Chapter Two is up, please read and review!!!

Ryoko: Lady Arika is annoying me!

Sesshoumaru: Me too, but at least she is hot.

Ryoko: *glares and attacks Fluffy*

Fluffy: *runs away*

Me: *laughs nervously* On with the fanfiction!

***

They had been walking for half the day already and it seemed like no progress had been made. Rin cuddled up to Ryoko and fell asleep in the comfort of her nine, fluffy tails. The female Ancient Dog Demon sighed as she looked up at the darkening blue sky.

Night would be upon them soon and Ryoko tired of strolling through this never ending trail of trees and shrubbery. "We shall rest here for the night," Sesshoumaru said as the group came upon a small clearing that had a shaded spot between two trees that was covered by a few big, green leaves.

The Dog Demon Lord walked over to the hut-like area and took off his boa to place it on the spot. Ryoko stared at him in utter disbelief. 'Is he actually going to lay there and forget about us?' she asked herself, but Sesshoumaru moved towards her and tried to pry Rin out of her arms.

Rin let out a whimper as she felt someone pull her away from the warm spot she was in. Sesshoumaru sighed and ordered Ryoko, "Sleep there." Ryoko looked at him and layed down in the fluffy area.

Sesshoumaru's boa was so comfortable that as soon as Ryoko felt it beneath her, she was instantly relaxed. She sat back and closed her eyes as Rin took some of the boa and covered herself with it.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the two then said, "I'm going to hunt for food, stay here with Rin and Jaken get firewood." Jaken bowed and ran off while grumbling about having to build the fire for the newcomer.

Ryoko opened her eyes just in time to see Sesshoumaru walk into the woods and to see the small green toad dart away.

***

"InuYasha." Ryoko sighed and was stunned at what she just said. 'Why am I thinking of him? I barely even knew him!' She gazed down with a distant look at the small, sleeping Human in her lap that was so happy, probably dreaming about a fun experience she had had in the past with Sesshoumaru.

Ryoko's childhood had been horrible, she was born into a wealthy family, but her parents died and she was taken in by Humans. After they found out she had nine tails, they knew she was a Demon. They beat her and used her for chores, the rest of them lazily staying in the shade while she slaved away each day.

But when Ryoko reached her adulthood, she killed all those Humans and enjoyed every last bit of it. That was why her claws had been covered in Human blood before she met Inuyasha.

Ryoko sighed as InuYasha's name resounded in her mind. She growled and tried to clear her head so she could get some sleep, but it was no use.

Ryoko sighed and moved Rin off of her. She stood and caught sight of a stream and thought, 'Perhaps a cool swim will help me relax.'

***

The female Dog Demon floated on top of the water, gazing up at the stars. She didn't know why, but she was crying and the tears slid down her cheeks into the river. Ryoko stood in the water so that it went up to her neck.

She was about to go under when she caught sight of two feet and looked up to see Sesshoumaru arching a brow as he looked at her. Ryoko didn't know what to do and just stared back at him.

"Why did you leave?" Sesshoumaru asked in a calm voice. "I.I couldn't sleep," Ryoko replied glancing at the pile of clothing that sat next to the Lord. "Finish up and come back, I brought food," he said and left her to get dressed.

'Will he ever stop appearing when I'm bathing!?' Ryoko thought angrily as she finished putting on her body suit and boots. She sighed and went back to camp.

***

Jaken had actually built a fire to Ryoko's surprise and an average sized deer was cooking on a spit over it. Rin had woken up and was rubbing her eyes with a yawn. Ryoko walked over to the little girl and sat down, letting her sit in her lap once again.

Sesshoumaru leaned against a tree with his leg up and was watching the fire. The orange, red, and yellow of the flames reflected in his eyes as Ryoko studied them wondering why he always snuck up on her when she was naked. 'Well, he is male, but still he has no right!' she thought as Rin gazed up at her.

Rin looked from Sesshoumaru to Ryoko and back again then asked, "Why is Ryoko-sama staring at Sesshoumaru-sama?" The nine tailed Dog Demon snapped back to reality and looked down at Rin with an arched brow and said, "Rin, why don't you go play with Jaken?"

Rin beamed and replied happily, "Ok!" She went off and began to bother the short, ugly toad Demon.

Ryoko's golden eyes kept glancing from Rin and Jaken playing to Sesshoumaru who was thinking, from what Ryoko could tell by his facial expression. 'I wonder why he hides his emotions. What horrible thing happened in his past that made him so quiet and self-centered?' Ryoko thought as she stared at him.

Sesshoumaru noticed where her eyes were looking and he glanced at her making the female Dog Demon look away. Sesshoumaru turned to the two little ones playing and growled as Jaken got too rough with Rin.

Rin rubbed her head as the small green toad hit her with his staff. Jaken smiled and laughed at her triumphantly. But suddenly was hit in the head with two big stones. He fell down and Rin started to laugh.

Ryoko had thrown a rock at Jaken and as she gazed at Sesshoumaru she noticed that he had too. She smiled and laughed as Rin came and pounced on her. Rin beamed up at Ryoko then said with a hand on her tummy, "Rin is hungry."

The nine tailed female sighed and nodded, walking towards the fire in order to get some meat for the child. She reached out her hand, but was burned lightly by the flames and pulled her fingers back quickly.

Sesshoumaru moved forward as Jaken blew out the fire, and under his breath asked Ryoko, "Are you alright?" Ryoko nodded and put her burned finger in her mouth as Sesshoumaru gave some food to Rin.

She squealed as she nibbled on the meat while sitting in the small, shaded area. Ryoko yawned revealing her two fangs for a split moment and rubbed at her eyes as the fire went blurry for a second.

"Tomorrow, we are going to see someone. She has something that is mine and I want it back," Sesshoumaru said as he stared into the fire again. Ryoko yawned once more and said, "I'm going to sleep."

Ryoko crawled over to the shaded area and curled up in the boa and fell asleep. Rin finished eating and cuddled up next to Ryoko. Sesshoumaru stared at the two females then at Jaken who had also fallen asleep.

The Great Lord sighed and leaned against the tree and stared up at the sky; the moonlight washing over his pale skin. He closed his eyes and decided that this night he would rest.

***

Ryoko woke early that morning to find Sesshoumaru gone from the tree he had been leaning on the night before. 'I wonder where he went.' the demoness thought as she got up to look around for him.

Sesshoumaru was sitting in the hot springs near camp, enjoying the relaxation of the heated water. Sesshoumaru closed his golden eyes and sighed heavily trying to forget about everything that had happened in these last few days.

Ryoko could sense Sesshoumaru's amazing power level, but suddenly it vanished. She couldn't feel him anymore. The nine tailed female searched thoroughly for any sign of the Dog Demon Lord.

She could see and feel the mist of the hot springs and pulled back a tree branch that was in her way to find Sesshoumaru lounging in the water. Ryoko quickly darted into a bush as Sesshoumaru glanced at the spot she was just in.

The Great Lord knew Ryoko was there, watching him silently, and had hidden his energy from her. He decided he would let her have her fun by spying on him. He was curious at how she would react later on.

Ryoko's eyes were glued to Sesshoumaru's pale skin. She could feel the lust inside of her grow stronger as her urges to go to him became unbearable. She wanted more than ever for him to hold her in his safe, muscular arms.

The demoness watched him stand, letting the water dribble down his body. Her eyes widened as he turned, facing her, though she couldn't tell if he saw her or not. She shook her head and darted away, back to camp.

What would he think if he had known she was there? What if he had known, but didn't mind her watching? Why did he let her if he had known?

Ryoko held her throbbing head as thoughts of InuYasha and Sesshoumaru ran through her it, giving her a migraine. What was happening to her? She had no clue, but she couldn't let it show.

The female closed her eyes and made herself show no emotions as she entered the area where Rin and Jaken were now bickering about some stupid thing. "Shut up, Jaken," Ryoko growled at the small toad demon.

Jaken turned to Ryoko and opened his mouth to say something, closed it, opened it, then closed it once more and turned to sit down against a tree. He grumbled about having to listen to the nine tailed Dog Demon because Sesshoumaru had ordered him to. Rin pouted and went to sit quietly next to Ryoko, looking up at her occasionally.

Sesshoumaru walked into the unusually quiet campus with a brow arched. Ryoko looked up at him; he looked as if he never gotten wet at all. The female turned away with a slight blush and stood.

"We leave now to see Lady Arika," Sesshoumaru announced and began to stride along a path heading east to the Palace of Arika, well that's what the random sign said at least. The demoness sighed and followed obediently after picking Rin up in her arms. Jaken grabbed his Staff and darted along the road a few paces away from Sesshoumaru.

***

InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and Kagome strolled down a path heading east. There was no conversation being held and it was very quiet. After InuYasha's confrontation with Sesshoumaru, he was convinced that his older half brother had brain washed Ryoko to coming with him.

The half breed had already picked up her scent and was heading towards a palace he had been to once as a small boy, when his father had been alive. It belong to Lady Arika, she had had a crush on Sesshoumaru ever since she had met him some 100 years ago at a party she had thrown. He himself never liked Arika and neither had Sesshoumaru. InuYasha sighed as he remembered how much he had loved his brother back then, how they had been so alike. But nowadays they were always at each others throats. InuYasha didn't like fighting his older brother and sometimes he wondered if Sesshoumaru thought the same.

As the palace finally came into view, the group stopped and Shippo exclaimed, "Wow, its huge!" InuYasha snorted, "That is nothing compared to Sesshoumaru's palace." Shippo went wide-eyed as he stared at InuYasha in disbelief.

The castle was a light purple color with two towers and a stone wall surrounding it. There was a drawbridge over a mote filled with water. The windows, 30 in all, each had dark and light purple curtains and flowers on the window sill.

InuYasha turned to his group, "I think we should stop and take a rest first." They nodded and sat down; Miroku took out a water canteen and passed it around. InuYasha jumped into a tree and thought, 'It would be best to catch Ryoko and Sesshoumaru on their way out. Arika didn't like me that much anyways.'

***

"Wow! It's so big and pretty!" Rin exclaimed as the purple palace came into view. Out of the corner of her eye Ryoko saw Sesshoumaru sigh heavily and brace himself for a very warm welcome. The nine tailed Dog knew they had come to retrieve something, but what was it and why was Sesshoumaru taking it back?

Ryoko wanted to comfort Sesshoumaru, but it wasn't her place. She knew she would be hated by Lady Arika as soon as she was seen. Arika wanted Sesshoumaru for herself and didn't want Ryoko or anyone else to ever stand in her way.

Sesshoumaru stopped when they reached the risen drawbridge. He lifted a clawed hand gracefully which began to glow a greenish color for a moment. To Ryoko's surprise and Rin's delight, the drawbridge suddenly fell almost slamming down on Jaken who had gotten in the way.

The Lord of the Western Lands walked forward into the huge castle followed by Ryoko, Rin, and Jaken. When they were fully inside, the door behind them swung closed by an unknown force. Ryoko placed Rin on the floor and searched for the Lady Arika. "Ah, my dear Lord Sesshoumaru, so you have finally changed your mind about my offer of being your mate?" said the sweet melodic voice of Lady Arika. She had obviously seen Sesshoumaru coming for what she wore wasn't all that appropriate. She took a few steps towards Sesshoumaru, smiling profusely.

Ryoko had to admit that she was quite attractive but by how Arika acted Ryoko could also tell she was the kind of annoying woman who never left anybody alone. The Lady was wearing all purple; a jump suit (some what like Ryoko's) that stopped at her thighs and turn into shorts sort of, a light purple veil-like shawl was wrapped around her arms and she wore thigh-high purple boots, the purple brought out the blonde of her hair and green in her eyes. She had a long tail of which was wrapped around Sesshoumaru's waist; she was a wolf demon by the looks of it.

The Dog Lord was not amused by her little game and simply said, "I want my Mother's Dagger back, Arika." The wolf demon was taken aback by this statement and pouted slightly as she replied, "I don't have it." Sesshoumaru growled, "Give me the Dagger, Arika, or I will search this whole house to look for it. And if I do that, you won't have a palace anymore once I'm done."

The Lady ignored Sesshoumaru's last remark as her attention was filtered to Ryoko who stood behind Sesshoumaru. She walked forward and glared at Ryoko as she asked, "Who is this?" "I am Lady Ryoko of the Northern lands here to make Negotiations of Peace between the Western and the Northern lands," the nine tailed Demon replied as if spilling out her life story.

"Good, so you are no threat to my relationship with, m'lord," she said coldly. Ryoko growled and replied, "But I wasn't finished. I'm also here to accept Lord Sesshoumaru's offer." Sesshoumaru arched a brow at this; he knew Ryoko was only trying to get back at Arika so he decided he would play along.

Lady Arika abruptly faced Sesshoumaru and asked, "Is this true, m'lord?" The Dog Lord nodded and wrapped his arm around Ryoko's waist that in turn leaned her head on his shoulder. Rin giggled as Jaken stared with his mouth open, squawking mutely at the two Dog Demons.

Ryoko felt oddly comfortable in Sesshoumaru's arms and wondered if he felt the same way, though when she looked up at him, she saw that he was gazing at Arika triumphantly. The Dog Demoness sighed and decided that it was just a game to get Arika to leave Sesshoumaru alone.

The Wolf Demoness turned very pale and began to walk away. Sesshoumaru pulled away from Ryoko and snarled, "Where are you going, Arika? I want my mother's Dagger." She replied without turning, "I'm going to get it now."

Sesshoumaru sighed and turned slightly, looking at Ryoko. He nodded respectfully and said, "Thank you." Ryoko rolled her eyes and replied, "It was only because that woman was getting on my nerves. I don't take insults very easily. Oh and I'm sorry for using you." Sesshoumaru shook his head and faced Arika as she entered the room again. She was carrying a Dagger which was sheathed in a golden holster with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds on it. The hilt of the Dagger was also golden and on it was embedded the name "Naoma". Ryoko's guess was that "Naoma" was Sesshoumaru's mother's name.

"Here," Arika said slowly as she held out the Dagger for Sesshoumaru to take. He picked it up and looked at it for a moment before making it disappear inside his kimono. "Thank you, Lady Arika. I shall take my leave now," The Great Lord said and walked towards the double doors which led to the drawbridge.

Ryoko turned to follow, but was stopped by Arika's hand on her shoulder. "You are a very lucky Demon. I've been trying to get that one for 150 years," said Arika. Ryoko nodded and the Wolf Demoness let her go.

***