Sorry I'm late! I had no internet for almost two weeks -weep-

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Hey pumpkinpi! You're signed out so I'll reply to your review here. I do feel that way when it comes to kids. if you can't give them a fairly good life, don't have ém. Doing so would be selfish and irresponsible. But that's just me.

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Disclaimer: I own the whole world. You can't even bite your nails without my OK! Not. (I own nothing but my characters).


CHAPTER 3:

"Inuyasha will be my heir," Sesshoumaru answered, making Jaken squeak in horror. "If there remains any lands for him to inherit." At this Jaken swooned.

"My Lord! What do you mean? No one would dare take these lands from you. The other lords and youkai know your power."

"The taiyoukai are treacherous. They will kill my mate when my back is turned." He clutched the armrests of his chair and mulled the latest idea. "I may have to leave it to them."

Jaken's jaw dropped. The great ancestral lands his father died protecting. The lands Lord Sesshoumaru inherited and would have passed down to his heir…An heir that, it seemed, was not destined to see the light. "You cannot wish to do this, my Lord. Why, even Lady Amaya would not wish it. She loves these lands and considers them her home."

Sesshoumaru stayed silent. It did, in fact, hurt him even to think to abandon his heritage. But the alternatives were more gruesome. Fighting for the lands would leave Amaya exposed and vulnerable. She needed his full attention if he were to have her appropriately protected. And no lands meant youkai would not be as predisposed to risk their lives with him over his mate's humanity; he would not be under constant attack, and she would not be in constant danger.

He could acquire lands somewhere else, and he had no doubt Amaya would settle there with him just as well after a time. It was their best chance. Even Tensaiga couldn't restore her spirit if she was ripped apart beyond recognition.

His hands tightened on the arm rests briefly before he got up. "Jaken, tell Amaya I will be escorting our guests. We will be here in two hour. Bid her be ready by then."

Jaken's "Yes, my Lord," was said to thin air, and the little demon scuttled off to do his master's bidding, thinking all the while about the approaching loss of their beloved lands. Did Lord Sesshoumaru truly intend to simply surrender all that was his to be able to keep a human? This not even his father, the great Taishou, had considered.


The twelve-layer robe, huh? No kidding. It felt like she was wearing twelve kimonos. She could barely stand straight! What the heck? Her hair was done up in a simple style (she practically wrestled the maids to keep it that way) and her makeup was almost nonexistent (another wrestling match). She thought she looked naturally elegant, as opposed to overdone and fake. Besides, makeup tended to run all over her face and stick where it didn't belong. This was safer.

"Should I wait in the dining area or meet them at the door?"

"At the door, my Lady," the purple-haired demon maid said, bowing.

"Cool. Please escort me there so I don't tumble down the stairs like a wheelbarrow," she said with mock dignity and smiled at the maid's repressed chuckle. Alas, she wasn't kidding.

Amaya's junihitoe kimono was multiple layers and of multiple colors. Mostly red, gold and black, with intricate embroideries depicting storks in various forms of flight and socialization. It was as stunning as it was complex, and Amaya couldn't help but love it. She would ask Sesshoumaru where it came from when they were alone later.

Jaken was fidgeting and fretting near the entrance. "They are nearly arrived!" he squeaked in a manner that showed what he really wanted to say was "What the hell took you!"

"I would have been later if I'd let the maids have their way with my hair and makeup," she said, grinning shamelessly.

He got a good look at what she was talking about and swooned. "Your hair-! Your face-! So informal!"

"I figured they should be treated like family, but of course I wasn't coming out in my pajamas. This looks says, 'I respect you, but want you to feel comfortable'," she explained, bowing just right, the way the maids showed her.

"It says no such thing! Lord Shinjishi and his mate may take offense at your lack of-of-"

"Of face paint and hair extensions? I don't think so. Just show me what to do and I'll decide which parts to stick to."

Jaken flopped down unconscious.


Sesshoumaru couldn't quite believe his eyes. It was the first time he had seen Amaya in anything but a simple yukata or her futuristic attire. His nostrils flared at her familiar, delicious scent and he looked covertly to Shinjishi and his mate to gauge their reaction. His future wife wasn't completely formal in appearance beyond her junihitoe kimono, and her smile was warm and welcoming, the way a mother's would be.

She would have made a fine mother.

"Welcome, my Lord, my Lady," she greeted smoothly and bowed slightly before standing to one side. "My Lord," she told Sesshoumaru, bowing to him as well. "It's good to have you back. Would you join us for tea?" she turned to them all. "I will just change into something more comfortable." She paused and looked at the visiting Lady. "Care to freshen up with me, my Lady?"

The woman had vibrant auburn hair, indigo-blue eyes, and tanned skin that made her look simply divine. Whatever her name, she was looking at Amaya in wonder and appreciation, so Amaya took that as a good sign. The lord standing beside her had jet-black hair, pale-blue eyes and skin just as tanned, maybe slightly more so, and he looked stone-faced. Yikes.

"That would be lovely. Lead the way, Lady Amaya, if you would" the woman said in a surprisingly strong voice.

"Of course. Excuse us." They both bowed down to the men and made their way up the stairs, Amaya praying she didn't trip on one of the twelve layers of the beautiful monstrosity she was wearing. The other woman was wearing a simple kimono. Pearly-white with peach-colored embroidery of daisies.

"You may call me Tia," the woman said when they reached Amaya's room. "I think I'll call you Amaya. Lovely name," she added and Amaya stared at her.

"That would be wonderful. Tia." Amaya nodded and grinned. She liked this woman.

The maids helped Amaya change while Tia washed up and fixed her hair, and then they both went to the dining area, where the men waited for them.

Tea was served almost as soon as they sat down. Amaya couldn't, for the life of her, remember if she had to speak first, or if she shouldn't speak until the guests did…Crap.

Sesshoumaru saved her by saying "Shinjishi and I will go hunting soon," he informed her. She blinked and nodded. "Deer?" she asked.

"Elk," he corrected and turned back to the guests, who sat facing them.

"You're human," Amaya exclaimed, so shocked by the sudden realization that she couldn't stop herself.

Tia smiled. "I am. Others usually notice right away."

"Oh! Well…you're so beautiful I didn't even…I just assumed you must be a demon. Not to say that human aren't normally this attractive, and they're not-"

The red-haired woman threw her head back and laughed in delight, cutting Amaya's sputtering short. Lord Shinjishi looked pleased at this and invited Sesshoumaru for a swordfight outside. "I believe my Tia will be well taken care of here. Let's see what you're made of."

Sesshoumaru looked at her, as if waiting for something. She blinked at him. "Can we watch?" she ended up saying and Sesshoumaru sat up with a frown that told her that was not what he was waiting to hear.

"I love to watch Shinji fight. He's very good," Tia said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh? It should be a very good fight then. Sesshoumaru is amazing."

"Care to make a bet?"

Amaya startled. Was that ladylike? "What've you got?" she said confidently, enjoying the exchange despite herself.

"Tia," Shinjishi warned. "No bets."

Tia started to protest, but seemed to think better of it and shrugged daintily. "A friendly dare then. If my Shinji wins, I get to kiss your mate."

"What!" Both Amaya and Shinjishi exclaimed. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes unpleasantly.

Those stunning indigo eyes sparkled with mischief. What was this woman? She couldn't be Japanese. She had to have foreign blood of some sort to be bold enough to wager such a thing. Oh, hell, no, she was not kissing her Sesshoumaru!

"Have you no faith in your man, dear Amaya?"

Amaya's mouth dropped open at the blatant challenge. "All right. Fine. And if my Sesshoumaru wins, I kiss him."

Tia laughed, ignoring her disapproving mate. "Don't you do that already?"

"Yes," Amaya ground out, blushing. "But I can't think of anything I'd want more at the moment."

Sesshoumary arched a brow and Tia chuckled. "If that isn't the sweetest thing," she murmured.

It was true, and she could tell that Sesshoumaru knew it from the way he was watching her. She met his gaze squarely. "Crush him for me, sweetheart, would you? It would save me the trouble of having a catfight with her for touching you. No offense," she said to the other lord.

"None taken," he said on a grin.

Sesshoumaru stood up elegantly, bowed to them all and left. Shinjishi followed similarly and Amaya and Tia stared after them for a moment, Tia smiling widely and Amaya resisting the urge to chew on her nails.

"I changed my mind about watching. Tell me the score when they're done."

Tia laughed and pulled her up with her. "Don't be silly. Watching is half the fun."

So now they were seated comfortable near the entrance, watching from a safe distance as the two men got ready for a mock fight. It dawned on Amaya then, what Sesshoumaru had been waiting for: simply her good luck wishes, not this whole wager war thing.

Crap.


To Be Continued…


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