The drive to the Taisho mansion was pleasant and long. Kagome supposed it would be quite a drive when Sesshomaru explained that they lived outside the limits of Tokyo, but when they left the penthouse at 3 to get to a dinner that was supposed to be at 7, she decided there was probably more to it than just being "outside the city limits". Kagome briefly considered the possibility of a castle in the clouds, but there had to be limits to how impossible life with Sesshomaru could get. The reality, however, was far more beautiful than any of the fantasies Kagome had imagined up for herself. After about 2 hours of driving towards Hatchozan, Sesshomaru made a sudden right turn straight off the road and over the edge of a cliff, and Kagome thought for a split second that they were going to plunge into the ravine at 75 miles an hour, but the impact that she expected never came. Kagome opened the eyes she hadn't realized that she'd closed and looked, in awe, at the scenery that now surrounded the car. Ancient trees towered over the winding road they now found themselves on. Flowering vines fell from the higher branches, and grass and wildflowers sprouted up around the roots, some varieties of which she had never seen in her lifetime. Beautiful cherry trees lined the road like great blooming soldiers guarding the path, and their petals fell like snow, swirling in a flurry around the car as it sped down the road.

Kagome turned to look at her mate, who wore the slightest hint of a smirk at her awe. "How?" was all she managed to say as her brain tried to process the impossible thing that had just happened.

"There are spells that protect the land surrounding my family home. Think of it almost as like a pocket dimension. Any human who made that turn, not knowing about this place, would have fallen into the ravine that you saw. Technically speaking, we haven't reached that cliff yet, it lies all the way on the other side of my father's estate. The spells make it so that this stretch of land only exists to those who know how to find it."

Kagome silently turned back to watching the petals fall as her mind wrapped itself around this new piece of the new world she found herself in.

After another 20 minutes of driving the trees cleared and Kagome was able to see the fortress at the top of the hill they were now driving up. "I thought you said your parents lived in the family mansion."

"I did"

She looked over at him incredulously. "That's not a mansion Sesshomaru, that is a castle."

Sesshomaru was impassive. "There used to be more. The Taisho fortress was both expansive and impregnable."

Kagome's eyes widened slightly and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Just how rich were you?"

Sesshomaru looked surprised then. "Did I really never tell you?"

"No..."

Sesshomaru pulled the car up in front of the entrance and parked, before turning to look at Kagome. "My Father is the great Inu No Taisho from your old myths. He is the Youkai Lord in the west, one of the most powerful demons in Japan. We are as close to royalty as demons have..."

Kagome took all that in silently, and then said: "So... I'm engaged to a prince..." Kagome slowly smiled.

Sesshomaru frowned a little. "I suppose..."

"Does that make me a princess?" Kagome was grinning now with amusement.

Now Sesshomaru smiled. "I suppose it does."

Rin piped up from the back seat "Am I a princess?"

Kagome laughed. "Of course you are!"

Kagome stepped out of the car as Sesshomaru got Rin out of her car seat, and then they all made their way up the steps to the front doors. Once inside Kagome was enveloped in a big bear hug by Izayoi, and then a gentle warm hug from Toga after he greeted his eldest son. Rin collected her hugs and then disappeared down one of the brightly lit hallways.

The Entrance Hall was a large room with a ridiculously high ceiling. The floor was made of white granite tiles with a large rug in the center of the room which was covered in the Taisho family crest. A luxurious crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, and the walls were painted a gentle blue-green color. The walls were adorned with a gilded mirror, a long tapestry depicting a large white dog flying over what looked like an army, and beautifully painted portrait of the Taisho family as it was now, with Toga, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha standing behind Izayoi who sat in an elegantly carved wooden chair and Rin sitting in her lap.

Kagome surveyed the room, and her eyes fell on Kaiya Hijiri. Kagome nearly fainted. As it was, her legs gave out under her and Sesshomaru, who, luckily, was standing right next to her, caught her before she hit the ground. Her eyes watered, and she wanted to scream. Couldn't she catch a break for 1 week? Was that too much to ask?

Sesshomaru looked to where his mate's eyes rested on the middle-aged human woman standing in the doorway that led to the dining room. "Who are you? And why does my mate react so, to your presence?" Sesshomaru recognized her only as one of the Miko who replenished the energies in the magical barrier around his parents home every year.

"That," Interjected Izayoi, before Kaiya had a chance to respond, "Is Hijiri Kaiya. She is Kikyo's mother."

Sesshomaru looked at Izayoi like she had gone insane.

"Did I forget to tell you that she would be here? My bad." Izayoi looked completely unrepentant.

Kaiya looked as white as a sheet. "Kagome... Higurashi?" her eyes darted between Sesshomaru and Kagome.

Now Izayoi looked surprised. "You know her?"

Kaiya nodded. "She and my Kikyo were best friends when they were little. She spent much of her time over at our house after her father left..."

Now Izayoi frowned, no, she glared at Kaiya now. "And it didn't bother you when your daughter started to bully her?"

Kaiya tore her eyes away from Kagome to look at Izayoi, completely shocked. "I was told that Kagome became friends with the cool kids in school and thought she was too good for Kikyo."

Kagome looked up at Kaiya. "Is that what she told you?"

Kaiya nodded.

"Well, it looks like we will have a lot to talk about over dinner then, doesn't it? Come, the food is getting cold..." Said Izayoi.

Kaiya silently turned and walked back to the dining room followed by Izayoi and finally Toga. Kagome still sat on the floor, trying not to hyperventilate, while Sesshomaru tried to help her calm down. After several minutes, Kagome was able to breathe normally again, and Sesshomaru helped her to her feet and led her to the dining room.

"I don't know what to do Sesshomaru." Kagome almost whispered.

"Just tell her the truth." Sesshomaru had a sneaking suspicion that he now knew why Izayoi had invited Kaiya. He hoped she would be able to listen with an open mind to the possibility that her daughter was not the victim here.

AN. So... That happened. What do you guys think? Feel free to leave any comments, constructive criticism, thoughts. I love to hear from you all! I'll be back soon and we will see how this dreaded dinner went...