glad to see you," she said as she pushed a frazzled olive green strand of hair out of her face. "I'm so ready to quit!"

"What can I do for you Diandra?" Kagome asked as she stood on the other side of the table. Diandra waved a frustrated hand to the world around her.

"Look at this mess." She gestured to a passing servant, who seemed to be in just a big a panic as the rest of the group. "They've been like this since this morning, each screeching on and on about the Dark Army storming the castle gates with the army so weak. I can't get them to make the kayu for the injured soldiers."

"Ew, it's not like they'll eat it anyway," Kagome grimaced. Diandra sighed. "I know. I don't know what to do."

Kagome thought in silence, her mind turning over every possible solution until a single idea blossomed in her head. "I think I have an idea."

"Well let's hear it child," Diandra replied. "I'm up for anything."

Kagome glanced around her a moment, still unbelieving at the chaos that ensued around her before clearing her throat and shouting an extremely loud

"HEY!!!!!!!"

She blushed when the entire kitchen stilled, each servant glaring at her as if she suddenly grew a third head. "Um, I have an idea as to what to feed the injured, but I can't do it alone. You guys are going to have to work together." She frowned at the disapproving whispers around her, her human hearing catching the words 'useless ningen' every now and again. "You guys could stand here," she growled angrily, her hands fisted on her hips. "and get into trouble with InuTaishou-sama-" That got her the effect she wanted, for the servants quieted and turned their full attention to her.

"That's what I thought. First off, I need a lot of boiling water. We're making a soup!"

The servants scrabbled to do as they were told, each setting fires underneath four large black cauldrons at the back of the room.

"Next, I need someone to go to Miroku-sama and get a few things from him."

"What are we to get?" a whiskered panther youkai asked shyly.

"Um…ginger, and whatever mushrooms he can spare!" Kagome answered. The panther and two other youkai scurried off, leaving Kagome and Diandra to supervise the other servants.

"What are we making?" Diandra asked Kagome as she stepped into the pantry.

"It's something I remember from my childhood," Kagome said as she grasped some carrots off the pantry shelf. "It tastes a lot better than kayu."

"Kagome-san!" the panther youkai from earlier cried as she and the others ran into the room with armfuls of ingredients. "The houshi-sama could only spare shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms."

"Great! Please chop them up for me and place them in the pots." The servants quickly went to work while the others that were previously tending the fire turned to Kagome for further instruction. "Um, please chop some vegetables. Whatever you have on hand is fine."

"What do we do with them when we finish?" Diandra asked as she began on a small sack of potatoes.

"We'll wait for the mushrooms to simmer, then toss the vegetables in with them."

"Ok," Diandra nodded in understanding. It wasn't long until the scent of the mushrooms filled the air, attracting the attention of Keni'Chi as he entered the kitchen.

"What is that?" he wondered as his nose led him to the nearest cauldron. Kagome giggled when he reached for an extra spoon and slapped his hands away. "No, it's not ready yet!" she scolded, then tossed the onions she and a neko youkai were chopping into the pot. The others around her followed suit, each tossing whatever vegetable they worked on into the simmering cauldrons. "Could you rouse the other soldiers please?" Kagome asked while taking another spoon away from the drooling male.

"Sure, why not?" Keni'Chi answered before taking his leave. "Just be sure to save me some!"

Kagome nodded with a smile and returned to the cauldrons. The servants seem to be awaiting her next orders, and they didn't have to wait long as Kagome looked around the room. "I don't think we should make them come in here to get something to eat," she mused to herself, then grabbed the nearest table and began dragging it out of the room toward the dining room. "How about we take a few tables and one of the cauldrons and set it outside. Then they wouldn't have as far to go to get to their seats."

The servants grumbled or nodded in agreement, each grabbing something and helping Kagome set up the dining room to better fit the injured army. They soon had two tables set out, with a single cauldron between them. Wooden bowls sat on either side of the tables' surfaces and a large ladle rested on one of the tables' edges.

The soldiers filed in sullenly, each wearing the bandages they received from their earlier treatment. They sniffed around warily, their eyes rounding in amazement when the unexpected scent of the soup reached their sensitive noses. They suspiciously eyed the wooden bowls as Diandre placed them in their hands and shooed them toward one of the many tables in the cafeteria. Kagome watched from inside the kitchen as each soldier sat down and began their meals. The suspicious looks melted away to happy surprise instantly, or as happy as a soldier could get in those conditions.

"They like it," Kagome whispered to the nearest servant as they peered through the kitchen doors. She nodded. "It would seem so Kagome-sama," the servant responded back. Kagome's smile widened into a grin as she watched them, their obvious pleasure at something so simple warming her heart and filling her with a joy she couldn't contain. She unknowingly released a Spirit Rose around her, the entire cafeteria basking in her warm happy feelings from the undetected ki.

Inuyasha walked in, his entire body relaxing as he spied Kagome standing in the doorway on the other side of the room. He sensed her ki, something the other youkai couldn't due to not knowing what to look for, and motioned for her to come closer to him.

"What is it Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered, careful not to disturb the atmosphere around them.

"You're tired. You've been going none-stop all day. Go relax in the hot spring, come back and get something to eat. They can eat without you watching them you know."

Kagome blushed, realizing that he was right and she was being silly. "I know. Thank you Inuyasha, for looking after me."

"What are friends for?" he quipped as he held the door open for her. "Don't take too long, or I'll come looking for you," he teased as Kagome skipped down the hallway. He shook his head at her, then turned to the cafeteria with thoughts of filling his empty stomach.

*

Kagome leaned back against the rocks of the spring, her eyes closing as she relaxed in the warm water. 'I must thank Inuyasha for suggesting this,' Kagome mused as she lounged. 'Yet I still feel as if I'm forgetting something. Let's see…' She raised her hand out of the water, frowning slightly at the pruning digits before counting off what she planned to do once she left the bathhouse.

"One: Definitely get something to eat. It wouldn't do for me to end up in the infirmary and become a hindrance to Miroku-sama. Two: Take Nassi something to eat. She should be awake soon, so she'll want something. Three:-"

She stopped when Crystal barged in the door with an enormous bucket in her hands filled with water. She trudged by Kagome, unaware of her presence as she made her way toward the wash area. She dumped the contents out, something that Kagome registered to be a watery, red liquid, and began refilling the bucket when Kagome cleared her throat.

"Ah!"

"I'm so sorry," Kagome apologized as Crystal dried the front of her apron. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You're fine Kagome-san. I should have known you were here," Crystal said sheepishly. "I suppose the blood must have blocked me from catching your scent."

"Were you cleaning the infirmary?" Kagome asked. Crystal shook her head. "No, actually I was cleaning the floor outside Sesshoumaru-sama's room. It was quite a bit of it, and it seemed to belong to him. No one's seen him all day."

Kagome paled, her face becoming ghostly white as she remembered what she'd forgotten. 'How could I?' Kagome scolded herself as she bolted from the spring. "Oh no, I can't believe I forgot about him! Quickly," she turned to Crystal, who was up and by her side before Kagome stepped foot on the cool marble. "Go to the kitchens and get a bowl of the soup the soldiers ate earlier!"

Crystal did as Kagome asked, disappearing right before her eyes as Kagome dried off and got dressed. 'How simple of me,' she chastised herself as she pulled on sapphire kimono and a pair of toed socks. 'To have forgotten about him. What if he's hurt? Crystal said no one had seen him today! What if he-'

"Here you are Kagome-san," Crystal huffed as she bounded into the room. "One bowl of soup, just as you requested. Now what?"

"Could you please take me to Sesshoumaru-sama's room?" Kagome asked. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're so much faster than I and-"

"I wouldn't mind in the least Kagome-san," Crystal replied with a bow. She made sure Kagome had a tight grip on the bowl before kneeling down and sprinting toward Sesshoumaru's wing with Kagome in tow.

*

Sesshoumaru stumbled from his washroom to his bedroom, sinking into a majestic but uncomfortable mahogany chair that sat beside his bed with a grunt. 'Utterly shameful,' he growled deeply as he glared down at his wounds. A deep slash burned from his right side to his left across his stomach, and his left arm barely hung on by a thread. 'Me, the Great Taiyoukai, bested by a lot of low-level creatures such as those.'

He remembered the last few minutes of the fight, and the undeniable blood lust he felt as he stood above the prone form of a hulking oni with fuchsia skin and horns sticking out of its back. Sesshoumaru raised Toukijin slowly, watching his mirror image in the gleam of his enemy's eyes as he held the great sword over the oni's heart. A crackle of lightening sounded over his shoulder, the hair on the back of his head standing on end due to the electric charge. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and found the smoldering remains of a low level spider youkai on the other side of an electric shield surro. He heard Nassi's call to look out seconds before his forgotten opponent tore through the armor on his torso to his stomach. Sesshoumaru leapt back and slashed off his head, but not without injury to his shoulder in the process.

'To think, that foolish kencho saved my life,' Sesshoumaru grumbled, then snarled when he heard his library door open and close. His nose, too clogged with his blood and the blood of those who fought with him, prevented him from catching the intruder's scent. Sesshoumaru hid his injured arm from view and flexed the claws of his right hand, his eyes reddening as he waited for the person to enter his private chambers.

A dark head poked its way into the door, the torch lights in the room illuminating the onyx black strands as a soft voice called out to him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

'Kagome…what is she doing here?' "Leave," Sesshoumaru growled, fully intent on scaring the girl into doing what he wanted. "Do not come any closer."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I came with something to eat. Please, if I could just set it somewhere within your reach."

Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply and waited until the blood drained from his eyes before answering her. "Come then, if you must."

Kagome padded in silently, her head bowed as she walked across the room toward him and sat a white porcelain bowl on the nightstand beside his bed. Sesshoumaru sat board straight, never moving his body away from the direction of the door as he watched her out the corner of his eye. Her slightly damp hair hung limply from the low ponytail at the base of her skull. The blue kimono she wore shimmered with hidden silver threads with a white obi tied tightly around her waist. It was then he noticed that she wasn't wearing any shoes.

"Where are your shoes?" he asked when she finally stood in front of him. Kagome glanced down in surprise, lifting one foot after the other before shrugging and giving him a confused smile. "Still at the bathhouses, I suppose."

"I see."

Kagome blushed sheepishly, then looked up at him and gasped. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're hurt!"

'Yes, I noticed,' Sesshoumaru quipped wryly as Kagome began to fret over him. "I do not need your assistance Kagome."

"But please allow me to look at it," Kagome begged as she tugged at the remains of his shirt covering his stomach. "I promise to be gentle. Please?"

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to refuse but paused at the tears shimmering in her eyes. 'She's…concerned about me.' He nodded, relenting to her wishes with a sigh. "Do as you will."

Kagome immediately rushed to the washroom, leaving Sesshoumaru to ponder his decision as she collected whatever it was she felt she needed. 'I don't see why I shouldn't allow her to look at it,' he thought as the sounds of something extremely breakable banging against something metallic rang in his ears. 'She'll faint from the sight of blood like most onna and then I can go about finding out why these wounds aren't healing as fast as they should be.'

Kagome came out the washroom seconds later, carrying a large collection of blankets and a bowl full of water. She set up her things beside Sesshoumaru while he removed the tattered remains of his haori and allowed her to look at his wounds.

Kagome kneeled between his legs, her fingers lightly brushing against the edges of the cut before looking up at him. "It's not very deep," she told him before reaching inside her obi for a small brown pouch. She cleaned the area with a scrap piece of clean cloth, cupped a powdered substance in her hands and dusted it on the wound. Sesshoumaru mentally winced but seemed more interested in the dark head between his outstretched limbs and the turn his thoughts had taken.

'Still so childlike,' Sesshoumaru mused as Kagome stood up and began dressing his stomach. She wrapped a long piece of gauze around his stomach repeatedly, her breath at moments dancing along his collarbone when she reached around his back. Sesshoumaru sat up straighter in an attempt to help, then leaned back as she inspected the stitches he used to reattach his arm.

"They're not bad," Kagome said in approval, briefly turning to flash him a bright smile before returning to his shoulder. "The stitches look really good, but you seem to have the same problem the others are having."

"What problem is that?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome dusted more of that strange powder on his shoulder. He winced this time, the stinging pain flaring hotly against his sensitized and exposed nerves. Kagome seemed to sense his pain, for she closed her eyes and softly blew on the injury. The pain stopped almost instantly, as if waiting for her to do that exact thing.

"The other soldiers seem to be having problems healing quickly as well. Nassi-sempai seems to think that it's because of some kind of poison used to control the army you fought against."

'That does make sense,' Sesshoumaru agreed as Kagome helped him to his feet and led him to the bed. 'I'm sure there was some sort of miasma designed to disable the southern army. They just were not aware that the west would be there as well. If they were to strike now, they would find both territories without the usual protection. This could be ba-'

"Are you hungry Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome asked, unknowingly interrupting his thoughts. Sesshoumaru looked down at her and found inquisitive blue eyes staring back at him. He said nothing but gracefully climbed into bed, his back propped against the wall behind him. Kagome watched him a moment, then shrugged and climbed into bed behind him. She moved the pliant taiyoukai between her legs, supporting what weight she could as she wrapped a single arm underneath his left arm and around his naked chest.

"Perhaps it would do you some good to eat," Kagome told him as Sesshoumaru shifted in a better position. He soon ended up with his back pressed to her front, with her shoulder directly behind his head. She reached to the nightstand and lifted the bowl to his attention. "It's good for you."

"What is it?" he frowned at the suspicious bowl. He sniffed it gingerly and was pleasantly surprised to find it to be some kind of broth.

"Something to help you heal," Kagome answered. Sesshoumaru cupped the bowl in his right hand, Kagome's left directly on the bowl as she helped him bring the edge to his lips.

"So long as it is not kayu," Sesshoumaru grumbled irritably. Kagome's laughter tinkled in his ear, the sound soothing and pleasant as his nose finally picked up her scent. It relaxed him immediately, as did the soup as Kagome looked on like the dutiful nurse she was. She did most of the talking, telling him about something Keni'Chi or Miroku said or did while he was away and about her day so far. It surprised Sesshoumaru that she would feel so at ease amongst his father's men, but that soon died down to amusement at her retelling of the kitchen atmosphere before dinner. Kagome didn't expect him to talk, and Sesshoumaru didn't feel the need to add anything to her commentary as he relaxed against her. He kept most of his weight on his lower body and allowed her to support enough to make her feel as if she were helping.

Kagome set the empty bowl on the nightstand, draped her other arm around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Forgive me for not being here sooner," she whispered to him. "I didn't know you were hurt."

"You were asked to do other things," Sesshoumaru mumbled as his head tipped back against her left shoulder. "and this Sesshoumaru does not need to be cuddled."

"True," Kagome yawned sleepily. "But I feel the need to cuddle you."

Sesshoumaru snorted lightly, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "I am not a pet, girl. Kagome?" He turned his head to her and found her asleep. A smile tugged at his lips at her, watching as her legs bent at his sides like little armrests. He felt no need for his blankets since Kagome and whatever it was in the soup seemed to warm him enough. He reached back and tugged the ponytail free and observed as a midnight waterfall of hair streamed down her right shoulder to his chest. The fine hairs slightly tickled his skin and he raised a lock to his nose and sniffed.

'You have been busy haven't you my little pet?' he teased as Kagome stirred in her sleep. She wrapped her arms tighter around him, as if protecting him from something as a fretful little whimper escaped her throat. Sesshoumaru patted her hands, studying the difference between the tiny digits and his elongated claws before sighing and resting against her. 'I don't see what would be so bad about her staying here for the night,' Sesshoumaru yawned as his tail coiled around him and his little 'nurse'. 'I will just have to deal with Father in the morning.' He yawned once again, a long one that Kagome would have called cute, and went to sleep.

----

SF: Well, this is kinda the jumper for the next chapter, when Kagome visits her parents.

Kagome: It introduced Naraku too.

SF: Yup, you're right! It did, didn't it? Oh well.

Inu-chan: So…what does Nassi think of me?

SF (blush) What?

Inu-chan: You heard me kencho. What does Nassi think of me?

SF: Um…I'm not telling!

Inu-chan: Why not? You practically told everyone that she worships me-

SF: No, you twit! That's not what it said!

Inu-chan: Yes it was! Come on SF! You can tell me!

Silver Fox: {::as Inu-chan and SF argue in the background::} There they go again. (sigh) Can't we all just get along.

SF/ Inu-chan: (glaring at Silver) NO!!!

Silver Fox: Thought so. Hey, did you guys know that this chapter is at least thirty pages long? SF had to cancel the Role Reversal chapter to update this so give the girl some love!

*Kayu is a watery type gruel that's made of mashed up left over rice. Can you blame them for not wanting to eat it?

Responses:

BelleDayNight: Now now. Sesshoumaru will come to his senses sooner or later. Kouga is important, and will really be a big part of the story in later chapters.

Dragonrae21 & QueenKagome: Thanks for the love! Another update should come soon!

S1Cherry: The Dark Army is a real trip. Wait until you meet their leader. Oh, but where they go seems to be random. They like causing havoc for the moment, but soon they'll organize and try to take over the providences for themselves…or for herself. Whatever the case may be.

Fireash: Lots of things will be explained, so I don't mind. That's why this chapter took so bloody long to update.

Page89: Kagome stands up to him a little in this chapter. Of course Kagome's going to kick ass! I wouldn't have it any other way! ^.~

IsisTheEgyptianPrincess: The battles themselves won't be described in detail until Kagome starts to fight. Then we'll get the really cool fight scenes that I love so much! Nope, it's not Kikyou. I have a great explanation for Kikyou in the next chapter. Kagome's still a kid in her mind, so kissing Sesshoumaru like that never really occurred to her. Of course it did him, but we tend to ignore the perverted thoughts of men. Guess what I found out? I can't draw either. (sigh)