InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The New Student and Kagome's Secret ❯ Chapter 60: Inuyasha's Viewing ( Chapter 61 )

A/N: Sheesh! Okay, I'm sorry for leaving such an evil cliffy! I promise I will make it up to you! I made this chapter nice and long for you…without cliffhangers.

 

Chapter 60

 

Kagome sat on the bed in the Royal Chambers. She stared blankly out the window. It was a clear day, and on a normal day she would say it was a beautiful day, but not today. She hadn't slept at all last night. In fact, she had cried the entire night. Her eyes were puffy and her face was pale. She was dressed in a black dress that stopped about mid-calf, and the shikon no tama hung around her neck. She wore black netted veil to cover her face, a sure sign of mourning. Kagome was in mourning and definitely hadn't wanted to be bothered. She had immediately changed into mourning clothes so that everyone would know her state of mind and leave her alone. Most knew, however. She hadn't needed the mourning clothes for everyone to know how distraught she had to be. Inuyasha's viewing had been scheduled for today. His funeral procession would be tomorrow. Kagome hated the idea of a viewing. It was basically a time for everyone to come view the body and pay their respects and talk to the family to see how they were doing. Well, how does everyone think she's doing is what she wanted to know. She really didn't wanted to have to be near his casket any longer than she had to. She wanted to stay right there and be left alone. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

 

“My Lady?” Myouga asked as he entered the room. “The ceremony will begin shortly. It has been asked that you choose Lord Inuyasha's burial clothes.”

 

“Clean his robe of the fire rat,” Kagome said. “He saved my life many times in that outfit. He even died saving my life in that robe. Yes, he needs to be buried with it. It was his favorite thing to wear.”

 

“Yes, my Lady,” Myouga said as he bowed and went to exit the room.

 

Another knock came at the door shortly after. Suprisingly enough, Kouga entered the room. Kagome continued to stare blankly out the window, barely even acknowledging his presence. Kouga and his minions had been occupied elsewhere during the battle. It turns out that Sesshoumaru had managed to revive a few of his most evil demons and had set them out on neighboring villages, including the opposite side of Inuyasha's city. Kouga had left to save the people because he knew that is what Kagome would have wanted him to do. Most of Kouga's pack, however, had gathered for Inuyasha's funeral.

 

“Kagome,” Kouga began. “You know Inuyasha and I very rarely got along, but just so you know, I would have never wished for his death. It was more like a brotherly feud between us.”

 

“I know Kouga,” Kagome said. “One of you would have been dead a long time ago.”

 

“I'm just sorry I couldn't have been there,” he said. “I would have tried to help out in any way I could.”

 

“That's okay, Kouga,” Kagome said. “You were where you needed to be. A lot of people would be dead right now had it not been for you and your pack. For that I thank you.”

 

“Your welcome,” he said as he bowed and turned to walk out. He stopped just before the door. “Kagome, if you ever need someone to talk to…well, you know you can always come to me…and I mean that with no strings attached this time.”

 

“Thank you, Kouga,” Kagome replied. “But I don't think I will be doing much talking for a while.”

 

Kouga nodded and left the room. That was the way Kagome stayed until Inuyasha's viewing. She stared out the window blankly, not really thinking about anything. She had practically gone into a state of shock. Later, Sango entered the room to let her friend know that it was time to start. She too was dressed in a black dress that came down to about her knees.

 

“I'm not going,” Kagome said.

 

“What?” Sango replied.

 

“I said I'm not going,” she said rather sternly.

 

“But Kagome, don't you think you need to be down there?” Sango urged. “You are the closest thing he has to family. You need to be down there…for Inuyasha if for no one else.”

 

“Fine,” Kagome said with a sigh, standing to her feet. “Just give me a minute.”

 

“Okay,” Sango said. “I'll be back in a minute.”

 

Sango left the room, and Kagome walked over to the balcony. She opened the balcony doors and walked to the edge. She leaned on the railing as she watched people filter inside the castle to give their condolences. Kagome sighed. She really didn't want to do this. It would remind her that Inuyasha was dead. She ripped the shikon no tama from around her neck and stared at the little jewel that had caused her so much grief. She really wished she could hurl it as far away as possible. She clenched the jewel in her fist and began crying helplessly.

 

“What am I to do now?” Kagome said out loud.

 

Suddenly a voice out of no where said, “When all seems lost…the answer lies within your hands.” Kagome jumped.

 

`Where did that come from…and why does that statement sound so familiar?' Kagome thought. `Oh, I am just seriously losing my mind now. I'm hearing voices in my head. Wait a minute though. I remember that statement.'

 

She then heard it again. It just kept replaying over and over again. Then, it suddenly hit her.

 

[FLASHBACK TO CONVERSATION BETWEEN INUYASHA AND KAGOME]

 

"So continue," Inuyasha urged, eager to know how Kagome had met his father.

 

"Anyway, I just remember as a little girl how I thought the Lords and Ladies of the Land were so cool. It was such an honor when I finally met your father. I met your father one day as he traveled through our city. I was a little girl and there was a huge welcoming ceremony. People lined the streets just so they could see him. He was there on business with the Lord of the Eastern Lands. I remember pushing my way to the front of the crowd and staring up at him. We happened to be where he was getting out and so he was there…standing right in front of me. But what he did still astonishes me to this day. Out of everyone in the crowd, he saw me…me…just normal Kagome Higurashi. There were a few servants behind him catching the flowers people were throwing to him. He stood over me and stared down at me. He then pulled a single rose from the many he had been thrown and squatted in front of me. At first, I was scared, but more because the Lord of the Western Lands was standing right there in front of me. He then took the rose and placed it in my hands. He smiled and said, `I expect great things from you little one…when all seems lost…the answer lies within your hands.' He then stood and walked away. To this day, I don't know what he meant by that. I thought he meant something about the rose, so I pressed it in between two pages of my diary and I still have it to this day. I know now that it had nothing to do with the rose he gave me, but I still don't know what he meant."

 

[END FLASHBACK]

 

`That's right,' she thought. `Inuyasha's father told me that when I was a little girl. But why am I thinking of it now?'

 

“Kagome, you ready now?” Sango called.

 

“Yeah,” Kagome said as she followed her friend out the door of the bedroom. The two of them walked down the hall in silence.

 

`What does this mean?' Kagome thought. `Why am I suddenly not able to get Lord Kizoku's statement out of my head? Why does he keep repeating himself? When all seems lost…the answer lies within your hands.'

 

Sango eyed her friend warily, but just figured she was distraught over the loss of her beloved. However, something that struck Sango as odd was that Kagome appeared to be in deep thought, as if she were trying to figure something out. She didn't know what could be bothering her at a time like this. The two of them soon entered the viewing room. Sango led Kagome to Inuyasha's casket. A few people gave their condolences in passing, and Kagome politely thanked them. Sango stopped just short of the casket.

 

“Now, are you sure you want to see this?” Sango asked her friend.

 

“Yeah,” Kagome said with a nod. “I would like to see him one last time.”

 

“Very well,” Sango said stepping out of her way.

 

Kagome slowly made her way to the casket. Unbeknownst to her, everyone watched her slowly creep up to the casket. Miroku walked up next to Sango. He was wearing a ceremonial black robe that monks wear during times of mourning. It was a symbol that he was a holy man that could possibly help you cope with the reality of death. Sango turned her head and decided to walk around the corner just out of sight. Miroku followed.

 

Kagome finally reached the casket and looked down into it. He was pale. The life had completely drained from him. His eyes were closed and his hands were folded on his chest. His entire face had a blue sheen to it, but more so around his lips and eyes. He still had a few cuts and scratches on his face that hadn't had time to heal from the battle. His ears lay flat against his head. That was the only thing Kagome didn't like. She had wished his ears were perked up. He had always been so alert, but she knew he couldn't be that way any more. She wept softly next to his casket. She would have cried harder, but she had cried so much within the past day she didn't think she could cry any more.

 

`The answer lies within your hands,' she heard in her head again.

 

She cried harder.

 

`Please stop!' she thought. `Not now! I can't take any more!'

 

`But Kagome, the answer lies within your hands,' she heard someone say in her head.

 

That one had just creeped her out. They hadn't said her name the first few times. `But what can I do?' she thought. `What do you mean the answer lies within my hands? What can I do? I'm not powerful enough to bring Inuyasha back from the dead, and that would be the only answer I would need right now…is how to bring him back!'

 

`The answer lies within your hands,' the voice said again.

 

Kagome was getting tired of this. She couldn't take this any more. She began to cry harder. She went to wipe her face with her hand and realized that she still had the jewel clenched inside her fist. `Oh, I forgot I had the jewel in my hand,' Kagome thought, then it hit her. `Oh my God! The answer lies within my hands! That's it!' She stared over at Inuyasha and looked at the jewel in her hand. `Is it possible? Could I really do this?' She summoned all of the priestess powers she could muster and silently prayed. The jewel began to glow a brilliant pink. Sango and Miroku entered the room to see where the immense light was coming from.

 

“Kagome!” Sango said. “What is she doing?”

 

“It looks like she is trying to revive Inuyasha with the jewel?” Miroku said.

 

“Won't the jewel be corrupt and turn evil if she does such a thing?” Sango asked.

 

“Not if someone like Kagome is holding it,” Myouga said.

 

“Myouga,” Sango said.

 

“Kagome has unselfishly guarded the shikon no tama and kept it out of the hands of danger, and Inuyasha has unselfishly guarded her. The jewel may be finally giving a little something back,” Myouga said.

 

“So what will happen to the jewel?” Miroku asked.

 

“If Kagome succeeds, the jewel will be purified and disappear forever,” Myouga said. “However, if Kagome fails, the jewel will remain as it is, and Kagome will be forced to guard it for all eternity. And there is even a possibility the jewel will consume her.”

 

“What do you mean?” Sango asked.

 

“If she fails, the jewel will govern Kagome. Kagome will not govern the jewel,” Myouga said.

 

“You mean that thing may control her?” Sango asked. Myouga nodded.

 

“However, that's only if she fails,” Myouga said. “But it is going to take all the purification strength that woman has to revive Inuyasha.”

 

Slowly everyone started to gather around as the jewel began to glow brighter and brighter. Kagome prayed with all of her might. She prayed and prayed until finally the jewel floated out of her hands and began floating over Inuyasha's body, spinning slowly. Kagome was focusing so hard that her body began to shake and tremble. She was putting everything she had into this. She knew she only had one shot…one opportunity. Beads of sweat gathered at her temples as the energy was slowly drained from her body. Kagome didn't think she could hold on much longer, but she tried with all of her might.

 

“Come on, Kagome,” Sango said under her breath. “You can do it.”

 

Kagome remembered all of the times she had with Inuyasha. She wanted more times like those. She was trembling though. She wouldn't last much longer. She would soon kill herself if she didn't stop. She didn't care though. She wanted Inuyasha to be alive and well again. The shikon jewel radiated its pink aura down onto Inuyasha like the rays of the sun, and suddenly began to spin rapidly. Kagome began to shake violently.

 

“Oh, Miroku,” Sango said. “Should we stop her?”

 

“She'll kill herself if we don't stop her soon,” Miroku said. “And at this point I am pretty sure she doesn't care if that happens.”

 

“That's enough then,” Sango said. “Look at her! She is as white as a ghost and is going into convulsions. We need to stop her.”

 

Myouga, Sango, and Miroku rushed to her side, but just before they got there, she collapsed onto the floor.

 

“Kagome!” they yelled as they ran to her side to lift her up.

 

Sango lifted her friend into her arms. Kagome shook her head as if trying to wake herself up. Her vision was blurry, but she was alive. She looked up at the casket. Had it worked? Was he alive? Miroku, Sango, and Myouga followed her gaze. Miroku stood up slowly and peered over into the casket. There was Inuyasha. He still lay motionless in the casket. Miroku's face fell as he looked back to Kagome and shook his head slightly.

 

“NO!” Kagome said as she began crying hysterically. “NO! He has to be okay now!!!”

 

Kagome jumped up and looked into the casket. Inuyasha's lifeless figure still lay in the casket. Kagome cried hysterically. She thought there had to be at least a chance it would work. She leaned over and in one last attempt to revive him, kissed him on his lips. Gasps spread through the crowd as they looked on. A single tear fell onto Inuyasha's face as Kagome kissed him. She finally released herself from the kiss and stood up. Nothing. She fell on the casket crying again.

 

Sango and Miroku exchanged worried glances for their friend. This wasn't good for her. They really needed to just get her away from Inuyasha. She couldn't handle it. She sobbed frantically until Sango and Miroku came over and pulled her away from the casket. Sango and Miroku held onto either side of Kagome as they walked the hysterical priestess out of the viewing room. Everyone was staring, and a few people even started to cry at the sight of Kagome's distraught figure passing them.

 

Myouga watched as they carried Kagome away. He sighed and rested a hand on the edge of Inuyasha's casket. He felt sorry for the poor girl. He assumed that since Kagome had failed the shikon no tama must have dropped somewhere in the casket so he peered over into the casket to see if it had fallen. He looked around, but it was no where to be found. `That's odd,' he thought. `It should definitely be here somewhere.'

 

“Ka…go…me,” someone suddenly said.

 

Myouga looked behind him to see if someone was trying to find Kagome, but no one was there. He turned back around to look inside the casket again when something caught his eye. The scratches on Inuyasha's face were gone, and the color had returned to his face and body.

 

“Master Inuyasha?” Myouga said in shock.

 

He looked down to find Inuyasha's hand twitching as if it were trying to move. Myouga swallowed hard. He had never seen something like this happen in all of his days. He was actually getting a little freaked out, but he also wanted his master to be okay.

 

“Master Inuyasha?” Myouga said again. “Are you alive?”

 

With no response, he finally thought he might just be wishful thinking. He slammed his fist down on the casket's edge. He was angry. He really wanted his master to be alive. Suddenly, something grabbed his hand. Myouga's heart dropped into his stomach as he turned to see Inuyasha pulling himself up to a sitting position. He held one hand to his head and the other hand he had used to hoist himself up, the hand presently on Myouga's.

 

“Master Inuyasha!” Myouga said.

 

Everyone looked and gasps spread through the crowd. A few older women fainted at the sight of a man crawling from a casket. Myouga rushed to his side and helped him out of the casket. No wonder Myouga hadn't been able to find the jewel. It had been purified!

 

“Master Inuyasha! You're alive?” Myouga asked. “How do you feel? Can you speak?”

 

“Feh!” he said. Tears filled Myouga's eyes.

 

“Oh you are back, my Lord!” he exclaimed as he allowed Inuyasha to use him as a crutch. “New plans everyone! Go home and change clothes! There is no longer a need for anyone to being wearing black out of mourning! Prepare yourselves for tonight's celebration ball!!!”

 

Everyone cheered while a few of them cried out of joy. As Inuyasha passed them, everyone bowed their heads and bent down on one knee out of respect. Many of them said praises to him as he passed. Inuyasha merely acknowledged them with a nod as he finally walked out of the viewing room. Everyone cheered and rushed out of the castle to prepare themselves for the ball.

 

Myouga walked Inuyasha into the Dining Hall. He needed to get him some water and make sure he was okay. Satoru was wiping off dishes and sniffing in the kitchen. He had apparently been crying. The shutters to the kitchen window were open. He looked up to see Inuyasha sitting upright in one of the dining chairs. He gasped and dropped the plate he had been cleaning, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Myouga ran to the window.

 

“Myouga, please tell me I am not going crazy, and that really is Lord Inuyasha sitting there,” Satoru said.

 

“It really is him!” Myouga said excitedly. “Lady Kagome revived our Lord from the dead! Fetch some water for him!”

 

Satoru smiled excitedly and even laughed a little. He fumbled around nervously in the kitchen and soon came out with a glass and pitcher of water. He set it down in front of Inuyasha, and filled the glass with water. Inuyasha reached out for the glass and slowly starting to sip the water down. It was just what he needed. He felt a lot better already. Inuyasha set the glass down and looked up at Satoru. Satoru couldn't stand it any longer. He wrapped his Lord in a tight hug. Inuyasha jumped, somewhat startled by his actions.

 

“It's so good to have you alive and well, my Lord,” Satoru said.

 

“Er…um…thanks, Satoru,” Inuyasha said as Satoru released him. “How did I revive?”

 

“Lady Kagome, sire,” Myouga said. “She used the shikon jewel and her own powers in one last attempt to revive you. When you didn't respond right away, she began crying hysterically. Sango and Miroku had to take her away. She is in the Royal Chambers right now resting. It took a lot out of her…both mentally and physically. Neither Sango, Miroku, nor Kagome know that you are alive right now, sire. They all think Kagome's attempts have failed.”

 

“Kagome, huh?” Inuyasha said with a smile. “That girl won't do. I really should go to her now.”

 

“Very well, my Lord,” Myouga said. “Do you need my assistance?”

 

“Let me see,” Inuyasha said as he stood up on his own. “No. I think might be able to manage now.”

 

“Lady Kagome will be so pleased to see you sire,” Myouga said. “She's been quite distraught since your passing. She just sits and stares at nothing. She speaks to no one and keeps herself locked in the Royal Chambers constantly. She blames herself for your death.”

 

“What?!” Inuyasha exclaimed.

 

“You risked your life to save her, sire,” Myouga said. “That's how you died. You died saving her life. Therefore, she blames herself for the entire thing.”

 

“Stupid wench!” Inuyasha muttered. “Always going off assuming such nonsense!”

 

Inuyasha began to walk slowly but surely out of the Dining Hall. Myouga's and Satoru's smiles couldn't have gotten any brighter as they watched their Lord exit the room. They knew everyone was going to be so excited…especially Lady Kagome.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Sango and Miroku laid Kagome down gently in the bed of the Royal Chambers. They knew she had to be exhausted mentally, physically, and even emotionally. Her eyes were half-open as she lay there staring off into space as if she were in a trance. Sango sniffed and then started crying. Miroku pulled Sango into an embrace. Sango couldn't bear to see her best friend like that, and Miroku knew it. First, Inuyasha dies and now Sango's best friend seemed to be in a state of shock. What more could happen? He decided it would be best to pull Sango away.

 

“Come on, Sango,” Miroku said soothingly. “Let's let her rest.”

 

The two of them walked out the door and shut it behind them. Sango seemed to be straightening up a bit. She wasn't crying quite as hard. Miroku looked down at Sango as they walked trying to get her to calm down, but he too held a look of depression. It was his best friend that was dead. He knew, however, that Inuyasha had died the only way he had ever wanted to die…by saving Kagome's life. Miroku had to fight back the tears as he walked Sango down the long corridor towards the dining hall. He thought maybe some herbal tea would make her feel better. He walked a few more steps until something caught his eye. His breath caught in his throat as he stopped dead in his tracks. Sango, who had had her face buried in her hands, looked up at Miroku. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Sango followed his gaze and gasped. Walking towards them was a figure in red with silver hair. Sango began to tear up a little more because she sincerely thought she was losing her mind.

 

“Oh, now I am losing it!” Sango said as she began to cry harder.

 

“I don't really think you are,” Miroku said slowly. “I see it too.”

 

Slowly, Inuyasha approached them. He was walking a little better than before and it was apparent that little by little, his strength was returning to him. He stopped about five feet from them.

 

“Inuyasha?” Miroku asked.

 

“Hello, Miroku,” Inuyasha said with a weak smile.

 

“Are you a ghost?” Sango asked. Inuyasha shook his head `no'. Sango looked to Miroku for an answer.

 

“He can't be a ghost,” Miroku said. “I would have sensed that. Inuyasha…is…is it really you?”

 

“Yeah,” he replied somewhat arrogantly. “You know it takes a lot more that my idiot brother to take me out!”

 

“Oh Inuyasha!” Sango said flinging herself onto him into a tight hug. “It's really you! You're alive! You're really alive! Oh, I'm so happy!”

 

Inuyasha caught Sango in his arms more out of mere reaction. He stood there shocked for a moment before relaxing and hugging Sango back. Sango cried into his embrace, this time out of joy.

 

“It's okay, Sango,” Inuyasha said nonchalantly. “I'm okay. Why are you crying? Stop crying!”

 

Sango released herself from the hug and hit him in the shoulder.

 

“Ow!” he said. “What the…”

 

“Why the hell did it take you so long to come to, you jerk?!” Sango said angry but happy at the same time. “You scared the hell out of us! We thought you were gone for good!”

 

“Um…sorry?” he said as if to insinuate he couldn't exactly bring himself back from the dead.

 

“It's good to have you back, man,” Miroku said wrapping Inuyasha in a manly hug then releasing him.

 

“Feh!” Inuyasha said folding his arms in his haori and tossing his head to the side. “I already told you I don't go down that easily!”

 

Sango and Miroku just smiled at him. They were so happy that he was alive. They couldn't even think of what they wanted to say next. Then, realization hit Sango. Kagome doesn't know that Inuyasha is alive. She doesn't know that her attempts were successful.

 

“I think there is someone else who would love to know that you are alive,” Sango said motioning towards the Royal Chambers.

 

Inuyasha looked down the hall and nodded. He began walking slowly down the hall. His heart beat within his chest. Suddenly, his memories came back to him. He hadn't had the chance to tell Kagome everything he had wanted to tell her before he died. He had thought he would never see her again. He was just as excited to see Kagome as she would be to see him. He had been given a second chance at life…a second chance with Kagome. It was almost as if she were the one coming back. She was the one who had given him that chance. He had saved her life, and she had in turn saved his. He reached the door and turned around to look at Sango and Miroku one last time before entering the room. He pushed open the door and entered the room easing the door shut behind him.

 

“Go away,” Kagome murmured. “I don't feel like company right now.”

 

He took a step towards her. That voice…it was the voice he thought he would never be able to hear again. He had to swallow the lump in his throat as he took another step towards her. He walked around the bed and stood near her. Kagome's eyes were closed, but she could sense someone's presence.

 

“I said go away,” Kagome said. “Please, can't you see I am in no state to have company? Please just let me be.”

 

“Kagome,” he said softly.

 

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. She recognized that voice. She opened her eyes and looked up. She laid there for a minute, allowing her blurred vision to clear. When she was finally able to see clearly, she gasped and sat up straight in her bed.

 

“I…Inu…Inuyasha?!” she said before she started crying frantically. “Oh God! I'm going crazy, aren't I? Now, I am seeing things!”

 

“No, no,” Inuyasha said, sitting on the edge of her bed and grabbing one of her hands. “You're not seeing things. It's really me.”

 

“It's…” she stammered as she reached out to touch his face. “It's really you?” He nodded. “But…but how?”

 

“You, Kagome,” he said. “I came to shortly after you left. Myouga helped me out of the casket and now…here I am…alive and well…thanks to you.”

 

“You promise I'm not seeing things?” Kagome said as she tried to control the excitement rising within her. He scooted closer to her and kissed her softly on her forehead.

 

“I promise it's really me,” he said.

 

“OH INUYASHA!!!” Kagome cried out flinging herself into his embrace and crying uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and just held her, trying to calm her down.

 

“I'm sorry I worried you,” he said soothingly.

 

“It's okay,” she said between sobs. “I'm just so thankful you're alive. Please…just don't ever leave me again! Please! Oh, thank God you are alive!”

 

Inuyasha allowed Kagome to sob into his embrace for a while, while he stroked her hair in an attempt to sooth her emotions. He thought he would never see her again. He had sincerely thought the battle with Sesshoumaru had ended his life, and apparently so had she. She cried frantically into his embrace for a little bit longer, afraid to let go, afraid that if she released him she would realize it had all been a dream and Inuyasha really was dead.

 

“I promise, Kagome,” he said hugging her tightly, trying to calm her wailing figure. “I promise I'll never part with you again. You know I will always watch over you.”

 

Kagome looked up at him. They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before leaning in for a kiss. Their eyes closed, and their lips were mere centimeters apart when…

 

*WHAM *

 

The bedroom door flung open and there stood Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku.

 

“Hey dog breath! Are you really alive? I thought I had finally gotten rid of you,” Kouga retorted.

 

Inuyasha growled and looked up at him. Kagome sighed. They had missed out on yet another kiss.

 

“You know I really am going to kill you one of these days,” Inuyasha said standing up.

 

“Oh yeah?” Kouga said running over to him, but to Inuyasha's surprise Kouga extended his hand. Inuyasha looked at his hand for a second before shaking it. “It's good to have you back, man.”

 

“It's good to be back,” Inuyasha said.

 

Kagome's eyes were bright with excitement. She couldn't believe that Inuyasha was actually alive. She felt so alive now.

 

“Well, what is everyone standing around for?” Satoru said suddenly as he and Myouga entered the room. “We have a celebration to get ready for!”

 

“Celebration?” Inuyasha questioned.

 

“Yes, sire,” Myouga said. “A celebration in honor of your being alive and of you being our new Lord of the Western Lands! You know that it is tradition to have a ball the night before the installation of a new Lord.”

 

“Yes, I know,” Inuyasha said. “I just didn't know we would be doing everything this soon.”

 

“Why not, my Lord?” Myouga asked. “Our Land is without a ruler. We haven't a moment to lose. You haven't changed your mind have you?”

 

Inuyasha sighed. Kagome rested a hand on his shoulder.

 

“You don't have to be Lord if you don't want to you know?” Kagome said.

 

“I know I don't have to be,” Inuyasha said. “But I want to be. I felt it in battle. It is my duty, my responsibility. I will take over as Lord of the Western Lands. No one will ever be good enough in my eyes to rule over my father's people…so if you want something done right, you have do it yourself. I just hope I can be half the ruler my father was.”

 

“I think you will be better!” Kagome said brightly. He smiled at her then looked away, a small blush creeping onto his features. Myouga and Satoru smiled.

 

“The servants are already preparing the ballroom for tonight, my Lord,” Myouga said as he handed Inuyasha a scroll. “Here is a detailed list of your first duties as Lord. It explains in detail the events that will take place in the next few days.”

 

Inuyasha unrolled it and scanned over it briefly.

 

“Wait a minute,” Inuyasha said. “I have to address the people? Tomorrow morning?”

 

“Why yes, sire,” Myouga replied. “It will be your inauguration. You must address the people on inauguration day. The eight wisemen will instate you into your position. They are your official advisors. They come from the far corners of the country: north, northeast, northwest, east, southeast, south, southwest, and west. You will meet with them once a month whether there are problems needing national attention or not. Emergency meetings will be called with them from time to time.”

 

“Okay,” Inuyasha said rolling the scroll back up. “I will deal with this later.”

 

“Great idea, sire,” Myouga said. “You should prepare yourself for tonight's ball!”

 

A/N: Okay are you happy? If you're not, then you definitely will be in the next chapter. Lots of Inu/Kag fluffiness!