Unbeta'd

:: Room and Board ::

Kagome laughed silently as the door opened, and they were escorted…or at least, Sesshoumaru was being escorted; she was currently playing 'unseen miko'…and they entered the citadel of the South. On the outside, it looked rather imposing, she supposed – a beautifully laid out building, combining form and function into a cohesive whole. Rock gardens, gravel and carefully situated shrubs created beauty, but out of the corner of her eyes, Kagome could see the guards unobtrusively flitting around like shadows.

And, she belatedly realized, there was no way one could sneak up on the walls – the gravel crunched loudly under even the silent feet of Sesshoumaru, though luckily she wasn't giving herself away. The necklace covered her footsteps, it appeared. Beautiful this place might be, but it was also deadly. Even her inexperienced eyes could pick out the hidden defenses of the villa.

The door they had come in was a delivery gate, so it wasn't very fancy. Servants were the ones who used it, after all, and those whose business was unobtrusive. But once they were inside…

"I was told there were two people who were to be delivering this afternoon?" The youkai guiding them through the maze of back halls said neutrally.

"And so there are." Sesshoumaru replied, just as neutrally. He gave a slight smile, and the man leading the way simply shrugged. He didn't know who came in by the blue door, save that they had business with Tanuma, or the masters. He was paid not to ask too many questions, after all. A lot of money, and loyalty, could buy a lot of non-questions.

Sesshoumaru knew Kagome was still here, though. She'd suggested holding onto him so he knew where she was. He could feel, numbly but still enough to know it was her, loosely holding onto the end of his tail. Since Sesshoumaru's current disguise did not include a tail, it was invisible as well.

He nearly shook his head at the picture they made. Or not made, really. A servant, leading a Taiyoukai disguised as a mutt rank and file soldier, followed by an invisible tail, followed by an equally invisible miko. The world was stranger than most people knew…

Behind him, Kagome indulged herself, staring unabashedly at everything. After all, it wasn't like someone could see her staring, could they? The castle was a fascinating place…she had seen things like it before, of course, but always from behind velvet ropes for visitors, and everything had had a sense of…age. Fragility. Everything here, however, was used often, alive in a way she hadn't seen before.

More corridors. They were close to the small study now, if Sesshoumaru had to make a guess. He remembered this part of the castle from his last visit of state, a few decades ago.

Their guide stopped, and bowed. "Please, wait here. I will inform them you have arrived." He vanished into the room, and Sesshoumaru sighed. Them must mean Satsuma, Tosa, and Tanuma. It was getting late, and he hoped Tosa did not want a long discussion. Sesshoumaru just wanted to head off and sleep, the long journey starting to take its toll. Kagome had had a chance to rest on the way here, at night, while he flew them onwards – nowhere in there had he had a chance to rest.

All too soon, the servant returned and led them into the room, before bowing and leaving, pulling the thick door closed behind him. Conversations in this room wouldn't leave that way - no eavesdropper would ever be able to hear.

Sesshoumaru glanced across the dim light, and into the shadows of the desk, facing the door.

"Sesshoumaru! Is that you?" A familiar voice called out. Movement behind the desk resolved into a taller figure of a man, dark purple hair and brilliant green eyes wide, a cheerful smile on Tosa's face. The dragon youkai walked over, every step seeming to speak of boundless energy. Behind him, sitting down, was Satsuma. Tanuma did not appear to be present.

"Indeed it is, Tosa." Sesshoumaru turned his head, and bowed his head briefly to the rulers of the South.

"And with such a powerful disguises ...even our own kitsune spy couldn't see it was an illusion." Satsuma smiled, in welcome, before rising, undulating from the couch, red hair tied back in an elegant array, held in place with a comb. "Why don't you take it off? Tanuma has ensured this room is as safe as we can make it. And I would like to see you again, not a foot-soldier in the western army."

"I thought you were coming with a friend, Sesshoumaru?" Tosa grinned. "A lady friend, eh? Thought we'd never convince you of the pleasures in life! A beautiful woman, sake..." He grinned wider, and laughed at the frosty look. "Oh, glare all you like! Maybe I'll finally convert...er...convince you one day. Do sit down."

Sesshoumaru pulled off the necklace, assured that nobody would walk in, but did not sit. "It is good to see you too, though one could wish for a happier meeting. Kagome, show yourself."

Satsuma blinked. That names was familiar…but where could the woman possibly be hiding? "Kagome? I don't...oh. Now that is a clever trick."

Kagome reappeared, and bowed deeply to their hosts. "Hi! Sorry, but I didn't want to be seen going in, and I didn't know when to take it off...it's kinda awkward..."

Satsuma laughed lightly. "Ah, yes. A very handy trick, that. I did not know miko were so accomplished in illusions."

Kagome reddened. "Er...that's about all I can do, really. I got the idea from my brother, and wanted to see if it would work…"

Tosa grinned wider. "Invisible, eh? You don't want to sell it, do you? It would make sneaking down to the kitchens so much easier at midnight..."

"Um...it doesn't actually make you invisible..." Kagome winced slightly. Sneaking down to the kitchens? Him? Wasn't this Lord Tosa? Lord being the key word there? She eyed the dark purple, almost black, head of hair, and the beaming face underneath.

Well, maybe...she could certainly imagine him sneaking food at midnight. But it just seemed so...Tosa was nothing like she'd thought a lord would be like. She realized she'd been expecting someone a bit like Sesshoumaru... Tosa, Satsuma… Neither of them was what she'd been expecting. She thought Satsuma was a kitsune, like Tanuma, but she wasn't sure.

"Interesting." Satsuma looked closely at the necklace in Kagome's hand, and smiled. "May I see that?"

"So you can sneak off to the kitchens as well?" Tosa grinned at his mate, laughing. "You don't need a necklace for that, kitsune, just me!"

Sesshoumaru was tempted to roll his eyes. The irrepressible lord, always thinking with his stomach... "Perhaps. Did you wish to speak of matters tonight, or tomorrow?" Hopefully, tomorrow...

"Tomorrow, I think." Tosa sobered immediately. "I had hoped...when Tanuma said you were alive, earlier, I almost didn't believe it. Damia... her foreign policy leaves much to be desired, I'm afraid. She's even more intolerant of humans than you were, if such could be believed, and this meddling in the other domains..." Tosa made a face, and shook his head.

Kagome, standing to one side, listened to the conversation flowing around her head, half in a daze. All these names...! This was a side of youkai she had never seen before, and it was more than a little confusing. All these high up and powerful people she was somehow talking to, and they all thought she was a powerful miko...Kagome was tempted to laugh hysterically. No way was she a powerful miko! Maybe, maybe one day, but not right now! She just hoped she didn't make a fool out of herself, doing something stupid, or accidentally offending someone, or...just because she was human, some people...some youkai... might not like her...!

Satsuma nodded, also sober now. "There is much to talk on, tomorrow, with both of you. Tanuma said you wished to invoke the right of blood, and challenge her, if we but got you as far as the council. It is a good plan, but I am not sure you realize how powerful she has become..."

The lady of the south shook her head, and then smiled. "But come, you must be tired. We don't need to discuss such weighty matters today. I asked Okitsuga to prepare a room for guests, though nobody knows who for besides the three of us."

Tosa nodded. "Just Tanuma, Satsuma, and myself. You heard we had to let Matsudaria go, didn't you? I didn't want anyone else to know, and she was starting to think of passing information to the west. Present company excepted, of course." A quick grin flashed, and was gone.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I heard. I understand. I will be wearing this while I am here the whole time, to make sure nobody sees and passes information west." Sesshoumaru's fingers briefly stroked the cool stone beads. "Kagome? What about you?"

Kagome smiled weakly, jumpy at being called upon. Sesshoumaru was actually asking her opinion…? Wow. She'd never thought she'd have seen the day. She took a breath as three intense pairs of youkai eyes turned to stare at her. Why did the floor never swallow you when you wanted it to...?.

"Nobody knows who I am." She said slowly, thinking it out. Did she want to stay hidden for most of the time, or not? What was better?

"I'm not dressed as a miko. A human would cause comment, if not outright dislike, so I'm just going to stay out of the way for most of the time, I think... But I don't think I need to hide, the way he does." She glanced back at Sesshoumaru, and laughed. "Although you might as well call me 'Amiritsu' while I'm here, not Kagome. And if I act a little ditzy, well, we had to dodge a spy on the way here. It wasn't the best idea as a cover, but I think I'm stuck with it by now..." Kagome made a face, wishing she had thought of something better. 'Amiritsu' was starting to get on her nerves.

Tosa laughed, amusement shining through the rich voice. "Ditzy? And I assure you, the south is more tolerant than you give us credit for. Satsuma and I realized long ago that humans were not totally worthless, and we have tried to persuade others." An ironic laugh, and an indulgent smile broke though. "The fellowship has its roots here, you know, with some of the more philosophical of the nobles. Did you really think people willing to trade with humans would believe they were as inferior as all that?"

He paused, and grinned. "I don't think everything our more philosophical nobles preach is a good idea, particularly that one about paving the roads in ice in the winter so we could skate to work... but the basic idea has merit. It's older than the fellowship, to boot."

Satsuma smiled sadly. "I know most of Japan's youkai view humanity as a nuisance at best, food at worst, but there are a few of us who don't think that way. I hope you are not prejudiced, my lady miko...?"

"No! It's just... Usually I hear the other side of things. 'Die, human scum!' and all that. So this is a pleasant surprise." Kagome smiled. "I knew there had to be someone, somewhere, who saw things that way!" She grinned broadly. Kagome had always hoped to meet more youkai who weren't so, well…bias…towards humans. Sesshoumaru was a prime example of what a lot of youkai seemed to think.

What about hanyou…? Briefly, she wondered if Inuyasha had ever come south. They hadn't ventured very far south while hunting for jewel shards. He might have liked it more here, she realized, if they had ever come. If more people had shared this point of view...

Kagome couldn't help but regret not coming before. Some place that would have accepted him…he'd never really said, but she knew how much Inuyasha had been hurt by intolerance.

Tosa laughed, hard. "Oh yes. The 'southern traitors' to youkai-kind, they call us...but I truly do think this is what we need, to survive. If there is a way to do it without fighting… Tolerance and entrepreneurship…"

He gave Sesshoumaru a searching look. "Contrary to what some think, being born human – or hanyou! – does not demean ones value." It was too bad Sesshoumaru had never really agreed with him and Satsuma on this; Sesshoumaru's father, Inutashio, had been one to value a human life. Tosa had had great hopes for Sesshoumaru being as wise. After all, he had a human stepmother, and a hanyou half brother...

But no, Sesshoumaru had chosen not see, and South and the West, once very close, had become distant since then. Tosa liked Sesshoumaru well enough, and they got along well in everything else, but relations regarding the newcomers, and humans in general, had been hard. Even Rin had not changed him enough to let them see eye to eye on that. Tosa was too much a southern radical, and Sesshoumaru was too much the frost king.

Satsuma thought the same thing as he did. Tosa couldn't help but wonder if the miko in front of them might help to change the former lord of the west's mind. Maybe, if Rin had lived... Tosa ha never met her, but he mourned the loss of someone who could have helped change Sesshoumaru around.

He'd nearly laughed himself sick when he'd first heard the improbable rumors of Sesshoumaru running off with a human lover, before sobering up to the situation, but...

Ah well. What would come, would come. The dragon of the south would be ready. Tosa straightened, and smiled, a slight gleam in his eyes. "Now. That is enough for tonight. Put that most excellent disguise back on, both of you, and I will call for someone to bring you to your room."

Room? Didn't he mean rooms, as in plural? Kagome frowned slightly. She had a bad feeling about this…

A mischievous grin appeared on the dragon lord face. "I trust you don't object to sharing a room? Seeing as the soldier - does he have a name? - did arrive with his...'ditzy lover Amiritsu'… according to Tanuma." The grin on his face widened.

Sesshoumaru scowled, replacing the disguise. Share a room? What…? Tosa couldn't be serious, could he…? Tanuma and his infuriating need to know everything... and then he'd told Tosa...!

"That isn't funny, Tosa. I know you think the greatest pleasures in life are sake and women, specifically Satsuma, but not everyone shares your opinion." That was Tosa's one major fault: Always going on about sake, and Satsuma...

"Of course not!" Tosa looped an arm around his ladies waist, and shared a quick kiss with his laughing mate. "If they all liked 'Tsuma here, I'd have to beat them with a stick!"

Kagome's face fell. Oh dear...

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Damia looked across the massive desk, neatly covered in stacks of paper, and suppressed a grimace. So much paper… But that was not important right now. The person standing beyond the large desk, looking slightly chastened (but not nearly enough!) was.

She'd agreed that Mesau should use their combined power, given by the bond, to spy. Damia did not often think it was important enough to do so, but this once, Mesau had persuaded her to pass control to her.

Normally Damia wouldn't dream of doing that. Damia was the one who gave orders. But in the interests of personal gain, she'd agreed... And Mesau had failed. Human incompetence, which she should have expected. A barrier had kept her miko lackey away, and a fear of entering the city personally. Mesau was fairly good at concealing her emotions, Damia reflected, but she was nowhere near as good as one trained for decades in the subtle nuance of expression at the castle of the West. Mesau was angry with herself for loosing the trail. Good. But it was her own fault, after all…

Cautious, cautious human spider. Too cautious. Damia knew Mesau very well. She had to; it was her job to know her underlings, distasteful humans or not. That was the reason Sesshoumaru had bitten the dust in the first place. He forgot to watch her, instead running off with that human girl to travel around, fixated on Naraku...even with something like the Shikon at stake, it wasn't a good excuse. She wanted the jewel too, if she could get it, but she hadn't run off after it, had she?

Damia had waited for others to find it, and while Naraku had been somewhat worrisome – a powerful youkai, without the responsibility that came with it, was a dangerous being, and Naraku had let everything go straight to his head from all accounts – she had been content to wait for the jewel to be completed, before waiting for the dust to settle and taking it. She had Mesau's power to draw on, after all, and had some plans for getting a few more miko on her side if the Shikon was not to be found. The Shikon would be a powerful thing to have, but she didn't think she'd uncover it anytime soon. That miko who'd completed it and defeated Naraku had taken it and disappeared.

Damia regretted that, a bit. Think what she could have done with such a miko securely bound to her power, and the Shikon as well…! She couldn't understand why Sesshoumaru had denied wanting the Shikon. Pride was only worth so much, after all. Damia was practical enough to realize allies were useful. Sesshoumaru… he hadn't wanted it at all, not even to deny it to others…

Idiot.

Sentimental idiot. Allowing the human whelp to tag behind him had made him soft. Sesshoumaru never let himself slip into emotional states, never got worked up. Never chose t see what was happening right under his nose. Never provided an opening...

She supposed she should thank the combined efforts of Naraku and ...what was her name? Ren? Rin? For allowing her the opportunity she'd been waiting for for years. She couldn't allow the state of affairs in the West to continue; just last week she'd had a report of two humans, armed with the new guns, killing two hermits north of the castle. Sesshoumaru wouldn't deal with it, so she would! She couldn't believe things had gotten so bad... but with her help, surly they could unite and drive away the invaders, become strong again!

Just as soon as she got this stupid miko off her back...

"Enough." She snapped. "I heard you the first time. Tosa is up to something; I already knew that. He's always up to something, toadying after the far west. He's more concerned with the exotic Dutch and Europeans than what is happening to us. So you've found a traitor, or a spy; dealt with it! I trust you remember the markings on him? Look them up. Make a report. You know how to write. Unless you have something of use to tell me, something worth all the trouble I went to, you are wasting my time."

Damia punctuated the retort with a frosty glare. Put the human in her place. Mesau was getting ideas above her station. She was useful, but not indispensable, not by any means! Damia could always get another priest or priestess to work for her, to add their spiritual power to her own youkai strength, even without something like the jewel. She was seriously considering doing that already, adding another few humans to her little 'collection...' Just so the fact Mesau was not invaluable became clear. And to help Damia, of course. She never did anything without several reasons for it. Humans could be so useful... pity the one miko and the jewel were beyond reach….

Especially now that Sesshoumaru was free. Damia knew she would need all the edges over him she could get, and then some, to make sure of the outcome of any meeting between them. He was not going to be happy with her. She'd damaged his pride, and tried to destroy him. Not kill, which was a different matter – destroy. She'd wanted to make sure that if he ever resurfaced, he would be beyond reason, and beyond being a threat. Damia fervently hoped she'd succeeded. She didn't want to know what would happen if he was strong enough to come after her, with only one thought in mind...

Mesau added power Damia would not otherwise have, but if Sesshoumaru had been freed by a miko, or a priest…he might have done the same as she had. Unlikely, true, but the possibility was there, that he had been broken by her doing enough to abandon pride. Which meant Damia needed another human battery. She made a mental note to go looking for someone suitable. There had been that village not too far east, with a few likely candidates…

Mesau's lips thinned, but she said nothing. She knew who was in charge. She was free to leave at any time, of course, if she did not like the management, but since the definition of 'free to go' generally included 'free to go anywhere now that we've tossed you off the wall and liberated you of cumbersome limbs,' it had never been a problem for Damia.

"Very well. I will go see what else I can find." Mesau's lips went, if possible, even thinner, making her coarse face even plainer. Damia gave a mental cheer as her least favorite minion turned and left, and then got back to the more important business of reading reports, and deciding how best to go about acquiring a few new batteries…

She knew, if Sesshoumaru was free (likely, since the statue was gone; why dig something up and then leave it there? Although she hadn't yet heard anything about him…) that his first thought would be to kill her. She wasn't sure if he'd be thinking clearly or not, or if he was weakened, but she took no chances. Mesau had told her there was a good possibility his mind had been working when the spell backfired, that he'd been watching them from behind stone eyes. She'd decided to destroy him, then, instead of kill. Almost as good.

Maybe that was the point at which she'd started looking for other miko, Damia mused. Mesau wasn't as useful as she'd thought. She'd been sure she could kill the western lord, but... Mesau just wasn't strong enough, even though she, at least, was willing and wanted to see Damia's cause succeed. Funny human…

But regardless, if a homicidal, deranged Sesshoumaru came after her for locking him away in his worst nightmare, for killing the human whelp, she'd be more than ready for whatever strength even madness lent him…

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Kagome, visible, for now, stared at the room. She hadn't bothered replacing her own necklace after they had said goodnight to Tosa and Satsuma, the lord barely containing his amusement at Sesshoumaru's clear discomfort – Tosa hadn't really paid much attention to her, aside from a wink on the sly. Kagome wasn't sure what to think of him, now…he reminded her a bit of Miroku, but only slightly. Usually the monk had more sense…but then again, she had seen the small smile on Satsuma's face, so perhaps…bah. Too tired to think straight!

The room, at first glance, was nice enough, except for the fact that it was clearly intended for one occupant, with perhaps a servant. There was only one bed, and bathroom. Kagome skittered away from those thoughts, and concentrated on the rest of the room. A more thorough look lent a slightly dust quality to the air, hardly visible unless looked for. Satsuma had said it had had to be brought out of storage, so to speak… that was probably why it seemed dusty, closed in and silent.

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru playing the role of 'Joseibi, the mutt of the west,' from the corner of her eye. He seemed lost in thought, and she let him be, electing to explore the room instead. It put the question of sleeping arrangements off that much longer…stupid Tosa…all that talk about tolerance, and he didn't even ask a by-your-leave…!

She wandered over to the small bathroom off the main chamber, poking her nose into everything, in part to put off the dreaded conversation about sleeping arrangements, but mostly because she was curious.

Sesshoumaru watched her go, and sighed, glaring slightly at the floor, holding back a sneeze from the dust. Damn Tosa and his warped sense of humor… but, unfortunately, he was right. Not right enough to justify putting Sesshoumaru in such close quarters to Kagome, but at least right enough about the role playing that he, as 'Joseibi,' couldn't protest openly.

He opened the window to let in the cool night air, to clear out the slightly musty, closed in feel of the room, then paused, examining the space. They were probably alright to speak in this room openly, since it was a room in this particular wing, the one for Tanuma's 'special' guests, but best ask first.

Kagome had come here pretending to be Amiritsu, and she couldn't go back on that, nor could he. They had spent the entire afternoon trying to shake the watcher, or watchers, off by pretending, and once in town, had continued to be Joseibi and Amiritsu, mutt soldier and ditsy lover. If he'd known what would happen when Kagome had seized on the most readily available cover story... such an unfortunate choice…!

All the people who'd seen Kagome with him today had seen 'Joseibi' and 'Amiritsu' wandering around, and must have drawn their own conclusions. There were precious few reasons why most youkai kept brainless human women like 'Amiritsu' around, and to try and deny that now, change the story…there would be suspicions raised which he could not afford.

Grudgingly, Sesshoumaru had to admire Tosa's scheming. The other lord had always tried to get him to see his way of thinking, and had, in the process, thrown nearly every trick in the book at him whenever he had come to visit the South. This time, Tosa had him over a barrel.

Sesshoumaru couldn't send Kagome back to Tosa with a terse note explaining that he did not appreciate surprises in the form of female servants at midnight in his room, thank you very much, and his excellent nose had always detected the various things the other youkai had insisted on putting in his drinks. Dragon youkai didn't have the finer noses of their Inu cousins, after all.

But all past schemes aside, this particular one seemed to be without a loophole. Sesshoumaru sighed, and glared once more at the floor, and the rice screens. If only...

Well, no point in bemoaning what there was no fixing, for the moment. At least Kagome was tolerable to have around. Sesshoumaru set his shoulders and glanced around the room. There was a smaller chamber for a servant off the main room, thank goodness. Sesshoumaru headed for that, and examined it. This would do nicely. He could sleep in here. Kagome wasn't bad company for a human (Not strictly true – she was some of the best company had had in a while) but he still felt better with a rice screen between them.

Sesshoumaru searched, and found a sleeping yukata laid out, and a rolled futon. At the reminder of sleep, he nearly yawned, remembering how tired he was. He hadn't slept for days at all, and he would need to be on his toes tomorrow, talking with the southern leaders…

Sesshoumaru closed the rice screen behind him, and quickly got dressed, arranging the futon to his liking before glancing back at the door, frowning. He got up and poked his nose outside, just in time to see Kagome returning from her foray into the bathroom.

"K-Amiritsu…I am headed to bed. Goodnight." Kagome glanced back at him in surprise, but he had already pulled the screen shut behind him.

She blinked. That yukata had been open at the front, exposing the lean, toned body beneath…even as Joseibi, he still looked good… Kagome shook her head to clear it, blushing slightly. What had gotten into her?

She shook her head, and thought for a moment. Well, if he was going to bed there, then that must mean she got the main room. "Goodnight!" She called back, and then disappeared into the bathroom again, the small bag at her hip providing her own yukata. Kagome packed away her clothing, making sure to tuck the necklace out of sight, and the ever present Shikon. Presumably, Sesshoumaru had hidden the 'human' string of beads somewhere, and he was wearing the others, so no worries there.

Kagome played briefly with the Shikon on its silver chain, a tiny string of beads wound around it. The beads hid any trace of the power hanging so innocently around her neck, something Kagome had made her first week back, and had then forgotten about in the mad rush of training. Good thing too, or she'd have everyone wondering about it...and a horde of jewel hungry youkai hot on her tail, to boot...

Kagome sighed as she slipped under the covers, the cool fabric warming slightly as she lay there, feeling her limbs melt into the futon as she relaxed enough to sleep…Her mind started to wander. Sesshoumaru was a gentleman, wasn't he? Letting her have the nice, soft covers…must remember to…say…thank you…

Kagome was asleep, her breathing echoing the sleepers in the next room.

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Tosa sighed as he watched Sesshoumaru and Kagome go. He'd tell them what was going on tomorrow, after they had recovered from traveling. He could tell just by looking that both were exhausted from the trip here. Better to wait till they were alert before having a serious discussion.

It was unlikely Sesshoumaru knew everything that was going on. Even Tanuma had only found some things out recently, and Tanuma held it as a personal point of pride that he should know, if not everything that went on, at least most of it. Tosa grinned. Tanuma was downright anal sometimes about this need to know everything...but at least he generally told Tosa the important parts. Or Satsuma.

He'd been absent from their little get together tonight because of some rather distressing news that had come to his attention. Tosa grimaced slightly, before turning towards his mate. Was there no good news anymore, in this world…?

"You look troubled, dear." Satsuma noted, frowning slightly.

Tosa gave her a smile. "You know me too well, don't you? I was thinking about Tanuma, and this latest rumor from the west he wanted to check out."

Satsuma shook her head, sighing. "I know. Troubles abound, and they all seem to come from there, these days. Even the stew brewing in the north came from there, originally." She shook her head, and sighed. "We cannot do much to help, either…"

That was the most frustrating thing, Satsuma realized. They couldn't do much to counter the West, and Damia, other than continue trying to convince the lord of the East to side with them. The North was a complete write-off.

Damia was preparing for war, she knew. If they did not stand down, there would be fighting soon; but yet they couldn't back down, not in all consciousness, ad she doubted Damia would. Satsuma knew the only reason there wasn't more fighting now was that fact that most youkai didn't want a war and were very reluctant to begin one. It was only their stance – hers and Tosa's - on the matter that was preventing youkai from driving off the new, pale foreigners, and then turning on the Japanese humans. If they did, they'd face the wrath of the south.

It had been a long time since the last great war – centuries. The last time…the last time there had been a major conflict had been when Lord Tosa's father, Ryuukotsusei, chose to take on the then lord of the west, Inutashio, and failed.

Tosa had always been on friendly terms with the lord of the West, back then; they had many similar views on the world, after all. Inutashio and Tosa had been quite close. Tosa had even gone to the human wedding Izayoi had insisted on. Unfortunately, Tosa's father, (the previous Lord of the south, Ryuukotsusei) had not shared his sons opinion, and had gone after Inutashio for bringing his human with him on a visit of state shortly after.

Inutashio had not been attacked while in close proximity to Buzen, but after he had left, the great dragon lord of the south had gone and attacked, wounding him and becoming sealed into the bargain.

Inutashio was easy prey for humans, then – he had died. Tosa had succeeded his father, and thankfully, Sesshoumaru had never held anything against him because of past history. The fighting hadn't been too bad, and had died down after a few years once both young lords established firm control of their domains. It was nothing like what this storm threatened to hold...

Perhaps that was why Sesshoumaru did not like humans that much, Tosa mused. One had brought his father to his death, in a way, and another had done for his brother in much the same manner.

But then Tosa smiled. Rin had changed him, though. Sesshoumaru seemed a little more mellow, though perhaps that was only the temporary result of the current circumstances. Or perhaps…Kagome had had more of an effect than Sesshoumaru knew. Where had he heard that name before, connected with the dog clan…?

Satsuma smiled, and sat down next to Tosa, startling him. He had been so lost in thought… "Thinking deep thoughts, perhaps? Don't try too hard, now. You might damage something you'll need for tomorrow."

"Not really. Remembering. That girl, Kagome…that name seems familiar."

"It ought to. She's the miko who used to travel with Inuyasha, or so I've heard." Satsuma smiled, amused. Everyone had heard of the doings of that group, by now. Most heard only rumors, suitable for entertainment purposes, but Tanuma had kept careful track of them for her and Tosa at Satsuma's request.

Satsuma wondered where Kagome was from. Somewhere foreign, obviously… briefly, she wondered where the girl had disappeared to for the last year, only to reappear with Sesshoumaru. Gone home, perhaps… All she knew was that Damia had wanted her, or the Shikon at one point. Probably still did, though Damia couldn't have any idea Kagome was with Sesshoumaru. Satsuma wondered how that had ever happened, and if Kagome still had the Shikon. She hadn't sensed anything like it today, even in the same room.

"She disappeared for a year, you know. Tanuma told me Damia was miffed because the Shikon disappeared with her. I wonder where she went? To her home?" Satsuma smiled sadly. Perhaps wherever she'd gone could be looked to for aid? If a miko like her… "Allies, perhaps? If there are more miko of her power running about, I would not hesitate to send an envoy."

"I don't know. I never thought about it. I was more concerned with finding a way to lighten Sesshoumaru up."

Satsuma rolled her eyes. "Indeed. Try to concentrate, dear. Matchmaking is all very well, but we are in the middle of a little problem, right now, and if you managed to offend either of them too much, you'll regret it."

"Yes, dear..."

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Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, guys! You've all been awesome, sending me reviews (which makes my tiny authors world go round. Lol) Seriously, I think I got the most reviews I've ever, ever had for a chapter. Wow. O.o Thank you all so much!! (huge grin)

… And more original characters show up in the interest of plot development. There won't be too many beyond the ones already here. Lol. Hopefully, I've done alright, as I know some people don't like other characters thrown in. And we saw a lot of them this chapter…next ch will be fun, though. Promise. And mostly centered on the two main people.

(I realized I'd have to add some original characters early on, as it's rather hard to create the kind of plot I have going without at least a few other characters to populate the place as allies. (grin) And, of course, enemies…so hopefully, even if you don't like my additions, you'll be able to see why I needed to add them)

So, let me know what you think. Might be a few mistakes in here I didn't catch – I'm in a bit of a rush and this wasn't beta'd. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up in ...two weeks? Schools started again, and I can already foresee needing to go into the studio this Sunday to catch up…