A/N: Gosh, it is taking me forever to get Inuyasha and Kagome back together. I think either the next or the one after the next should get them back.

Inuyasha, in my story, really never has liked Kikyo. They have been friends ever since they were little, but he has never loved her. Or anyone… yet. But there is something special about Kikyo. I hope I give you guys enough hints to figure it out before I come out and tell you directly. Hope you like it and thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!

Chapter Eighteen

The Moaning of the Wind

Kikyo spun around in front of the queen's mirror in her new robe. She looked like a princess.

"It's beautiful," she said at last.

The queen smile knowing at Kikyo. "I know it would be just right for you. You're going to look magnificent tonight."

"For Inuyasha," Kikyo blushed. Kikyo had always had a secret crush on Inuyasha, but he had always treated her like his younger sisters. He cared for her and wanted to protect her, but she knew he didn't love her like she wished he would.

"We better get going. Start a conversation with him tonight about his journeys. I didn't even have time to ask him yet myself. He was in a bad mood this morning, but hopefully he has calmed down by now." The queen and Kikyo walked out of her room and made their way into the grand dining area.

Inuyasha was already seated at the head of the table. He was reading a pamphlet and didn't notice Kikyo approaching him.

"Your highness," she said bowing.

"Kikyo…" She looked prettier than the last time he remembered seeing her.

She took a seat to his right and the queen sat down to his left. "It's been awhile since we've last seen each other. How was your trip?" Kikyo tried starting the conversation.

"It was alright."

Kikyo knew that Inuyasha didn't like to talk much and usually conversations would end up with her talking and Inuyasha merely listening.

"How was the city? Who were some of the people that you meet there?"

Inuyasha was already getting annoyed with her. He didn't feel like talking and only wanted a peaceful dinner after his long day and he couldn't even get that.

"The city was different. I meet some people." He shrugged. What else was there to say?

"Oh, come on. Tell me some stories."

"Yes, Inuyasha. I want to hear some as well," the queen added trying to help Kikyo.

Inuyasha thought for awhile. He had stories, so many stories, but he didn't want to share them with Kikyo.

"Nothing really exciting. You'll be bored."

"Try me," Kikyo pursued.

"I fought against Kouga, an official's son, and beat him."

"Wow! You're such a good fighter," Kikyo thought about what to say next and then added, "Why did you fight him?"

How was he going to answer this? "Well… there was this girl and Kouga wanted to marry her, but she was only marrying him for money because the taxes have run too high… and so…" Now he was blabbing. Why couldn't he just lie? "I fought him, so I proved he didn't deserve her and I gave her money to pay off her debts." There we go. He didn't have to into the part where he pretended to marry her.

"You're so caring Inuyasha," Kikyo squealed.

"I'm glad that you can care so much for the people of China," the queen said.

After that, Kikyo stopped trying to question Inuyasha any further about his trip. She talked about what had happened to her and just rambled on trying to fill up the emptiness.

They had about seven courses. Each one was prepared perfectly, but for some reason, Inuyasha missed Kagome's cooking.

"Thank you for having dinner with me, Inuyasha," Kikyo said before she left.

"You were… good company," Inuyasha managed in return.

Kikyo left soon after and the queen stayed behind with Inuyasha. "Isn't she such a sweet girl, Inuyasha? Maybe next time, you two can go on a little date together, just the two of you."

"No, mother. Kikyo is a nice person, but… why are you doing this? Can't a choose someone that I love? Why does it have to be her?" Inuyasha didn't want his mother to dictate his life.

"I told you before. She's Suga's daughter. You grew up with her and I know her very well. What is wrong with her?"

He didn't know. He didn't know why he has never fallen in love with Kikyo. Because… Because… she wasn't like Kagome. Kagome had made him feel different. She didn't try to please him. She didn't even know he was the emperor now. Kagome treated him like a normal person, but she had also made him feel… alive and happy. She had given him happiness.

"I just don't love her, like I should love a person that I'm going to marry," Inuyasha said harshly.

"You're going to marry her, and I'm not going to let anyone else marry you unless I die before that." The queen's tone was serious. She meant every word she said. She loved Kikyo, far more than Inuyasha could ever imagine.

Inuyasha wasn't sure if he had heard her right. 'Unless she dies?' Did she really want him and Kikyo to get married that badly? What reason did the queen have, he thought. Inuyasha didn't want to continue this bizarre conversation and left the room.

&

It was the middle the night, when Sango woke Miroku and Kagome.

"Uh?" Kagome rubbed her eyes.

"It's time. Wake up, Miroku," Sango kicked him.

"Ouch!" He yelled and got to his feet- his eyes still closed. "Where are we going?"

"Don't you guys remember anything? We're going to get my dad out of prison. Now hurry up."

Miroku blinded grabbed his sword and followed Sango, with Kagome behind him.

They walked silently onto the deserted streets. The jail was located behind the courtroom that they had gone to just that morning.

Sango whispered into Kagome's ear, "Now, I want you to scream as loud as you can. Wait until the guards run out to see what is going on and the start running. If they catch you, then tell them that you were being chase by someone. Okay?"

Kagome nodded.

"Just wait until Miroku and I get behind those bushes."

Kagome was left in the middle of the street by herself. As soon as Miroku and Sango were fully hidden, Kagome let out a deafening screaming.

Guards soon came racing out to see what had happened and Kagome ran for her life. She prayed that it would be enough time for them to free Mr. Matsuo.

&

Sango and Miroku saw the guard exit and dash after Kagome. "Be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you tonight," Miroku whispered to her before they entered.

Sango nodded and quickly made her way to the cells where the prisoners were kept.

The jail looked eerie in the night. Everything was dead quiet and all Sango could hear were Miroku footsteps ahead of her. They waited outside the front door before entering together.

There were only two guards standing to the entrance of the cells. They noticed the two intruders immediately. "Get out!" one of them said shakily.

Then another guard yelled, "You're the judge's daughter. You don't belong here." He knew exactly why Sango had come- for her father.

"I'm sorry that I have to do this." She didn't want to hurt anyone. Ximong was the only one she wanted to kill, not these innocent guards that were just trying to do their job.

During this time Miroku had made his way behind one of the guards and knocked him out by hitting the back of his neck. The guard fell limply to the ground.

The other guard looked panicked and pulled out his sword. Sango quickly flung his sword out of his hand and Miroku hit him on the neck just as he had done to the other guard.

"Are they going to be okay?" Sango asked unsurely.

"They're just going to out cold for a couple of hours. We have to hurry before the other guards get back." He took the keys from one the guard's pocket and started searching the rows of cells.

"You take the right," he said. Sango and Miroku raced down the hall until… they reached the very end.

"He's not here…" Sango said in despair. She was facing the last cell. It was empty.

Miroku looked around him, just as confused. "I'm sorry." He pulled Sango to him. Her head leaned on his chest. He stroked her hair and she cried for her lost father.

&

Kagome ran through the empty streets with the guards right on her tail.

She was making her way north, almost to the end of the city boundaries and heading for the palace. Kagome had been screaming the whole run and was not completely out of breath. It would be soon that they caught her.

Up ahead she noticed a carriage. It was going slowly and heading out of the city. "Who is traveling this late?" she wondered.

Kagome gave one last cry of help before tripping on a rock and collapsing to the ground. From the carriage, Kouga heard Kagome's cry. He stopped it and jumped out of rescue her.

"Kagome! Where are you?"

He wondered blindly in the dark until finding her on the ground. "Kagome, are you all right?" He helped her up.

Kagome quickly pulled away from him. "I'm fine," she said defiantly.

"Well, you were the one to cry for help."

"I was being chased by someone. Of course I had to cry for help."

"Who was it? And what were you doing out in the middle of the night anyways?" He raised an eyebrow.

Kagome didn't answer because they guards had indeed found her at last. "We heard you screaming, ma'am."

"Someone was chasing me. I was out taking out some of the trash and this crazy person came after me. He probably saw everyone and stopped. Thank you for your concern," she reported. It sounded pretty good too- like a true story.

"It's our duty. Do you need an escort back home?"

"I can't take her or else I would. I have business to do, would you mind?" Kouga asked.

"Come with us, ma'am," the guard told her.

"What are you doing tonight?" Kagome asked Kouga before he left.

"Something important." He winked at her and returned back on his carriage.

Kagome turned to follow the guards home and hoped that that had been enough time for Sango and Miroku to get Mr. Matsuo out.

The wind had picked up slightly and Kagome could swear that she heard moaning. "Let… me… go…" But she shook her head. It must have just been her imagination.

&

Kagome was escorted back to Sango's house. "We'll try to catch the man that was running after you, ma'am."

"Thanks," Kagome said awkwardly.

"Good night," one of the guards said and left.

Kagome walked quickly inside to see if Mr. Matsuo was safe and sound. There was light in the living room. "Well, at least their alive," she reassured herself.

She found Miroku and Sango sitting with sad faces. "Where's Mr. Matsuo?" she asked, before greeting them.

"Kagome," Sango looked up. There were tears in her eyes.

"Mr. Matsuo wasn't there," Miroku told Kagome, "We got there and checked every single cell."

"How could he not be there? It was just this afternoon that we all saw him. They couldn't have taken him anywhere else." She didn't understand.

"I don't know where he could be." Sango hid her face into Miroku's shoulder and cried.

Miroku gestured to Kagome to stop questioning the issue.

Kagome's mind would not drop it. Then it hit her. Tonight Kouga had said that he had something important to do, the moaning of the wind, the urgency in Ximong's voice to get Sango's father out of this city. Everything was fitting together.

"Sango, I know where your father is. Tonight when I was running from the guards, I ran into Kouga. He was out tonight with a carriage and said that he had something important that he had to do or else he would have escorted me home," Kagome took in a breath of air. She was talking fast, but it was all making sense now, "Then when the guards were taking me back to your house the wind had picked up and if had heard something on the lines of: 'Let me go.' I had just thought that it was my imagination, but I think that it was your father that said that."

"Are… you sure?" Sango sniffed.

"I'm pretty sure. Ximong had even said that he wanted to get your father to the palace as soon as possible. He might have known that would try to break into the jail."

"So, we will have to make our way to the Forbidden Palace then," Miroku stated, "It seems about right that no one would ever travel this late into the night or then he was doing something illegal."

Sango nodded. "I'm going to leave at the break of dawn." She looked uncertainly at her two friends. "Would you… go with me?"

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" Kagome smiled.

"I'm your soon to be husband, your mate for life, your other half, my love, of course I will."

"Yuck," and for the first time in awhile did Sango laugh.

A/N: Finally, Kagome is going to go to the Forbidden Palace! Things are going to get shaken up. Please review.