Chapter 9

Training Continued

Sango smiled as Sesshomaru's breathing finally ebbed down, indicating the Taiyoukai was asleep. After a few seconds, Inuyasha leaped down to join her and Miroku snapped awake.

"Sango, perhaps now would be a good time for a full report." Miroku suggested.

"Yes." She sighed, allowing a slight smile to light up her face when she saw Sesshomaru shift onto his side and curl up against Kagome, taking her protectively into his grasp.

It was an unconscious act, but a recognizable one nonetheless. The taiyoukai truly did care about Kagome's well being. The question though was, did he truly love Kagome or was he just protecting something he felt was his? She bet on the later being the truth.

Sango turned her attention back to her friends and told them everything she had observed;

Kagome was adjusting and had accepted her fate. She would not welcome their pity, but could use their support.

She didn't love Sesshomaru, but was going to damn well act her roll and at least try to make it work. After all she was stuck with him for the rest of her life. As she had pointed out to him earlier when they had went to visit her family, he could just as easily wait five hundred years for her time to come and reclaim her there so running was pointless.

She was not treated poorly nor forced to mate regularly. After Midsummer's Eve every other time had been traditional. In short, she was just overwhelmed by her new life, having little knowledge of inuyoukai society.

She was also worried about finishing the quest for the jewel shards, not positive if Sesshomaru would let her.

It was the last fact Sango dreaded mentioning, but did so anyway. Kagome was with child. The men looked at Kagome stunned, looking so peaceful and innocent in her slumber.

In fact, the whole scene seemed peaceful and tranquil. Shippo curled up against Kagome, his face buried in her chest and his little hands clutching her robes. Kagome curled up with her back to Sesshomaru, who had his one arm wrapped protectively around her with his face buried in her hair at the nape of her neck.

Smiling wickedly, Miroku took out Kagome's camera and took a picture. Inuyasha looked at the houshi as if he was crazy.

"Blackmail." Miroku answered with a smirk

Inuyasha got a good grin at that. He knew Sesshomaru would not want those pictures getting out. Sometimes the houshi thought up the most wickedest schemes.

(break)

He awoke to something warm in his arm and the scent of his mate in his nose. He blinked open his golden eyes to see Kagome curled contently against him, the kitsune kit still curled in her arms. She was sleeping soundly and he didn't want to wake her.

"Finally awake I see." Came Inuyasha's voice from behind him.

He didn't bother to acknowledge his brothers existence. The hanyou was beneath him after all.

"I still can't figure how it was you could have possibly lost control enough to mark her. I've pissed you off so many times in the past it doesn't bare mentioning and I have never seen you lose it. So tell me, big brother, how it was a mere, human girl broke your control." Inuyasha taunted.

"If you do not shut your mouth, Hanyou, I well do it for you." He said coldly.

"Keh. As if you could. Just be thankful I haven't tried to free Kagome from you my way."

"I am surprised you didn't mark her to begin with." Sesshomaru commented, noticing Kagome was waking up.

"I couldn't." Inuyahsa said solemnly, suddenly becoming serious and taking Sesshomaru by surprise. "The shadow of Kikyo would always be between us and both of us would wonder if I mated her for her, or for a dead memory of Kikyo."

He had felt Kagome stiffen in his arms after hearing his question to his brother, but had felt her relax at his brothers answer.

"You do not love her?" He asked, knowing Inuyasha was unaware she was awake.

"Not in the way she deserves to be loved. If you ever hurt her Sesshomaru, I will kill you. I may not love her as a mate, but I do love her as a friend. My first and best friend. I love her as I would a sister."

Kagome was crying softly, though no pain was in her scent, only joy. Inuyasha still hadn't noticed she was awake.

"Why? She is only a human."

He felt Kagome stiffen in his arms, her scent turning to anger and pain. He gave her a quick squeeze of reassurance and murmured in her ear he didn't mean it, that he only wanted to hear Inuyasha's response.

She relaxed again, also desperate to know how Inuyasha would respond.

"She's the first to see me as me. She loved me for what I am, taking the good with the bad. She never wished for me to be something else. She stood by my side, even when I transformed into a youkai and many would have abandoned me. She stood up to those stronger then herself to defend her friends and rarely thinks about herself. She fired arrows at you didn't she? Can you think of many other humans with the courage to do that?"

"No." Sesshomaru admitted, remembering how she had fear rolling off of her in waves, but had still stood up to him.

"Of course, she can be commanding, rude and misunderstanding." He added as an after thought.

"Oswari." She growled.

Inuyasha barely had time to realise she was awake before his face hit the dirt. Sesshomaru heard the crash and looked over his shoulder to see his brother laying on the ground face first.

It was just too funny. He chuckled slightly, suddenly thankful she had not taking advantage of his weakened state and put a rosary on him. It would be beyond embarrassing and a severe wound to his pride if he were to hit the ground like that in front of the other lords all because his mate was in a bad mood and said a single word.

Kagome grinned as well as Shippo woke up with a start, noticed Inuyasha's nose plant and curled back up to go back to sleep before his little eyes widened in shock when he realised just who he was sleeping with.

Sure he had shared Kagome's bed many times before, but never with Sesshomaru, who had his arm protectively around her. He suddenly feared for his life as his scent was all over Kagome, something most mates did not accept.

"Morning Shippo-chan." Kagome greeted warmly as she yawned and stretched slightly before curling back up under the covers.

It was a chilly morning and she was nice and warm curled up as she was between two youkai.

"How did you sleep?" She asked.

"Uh, good." He answered, trying to back away from her without making her think he was retreating. "I'm going to get some more wood and get a fire going for breakfast."

With that he darted away, silently berating himself for such stupidity. He moved only as far as the trees and then turned around to watch. He was positive Sesshomaru would now demand to remover his scent from her. Surprisingly, the taiyoukai did no such thing.

"Of course." Shippo berated himself again. "As if the scent of a child on her would disturb him. If he didn't like it, I most likely wouldn't have woken up at all this morning."

With his confidence restored, he set about gathering wood for a fire.

(POV)

Kagome finally admitted to herself that she had to get up. Sesshomaru's wounds needed to be checked after all and it was her duty to see to them. Sighing, she crawled out of his embrace and the warmth he had been providing her.

She stood up and stretched. It was warmer now that the sun was up and shinning. Birds sang off in the distance and it was a very peaceful morning. She turned back to look down at him.

He was sitting up and looking at her as if he was thinking or analysing something. It made her feel a little uncomfortable, but she pushed it aside as she kneeled back down beside him.

"Let me look at those wounds now. Knowing youkai healing abilities they are probably almost gone by now."

He nodded his head and allowed her to check his wounds, now only scars. She cleaned the dried blood off after a nod of her head. He did not require her assistance, but it was a mate's duty to see to his needs.

She returned his swords, holding Toukijin as far away from her as possible, power cackling between them. Clearly her and the blade did not get along.

"Wretched thing." She grumbled as he took it and sheathed it at his hip next to Tenseiga, which let out a displeased pulse of its own. "See? Even Tenseiga doesn't like it." She chuckled, which earned her a glare from her mate.

She turned her attention away from him and back to the others.

Sango was tending to Kouga, who was still badly injured and unconscious. Kagura had really done a number on him. Miroku was helping Sango. Inuyasha was up in a tree glaring at his brother, still mad about being forced to admit his feelings in front of Kagome. Shippo was silent, watching her as Kirara watched what Miroku and Sango were doing, her little claws batting Miroku's hand every time it strayed.

"We had better get back." Kagome sighed. "Our guest are probably worried about us and even in my time it is rude for the host to just up and run off. I am sure we offended a fair number of lords."

"We offended no one. Naraku is the one who should be cowering in fear. The other lords are displeased he would dare to interfere in a mating ceremony, and that his lesser youkai would dare to harm their mates."

"That's good." She smiled.

They could use every ally they could get against Naraku. The hanyou was proving rather resistant to death.

"Still, I would like to write and send apologies to everyone. It would be the polite thing to do."

He nodded his head in agreement before turning his attention back to her friends. He truly did not want them in his castle. His brother was uncouth and a disgrace to the family. The monk was a hentai. Kirara was a neko, enough said there. Kouga was not only an ookami but someone who was just as uncouth as his brother and didn't know when to shut up.

Shippo he could stand. He would be a good playmate to Rin. While Sango was a Taijiya she knew how to behave and offered him the respect he was due while still being a good friend to Kagome. They were the only two he would tolerate. Kagome seemed to read his mind as she sighed next to him.

After everything that had happened she finally got to see her friends only to have to be separated from them before she could truly have a good talk with them. He knew Sango had explained everything to them and he was surprised none of them had brought up the fact she was with child.

"After finally getting to see everyone again, I am afraid I have to go. We'll meet up again soon and catch up. I promise." Kagome spoke, taking him by surprise.

"How soon?" Shippo asked, running up to her and jumping into her arms, holding back tears.

She turned her gaze to Sesshomaru. It was his decision after all.

"One week." He answered finally. "I well bring Kagome to the village you call home."

Sango and Miroku nodded their heads.

"You better. Or I'll have to come get her if I have to pry her from your dead fingers." Inuyasha threatened, jumping down from his tree and marching up to him, stopping a few inches away.

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha. If Sesshomaru-sama says we will be there in one week we will be there in one week."

"Keh."

"Oswari."

Thud.

Sesshomaru had to step back to avoid the falling Hanyou and barley managed to hold back his laughter. There were definitely things about his mate he truly did love. This was one of them. Oh to have such power over his stupid brother.

Kagome turned to Shippo, the little kitsune had tears running down his face, clearly not wanting to be separated from her again.

Yes, Rin could most definitely use a playmate now that Kagome would be assuming her duties as the Lady of the Western Lands.

"It is my understanding this kit is like a child of yours." He said calmly.

"Yes." She admitted, looking at him in shock.

"Any child of yours will be welcomed in my home."

With that he turned and started to walk away, knowing she would follow him. She smiled at him and hugged Shippo closer, the kit in shock. The look on her friends faces was priceless.

"I have to go now. I'll see you all in one week. I promise. I'll even find some way to get through the well and bring something back for everyone. I have film that needs to be developed anyways so I know I'll be able to get permission to go. Goodbye, take care of Kouga-Kun for me."

She hugged Sango briefly, waved goodbye to the boys and turned to follow after Sesshomaru, walking steadily and with her head held high as a lady should. Shippo moved down to the ground and walked next to her, looking up at her.

She truly did look like a lady in that expensive kimono, despite the dirt and a few rips in it. They came across Sesshomaru around the first bend and fell into step five paces behind him and to his right.

They walked until noon when Kagome's feet finally gave out. Cloth slippers may look good and do fine in a house, but for extensive traveling they were a poor choice. Shippo had alternated looking between Sesshomaru and Kagome as they walked in silence. Not daring to speak until they stopped by a near by stream and Kagome sunk her aching feet in the cool water.

"Kagome, are you alright?" Shippo asked concerned.

She smiled at the concerned kit.

"I'm fine Shippo-chan. Cloth was just not designed for a tromp through the forest. How far are we from home?" She asked, turning her attention to Sesshomaru.

The taiyoukai was standing off to the side, eyes locked on some distant target.

"A few days at this pace." He answered.

Kagome sighed as she turned her gaze across the stream, seemingly lost in thought. She wasn't going to make a few days at this rate. Her feet were killing her and she still hadn't recovered from using so much of her miko powers.

She was ready to call it quits as it was, but she would never say so. Not to him. She would be strong, deserving of the title as the Lady of the Western Lands, regardless of how she came to receive it. It was a responsibility she would not shrink, just like her guardianship of the shikon no tama.

Thoughts of the jewel changed her mental path. He had said they would find it and kill Naraku, but what about after that? She would still be the guardian of it and as long as the jewel exists there would be those after it. She was strong, but she was no Kikyo.

She looked back to Sesshomaru and couldn't help but to give an ironic smile. Yes, she would be the guardian of the jewel and the jewel would be guarded better then it ever had been in its life. No one could get to her without going through Sesshomaru first.

"We are leaving." Sesshomaru stated.

She didn't argue or ask for more time to rest. Instead she pulled her feet out of the stream and pulled her slippers back on, walking firmly up to him. He crouched down next to her and she stared at him in surprise.

"Get on." He commanded.

Dumbly nodding her head, she got onto his back as she had done with Inuyasha so many times in the past. Shippo looked around uncertainly before Kagome called him to her shoulder.

"Hold on tightly Shippo-chan. Sesshomaru-sama is considerably faster than Inuyasha." She warned, remembering the last time she had been carried by him like this.

Shippo nodded his head as the world went from stop to blur in a flash. He yelped in shock and clung onto Kagome in fright. After a few minutes he relaxed, enjoying the feel of such speed as the wind whipped through his hair and tail.

Kagome also relaxed, enjoying the feel of the wind caressing her face and giggling every time his hair tickled her nose. It was dusk by the time the mansion came into sight. Shippo gasped, reminding her of her own thoughts the first time she had seen the place.

She instantly noticed the damage that had been done. Some of the walls were splintered and blood was still on the walls, though the household servants were working hard to get it scrubbed off.

She climbed off his back the moment he stopped before the gates. She straightened her kimono, quickly brushed through her hair with her fingers, and set her head high. She fell into step beside him as they walked through the gates, looking every inch the lady.

Shippo walked behind her, half in fear, half in awe. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Sekira, who came rushing towards them with as much dignity as she could manage, a look of concern on her face as she stopped before them and bowed.

"Kagome-sama. I was worried for you safety." She said.

"Naraku is a walking corpse." Kagome responded. She pushed Shippo forward. "Sekira, this is Shippo-chan. Please see to it that he is bathed fed, and bedded by the time I come to check on him."

"As you wish my lady." Sekira bowed again.

"Shippo-chan, go with Sekira. I'll see you in a bit."

He nodded his head and followed Sekira, looking back at Kagome before they rounded a bend and lost sight of them.

With Shippo out of the way she turned her attention back to Sesshomaru, who started to walk to where Rin and Jaken were. Kagome stood off to the side as he drew Tenseiga and swiped it over Jaken first, the little youkai less important in his eyes and if something went wrong it would happen to Jaken and not Rin.

For several minutes nothing happened, than Jaken gasped and jumped up, looking around in confusion before catching sight of his lord and letting out an annoying, joyful 'Sesshomaru-sama.'

He turned to Rin and did the same. After several minutes the little girl also woke up. She blinked in confusion as Kagome sat down next to her. Rin flung herself in Kagome's arms for a big, happy hug.

"I knew Sesshomaru-sama would fix everything." She cried happily.

Kagome grinned as she set the girl down again. Rin turned to look at Sesshomaru.

"I'm hungry."

"Go get something to eat." He stated.

She laughed as she ran past him, grabbed Jaken and tore down the hall, the sounds of Jaken's protest fading the further they got.

Kagome chuckled as she stood up again and turned to face him.

"If my lord pleases, I would like to bath and change as well and than find something to eat."

He nodded his head.

She bowed lightly to him and left, heading to the hot spring to get cleaned up. Sekira brought her food to her and a change of clothes. The pure black kimono was simple and just what she felt like wearing right now.

Cleaned, fed and feeling a little more human she hunted Shippo down, surprised to find his room right next to Rin's. The children had already discovered each other and apparently Rin's ward was to take care of Shippo too, by Sesshomaru's orders.

She left them there to play, telling their ward to let them stay up an hour extra. The woman bowed to her in accordance before turning her attention back to the two children. With little else to do, she made her way to Sesshomaru's study, knowing that is where he would be.

Sure enough he was behind his desk, catching up on paper work as if nothing had ever happened. She sat down across from him, silently waiting for him to address her. He finished the report he was working on, set his pen aside and looked at her.

"Thanks you for letting Shippo-chan come with us. His own parents are dead and I've been looking after him since. When we meet up with the others in a week I would like to return to my family. I can develop the film than and I know mother will want to see some of the pictures."

She was silent, not sure of what else to say.

"We agreed that if you behaved during the ceremonies you could go visit your family. Despite Naraku's interference things went better than I expected. There are other tasks that as Lady of the Western Lands you are responsible for."

"Like what?" She asked curiously, moving around the desk to join him, sitting by his side as he handed her a pile of paper written mostly in Japanese, but also in a language she didn't recognize.

"It is the lady's responsibility to see to the welfare of the land and to keep up correspondence with the other ladies of the noted houses. The household journals and running of the servants is also the lady's responsibility."

She blinked at him, suddenly overwhelmed.

"You mean I don't just sit around to be stared at or spend my life in boredom tending a garden or sowing?" She asked shocked.

"No. Humans are very strange creatures to waste such a valuable resource as their mates on nothing more than flower arranging and child bearing."

She blinked at him in shock, tears threatening to spill.

"You have no idea how much more happy I am to know I wont be wasting my life doing nothing."

She set the papers down and noticed they were already sorted into four piles. Correspondence with the other ladies, treaty negotiations, reports on how the land was doing, not including invasion or troubles of non natural causes, those were in Sesshomaru's pile, and household reports. Those included supplies they were running low on or items that needed to be replaced.

"Do we share an office or do I have my own." She asked, looking back up to him.

"We share an office unless if you wish otherwise."

"No. I don't know anything about this stuff so I'm going to need some guidance. Household running should be easy enough and I should catch on quick enough, but everything else is new to me. I most certainly don't want to offend the other lords."

He nodded his head, pleased with her wisdom in asking for assistance with something she knew nothing about. He set his own work aside and together they hammered out a schedule for her to work off of.

Morning would be their normal ritual, followed by breakfast with the kids. She would spend an hour at her archery, which she was extremely pleased with, than an hour with the kids in lessons. After lessons came the dreaded paper work, starting on household, something relatively easy.

That would go on until either lunch or when she finished, depending on what came first. If she finished she would start on correspondence, if not than correspondence came after lunch. After two to three hours of correspondence she would start on the reports of the land and work on that until dinner. After dinner was treaties, which she would go over with Sesshomaru. After that was bed.

It seemed like a good schedule, until she started on it the next day. The first piece went good. Bath, breakfast, and archery went smoothly. The children were easy as Shippo helped Rin start her reading and writing with little things like numbers, common words, and basic sentence structure.

Household reports were not too bad, just backed up. Fortunately Sekira was able to help a lot out there, finding the reports in the pile that were urgent and helping her deal with them.

Lunch was uneventful but it was after that she went insane. Writing a million apologizing letters cramped her hand up good. In the end she got Sekira to help her and she just signed the bottom. Still, it took a while to word it correctly and in such a way so as not to offend the other lords.

That done next came the reports on the land. Everything from forest fires, droughts, floods, broken bridges, rutted roads and other such stuff came to her attention. She was suddenly glad she had watched so many natural disaster shows on TV. Dinner came and went in a blur and the next thing she knew she was fighting yet another headache as Sesshomaru tried to explain to her all about which treaties were being negotiated, who held what with who, what was not fit to be demanded and what was.

In the end she crawled into their bed and was out like a light in seconds, contemplating ending her life to save her from the torment she knew was awaiting her tomorrow.