Sesshomaru smelled the change in the wind long before he felt it's cold bite.

Obviously his mother was waiting for him in the great room like she always does. The faithful servant of the prince (and in turn the Inu clan), Jaken, must have already warned the woman-demon if his visit. It was just as well, the prince didn't ever feel like searching for her: she was as free as she was independent and could often be difficult to locate when she was not at the palace

When he arrived at his father's gate, a trail of carts were parked there. Two were towed by dragons, the others pulled by single-eyed bats. They must have been some guests, which was not rare in the dog general's

When the prince entered the viewing room, his mother was engaged in an audience with Inu-no-yuki, the winter warrior. His sons and daughters and servants were all

"Master Sesshomaru," they greeted. He nodded to acknowledge he heard them. Then he addressed his mother as if he has been there all that time

"I am here."

"Welcome home, boy." She /His mother's attitude never amused him. She was not nearly as cold as she pretended to be, and her status as queen of the dog gods was a title she inherited solely though her union with his father. Powerful a demon as she was, she was still just a demon. "Are you here because you know it is inevitable?"

The dog let a little 'tch' escape him. She only asked because the answer was so obvious

And his frown deepened when his mother faked trying to hide a giggle, "My. You sound quite like that other one."

"Do not speak of what you do not know, mother." He warned, but it was too late. The blush of anger started to flood him at the sight mention that he may have started to act like Inuyasha. The regal woman just grinned, and it pained him to think she made a point

"How is the human village?" She asked the manservant. She knew better than to ask her son if she really wanted to get an answer.

"Well, my queen!"

"And...Rin?"

Sesshomaru did not make a sound, though another 'tch' settled itself on the tip of his lips.

"Uh..." Jaken stole a nervous look at his master before hesitantly responding, "she is doing well, thanks to my gracious queen."

"I see."

"My lady," Yuki interrupted, "shall my family leave to let you and the prince... catch up?

For a moment Sesshomaru saw this strange glint of mischief light up his mother's elegant red eyes, and she laced her long claws over her fair lips, "That will not be necessary,"she smiled, the very image made the prince bristle in an uncomfortable edge. "You and your family shall stay, I can speak with Lord Sesshomaru shortly. Jaken, please find a package for Sesshomaru in his chambers."

"...Right... right away, my queen" and Jacken hurried down the cloud gate corridor. He disappeared behind closed doors before Sesshomaru final decided confronting his mother was not worth the effort.

It has been barely over two years since he has last been home, not long in the scheme of things. But oddly enough, so much felt like it had changed between then and now: more so than any of the times he had been away from the palace for decades... More so than when he has left home for two hundred years. The last century had been very different, he'll admit. First his father taking in humans, the birth of Inuyasha, Kagome and Rin... The destruction of the Shikon no Tama. His room felt darker than he remembered it, though it was entirely unchanged.

True to her word, his mother has left a paper package bundled with string, sitting on his den futon. Jaken was already reading the inscription on the paper, it was not in his mother's handwriting.

"A gift, from the moth kingdom..." the servant summarized. He unwrapped the package quickly and pulled out a flowery, soft pink kimono. Jacken instantly seized, "the moth clans royal silk! Made from his daughters' threads no doubt! But this must have been to pay back a debt!..." He measured it up and down.

"Hmmm." Sesshomaru tried not to be interested, but to have received such a kimono, his mother must have struck a deal of some kind with the greedy clan. Though one small item would be nothing in their treasury, the moths were notorious for their greed and selfishness... "What could she have done?" Wondered the prince out loud.

"Who?"

His mother, thought Sesshomaru. But he didn't tell his servant that. What's more, his mother was already wearing something she owned from the past, it was unlike her to give up such a highly esteemed garment among it was she to go retentive it in the first place. "It is not interesting" and the prince started to remove some of his armor so he could rest on his futon.

Jacken though (with his fine eye for refined objects) continued to marvel and pour over the magnificent gift. "Such beauty, such workmanship. The details in the embroidery... even the seams inside the robe are flecked with detail. What vibrant color, and vibrant patterns." And as if this was not the first thought to come to his mind, he asked loudly, "why would the queen give you a woman's robe?"

And that was what Sesshomaru had been mulling about.

"Jaken..." the prince warned, noticing (mostly from experience) that edge where his servant began to lose himself to frenzy.

"Surely the queen does not believe you would wear such attire? How could she have such thoughts! My Lord would never wear woman clothes! And if you did these are much too small and does not compliment your skin nor your shape nor your grand -"

"Jaken." The price growled sharply. And the demon quickly shut his mouth. "Put it away."

"Yes Lord"

It was then, two young servant air spirits entered his room and presented him with food. Of course he dismissed them and ignored the meal. Jaken looked at it longingly, unhappy that his master would not eat, which in turn meant he could not eat.

"You insult the cook." Tisked the royal voice

"My! My queen." Jaken was on his face before her, and she wagged her hand at him.

"Leave us, Servant. I'm done eating, so you may ask the kitchen for my scraps."

The little demon stuttered a 'thank you', then scuttled out of the room, only looking back once, anxious for his master.

Sesshomaru was forced to acknowledge her presence when the door shut behind Jaken.

"I suppose it's time."

"I have more than one gift for you."

"What do you mean?" He looked at the kimono, "it is worthless to me."

"That is not for you, that is for your mate, when you have chosen one."

"I'm surprised you haven't chosen one for me yet."

His mother 'oh ho ho'ed with some sadistic delight, at his rebellious tone. "How very human a response."

He sniffed at her. If she was not his mother, he would have growled.

"My gift to you, son, is your chance to choose your future queen."

The price caught on to the deliberate change in her language.

"You mean my mate."

And frustratingly his mother just smiled. "I have made arrangements with the snow dog, his blood is strongest second only to my family. And if course, your blood. And with their freezing breath, it would be a great addition to our future bloodline of poison and lightning. He has four daughters, though one is too young for you, you may wait if you desire them small. Like your fair human."

He thought of someone defiling someone as young as Rin and he felt himself boil with anger at the very thought his mother would think if him like that.

"So of the the of them, I am to choose one to me the next queen of the Inu?"

"I said he has four daughters. One is just very young." She seemed to enjoy getting the rise out of him. And he decided she was baiting him on purpose. "Would you like to know more about them?"

"It seems that that is inevitable."

- - - (in the halls)- - -

Jaken wandered down the familiar corridors of the cloud palace with an intense growling in his stomach, what scraps did he think the dog queen would leave him. Truly a large feast she had and yet every but if the meat was hewed off of the bones leaving the monstrous carcass on the dining hall table. He took what he could to Uhn.

The dragon was thoroughly content, then he went to see off the servants had spare food... But as wind demons, they only ate leaves and he didn't accept any that they offered him.

The whole trip to the palace was bothering the little creature, ever since he left his kingdom to follow Sesshomaru, Jaken was unshakable in his confidence that his Lord would do great things. Even in the development of their new relationship with Rin felt like a grand (albeit annoying) adventure. Jaken may not understand how, but the young girl has changed Sesshomaru and the demon servant was beginning to become excited to see what that intense a connection to someone would do to the power of his masters determination.

Sure, Rin was just another human to him, especially in the beginning: but he had warmed to her, even could be described so far as to care about her- but to Sesshomaru, Rin was the first thing worth protecting, and he was willing to get stronger for her. Her very companionship was what Jaken knew would drive his master to be as strong..."no, stronger" than the king that came before him.

And yet here he was, waiting on the queen to announce Sesshomaru's mate.

"Ahh," the demon shook out his head, "we knew this day has to come" he said out loud. His mind argued back, 'we had just hoped it would be after Rin's lifetime...'

As he was about to return to his lord's room, the door opened and the queen stepped out. Jaken froze, wondering if she had seen him, but she went on her way - and if she did see him, she didn't acknowledge him.

He sighted in relief then announced his endurance into Sesshomaru's room.

The price was at his balcony overlooking the earth plains and the moon less starry heavens.

"Um... is everything alright, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Predictably, the demon did not answer.

So the servant went to his futon in the corner and leaned his staff careful on the wall closest to his head.

"Jaken," the prince's voice was heavier than usual, and for a second the servant thought he was going to say something deep. The master may have wanted to, but in the intensity of the pregnant pause, Jaken's empty stomach choose now to wail loudly. The demon was green with embarrassment. He waited for his prince to say something, maybe he didn't hear it, but how could he not, with ears as sharp as a dog demon... if there was something he was going to share, it was silenced, and all he said after was "I have no appetite tonight. Please find some way to dispose of my meal."

And the little demon melted in happiness. "My master is too kind!" And he went staying into eating the dishes in the trolly, promptly forgetting this his master may have had something intimate to share.