Yes Yes it's been an ETERNITY. This has been mostly written for a while and just never posted because i wasn't in love with the chapter and it's kind of just a filler siuation so that we can get to the good stuff...I have no other explainations for my tardiness besides the madness of CoVid and the changes it has caused to my household. Hoping to get two more chapters out by Thursday :)

was annoyed.

Kagura had done an impeccable job co-planning - no planning, because Sesshomaru knew these were mostly her ideas. Gilden would've been too afraid of suggesting such drastic designs. He'd really taken it in when he'd left his room to greet the guests on that first night. Red and gold tassels hung down from the top of his door, pulled to the side so they didn't block him from exiting. She had clearly realized he would have ripped them down and melted them with his claws had they dragged across his face. The halls were tastefully done up, not ridiculously brightened, but adorned in shades or reds with the subtlest white and gold trims, reflective of his crest colors. Sheer red and gold covered the windows so that, at night, the moonlight would filter into the halls accompanied by the gentle glow of candles.

Portraits of him and his parents (ones he hadn't looked at in decades) decorated the walls. Even ones of his grandparents had been hung, the family's legacy on display for all to see. Each wave of guests marveled as they were led through his home. The wolf, the loud one - Lord Kouga - was rather vocal in pointing out how much more style he had than his half breed brother.

He'd turned over the guests to his servants rather quickly so they could be shown to his rooms and left out of his hair. All but one set. It was a spectacle when the coyotes arrived. Howing. In their transformed state. With his mother at the forefront. Everyone had hurried back outside to watch; the servants out of respect and expectation, and the guests out of curiosity and wonder. As was his customary greeting to his mother, Sesshomaru transformed and met her in the sky, nuzzling her cheek before landing with her, the tribe of coyotes right on their heels. Now back in humanoid form, he offered his arm to Lady Mizuki and walked her through the crowd of people, ignoring her attempts to tug him to a stop. Speaking in a voice only her son could hear, she addressed him.

"And why is it that you have not acknowledged your intended?" she asked, only slightly agitated, "I can feel her upset from here, as well as her father's offense."

"I do not recall proposing a mating to the coyote. That was you."

"Hm. It seems Kiko's warnings of that concubine that has graced these halls was accurate." catching him off guard, Mizuki spun him around and interjected as only a mother could, "Kiko, darling, surely I must know my way around this castle by now. Come, take my place, and my son can escort you inside."

Kiko grinned victoriously, sliding her arm into the now empty loop at Sesshomaru's side.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you weren't happy to see me." she practically purred at him. Here was the beginning of his annoyance.

Xxxxx

The dining hall radiated gold. The chairs, the walls, and the floors glittered, while the red tapesty and table coverings made it so that the gold wasn't overpowering. The dark blue at the end of his usual sash was the chosen color scheme for whatever jewel made up the goblets and plates. Impossibly bright lanterns accentuated the shine of the room. A room flooded with the rowdy wolf lord and his mate and closest companions, a few of his distant cousins and uncles, the Lord of the moth demons and his horde, a reptilian lord, and of course the coyotes. The secondary source of his annoyance.

He had hoped that Kashin could have given him a small respite from Kiko and his mother, but Mizuki was relentless and Kiko persistent. Kashin could only hide his chuckle and pity him with his eyes as the women consistently flanked and crowded him.

So here he was on day three, once again trapped between the two people he'd been avoiding as much as possible since they'd entered his home. It had been such hell trying to keep Kiko and his mother from practically chaining him in her room that he busied himself with work and patrols of his ground, making sure to have as many guards as possible outside his study door to ward off all but his Neko friend. And Kashin's constant desire to poke fun at the situation wasn't helping his mood at all.

But when the women did get ahold of him, his desire not to betray Kagura took a backseat to his desire not to stir trouble with the coyote tribe during the festival. Kiko's family were strong allies that he didn't have a desire to lose. However, he hadn't made his intentions to NOT mate Kiko clear. He hadn't voiced them at all. He didn't stop her when she touched him, teased him, flirted with him. He was just barely keeping out of her bed, having never turned her down before. He wished these last few days would hurry by and return the wind demon to his side. He was growing increasingly annoyed at a third trigger, a feeling akin to…guilt?

The sun was shining. A gentle and comfortable breeze blew by, rustling hair and clothing. Grass and flowers bent under the trampling feet of children and Rin and Shippou chased after Sango's twin daughters. All the noise and Kagura still couldn't keep her mind from wandering far away. All the way back to the western fortress. Back to the Inu Lord the resided over the lands. She had been in Edo for five days now and hadn't been able to keep Sesshomaru out of her mind for more than five minutes.

When she had first approached the village, Ah and Un's heads had hidden her from view. Rin had merely thought her guardian had sent gifts attached to her favorite creature. But Inuyasha had sensed her, and, before she knew it, more than just the child stood awaiting the dragon's descent.

Rin squealed in delight once she finally did notice Kagura, and rushed to hug her. When had she gotten so big and…shapely? Kagome returned her hug just as eagerly before addressing the obnoxious half breed and his slightly hostile energy.

"The hell are you doing here again? And get away from Rin before you corrupt her!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded before stepping ahead of him, an inviting smile on her face. She always was the more reasonable one, "Hello, Kagura. Nice to see you again," she cut her eyes sideways at Inuyasha's snort.

"Hello, Priestess."

"Oh, don't be so formal. Call me Kagome, I insist."

"Alright Kagome. If it is alright with you, I was hoping to stay near your village and visit with Rin for a few days." she was staying whether it was okay with them or not, but figured it best to try and start off with a positive attitude. Motioning with one arm to the cart behind the dragon (since Rin still clung to her other side) she presented her gifts, "I have brought a few things for Rin, but also some supplies for your village as well as your households."

Kagura nodded to the Slayer and Monk who had flanked Kagome and Inuyasha; two small children peeking out from behind the slayer, who also cradled an infant. At this, Inuyasha and the mon - Miroku. She had to learn to use their names. It was how humans addressed each other when they were on friendly terms. Calling them monk and slayer would sound cold and detached. She wanted to get along with them for the sake of Rin.

Miroku and Inuyasha approached the cart and nearly fell over at the contents of the trunk. The monk's eyes widened as he lifted and inspected bottles of expensive ales and liquors; and Inuyasha's mouth was visibly watering at the sight of all the food.

"Holy smokes, Kagura. Keep bringing gifts like this and ya can visit any time ya want."

Kagome rolled her eyes and stepped forward, "Men. Am I right?" she chuckled and then gave Kagura a look that let her know the questions she had foreseen were now coming, "Where will you be staying, Kagura?"

"I will not impose. I like the outdoors and the fresh air. I can simply sleep in a tree or on a fe -

"Absolutely not. Inuyasha just put another addition onto the house. We have plenty of space. You'll stay with us and I won't hear another word about it."

Kagura opened her mouth to try and protest, but Sango - the slayer - quickly warned her that it was pointless to try and argue with the girl once her mind was set. In the blink of an eye, Kagome had taken Kagura by the hand and began dragging her towards a good sized villa, with Rin following excitedly behind them. The room was nowhere near as large as the one she had in Sesshomaru's castle. But then…this wasn't a castle. And she hadn't traveled with too many personal items anyways. She thanked Kagome and went back out to retrieve the things that were only for her any Rin, leaving the rest of them to sort through what they wanted for themselves and what they would give to the villagers. Remembering Kagome's bleeding heart, Kagura knew it would be far more generous than the villagers probably deserved.

That first night, she sat out with Inuyasha's lot after Rin and the other children had gone to bed. She allowed herself to be goaded into excess drinking and even dancing with Kagome and Sango. Unfortunately, when it was time for her to finally lay down for the night, the alcohol had destroyed the barrier that kept Sesshomaru out of her thoughts.

She tried everything after that to clear her mind. Learning alongside Rin as Sango and Kagome taught her to cook. She saw Sesshomaru's face swirling in the pot's broth. She also attempted to busy herself with Rin's drawing lessons. This led to some of the village women and children asking for lessons as well. Kagura thought she was doing fine until she looked down at her sketches and saw the face of a certain demon lord etched onto the page.

Now, here she sat on the steps of Kagome's home, with Kagome sitting a couple steps above her as Sango sat in a chair on the veranda. The children were running around and yelling as they played, and she couldn't hear any of it. Her mind was so focused on her situation with Sesshomaru that Kagome had to shake her shoulder before Kagura realized her name was being called.

"Hm?" she snapped back to reality and turned towards the other two women who wore mischievous smiles.

"I was asking about what was going on with you and Sesshomaru, but I guess you were too busy daydreaming about him to hear me." Kagome teased.

Kagura's head swung away, attempting to hide the blush that had probably already swept across her cheeks, "I don't know what you're talking about." she almost grumbled unconvincingly.

"Oh, you can drop the act. Rin already told us everything she knows."

Kagura gave the little girl a look that she was fortunate enough not to notice, "Did she now?" she asked in a voice that was merely annoyed, not angry.

"Yup. And Inuyasha detected faint traces of Sesshomaru's scent on you. So come on. Spill already. Give us all the dirty details. Did he kiss you before you left? Or maybe more." she emphasized the last word while wagging her brows suggestively. Kagura almost choked while looking to Sango to save her.

"Oh no." the slayer responded with a devious smile, "Kagome lives for this kind of meddling. Besides, I'm quite curious myself."

Clearly, the only way to escape these women would be to flat out take off running, and Kagura was no coward. She was, however, a woman who was in serious need of someone to unleash all of her mental and emotional troubles on. In need of outside opinions and perspectives. So, with a deep breath, she caved and unleashed the details that she was sure Rin didn't know about her relationship with Sesshomaru.

Kagome was cheering them on until Kagura got to the bit about his tryst with the coyote. After that, there was practically no redeeming the lord in her eyes. She seethed and swore and cursed his name. But then -

" - he moved me into the rooms beside him. The ones that should be reserved for the lady of the house."

That stunned both women into complete silence. Kagome's look softened and Kagura could hear the beginnings of a long and drawn out 'aw' coming and quickly stopped her.

"I don't know what it means. I mean, yes the house addresses me as Lady. And yes he said he wishes for me to escort him to his ball. But he could just be feeding my ego so that he can have access to my body whenever he pleases. I have been holding out on him since that first time. We've been trying to repair our trust and friendship, but I'm just not there yet. I refuse to become invested in something that will turn out to be one sided."

"Oh, Kagura. I don't think he wants to use you at all."

Sango took one look at Kagome's goofy, lovestruck grin and figured it best that she explain to Kagura in a more rational tone.

"Since Kagome seems to be lost in some fantasy love land that exists only in her mind, I think I can elaborate. Sesshomaru has never been one to lie. He may be devious, and elitist, and entitled, and egotistical, and - sorry, um, yeah he values honor and his word above all else. He's not one to say things he doesn't mean. And he's also not one to make big gestures for folly. If he did something like that then there has to be something behind it. Something more than just treating you like a concubine."

"Yeah," came Kagome in a much more logical voice, "He literally moves at the speed of light. He could have left you in the guest quarters if that's all he wanted. It's not like it would take much effort for him to get to you."

Kagura stared out at the horizon, turning their words over in her mind, "Hmm. Perhaps you're right." and in two days time we will see.