AN: Thanks to everyone for reading! Please let me know of any way I can improve. Please review too!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Kinome sat in the small tea room wondering when the uncomfortable silence would be broken. She stared at the small particles of dust floating in the small sliver of sunlight that had snuck it's way into the tiny square room, wondering how long all this would take. Asuka had gotten her up early, explaining that Lord Inuhide and Lady Misora were leaving today, and had requested to have tea with her and Inukatsu before they left. She sighed inwardly as she recalled Asuka telling her that she wouldn't be going to any formal meetings. She sat stiffly beside Inukatsu, thankful that summer was drawing to a close and the heat had subsided a bit.

"My husband and I are grateful to have the opportunity to formally congratulate you on your wedding." Lady Misora said in her quiet, smooth voice. Her movements were fluid and full of grace as she sat down her teacup. "We wish you a successful marriage." she said with a smile. Lord Inuhide gave a short nod. It was obvious he did not relish these kinds of ceremonial traditions.

"Thank you so much for your kindness." Inukatsu said, bowing to his sister and brother in law. Kinome offered her thanks quietly, and bowed as well. She could practically feel Inuhide's disapproving gaze. She wished again that this would hurry up and be over. Inukatsu sat next to her, and through his humble nobility she could read nothing of his true feelings.

"My son has only great things to say about you." Lady Misora said to her after a moment. "He was quite impressed by your kindness to him yesterday." she told her.

Kinome began to feel nervous. She didn't know exactly what Inutaisho had said about her that was so wonderful. She had only tried to cheer him up, and she wondered how Lord Inuhide felt about that, or if he knew. "Your son is full of honor and pride . I would count myself lucky to have such a fine son." she told her in return, and then winced at her poor choice of words. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to mention children in front of Inukatsu, especially with their odd marriage.

Lady Misora smiled at her. "I am sure you will one day." she told her sincerely. Kinome was glad she let the matter drop at that. Not that she would have been asked any personal questions, but the less that was mentioned about the issue the better.

Finally, everyone exchanged goodbyes and rose to leave. As they exited the tea room, Inukatsu took her arm gently and led her in the opposite direction. He let go as they rounded the corner and were out of sight. "Could that have possibly been any more uncomfortable?" he asked under his breath as they continued down the hallway.

"Only if I were sitting on a stack of needles." Kinome replied in a whisper. Once again, she wished she had kept her mouth closed.

Inukatsu stifled a laugh. "The way you were sweating and squirming in there, I would have thought you were." he told her jokingly. They laughed together for a moment, their voices carrying down the now empty corridor.

Suddenly, Kinome stopped and turned to him, horrified. "Was it so obvious?" she asked, her eyes wide. "If you noticed, surely they did as well." she groaned. "I am sorry. I must have looked like a fool" she told him. "I forget that demon senses are much more powerful than those of humans." she said quietly, looking away. She had become quickly comfortable with Inukatsu's presence when they had joked with each other, but now the familiar discomfort was returning.

Inukatsu's face fell at her distress. "Don't worry about it." he told her. "You did as well as could be expected of you." he said.

"How low are those expectations?" Kinome asked. She felt like sewing her mouth shut. She certainly was having an off day today, and it was still morning. She knew she should not speak this way to Inukatsu, but it was a matter that she felt needed to be addressed. For some reason it just seemed to be spilling out of her. She wondered if Asuka's words had anything to do with it.

Inukatsu's face became serious. "You think too lowly of yourself." he told her. "If you continue to degrade yourself, everyone else will as well eventually. You may not think so, but most of the clan is glad you are here, and bear you no ill will." he said.

Kinome was surprised at her reaction to all of this, but kept going. "Why?" she asked. "Because I am here to fulfil some prophecy that was made long ago? How? I don't do anything. I may as well be a shadow on the wall or a stain on the floor. Everyone can see it, but it is just as easy to ignore it and pretend it isn't there." she finished, tears stinging her eyes.

Inukatsu looked away, not wishing to look her in the eye. His jaw clenched involuntarily, and he ground his teeth in thought. What she was saying was true, he could not deny that anymore. She was dressed, boarded, and waited upon as though she was his wife. But it was all empty formality. His indecision and procrastination was the root of it. Everyone knew he did not acknowledge her as his wife, and followed in like kind. Beyond their necessary show of respect, there was nothing.

"How long am I supposed to wait for this answer of yours?" Kinome asked after a long moment of silence passed. "At this rate, I will be an old woman before I ever receive it." she said, and turned to walk away.

Inukatsu took hold of her arm as she turned. "Don't go yet." he told her, his voice low. He led her around the next corner and down the hallway to his quarters. He opened the door and motioned for her to go inside. She turned back toward him as he shut it, her eyes demanding to know why he kept her from leaving.

"You told me just yesterday that you understood my plight. Have you taken that back in just a day?" he asked, drawing near to her.

"No." she told him. "But that does not change the fact that our situation demands to be dealt with in a constructive manner." she said. "If I only had some kind of solid answer as to how things are to be, then I could begin to find my own place here. I feel like I am constantly waiting for something to happen, but I do not know what it is." she told him, and thought for a moment.

"Even if you wish to ignore me for the rest of my life, then tell me definitely that it is your decision, and I will find a way to live my life around it." she said. "Just do not leave me wondering if I will finally garner acknowledgment from you or anyone else." she finished. She felt relieved and tired suddenly, like a great weight she had been carrying was gone from her shoulders.

Inukatsu was aggravated at her words, but drawn in as well. He had never had a conversation like this with a woman, not even Misaki. Once she had gotten started, she had been overtly honest with him, and answered his questions unwaveringly. She hadn't looked away or shed a single tear. His mind burned with the meaning of her words, yet he was also strangely exhilarated.

"You will have your answer soon." he told her. He wasn't sure how else to answer her. He knew now for certain that he had to come to grips with the situation as quickly as possible. If Kinome was going to speak openly to him about it, it must be a growing concern for her, he thought. It was much easier before when she had simply remained quiet and withdrawn. The weight of it all was becoming heavier as some of it left Kinome and was transferred onto him.

He wanted to tell Misaki that no matter what happened, he loved her, and that he always would. But, even if he submitted to Kinome being his wife and loved her from afar, he knew Misaki would not accept only that, nor would his father. Inuyasu had already said that he would marry her off as soon as he found a suitable mate for her to prevent her being a distraction. He thought of these things as he led Kinome out the door and watched her tread down the hall toward her own rooms.

Once at her door, she opened the door quickly, and shut it just as quickly. She felt the beginnings of a headache building at her temples thinking about what had just happened. She had known at the time that she was breaking her promise to herself again, but somehow it just didn't seem right anymore to keep silent. On her way back to her rooms she had decided that it would be the first and last time she spoke out in such a manner. If she dared any more she was certain it would only bring trouble.

But the longer she was here she realized that something inside her wouldn't allow her to do that. Something deep down told her that she did have some kind of purpose here other than fading into the background, only to be forgotten once her short days were through. She suddenly realized that it had been eating at her since she had been there only a few days. Otherwise, she would have been content to carve out her own niche, and remain ignored. A drive was in her to find her purpose and accomplish it, for the first time in her life.