Kagome sat in the gardens leaning against a large tree with two children on either side of her sleeping. She stroked her fingers through Rai's hair as she stared down at the little girl lying by her leg with her head resting on her thigh.

It was strange to think of Takara being the offspring of Sesshoumaru but even more so to think that Sesshoumaru AND Naraku were her parents. She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around Sesshoumaru of all beings in the world being fat with child. It just didn't seem natural. However if what Kenta said was right she wouldn't have to wait long to see what it would look like for Sesshoumaru to walk around pregnant.

Things here were just too bizarre to be real. Sesshoumaru and Naraku mated. Sesshoumaru and Naraku having a daughter together. Sesshoumaru and Naraku raising three girls as if they were their own... well one was. Sesshoumaru and Naraku getting ready to have another child. Sesshoumaru and Naraku… Sesshoumaru and Naraku… Sesshoumaru and Naraku…

No matter how many times she said it in her mind she just couldn't get it to make any sense. This was SESSHOUMARU AND NARAKU for crying out loud two of the strongest and most feared beings to ever walk the land. Kami! What the heck had been going on with these two over the last five years?

"Miko"

Kagome snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at the silver being standing over her. "Oh Sesshoumaru." She smiled. "How are you?"

Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod as his answer then cut his eyes over to his daughter and suddenly narrowed his deep ambers. "You have cast a spell upon my child." He growled.

Kagome stared up at the demon like he had just popped a second head out of the side of his neck. "Cast a spell? I haven't done anything to her. She is a charming little child who played way to hard and fell asleep like that."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed even further. "That is not of what I speak girl." He watched as she just stared up at him in complete confusion. This is what he liked about this girl she never feared him yet sometimes that is the same reason he wanted to kill her. "I speak of the thing sealing her lips."

Kagome fought back the giggle at the way he referred to the pacifier. "No that is not from a spell I cast. Besides I'm not a witch I'm a miko." She waved her hand in the air. "You know purification… healing… That sort of thing."

"Then you will explain." He growled low in his throat.

"Sure" She said with a shrug of her shoulder then pulled the pacifier from Rai's mouth. "See its nothing but a modern day pacifier."

Sesshoumaru took the object from her hand and stared at it. It looked nothing like the one he had just made for Takara a few days ago. "You see this…" She held up the wooden one he made.

"In about another three or so hundred years from now these will be considered a hazard for children." She nodded her head in disgust. "They have and will continue to be one of the core reasons children die."

Sesshoumaru looked at the wooden pacifier and had to wonder how a child could possibly die from such a thing. "It is harmless." He stated knowingly.

"So you think. Then one day Takara can't breath, or complains of a stomach problem, or blood is seeping out of… well…" She cocked her head to the side and gave him the well you know look.

"Explain how this is possible."

Kagome moved the two children off of her and rose to her feet. "Well this…" She held up the wooden pacifier. "Is bad for their teeth. For starters its circumference is the same from base to tip." She then took the modern plastic one from his hand and held them up next to each other. "See the difference? They eventually change so that they are thin and flat against the base. The thicker they are at the base the more likely a child's teeth will grow in crooked."

Sesshoumaru stared at the two objects next to each other and could see her point but that didn't explain how Takara could die from sucking on it.

"Secondly because the wood one has a flat base on it as they suck it pushes against their teeth and eventually they bend inward. Like this." She then opened her mouth and pushed against her teeth like she was trying to push them back into her mouth. "This one…" She held up the plastic one. "It's shaped to conform to the shape of their mouth so there isn't as much pressure against their teeth as they suck upon it."

Once again he could see her point but couldn't fathom how a child could possibly die from crooked teeth.

"Now for the reason why people quit using these." She said as she put the plastic one back in Rai's mouth when he began to fuss slightly. "Anyway; because of the sap on the outside it can melt in their mouth and eat away at their teeth causing an infection in their mouth. This isn't necessarily fatal but it can be very unpleasant for them. After the sap wears off the wax underneath is toxic and can poison them." She looked up at the taiyoukai. "I'm sure with your kind poison isn't really that big of a concern."

Sesshoumaru gave her a curt nod and could see where it could be hazardous to ningen children but not to his offspring. She like him and Naraku was immune to the majority of poisons in the world.

"Finally once the sap and wax have been removed it leaves bare wood which can splinter. Takara could get a splinter stuck into the top of her mouth and cause an infection that prevents her from eating. She could swallow a sliver and choke to death on it. It could pass into her lungs and puncture them. She could swallow it and puncture her stomach or even get it lodged into her intestinal tract and die from the infection it would cause." She handed Sesshoumaru the wooden pacifier. "So you see they are not very safe but if you want her to continue to use it then I will give it back to her."

Sesshoumaru melted the thing with his poison. He'd be damned if he was going to put his daughter's life at risk with such a stupid thing as a oshaburi. "You have more."

Kagome shook her head. "No; just the two but I can get more from home if you want along with a few other things that might help."

Sesshoumaru arched a brow at her declaration. "Explain."

"Well I'm assuming that Takara still wears diapers when she sleeps." She watched as the demon lord gave her a curt nod. "I have ones that are more effective than the cloth ones so you don't have to worry about leaks and such. Plus..." She looked up at him nervously not sure about how to bring up his current condition. "Well… Um… I can get you some things to help with the effects of someone in your… uhh… condition?"

His condition? What in seven hells was she talking about? Sometimes he had to seriously wonder at her sanity.

Kagome giggled nervously. "I mean being with child. The headaches and the general pains that come with being pregnant." She just couldn't believe she was having this conversation with the lord of the west. It was just too ridiculous to be true. "If you suffer from those things. The only thing it won't help is the cravings and the exhaustion. Also I don't know if this is happening or has happened with Takara but Rai has started his second teething since he grew to fast for his teeth to keep up and I have a few things that will help with that as well." She furrowed her brows in thought. "Actually I have quite a few things that might help as Takara grows that you can also hand down to your next child."

"You will acquire these things for me." He stated like there was no reason she couldn't obey him.

"Well I need to go home to get them and I would have to leave Rai here otherwise it could take days to get back." She smiled up at him. "My family doesn't get to see him much so when I take him they want to spend as much time with him as they can and that could be a few days."

"You will leave him here." He stated matter of factly.

She put her fist to her chin in thought. "I suppose I could leave him with Kenta." She then looked up at him. "But who would take me to the well if Kenta stays here with Rai."

"You will leave your son here with this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome shook her head. "Oh no. Rai isn't very good around people he doesn't know no thanks to your brother. I would have to leave him with someone he knows and trusts."

Sesshoumaru thought about the situation for a moment then leveled the miko with a lordly stare. "My mate will take you."

Kagome's eyes went wide. "Naraku?"

"You take issue with my mate?" He questioned with narrowed ambers.

"Well can you blame me? I mean he did try to steal my soul and all." Kagome sighed deeply. "Then again if you think it's safe I suppose I shouldn't worry. After all you don't do anything spur of the moment it's all done after a lot of serious thought. Unlike Inuyasha who jumps in head first and thinks about the consequences later."

If he had ever been given a compliment that had to be the best one he ever received. Having Inuyasha shown to be nothing like him was the best thing anyone could ever say to him. "He will bring you no harm." He nodded curtly. "The consequences will be severe should he disobey me."

She stared up at the demon lord. "Ya know Sesshoumaru of all the beings I know you are the only one who tells ya like it is. If you say it it's true and I shouldn't worry."

"Hai miko. Naraku knows that killing you would displease me and he would rather not face the consequences of such actions."

"Well that's good." Kagome smiled then looked down at the two children when they began to squirm themselves awake. Rai as per usual began to whimper until it turned into a full out cry. He never used to do that until Kei began disappearing for days on end.

Takara slowly stood up and held her arms out to Sesshoumaru as she whimpered around the pacifier in her mouth.

Sesshoumaru picked her up so that she could lay her head on his shoulder. She locked her left fingers into his deep silver haori and slipped her right arm around his neck where she gently clawed at his skin. "You will leave in the morning so you can return before sundown. I will inform Naraku that he will be taking you to the well." He gave her a curt nod then turned and left her standing there trying to calm her son.

Kagome watched him go and lightly shook her head as she rubbed Rai's back soothingly. "I just know I'm dreaming and I'll be waking up any moment now. This whole Naraku Sesshoumaru thing is just too weird." She whispered to herself before heading back into the castle with Rai securely in her arms.

xx

"I finally have free reign over you." Kenta smirked as he stared at the little female standing in front of him.

Rin just stood there frozen with her head downcast. During her younger years while traveling with Sesshoumaru she had seen some things that frightened her but none of those things compared to the youkai standing in front of her. Many times when they would stay in the palace of the moon she would wake in the middle of the night with a scream tearing from her throat due to the nightmares she would have about the anaguma. He was just so damn scary.

She knew he would never actually do anything to truly harm her... but still. She had seen the way he would train the guards within the palace walls and always had to wonder how they survived it. He was mean, ruthless, and took no excuses; her life just became a living breathing version of hell.

"I will work you until you wished you were dead. From dawn til dusk you belong to me and as such you will abide by my rules. Do you understand?"

Rin gave a curt nod. "Hai master."

Kenta's smirk grew into a wicked grin. "Very…" He trailed off when the loud mouthy female known as Shingai came running up to them.

Shingai grabbed Rin and shoved her behind her. "You leave my sister alone!" She yelled at the youkai in front of her.

"Shingai please don't." Rin whispered.

Kenta arched a brow at the female. "Oh and what do you intend to do if I don't?"

Shingai narrowed her deep brown eyes. "I will kill you." She hissed.

"Stop" Rin hissed as she grabbed her sister by the arm. "Do not anger him. You do not know what he is capable of; I do."

Shingai slapped Rin's hands off of her. "I don't fear him." She sneered.

Kenta quickly closed the space between them and grabbed the mouthy girl by the throat. "You would due well to fear me." He growled into her face.

Before Shingai could respond Rin placed her hand upon Kenta's forearm. "Master Kenta please do not harm her. She does not understand you or your ways."

He cut his black eyes over to the little female who dared to touch him and released the girl's throat. He turned his attention fully to his lord's ward. "You will put yourself in her place?"

Rin nodded her head. "Hai"

Kenta smirked. "Very well. From this day forth you are responsible for her actions should she require discipline you will stand in her place and suffer the consequences." With that he turned and headed for his chambers.

"Rin!" Shingai choked out. "What did you do that for?"

Rin looked at her sister and shook her head. "You do not understand. I know him as well as I know Sesshoumaru-sama. He would never kill us but because tediibea and Sesshoumaru-sama gave him tutor over us he will make our lives as hard and as miserable as possible." Rin sighed. "I have seen what he does to someone who disobeys him and if you think it is bad with Sesshoumaru-sama…" She turned and looked in the direction Kenta went. "Kenta makes Sesshoumaru's punishments seem like a nice spring day in comparison."

Shingai waved her hand in the air. "He does not scare me. Besides master will never allow him to treat us like this." She said as if Naraku had already said he would protect them.

Again Rin shook her head. "I have already talked with tediibea and we are on our own. He agrees with Sesshoumaru's decision to have Kenta train us." She sighed deeply. "This is our own fault." She said repeating Naraku's words.

If Shingai didn't know any better she would swear that Rin was lying. Yet because Rin never lied she knew without a doubt that she was telling the truth. "They don't love us anymore." She whispered brokenly.

"Who told you that?"

Both girls turned to face their dark father. Shingai shook her head and locked her eyes onto her feet. "No one."

Naraku walked up to her and placed a hooked finger under her chin to lift her eyes up to meet his. "Then why would you say such a thing?"

Shingai stared up at him. "Because you are allowing that demon to treat us so cruelly."

Naraku smirked. "Iie; he is teaching you discipline as Sesshoumaru and I have instructed him to do." He caressed her cheek. "This must be done since we can't seem to control your wayward behavior. You put your sister's lives at risk with your disobedience then attempted the same feat a second time. How much more do you expect us to tolerate before taking action to control you?"

Shingai sighed deeply in defeat. "It was an accident." She whispered.

Naraku shook his head. "It's always an accident. When you learn to think about the consequences of your actions then perhaps we will reconsider having Kenta train you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I suggest you start thinking about the things you want to do and the things you should do. You are a young woman now who should be married and swollen with child yet you behave like a child." He wiped away the tears building in the corners of her eyes. "Do not think that we no longer care for you we do this because we care and want to see you live a long healthy happy life."

Shingai had never felt so miserable in her life as she did just then. He was right and she knew it her behavior as of late had been rather childish and deadly. She threw her arms around his waist and sobbed into his chest. "I'm sorry."

Naraku rubbed her back and smiled. "Hai; I know you are."

xx

Kei threw the door open to his home and glared at the darkness within. Where the hell was she? As he eyed the cabin he spotted a scroll sitting on the table with his name written on the outside.

With three long strides he was at the table and snatched the scroll up. He quickly unrolled it and read its contents then growled deadly. Of all the places in the world for her to disappear to going to the western domain was not what he would have expected. This was not good not good at all as she was now going to be right in the middle of the war between the western kingdom and the neko tribe. "Damn wench!" He growled and shot out of the cabin heading for Sesshoumaru's palace.

Oh he was not looking forward to dealing with the uppity inu not at all.