Hotohori didn't pride himself on his ability to keep his temper. He'd never been very calm in anything he did, least his strong emotions. Although he was taught to keep it in a public setting and when he was giving orders as royal duty, he sometimes still lost it. This was another one of those times.

"Chichi-ri!" He roared into the luxurious suite set aside for the monk, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"

Chichi-ri was surprised to say the least. Many times when his emperor lost his temper, he would void yelling if at all possible. But after the letter from Lord Inu-Yasha had been delivered Hotohori was ready to kill, and this was most definitely a pleasant situation.

"Who? What? What was I thinking? When? What happened? No da." Chichi-ri came to his door to find himself on the receiving side of a death warrant.

Hotohori shoved the letter in Chichi-ri's face and forced him to read it. "The princess of the Eastern lands is marrying Naraku of the South! And it says you set it up! What were you thinking?!"

"Lord, when we destroy his kingdom from our position, he will not sit back and rest. I've understood that for sometime now. When he ambushed us in our castle and took out our west wing I knew I had to do something. That was the something I did… Sorry lord. No da" Chichi-ri knew that his lord had to forgive him. After all, he was only trying to help the kingdom.

Hotohori seemed to be in though for only a moment before making a decision. " I have to send the knighted sir back with a response. He asked me to approve it… If I don't then, do you think Naraku or Kikyo would ever find out? If I approve it, then I will be branded a traitor in Inu-Yasha's eyes, but the again, if I don't approve it, Lady Tanae will think I am a traitor." He wandered into Chichi-ri's room, now deep in thought. "Chichi-ri, go send word that I do not decree the marriage, and if they go through with it, the they are betraying the people of the North and now the people of Xi-Lang."

Chichi-ri screwed his eyes closed for just a second before boldly stating, "That is not a smart decision to make, My Lord… Who knows what kind of Hell Naraku will come up with after you do something like that, no da."

"That's very true… I will send the delivery boy back with a message of neutrality, then." He sighed, defeated. "Do you know where the priestess and Tamahome are at this hour?"

"Talking with Sirs Amiboshi and Suboshi, I believe. Yesterday, when the two knights came back they were not greeted very warmly. Though they were given rooms and they held the important petition, they were once Naraku's men. They admit to that. Maybe they are traitors, that we shall never know, no da.

"It would seem as if Miaka-sama knows the brothers. They were knighted before now, by whom we aren't sure. I'd assume, since their first alliance was with Naraku, they were knighted by that Lord. But then… their knighthood would be inexplicitly revoked. If they were loyal enough to be knighted to Lord Naraku, then who knows what sort of guise they hide under…" Chichi-ri explained deep in thought. Hotohori looked as if he was pondering what the monk had just said.

"I believe we should play this one by ear. They could have changed after seeing Naraku truly. We have a lot of work to observe before I conclude they are traitors," he decided.

"And… if they are…?" Chichi-ri queried.

"Then, we shall make plans of their execution."

A-I-W///That was Hot. Oh yeah next chapter and I'm on number DONE! J/K this isn't even close to done. I'm thinking somewhere about 20-30 chapters. I hope I don't end up making it go on forever. I have a good conclusion in my head so yeah it might be sooner than I've projected, but that'll be fine too…

Okay! All done! Hope ya enjoyed and thanks to all my reviewers!!