Last Chapter:
"Wow," Kagome said. "I feel like I could sleep for days."
"That my love will probably not happen," Sesshoumaru told her. "Tomorrow I will send out the announcement that you are the new Lady of the West."
"Great," she murmured. "Guess I need to tell the maids to have my favorite fighting kimonos laid out for me."
Chapter 28
The next morning as soon as breakfast was over; Sesshoumaru and Kagome went to his study to compose the message regarding their mating. Once they had dispatched on of the messengers Sesshoumaru surprised Kagome by summoning Inuyasha. As soon as Inuyasha had arrived Sesshoumaru spoke to him. "I am doing this strictly to ensure my mate's happiness. You are allowed to remain here in the West. In the palace if you would like."
"I am," Inuyasha stammered?
"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied. "However, while you are here you will be given certain duties. As a member of the family you are no longer allowed to deny your duties to the west."
"Oh, and I suppose that you will have me cleaning the stables," Inuyasha mocked?
Barely able to keep from rolling his eyes Sesshoumaru addressed him again. And, if Kagome hadn't been surprised enough by him summoning Inuyasha his next statement almost floored her. "You will be the personal guard of the Lady of the West. This is not a duty to be taken lightly."
"I am going to be Kagome's personal guard," Inuyasha questioned?
"Indeed," Sesshoumaru replied. "Luckily she is competent enough that even someone of your skill level will suffice."
"Why you," Inuyasha began.
Kagome quickly interjected remembering that she was to keep Inuyasha in check. "That's all for now Inuyasha. Thank you for agreeing to be my guard." She then ushered him out of the door before he could say anything else.
"I can't believe that you just did that," she said as she turned towards Sesshoumaru. "You have been very kind to me, but it is kind of strange seeing you be kind to Inuyasha."
"Do not be mistaken," Sesshoumaru told her. "That was not kindness to the half breed. If you will remember it is your responsibility to make the mongrel behave. I just assumed that would be more easily accomplished if he is close to you."
The next few days passed in relative peace. Kagome and Sesshoumaru made the most of the calm by spending as much time together as was possible. Even is it was just something as simple as sharing in the paperwork related to running the lands. The third day after sending out the notice declaring Kagome Sesshoumaru's new lady however a guard came running into the study. "My Lord and Lady," he cried. "The other Lord's are here; both of them."
"Send them in," was Sesshoumaru's cool response.
"Sesshoumaru," Lord Kochi said completely ignoring Kagome's presence.
"I believe you failed to acknowledge my mate," Sesshoumaru replied.
"That is because she is unfit to be your mate," Lord Kochi retorted.
Sesshoumaru's eyes began to bleed red before he growled his response. "Yet she was acceptable to be the mate of your heir. Tell me has he tried to forcefully persuade any other demonesses to be his mate?"
"Nonsense," Kochi mocked. "Koga is sensible enough that he would have simply rutted the bitch; not marked her."
Lord Yuki chose that moment to interject. He feared that if he didn't there would be bloodshed. You see he had gained a certain amount of respect for Sesshoumaru's demoness from what he had seen of her she was not only kind, but also strong. She was exactly what Sesshoumaru needed to balance himself, but their mating did leave some issues. "I would like to know what will become of the Northern territory. From what I understand Lady Kagome defeated Naraku which would make them rightly hers. It is tradition that the heir of one territory will not mate the Lord of another to prevent an imbalance in power."
"I care not what happens to the Northern lands," Kagome told him. "I did not defeat Naraku on a quest to take over his lands. They were not even his to begin with. Are there not any relations left of the former Lord?"
"His brother is still living," Sesshoumaru replied.
"Then give the lands to him. That is who they should go to," Kagome said.
"Really," Lord Kochi mocked. "Given the fact that you were his mate they are your, Lady."
Sesshoumaru had reached his limit. "Never speak of what you do not know," he hissed. "The mating was never complete. If you either of you ever again challenge the validity of my mating I shall kill you. No I think that I will allow my mate to kill you, after all she gained her powers from my father, and she is also in the possession of the priestess powers of none other that Midoriko. After she has completed her end of things I will kill your mates, your children, and any being that contains even a drop of your bloodline. I will claim all of the lands for my own. Is any further explanation required?"
Neither Lord said a word. They were of course quite powerful beings; however Sesshoumaru had lived up to his name. No other creature had ever perfected the art of killing as the Lord who stood before them threatening their very existence. That is no creature other than his mate, and from their experience Sesshoumaru never made idle threats. Without another word both of the Lords stood and began to leave; their challenge was a dead issue. Before they could make it through a door though Kagome spoke again. "By the way," she said. "We have made some additions to our pack. We now have a fox kit and a human girl in our charge. In the future they will be in attendance at all public functions."
"This is an outrage," Lord Kochi cried.
"Outrage or not it is simply the way that things are. If you do not like it then do not return to the west, but you can consider your treaty with the west void. If you do decide to return hen you had better insure that nothing happens to either of my children. Because, if it does I will personally track you to the ends of the earth."
Backed into another corner the only options that the Lords had left was to accept the terms of the demands of the west, or risk it all. They did the only thing that either of them could think to do. They made a hasty retreat before their situations became more precarious than they already were.
