Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha characters. But I do have the words!

The Next Morning

Kagome woke up with a slight wondering of where she was. Then she remembered that she was at Sesshomaru's place. Damn! She forgot! She must have been really comfortable to forget where she was and to sleep that darn deep. She went to the armoire and got some clothes that were in there and went about with her morning duties.

Sayla had left some hot tea on the desk with a tub of warm water to bathe her face in. Kagome came out and met her just before she was leaving. Kagome was still in the large shirt that she put on the night before for bed.

"Sayla, I was wondering if you could show me where the hot spring was? I would like to take a bath actually instead."

"Yes Lady Kagome, just follow me if you have all that you need."

"Yes I do Sayla. And please, just call me Kagome, that is what I am used to hearing and would like to not consider you as a servant but a friend instead."

Sayla looked down wondering what is with this lady? She was specifically told by Lord Sesshomaru to treat her as a highly honored guest of the palace.

"I am sorry Lady Kagome but Lord Sesshomaru specifically told me to treat you as a highly honored guest of the palace. And that I will remain calling you Lady Kagome."

"Sheeeesssssh! Ok. But please, do not feel like you have to take care of me all the time. I would like to get to know you more." Kagome said with a smile on her face.

"Very well Lady Kagome. Now on with your bath."

Kagome smiled and grabbed her stuff that she collected from the "bathroom" and she followed Sayla down the hall out into the gardens. Just outside of the gardens were 4 guards guarding a large building. They came up to the building and Sayla stopped in front of the guards.

"Lady Kagome will be in here bathing. No one is to be let in or out until she is ready. You will then escort her back to her room in the Royal Wing and alert Lord Sesshomaru that she is ready to greet him."

The guards nodded. Sayla then escorted Kagome inside. She couldn't believe her eyes. The hot springs was so large and so beautiful. Large rocks everywhere around the spring to put things on. The room was so steamy and warm. Kagome turned to Sayla and gave her a hug.

"Thank you Sayla for brining me into here. I will not take long because I am sure that Sesshomaru does not like being kept waiting."

Sayla's eyes just went huge when Kagome embraced her openly. She loved the feeling that Kagome gave her when she did that. And her words were so kind to her. She was not used to this and was sure that she must because this woman was going to keep doing this to her. "You are welcome Lady Kagome." Sayla left the hot spring building with a smile on her face. She turned to the guards again. "Now remember what I said because Lord Sesshomaru says that she is a highly regarded guest here. Please take caution for his guest." And with that Sayla left for the castle to attend to Kagome's room.

In the mean time

Kagome is sitting in the hot spring in her bathing suit. She was totally amazed at the size and the beautiful sight before her because she couldn't believe that one could hold such a sight in a building. She was walking around the hot spring gingerly because she did not feel like falling. She has been through that way too much on the road with InuYasha when they were hunting for the jewel shards. But that is so way in the past now and InuYasha has chosen Kikyou now that she is a human thanks to Kagome.

Sitting down and leaning her head on a stone at the edge of the hot spring she closes her eyes. A single tear goes down her cheek.

InuYasha, I am happy that you are now with your first love. But, I cannot lie to myself anymore. I will always hold you in my heart and never be mean to you because of your choice. But, I am happy right now in Sesshomaru's hands. I would have never thought that Sesshomaru can be nice and that he even likes me. I hope that he understands that I need to control my powers a little more so I can use them in battle next time. If there is a next time.

She opens her eyes and decides that it is time to wash. She does not want the guards to think that she has drowned in here. As she is cleaning her skin with her rose scented soap her thoughts are getting the best of her.

Why is Sesshomaru being so nice now? Is it because Naraku is no longer a threat? I thought that he was infatuated with Kagura, the wind sorceress? I am sure that she was a prominent youkai for him. Especially now since she was free of him and still hold all of her powers of the wind! I will have to ask him about that later. I will have to remember that one! I wonder what we are going to do today besides walking around and him showing off his palace to me? I mean, this palace so far is so darn huge! I am definitely going to get lost here! That is for sure!

She let out a small chuckle. She dived in the water to rinse off her rose scented shampoo and conditioner. She looked at her supplies and decided that it will need to be time to go back home and get some more stuff. And try to explain to her mother what has happened since she attended InuYasha and Kikyou's wedding. She was sure that her mother was wondering how she is fairing since that time. She started to get dressed in a nice dark blue and silver kimono that she found in the armoire. It really fit her nicely too. She gathered all of the things that she brought with her and headed out of the door. She had to squint her eyes at the burst of sunlight that enveloped her. She turned to the guards next to the doors smiling.

"Now that was excellent! So, which one of you are going to take me back to the castle?"

"I will Lady Kagome." A very tall tiger youkai said.

"Ok. First what is your name and what is your race of youkai?" Kagome said snuggling everything against her chest.

"I am a tiger youkai from the southern lands in another continent. We migrated here for a better living. My name is Koarau." He said and then bowed deeply to her.

Kagome blushed and waved one hand in the air. "There is no need for that Koarau. Please really. When you are in my presence, I request that you don't do that."

"Very well Lady Kagome. Now shall we travel back to the castle?"

Kagome smiled and nodded her head. They started walking with him slightly behind her on her right side. Kagome slowed her pace so she could talk to him more.

"So you said that you came from another continent right?"

"Yes Lady Kagome. We came over because food and land was sparse and we heard that Lord Sesshomaru needed warriors. So, my whole family came over."

"I see. How big is your family Koarau?"

"I come from a family of 8. I am the 5th child in the group. My brothers and sisters are here in the palace also."

"OOO! What do they do here? Are they guards like you?"

"No Lady Kagome. Kayer, Fitzu, Cracko, Sherlene, and me are part of the army. Checko, Sherene, and Lavonia work inside the palace"

"So your sisters are Checko, Sherene and Lavonia?"

"Yes Lady Kagome."

"What do they do in the palace for Sesshomaru?"

"Checko is one of the cooks. She is a great cook and Sesshomaru was glad of that. Sherene is Rin's teacher and Lavonia is a healer."

"Wow, very high ranking positions in the palace. What do your brothers do?"

"Kayer is a master archer. He is a little more nimble than the rest of us and can shoot a bow and arrow very well. Fitzu is a teacher of the arts of battle. He teaches the new warriors how to be good swordsmen. Cracko is a trained assassin for Lord Sesshomaru. He had to work hard to get that position but I knew that he could do it because he is rather skilled and very quick. Sherlene is actually a female. She is my oldest sister. She is also a teacher of battle. She is trained in the arts of martial battle. She is able to teach the advanced warriors how to hand to hand combat with another if needed."

"Ok, so Sherene is Rin's teacher, Checko is a wonderful chef, Lavonia is a nurse, Kayer is an archer, Fitzu is a swordsman, Cracko is an assassin, and Sherlene is a ninja. Interesting. Is Sherene and Sherlene twins?"

"Yes they are actually, they were born 2 minutes apart from another. And what is a ninja, nurse and a chef?"

Kagome laughed. "I am sorry but from where I come from those are words to the same of yours that you said. Just a different way of saying them! I am sorry if I confused you."

They had reached the door to the palace. Kagome went to open the door and Koarau stopped her. She looked at him and remembered the whole guard thing. He opened the door for her and Sayla was there to greet them. Kagome smiled and then turned to Koarau.

"You have been such a nice guard and thank you for telling me about you more. I hope to talk to you again soon!"

Koarau bowed his head at Kagome. "It has been a pleasure meeting you Lady Kagome. I do hope that our paths cross again sometime."

Kagome smiled and then turned to Sayla who was waiting for her patiently. "I am ready Sayla. I need to go back to my room and dispense of these things. Then you can take me to Sesshomaru. I am sure that he is waiting."

"As you wish Lady Kagome."

Kagome went through the door and followed Sayla back through the palace. Kagome quickened her pace a little bit to stand beside Sayla.

"Sayla, may I ask you a question?"

"Yes Lady Kagome all you have to do is ask."

"I was wondering if you would tell me a little about yourself."

"Sure, what would you like to know Lady Kagome?"

"Well, where are you from and what race are you?"

Sayla looked at her with interest. "I am a Siberian tiger my lady. I have come from Siberia. A very cold place and I migrated here to find myself in danger with little weapons and knowledge of how to defend myself. Lord Sesshomaru saved me and brought me here to take care of the goings on with his servants. I would serve him until my life ended."

Kagome stopped and looked at her. Her hair was white as snow with varied black streaks going through it. Her ears were very prominent on her head, much like InuYasha's were. Her tail was no where to be seen though. "Thank you for telling me your heritage a little. But, I do have one question. Where is your tail?"

Sayla blushed. Her humanoid form showed them too well for her liking. "My tail was cut off from a scorpion from the mainland that was trying to eat me when Lord Sesshomaru saved me."

Kagome looked at Sayla with sorrow in her eyes. "I am sorry to hear that Sayla. No one should have to go through those kinds of things."

Kagome put her arms around Sayla and closed her eyes. She focused her power on the base of Sayla's stub of a tail. A bright pink glow came from Kagome's hands. Sayla felt her body to start to get a warm feeling and then the pink glow was gone. Sayla put her hand back to her stub and found a fully-grown tail. Kagome let go of her and smiled. Sayla's eyes got big, she couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Lady Kagome, what did you do to me?"

"Sayla, I gave you your tail back to you. Like I said before, no one should have to got through something like that." Kagome said with a smile on her face.

Sayla started to cry. "I am very thankful Lady Kagome. Now I am indebted to you and to Lord Sesshomaru."

Kagome went to her again and gave her another hug. "No you are not. I would do anything to make someone happy. I do not like people or demons to be unhappy from a previous engagement that occurred to them."

Sayla breaking the warm embrace from Kagome she smiled. "Please, let us continue to your bedchambers. I think that we have delayed enough."

"Yes, we must not keep him waiting any longer."