Chapter 10

Inuyasha's POV

I open my eyes, surprisingly enough I didn't die when I turned into a human. Kagura had bandaged my wounds in an attempt to try and stop the bleeding. I look around the dark room; I can smell an aura in here that I can already pinpoint as Kagura's.

I move my head, which is throbbing from a huge headache, to look over my body. My bandages are red with blood. Usually my wounds would have started to heal by now, but they haven't.

Luckily for me, both Naraku and Kikyou have not been here in a day or so. I'm losing track of time when I am constantly in and out of consciousness. Kagura was nice enough to bring the keys down for the locks on the chains. So now I am leaning up against a dark corner of the wall.

I can hear footsteps nearing my cell and I start growling. I can feel my demon side coming out, ready to attack whatever is nearing me.

I stop growling when Kagura appears at the door with a small candle in one hand and a bag in her other. I glare at her, Naraku probably sent her down here to torture me. But I don't think she would when she helped me.

"What are you here for?" I snap at her.

"I would watch your tongue half breed." She says as she walks towards me.

"Or what ya gonna do? Send Kikyou down here?" I growl at her.

"Don't push it."

"Where are those two anyway?"

"How am I supposed to know? They are probably off mating."

That sentence puts a sting in my heart. I know Kikyou was anxious about us traveling alone and I should have caught onto it or I would have never ended up like this.

"How long?" I ask as my head hangs down.

"A few weeks." She replies.

I refuse to let any tears fall in front of Kagura. She comes over to me and kneels down at my side. She sets the candle in a small holder for it in the wall and places the bag down in front of her.

'What is the point of living?' I think.

At Edo

Lord Karo's POV

I take Prince Kouga off into the woods so that I may have a talk with him. I know he has always pined after Kagome. But he is never able to get her because of her arranged marriage with Sesshoumaru.

Once we are a respectable distance away from the others at the village I turn and face Kouga, who is standing tall. He reminds me so much of his father at a time like this.

"You wanted to talk to me, Lord Karo?" He asks.

"Yes Kouga, I do." I reply. "I know that you pine after Kagome, but the fact is Kouga you can never have her."

"What do you mean? She is old enough to make her own decisions. If she would rather mate me instead of mister "I have a stick up my ass", it's up to her."

"I agree but they are still arranged to be married and it will go through."

"How do you know?"

"They are courting Kouga."

His eyes go wide, I know that Kagome and Sesshoumaru have not officially announced it, but I know that is what they plan to do.

"But she hates him."

"What do you mean? My daughter does not hate him."

"She does. He tried to kill her several times."

"I know about that. He would not have done it if he knew it was his intended."

"If I knew it was her, she would have been my mate a long time ago."

"Kouga, you would have been put to death if you did that."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you already forgotten the rules your father taught you. If you mate with someone's intended, especially a Lord's, that Lord can have you put to death."

"But what if the woman does not love the lord and loves another."

"You're going to persist this, aren't you Kouga?"

"Yes I am Lord Karo."

"You will not get very far my boy."

I walk over to him, pat him on the shoulder and start back towards the village to leave him to think. I know very well from past experiences with Kouga that he will not give up easily on something he wants or desires.

I can read his emotions, and I know that he feels for my daughter even after their little argument earlier. The boy is about as hard headed as his father was. Only his father knew better then to go after someone's intended.

Kagome's POV

I decided that I will give Kaede a break and make lunch today. For some very strange reason she and my grandfather have been together a lot lately. They will not tell anyone why, but I kind of have a funny feeling I know what's up.

I stir the many packets of ramen in one pot inside of Kaede's hut. Everyone is outside waiting under the shades of her hut for lunch to be ready.

I hear the flap to the hut swish and I look up to find Sesshoumaru walking towards me. I smile up at him as he kneels down beside me.

"Kagome, there are a few things we need to discus." He says.

"What are they love?" I ask with a questioning look on my face.

"First off we need to tell your family about our courting."

"I agree, I figure my mother and father suspect something."

"Hn. Then we will go figure a time to have a ball at your parents castle to announce it."

"Okay, we kind of talked that over with them already."

"Yes, one last thing, I need to place a courting mark on your neck to tell other males that you are mine."

"Where will you put it?" I ask him with the slight raise of a eyebrow.

"On your neck."

"What's it going to look like?"

"It will be shaped like a crescent moon, the crest of my family."

"Is it going to hurt, Sesshoumaru?"

"Of course not, my beautiful Kagome." His hand comes up under my chin. "I would never do anything to hurt you."

"Okay. Do it now."

"Now?"

"Unless there is something wrong with right now?"

"There is nothing wrong. Maybe the mark will keep the wolf away from you."

"Yeah."

I move around to face Sesshoumaru, he places a hand on the collar of my shirt and moves it down to reveal my neck. He brings two claws up and makes the mark into my neck.

He was right, it was virtually painless, all I felt was the pressure on my neck. I look into his eyes and see the love he has for me. It makes me smile to know he loves me so much.

I notice that the ramen is finished cooking. "Sesshoumaru, will you help me take everything out to everyone?" I ask.

"Of course." He replies.

I drain all of the water from the giant pot and hand it to Sesshoumaru. I pick up the chopsticks and bowls and stand up. The two of us walk out of Kaede's hut and find everyone sitting against the side of the hut in the shade.

They all smile at us and I notice that Kouga and my father have returned from the woods finally. I would love to have been a demon on a tree and heard what they said, because I know it has to have been about me.

I place even amounts of ramen into bowls and hand them out to everyone. Finally I sit down beside Sesshoumaru and hand him his bowl. Unlike last night, I don't have to force him to try and eat human food. Though I wouldn't mind being back in that position.

'Bad Kagome, bad, bad, bad thoughts.'

I know my face must be getting a little red from my thoughts, so I try to stay preoccupied with my ramen. I notice everyone is looking at me and I finally notice that I never pulled my shirt back up. The courting mark Sesshoumaru left of my neck is in plain view.

My father smirks and I see Kouga with a defeated look on his face. I smirk, Sesshoumaru was right; maybe the mark will keep Kouga from coming after me. Knowing Kouga though, it will only for a little while.

Lunch has no conversation in it and everyone enjoys their ramen very much, especially Ginta and Hiten. I look at them and Ginta smiles up at me.

"Thank you so much for the wonderful lunch, little sister." He says.

"You're welcome, Ginta." I say back with a smile on my face.

I stand up from beside Sesshoumaru with our bowls in my hand and start to collect the dishes.

"Let me help you, Kagome." Sango says.

"Sure."

Sango helps me collect everything and we take it into Kaede's hut. I see Sango smirking at me from out of the corner of my eye. I can only imagine, wait no I can't imagine what Sango is thinking right now.

"Kagome." She says.

I turn towards her and I get a full view of her smirk. "What Sango?" I ask.

"So Sesshoumaru placed his courting mark on you?"

"Yes he did."

"It's about time."

She comes over and takes my hand, all the great happiness inside of me pours out and we start jumping around in a circle giggling. After a few minutes we finally stop and pull each other into a hug.

"I am so happy for you Kagome. It's about time you are with someone that makes you happy."

"Thank you so much Sango."

We pull apart and I look at her and see a glow on her that I haven't seen before. I smirk at her and say.

"Has anything happened between you and Miroku?" I ask.

"Um... well."

From the look in her eyes and on her face I piece it together somewhat. "Are you two together?" I ask.

"Yes, he asked me the other day when we were alone. He has promised to stop womanising and once Naraku is killed, we will get married." She says.

"Aw Sango, I am so happy for you."

I pull Sango into another bear hug, being careful not to use so much of my strength. I need to talk to Sesshoumaru or my father about training me in how to use my demonic powers right.

I let go of Sango, I am so happy that they have finally gotten together but I am not so sure if Miroku will totally stop womanising. But if he does start again, I think Sango might do everything under the sun to him except kill him. Then he would wish he was dead.

Sango and I then walk out of Kaede's hut and into the sunlight. Today is extra hot, and an idea goes off in my head and I run back into the hut and grab my small carry bag that I put a couple bathing suits in.

I walk back out of the hut and Rin is now standing in front of Sango talking to her. They look at me and then at my bag.

"Who's up for a swim?" I ask with a smile.

Hi everyone, Okay here is my newest chapter. Lord Karo may of had a talk with Kouga but will he listen or still try to get Kagome. Now Sesshoumaru has marked Kagome as his intended. Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter and what you would like to happen in the next chapter. Here is a poll.

1( Have a lemon between Sesshy & Kags.

2( Have Kouga try to capture Kagome.

3( Have Naraku come to the village and attack.

or 4( Have Kags, Sango and Rin be captured by some stranger.

Please vote in a review and what ever is the highest I will write.

KatiechanXoxoXSesshoukun