Chapter Four: Miyako

As the day turned into evening Miyako had watched Inu no Taishou's shoulder slump so low it looked like he was a smaller man. She knew he hadn't expected much from Sesshomaru and was expecting the worst from Inuyasha, but deep inside he wanted them to be happy he was alive; not to despise him for showing up from the dead. She was becoming very concerned that if they came upon their enemy his mind would be too preoccupied and he'd get badly injured or, worse yet killed.

"Taishou?" Miyako lightly touched his back with her finger tips. "Are you sure you are okay?" She had asked him earlier in the day and his reply had been he was fine and he was not bothered by his sons' rejection, but from the looks of things she believed it was having a bigger affect on him than he thought.

"No...not really..." He stopped on the path looking straight ahead. The two of them had been together for so many years they knew when something was wrong and didn't bother to be prideful and hide their emotions. "I didn't realize how much their hatred towards me would affect me."

"I know darling." She gently rubbed his back soothing his strained muscles and slumped shoulders. "But I don't think they hate you. Inuyasha is just upset, he'll come to realize how much more important the present is than the past. I am sure he'll come to understand your actions and slowly begin to forgive you."

"You think so?" Inu no Taishou looked over at Miyako a small trace of hope in his eyes.

"I do." Miyako smiled reassuringly. "Inuyasha is a good boy and I don't think he could hate his father."

"Thank you, Miyako." Inu no Taishou brought Miyako's hand to his lips, grazing them over her knuckles.

"Not going to ask about..." Miyako shivered, losing her train of thought as she stepped closer to him.

"No..." He whispered as he brought her against his chest. "Sesshomaru has always been that way...he does things his own way...and I don't think he hates me..." He wrapped his arm around Miyako's waist holding her in place.

"O-oh...okay." Miyako agreed with him, her thoughts completely lost. When she was with Inu no Taishou, nothing mattered but him. After saving him from the blazing flames and nursing him back to health she could do nothing but love him. Her life had become him and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Inu no Taishou softly smiled and leaned down, capturing her lips in his. She wrapped her arms around his neck pushing herself as close to him as she could manage. Inu no Taishou ran his fingers down her back, catching them on her obi and lightly pulling on it when someone cleared their throat interrupting Inu no Taishou and Miyako.

Miyako blushed a deep red and buried her face into his shoulder while he tightened his arm around her back and turned to look at the intruder of their moment.

"Ah, sorry." The man raised his hands showing he meant no harm. "I heard the Great Dog Demon had come back from the dead and was looking for twins who were threatening his family."

Miyako wasn't surprised that this lowly demon already knew Inu no Taishou was back. News spread through the demon world like wild fire and especially about an almighty demon like Inu no Taishou. She was surprised however demons weren't at his feet worshipping him or the opposite, trying to kill him.

"What of it?" Inu no Taishou growled his raw emotions allowing him to have no patience for the demon who decided to disturb him. He kept his arm tightly around Miyako, not letting her budge from his embrace.

"I may be able to help you m'Lord." The demon slightly shrunk back from Inu no Taishou's intimidation.

"What do you know?" Inu no Taishou's tension did not ease despite the demon's kindness to help him. Miyako wasn't too happy with him and his disrespect of the demon who wanted to help them.

"I can give you that information...for a price..." The demon smiled slyly as his eyes wandered over to Miyako.

"Never!" Inu no Taishou growled deep from his throat and back handed the demon mercilessly. "Get out of my sight, you pathetic scavenger." The demon fled as fast as he could from Inu no Taishou and disappeared into the bush.

"That was...a little excessive Taishou..." Miyako whispered, upset from the ferocity he used on a demon obviously weaker than him.

"It was necessary." He looked down at her his eyes still blazing with anger.

She quickly stepped out of his arms in something close to fear. She knew he wouldn't hurt her in anyway but the anger in his eyes wasn't something she was comfortable with. "Violence to someone obviously weaker is never necessary, Taishou."

"You are doubting my decision?" His tense posture and flaming eyes didn't subside scaring Miyako even more.

"Yes, I am." She stood her ground against him. "I may be a weaker demon Inu no Taishou...but I will not be pushed around by you...you should respect me more than that as your lover." Miyako's hands shook as she spoke the words. She didn't know if she was going to alienate him from her, but she refused to be treated like the demon who ran away scared. "You...come find me when you've calmed down." She turned into the bush and started walking. She really did love him, but she knew she wouldn't get through to him when his emotions were so raw and twirling about his body. He needed to calm down before they could have a talk about what had just happened.

She continued to walk through the forest until eventually she emerged and walked upon a cliff. As she looked over the edge she could see the grassy knoll below and the tree line that started a few feet away. It was a very beautiful view from where she was standing and wished she could continue to gaze at it longer. She took a few steps back from the cliff to ensure she didn't slip and accidentally fall. She wished she could get a little more distance between her and Inu no Taishou but she supposed this was a good place to sit and wait for him to come get her.

"Excuse me..." The demon from earlier emerged from the bush causing Miyako to turn and look at him. "You are Lady Miyako are you not? The Lady of the Lakes?"

"Hai I am." Miyako may have defended him but she wasn't stupid enough to trust this shady demon. It was very suspicious that he ended up following her to the cliff. "What do you want?"

"It seems you and the Lord got into a disagreement...are you alright." He slowly stepped towards her a small glint in his eyes.

"I'm fine, thank you." She stepped away from him, her main focus on staying away from him and his suspicious behavior and ease-dropping.

"Are you sure my lady? You seem distraught." He continued to advance on her moving ever so close.

"Really. I am fine. Taishou will come to me when he is ready. I am not concerned. We are adults and can handle our disagreements." She shuffled backwards when her foot slipped on the edge of the cliff, lost her footing and fell. She screamed Inu no Taishou's name and closed her eyes anticipating the impact of the fall when arms wrapped around her, saving her from the fall. She opened her eyes to see a young long haired blonde, his blue eyes sparking with excitement.

"Hello, Lady Miyako...it's time for you to sleep." She tried to protest to have him put her back on the cliff so she could rush back to Inu no no Taishou but her eyes became very heavy. She tried very hard to fight the urge to fall asleep.

"Don't fight it my lady." The blonde's smile stayed in place as he watched her.

As hard as she fought she couldn't keep her eyes open and although she couldn't understand it her eyes drifted shut and everything went black.

Miyako awoke in a dark, dingy place. She wasn't sure where she was but could smell damp rock. She felt the flow of water farther behind her and knew there was a stream close by. She assumed she must be within a cave but where the cave was she wasn't sure. She was feeling really fuzzy and out of sorts, whatever the male had used on her must have been some type of sleeping drug he admitted from himself.

She gently sighed as she sat up allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She saw a small light coming from farther down the tunnel and assumed that must be the exit. Her hands were bound behind her back so she was unable to stand. At times like these she cursed herself for enjoying the pleasure of wearing a kimono. She struggled at the bonds around her wrist trying to yank them free, when she was back handed.

"Don't even think about trying to escape my lady." A female voice echoed around the tunnel.

"Who are you?" Miyako looked up ignoring the sting across her cheek and looked over the young blonde female. She must have been related to the male who took her because they looked strikingly familiar, but the female had short blonde hair instead. Her blue eyes were sparkling with the same excitement she witnessed in the male's eyes.

"Folami." She smiled down at Miyako.

'What do you want?"

"You ask to many questions. You just stay quiet until your man comes." Folami hit Miyako twice as hard this time causing her to black out and fall to the floor.

Inu no Taishou heard Miyako's scream from where he was calming down and ran straight to the cliff.

"Miyako!" He shouted looking over the cliff for her and then around the top of the cliff. "Where are you!" Panic began to set in. He couldn't lose her especially on terms like that. She was the light in his dark past and the guidance to a brighter future. He made a mistake and he couldn't let that mistake rule him for the rest of his life.

"Ah, if it isn't the Great Dog Demon Inu no Taishou." A soft male voice came from behind Inu no Taishou and he quickly turned to see a blonde male smiling at him.

"Who are you?" Inu no Taishou asked calmly trying to damper the panic he had for Miyako.

"The man you are looking for."

"...Nagendra...?" Inu no Taishou frowned not believing this young demon could possibly be the Nagendra he fought all those years ago.

"Hardly!" The blonde laughed. "Philon is the name."

"What do you have to do with Nagendra?"

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about where Lady Miyako is?" Philon smiled kindly and held up a piece of Miyako's kimono.

"What have you done with her!" Inu no Taishou advanced ready to attack.

"Ah, ah. Don't be so rash Inu no Taishou. Your lovely lady is on the line here. You injure me and you'll never see her again." Philon released the scrap of material into the air and Inu no Taishou caught it in his hand.

"What do you want?" He clenched the material.

"Come find us." Philon laughed. "And you will see. We aren't too far and not too hidden. We are very easy to find. Perhaps graves is the prefect clue." He continued to laugh and jump off the cliff.

When Inu no Taishou looked over the edge Philon wasn't in sight. At the words graves he had an inkling of where he would be keeping Miyako. He looked at the piece of material in his hand and hoped Miyako would be alright in the hands of the enemy.

That's chapter four! I hoped you enjoyed it! It's getting close to the climax! Ooooh scary~! Nah just kidding! Please review! Until the next chapter!