YAY! Well it seems this InuYasha fanfic was a great deal more successful then my last! Thank-you to my first three reviewers, Eternal Cosmic Sailor Saturn, maire 53 and yurirawr! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you enjoyed the last!

Enjoy! xxx


Kagome approached the palace gates, only to dodge several arrows when she did not immediately give her identity to her new guards.

"Cease fire. I am the new ruler of these lands; if you are unlucky enough to pierce this clothing I will have your head for it." She hissed, her beast growling in irritation, urging her to kill them now.

"Lady Miaka rules these lands." Said a woman in a purple kimono walking through the gates. "She had been absent for two years now. She had no heir, what brings you to believe you rule these lands?"

Kagome walked up to her and smiled sadly, explaining the whereabouts of their former ruler. Brushing aside her bangs she showed the woman named Chizu the golden star on her forehead.

"I beg your forgiveness Lady Kagome. Lady Miaka had given us strict orders to allow no one into the palace walls until she returned, and we loved our Lady dearly enough to follow through with our lives." She bowed her head.

Kagome smiled. "I understand, Chizu. You are forgiven, for if I was in your roll I would have acted the same way." She said, lifting the servant girls head. "I would like to hold a ball. I will need help writing the invitations, and I'd like them delivered as soon as possible. I'm also expecting guests, I'm not sure when they will arrive but please have some rooms set up." She said, following Chizu into the palace. "And… I do believe I may need a tour of my palace." She added sheepishly.

Chizu kept smiling and nodded. "Lady Miaka loved throwing balls for her people; so far you seem just like her. Beautiful, strong, kind but fierce, and fun. I will personally show you around your new home, and perhaps later I may show you around the town?"

Kagome nodded, smiling happily despite the fact that Miaka told her that she needed to attempt to be totally emotionless in the public eye. Kagome had told Miaka that being emotionless was impossible for a female who'd been through as much as she had, so she didn't feel obliged to try. "It's nice to know I've been left in good hands, thank-you for your loyalty and help."

~.~.~

Kagome only needed to see the palace one to memorize everything about it. It was beautiful and grand. There was not a single moment were Kagome could not see some sort of beautiful ornament, be it a picture or a statue, there was always something. Black and gold carpets lined each hallway, and the palace was always the perfect temperature.

Chizu was currently fetching former Lady Miaka's royal cloak. It was black with gold trimmings, a giant golden star on its back. Kagome's hoarse was that of Miaka's old one, and it had golden reins and a saddle. It was a rare breed known as a Night Mare. They have control over at least one of the element and have to ability to fly, and the ability to control the shadows around them.

Chizu came jogging Kagome, who was sitting on her hoarse, holding the Golden Reins of Ari's snow white hoarse also. "Here you are Lady Kagome." Chizu said, handing Kagome her cloak before getting onto her hoarse. "It suits you well, My Lady." He said.

Kagome wanted to scream. She knew it was respectful, but it had to stop. "Chizu, could you please just call me Kagome? Or Kags, Kaggie, Gome, anything related to my name. I think of you as a friend, not a servant, and I would let no friend of my address me so formally. Unless of course in the presence of the public. Then it's unfortunately necessary. "

Chizu's face fell blank, and then she grinned. "Miaka also had me call her by her name. You seem to be just like her Kagome." Chizu said, kicking her hoarse to get it moving.

Kagome sighed in relief and followed Chizu. The Town near the palace was the most beautiful and civilized thing Kagome had seen in the Feudal era. They had markets and shops, Inn's and a healing spa. On the very edge of town was a temple. The people in town waved and bowed to their new lady, and when Kagome and Chizu stopped to eat, Kagome spotted some familiar faces.

~.~.~

Shippo grinned as he spotted the town nearest to the Southern Palace. "Look! We're almost there!" he declared, running forward unable to hold himself back. When the other caught up, they decided they had to stop and eat first. Shippo didn't like it one bit, but he didn't protest when his stomach growled.

Stepping into the first restaurant (yeah I know it's the feudal era, but I don't care!) they saw and before being seated. After ordering their meals, they sat and waited. Once their meals arrived they started eating.

"Kami Shippo, you don't have to eat that fast. We aren't leaving until we all finish." Sango said, chuckling at the kit that seemed to be inhaling his lunch.

Miroku chuckled. "It's been two years without a word. What do you think compelled her to leave?"

Sango shrugged. "That woman said she found her crying in the bushes…" A light bulb seemed to clikc on inside all of their brains, and they turned to glare at InuYasha. "It's your fault she left!" Sango snapped, throwing her chops sticks at InuYasha.

"What'd I do!?" he demanded, throwing her chop sticks back at her.

"She must've followed you when you went to go fuck that whore! She would've seen you with her and you promised to mate her! That's why she was in the bushes crying! That's why that woman found her! THAT'S WHY SHE LEFT!" Sango shrieked, urging herself to calm down.

Shippo glared at InuYasha. "And the very next day you brought Kikyo back with you. You're a disgrace, InuYasha. She'll probably kill you when she see's you." Shippo said, wishing that he was strong enough to kill him by himself.

InuYasha snorted. "She's not even a real priestess, and she's human! She couldn't kill me if she tried." He announced.

The door opened, and they all turned to see a beautiful NekoYoukai wearing all gold and black step through the door, followed by a pink haired human in a pretty purple kimono. She was smiling until she looked up and saw them staring at her.

Something pulled at their minds, something familiar. The girl shook her head and smirked over at her friend, saying something. The girl turned to them and raised an eyebrow before turning back and saying something else. The Neko grinned and nodded, walking over to order something to eat.

"She looks important." Miroku said, voicing the line running through all of their minds. "I swear I've seen her before though." He muttered. Everyone nodded in agreement.

~.~.~

Kagome's face fell blank when she spotted her friends – and Kikyo – staring over at her from their table. Kagome smirked and glanced over to Chizu. "See to inuhanyo, the priestess, the demon slayer, the monk and the little Kitsune over their? Those are the guests I informed you about."

Chizu turned her head to face them, raising an eyebrow. "Such an odd group. This is the group you travelled with then, is it?" she asked, turning back to Kagome.

Kagome grinned and nodded, deciding to ignore them for now and eat. After ordering, she and Chizu sat on the table closest to InuYasha's and the others. It amazed Kagome how only Shippo seemed to have changed, and he had only gotten bigger and more boyish looking. She felt like snatching him up in a hug, but held herself back showing immense self restraint.

"I suppose they don't recognize me as a demon. I can't blame them; I didn't even recognize myself on first sight." Kagome said to Chizu as their meals arrived.

"Is there anything else I can do for your Ladyship?" the server asked, bowing his head in respect when Kagome shook her head, he left. "Enjoy your meal."

Kagome decided she would listen in on her friend's conversation, curious to see what they were discussing.

"I don't see why you're all so excited. It's been 2 years now, and I bet the other Lords and Lady's won't even accept her as Lady of the Southern lands." Kikyo said, causing Kagome to lose it instantly.

Pushing her chair back she placed her chop sticks on the table, storming over to Kikyo, who was sitting beside InuYasha. They didn't notice her until she back handed Kikyo across the room and through the front wall, into the street. Smiling, she walked over to the counter. "I'm awfully sorry about that wall. I'll have someone fix it immediately." She said, turning around to see InuYasha stomping over to her.

"Who the fuck are you to backhand my mate through a wall!?" he roared.

Kagome couldn't help but give a menacing laugh. "I'm the pathetic little miko girl whose heart you tore in two. I'm the naïve girl from the future who used to love you." InuYasha's eyes widened. "But now, I am Lady Kagome, ruler of the Southern Lands. That whore was punished for bad mouthing me. Do you seek punishment, too? Perhaps you'd like to join her in the dirt?" she growled, her eyes flickering from gold to red and back.

InuYasha stepped back a bit. "K-Kagome?" he said briefly before snorting. "Kagome's human, and you're a NekoYoukai. You're not Kagome, she wouldn't have the guts to smack someone through a wall, even if she was a demon." He said.

Kikyo chose that moment the knock the door down, her weak little aura snapping out in attempt to scare Kagome. Kagome laughed. "Obviously I didn't hit you hard enough, fool." she said, turning back to InuYasha. "I am Kagome, wether you believe it or not."

"Prove it." He said smugly as Kikyo looped her arm through his.

Kagome thought for a moment then smirked. "As you wish." She said, moving off to the side and out of the way. "Sit boy." She said simply, causing InuYasha to break through the floor boards, taking Kikyo with him "I promise you good sir," she said to the shop keeper. "I will pay for upgrades on your shop, and I will pay for each day you are unable to open your shop." She said, turning to the sound of her name.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried, throwing himself at her with as much force as he could. "Kagome it's really you!" he said, hugging her tightly. "I missed you so much, mum!" he cried, pressing his face into her neck..

Kagome smiled and kissed his head. "I missed you too, Shippo. You seem to have had a growth spurt." She noted, comparing his height to her own. "Kami, I'm 20 and you're just about as tall as me! I feel so short…" she trailed of chuckling. "Come friends, we must return to the palace." She waved a hand over at Chizu, who was staring worriedly over at her. "Come Chizu, meet my friends. And the whore in the whole, also. She can sleep in the stables, tonight. There's no need to soil a good bed with her filth."

InuYasha pulled himself out of the hole, with an unconscious Kikyo in his arms. "I see you've changed. A lot." He said, pulling Kikyo onto his back.

Kagome snorted. "And you haven't changed a bit." She said leaving the restaurant with him trailing behind her.

~.~.~

When they arrived at the palace, Kagome went into a detailed explanation of what she'd been up to for her missing two years, and why she couldn't see them. She also confirmed that InuYasha was why she left, and she made it clear that Kikyo would never be welcome back here again. She invited them all to the ball she was throwing to announce herself as ruler, and she'd asked them all to stay at the palace with her. Except, of course, InuYasha and his slut.

"Of course we'll stay Kagome!" Sango said happily. "If you'd asked us to stay with you on a deserted island, we would!"

Kagome laughed and hugged her friend before turning to InuYasha. "I will say now, that I had been willing to forgive and forget everything. That still applies for you, InuYasha, but after hearing that slut hanging off your arm said such things I won't even tolerate her at the ball. I'm willing to be your friend, InuYasha."

He blinked and then frowned. "Thanks Kagome. But can't you just give her another chance?" he asked, unsure of how to be friends with someone who refused to let his mate go anywhere near her.

Kagome glared over at Kikyo, who flinched back a bit. Something clicked in Kikyo's mind, telling her to say something- nice. "Um…" she said, scanning her brain. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, Kagome. And… I'm sorry for saying those things." she stood and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Lady Kagome."

Kagome blinked and tried to smell the deceit coming from the girl, but found only confusion and guilt, proving that she meant what she said. Kagome smiled. "Sit, that's all I wanted to hear. Consider yourself forgiven." Kagome called out to Chizu, and she came rushing to the room.

"Yes Kagome?" she asked, glancing around at the guests.

"Have the invitations for the ball been sent on their way yet?" Kagome asked. Chizu nodded. "Good. Could you please show our guests to their rooms?"

"Certainly my Lady- sorry, I mean Kagome." Turning to the group, she motioned to the door with her hand. "If you'd care to follow me, I'll take you to your rooms." Chizu said. Kagome's friends waved her goodbye and followed Chizu out of the hall.

Kagome then set to work. Heading to the castle staff, she assembled a team of builders to go fix the restaurant owner shop. She truly was sorry her reckless behaviour had put him temporarily out of business. As a way of apologizing, she'd sent an invitation to the ball for him. She hadn't planned on throwing a ball too big, it would only be for important people and friends.

Second on her list was decorations for the ball room.

Not much needed to be done, of course. The ball room itself was made of diamond, and the metal framing the door was pure gold. The floors were black marble, with golden stars scattered here and there. The stairs lead to a thrown chair, and off to either side were dining areas. Frowning, she realized she didn't actually have anything to do but wait for the arrival of her guests.