InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Kiss for A Prince ❯ To Go Back From Whence We Came ( Chapter 10 )

Yup, this is a reposting. Akuma_river at Mediaminer noticed a tiny but important mistake that we didn't. Thanks a lot! Check's in the mail!

Chapter Ten: To Go Back from Whence We Came

Sesshoumaru sat in the balcony bleachers overlooking the second dojo, watching Kagome from the darkness as she prepared for the day ahead. She stretched in the middle of the black and white yin/yang symbol on the floor, completely unaware of Sesshoumaru's presence as he looked on and allowed his mind to drift to the previous month.

*

The injuries sustained to two-thirds of the army, including Sesshoumaru, were grievous enough to give InuTaishou and Miroku alarm. To Miroku's estimates, the miasma deep within the wounds was indeed slowing down the healing process to the point where youkai near Sesshoumaru's strength would take two weeks to heal, whereas those lesser than him would take a month to a month and a half. InuTaishou and the Grand Generals prepared themselves for a difficult time with the remaining healthy part of the army.

To their surprise, the entire army was back on their feet in two weeks with Sesshoumaru's nearly severed left arm healing in less than a week. Miroku stood completely dumbfounded as to why until he did a little research. He found that the soldiers' diet wasn't the one he prescribed, but consisted mainly of the soup Kagome first served the day they returned. Miroku learned from Kagome that the soup was something her mother served to soldiers returning with battle wounds, and a closer study of the ingredients found that each contained powerful healing properties. Apart, they would have been more than enough for a ningen, but together they created a powerful brew that not only was palatable, but conducive to youkai medicine.

Kagome studies were put on hold as she helped out with the army's recovery. She woke ad dawn to help Miroku in the infirmary until dinner, where she'd immediately report to the kitchen to help cook. Afterward she'd take a quick bath and assist Sesshoumaru, always managing to fall asleep in his room only to do it all the next day. Her lack of self-preservation went unnoticed until the last day of the two weeks when she fainted in the main hallway of the northern wing.

Inuyasha's rants about her foolishness could be heard throughout the castle and it wasn't long until Kagome awoke in the infirmary with Inuyasha, the generals, and nearly the entire castle hovering over her.

"I goofed didn't I?" she murmured, a sheepish blush on her cheeks as the others looked on.

*

'She never ceases to amaze me,' Sesshoumaru thought as the object of his musings continued her stretching. 'Who other than a ningen onna would forget to take care of herself in such a way.'

Below, Kagome bounced on the balls of her feet for a few minutes, then slowly bent herself backward until her hands lay flat on the ground. She lifted her legs until she stood in a handstand and turned around before lowering her feet back to the ground as Nassi, Kilik and Keni'Chi entered the room.

"Good morning Kagome," Nassi called as Kilik and Keni'Chi crossed the yin/yang to the other side of the dojo. "How was your night?"

"Eventless," Kagome said with a smile. "And yours?"

"Don't get her started," Keni'Chi interrupted before Nassi could respond. "I swear, if I have to hear about her crazy dream it'll be a very bad morning."

"But Keni'Chi-"

"No!" he growled. Nassi pouted and stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine. Be that way then."

"Have I missed anything?" Inuyasha asked as he too walked into the dojo with a bokken in hand. Nassi shook her head. "Nope, we're just getting started."

He stepped back at her cheerfulness and stared in disbelief before leaning toward Keni'Chi. "Another dream, eh?"

"Don't get her started," Keni'Chi grumbled as he walked past. Nassi snorted in insult. "Well forget you guys then. Kagome, are you ready to get started?"

"I am," Kagome nodded.

"Good. Kilik, will you get us started please?"

"It would be my pleasure," he said before clearing his throat. Sesshoumaru chose to drown out Kilik's little speech, having heard it once before as he mentally reviewed yesterday's lesson with InuTaishou.

"You're to defend yourself from us using all four types of techniques," Kilik explained as Kagome paid attention. "You will start off with basic hand-to-hand defenses and switch off depending on what weapon you come across first. All weapons are on various parts of the floor, so watch out for them."

"What's my signal to stop?" Kagome asked. Keni'Chi gestured to the nunchakus in his hand and blew on them. They froze over instantly, and Kagome observed as little icicles formed on the ends of the sticks and hung from the chain in his hand.

"Once your weapon freezes over, you're finished," Keni'Chi informed her with a smile. "Are you sure you're ready?"

"Hai."

"Then let's begin!"

Inuyasha leapt forward first, his bokken slicing through the air toward her in a vertical attack. Kagome blocked with her right forearm, the clang against her armguards abusive to her ears as she backed up and away from him. Inuyasha struck again, this time attempting a horizontal strike to her stomach. Kagome jumped back and rolled forward and to a staff lying on the ground.

Kagome picked it up just as Inuyasha swooped down on her and raised the bo between them in defense. He angrily tossed the bokken aside in a huff and resorted to his claws, his sharp nails tearing and splintering the wood from the shaft. Kagome squinted as splinters rained down on her and waited for a pause in Inuyasha's attack. When he did she used her feet to shove him away from her, stood up and waited for his next assault. Inuyasha closed his eyes, bowed his head and stepped back.

Kagome started to smile, but ducked instead as Kilik began his part of the test. Kagome twisted aside just as the end of his staff blurred in front of her, then ducked when he swung it toward her head. She blocked his next attack and retreated toward the northern part of the dojo. She blocked each strike effectively, something she was extremely proud of when she found the sheath of an extremely long katana. Kagome dropped the staff and unsheathed the katana, crossed her right elbow to her left breast and twisted the sword downward, effectively blocking Kilik's next move.

Kilik stepped back and aside, a sure sign he was finished as Kagome used her six senses to search the air around her. She realized too late who her next opponent was when a pair of nunchaku wrapped around her ankle and jerked her foot out from underneath her. She dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, the breath leaving her lungs in a whoosh as her eyes snapped closed. She struggled to open them and rolled to the side as Keni'Chi pounced, the end of his nunchaku cracking against the floor where her head once was.

She grimaced lightly and dodged as he charged toward her again, managing to bend herself backward and flip out of the way when his nunchaku swiped the air in front of her face. She stepped to the side and behind him when he tried to strike her again and ran when he turned to her, his face contorted in anger.

Kagome turned back, stopped near the eastern part of the dojo, and blocked Keni'Chi's attempt to grasp her leg with a graceful swipe of her sword. She knocked the blunt side of the blade against the back of his knees and chuckled when he yelped out in surprise. Kagome jumped up to avoid his tail as it struggled to find purchase around her ankle, but couldn't avoid the set of tonfas on the floor.

Her left foot rolled out from under her and she squeaked in surprise, her downward descent lurching her out of Keni'Chi's strike zone and the katana from her hands as she fell to the floor. Kagome quickly grasped a tonfa by the handle and raised it just as Keni'Chi swung down. The wooden weapons rebounded off each other with a deafening clunk, both Keni'Chi and Kagome wincing as the abrasive sound echoed throughout the room before Keni'Chi leaped back and conceded.

He stepped back to join the others, leaving Kagome in the center of the dojo floor. Kagome stood up slowly, warily eying the others as she gripped both tonfas in her hands. "Are we finish-"

She gasped when a powerful youki made itself known, and Kagome dove forward and rolled out the way just as InuTaishou's sai sliced though the air where her head once was. Kagome quickly threw up her weapons in defense but every blow received left her confused and spinning, and it only worsened when her arm began burning underneath her gloves.

She turned and ran, and was quickly stopped when he grasped her braid and jerked her backward. She cried out in surprise, her hands automatically going toward her hair before thinking better of it. He shoved her aside and shook his head.

"You run well Kagome," InuTaishou growled disapprovingly, his eyes glowing a bright, polished gold. "And though that trait is useful, it will not be enough here."

Kagome flinched when he charged toward her, all the emotion that was previously there completely erased from existence. 'I can't dodge this,' she told herself as she instinctively crouched lower to the floor. 'I can't run either. He'd only catch me, and I won't pass if he touches me again.' She searched for any way to avoid or block him and found none, but did find an opening…

His stomach.

'All I have to do,' she growled to herself as she flexed her fingers along the tonfa handles. 'That's all I

have to do…'

She waited until the last possible second to jump forward, her right arm swung back as her left protected her face. InuTaishou paused in surprise, then completely stopped when she landed before him and struck her right tonfa across his stomach. Kagome used his surprise to her advantage, not waiting a second longer to roll between his open legs and rise to her feet behind him.

Kagome's breath came in heavy pants and gasps as she stood waiting, crouching down with her left tonfa between her palm and the floor below as her right hand swung it's tonfa away from her forearm and out like a small sword. InuTaishou turned to her slowly, his head lowered and his sai at his side.

Kagome stood slowly and braced herself for attack when a cold breeze drifted past her. She gasped when her weapon froze, watching as the little icicles on the ends of the tonfas broke off when she dropped them.

"Am I done? Did I pass?" she asked. The others circled around her as InuTaishou stilled, each with a small smile on their faces.

"I don't know," Nassi admitted. "Inuyasha, you're first."

"For one, you're damned frustrating," he grumbled, then smirked when the generals snickered around him. "But you're good, I'll give you that. I pass you."

"I agree with Inuyasha for once," Keni'Chi smirked. "I wonder if there's a kitsune trapped inside you somewhere. I pass you."

"Me too," Kilik offered. "Though you're bo work wasn't the strongest, it was acceptable. You'll get better once you learn the strikes. I pass you."

"I pass you too," Nassi said next. "And not for all things but for one thing. The katana you used was specially made for a giraffe youkai. You wielded it to the best of your ability. That's what I was impressed with. What about you InuTaishou-sama?"

"You've done well, Kagome," InuTaishou praised softly. "But what I fail to understand is this: Why did you strike me? That is not part of defense."

"It's not, but Father once said that sometimes the best defense is a good offense."

"True, true," InuTaishou chuckled good naturedly. "I pass you as well young one."

"Really? So it's over?"

"Yup," Keni'Chi nodded. "It's over."

Kagome flopped to the floor and breathed a sigh of relief as the others laughed around her.

**

"Come on Kagome!" Inuyasha grumbled as he practically dragged her down the hallway. "We're going to be late for evening lessons!"

Kagome said nothing, merely allowing herself to be towed along, her cherry pink silk skirts making a slight hissing sound along the marble tiles. She kept her head lowered, her eyes downcast and the occasional sniffle came from her direction. Inuyasha groaned to himself and stopped, jerked her to her feet and hollered, "What's the matter with you, eh? Do you want to hear Nassi's mouth because you can't-" He stopped when Kagome whimpered, her eyes still down as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh bleeding saints," he grumbled soothingly. "What 'cha cryin' for?" He sat down in the middle of the hallway, ignoring the servants that passed by as he pulled her along with him. "Who did it? Who do I have to beat up, because you know I'll do it."

"I don't think you'd want to beat up Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome replied with a watery giggle. Inuyasha snorted in disagreement. "That's what you think. Now what's up?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama promised to take me home if I passed my defensive training," Kagome began meekly. "It's been four days since then, and he hasn't said a word about it. Do you think-" she sniffed again and another large tear streamed down her face.

"You don't think he's forgotten…do you?"

"Nah, I don't think so," Inuyasha shook his head as he fished a handkerchief out of his haori to dry her face. "One thing you've got to know about Sesshoumaru is that he doesn't forget easy. "

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Inuyasha huffed as he stood up and helped Kagome to her feet. "Now can we get to class? I can imagine Nassi's mouth if we're late."

Kagome smiled and nodded, and together they proceeded down the hallway to the royal library. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at her, watching as her slightly curled hair bounced with every step before remembering something.

"Hey, I forgot something."

"What?" Kagome asked as they slowed down. "What did you forget?"

"Just to tell you something Remus noticed the other day." Inuyasha continued walking as he talked, waiting a few moments to make sure Kagome was listening before continuing. "He asked why you weren't being trained like a human. I told him I didn't know what he was talking about at the time, but after thinking about it I realized that he was right."

"Then how am I being trained?" Kagome asked as they turned onto the main northern hallway.

"You're being trained like a pup. See, youkai aren't born knowing how to fight. We're born with a base survival instinct, but by itself it'll get you killed. So at a certain age youkai pups start training in four fields. You have to pass those four fields to go on. You've already passed defensive, so next should be offensive, another field and the 'technique' that you and Father are working on."

"What happens after I pass the four fields?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha opened the throne room doors.

"Well, there's the Youkai Tr-"

"Hey you two!" Keni'Chi shouted from the library above. "Come on! You're going to be late! I'm teaching today!"

'Oh no,' Kagome groaned mentally as she and Inuyasha ascended the stares. 'Not again.'

'What?' Inuyasha asked. 'What's wrong with Keni'Chi teaching? I thought this would be his first time.'

'No, he taught me military formation and strategy while you guys were gone. Let's say that I studied the back of my eyelids instead.'

Inuyasha guffawed out loud, barely making his seat behind his desk as the generals looked at him strangely. "What's wrong with him?" Keni'Chi asked as Kagome sat down beside the giggling hanyou. Kagome merely shrugged. "I haven't a clue."

"Oh. Oh well then. Shut up and sit down Inu-san so we can get started."

"Yeah," Inuyasha wheezed. "Whatever."

"Good," Keni'Chi said when all was finally quiet. "Nassi should be here any-oh, here she is." He gestured for her to stand beside him, then moved behind her as he began the day's instruction.

"Today's lesson is on marks. Inuyasha, you may already know this, but I still expect for you to pay attention."

"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Anyway, Nassi's agreed to help me with the demonstration, so be sure to pay attention." Kagome stifled a yawn as she admired Nassi's dress. It wasn't much different from hers, dyed a pastel blue with the same sweeping skirts. The only difference was Nassi's dress was a bandeau top, leaving everything from her collarbone up exposed. She had a black lace shawl draped loosely around her shoulders and her hair up in a braided bun.

"OK, like I said," Keni'Chi began. "Today's lesson is on marks. Marks are made when a youkai bites something or someone with the intention of leaving behind his signature scent, which can be found in the bite's puncture wounds. Mostly all youkai can leave marks, including fish youkai."

"How so?" Kagome interjected. "Fish don't have teeth."

"They grow them for a short time," Inuyasha replied before Keni'Chi could speak up. He yawned, slumped down in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest as if the very act of speaking was more labor than it was worth. "They're youki senses the intent and creates a set of fangs. They fall out once they've done their purpose."

"Thanks Inuyasha," Keni'Chi grumbled as Kagome nodded in understanding. "Now if you don't mind, can I finish or would you like to teach the lesson."

"Nah, not today," Inuyasha said with a shake of his head. "Keep going."

"Thanks, Inuyasha-sama," Keni'Chi smirked sarcastically. "Now, there are four types of marks. Kilik, you should pay attention to this too," he said to Kilik as he reclined against a bookshelf. "The first mark appears here," he tapped the front of Nassi's right shoulder, directly below her collarbone.

"This mark is the mark of a slave, and is used to prevent disputes and the accidental killing of another's property. On the same shoulder, but on the back-" Keni'Chi turned Nassi around and tapped the back of her right shoulder. "Is where a mate mark would be-"

"Why is it on the same side as the slave mark?" Kagome asked. "Is it supposed to mean something?"

Keni'Chi and Nassi exchanged glanced for a second, and then shrugged. "I don't think so," Keni'Chi answered. "As far as I know of, it's just where youkai law decrees it to be."

"Oh, ok then."

"Now, on the left shoulder on the front side-" he spun Nassi around without warning, and had to keep her from losing her balance before continuing. "Is where the mark of an adopted child would be. It would carry the scent of the adopted parent the way it would if the pup were blood. This too would keep down disputes and accidental killing of the pup. The other side-" Keni'Chi spun Nassi around once again, this time managing to avoid her hand as she reached back to swat him upside the head.

"is an adopted mark as well, except this one marks the pup as an heir to the family. This mark would determine what order the adopted pup is in the family line, depending on what providence you reside in. This mark would also, if made by someone of a royal line, determine whether or not the adopted pup would have a chance at inheriting the kingdom."

"It's kinda like if Keni'Chi were adopted by the southern tai, then he would have a mark on his shoulder in the shape of a star, like the mark on Hiroshi-dono's forehead," Nassi explained as she looked over her shoulder. Kagome blinked wearily, then stopped as something on Nassi's shoulder caught her attention. Kagome leaned forward to study if further when she felt a powerful aura enter the library.

She froze instantly, her alarm putting Inuyasha on guard. 'What is it?' Inuyasha asked as Kagome studied the approaching aura. 'What are you sensing?'

'It's someone's aura, laced with cold indifference and vague curiosity.'

"Oh, that's Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said out loud. "He's always like that."

The generals gave him a questioning stare, then gawked outright as Sesshoumaru stepped past the last stair to the library.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked as the generals gawked at him. They regained themselves quickly and bowed.

"No, not at all Sesshoumaru-dono," Kilik responded as they straightened themselves. "What brings you to us?"

Sesshoumaru ignored the lesson, glancing instead from Kilik to Kagome. "Kagome, come here."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome said as she stood in front of him.

"There is a servant waiting in your room, ready to assist you once you arrive there. You're to pack your belongings, things you wish to take with you."

"For what purpose?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru tipped his head to the side, his face completely emotionless except for the amusement twinkling in his golden eyes. "Why Kagome, don't you wish to visit your kingdom? We leave in the morning."

"Really?" Kagome gaped, then grinned up at him. She hugged him quickly and spun toward Inuyasha, grasped his hands and happily bounced around him. "Did you hear him Inuyasha?" she cried excitedly as they bounced around. "We're going to my kingdom! I can't wait to show you both everything. There's the gardens, the towers, oh and the stables and-"

"All that is nice Kagome," Sesshoumaru interrupted with a tiny smirk. "but we cannot do any of those things unless you're ready to go tomorrow. Now I believe you should ask your teachers if you may be dismissed."

"Oh hai, of course." She spun around to Keni'Chi and the others with a quick bow. "May I be excused?"

"Of course Kagome," Kilik responded as he and the other generals bowed back. "Please enjoy your journey."

"Thank you!" Kagome zipped out of the library and down the stairs in a blur of soft pink, leaving behind nothing more than her soft giggles and her scent to remember her by as Inuyasha cast an approving look to Sesshoumaru.

"I'm glad you didn't forget Sesshoumaru," he said as Sesshoumaru turned to leave. "She was really worried. So…what time should we be ready?"

"We?"

Inuyasha froze when Sesshoumaru began to laugh, the dark, sinister chuckle chilling his very blood as Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"There is no we, Inuyasha. Kagome and I are going. You are staying here. Try to do without your little friend until we return."

**

Kagome flopped onto her side, twisting the blankets around her before giving a deep sigh. 'Great,' she irritably mumbled to herself as she flopped over again. 'I can't sleep. I'm so excited! I can't wait to go home! I wonder what Mother and Father are doing, and if they miss me! I can't wait to see them!'

She tossed the covers away from her and looked out the window at the sky, using a navigation technique Keni'Chi taught her to determine the time. 'It's but a few hours to sunrise. I may as well get ready to go. Maybe I can visit Miroku-san before we leave.'

Kagome set her traveling luggage outside the door, remembering what Crystal said the night before about one of the couriers coming to retrieve her belongings for her. She washed up afterward and donned one of the many kimonos, yukatas and outfits delivered to her room earlier last night, a bottle green traveling yukata with white embroidery. A print of a white rose in bloom was on her back, fully exposed after she pinned her hair into a high bun in the shape of a blooming flower. Green and white ribbon was entwined throughout and the ends came together at the bottom to form a bow.

Kagome slipped on a pair of toed socks, sandals and her brown day cape before leaving the room. She tip-toed down the hallway, using her Spirit Rose to make sure her scent stayed undetected before silently walking down the stairs toward the main Eastern wing of the castle. She quietly stole into the kitchen and gave Diandra a quick wave before nabbing an apple and leaving toward the infirmary. She traveled down the hallway silently, left the castle and crossed the courtyard to the infirmary.

"Houshi-sama," she called as she entered the empty room. She glanced to each of the vacant beds before looking toward the back of the room and a part of it that was sectioned off from the rest of the room by a white curtain.

"Miroku?" Kagome called as she made her way toward it. "Are you in here?"

"Is that you Kagome-san?" his voice called from somewhere in the room. "Come this way, toward the curtain."

Kagome pulled the curtain aside and sat on the offered stool. She watched as Miroku sorted through items on the shelves, sometimes moving from one destination to another before stopping and greeting Kagome with a smile. "Well, what brings you hear at this time of morning? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I've tried," Kagome answered sheepishly. "I'm too excited to sleep."

"Oh. I understand. Let me see if I have something for you." He set a small kettle on a wood burning stove nearest him, then grabbed a canteen from one of the cabinets. He began his search for ingredients, reaching inside one jar after another as he deposited leaves inside the canteen. Kagome soon became interested in the jars around her and picked up one nearest her. She gingerly shook the white powder inside, and clasped her hand to open it when Miroku cleared his throat.

"Here you are Kagome," he said as he passed her the flask and retrieved the white powder from her. "This shall help you relax. Drink it on the way home." Kagome took the canteen back thankfully, taking a moment to shake it before shrugging and tying it to her side.

"Come on," he said as he put the white powder back on it's original shelf and jerked the curtain aside. "Let's watch everyone get ready."

"Everyone?" Kagome repeated as Miroku led the way toward the courtyard. "Who else is going?"

Miroku said nothing and merely opened the door and stepped to the side. Kagome walked out and gasped in awe at the bustle of activity in the early morning light. Youkai of all shapes and sizes scurried about seven carriages, each either loading, unloading or strapping horses to them. Figures in capes of either white, blue or brown stood around the caravan in little groups. The brown ones walked about each carriage, inspecting the wheels and reins before moving on to the next. Kagome moved to ask Miroku about the different colors when something attracted her attention.

"Alabaster!" she cried out as she ran toward the horse youkai. He whinnied in response and nudged her stomach. "Now now," she admonished with a smile. "You're so impatient. Here." She handed him the apple in her obi and giggled as he munched away. Miroku stood by silently, his brass staff in his hand as he looked around them.

"Excuse me?"

Kagome looked up and away from Alabaster as another youkai approached them. She found she couldn't tear her eyes away from him, her gaze flickering from his yellow slanted eyes to the black tail swishing idly from underneath his blue cape. He bowed to her in greeting with a gentle and friendly smile. "Are you Kagome-san?"

"I…I am," Kagome nodded nervously. She took a deep breath to calm down and stopped as the scent of something spicy drifted underneath her nose. It was invigorating and new, and she couldn't quite put her finger on the smell but knew it was from this new youkai. "Can I help you?"

"I have heard much about you," he admitted. "You are the ningen onna that passed her defensive test, correct?"

"Hai, I am," Kagome nodded again. "How did you know?'

"The army speaks well of you," he told her, his voice thick with a foreign accent. "You are the same ningen that nursed the soldiers to health."

"I was there too," Miroku grumbled to himself, then sighed as he remained ignored.

"Well, I just did what I could," Kagome responded with a blush. He shook his head in disagreement. "Most ningen would care less for us. It is…refreshing to find one as kind as you."

"Thanks." Miroku looked on as Kagome's blush deepened and shook his head. "For that, and for the test too."

"I don't know why he's so impressed," Onigumo grumbled as he approached them. "After all, the generals most likely allowed you to pass. I doubt they were as hard on you as they were with the rest of us."

"I don't think so," Inuyasha countered as he and Sesshoumaru walked up to the group. He scowled at Onigumo, who immediately returned the unpleasant glance before bowing respectfully.

"I didn't go easy on her, and neither did Father. She passed because she has learned not because she's a favorite, as you seem to be implying."

"I meant no disrespect Inuyasha-sama," Onigumo said through gritted teeth, his obvious dislike for the hanyou prince radiating off of him in aura and in scent.

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. "Enough of this. Onigumo, inform the others that we will be departing soon. You are to stay at the head of the caravan until our arrival. Rashidi," he gestured to the yellow-eyed youkai beside Kagome. "You are to stay with the driver of my carriage. The other soldiers are to surround the caravan at all times. Are my orders clear?"

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," both answered with a bow.

"Good. You are dismissed."

Onigumo marched away without another word but Rashidi gave Kagome another warm smile before walking off to inform the others. Inuyasha shrugged at Kagome's questioning stare. Sesshoumaru paid the exchanged looks no attention, his eyes fastened to the small canteen tied to her side.

"What is that?" he asked as he opened the carriage door.

"This?" Kagome gestured to the offending canteen. "It's something Miroku-san gave me. I couldn't sleep last night, so I thought it would help."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely nodding in acknowledgement before disappearing around the back of the carriage. Kagome looked to Inuyasha and noticed that he wasn't dressed in the white pants, shirt, black surcoat, boots and red cape like Sesshoumaru. "Inuyasha, aren't you coming?"

"Iie," Inuyasha mumbled with a scratch of his head. "I'm staying here. Father and I …have some things to do."

"Oh." Her posture slumped slightly and the happy shine around her aura dimmed somewhat. "Hey," he stammered uneasily as he clutched something behind his back. "I've got something for ya."

"Really? What is it?" Kagome squeaked in surprise when he brought his hand around, revealing a black short bow with a silver string. "Oh Inuyasha, it's…it's…" She sprang forward and hugged him fiercely, the bow trapped between them as she muttered her thanks over and over again.

"Hey, it's not that big a deal," Inuyasha grumbled as a light blush stained his cheeks. He shot an ugly glare at a passing servant that ogled too long for his tastes before proceeding to pry Kagome away from him.

"I'm not giving it to you," he told her gruffly as she hugged the bow to her bosom. "I'm borrowing it. Father had one in his private study and he said you could use it."

"Well, thank him too," Kagome smiled as Sesshoumaru reappeared beside her. He gestured to the carriage door and waited patiently for her to be inside before entering after her. "Goodbye Inuyasha," Kagome called as the caravan started. The first carriage lurched to a start, and so did the second and third as they made their way through the Inner Gate. Kagome and Sesshoumaru's carriage was the seventh and last one Inuyasha saw before they disappeared through the mountain defenses and the Outer Gate to the forest beyond.

**

Kagome sighed, her face turned to the glass window as the black darkness that was the Outer Gate vanished from the horizon. She glanced over to Sesshoumaru, who sat with a small brown pack at his feet. Scrolls and books were protruding from it, and seemed to be full to overflowing with information. 'I wonder what he's reading,' Kagome thought to herself as she glanced to the scroll in his hand. To her, it smelled of old dust and papyrus, a plant Miroku showed her during one of her herbal lessons.

She decided to leave him to himself, feeling as if whatever it was he was doing important while debating what to do to keep herself occupied. Kagome glanced at her surroundings, completely floored by the simple elegance of their transportation. Everything was a study in red and blue, with a few gold trimmings to accent. The floor below her feet was covered in a sturdy but soft blue carpet, and blood red curtains with gold crescents shielded the glass windows.

Kagome pushed them aside to see out, careful of the cabinet a few inches above her head as she stared out at the forest around them. She smiled as a rabbit hopped away, then waved at a soldier as he rode past. He seemed startled by her attention, stopping mid step to raise a mint green brow before hesitantly bowing back. Kagome laughed to herself, her hand covering her mouth to prevent disturbing Sesshoumaru as she waved again.

"And just what is so entertaining?" his amused voice interrupted her thoughts. Kagome smiled back and bowed her head. "Nothing important Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Did Miroku not send you something to drink?" he responded, brushing off her apology as if it meant nothing. Kagome nodded and stood up. She reached inside the cabinet, her gaze flickering to the driver's access window above Sesshoumaru's head before retrieving two tea cups and Miroku's canteen. The cups were made of porcelain, with intricate scenery painted on with a creamy brown paint.

Kagome handed Sesshoumaru a cup and set down her own before shaking the canteen and unscrewing the cap. She curiously studied the perforated opening, then shrugged it off and poured Sesshoumaru some of the tea. He held his cup steady with one hand and continued to read with the other, only looking up once to signal her to stop. Kagome filled her own cup, returned the canteen to the cabinet, sat down and palmed her cup in her hands before taking a sip. She recognized the scents of mint and raspberry immediately, and gave a deep sigh as the sweetened liquid flowed down her throat.

Sesshoumaru watched her in masked enjoyment, his ears twitching attentively at every intake and exhale of breathe. 'Such a strange creature,' he thought as he sipped the tea. 'She is so easy to please, yet with a well controlled hidden fire. Would it be so that every woman were so…quiet.' He quirked a brow in silent laughter and drained the last of the greenish brown liquid before handing Kagome the empty cup. She took it graciously and, after emptying her own, returned the two to the cabinet above.

Sesshoumaru returned the scroll and replaced it with a book as Kagome turned back to her window. She tucked her feet underneath her and watched the scenery outside. They traveled well into the morning, and it wasn't until early afternoon did Kagome show some signs of weariness. Sesshoumaru glanced up when she yawned, her tiny hand politely covering her mouth. She sighed again, this one a little worn out than the last, and leaned back against the velvet blue and red jacquard seats.

Sesshoumaru looked on as she fell asleep, her blue eyes secreted away behind heavy lids before her breathing and heartbeat finally slowed. 'Finally,' he thought as he returned his book to his pack. 'She fought for a while. Perhaps her training is working better than I planned.' He knew for a fact that she hadn't slept the entire night, for he could hear her tossing and turning from his room down the hallway. As a result Sesshoumaru couldn't sleep, but it wasn't due to the noise.

During his recovery, Kagome's schedule included more than just helping in the infirmary and the kitchens. She always came to his room after her bath, something he knew to be a fact by the fresh scent of water that always clung to her. For a week, she brought his dinner to his room and checked over his wounds. Every night that week she fell asleep in the same position behind him, and he to the sound of her heart beating against his back…

Which now left an unwanted side effect.

Sesshoumaru, after spending an entire week after healing walking the halls at night in fits of insomnia, had taken to sneaking in her room after she fell asleep. He found sleep at her side moments after, and always managed to awaken and leave before she did, but that didn't mean he enjoyed things the way they were.

'It is simply disgraceful,' he mentally growled as he watched Kagome sleep. She looked so at peace, her scent so calm and radiant that it tempted him to join her as he was accustomed. 'To allow myself to cling to this woman-child like some pup with his favorite toy.'

'Isn't that what she is to you?' his conscious asked him. 'Just a toy? Who could disagree with what you do with her? She is yours, remember?'

'That is true,' Sesshoumaru agreed with a smirk. 'She does belong to me.'

'Exactly. It is her purpose for you to enjoy her company. For once, the protocol is what you desire, not laws written by long dead youkai.'

Sesshoumaru nodded in silent agreement. After all, who was he to argue with himself, especially when you just happen to be right? He listened to her breathing for a few minutes more, then pushed his pack aside with his foot and reached for her. He picked her up effortlessly, her meager weight less than a hindrance as he gently sat her in his lap. He rested her head on his right shoulder, her legs swinging over his lap and to his left side. His arms wrapped around her waist gingerly, as did his tail as his head fell to lie atop hers. He breathed in her scent deeply, the scent of rose with its fair traces of vanilla surrounding him, infusing his surroundings with a gentle and peaceful air.

It didn't take long for his breathing to slow and before anyone knew it, Sesshoumaru was fast asleep.

**

Kagome's eyes snapped open, her mind slightly foggy as she took a deep breath and looked around. She noticed arms around her, their hold vice-like in their grip but not painful. Kagome looked up from the arms to Sesshoumaru, who was still asleep with his chin on her shoulder.

She turned to him, her cheek brushing against his as she smiled. 'Well, well, well,' she thought as she placed her hands on his. 'Isn't this familiar?'

She knew about Sesshoumaru's new sleeping arrangements from the first night. She'd felt his aura nearing her and remained somewhere between sleep and awareness, her mind focused as her body slept on. She listened as he entered the room, and everything quieted until the blankets shifted around her.

'You gave me quite the surprise,' Kagome mused as she reached up and touched the upturned crescent in the center of his forehead. 'But I didn't scream then…and I guess I won't scream now.' His tail twitched in his sleep, something Kagome would never have expected as it wagged at her feet. She held in a giggle that bubbled from nowhere and shook her head, the ribbons on her back shifting against the white silk on Sesshoumaru's arm.

Her fingers moved to his cheek, where she traced the magenta stripes along his face. 'So beautiful,' she thought wistfully. 'Yet, its said that behind this face lies the heart of a monster. No, a monster with no heart. If it were true, would you hold me so intimately? Would you look after me the way you do?' Kagome shook her head and, before she could talk herself out of it, pressed her lips against his cheek.

'No, you're not heartless at all,' she determined stubbornly. 'Your skin's too warm for that. Now,' she turned toward her seat with a sigh. 'I wonder what woke me up.'

"You seem to be feeling better," Sesshoumaru growled in her ear as he rose to consciousness. He sat by amused as Kagome blushed, something he never tired of as he nuzzled the side of her neck.

"I-I wasn't aware of being ill Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome replied nervously, wondering at the sudden heated twist in her lower abdomen. Whatever it was, Sesshoumaru seemed to be the cause of it and it was making her incredibly uncomfortable.

Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked as her pulse leaped, her skin heated and the heady scent of arousal marked her scent for the first time. 'So,' he thought, her blush darkening when he ran the tip of his nose along her throat. 'My Kagome is on the way to being a little woman.' He evilly smirked behind her hair, his fangs glistening roguishly against her skin.

"I never said you were ill," he reprimanded sternly. "Ningen such as yourself need sleep, yet you deny yourself of it."

"I was…too nervous to sleep," Kagome admitted with a smile. "I feel better now. Why do you sleep Sesshoumaru-sama? I thought youkai could go a lot longer without it."

"We can," Sesshoumaru responded as he returned his chin to her shoulder. 'I will 'entertain' myself later.' "However, what is the point of night but to plot and to dream?"

"Eloquently spoken Sesshoumaru-sama," was Kagome's witty remark. Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Clever girl. One has never said such to this Sesshoumaru without meaning it."

"Oh I meant it," Kagome assured him with a coy smile. "However, it is up to my lord if he is offended or complimented."

"Then I will take it as a compliment," he determined, and moved to say more when she stiffened in his grasp. "What is it?" he asked her. Her eyes flickered between shades of blue with her every mood change, something else Sesshoumaru found enchanting as she whispered

"Something's coming…"

A shout from outside the carriage and the sudden stop jerked Sesshoumaru's senses into alert. Kagome returned to her seat as Sesshoumaru flung the driver's window open. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded as the shouts and cries of soldiers rang out around them.

"It's not I Sesshoumaru-sama!" the driver, a rat youkai with shaky whiskers, exclaimed. "We're being attacked!"

"By what?"

"As far as I can tell, bandits," Rashidi said as he opened the carriage door. "There are arrows raining down from the forest! Our youkai are having trouble finding the archers!"

"What are they?" Sesshoumaru snarled as he stepped out the carriage. He gave Kagome a pointed look, and she nodded in understanding.

"They are ningen my lord, by scent," Rashidi told him as he deflected an oncoming arrow with his sword.

"Then it should not be hard to find them," Sesshoumaru determined as he turned his senses toward the trees. "How hard could it be to find a group of miko?"

"Miko Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rashidi questioned. "I do not believe-"

"No male shoots arrows in these times," Sesshoumaru growled, then unsheathed Toukijin and knocked an arrow to the side. Another sailed over his head entirely and through the carriage door unnoticed.

*

Kagome leaned out to see, wondering at the commotion coming from outside when some inner sense jerked her backward. She gasped as something whizzed past her and imbedded itself deep within the wood of the adjacent door. Kagome gaped at the arrow, then dramatically wiped a relieved hand across her forehead.

"That was close," she muttered to herself. She sat up to peer out the door again when something about the arrow caught her attention. She wrapped her hand around it and freed it with a hard yank. She studied the arrow intently, noting to herself the jet black paint on the shaft, the white feather on one end and the hammered silver metal on the other. To Kagome, it resembled some of the arrows fitted for long bows with-

"Wait a moment," she whispered as she twirled the shaft between her fingers. "What's this…I know this …" She continued to twirl the arrow, watching as the stem of the white rose entwined it's way around the shaft.

"I know this symbol," she repeated, her narrowed eyes flashing hatefully. "and I know these archers. How dare they…."

*

He felt it, an incredible rage that threatened swift and violent retribution.

Rashidi turned toward it, expecting to face the Devil himself, or some other dark creature created for nothing more than mischief and torture. He instead found Kagome as she descended the few carriage steps to the ground below. Her gaze was to the forest floor, yet he didn't have to see her eyes to believe in her anger.

Sesshoumaru turned to her, as did the rest of the army as the barrage of arrows stopped. Kagome stood there a few seconds, her covered head down and the green cape Sesshoumaru gave to her shrouding her from all others. She walked between Sesshoumaru and Rashidi, Rashidi's hair standing on end like a startled cat as her aura clashed with theirs.

"Great Kami-sama," Sesshoumaru heard Rashidi gasp as something akin to an electric jolt shocked them into stillness. It didn't hurt in the least, and it felt like the lightening shields the female kencho was able to perform. It wasn't until after the shock wore off did either warrior realize that Kagome walked right past them and was now unprotected in the line of fire.

"Kagome-"

"Show yourselves," she commanded softly, her lithe voice floating on the winds. The forest was silent around them, and the youkai at her side questioned her sanity as she repeated her request.

"I said show yourselves!"

The twang of a string and the slice of air were the foretellers of an arrow as it arched through the air and toward Kagome's face. Rashidi and Sesshoumaru ran forward to stop it, but it stopped itself millimeters from Kagome's right eye.

She stared down the arrow as it twirled in front of her, the momentum from the arrow's flight blowing her hood from her head. Kagome plucked it from the air like a feather and held it up to her face, her gaze critical before grasping it in her fist and snapping it in two.

"I won't ask again. I demand that you come out and explain yourselves!"

A single rustle of leaves came from in front of her and she watched as a lone figure dropped to the ground. He kneeled there a moment then stood up and brushed off his hunter green gi.

"Well," he chuckled as he leered at Kagome. "If we had known that such a beautiful onna was with this band of youkai scum, we would have come down personally."

Sesshoumaru growled in warning, his ears twitching at Rashidi's enraged hiss. Kagome stood unaffected, her blue-gray eyes startlingly more silver than usual as she glared at the ningen in front of her.

"By what right do you shoot this symbol?" she asked as she held up the arrow underneath her cape. The man glanced at it to her and grinned. "It is ours, so we shoot it by -."

"You have terrorized how many with my father's crest?" Kagome demanded. The man gawked at her in outrage. "Wha-"

"How many have you slaughtered with my father's arrows?!" Kagome yelled, her eyes glittering dangerously as her temper reigned unchecked. "How dare you spread fear under my father's name, using my house's seal!!!"

"The-the old house is dead," the man stammered nervously. "They are inside what used to be Rose Kingdom. We recently checked for ourselves."

"You are a coward and a liar, just like your ancestors!" Kagome accused. "If you had visited, you would know that Mitsurugi-sama is alive, as is my mother and as am I."

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. He felt her slight trembling underneath her cape and he attempted to distract her so he could calm her down. "This Sesshoumaru does not understand. What is it you speak of?"

"When I was seven, my father left our kingdom in the hands of my mother to search for a fabled sword," Kagome began, her trembling increasing as the scent of salt assaulted the air. "I waited until the day after my thirteenth birthday, when he returned with just one of the seventy soldiers and archers he traveled with. Father passed out on the castle threshold and the other soldier died, but not before telling us what happened.

"My father and the army were somewhere in southern China when they were surrounded by a group of oni. The archers saw them coming, but the archers deserted them without so much as a warning." A single tear streaked down her cheek but the flame in her eyes increased tenfold. "Their ancestors left my father to die, and now they sully his name by spreading terror with our symbol!"

"But the arrow," Rashidi inquired curiously. "There are at least five youkai down, yet it spared you."

"The arrows are made with my mother's blood," Kagome answered. "To recreate the arrows, you have to use a piece of the old arrow to insure the enchantment. Ningen burn, youkai are purified but family is spared."

Another twang, and another arrow flew through the air toward her, this time from behind. Sesshoumaru and Rashidi turned toward it, intending to grab it when it stopped, it's razor sharp tip buried inside Kagome's bun. She frowned slightly and it exploded, the wind picking up to carry the tiny bits away. The wind continued to surge wildly around them, leaving Kagome, Sesshoumaru and Rashidi in the eye as the invisible funnel whipped the tree branches about.

Sesshoumaru turned back just as Kagome's attention returned to the forgotten man, her eyes blazing angrily as the wind churned and surged just as hatefully as her temper.

"I am Kagome Higurashi, daughter of Mitsurugi and Midoriko Higurashi and heir to the Rose Throne. I call judgment upon you and your men. Will you accept it or will you fight?"

The man searched for an escape, only to have the winds knock him backward. He cried out in fright and pleaded, "My lady please! I'm but a poor thief! I surrender myself to your mercy but cease this wind!"

"This wind belongs to the arrows," Kagome informed him as the wind died down. "They seek cleansing and freedom from centuries of bloody work. Tell me," she asked as the bandit kneeled at her feet. "How many have you hurt and how long have you performed your ill reputation?"

"There are countless villages that fear us," the man answered truthfully. "and we have done this since childhood, as did our fathers and their fathers."

"So ka. Are you ready to face my judgment?"

The thief audibly gulped, but bowed his head and nodded. The trees soon rained men, each dressed exactly like the head bandit in front of her. Kagome glanced to each of them then turned to Sesshoumaru and gestured him to come closer.

Sesshoumaru leaned over slightly, then supported Kagome's weight as she stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "What should I do?" she asked nervously. "I've never done this before. What do you think?"

Had it been anyone else, they would have been floored by her swift change in disposition, however Sesshoumaru merely rolled with it, counting it as one of the many things that mystified him about this slip of a girl before answering her.

"Surely they deserve to be punished and should you say the word I will order my men to behead them on command. However, they are skilled in both stealth and their weaponry. Perhaps you should find a way to use this."

"Hai," Kagome said with a thoughtful nod. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm glad I asked you Sesshoumaru-sama." She turned away before he could respond and walked toward the head thief. He kept his head lowered, his shoulders shaking as Kagome touched his shoulder with the tip of her arrow.

"Your head belongs to me, correct?"

"C-correct, my lady," he stuttered. "Forgive my clan. I'm their leader and they're my responsibility."

"Well," Kagome said with a thoughtful smile. "Who would have thought that there is honor among thieves?" The man smiled, the tension within him evaporating slightly as Kagome continued.

"You may keep your head…" she informed him. "For now. That does not excuse you from your punishment.

"You are no longer to use your arrows for such dishonorable work. You're to travel throughout the kingdom and assist the villages in rebuilding what you have destroyed. What's your name?"

"I'm Kaemon, Kagome-sama," the thief said with a bow. Kagome nodded. "Kaemon, you and your tribe are also in my service. Should I need you, I shall come for you. If you hear rumor that I seek you, come to me. Should I have to hunt you down, it will be for your life instead of your skills. Is that understood?"

"Hai," Kaemon nodded.

"Good. You may go now."

The thieves around the caravan leapt back to the trees above, leaving Kaemon to give one last bow before turning on his heels and walking away. 'No way am I gonna let some little girl rule the White Rose Bandits,' he thought with a scowl as he approached the forest line. 'She is lucky she was surrounded by youkai, or I would have-"

"Oh Kaemon…"

Kaemon turned around and gasped at a wooden thunk coming from his side. He glanced to Kagome, who stood with her bow raised as if an arrow were still nocked and ready, to his side where a white, feathered arrow had sliced through the extra material of his gi and embedded itself in the trunk of a nearby tree. He looked to her again, utter shock marring his features as Kagome gave him a pleasant smile.

"A little something to give your feet wings when the need arises."

Kaemon paled considerably, jerked the arrow free and bolted to the woods like a frightened doe. Kagome turned back to Sesshoumaru, a happy smile on her face as she asked,

"May I finish my nap now?"

Rashidi stood there, too stunned to move as Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome skipped back to the carriage and disappeared inside, leaving the other soldiers to gawk after her in wonder. Rashidi shook it off with a mental shake of his head and, at Sesshoumaru's gesture, closed the carriage door behind him. "Alright, let's be off," he shouted as the first carriage began to move.

*

Sesshoumaru stared back at his charge in a new light, his brain processing this new development as she gazed out the window. "I thought you were sleepy," he said. Kagome turned to him, her normally jovial features deep in thought before sighing.

"I just claimed my father's men, didn't I?" she said more to herself than to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru thought at first that it was a stupid question. After all, they were her father's men and one day would be her own. But the more he thought about it, the more he understood what she said.

I just claimed my father's men, didn't I….

'By claim, she means that she commands them,' Sesshoumaru realized. 'Descendants of the men that deserted her father are now loyal to her, through force or by choice, but the men with her have nothing to do with her father. They are the beginnings of her army…if one were to think of it as such. She is…disturbed by this.'

"You could think of it that way," he said nonchalantly. "or, you could see it in a different light."

"What kind of light?" Kagome asked incredulously. "The men I've acquired believe I'm a joke, the youkai around me are unsure of my sanity and my father will think me a traitor. What other light is there Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"My, aren't we pessimistic," Sesshoumaru retorted blandly. "Hai, you could see it that way. Or, you've impressed my soldiers (not as if they were not impressed by you anyway) and now have in your service an excellent band of archers. You presented yourself as the empress you soon will be, not a weak, squabbling female but one of purpose, wisdom and deserving of respect."

"I had not thought of it that way," Kagome admitted. Sesshoumaru merely tilted his head. "I figured as much. Now…"

"Now?" Kagome repeated.

"Take a nap. You are cranky."

Kagome huffed in insult, then scowled playfully. "I am, am I?"

"Hai," Sesshoumaru said over the pages of a book. "You are."

"Alright." Kagome stood and, with a faint stain on her cheeks, gently pushed his book aside and sat in his lap. Sesshoumaru blinked, the gall of the young princess stunning him into allowing her to manipulate him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rubbed her cheek against his tail.

"And you are here why?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice tinted with amusement. Kagome shrugged. "Well, I woke up here. It's dishonorable to leave things unfinished."

She was rewarded with a small chuckle, which she inwardly celebrated as her eyelids drooped closed. "Very well then," he relented with a sigh. His tail wrapped around them both while Kagome slept on, the book still in his hands.

'I will stay awake,' he decided as he looked out the window. 'It is not often I get to watch a ningen sleep. I shall take advantage of the opportunity.'

**

Kagome sighed to herself as she looked out the window, her fingers playing with a softness in her lap. Her thoughts floated to everything, to the new spring flowers in bloom outside to the youkai around her. There were two in particular who caught her attention.

*

Kagome sat by herself at the fire, listening to the other soldiers around her as they laughed and told stories. She could feel their stares but not anything malicious, so she remained at ease as she watched the flames leap into the night sky. She turned to her left at an approaching aura and scooted over as Rashidi sat down beside her.

"Kagome-san, it's too cool out here for one such as yourself," he greeted with another of his warm smiles. Kagome shrugged. "Are you trying to call me weak Rashidi?"

"No, of course not!" he recounted quickly. "I didn't mean to offend you. I only meant-"

"I know what you meant," Kagome reassured with a laugh. "I'm teasing you."

"Ah. So ka. So, where is Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Kagome sighed, her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "He and Onigumo, I think, are discussing something."

"Oh. Alright then." He leaned back and braced himself on his hands as he stared at the stars above. "The stars are so different here. Nothing like my homeland."

"Really?" Kagome leaned toward him in interest, her curiosity piqued. "What are they like? Where are you from?"

"I was sent to this kingdom by my king, the great Ramses in Africa. Do you know of Africa?"

Kagome nodded, remembering a few things the generals taught her about the country during one of her lessons. "So, what kind of youkai are you? You're obviously a cat, but what kind?"

He sat up, a look of mischief gleaming in his pale eyes. "Can't you tell?"

'He's challenging me,' Kagome thought instantly.

"Come now princess," he said as he finally stretched out on the grass below and folded his arms behind his head. "Surely I'm not so hard to figure out. Try."

"Alright then." Kagome studied him when he closed his eyes, his thin black tail swishing lazily on his right side. She followed it's movements for a while then looked to his face. He didn't look much older than herself, yet she could tell he was youkai by the whiskers idly twitching by his nose. His skin was so much different than hers. It was darker, warmer, and reminded her of rich earth, yet it shimmered like silk in the faint light.

Rashidi cracked an eye open, shook his head and closed it again. "Hurry along now Kagome-san."

"I don't know," Kagome admitted in defeat. "You are one of the most beautiful youkai I've ever seen, but I don't know what you are."

"Beautiful?" He sat up on an elbow, his dark ponytail falling behind him in a shiny mass of curls. "I am one of the most beautiful?"

"Yeah well," Kagome attempted to hide her blush behind her sleeve, but smiled when Rashidi laughed.

"I take it as a compliment. I don't have to ask who the most is, do I?"

"No," Kagome shook her head, her blush increasing to a near glow. A brief image of a certain silver-haired youkai flashed in her mind and Rashidi laughed again. "What part of Africa are you from?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"A part the generals call 'Uganda'," he said wistfully. "The stars there are numerous and beautiful, like diamonds in the sky."

"Diamonds?" Kagome said aloud. "What are they?"

He looked at her curiously for a moment, then reached inside his haori sleeve. He pulled out a large clear stone the size of his palm and held it up to the campfire. "This is a diamond. I thought all knew of them."

"I've never seen one," Kagome replied as she stared at the colorless stone. Rashidi passed it to her, waiting for her to take it from his hands before explaining.

"I know you know of sapphires and emeralds, correct?"

"No," Kagome shook her head. "Not emeralds. I have seen sapphires though. They're blue."

"Correct. Emeralds are green, rubies are red and diamonds look like this. In my country, they are plentiful. Our children use them for play but they are well valued here. It is a curiosity I'll never understand."

"It is beautiful though," Kagome replied as she turned the diamond over in her hand before handing it back to him. He gently pushed it back and smiled at Kagome's questioning stare.

"You may have it. I have many back at the castle. As a matter of fact…" His face turned thoughtful before he said, "When we return, I will allow you to see the rest of my collection."

"Wow, really?" Kagome exclaimed. Rashidi nodded. "There are a few that I intend to give to the treasury. You can help me pick which ones."

"OK!" Kagome grinned. "I'd be happy to!"

"Happy to do what?" Sesshoumaru asked as he approached them, effectively ending their conversation.

*

'Rashidi is so nice,' Kagome mused as the carriage traveled on. 'The past couple nights have been interesting. I've learned so much about him. He's not at all stubborn, unlike a certain youkai I know.'

The softness in her lap shifted, and Kagome's fingertips gently flicked his bangs apart. 'I don't understand why you try so hard to be so perfect,' Kagome thought as she combed her fingers through his hair. An ear twitched when she brushed past it, and a gentle purr rumbled from him when she did it again.

His tail loosely wrapped around her, moving around her waist to her shoulders like a sluggish anaconda. Kagome giggled in spite of herself and patted the tip of his tail, and was rewarded with another purr from her subject.

'Never have I known one such as you,' Kagome admitted as she softly caressed his cheek. Her pale lavender yukata contrasted sharply with his skin. She held up her hand, wiggling small, dainty fingertips with short nails and no striped wrists. 'Imagine,' Kagome said to herself as she fingered a lotus decoration on her sleeve. 'What would it be like," she wondered as she leaned over to kiss his forehead.

'To be like you…'

"Must you take such liberties with my person?" Sesshoumaru grumbled, his eyes still closed as his hand slipped down to grasp her knee.

"You said I was allowed them, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome replied as he sat up and stretched. She yawned discretely, then stood and reached inside the cabinet for a silver brush.

"Just what are you doing?" he asked as she gently directed him to sit on the floor. She crossed her legs underneath her, gathered up a handful of his hair and began brushing. Sesshoumaru leaned back, his eyes closed as he allowed himself to enjoy her attentions. "I did not ask you for this," he told her as the brush continued to pass through his locks.

"I know," Kagome quipped. Sesshoumaru growled in insult, and was irked when Kagome ignored it. "Onna, you forget your place-"

"My place," Kagome interrupted. "Is to serve you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I am your ward after all."

"Yet you behave as if you were not."

Kagome leaned over him, what little of her hair that wasn't bound cascading over his shoulder. "Don't you think it would be boring if I were totally submissive, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru looked away, deciding not to answer her question as he looked out the driver's window. "We're here."

"Here where?" Kagome asked as she resumed brushing. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "Do you not remember, or should we turn back?"

He watched as a quizzical look darkened her countenance, then her eyes lit up with a happy smile. "We're here?!"

"That is what I said," Sesshoumaru quipped dryly as Kagome looked out the window. She squealed in surprise, never catching Sesshoumaru wince as she stepped over his shoulder and put the brush away. Sesshoumaru brushed the folds of her garment away from his face and barely avoided her slippered foot to his crouch as Kagome returned to the window.

"Look Sesshoumaru-sama!" she exclaimed excitedly. "There's the Tower Gate!" Sesshoumaru sat back in his seat, his eyes closed and his arms folded over his chest as he listened to the carriage's movement. He could hear the faint groaning of the wheels as they thumped over the drawbridge and felt the smooth, yet slightly bumpy ride as they rolled into the stone courtyard.

**

"My lady?"

Midoriko looked up, her gaze expectant as the servant bowed before her. "Yes?"

"Kagome-sama has arrived, along with the western youkai."

"Thank you. I will meet them shortly." Midoriko waited for the servant's departure then dashed from the hallway, using every ounce of speed in her possession to reach the main castle doorway. She darted into the room seconds after Kagome, her blue eyes widening fractionally before crashing into each other in a fierce hug.

"Mother!"

"I've missed you Kagome-bird," Midoriko whispered as Sesshoumaru walked into the room. He stood by politely, his tail draped behind his right shoulder before finally reaching out and helping them both to their feet. The women hugged again before Midoriko turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Arigato, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest and bowed deeply. Sesshoumaru merely nodded and gestured for them to move to a different part of the castle. Sesshoumaru stayed behind the two and listened to their conversation as he familiarized himself with the castle grounds.

"How are your lessons?" Midoriko asked as they turned down a hallway.

"They're interesting," Kagome said with a smile. "I've learned so much, about youkai and battle alike. I passed my defensive training as well!"

"That's great Kagome," Midoriko congratulated, then waved a hand toward the left hand side of the hallway. "You're father is that way in the royal study. You should greet him while I speak with Sesshoumaru-sama. We will meet you both in the dining hall later on."

"Alright Mother," Kagome said before waving to Sesshoumaru and disappearing down the hallway. Midoriko and Sesshoumaru walked the halls in silence, each contemplating their own thoughts. Sesshoumaru stood to one side of the former miko, watching as, despite her calm exterior, her aura flared with nervousness and fear.

"I frighten you, do I not?" he broke though the silence. Midoriko jumped slightly, then composed herself and shook her head.

"You are intimidating Sesshoumaru-sama, but it is hard to be afraid of one I remember wearing his own drool as a choker."

"You would do well not to speak of such things," Sesshoumaru told her as he too remembered flashes of the woman beside him. "If you do not fear me, then what is it that makes you so nervous? Surely it cannot be the weather."

Midoriko laughed softly, a hand covering her mouth as she shook her head. "No, not exactly. It is my husband that gives me pause."

Sesshoumaru stopped mid step, waiting patiently for Midoriko to realize and stop as well before speaking. "What is it? This Sesshoumaru is not known for his patience."

The empress sighed and seemed to deflate under his study. "My lord," she began nervously. "This study," she opened a door on her left, revealing a small library with a low desk and woven mats and pillows scattered about the room. "Is yours for your stay. Another servant will be available to you to show you to your rooms, if necessary-"

"You are not telling me something," Sesshoumaru growled in frustration. "Do not skip about the subject."

"Alright." Midoriko closed her eyes and braced herself. "The emperor has known of your impending arrival since before the trip began. I do not know how, but he has known. He has summoned every available woman in the kingdom and…" she sniffed, her head hung in shame as she continued. "has prepared a harem specifically for your use."

"It upsets you. Why?"

"In return, its his wish that you leave Kagome here and take one of the other women."

Sesshoumaru growled at this, his eyes flashing red before he could calm himself. "Don't you agree with his plan? It is to free your daughter after all."

"It may be, but I feel that she is better off with you than here. The kingdom deserves a great ruler, and with you she can learn that instead of becoming what I've become."

"What have you become?"

Midoriko sniffed again, the salt in the air strengthening as a lone tear fell down her cheek. "I'm nothing more than a pretty trinket. My voice no longer counts."

"Then why tell me of his plan?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Surely you should be loyal to him, even in your state."

"I told you of this so you wouldn't kill him when he mentions it," Midoriko shot back. "He believes you to be a youkai without honor, and that you've already defiled our daughter. I don't share his thoughts. I merely wish for peace."

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance, his eyes becoming cold once again. "Alright then. I will do as you ask. I will not harm him, but Kagome will return with me when our two weeks are spent."

"Of course Sesshoumaru-sama," Midoriko bowed. "Thank you for sparing him."

"Do not thank me as of yet," Sesshoumaru told her as he entered the dojo.

"After all, the week is new and I have yet to see him."

**

If dinner could have gone any worse, Kagome was definitely glad it didn't.

Oh, it started pleasantly enough as the servants brought out dinner. Sesshoumaru sat on one end of the long rectangular table, Kagome's father sat at the other with Midoriko and Kagome seated across from each other in the middle of the table. Dinner was eaten in silence…

Until Kagome's father asked a question.

Who knew that the talk of concubines would turn so violent?

*

"Welcome back Sesshoumaru-sama," Mitsurugi said in the middle of the meal. Sesshoumaru continued to sip his soup in silence, not bothering to acknowledge the emperor. Kagome glanced from him to her father, her gaze quickly returning to her plate when Mitsurugi's jaw clenched tightly.

"I hope to make your stay more enjoyable than the last."

"Really?" At this Sesshoumaru lifted his head. "How so?"

Mitsurugi clapped his hands and smiled as the doors to the servants' quarters opened. Women of all shapes and sizes marched into the dining room, some dressed in kimonos while others were dressed in more provocative clothing. Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently and continued eating.

"Every woman here is here for your choosing," Mitsurugi announced grandly. "They will attend to your every need during your stay." He glanced to Kagome, who quickly ducked her head. "You can even take one home with you as a token of our appreciation."

"For what?" Sesshoumaru asked as he finally ceased his attempt at a peaceful dinner. "You said appreciation. For what?"

"For taking care of our Kagome. We appreciate you coming out here to return her personally and we-"

"Kagome is to return with me at the end of our stay," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "And she is to stay with me in my chambers, so they are not needed."

Mitsurugi's eye twitched as the women left the room and Kagome and Midoriko both gasped as his aura flared angrily. "I tire of this!" He reached toward the fireplace, snatched down a sword on the mantle and unsheathed it.

"Father please!" Kagome cried as she jumped to her feet. "Don't do th-"

"Silence! This is still my kingdom, and I won't have my daughter become a youkai's whore!"

In a blink of an eye his sword flew in the air, knocked from his grasp as Sesshoumaru leaped over the table, grasped the emperor by his throat and pinned him to the wall behind him. He snarled as Mitsurugi struggled to free himself, his eyes fogged in red and his fangs lengthening.

"Ningen, this is the last time you insult this Sesshoumaru."

*

Kagome groaned and slumped forward, her forehead thumping on the vanity table. 'Why must he make things worse?' she wondered as the door to bedroom chambers slid open. Kagome ignored it, having found a small comfort to the darkness of the walk in closet she now sat in.

Sesshoumaru stood on the other side of the screen, his eyes curiously watching Kagome's shadow before studying the rest of the room. The room was large enough, he supposed, with a futon that engulfed half the room. The closet and bathing area were connected on one side, with a separate bed for Kagome on another.

"Kagome, come here."

Kagome slid the screen closed and slowly approached him, her aura flashing between sadness and frustration. 'She must still be upset about dinner,' he determined as she stopped a few steps in front of him. Her head was down, her dark hair contrasting greatly with her white sleeping nagajuban.

"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?" she whispered softly, her voice slightly raspy from her earlier tears. Sesshoumaru thought to sooth her, but thought better of it and gestured to his gray surcoat.

"It is time for bed Kagome. Do you remember your first night with me?"

Kagome nodded, her eyes still trained to the floor. "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama."

'I don't like this at all,' he thought as Kagome reached up and began unbuttoning his surcoat. 'She is not normally this meek.' He grasped her hands as she freed the button at his throat with one hand, hooked a finger underneath her chin and tipped her head up to look at him. "What is wrong?" he asked. He tapped her on the nose when she looked away. Sesshoumaru frowned when she looked to him again, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"I have asked you a question," he said as his tail traveled up Kagome's leg and wrapped around her waist. "You would do well to answer it."

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome responded with a sniff. "I just…I-"

"Do not worry about your father," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "I will not hurt him more than necessary."

"It's not that, it's just that…would you ever leave me here?" she asked, her gaze hopeful as she stared up at him. Sesshoumaru hid his surprise as always, though he couldn't help the small smile that crept across his lips.

"No, I will not leave you here," he told her as he released her hands.

"Promise?"

"For what?" he huffed in irritation. "My word is enough, is it not?"

"It is but…" Kagome stopped mid fold, Sesshoumaru's surcoat in her hands as she looked away. "I would really like it if you promised."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply, his irritation from earlier melting at the look in her eyes. 'What would her father think, to know that she'd rather come with me that stay here with him? More so, that her mother would rather her leave as well?'

"Hai Kagome, I promise. Now, may we continue?"

Kagome smiled back, her eyes once again sparkling and happy as she continued with his over shirt.

**

Sesshoumaru couldn't concentrate, and the giggles and shouts from below weren't helping. He sat alone inside 'his' study, his eyes intent on the scrolls and documents in front of him. He growled at the rules and regulations for his soon to be appointed position, wondering to himself who came up with so many far-fetched rules.

' `No onna is allowed to sit on the right side of the great tai unless she is his mate?` `Onna are not allowed inside the council room unless under the great tai's personal guard?` What baka wasted ink on these inane rules?' Sesshoumaru shook his head and turned as the delightful shouts once again filtered through his study.

"Kagome-sama, watch me!" one child shouted.

"No Kagome-sama, watch me!"

"Look what I can do Kagome-sama!"

Kagome's laughter rang out among them, a beautiful tinkling that attracted him immediately. Sesshoumaru abandoned his seat at the desk, opened the doors to the balcony and stepped outside. He leaned over the rail and watched as the children below him scampered across the grassy field around Kagome. She watched each of them, each child receiving her attention as Midoriko sat by and kept an eye on things.

Midoriko sat in an elaborate mint green kimono with the house's seal embroidered on her back, the wind parting the tall grass around her. Sesshoumaru looked past her to the children, obviously the children of servants, as they played around and with Kagome.

'She allows them to touch her?' Sesshoumaru wondered as one child reached up with grubby hands and tugged Kagome's sleeve. 'No hime, youkai or ningen, would permit such a thing. Why would she?' She turned and kneeled instantly, her eyes wide and curious as the child opened her sealed hands. A butterfly fluttered out, hovering a moment above them before flying into the distance. Kagome and the little girl watched it go before two wrestling boys caught her attention.

"Be careful you two," she scolded gently. "You don't want to get hurt, do you?"

"No Kagome-sama," they called before continuing on with their game. Sesshoumaru watched as one, a little boy with large brown eyes, ran toward her and grasped hold of her leg.

"Kagome-sama!" he whined as another boy a few years older skidded to a halt in front of them. "Kohaku's picking on me again!"

"Kohaku," Kagome said with a shake of her finger. "You know Souta's younger than you. You shouldn't tease him so badly."

"Yes Kagome-sama-"

"Kagome-sama, will you play tag with us?" a little girl with her hair in sandy brown buns asked. The children around her cheered in agreement when Kagome nodded with a smile. "Who's it?" she asked as the children circled around her.

"YOU ARE!!!" they shouted, the volume and pitch causing Sesshoumaru to cringe slightly. Apparently the sound hurt her ears too, because she quickly shushed them.

"Not so loud you guys!" she whispered. They nodded in agreement and laughed as they scattered. "You have to count Kagome-sama!"

"Alright," Kagome sighed, then smiled and closed her eyes. She leaned to her right side, her left arm raised as she grasped the helm of her turquoise kimono and began to spin. One of the children reached up and ran off with her hair ribbon, the white silk fabric fluttering behind the fleeing child like a banner.

'She gets along so well with them,' Sesshoumaru thought as she continued to spin. Her hair spun about her, and the creamy white folds of her kimono streaked behind her as she finally gave chase, excited squeals following soon afterward. Sesshoumaru relaxed against the railing, his eyes warm and distant as he watched his ward and the castle children play.

"I'm going to get you!" Kagome cried out as she chased after another little girl, this one with loose, chin length hair. He watched them as they ran, his eyes narrowing at a sudden movement in the grass ahead of them. His ears caught the unmistakable whisper of scales moving, and he jumped over the rail and off the balcony without a thought as to why he cared.

*

Midoriko sat deep in thought, her troubles to herself as the children played around her. 'These past three days haven't been as troubled as I once was lead to believe. Sesshoumaru has ceased eating with us, but then again Mitsurugi has as well. It's just Kagome and I, with some of the advisors and scholars InuTaishou sent for this shift.'

She sighed and stared into the distance, glimmers and flickers of the children passing through her vision. 'What worries me is Kagome. If I know my daughter the way I do, then she has already found a place at the Western Citadel. Her place isn't here anymore. Can I really trust Sesshoumaru to protect her? After all, he's only a pup compared to how old the other youkai are. What's to prevent him from going power-mad? Will he even protect her when the time comes?' She jerked to her feet at a frightened scream, her thoughts forgotten as the children scrambled behind her.

Sesshoumaru stood in front of her, his left side facing her as he glared down at something. Kagome and another little girl were behind him, his tail wrapped up around them holding them up from the ground. He stood there a few seconds more, his eyes cold and calculating before bending over and grabbing something.

Midoriko gasped, as did the children around her as he pulled out a struggling five foot cobra from the grass where Kagome once stood. Sesshoumaru frowned down at the offensive creature, his eyes narrowing when it hissed angrily.

"My poison is more dangerous," he growled as his hand glowed a sickly green. The snake's mouth fell open in agony as the poison flowed down his claws and into it's skin. There was a hissing sound, followed by an awful smell as the snake melted into a greenish-brown goo.

"Ewww…" the children chanted from behind Midoriko as Sesshoumaru tossed the snake back to the grass. They watched in awe as that part of the grass began to smoke before wide grins spread across their faces.

"Wow! That was awesome!" they chirped, then eeped when Sesshoumaru turned to look at them. His tail sat Kagome and the little girl in her arms down in front of them before wrapping itself around Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"Konnichi wa Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome said with a bow. Sesshoumaru nodded his head in acknowledgement before glancing at the children still behind Midoriko. "Come here you guys," she whispered as she gestured with her hands. They came forward obediently, although a bit reluctantly. They lined up in one straight line, the little girl with the sandy brown buns in her hair last as an older boy next to Kagome.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I would like you to meet Kohaku," she gestured to the elder boy beside her. "Souta, Shiori, Oxnard, Toga, Kenshin, Yume, Rei, Serenity, Oric, and little Mayu on the end. Children, this is Sesshoumaru, Great Taiyoukai to all of Japan. Say hello."

"Konnichi wa Sesshoumaru-sama," they all said with clumsy but respectful bows. Sesshoumaru bowed back, their display of good manners impressive despite their social status.

"Konnichi wa children. How fares your game?"

"Very well Sesshoumaru-sama," they all answered. Kagome smiled proudly down at them. "What brings you to us Sesshoumaru-sama?" She looked up before he could answer and gasped.

"Goodness! Lunch is ready! My apologies Sesshoumaru-sama. I will see to your lunch right away! Come on children! Back inside!"

The children scampered off behind Kagome, each turning back to wave or shout their goodbyes as the disappeared inside the castle. He turned back to the balcony and finally spotted Midoriko with a strange look on her face.

"Hai, what is it?"

"Arigato Sesshoumaru-sama for saving the children," she said with a low bow. Sesshoumaru brushed it off as nothing. "That is not what is on your mind."

"No, it's not. I however do not wish to trouble you with my meager thoughts," Midoriko replied. Sesshoumaru smirked in amusement. 'This onna is well versed in how to avoid the questions of those above her. I will let her be for once.'

"Did you not notice the danger the children were in earlier?" he asked instead.

"I did, and was preparing a shield when your presence made it unnecessary."

"And that brings us to another question," Sesshoumaru said as Midoriko glanced toward a grove of nearby sakura trees. "Why are your powers so weak Midoriko-miko-san? You are still capable of defending yourself, but the days where you could be a threat to me are long gone. What happened?"

Midoriko visibly flinched, her aura flashing quickly before settling itself into its usual calm. "Surely if you are to ask a question, then I may ask one as well."

"I suppose," Sesshoumaru said with a shrug. "It makes no difference to me seeing as I most likely will not answer."

"Then the same shall apply to me. Why do you insist on my daughter staying at the Western Citadel with you instead of being tutored here?"

"That question has been answered," Sesshoumaru responded, his eyes glittering in the afternoon sun as he stared down at her. Midoriko shrugged. "Perhaps…"

"Do you dare call this Sesshoumaru a liar?" Sesshoumaru growled seriously.

"No, but I do believe I haven't asked the right question."

"Where has your power gone miko?" Sesshoumaru asked once again, more determined than last time to receive an answer.

Blue eyes, familiar but not stared back at him and Midoriko shrugged again. "Why exactly did you jump from the balcony to save my daughter? I have heard the rumors about you and your healing sword. Why not wait for the snake to strike and use it? Why go through the trouble of saving her at all if you hate ningen so much?"

Sesshoumaru's temper flared, the audacity of the woman in front of him astonishing him into silence. He calmed himself quickly, his eyes briefly closing before opening again. "Alright," he conceded with a slight smile. "I will allow this…for now. I do wish to know, so be prepared to answer me in the future."

"Of course Sesshoumaru-sama," Midoriko called as Sesshoumaru jumped back to the study balcony. 'That went well,' Midoriko sighed as she followed Kagome and the children to the castle door. 'But at least now I know how far he's willing to go to protect Kagome.' She sighed again and shook her head.

'What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time and just say no…'

**

Sesshoumaru sat in the study still, having finally decided to put away his scrolls for another time as a subtle knock sounded on his door. He sniffed gingerly, finding an unfamiliar human and the scent of rose and vanilla beyond his door.

"Come in," he permitted. A servant opened the door, a silver tray in her hands as she allowed Kagome to pass. He watched her as she came in, her earlier kimono gone for an elaborate white one with red and white roses. Her slippered feet barely made a sound on the hardwood floor and the entire attire would have been perfect…

If it hadn't bee for the white makeup on her face.

'I absolutely hate that stuff,' Sesshoumaru mentally groaned as she sat down in front of him. She gestured for the servant to set the tray on a nearby stand and dismissed her before turning to Sesshoumaru.

"I didn't know if you were hungry or not, so I brought you a few simple things," she said as she gestured to the sushi and miso soup on the tray.

"Its of little importance. Come here Kagome." Kagome gave him a curious look but complied, crawling on her hands and knees until she sat on his desk. "Why exactly have you done this to yourself?" he asked as he reached inside a nearby water pitcher for a wet cloth.

"I don't know," she said with a blush as Sesshoumaru wiped the white paint from her face. "I thought you might like to see me this way, since you are a guest here."

"I prefer your natural beauty and scent to this foul smelling concoction you ningen seem to find pleasing," Sesshoumaru frowned as he rinsed the cloth out and returned to her face. Beneath it all, Kagome blushed.

"Wow, that's the most you've ever said to me," she joked with a smile on her painted lips. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow and continued. "Do you really think I'm beautiful Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Not with this goop on."

Kagome inwardly sighed, deciding to wait until he was satisfied to ask him anything further. He worked diligently, gently rubbing the cloth against a certain area of her skin until he was satisfied, then rinsing the cloth and moving on to another place. He was finished after what felt to Kagome like an eternity.

"There," he whispered as he wiped the crimson cream from her lips. "That is much better."

"If I had known that you would disapprove, I wouldn't have worn it," Kagome apologized meekly. Sesshoumaru pulled her into his lap, his tail wrapping around them both before reaching for the tray. "Have you eaten?" he asked as he pushed a salmon rolled seaweed roll toward the wasabi sauce. Kagome nodded. "That, and a change of clothes, is what took me so long. Gomen nasai Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Do not concern yourself with it," he told her before popping a roll in his mouth. Kagome looked away politely.

"Did I thank you for saving Mayu today?"

"No," Sesshoumaru said with a shake of his head. Kagome leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"Arigato Sesshoumaru-sama," she blushed, having once again kissed him without his permission. Sesshoumaru arched a dark brow and asked, "Just how many times do you plan to do that?"

"Until you tell me not to, I suppose."

"Clever answer," he commended with a mischievous smile. "Surely the same rules apply to me."

"Hu-" Kagome's mouth closed with an audible click when he grasped her jaw between his thumb and forefinger and kissed the corner of her mouth. She sat stiffly, her eyes wide in surprise as he moved from one corner to another before brushing his lips against hers. Her cheeks flamed a deep red when he finally pulled away, that all-knowing smirk back on his face as he looked down at her.

"Have I offended you Kagome?" he asked innocently. Kagome quickly shook her head. "No, n-not at all."

"Good," he whispered as he pulled her toward him once again. "I would hate for things to be one-sided between us."

*

He stood outside the study door and listened, his aura and scent hidden away from anyone who would detect it. 'How dare that filthy dog,' he snarled as he stormed down the hallway. 'That ningen belongs to me, just like her kencho friend. I will have them both. Nothing will stop me…but this assignment.' He kicked a nearby statue, watching as it cracked under the assault and fell to pieces on the floor.

'If I were still at the castle, I could turn the ningen hime away from him and toward myself. Through her, I could take the western land and all that's in it. The kencho would insure my victory. None would oppose me…but I'm stuck here!" He growled viciously, frightening a passing servant into dropping her tray and scurrying down the hallway like a frightened rabbit.

'Maybe there's a way for me to have what I want,' he thought as he stopped in front of the throne room, where the emperor's scent was the strongest. 'All I have to do is convince one to con them all…'

**

Rashidi looked off into the sunset, his yellow eyes glittering in the faint light. 'This is a nice kingdom,' he said to himself as he walked toward the front gate. 'It's been a weeklong retreat. The king isn't very nice, but the queen is as gracious as any I've ever seen. The resemblance between her and Lady Kagome is uncanny.'

"Rashidi-sempai! Rashidi-sempai!" a soldier yelled from the castle drawbridge. "Come quickly! There's a message from the Citadel!"

Rashidi quickly approached the soldier, a giant panda youkai with black and white patched hair. "Here you are," he said as he passed Rashidi the letter. "The messenger just left. He said to read it and inform Sesshoumaru-sama immediately."

Rashidi ripped apart the parchment and read the message inside. His eyes widened considerably and he dropped the parchment and ran toward the castle without another word. Rashidi's thoughts spun around on themselves, though only one thought remained clear.

'Must get to Sesshoumaru-sama. Must get to Sesshoumaru-sama.' "My lady!" he called as he spotted Midoriko walking down a hallway. She turned and stared at him curiously when Rashidi repeated himself before skidding to a stop and lightly smacking himself in the forehead.

"Please forgive me Midoriko-sama," he said with a hasty bow as he returned to her native language. "But please, where is Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"He and Kagome were sitting on top of the northern tower," Midoriko said quickly. "But that's the last I saw them."

"Please show me where they are. I must speak to him immediately!"

"Of cour-ah!" Midoriko screamed when he picked her up and dashed down the hallway, the tow of them becoming nothing more than a green and blue streak down the hallways. She directed him outside to the garden below the tower and pointed up.

She screamed again when he jumped, making sure to rebound off the side of the castle wall before leaping the entire way up the northern tower. He landed on the edge of the tower roof with Midoriko in his arms and bowed in apology to Sesshoumaru, who had stood, wrapped Kagome in his tail and jerked her away from the imposing threat.

"My apologies Sesshoumaru-sama, but we are due to return to the castle as soon as possible! The eastern providence has been taken over by the Dark Army!"

----

Kilik: If I may be honest, this is one of my favorites.

Inu-chan: How can you say that? It's the stupidest fic she's ever written!

Sesshou: I agree with Kilik. It's not my favorite, but it is interesting.

SF: See there Inu-chan! Shows what you know!

Inu-chan: Feh! I still say it sucks. I don't get the girl-

Silver Fox: But you get a girl.

Inu-chan: o.o Really? Who?

Silver Fox: Can't tell. Anyway, the next chapter promises to be interesting.

Kagome: That's right. The next chapter starts my offensive training-

Silver Fox: And there's a lot going on deep within the taiyoukai council unit.

Shippou: And just what did Kagome's mom mean when she wished to go back in time?

Inu-chan: I wanted to know that too. Does she regret Kagome going?

SF: Nope, it goes much deeper than that. We're talking about 400 years.

Kagome: The next chapter: Spy Capers and the Undercover Kitsune!

*For this chapter, everyone wave to Tessa3, who was so kind as to beta for me! Hi Nikki-girl!*