Trying to get back home

(I do not own any rights or have affiliation to Inuyasha, or its characters, that belongs to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi.)

Traveling back to the palace took over a week, they had to bring back their dead and wounded, which slowed progress. The numbers they lost were in the hundreds, thankfully not as much as anticipated. Ryusei was ill, her wound had healed up enough for her to not bleed out, but she wasn't the same, and the antidote only slowed the symptoms, not cured them. She rode upon Ah and Un, who was more accustomed to walking than Koryu, and had smoother scales so if she needed to lay down she could. Sesshomaru held his reins, refusing to leave her side. As they neared the palace, he placed his claws gently under Ryusei's chin to wake her. She groaned and ran her fingers through Ah and Un's mane, in obvious pain and sickness. Sesshomaru looked at Hideo with worry. He reached up and took Ryusei from the dragon's back and cradled her in his arms. He formed a cloud at his feet and flew the rest of the way to the palace. Sesshomaru raced through the front entrance, and yelled for a healer. Inu Kimi came running from one of the hallways, a healer on her heels. When she saw Ryusei, a sob escaped her mouth.

"What happened Son?"

"She saved my life, now we need to save hers." The determination was written all over his face. Inu Kimi just shook her head, she would try everything she knew, with Hideo and the healer's help, but the state the girl was in didn't bode well. She didn't say her thoughts out loud, but Sesshomaru knew the situation was bleak.

Sesshomaru carried her to his room and laid her upon his bed. She awoke for a few minutes and gave him a weak smile.

"Pine and sandalwood." She said weakly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, gently scraping his claws on her scalp like he knew she liked.

"Your scent…its lovely. I first noticed it after the palace was attacked… I wanted to bury myself in it." Her eyelashes fluttered shut as she fell unconscious again, her face pale and her body trembling from fever.

The healer, an old trusted Inu youki that had cared for the Lord's of the palace for centuries, entered the room with herbs and potions in hand.

"She is afflicted by the poison made by the Dragon youki?" She confirmed with Sesshomaru.

He nodded his head in confirmation, his claws still working through Ryusei's hair.

"Hmmm…" The healer replied, examining Ryusei. "Her body is trying to reject the poison, but is losing the battle. We must try and flush the poison out somehow."

Hideo and Inu Kimi entered the room at this time, catching the last half of what the healer said.

"Traditional methods wont work on her, she is no demon." Hideo informed them. "Celestials are immortal, they do not get afflicted with poison. So we treat this as we would a human…" he finished, his mind racing.

"Where's Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked his mother.

"Trying to take care of the wounded soldiers." Inu Kimi answered.

"Go take Kagome's place", Sesshomaru ordered the healer, "and send her to us. Quickly."

Kagome rushed to Ryusei's side in a matter of minutes and looked her over. "Willow bark and sage boiled whole in water." She concluded. Inu Kimi sent a passing servant running for what the young Miko needed.

Sesshomaru never looked away from his mate, sensing her illness. The servant returned quickly with the tea, and Kagome tried to get Ryusei to drink it to no avail.

"Lord Sesshomaru, she must drink…" Kagome pleaded with the Inu youki.

Sesshomaru tried to get her to open her mouth, but Ryusei fought him in a feverish frenzy. Picking her up and cradling her in his lap, he moved her hair out of her face. "Ryusei, please… you have to drink the antidote…" he pleaded with her.

She whispered something to him, so soft even with his keen hearing he didn't pick it up. He placed his cheek to her fevered one and whispered for her to say it again.

"What's your favorite color? You would never think to tell me under normal circumstances…" she repeated.

A huff of laughter escaped him as he raised his head and studied her face as he thought of her question.

"Since you turned my life upside down?…green." He whispered.

She smiled, looking into his eyes. Sesshomaru lifted the brew once more to her lips, while still cradling her in his lap, and fed her the antidote. She fell back asleep, her face nuzzled in his fur, finally at peace.

Inu Kimi studied both of them, mesmerized by the change in her son when it came to this female, and regretted everything she had ever done to the woman. She would make it up to her as best as she could once she got better.

Seeing that Ryusei's fever had started to break, everyone but Kagome had left the room to give Sesshomaru and his mate some privacy. Kagome sat silently and watched Sesshomaru as his gaze never left Ryusei's face. Feeling Kagome staring at him, he turned and looked at her, lifting an aristocratic brow at her in question.

"I don't think I've ever seen this side of you… maybe a little for Rin. But anyone else…" Kagome finished, shaking her head in wonder.

It dawned on him upon Kagome's observation what his father wanted all those years ago from Ryusei. 'Check and balance him'. The Inu no Taisho knew both of them well. Sesshomaru had the power and strength, Ryusei had the cunning to slip into his cold heart.

"'Do you have anyone to protect…'" he whispered to Kagome.

She cocked her head in confusion at him.

"Those were the last words of my father to me the night he died…", he turned his attention back to his mate, "after all these years, I understand fully what he meant."

Kagome felt tears welling in her eyes, she finally saw her big brother happy.

Kagome stood and with a smile left the room to find Inuyasha, leaving the Lord to his moment of peace.