Looking to the side, Kagome glared as she sat on the bottom step of the shrine stairs waiting for the car that was coming to ruin her life. Everything she owned and a few new things that her mother bought for her packed and sitting next to her. She really hated this. She hated being forced to do anything, but this was the Lord of the West, and she lived in the West so she had no choice but to do it. Turning her eyes back to the ground she sighed. 'I still don't understand how he can just force someone to do something in this day and age.'

Seeing the mood that she as in, Katsuie sighed as he sat down next to her and pushed her with his shoulder. "You can do anything you want during the day so long as you are back before dark. Come visit here, your friends at school. It isn't going to be as bad as you think it is. And before you know it, Kagome I bet you like it there."

Snorting as she rolled her eyes, Kagome looked away from her father. "I highly doubt that dad. I mean I wonder if I will even be able to date anyone, if he would even allow it. And even then it will have to be like a family date cause I will have to take Rin with me."

"You never know." Looking down at her as he stood up, Katsuie smiled. "Anything could happen while you are there."

Groaning, Kagome turned her body away from him. "I know I am going to be totally miserable for the next twelve years. Dad most of my good adult years are going to be over by the time I am allowed to leave that place. And the rest of my teen years are just as good as gone."

Before Katsuie could say anything to her, the car pulled up and the imp jumped out with his typical scowl. "Well if it isn't Master Jaken."

Waving his hand in the air, Jaken glared up at Katsuie. "Is she ready then? Lord Sesshomaru does not want to wait!"

"Yes I am ready you imp." Kagome then stood up and said goodbye to her mother and borther, then got in the car letting the driver shut the door behind her as her mother went up the steps with sota. She turned and looked away from the stairs as she fought back tears. 'Man this really sucks.' Hearing the door open she turned and found her dad leaning in. Giving him a hug back she sighed. "Tell Mama I will call her later."

"I will. I love you Kagome."

"I love you too dad."

X

Watching from her window, Mitsukai couldn't hide the glare in her eyes. The car that carried Kagome there pulling up along the driveway. She had been there for ten days now and she didn't think that she was any closer to mating with Sesshomaru than she was on day one. And now that she was there it could possibly ruin it all! 'Damnit. I won't let you ruin this for me Kagome. One or another I will make your life pure hell at some point. Watch.'

X

Waiting at the top of the steps, Sesshomaru sighed as Kagome reached him. "Come. I will show you to your room."

Following him into the palace, Kagome nodded. "Yes My Lord."

Looking down at her from the side, Sesshomaru sighed. He liked the respect, but at the same time he wasn't going to require it of her. "Sesshomaru."

Blinking as she looked up at him and met his eyes, Kagome didn't know what he mean by that. "What?"

Turning to look down the hall again, Sesshomaru sighed. "All I require of you to call me is Sesshomaru. My Lord and Lord Sesshomaru are not going to be used because of your job. My daughter does not call me either, you are going to be a big influence in her life so I am not going to demand you call me either. Just simply call me Sesshomaru."

Nodding as she followed him, Kagome half smiled. "I think I can do that."

Stopping at a room that was near his and Rin's a few moments later, Sesshomaru slid the door open. "This will be your room." Pointing down the hall to the last two doors before it rounds a corner he sighed. "Rin's is on the same side of the room yours is, and mine is right across from hers. Our days start early, even on the weekends. Your duties will start with getting Rin ready and off to school in the morning."

"Yes." Walking in the room, Kagome blinked as she looked around this single room. It was big enough it could have been a large apartment! The bed that was in it was bigger than her entire living room! "This is huge. But then again I have a lot of time to fill it up I guess huh."

Turning both didn't say anything as the procession of a few demons carried her stuff in and lined one wall with it. Once they left, she turned back to the room as she sighed. Hearing a knock on the door, she turned to Sesshomaru as he stood there. 'I guess that this really is my room then.' "Come in." But she couldn't stop her smile as a bright eyed Rin rushed through the room and to her side. "Well hello Rin."

"Hello Kagome!" Rin smiled big as she looked up at Kagome with her hands behind her back. "Father told me that you were moving in today and we get to do everything together tomorrow. I am so excited!"

"I know I am too." Kagome smiled down at Rin though she hated lying to the kid. 'But how can I tell her when she is this happy about it, that I loath the fact that her father is forcing me to do this and if it wasn't for that I wouldn't be here."

With a sigh and a soft smile, Sesshomaru laid his hand on Rin's head, yet had his eyes on the miko. "I shall take my leave now so you can get settled in some."

Once Sesshomaru left, Kenta watched with a smile at the scene in front of him. Kagome and Rin talked while they smiled. Though he could see it was a forced smile, at least she did make it out like she wanted to be there for Rin. A few moments later, he cleared his throat and drew the attention of both of them to him. "Lady Rin do not forget what your father wanted you to tell her."

Blinking, Kagome looked from the guard to Rin as she gasped and her eyes went wide. "What was that Rin?"

Turning to look back at Kagome with her smile back in place, Rin closed her eyes and let her head fall to the side. "It will be time for dinner soon. Father wants you to join us tonight. It will be the four of us tonight."

Blinking again, Kagome just stood there. "Four? Who else is going to be there?

Nodding, Rin let her smile fade as she looked down at the floor and even lowered her voice. "There is a female here that wants to try and mate with Father. Her name is Mitsukai. I do not like her at all. I don't think Father does either. But he has to give her a chance because that is the law of dog demons is what he told me. I really hope it doesn't work."

With a sigh, Kagome took Rin's hand and pulled her over to the bed and sat down with her. "Rin why don't you like her?"

Flashes of the pain she was forced to endure, and what almost happened to her before she ran into her father, literally flew through her head. Mitsukai reminded her of them. "I just do not think that she is as nice as she acts like she is."

With a sad look for her, Kagome wanted to tell her that she hit the nail on the head. 'But yeah I don't think that would be a bad idea. But at least she doesn't like her.' "Well you never know right? Anyway let's head on down for dinner if you want then. I can unpack my stuff later."

Her smile instantly back on her face, Rin giggled. "Could I come and help you?"

Laughing as she stood up, Kagome gave her a sharp nod. "Well of course you can help me. I could always use some help figuring out where to put everything. And I really hope you know how to get ot the dining room because I got no clue where I am going."

With a big smile and an infectious laugh, Rin took Kagome's hand. "I can show you where everything is in the palace. It isn't time just yet for dinner so come on Kagome! I will show you around! This way!"

For the first time in the last ten days, Kagome found herself smiling a true smile as she laughed and followed the little girl out her door and down the hall, her guard close behind. She had no clue that seeing this little girl this happy would have had the effect on her it did. Infectious. 'Well hopefully Mitsukai leaves soon. I guess then it won't be so bad here, at least she is cute and makes me smile.'

X

Looking up as the door opened, Sesshomaru sighed to see Kagome and Rin walk into the dining room. Rin racing from Kagome to take her usual seat to his left. With Mitsukai on his right he turned to Kagome and nodded toward Rin. "Kagome your seat will be next to Rin."

Nodding herself as she sat down, Kagome half smiled. "Alright."

Keeping her eyes down on her food, Mitsukai had to force her heart rate to stay controlled and her mood mellow. And that was easy enough knowing that after this meal was over, it was her night to have a few hours alone with Sesshomaru. Turning a gracious smile up to him, Mitsukai acted like the two humans were not even there. "My Lord, tonight is going to be a cool night. Could we please go for a walk through the gardens?"

While his patience for this woman was wearing thin, Sesshomaru had to indulge her while she was there to a point. "Why is that?"

Bashfully blinking, Mitsukai looked down at her food again. "We do not have too of course if you do not wish too. But I thought a walk through the gardens tonight would give us a better chance to really talk and get to know each other."

"Very well."

With a sigh Rin was half disappointed about her father agreeing to that. She showed Kagome around the palace a little bit, but she really wanted to show her the gardens. But that would have to wait until the next night. Turning her usual smile up to him, Rin giggled. "Father, Kagome said that after we eat she will let me help her unpack her stuff. Then I am going to show her around the palace some more. She said it is so big that she need help for a while getting places."

Blushing Kagome gasped then dropped her head as she flinched. 'Oh yeah Rin way to make me look good there.'

Smiling a true smile as he kept his eyes on his daughter, Sesshomaru nodded as he relaxed. "That is fine. You may show her anywhere in the palace, but do not leave the palace for the gardens tonight understand?"

Giggling as she nodded, Rin had never felt so happy right then. "I will not Father I promise."

X

Walking hand in hand back in her room with the little girl, Kagome couldn't help but laugh as they started to sort through and unpack her stuff. The first thing she moved along one wall that had nothing but a few really high paintings and leaned against the wall six pin boards that her father got for her. Tomorrow she would start hanging her pictures and other things on them.

They then set up her computer on her desk, and then turned to put her clothes away. Opening the closet she was shocked to see the formal kimonos and night clothes. "Well that is strange. I didn't think there would be anything in this."

Giggling as she came up next to her Rin reached out and touched one of them. "Father had them made for you. To give you something to sleep in if you wanted, and the kimonos for when I have to go with him to places, he dresses formally like he did a long time ago. I have to also and since you would have to go with me, you will too. So we had some made for you."

"I see. That's wonderful. Thank you." Kagome hid her true feelings behind her smile. There was no way that she was going to be happy wearing something like that. She hated wearing the hakama and haori that her grandfather insisted she wear when helping him clean the shrine. 'I just hope that there aren't too many times that I will have to wear them.'

Turning back to her stuff, in the course of about an hour, since she didn't have much more, she and Rin had little touches of Kagome all around the room. Once it was all done, Kagome put her hand son her hips and nodded as she looked around. "Well that about does it I think. So how about this tour Rin? Where do you want to start?"

With a giggle, Rin grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. "Let's start with how to get to your room from the front door, then the kitchen and then the dining room! After that the library and then the banquet hall, oh and tomorrow I will show you all around the gardens!"

"Alright Rin. One thing at a time please. Or I will have a mental overload." Kagome then gasped as she was pulled out her door and into the chest of someone. Stumbling backwards she gasped again as she blushed when a hand reached out and steadied her around her waist. "I am so sorry about that."

"So you are the miko that he hired to look after her."

"Uncle Inuyasha!"

Blinking as she kept her eyes down, Kagome stood up and then sighed as he moved his hand. Looking up now, she was face to face with a hanyoukai. Inuyasha. She knew of him, Sesshomaru's little half brother. He had the same amber eyes that Sesshomaru did, but he didn't have markings and doggie ears on his head. With the exception of being a dog, and different hair and eye colors he looked just like a few half wolf demons she used to go to school with.

Finally composing herself, Kagome smiled as she nodded and held her hands before her. "That's right. My name is Kagome Higurashi. I just moved in to….."

"To take care of the kid." Inuyasha then smiled down at Rin as she came up to stand just between them. "I am still shocked that he hired a miko for the job though."

Irritation flying into her voice, Kagome half glared at him. "And what does that have to do with anything might I ask? It isn't like I asked to be one."

Laughing Inuyasha shook his head as he crossed his arms. "I meant no disrespect about it I promise. I thought it was odd when he brought Rin home and said she was his daughter and my niece. I am sure you know what I am talking about there? I am included in that and I am his brother."

Dropping her eyes as she half smiled with a sigh, Kagome felt bad now for getting so irritated with him. "I see."

Giggling, Rin grabbed Kagome's hand as she gave a tug. "Come on Kagome! This way first! I know what I am going to show you first. We have our own personal kitchen that we can use between meals. I will show you where that is! Come on this way!"

Laughing Kagome followed along with her as she shook her head. This little girl was infectious. And she had every intention on letting her spend time with her little brother. She might make him less of a geek.

Watching as they walked away with Kenta close behind, Inuyasha only smiled. He hadn't seen a woman yet since Kikyo left that could turn his head. And this one has. Turning and going on to his room, he smiled as he closed his eyes. This was going to be fun.

X

Listening to her babble on more about how much she loves the palace, the gardens, and how this was such a dream come true for her, Sesshomaru had to force himself not to growl and rip her head off. Mitsukai was pretty, but she was so annoying that she was driving him nuts. 'If she does draw him out she will do nothing but get herself killed. Ten days and I want to rip her head off. No way this female is my mate.'

Looking up at him with curious eyes, Mitsukai did want to test the waters with him a little. Her entire goal was to mate him and send the humans and half demon there out and be done with it. But the way he talked she wouldn't be able to do a thing with them. "My Lord might I ask you a question please?"

Giving her a glare, Sesshomaru stopped. "What might that be?"

Turning to face him fully now, Mitsukai politely folded her hands before her. "My question is this. When I first arrived, you told my father that if I am able to mate with you, that just because I would become your mate, that wouldn't make me Lady Rin's mother. What exactly would I be to her then?"

Growling low in his chest, Sesshomaru didn't hide the glare in his face, nor the anger in his voice as he spoke. Half of him wanted her to argue the point so he could throw her out of his palace now and not wait twenty more days. "You would be nothing more to her than a step mother like in the human world. You will have no rights to her at all, not even to tell her not to run in the palace. Even if you do become my mate, any decisions regarding my daughter will be made between myself and Kagome."

Seeing this as her chance to plant the seed of doubt with Kagome, knowing how he feels about having a brother that is a half demon, Mitsukai lowered her eyes from his. "I understand that My Lord. But why would you let a miko like her have any decision making rights to her at all?"

Growling, Sesshomaru didn't budge. "What exactly do you mean by a miko like her?"

Looking back up at him with a sorrowful and worried look, Mitsukai wrung her hands together. "My father was going to wait until after I graduated high school to offer me to you as a mate. But when I learned that Kagome was going to come here and work for you, I told him and that is why he offered me to you now. I went to the same school with Kagome. I know her very well and she was never nice to anyone. The nice act you see now is nothing more than an act. After she was told that she was to be the Princess's caretaker, she was angry about it, and gloating to all the female demons that dreamed of a chance like I have. Even telling everyone that she would do all she could to lure you to her bed and give you a son, a hanyoukai heir. She….."

Growling loudly and making her stop, Sesshomaru crossed his arms. "That would only work if my demon was to come out. And that will not happen with a human miko.

Stepping closer to him as she looked back up at him, she forced tears in her eyes. "But Kagome is…."

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru didn't budge and growled loud and deep, making her flinch. "Enough. That is the way things are going to be. Speak of it again and you are gone. Understood?"

"Yes My Lord."

"This night is over." Sesshomaru then turned and headed back to the palace. If he was near her anymore he would end up killing her.

Following him, Mitsukai glared at the ground as she tried to think of a way to get Kagome out of the situation all together. She had to do it. Once she was his mate, she could use sex and not giving him an heir if he didn't do what she wanted with the kid and his brother. But right now the biggest thing in her way was Kagome Higurashi. She had to think of a way to get her out.