A/N

I wasn't planning on updating Book Two for a long while, but I'm nearly half way done with the story anyway.

Warning in advance, there will be some mild language and mild sex scenes very soon... Some of you may or may not appreciate some things I have in store, but it must be written. All I have to say is that you are all in for a WILD ride... Grab your snacks.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this final installment of the Palace of Wishes series. :P

Shortly after the Coming-of-age-ceremony, the banquet finally ended, and the many nobles of demon and celestial birth left the premises of the Jade Palace. Left behind were the eight wives of Sesshomaru, who would spend their time living within the Empress's palace until the newly constructed harem would serve as their permanent residence.

On that same evening, once everyone had retired to their rooms, the Emperor had summoned her and Sesshomaru to his royal study, along with the clansmen where they discussed Kagome's placement within the harem. The votes were unanimous, especially after their long discussion which revolved around Naraku and her demonstration of her spiritual powers. From that moment forward, she would no longer remain as a mere guest of the palace, but a consort to his royal highness.

But why did they decide in favor of consort rather than concubine? The answer was fairly simple. It revolved around the subject concerning her fake royal status and her otherworldly spiritual powers. On top of all this, the fact that she once battled against Naraku was enough to convince the clansmen that she deserved a title higher than concubine.

Her newly granted title would wait until the third day, when her ceremony would take place with the other women. Surprisingly, everyone's wedding would take place on the same day, with Rin's first, Kanna's second, and Kagome's third. As for the imperial and lower concubines, they would have their ceremony together as one entire wedding, rather than separate, but perhaps it made sense that way since there were so many wives.

Before leaving the Lotus Palace, Sesshomaru's father gifted him an important treasure, a holy relic of the Celestial Moon. Tenseiga. It was an immortal sword capable of reviving the dead only once and also had the power to open a way into the depths of hell. InuTaisho had seen it fit to give this holy object to his son, as it was once a wedding gift to him from the Empress's mother many centuries ago.

But that wasn't the only gift presented to Sesshomaru that late evening. His father also gifted him one last sword, one which was forged from his own fang over a millennium ago. Tessaiga. A sword capable of destroying one hundred demons and humans in one stroke. Not only could it break through powerful barriers and absorb the powers of its foes to increase its strength, but no other demon or human could harness its full capabilities.

It was truly an honor to receive these gifts, as it meant Sesshomaru was no longer a child, but a high-ranking adult within the royal family. But while Sesshomaru did not attain the stripes on his face from the Immortal Dew Spring, he did, however, attain those markings on his wrists, which Kagome only faintly noticed when he lifted the wide sleeves of his ceremonial robe. There was still a significant contrast between him and the past Sesshomaru she once remembered.

After meeting with the clansmen, Kagome and Sesshomaru left the Emperor's residence and returned to his palace in search of the immortal healer, Midoriko and Ryo. When they arrived in one of the guest rooms near Sesshomaru's study, they found the two standing before the bedside where the small child slept.

Midoriko claimed the child was malnourished and weak, and must have faced severe trauma recently, and it only made sense considering what happened in Naraku's lair. But the child wasn't a boy, as Kagome originally suspected, but was in fact a little girl, but she hadn't woken up yet since their immediate escape. For the next several days, she'd need proper care and rest, and Midoriko was even kind enough to give the child medicine from the Celestial Moon, which would break the fever and help in a swift recovery.

But probably the most surprising thing she learned about the girl was the fact that she was a half-demon, similar to Inuyasha. Unfortunately, it was difficult to discern her species, especially with all the herbal incense flooding the room, but Kagome still couldn't comprehend how the child looked exactly like her. She was the spitting image of her when she was a child. In the back of her mind, she half wondered if she was this other world's counterpart of hers and if there were others that looked exactly like her friends and family back home.

If you're reading this story anywhere that's NOT Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction .net, Dokuga, or YouTube under Dreaming Hearts, then it was stolen, This is a fanfic that should NOT be profited from.

While Kagome would have wanted to stay and look after the child, unfortunately, there was no time for any of that. Before she could even retire to bed, she was flooded by several court ladies as they prepared her for the fastly approaching wedding. They not only measured her and sent her ceremonial dress to the best tailor within the Western City, but spent a great deal of time finding the right makeup and jewelry to compliment the overall appearance.

After all, this was the royal wedding, and everything had to be perfect.

For the rest of those two days, Sesshomaru had an upper class noble teaching her etiquette, as well as the four cardinal principles and eight virtues of being a wife within the royal family. Those were: Propriety, Righteousness, Integrity, Shame, Loyalty, Filial Piety, Benevolence, Love, Honesty, Justice, Harmony, and Peace. Not only would she have to suppress her jealousy and resentment toward the other women, but also remain reserved and obedient to not only her husband, but to those of higher statuses.

Fortunately, this was not a huge issue for Kagome, especially considering she didn't really care about the entire marriage situation to begin with. She only agreed to it because Sesshomaru promised to help her return to her world if she helped him defy his mother. But who would have expected Naraku was still alive and causing mayhem in this world? It not only put her plans on the back burner, but now that she realized the Sacred Jewel was somehow connected to Naraku, and that he was most likely the cause of what brought her into this world, she would have no choice but to confront him again.

In battle.

How could she confront him or even defeat him when he was no longer a half-demon? Within a mere two years, his powers had grown exponentially, to the point his characteristics had distorted into something straight out of a nightmare. Even worse, there was no feasible way she or Sesshomaru could fight him with such a huge disadvantage. In fact, the only person capable was probably the Emperor.

Kagome had expressed her concerns to InuTaisho regarding this information, and he listened to her worries and regrets about having been unable to defeat him after so long. This also resulted in revealing the identity of the Sacred Jewel to him when they were alone, and though its powers remained dimmed, she further revealed that once its light returned, Naraku would once again summon it.

This was a major concern, especially when he realized the jewel could turn an entire world upside down. It even threatened that of the royal family, even more so of those who dwelled on the Celestial Moon. But he revealed he could do nothing for the situation aside from sealing it within a tightly bound talisman box before handing it back to her with the promise to never reveal its existence to anyone else.

Well, Kagome knew better than to open her mouth to just anyone. And should the Empress find out about the jewel, there was no doubt in her mind she might use it to fulfill her hopes of eradicating the current Emperor and replacing his position with her son. Just as Sesshomaru warned her, his mother would go to any lengths to distort this world and possibly eradicate the existence of demons forever.

This wedding between him and his many concubines and royal consort, Kanna, was simply a ploy and nothing more. Perhaps even temporary, which he explained to her after the ceremony. The selection of his brides was not permanent, and if she had her absolute way, she'd pick only the best from the Celestial Moon. At this current moment, his mother was simply biding her time, awaiting the day to exact vengeance.

And all because of what happened in the past with the harem, with her inability to conceive an heir for many years and then when her husband had an affair with a mortal woman. Vengeance was a deadly weapon, and the Empress was severely scorned by those actions, and this pretend formality between them was long overdue.