Inuyasha

Love's War

Chapter 1

Courtship

July 8, 2018

Shippou stood tall and proud beside his father figure in the Lords study at the Northern castle quietly awaiting the arrival of the Northern Lord Kuro. His eyes flickering over to Sesshomaru, occasionally, who made no acknowledgment that the boy had looked at him. Shippou had changed with age he was now slightly shorter than Sesshomaru with his auburn hair up in a pony tail hanging down to his lower back, and his feet had changed as well to that of a more human style as his powers increased so did his ability to maintain his more human look. He has on a basic white hori with his outer layer being teal with soft green leaves embroidered all over it but on the back, there was a small circle of white with red and pink sakura blossoms on it to distinguish himself as part of the Western Family He also had on armor like his father figure beside him. His Hakuma pants were dark blue with a green onbi tied around his waist holding his two swords at his waist on one side and a dagger on the other.

"Shippou settle down." Sesshomaru said softly, the boy's nervousness was starting to grate on his nerves. Lord Kuro was sure taking his time, though he figured it was on purpose to put the boy on edge, he of course knew why they were here it had been no secret over the last couple years.

"Sorry." Shippou muttered but a huge smile spread across his face that he just couldn't cover. They had grown quite close over the last ten years through all the training Sesshomaru had put him through.

"Ah Lord Sesshomaru and I see you've brought young Shippou with you today." Lord Kuro said brightly as he walked into the room and around his desk to sit down.

"Like you didn't know he came with me the moment we came into sight of the castle. Please may we get on with this since we have stood here for so long?" Sesshomaru asked as he stared indifferently at the old fox which caused Shippou's eyes to dart over to him again.

"Of course, you've came all this way, would you like some tea?" Kuro asked curiously looking back and forth between the two.

"No." Sesshomaru said simply.

"Very well Lord Sesshomaru why are you here?" Kuro asked knowing the answer but dragging this on to pressure the boy to see how he reacted. The boy had ranked up very nicely in the examinations over the years, he was now one of the most talented and sought after young men.

"As you know, my young kit has become interested in your eldest Princess Sachi." Sesshomaru said without batting an eye wanting to get this over with.

"So, I've seen." Kuro said with a raised eyebrow at Shippou.

"Ah Kuro dear I've brought Sachi with me." Hoshi said with a huge smile on her face walking into her husband's study. She knew she had just ended her husband's silly head games with the boy when she watched him put his head into his hand propped up on the desk by his elbow.

"Shippou." Sachi said softly with a sweet smile on her face glancing over at him out of the corner of her eye with a slight pink tint on her cheeks.

"Sachi." Shippou said as his cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

"Very well since both are interested parties and both parents agree, the courting may begin." Kuro said with a sigh as he looked at his meddlesome mate who liked to take all his fun away.

"Agreed Lord Kuro. Once a month for one week in rotating lands they may spend time together supervised for two seasons. Do you concur Lord Kuro?" Sesshomaru asked curiously wondering if the standard was going to be all the old fox required of the courtship.

"With a further two season if at that time deemed necessary by either party." Kuro said looking at his daughter she had made him proud by catching this fine young fox's attentions. Little did he know that Sachi had drawn his attentions from the first moment he had seen her being introduced at Hikaru's birth announcement.

"Agreed." Sesshomaru said then turned to Shippou. "You will stay here for the week then return home unless Lord Kuro has other plans." he said looking over at Kuro curiously.

"Sounds like a good plan to me Lord Sesshomaru. We shall send young Shippou back to you at the end of the week then next month our Sachi will be your house guest." Kuro said as he stood up from behind his desk motioning towards the door. "My mate you will be their chaperon." he said as he walked by Hoshi towards the door to walk with is friend out of the young one's way.

"We could have lunch in the garden." Sachi said softly looking down away from Shippou embarrassed.

"Sounds good." Shippou said with a small nervous laugh watching Sesshomaru walk down the hall without him just before the door closed.

"Very well this way young ones." Hoshi said as she pushed the door open for the two behind her to go through. "Sachi dear you know the way." she said softly motioning her daughter to take the lead.

"Yes mother." Sachi said softly as she did a small nervous smile to her mother then took the lead followed by Shippou through the door who immediately caught up to her to walk side by side with her.

: Remember Shippou she's not going to want a follower she's going to want someone to walk beside her. Don't forget to figure out what she likes to listen to all the small details she gives you and respond with meaningful conversation. Once you've done that we can manage to make her room a second home here filled with the things she likes so she won't feel so out of place that's why we want you to stay there first. Trust me she'll appreciate all the effort you put in to make her more comfortable here and showing her that you actually do listen will go a long way.: Kagome's words rang through his mind as he glanced over at Sachi feeling so out of place during the long awkward silence down the hall. Was he really courting this beautiful princess? It was all blowing his mind a little.

"So... nice weather..." Shippou said awkwardly trying to start conversation once they made it out into the beautiful garden area. It was a huge area with a large koi pond and meditation garden made with this morning's meditation routine. A red wooden bridge crossing the pond to get to a small island in the center, once a cross they walked along a slender fine gravel walk path to get to a covered sitting area surrounded by so many beautiful plants with a large color variety and several trees for shade.

"Yes, it's great weather for a picnic." Sachi said as she watched her mother sit down not far from them and pull out a book to read from her sleeve.

"So, it is." Shippou said then sat down on the far side of the sitting area. "So, what do you do for fun?" he asked curiously.

"For fun?" Sachi asked softly to herself as she turned to look at Shippou. "I read, study, and train. My only solitary moment with two younger siblings is hidden away here in the meditation gardens." she said as she sat down beside him but with several cushions between them.

"Yeah I understand that." Shippou said with a small laugh and a smile as he watched the life in the gardens, butterflies, bee's, frogs and of course fish.

"You do?" Sachi asked slightly confused, how could he, he was a solitary fox living with the Western family, surely, they didn't treat him like a sibling.

"Oh yes. Rin is a constant companion unless she is off with her fiancé and Hikaru is always chasing after me trying to get me to train him for real, but Sesshomaru-Sama believes he is still too young to handle real weapons." Shippou said with a sweet smile on his face as he thought back to his makeshift family. "I miss them already." he said as he looked over at Sachi to see her staring at him shocked.

"They really treat you like family?" Sachi said amazed as she watched him curiously.

"Of course, they do they are my family, not by blood but by choice. Kagome's always been there for me, she protected me when I was young from some nasty demons who had murdered my family. She became a surrogate for me. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku were always there if I needed them but when Kagome mated with Sesshomaru-Sama I stayed with her gaining Rin as a sister then later Hikaru as a brother." Shippou said with a lop-sided grin and a scratch to the back of the head.

"So, you are an orphan that's why you stay with them?" Sachi said understanding why he lived in the west.

"I stay with them because they are my family." Shippou said with a slight frown he didn't like the tone she had used, it was like she disapproved of his family.

"Yes, yes in a way I suppose." Sachi said with a small dismissive wave of her hand. Shippou scrunched his eyebrows at her with his disapproval of her answer but she didn't notice as she continued. "My family have always lived here no need to travel around if I need anything I just find one of my parents and they take care of it for me. I see no reason to create a family by choice." she said with a superior tone of one who had everything she ever wanted handed to her on a silver platter.

"Perhaps you should try it." Shippou said aggravated as he stood up and stormed over to Hoshi. "I would like to see my room now please." he said slightly heated as he refused to look back at Sachi when she chased after him.

"Lunch should be ready soon." Hoshi said as she closed her book and stood up signaling to her daughter to be still. "If you wish I can have it brought to your room." she said understandingly she had overheard her daughter and would be correcting her in a few minutes.

"That would be great." Shippou said slightly relieved that he would be able to calm down before seeing Sachi again.

"This way then." Hoshi said sweetly as she put her book back up into her sleeve. She locked eyes with Sachi telling her silently to wait here then she turned and walked back towards the castle. "I do apologize for my daughter's behavior. She can be slightly... conceited at times. She's never met a fox not raised here in the North I guess she has some preconceptions that need to be broken." she said softly as they made their way up to the second floor of the castle.

"I probably over reacted...sorry." Shippou said softly with his head hanging low.

"Don't be dear boy insults to family, even if accidental, are uncalled for. My daughter was out of line just now but keep in mind she is still learning and meant nothing by it I'm sure." Hoshi said as she stopped by a room on the second floor that over looked the meditation garden. "This will be your room during your stay here if you need anything don't hesitate to ask any of the servants." she said sweetly as she opened the door to let him into the room.

"Thanks Lady Hoshi." Shippou said softly with a slight bow of his head before walking into the room and letting the door close behind him. He walked over to the dresser and took off his armor over his head and laid down his two swords on the dresser then pulled out his dagger but kept his dagger within reach as he walked over and laid back on the bed looking up at the ceiling.

~*~*~*~ Northern Lords Study ~*~*~*~

"YOU DID WHAT?" Lord Kuro yelled at his oldest daughter red faces standing behind his desk since he had just stood up and turned over his chair with his arms straight braced on the desk.

"I'm sorry father I meant nothing by it..." Sachi whimpered through her sobs.

"Calm down my mate or he'll hear." Hoshi said trying to calm her mate as she stood off to the side between her mate and her daughter. "There is plenty of time to fix this." she said reasonably.

"Fix it... she's already nearly destroyed it within an hour." Kuro said frustrated as he flung a hand out gesturing to his daughter whose sobs turned into outright crying.

"It's not as bad as it seems my mate. A little more tact from our daughter is all that is called for. It is her lack of instruction that brought this on I believe." Hoshi said glancing over at her daughter to make sure she understood.

"Lack of instruction, she's had the best teachers we could get." Kuro said stunned by his mate as he found his chair and sat it back upright, so he could sit back down.

"She has no idea the way the world works outside of this castle. Sometimes life throws challenges in the way of nice young men like our young Shippou upstairs who have made a family with those he loves and trusts after his own family was murdered. A little sensitivity would have been the wiser course of action Sachi, but you chose to insult his family by flaunting ours in his face you sounded like the spoiled little princess you are." Hoshi said as she locked eyes with her daughter to make sure she understood what she did was cruel to the boy.

"I just wasn't thinking like that...I was amazed when he talked about the other kids accepting him." Sachi said as she wiped her eyes dry then looked at her mother.

"If you want this fine fox then I suggest dear that you lose your superior attitude. He opened up to you with is back story you should talk to him about your sisters and things you've done together like climbing that tree and going outside the castle walls." Hoshi suggested with a small smile on her face.

"That's nothing to brag about my mate." Kuro said with a frown as he looked at her like she was crazy.

"No, it's not but what she did out there is certainly worth him hearing about perhaps it's just enough to repair some of the damage already done." Hoshi said with a small wink over at her mate. "He comes from an interesting back ground you must trust my judgment in this." she said to him when he didn't seem convinced.

"Very well my mate I leave them in your hands, but I expect daily reports while he's here. And you my daughter if you manage to make it to the second month I expect letters daily written with everything being done while in the West." Kuro said switching his gaze from his mate to his daughter.

"I believe that to be too close to espionage for Sesshomaru to allow daily messengers to run all the way here." Hoshi cautioned before her mate got too carried away.

"Well we can't have Sesshomaru as an enemy...fine write the reports and turn them into me when you return do not leave anything out." Kuro said compromising to please his mate and to not bring Sesshomaru questioning him on his motives.

"Yes Father." Sachi said with a smile on her lips that she tried to hide. It was unusual for her father to back down he usually ran full steam ahead until he hit a wall face first, it seemed her mother was finally getting through to him or the Western Lord was more formidable than she gave him credit for either way it was funny to see her father back down.

~*~*~*~ Western Castle ~*~*~*~

Kagome could sense her mate approaching the castle, so she made her way outside and waited in the court yard for him. She stood there watching the skies with her hands folded in front of her waiting patiently. "Mother is that Father coming?" Hikaru asked curiously as he walked up beside her also watching the skies.

"Yes Hikaru." Kagome said softly glancing around at the guards stationed on the walls she had taken better care of the castle staff ever since her run in with those that wished to kill her family and the loss of her pup 10 years ago. Plus, with a couple years of training from Tsubaki she had managed the castle for the last 8 years leaving the ruling of the lands to her mate, which is how it was supposed to be. Kagome had even trained young Rin to defend herself, to read, to write, to run a household, and to be a lady.

"I don't sense big brother Shippou with him." Hikaru said curiously as he looked up at his mother, he was now half her height with long silver hair, a crescent moon on his forehead hidden by his bangs, and amber eyes. He wore the normal white base hori covered with a yellow top hori, green Hakuma

pants with a yellow mixing to green at the ends onbi which he had a practice sword at his waist.

"It seems that the offer was accepted." Kagome said with a soft smile as her mate came into view clearing the trees.

"Offer?" Hikaru asked confused.

"Yes Hikaru, Shippou was interested in the Northern Lords eldest Daughter." Kagome said as she glanced down at her son with a soft smile.

"Ew... I don't want no fox girl..." Hikaru said with a disgusting look on his face as he scrunched up his nose.

"No one asked you to now hush. You be nice to her when she comes here you hear me." Kagome said shaking her finger at her son admonishing him for his behavior.

"Yes mother." Hikaru said surrendering to her cause if he didn't she would put him in his place or his father would. Sometimes when he stepped out of bounds too far they both did which ended up with an extremely long day for him.

"Problems my love?" Sesshomaru asked curiously looking down at his son with an eyebrow raised, knowing the boy was high strong just like his mother but with the powers of himself it made for an interesting young man.

"No, it's been taken care of." Kagome said sweetly as she looked up at her mate. "Now how was your day?" she asked curiously as she stepped off to the side, so they could walk into the castle together.

"Kuro just being Kuro." Sesshomaru said with a soft sigh as he walked into the castle heading for the dining hall after standing there for so long then the immediate trip home he had missed lunch. "Where's Rin?" he asked curiously she too would normally be waiting for him as well.

"Ah Kohaku came while you were gone they have gone to a village festival." Kagome said with a smile as she clicked her fingers at one of the servants cleaning the stairway to get their attention. "Have the cooks prepare something for my mate for lunch please." she said softly as she motioned to the dining hall.

"As you wish My Lady." The servant said hurriedly then disappeared to do as he was told.

"Hikaru do you not have studies with Himeko right now?" Kagome asked curiously noticing that her son had followed them into the dining hall.

"Yes mother." Hikaru said with a frown on his face he wanted to know what was going on, if he was going to be lord one day he needed to know things like the dealings with other lords not stalking skills and power suppression.

"Then get to it." Kagome said motioning towards the door in an obvious take care of your responsibilities motion.

"But mother I want to hear..." Hikaru said but was cut off by his father's aura.

"Do as you are told Hikaru. Your responsibilities are your only concern at the moment." Sesshomaru said slightly aggravated by the boy arguing with his mother.

"Yes Father." Hikaru said bowing to him before leaving the room to go find Himeko out on the practice field.

"I had it handled Sesshomaru." Kagome scolded him with a frown on her face as she sat down beside him.

"You let him chatter too much. Put your foot down, there is no need for discussion." Sesshomaru said as he looked over at her, he still didn't think she understood what it took to raise a demon lord.

"And you pressure him too much, like just now was that burst of energy necessary? Just talk to him instead of going all crazed pack leader on him all the time." Kagome countered as she leaned back in her seat staring at him.

"Kagome the boy must have structure." Sesshomaru said with a sigh as he shook his head at her then looked at the servants bringing in a quick lunch for him.

After the servants retreated into the kitchen Kagome looked at Sesshomaru again. "How did you feel when you were growing up? I remember some stories about you hiding from your own lessons." she said as she watched him eat.

"That was different." Sesshomaru said with a grunt as he began eating.

"How? It was you?" Kagome asked with a small smirk on her lips as he looked up at her slightly irritated but realizing she was correct as always.

"Fine but he needs to not talk back to you, no discussion about everything you tell him." Sesshomaru said with a relenting sigh.

"Agreed now how did it go with Shippou any problems?" Kagome said pleased with a sweet smile on her lips.

"Kuro kept us waiting in his office for a long time, but everything cleared up once Hoshi brought in Sachi. That sly old fox is always wanting to play mind games." Sesshomaru said then began eating again.

"And the terms?" Kagome asked curiously wondering if anything out of the ordinary had come up.

"For two season every month for one week the two will spend supervised visits together in rotating lands just as we discussed before Shippou and I left, the only change was Kuro added a stipulation that it would be another two seasons if either party deemed it necessary." Sesshomaru said as he sat back in his seat after taking a sip of his water.

"That's not bad at all now that I've gotten used to all these rules anyway." Kagome said with a small laugh they had discussed the way her time found partners and Sesshomaru didn't seem to care for it. "Have you spoken with Inuyasha about Himeko yet?" she asked curiously changing the subject.

"No, I hadn't had the time." Sesshomaru said as he looked at his empty plate then took another sip of his water.

"He's going to have to buck up and ask her you know." Kagome said with an odd light in her eyes, with all this talk about Rin's coming marriage and Shippou's courtship she was eager for her best friend to get it all figured out for himself.

"I keep telling you it's none of our affair." Sesshomaru said with a sigh and a slight frown.

"Come on Sesshomaru he needs a little shove. 10 years is long enough to semi court he's just too chicken to make it official." Kagome said as she looked up at the ceiling with a frown on her face. How Inuyasha had managed to put it off this long was beyond her.

"I'll ask him what his plans are, but I won't get involved. In the middle of their relationship is no place for the two of us." Sesshomaru said as he stood up. "I have work to do excuse me." he said then walked out of the room then down to his study to see what reports had come in while he was gone all morning and afternoon.