Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 18: Unavoidable Compromises

"Do you feel anything now?" Shuhan asked dispassionately.

The person next to him was covered from head to toe. Only red eyes peered out of the only opening in the clothing.

"I think that we have come to the right place," the shorter person answered smugly.

"Good."

"I want you to go back," Inuyasha said quietly. "Take Inumaru with you."

Kagome looked stubbornly at her mate. "I don't even know if the well will work."

Inuyasha smiled at her sadly. "As long as someone in your family is alive on the other side it will work."

Kagome frowned. "I still haven't figured out how Saphira traveled through the well."

"It was Doragon," Inuyasha answered with a smile. "She left after he had died in the future, but he was still alive here."

"Well, that explains a lot," Kagome huffed. "Inuyasha, I'm worried about her."

"I know," he said taking Kagome into his arms and breathing in her womanly scent.

"She needs to leave in her condition," Kagome murmured into Inuyasha's hair.

"That will be up to Sesshoumaru and Saphira," Inuyasha said pulling Kagome away from him.

Tears began to well up in Kagome's eyes. "But..she's my baby."

"Inumaru is your baby too," Inuyasha said sternly. "But he is still young and needs protection. Saphira is grown and mated, Sesshoumaru will do what he sees fit. He will not allow Saphira to endanger herself or the pup."

"Okay," Kagome breathed tearfully.

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the smell of his mate's tears. "I will try to talk to Sesshoumaru."

Kagome looked up at him smiling brilliantly. "Thank you!"

Inuyasha only grunted and left to find his brother.

"Mom?" Saphira rounded the corner to see her mother drying her eyes, then frowned.

"Oh, Saphira," Kagome said hugging her daughter. "I'm so worried about this war."

"Why? You know we will win," Saphira said displeased at her mother's tears.

"But at what cost?" Kagome asked. "Inuyasha wants me to return to our era with Inumaru."

"Oh?" Saphira said raising her eyebrows.

"Honey, I want you to come with me," Kagome pleaded suddenly.

"Mom..."

"Inuyasha can come and fetch us when the war is over!" Kagome pleaded. "You'll be safe and so will my grandchild. Please, Saphira."

"Mom this is my kingdom they are trying to destroy," Saphira said stubbornly. "What kind of leader am I if I tuck tail and run?"

"A smart one!" Kagome snapped. "You've never seen war, Saphira, you have no idea what its like!"

"I conquered this entire island into one nation!" Saphira shrieked.

"You call forcing humans into submission war?" Kagome asked in disbelief. "This is an entire youkai army and God knows what else!"

"I have battled youkai before!" Saphira continued.

"Not while you were pregnant!"

"And how would you know that?" Saphira demanded quietly.

Kagome's mouth dropped open. "Wha-what are you saying?"

"I have been pregnant and in battle before," Saphira said her bottom lip barely trembling.

"When?" Kagome whispered.

"A year ago," Saphira answered quietly her eyes glittering like glassy gems.

"Oh...Saphira," Kagome sighed her face softening, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry."

Saphira didn't cry but started to have dry heaves.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome murmured over and over again, rubbing her daughter's back.

Inuyasha's nose picked up a fresh wave of tears as he made his way to Sesshoumaru's study. He sighed, inwardly glad that his mate's daughter wasn't so emotional. Saphira did have Kagome moments, but she was more Doragon then anything.

He knocked before he slid the door open.

Sesshoumaru looked up.

"Kagome sent me," Inuyasha began. "She-"

"Wants me to send my mate into the future?" Sesshoumaru guessed with a wary expression on his face.

Inuyasha grinned at his brother's incredible ability to know what was going on in his household.

"So?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and looked out his window. "What do you want me to do, Inuyasha? Do you want me to send my mate where I cannot go? What if something happens in her time? What if she gets hurt?"

"I am sending Kagome and Inumaru," Inuyasha said. "I know what you're thinking, but their world is much safer than ours."

"How do you know? Have you been there?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"Yes."

Sesshoumaru stared at his younger brother in disbelief. "Why-why didn't you even tell me?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "You never asked."

Sesshoumaru only growled in reply.

"At least say you'll think about," Inuyasha said.

"Fine."

"Good," Inuyasha grinned and left.

Sesshoumaru rubbed his throbbing temples.

He heard the door slid open quietly and was overwhelmed with the scent of tears. He looked up sharply expecting to see Kagome, but Saphira stood there dry eyed.

"Sorry, Mom had a breakdown," Saphira explained with a smile tugging her lips.

"Yes, well, that much his obvious," he said eying her. He could smell her fear, which was very unusual since she was never afraid of anything. "What is it?"

"I fear for the pup," Saphira admitted dropping into a chair.

"What is there to be afraid of?" He asked in disbelief.

"I just have the feeling that something terrible is going to happen," she answered looking him in the eyes.

Sesshoumaru looked at her skeptically, but he knew that usually gut feelings were right.

"What could happen? I'm here and so is Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said brushing her fears aside.

"I don't know," Saphira said dropping her gaze to the floor. "But, something is going to happen. I can feel it."

"He is near," whispered a sleek voice.

Shuhan looked down at the robbed individual next to him.

"He is one of those castles," the figured walked quickly in the direction of the nearest castle on the Eastern side of the island.

Shuhan sighed a motioned for his troops to follow the robbed individual. All his men feared his mysterious companion. He followed closely behind his companion until they reached the castle.

"Search the castle!" Shuhan commanded

The hooded figure decided at that moment to shoot into the frenzy of activity. Shuhan cursed softly and quickly followed into the castle.

Once he entered the castle, he had to rely on his hearing to follow his companion. He reached an inner antechamber finding his companion gazing upon an individual that had been pinned to the wall by an arrow.

"It is a purified arrow," the hooded figure spit.

"So?" Shuhan said leaning against the wall.

"I can't remove it!" The figure hissed.

"Isn't he dead?"

"Sealed," the pinned figure answered opening blood red eyes.

Shuhan stepped back startled. "Wh-what?"

"I was sealed here by a priestess named Kagome," the dragon spit. "I was trying to kill her daughter, but that stupid inuyoukai mate of hers stopped me, and allowed her to seal me here."

"What is this inuyoukai's name?" The hooded figure demanded.

"Inuyasha, and his brother is now mated to the woman I wanted!"

"What is his brother's name and what does this woman look like?" The hooded figure asked carefully.

"His brother's name is Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands. His mate is Saphira, and she is a dragon like me," he gave them a toothy grin.

"She's the bitch who attacked us on the coastline!" Shuhan cursed.

"Quite a catch huh?" The dragon asked lifting his eyebrows.

"What is your name?" Shuhan demanded.

"Saibairyuukotsusei."

"We can't free you," the hooded figure said quietly. "But, if you help us, we can find the girl and have her do it."

"Sounds like a plan," Saibairyuukotsusei licked his chapped lips. "I have been thinking about revenge for many years, and I have an excellent plan worked out."

"We want to take over the island, dragon," Shuhan said dryly.

"I don't care about that! I only want what is rightfully mine," Saibairyuukotsusei hissed.

"Fine, go on."

"Sesshoumaru is the key to taking over the island, if you can get him on your side, you will win," Saibairyuukotsusei said. "But he won't come along easily. I have heard that those on the continent have ways to brain wash, I am correct?"

The hooded figure laughed evilly. "Oh yes, we can bend him to our will!"

"The enemy has taken up residence on the Eastern side of the island. They are making use of her majesty's abandon castles and store houses," the soldier reported.

"Dammit, I knew we were compromising those castles when we allowed them to flee!" Saphira growled slamming a fist on the table. Many of the generals looked nervously at one another.

"Saphira," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "We'll have to burn the castles down."

"I'll do it," Saphira growled again. "I won't lose any of our people because I wouldn't burn them down years ago."

"I will accompany you," Sesshoumaru said.

Saphira nodded and left the room, she immediately bumped into her mother.

"Saphy!" Inumaru squealed reaching out to his sister.

"Hey boy!" Saphira said smiling and taking Inumaru into her arms and over her belly that was slightly rounded.

"I heard the foreigners have taken over the Eastern castles," Kagome said uneasily.

"Sesshoumaru and I are going to burn them down," Saphira said.

"I have a bad feeling about all of this," Kagome said. "Let me have him, you need to rest before you go."

"No, Mama! I want to stay!" Inumaru whined.

"Do you want to take a nap?" Kagome asked.

"No!"

"Well, Saphira is going to take a nap, and if you want to stay with her, you have to take a nap too," Kagome said.

Inumaru pouted before allowing himself to be handed back to Kagome. "I want to see Daddy."

"Okay, baby," Kagome said kissing her daughter's cheek. "Take care, Saphira."

"Alright."

"How do we know we can trust this dragon?" Shuhan asked.

"We aren't freeing him if that's what you're afraid of," red eyes met Shuhan's.

"How do you plan on trapping the mind of this Lord?" Was the next question.

"With this," the hooded figure pulled a pouch out of the robes. "It is made with the dust of the bones of mind controlling youkai from our homeland."