Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, He and the rest of the Inu-Taichi belong to the Manga-ka Rumiko Takahashi© Viz© and The Sun©

Authors note: hmm eight chapters already huh? Wow and im finally just getting into the plot o0. If I had to make a prediction for this story, I will have to say that it will be at least between twenty-five to thirty chapters long, at least. Now enough of my drabbling and onto the story :Cracks knuckles:

早春の候

Here are your resoponses:

Litwolf689:big smile: I'm glad to hear about more people becoming interested in this pairing! Its great that this story catches some intrest lmao! Thanks so much for your review!

Keirin-Sama: I'm very happy that you like it :really big smile: thanks for your review!

chibiNeko192: Yes, that's why I love my Miaka obaa-chan...she's really a personal favorite for me and a character im clinging to lol. Also, sorry for the confusion :anime sweat drop: Izayoi comes from the East, the reason why I said North East will be answered later :wink:

Cassie: hi! Omg I am really sorry if I confused you in the last chapter, I'm not Viven, please forgive me!

Thanks for your review though :smile:

ところで

Japanese Dictionary:

Inu-Taichi: InuYasha and the gang

Manga-Ka: Manga writer/artist

Ningen Miko: Human Priestess

Kanji: One of the three writing forms of Japanese; the other two are Hiragana and Katakana

Tatami bed: more or less a futon

Hakama: pants or skirt, traditional clothing. It can also be worn over kimono during a traditional ceremony for women. Kikyo and Kaede wear hakama.

Kariginu: a top that looks like a kimono; InuYasha, Kikyo, and Kaede wear these.

Baba: Old hag

Shinto: an old religion of the Japanese

まずは用件のみ。

"You sent for me father?"

InuTaisho looked up from his writing scroll to peer into his son's eyes. He nodded his head as a signal for the guards to leave then gave a smirk to his son.

"You have heard that my men have brought a Ningen Miko traveling from the human west back to our home?" InuTaisho announced to his son as he approached and made himself comfortable on the plush sitting mat next to his lord father.

"A Ningen Miko...from the human west?" Sesshoumaru pondered aloud bringing a young hand for his chin to rest on.

InuTaisho gave his son another smirk before dipping his writing brush into a pot of ink.

"She's told me that she is the Lady Miko Isami of the North East..." InuTaisho spoke aloud while writing another Kanji on his scroll.

"Lady Isami then...but this Sesshoumaru wonders why she would be in the West if she is of the North East"

"And that is why, my son, you are to stay with me while the Lady Isami and her companion come in here to talk with me"

乱筆お許しください。

Saying my heart was all a flutter would have been an understatement. The night before, Miaka obaa-chan and I were led to a room filled with old Japanese relics. A soft Tatami bed lay in the middle in front of a Shoji screen that had curious pictures on it. Otherwise the room was plain and elegant.

Miaka obaa-chan and I hugged for sometime when the guards that led me to my room left to stand and whispered comforting words as I softly cried softly into her chest.

I am thankful to have such a loving Nanny...

Though, we were woken up rather rudely by a crude guard who just walked in and saw me in my rather thin under kimono and tried to drag me from my bed, again Miaka obaa-chan came to my rescue and scolded the man while giving me some time to pull on some Hakama and a miko's Kariginu.

And now here I am being pushed down a long, narrow hall by these men with Miaka obaa-chan at my side.

We were led out pass the gardens just as the morning rays were coming over the horizon and into a small room separated from the rest of the lavish palace.

"Milord, I've got the Miko and the Baba like you wanted" he shouted through a shoji door.

"Thank-you, please lead them inside and stand" came the soft tone of Lord InuTaisho.

My heart picked up its pace unwittingly.

The guard pushed open the door and nodded for Miaka obaa-chan and I to enter. As we stepped onto the fresh green tatami mats of the floor, the door snapped closed from behind.

I stole a glance at Lord InuTaisho and a young man that looked very much like him, which I imagined to be a relative of some sort, except he seemed too young to be a brother...maybe a son?

"Good morning Lady Isami, how was your room?" He asked, shaking me from my stance and letting my head fall into a bowing position.

"To kind for a prisoner my lord" I told him softly.

I could feel his amber gaze smirking at me from behind his low table.

"I wouldn't call yourself a prisoner, Lady Miko, maybe a...forced guest?" he spoke in a deep rich tone and rang though my head in a kind way.

"Yes my lord" I returned softly.

I heard him grunt once more before the scenario suddenly changed, I could feel the mood of the situation shift and I prepared myself for the obvious questioning he called me down for.

"Now my Lady Isami...you say your of the North East, am I correct?" he asked to which I nodded.

"Then pray tell what you were doing in the west?" came a much younger voice than I expected. I unceasingly turned my head up from its bowing position to look at the man next to Lord InuTaisho.

"This is my son, Lord Sesshoumaru to answer your gaze Lady Miko" InuTaisho spoke to me suddenly; I could hear the smirk in his tone.

I felt my blush then bowed to the demon lords once again.

"May you answer my question Miko?" the Lord Sesshoumaru asked in a low voice, somewhat colder and more direct that the Lord InuTaisho.

I quickly came up with a reasonable story that could fool them; at least I hoped it would.

"I-I was in the west to help an...exorcism of the...palace of...Lord Takemaru..."

Silence filled the space and made me mentally cringe; a life in court didn't need to tell me that they doubted my tale.

"The lord Takemaru you say?" I heard InuTaisho ask sharply, showing an obvious dislike for the man.

"Yes... I am known for...erm...traveling around the lands, helping those in need..."

Silence followed again.

"Would you know anything of the Lord Takemaru?" Lord Sesshoumaru asked me in almost a bored tone.

"No my lord...except that he had a nasty case of frog demons in his bath-house..." I trailed off allowing myself a little smirk for my cleverness.

I chanced a glance again at the two Lords who both had identical smirks on their faces as if to suppress laughter.

"My Lord, perhaps thou would allow our departure from thy home? We best move for our lord is sick and My lady Isami is thy only one who perchance help him" I heard Miaka obaa-chan ask in a low tone which I recognized as the one when she asked my father for small favors, such as a personal day or a chance into the city on her own.

"I'm afraid not dear woman, please bear no grudge, but I can't risk anything at the moment" the Lord InuTaisho commanded silently, "Though, forgive me if I seem to be too rude, I would like you to stay at my palace as part of the court"

This made everyone, even the Lord Sesshoumaru look up at the higher Lord with wide eyes and looks of surprise.

"M-My lord...what would you want of a Shinto Miko and her servant at your court?" I asked trying to calm my thundering heart.

"Hm? Well, I suppose that it would be interesting and besides, I have other reasons for the need of your stay." He declared.

"Pray tell!" I responded automatically

"As dog demons, we have a ceremony for our young by passing down an heirloom of such to the young at a certain age" he began in a rather bland tone "My son is approaching this age and we have a priestess of our kind bless the heirloom to be passed"

"But...aren't demons-"

"As such we are demons and have priestesses of our own, though, ours have died out" he told me rather in a serious tone, "when this ceremony is completed, I will release you, until then, you are to be known as the Miko of Dog-Demon's, as such, a member of my court"

I looked at him with rather wide eyes. Me? A member of a demon's court, and a Miko at that!

The fates must be really laughing at me...

"Lady Isami, the ceremony is in six months, please make yourself comfortable" he told me, returning to his scrolls and nodding to me as if to dismiss.

My mind came swirling unmercifully, still trying to understand what exactly just happened; I was snapped out my reverie as Lord InuTaisho added in an afterthought.

"Also, Lady Isami, You are required to come to the banquet tonight. You will find adequate clothing in you wardrobe".

まずは右まで。

Authors note: oh wow...so lady 'Isami' is now the priestess of the dog demons...

Let's hope she can pull off being a priestess...