Author note: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the wait! I'm glad this story is getting a good response! Anyways I have yet to jump into the plot but for now I leave you with a new chapter, chapter two!

-

An eerie mist rose off of the lake. The sun was setting in its normal way. Small ripples appeared on the surface as the lake fish jumped out from time to time to catch the tiny pests that flew too close to the water.

Frogs croaked in harmony as the sun finally set, leaving the moon to fulfill it's duty of giving some sort of light to the barren land.

Large rocks lined the shore of the lake, replacing any sand of smooth pebbles. It was not a cozy lake, more like one that housed the larvae of mosquitoes and other aquatic creatures. The water held an unhealthy color, that of green and a deep shade of gray to cloak the life that thrived at the bottom of it.

On one of those rocks sat a shadowy figure. It was fairy tall and held a strong demonic aura around it. Of course it would, after all he was Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, and a powerful foe to anyone that dare get in his way.

The taiyoukai was traveling to the near by castle that held the protecting cover of miasma. He personally despised it and the scum that it housed. He was only going there to make peace with their lands in hope to settle all the riots and wars going on between them both.

He despised the fact that the king there was nothing but a filthy creature with tainted blood, a hanyou to be exact. And by his side stood the creepy woman that held no life in her eyes and walked around like she was merely a shell, and not to mention she was a human.

Sesshomaru had received a letter only days ago insisting that the two leaders of the lands were to meet at Naraku's castle to settle the arguments. At first he didn't want anything to do with it, but the fighting was wasting his time and becoming rather absurd, not like it was to begin with in the first place.

So the Lord of the Western Lands had set out on an uneventful journey across a barren land that held no life at all. It didn't make matters any better having to travel with a very annoying toad youkai. He would cross the line sometimes, but he had to put up with him, the toad had been his servant for several hundreds of years now.

Sesshomaru shifted in his rocky position. He let his beautiful amber eyes look to the side to see what Jaken was up to. And just like magic the tiny toad youkai came stumbling along, the staff of two heads in his hands, with questions coming out of his ass in a never ending supply.

"Master Sesshomaru I have spotted a path that we were informed about. If you follow me I will lead you right this way."

The taiyoukai just simply nodded his head in silent agreement and got up, off of the rock.

The thick brush held a smell of rotting wood and other vegetations. Sesshomaru scrunched his nose up in disgust as the awful smelled plagued his nose. He absentmindedly put a sleeved arm up over his nose in an attempt to dispose of the stench, but it was useless his nose was just too powerful.

Mist followed freely off of the lake and was now surrounding the forest with it too. Sesshomaru and Jaken's shadows appeared every now and then as the mist thinned out.

The toad youkai had no idea where he was going now. He thought that he was walking directly behind his master, but found out the hard way that he wasn't when he walked face first into a rock solid tree trunk.

Sesshomaru heard the ruckus but kept on going. The absence of the annoying toad would be much welcomed. His stupid questions and inquiries weren't needed because he had a mind of his own and knew how to use it.

The mist began to evaporate and slowly shrank away. The trees were becoming less recent and in no time the Lord of the Western Lands was walking well past the tree line and was now on the path that Jaken had spotted.

Sesshomaru finally let his arm go back down to his side as the rotten stench subsided. He quickly surveyed the land and checked for any prey or enemies that might be a both to him.

Now the castle stood before the taiyoukai. He walked regally towards the structure and paid no heed to the puny eye of the lesser demons that watched him in silent awe.

The tall wooden doors to the castle appeared before him. He pushed on them with his deadly poison claws and watched as they reviled what lay behind them.

The courtyard was nothing special. Walkways overflowed with dead roses and the whole damn thing was a disastrous mess. The 'garden' was empty; nothing grew there at all. The walkways were filthy and beyond recognition.

Sesshomaru grunted in disgust. He walked up to the nest door where he knew Naraku and his human wench would be waiting for his arrival.

He was expecting to find only two beings there, but now a third stood by them, this one obviously a servant because she hung her head low and her wardrobe was filthy. She had chains that looked painfully wrapped around both arms and legs. Her demonic aura was sad and the scent of tears was clearly present.

"Welcome Sesshomaru," a cold voice came.

"Naraku," the taiyoukai growled.

"Let's get this agreement over and done with."

"Precisely."

Sesshomaru followed the two despised figures into the castle. The servant was walked behind them. She locked the door behind Sesshomaru and silently followed the 'guest'.

Naraku stopped and went into the throne room. Kikyou had already made her way inside and was sitting in her jewel in crested chair. She eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously and then nodded for him to come in. He didn't acknowledge it; he didn't need a human wench to tell him where to go or what to do.

Naraku took his seat beside Kikyou and waited patiently as Sesshomaru found a comfy wall and leaned up against it. Then he turned to look at Kagura, who was staring at the powerful taiyoukai.

"Go get some refreshments for Sesshomaru."

Kagura bowed, but stopped midway when the taiyoukai spoke.

"No need to, I do not want anything but the promise of peace between our lands."

"Why of course."

Sesshomaru was tempted to roll his eyes but refrained himself from doing so.

Kagura sat down on the hard floor. She was forced to sit up when Naraku threw a china dish at her head.

"Wench, you have no right to be here, go wander the halls or something."

The hanyou began the chuckle.

"Quite funny creatures aren't they?"

"I take no pleasure in seeing that, unlike yourself I assume."

Naraku quickly finished what he was doing. Then the hanyou looked at Sesshomaru with his beady red eyes. "Now where's that agreement form?"

Suddenly there was a loud pounding noise at the door. A poorly dressed man stepped in and was panting heavily. There were multiple wounds spread across his body.

"Milord another war had broken out."

Naraku turned towards the taiyoukai. "It seems that our little meeting will have to be held tomorrow instead, I'm afraid."

Sesshomaru stood up. He walked up to the hanyou and glared at him. "Do not waste my time." And with that he walked out of the room.

The hallway was completely empty. Sesshomaru walked down it in a fowl mood. He was getting quite tired of the constant fighting, and now the hanyou had delayed the conference. Yes, things were definitely not going his way.

The taiyoukai neared a corner. As he rounded it he bumped into a frail object. He looked down and found the servant lying on the ground, waiting to get her daily beating from Naraku.

She slowly looked up when nothing came in contact with her body. She let her scarlet eyes wander up the form that stood in front of her. She quickly averted her gaze to the ground in shame of looking at some one in a higher rank than her.

Sesshomaru looked at the servant and held out a hand when he realized that it was the one that the hanyou had humiliated earlier. She was a demon and should be the one of a higher trait than some worthless hanyou.

"What is you name?" the taiyoukai asked in an emotionless voice.

Kagura struggled to say something but couldn't. She quickly pointed to her mouth with her free hand and was glad to see that he at least understood her; unlike the first time she had met Naraku. Then he had used her disability to turn her into his servant.

Sesshomaru nodded and pulled the servant up with one powerful pull. He let go of her hand and began walking down the hall in the opposite direction. Before he went out the door her turned around and looked at Kagura.

"Think nothing of my help."

He left the building for the time being.

Kagura knew he would be back tomorrow. She was absolutely happy that some one hadn't beaten her. She attempted to let a smile form on her face, but from all the years of battery and the deep depression that she had been suffering from all these years, would not let one come about. All she managed was a slight frown.

But Kagura thought a frown was good enough for her.