Very Important NoteThis is not a new chapter….I will be working on the next chapter over Thanksgiving, HOWEVER…I have also been going back and fixing my thousand errors…and one HUGE error in particular. A very important chapter which introduced new characters was missing and now it isn't. It is chapter 7. I changed a lot in the first 22 chaps so re-read if you want to. Love you guys and no I haven't abandoned this story!

DisclaimerI do not own Inuyasha and the gang!!

Chapter Twenty Nine: Time for a Break

Kagome leaned up against the soft boulder of the main hot spring. Her muscles were no longer sore. Sesshomaru had worked her so hard the first week that it made her training with Terasu feel like child's play. She had found strengths she never knew were possible. It had been almost a month since the mating and she finally felt comfortable in her own skin again. Sesshomaru had taught her to control the demon blood that now ran through her body. He also showed her how to use it as strength and not a weakness. Not only was she a powerful priestess but also had the strength and the speed of a demon.

Sesshomaru had trained her well and she knew it. But she felt it was time he started giving her a little freedom. She felt confident enough to leave the castle and was desperate to do so. Sango was a month away from giving birth yet she didn't have all the necessities that a new mother needed. She still had need for a bassinet and a chair to rock the baby in. Kagome knew if she brought this to Sesshomaru's attention he would just send out a servant to gather the items. But Kagome's skin was crawling with need to be free from the compounds of the castle.

'What do I say? Uh, Sesshomaru….eh….I need to go shopping … Uh … no …. That's no good. He'll just say… "Kagome, I cannot allow you to leave. It is not safe for you to leave this Sesshomaru's presence." 'Well, I guess I will just have to take control of the conversation and …and ….. beg? No! I will seduce a yes out of him. Oh, Kami. Help me.' Kagome exhaled as all of her thoughts ran rampant through her mind. She dunked herself completely under one last time before getting out and wrapping herself with the towel. She pulled her robe on and tied the sash tightly around her waist. "It's now or never." She whispered to herself as she left the hot spring.

Sesshomaru sat at his desk completely consumed by what his secret informative had just told him. There had been rumors spreading through the villages. There was a threat of an attack on his castle. There were no details, no witnesses to bring forth and no hints as to who it was that wanted to attack him. They were just rumors flying in the wind. He was not surprised at the news. As a matter of fact he had been expecting it. He thanked his informative and sent him back out to find as much information as possible. He sat back in his chair before calling out for his most loyal servant. "Jaken, get in here."

Jaken scurried through the door bowing before his master. "Yes milord, how may this Jaken be of service to you?"

"Jaken, you are to send messages to my generals. The message is to state that their presence is required in two days time. Is that understood?"

"Y…Yes milord. Right away, milord." Jaken said as he bowed and backed his way out of the room. Once he closed the door he turned and ran downstairs to prepare the messengers to be sent. He had to hurry for there were four generals in the Western lands. All four were placed just outside the larger villages, one to the north, one to the south, one to the east and one to the west. Having the Lord's military spread throughout his lands was his way of making sure the people of the Western lands and any of those who traveled his lands always were aware who was in control. His people were afraid of their Lord more than his military presence. He could take down a small army alone and had done so in the past. He was a tough Lord and one to fear. But he was also a fair Lord, one that you could count on. The people of these lands had not known peace until his family took rule. Before that there was corruption and complete anarchy.

Jaken was running through the kitchen and almost slipped before colliding with one of the messengers. He quickly wrote up four letters for the messengers and advised them of their importance. With that he watched as four of the dragon yokai disappeared into the sky.

Kagome reached the door to Sesshomaru's study. Before she had the chance to knock she heard his voice from beyond the door. "You may enter Kagome." Kagome pushed the door open to see her mate sitting behind his large desk.

Sesshomaru could always smell Kagome's scent like a fresh breeze of cherry blossoms before she made an appearance. It had an incredible calming to him. But for some reason he picked up another scent, her nervousness. Once she entered the room his golden eyes met her warm brown ones. His eyes slowly slid down her body taking in her attire and a small growl escaped his throat. "Kagome, why are you wondering the castle in your robe?"

Kagome looked down at herself before a blush spread across her cheeks. She had forgotten all about what she had on or lack there of. "I felt the need to see you. I had an idea while I was bathing and I wanted to run it by you before……before I lost my nerve."

One eyebrow rose in wonder. "I see. What is this idea that was so important that my mate would feel the need to give every male yokai in this castle a glimpse of what belongs to me?"

Kagome turned to close the door behind her. This was it. She would plead her case and prey to the heavens above that he would let her have a moment of freedom. She walked over to the side of the desk noticing that he never took his eyes off of her. 'Hmm, maybe this won't be as hard as I thought.' "Sesshomaru, I was thinking about Sango and Kikyo and how they are going to be giving birth in the next couple of weeks. There is not much time left and they need so many things yet…." Kagome looked into his eyes to see if he was paying attention. He was.

Sesshomaru could sense her tensing up with whatever she was trying to get at. It was beginning to frustrate him. "Go on Kagome, I am listening."

Kagome began to speak again. "…..and I have done all you have asked of me. I have studied the laws and have trained every day….."

Sesshomaru's frustration was taking its peak. "Kagome, spit it out."

Kagome walked closer to him and sat on the edge of his desk. Her robe slid open a little giving him a view of her very toned thighs. "I would like your permission to leave the castle and visit one of the villages."

Sesshomaru's eyes flew from her thighs to her eyes in a flash. "No!" was his quick answer. He turned his eyes from her to the scrolls of work in front of him. She was tempting him with her body and he knew it. But he was determined not to let her win.

"No? What do you mean no? Give me one good reason why not!" Kagome's anger was starting to rise.

Sesshomaru did not turn to look at her. He was still fighting his need to take her right there on his desk. "There is no need for you to leave. It is not safe. You can make a list of things that the woman need and give it to Jaken. He will attend to those items."

Kagome stood up off of the desk. She was clearly trying to get her anger under control and she knew that Sesshomaru could feel her tension. "I know that it is not safe. No matter where I am there is always a risk. You cannot lock me up in this castle forever."

That got his attention. He turned to look at her giving her the stoic ice stare which was met back with one of her own. "I can lock you up and I will. Do not assume to tell this Sesshomaru what I can and cannot do. It would not be wise to challenge me Kagome." He then turned back to his work.

Kagome long slender fingers curled up into deadly fists. She closed her eyes trying desperately to calm down before she started screaming. 'one, two, three, four, five ,six, seven …..eight……..nine………ten!' "No. It is I who sees. I have not only done everything you have asked of me. But I worked extra hard to get you to have trust me and to have faith in me. I see now that it was in vain…"

Sesshomaru looked up at her once again. He refused to allow her to put herself out there for some hell bent, crazy on revenge, yokai to attack or even kill her. Sure she was a strong opponent, maybe even the strongest he had seen in years. But this was his mate. To put her in harms way was unacceptable.

"….I will just go back to our room now. I will give that list to Jaken. Good day milord." Kagome's words left her lips as cold as the ones he graced her with.

Sesshomaru for the first time felt like he was being pulled into two directions. She was right and he knew it. He did trust her. He did have faith in her abilities to defend herself. But that didn't mean he was going to allow her to go out there to be willingly attacked. "Do not walk away from me so quickly mate. You give a valid argument and yet you are so willing to walk away."

Kagome turned her attention back to him. 'Is he toying with me?' "I have no desire to argue with you Sesshomaru. You have made your decision and I will accept it." Tears started to well up in her eyes and she swallowed hard trying desperately not to show him her weakness. "Now if you will excuse me." She turned to leave once again but was cut short when he spoke.

"Kagome, come here." He watched as she turned in his direction but refusing to look at him. "Closer." He demanded. She came within inches of him but turned her head, finding the wall over her shoulder more interesting. "Look at me." He asked more softly.

Kagome couldn't bring herself to look at him. She wanted to scream at him at the top of her lungs and cry a never ending river. "No!"

Sesshomaru stood placing his claws gently under her chin and turning it to face him. He felt at a loss when she closed her eyes. 'Damn this woman is stubborn. Does she not know that I am only thinking of her and her safety? Does she not know how I love her and need her?' He exhaled as his voice came out soft and smooth. "Kagome, it is my job to protect you. You say I do not trust you or have faith in you. That could not be farther from the truth. It is not you I do not trust. It is those who are out there that are determined to kill my mate and the mother of my future heirs. But I see this is very important to you so…. I will consider allowing this trip to the village."

Her eyes flew open to meet golden ones.

His heart began to pound when her eyes opened to meet his. He prayed he would not regret this decision. "If I do allow it, I will have conditions that will not be negotiable. Is that clear?"

Kagome couldn't believe it. He was going to let her go. She lightly nodded her head in agreement.

OOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooo

Lord Lieko was pacing the floors in his dark damp quarters. He was patiently awaiting word from his spies. He had sent them out a week ago and his troops were ready for their attack. All that was needed was the go ahead from him. 'The plan must be flawless.' His thoughts were interrupted when a light knock came to his door.

"Enter." He ordered. A small snake yokai entered the dark room. "Lord Lieko, you wished to be notified when the Chameleon brothers returned. They are here milord. Do you wish me to show them in?"

"Yes, show them." He hissed. His small heart started pounding with adrenaline and excitement.

Four chameleon-yokai entered the room. They were rather small for yokai, but possessed a great talent for going undetected. Their race was almost wiped out in the last battle over the Western Lands. Once the door was closed Lord Lieko turned eager eyes upon the brothers. "What do you have for me, and it better be good."

The oldest of the brothers stepped forward. "Yes milord. There are two things we have heard. The first is that word is spreading of an intended attack upon the Western Lord. He has been notified of this. The second is that he has called upon his generals to meet him in the Western Lands in two days time. There were no further details, milord."

Lord Leiko started to pace his small confines once again in heavy thought. Thus leaving the chameleon brothers to watch and wait for their Lord's next orders. 'This is it. This is the moment I have been waiting for.' Lord Leiko stopped pacing and turned to look at the brothers with a smirk that left a chill running up their spines. "That will be all for now, you may leave."

The brothers didn't need to be told twice. They quietly left the damp room and closed the door behind them. Once they were gone he called upon his most loyal servant to fetch the awaiting assassins. They were hand picked by him directly. These were yokai that belonged to the cobra clan. The one clan that was known for their lack of mercy when it came to their prey.

Eight tall cobra-yokai entered the small room. Three of them were all black with shiny yellow eyes while the other five were tan with two black dots on each side of their necks. To look upon these yokai was scary as it is but to see them tempered was breathtaking, literally.

Lord Lieko spoke up addressing the oldest of the clan. "The time has come my brothers to take back what belongs to us. I have gotten some news and I plan to use it to our advantage. It seems that our favorite Lord of the West has heard that someone is planning an attack on his little castle. He has called for his generals to meet him in the West in two days time. However, they will not arrive."

All sixteen eyes were watching their new leader pacing the floor with pure venom. They were desperate to have power again in the west and this was their chance.

Lord Leiko stopped and stared into each of their souls. "You are to split up into four groups. You are to make sure that these generals do not make their destination. As a matter of fact they are not to even get a chance to leave their homes. Is this understood?"

The leader of the cobra assassin stepped forward. "We understand milord. What of the gereral's families…their children?"

Lord Leiko's patience was wearing thin. "Play with them, kill them and then eat them. I do not care. But make no mistake. Sesshomaru will come in search of his generals, which is where our plans will fall into place. You have all been instructed on the traps that are to be set up. We have a dog to catch. I just wish I could see the look on his face when he sees that I have killed his generals, their families…..their children." He said as hissing of laughter took over the walls of the snake pit.

The cobra clan bowed and left the room with haste. They had a mission. A mission they had no intention of failing. The dog was going down.

Ok everyone, the drama begins here……….please be kind and review. Take care until next time.