"Your power signature is truly unique."

Growing weary of being the current object of Sesshoumaru's mother's curiosity, Kagome sighed and rubbed her eyes, feeling tired again.

"I'm sorry my lady, but I'm losing power."

"You are losing reiki, but you are not losing power. Surely your more spiritually sensitive friends told you this?"

"They noticed the soul I was losing was being replaced... "

"Well, they probably wouldn't recognize this as power as well, then. I myself cannot even place it... I have never felt such..."

"Great. That's very helpful."

She didn't realize she'd voiced these sarcastic thoughts aloud until she heard bright, tinkling laughter.

"You show proper reverence to those worthy of it, yet you will also show irreverence to the same. Strange girl."

Kagome flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry..."

"Are you aware that you glow like a firefly?"

That was a shock. She hadn't noticed that about herself yet.

"I... I What?"

A slow, satisfied smirk spread across the beautiful face of the Inu Lady who'd been keeping her company before she turned and tread slowly out of the moonlit garden.

"You are tired, girl. Go get more sleep. But I will be watching."

Kagome slumped forward with a groan, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes and rubbing her face.

Having another set of eyes on her sounded exactly like the type of thing Kagome didn't want right now, but if the Lady of the Palace had had her curiosity sated for now, she would simply be thankful for that and try to get some more sleep for her tired mind.


The next morning, Kagome made her way to the dining room for breakfast, hopeful that some food might perk her up and clear the fog from her head. Upon entering, she noted that all of her companions were already seated and eating, and she smiled to them in greeting and moved to take a seat at the furthest end of the long table.

"Come here, child. You will sit next to me."

The dulcet tones of the Lady Of the Palace sent a scraping chill up her spine, but she turned and made her way back up the table, taking the empty cushion she'd been offered. She met the Lady's gaze and smiled an unsure thanks and then looked across the table at Sesshoumaru, who stared at his mother with the barest hint of wariness deep in his eyes. His golden gaze snapped to hers and she blinked before he returned his attention to his food.

Finally, Kagome took notice of the newest presence in their midst. Sitting at Sesshoumaru's other side was a very small boy with silver hair to his shoulders. He possessed twin slashes across each cheek much like the taller Inu next to him, though they were the same blue that Inuyasha's were when visible. He blinked solemn yet curious eyes at her, his little round face turned up at her as he studied her, and his little nose twitching as he sniffed at her.

Her hand flew to her heart, the sweetness of him overtaking her.

"Oh! And who might you be, little one?"

"I am Ginjiro."

His little voice was sweet and bright, as any child's should be, but she could tell he was trying very hard to sound somber and serious. She smiled her truest smile in days.

"Hello, Ginjiro. I am Kagome. Do you live here?"

"Yes. I am the prince here."

"The prince?" Kagome tilted her head in confusion. Did Sesshoumaru have another brother? She looked to him, thinking to ask, but he answered before she could voice her questions.

"Ginjiro is my son."

"Your son!? You have a son?"

All conversation at the table ceased, and Sesshoumaru looked slightly put out at having so many eyes turned to him.

"Yes."

"But... you've never said anything!"

He said nothing for a moment, and Kagome half expected him to ignore them all and the obvious questions that now hung in the air over them. His mother also stayed suspiciously quiet, though the air around her fairly vibrated with wicked amusement.

"Until such a time as he is old enough to defend himself, the protection of my heir falls to me. He is safer here, kept in a shroud of secrecy. My mother is his caretaker, as I have many duties."

"Oh. Well that makes enough sense, I suppose." Though she couldn't fathom being away from her child for such long stretches of time, she could understand that keeping him safe was the most important thing.

"Well then, Ginjiro-Sama, would you like to play with me, Rin-chan and Shippo-kun today?"

For the briefest if moments, excitement flashed behind his wide, golden eyes before it dimmed sadly and he looked down at his breakfast.

"I have many lessons..."

Her heart melted and she turned beseeching eyes on the little pup's father. She may be overstepping bounds, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Oh surely one day away from schooling wouldn't hurt, please Sesshoumaru-Sama?"

Ginjiro might be the true pup in this situation, but Kagome had long ago mastered puppy dog eyes.

Sesshoumaru sighed. One day away wouldn't hurt. And as serious as he himself had always been, and as heavy as the title his son would be inheriting would be, he often regretted that his young pup was kept locked away in his mother's palace away from any other children to play with. He didn't play enough, and that could be problematic for such a small child. Truthfully it was part of the reason he'd allowed Rin to follow him around, no matter how attached he'd grown toward the little girl. She was meant to be a playmate of sorts, though he hadn't yet been able to introduce them.

"Very well, miko."

She squealed and clapped her hands before gathering the children and ushering them away to the garden. His mother quietly chuckled, and he turned a glare on her which she primly ignored as she returned to her breakfast.


Cool grass, warm sunshine, the perfume of flowers, the sweet giggles of children, all of these were a refreshing balm to Kagome's soul. She made long chains of daisies with Rin while they watched Ginjiro and Shippo chase each other in endless loops and leaps all over the garden. Shippo's sweet laughter rang familiar and unending in her ears, but it was Ginjiro's quiet, reluctant giggles that made her heart soar. She could just tell that the boy had far too little fun in his young little life. She cut her eyes to Rin weaving stems contentedly next to her and grinned secretly to herself. She could just bet that once this whole awful affair with Naraku and the jewel was over, Sesshoumaru would keep her and his heir close. It made her happy to know that, as aloof and distant as he presented himself, he was thinking of seemingly frivolous things like play time and companionship where his child was concerned.

'I bet he's a great father.'

"Kagome-Chan!"

Surprised she didn't hear their approach sooner for how deep into her thoughts she'd gone, Kagome glanced behind her to wave a greeting to Sango and Kikyo, beckoning them to join her and Rin on their sunny patch of grass.

"Hey guys! Oh Kikyo! Your hair!"

With the sun shining down on them from above, Kagome could see how much more luster had returned to the formerly dead priestess' locks. Accompanied by the ever deepening pink to her cheeks and the gentle sparkle returning to her eyes, Kikyo only grew lovelier and sweeter by the day.

'I suppose it's nice to not be the only one changing so fundamentally so quickly!'

She stifled a giggle when Kikyo stopped abruptly, gathering a lock of hair and tugging it self consciously.

"Is there something the matter with it?"

"Oh no! It's just become so lovely! It's like silk. You must let me braid it! Both of you!"

Kikyo and Sango exchanged a look, and little Rin took the opportunity to present her back to them.

"Kagome-Sama already did Rin's hair! She did such a good job! She made Rin look so pretty!"

The eyed the braids and blooms twisted and woven in an intricate pattern down the length of Rin's hair and marveled at them.

"How did you learn to do this Kagome?"

"I don't know, Sango-Chan. It just... started doing it. Well come on! It's such a lovely day! And we hardly ever have time to just do something girly and frivolous!"

And so they surrendered to Kagome's ministrations, each donning a unique, elaborate style to dinner that night. Sango blushed at Miroku's generous compliments, and Inuyasha blushed every time Kikyo caught him staring.

Kagome felt for some reason that she ought to burn these images of her friends in her mind and preserve them for all time. There was something very bittersweet about it all.

A small body collided with her side on her dinner cushion, and she looked down to see Ginjiro blinking up at her with gilded eyes full of innocence. She smiled at him sweetly, and he gave her a small, childlike grin back.

"What is it, Ginjiro-sama?"

"I want to sit with you."

Kagome was truly shocked for a moment. She figured he'd want to sit with his father, since he likely had to be separated from him more often than not. She glanced up toward Sesshomaru, who merely quirked one eyebrow at her.

She shrugged and looked back down at the pittle prince pup at her side. "Alright then, Ginjiro-sama! Shall we sneak you away for more play time after dinner?"

His answering grin was was so wide, she could see his tiny little fangs peeking out over his lip, and he looked so cute she was almost unable to keep from squeezing him.

They turned to their meal, listening to Rin and Shippo chatter to each other and try to draw Ginjiro into conversation.

All the while, Kagome did her best to ignore the feminine gold eyes she could feel steadily on her through the course of the evening.

A.N.: Ginjiro means Good Silver.