Walking into her son's palace, Kimi sighed as she closed her eyes. It wasn't even often that she was here, yet with the visitor that she had at her own smaller palace last night, she figured it was best to come and see for herself what was going on. Though she knew that if it were true, there was nothing she could do about it but except it and hope for the best.

Just as she was about to head to his study she rounded a corner and gasped as she came face to face with the miko that she had heard about. She was indeed quite plain to look at, but the purification that came from her was strong. "You are?"

Knowing exactly who she was looking at, Kagome gave a small bow as she stepped to the side. "Forgive me Lady Kimi. I did not mean to startle you like that. I am Kagome Higurashi."

"I see." Knowing full well what he wanted with this one, but not having talked to her son about anything since the idea came to him, Kimi sighed. "Has my son told you of what he truly wants from you then? Not just someone to look after Rin but…."

"She has already been told of why I chose her mother."

Looking up to see her son walking toward them, Kimi blinked. It was ever so slight, clearly not what she was told happened, but he was clearly close enough to her for an extended time to have her scent still on him. But they had not mated either. "I see then."

Looking at Kagome as she flushed, Sesshomaru sighed. "I told her not long after she moved here. She has no issues with it." Turning his eyes back to his mother, Sesshomaru blinked. "But why are you here Mother?"

"Grandma!"

Before she could utter a sound, Kimi smiled as she turned and watched as Rin raced to her and jumped into her arms. "Oh Rin. It is so good to see you."

Her tiny little arms wrapped around the demon's neck, Rin giggled. "I am so happy to see you Grandma. Are you staying long?"

Sitting her down and smiling sweetly at the child, Kimi nodded. "I guess you can say that. I plan on spending the day."

Rushing to Kagome Rin grabbed her hand and pointed up at her. "This is Kagome. She helps Father take care of me. Have you met her?"

"I did just now." Kimi watched the girl's reaction carefully as she smiled at Rin. Then she sighed as she put her hand on Rin's head. "I am sure that I will have time to talk to you and Kagome later Rin. Right now I wish to speak to your Father."

Nodding, Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru and smiled. "We are going to go and get Sango, then just come back here today. She said that she would help me practice some."

"Right." Sesshomaru then watched as they were gone down the hall and around another corner. Turning back to his mother he blinked. "Your reason for coming here?"

Walking on past him and toward his study, Kimi sighed. "I would rather not talk about it in the middle of the hall Sesshomaru."

Following his mother, once they were in his study, he narrowed his eyes at her as he crossed his arms. "Mother?"

Looking up at the one and only painting done of her, Inutaisho and Sesshomaru as an infant, Kimi sighed as she fanned herself. "I am here because of a visit that I got last night." Turning to him she had stern eyes. "Do not lie to me son. Why is it that her scent lingers on you as such? I know you did not bed her or mate her, the scent isn't that strong."

"The answer is not what you would have been lead to believe." Going to sit at his desk, Sesshomaru sighed as he loosened his tie and leaned back in his chair. "Kagome has been in a relationship with Inuyasha. I told them both that so long as it does not interfere with her training or what her responsibilities are with Rin, I didn't care. However yesterday apparently Kikyo is back in town and Inuyasha went to see her."

"I see." Crossing her arms, Kimi never did like Inuyasha. The fact that her son took him in when his father died protecting the mongrel and his bitch human for a mother infuriated her. "But what does that have to do with….."

"Like it or not mother, there is some level of caring for Kagome." When her eyes went wide, Sesshomaru sighed. "Not like that Mother. But she basically was forced here. I thought her father was going to tell her exactly what I wanted. He didn't so I did. She willingly said that she would stay and train to do exactly what I wanted with Rin so I can keep her with me forever as a demon. For that she earned the right."

Blinking to see that he was telling the truth. He wasn't defending her like his demon was coming out. But he was defending her like he cared. And for giving them Rin as a demon forever, she could see that. "That I can understand." But then she gave him an odd look and turned her head to the side. "However you talk like you know who came to see me last night. Do you?"

"There is but two that would try to use Kagome or Rin to distract me or cause trouble. Ryukotsuei and Mitsukai, the daughter of Merkamaou." His eyes sliding to her, he didn't even blink. "It was her or her father that came to your palace last night wasn't it?"

Nodding, Kimi was fully settled now. "It was Mitsukai. But why on earth would she want to do something like that Sesshomaru? Surely she knows the bond that you have with Rin."

"She knows very well." Growling as he glared up at the ceiling, Sesshomaru crossed his arms. "Her father offered her to me for a mate, and as per tradition she was to stay here for thirty days to see if something could come of it. She was here just a fraction of that when Rin heard her saying that she was going to use the fact that she was as my mate as leverage to send both Rin and Kagome to the US permanently."

Snarling, Kimi bared her fang. "That wanton little wench said something like that where my granddaughter could hear?! Had I know that I would have took her head off when she set foot in my palace last night."

"Indeed." Standing, Sesshomaru headed for the door. "I will see you for the evening meal Mother. I have work that needs to be done."

X

"That no good…" With a glare as Kagome clamped her hand over her mouth, Sango growled. When she moved her hand, Sango glared at her. "You are not going to go back to him are you Kagome?"

Dropping her head, Kagome sighed. "I don't know Sango. I do love him. I thought it was going to be alright to let myself fall for him. But I do know before I considered it, he is going to have to do what I wanted him to do last night. Tell Kikyo where I can hear it, or in person that he is choosing me over her. If he can't do that then I am not going to even talk about it."

"I wouldn't even think about it then Kagome. He showed you how he is going to be." Sango gave her best friend a sad look. "I just don't want to see you broken by the time that this is done. I have seen it before. He makes you cry too much I will take up the Dragon Slayer name and I will take his head."

With a sigh as she leaned over on Sango's shoulder, Kagome fought to keep her tears at bay. "It is just hard Sango. I mean I ran from my own room and outside to cry. He didn't even try to come comfort me. Instead Sesshomaru did. Which shocked the hell out of me."

"I don't know he doesn't look at you like he does other humans I have noticed." Sango sighed as she leaned her head on Kagome's. "Not to mention you also promised him that you would let him keep his daughter with him forever. I mean that had to do something in him right?"

"I guess so." Kagome then sighed as she stood up and smiled with closed eyes. "Enough dwelling on things that wanna make me cry. Let's get some practice in. I wanna be able to do what Koyuki showed me last time without thinking when she comes back in two days."

"Right."

X

Watching from her balcony, Kimi sighed to see the reactions that Rin had with Kagome, and Kagome to Rin. It was clear that the two clearly loved each other. But it bothered her when Sesshomaru said that he did care about Kagome. Yes he said it was because of the fact that Kagome is going to turn Rin demon, with some of his blood and the blood of another female, yet she had to wonder if it was something more than that starting. The blush of the miko. The way her son watched as she walked away from him.

Turning to go back in her room she sat on her bed with a sigh as she laid her hands in her lap. "After all. His is his father's son. I just hope he didn't get that habit from his father."

X

Coming home, and looking over to see Kagome smiling and happy with Sango, Inuyasha growled then headed on in the palace. When he finally decided he was going to find her last night, whether she wanted to be found or not, she was with Sesshomaru! And now she was all smiles today like everything was perfect. He should have stayed out of it and not talked to her. He knew it was nothing like to mate with her or something like that, but still. It was their relationship and who knew what he was really saying about him.

So focused on what was going on with him and Kagome, he hadn't noticed that Kimi was there until he rounded a corner and came face to face with her glaring eyes. "Lady Kimi….."

"I do hope you plan on fixing things with that miko you mutt?" Kimi kept her arms crossed as she glared at him. She wouldn't have cared if he had another son with another demon, her son was born first and would be Lord at some point anyway. But it was like a slap in the face that someone of Inutaisho's presence and greatness chose to sire a half breed with a human. "I will not allow you to mess up what is going on with Rin."

A glare in his eyes, Inuyasha just growled as he walked on past her. "What I do or don't do isn't any of your concern. Like you have made clear since my mother died. You are not my mother and will never act anything like one. So stay out of my business."

Growling after him, Kimi just stood there. She hated that mutt! But then she turned to go out into the garden. If he wouldn't fix it, she would make sure that she poisoned the miko's head for him. If she can forget about him for that, he won't be able to mess up what they want from her for Rin. One way or another.