A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I hope you guys will like it. And thank you for reviewing and reading my story. I greatly appreciate it!

Chapter Twenty-three

Secrets to Never Tell

Inuyasha returned to his room late that night. Kikyo had thought of everything to get him to stay longer. Their words to each other were still playing back in his mind.

"Kikyo, just give it up," he had said angrily. Kikyo looked at him, hurt written across her face.

"Inuyasha… why do you always treat me like this?"

He looked at her, already regretting what he had just said. "I think of you as my sister, Kikyo… but nothing more."

Tears were forming in her eyes. "What am I doing wrong? Tell me I'll change," she pleaded to him, grabbing his robe so he could not walk off.

You're self-centered. All you want are expensive lavish things and servants by your side. Everything is done for you. You never think for yourself. You would never be able to be the queen that China needs. Inuyasha thought of all this, but couldn't bring himself to say it to her face. "I'm tired. Let go," he said rigidly. Kikyo immediately let go, standing back and seeing him go.

Shaking his head he got into bed. How he longed now for a normal life… just a commoner would be alright with him.

&

It was near one in the morning when Sesshomaru walked into the prison area held in the palace. His steps echoed on the hard stone floor. The prisoners roused to the sound, each yelling because of the disturbance.

Walking about half way down the narrow passage, he stopped. The man that was held in this cell was lying on his stomach, his hair covering his face completely.

"Wake up," Sesshomaru said callously. The man stirred, but didn't lift his face. "Wake up!" he said louder.

This time the man slowly got into a sitting position, his face still staring at the ground. "Show me your face, Mr. Matsuo."

Mr. Matsuo lifted his face. "What do you want, Sesshomaru?" he spat. "Why are you doing this for Ximong? You're going to get caught. You know that right? This is injustice and the law will make it right."

A smile spread across Sesshomaru's face. "We all have our reasons for doing things. I'm just not going to let you on the secret."

The two glared at one another. Each was powerful, each was clever. "Why did you come so late? So no one would be able to see that you are here? Are you scared of getting caught?" Mr. Matsuo daunted him.

"Oh, no. Me, scared of our emperor? No. That's not why I came late. If you didn't know, officials aren't allowed in here until dark. It helps to stop the prisoners from escaping, you see. Everyone in here is either very dangerous… or was very powerful once. They don't want either group being set loose. It could be very hazardous. I came tonight just to see how you were holding up and … to tell you that your daughter had died." With this last word, Sesshomaru turned to leave.

Shock swept through Mr. Matsuo. His daughter… Sango… dead. He couldn't believe his ears. How could she have? In the act of trying to save him? His voice stuck in his throat. He was unable to ask Sesshomaru how his daughter had died. Words that he needed to form a sentence eluded him. He laid his back on the cold wall, clutching his heart and letting out an ear shattering scream.

Sesshomaru walked briskly out of the prison. He had done what he had intended to do. Break all hope for Mr. Matsuo for escape- for justice. He remembered Ximong telling him that Sango had said that she was going to get her father out and that he should be carefully. And he had scoffed. He was not going to be terrorized by a girl.

&

Myoga shook Inuyasha to wake him. Today was going to be the day of the emperor's parade. The soldiers and the dancers were all lined up outside. Rows and rows of horses were arranged. Each was trained and was to march in straight ahead.

Inuyasha's carriage was the most magnificent piece of the whole parade. It was lined with gold and had ivory carvings on the sides. The horses that were to pull it were white stallions.

The emperor couldn't believe the day had come. He was to announce that he was emperor to his people. His robe gleamed in the sunlight as he walked out towards his carriage.

"Wait Myoga. I just remembered something," Inuyasha said quickly. He had to get Kagome. Since he would be going into the city, he would be able to help Kagome find her parents.

He hurried to the kitchens to get her. "Kagome."

She stood up from her crouched position. "Inuyasha…" She had never seen him in his emperor's robe. He looked so different- so much older and wiser.

"The parade is today. I want you to come and then I could help you find your parents after it is over. We could start by asking all the fabric shops."

Kagome smiled. It was all Inuyasha needed. She got the piece of cloth from her room and walked with Inuyasha to his carriage.

"You'll have to follow Myoga, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Kagome's eyes wandered up and down the long line of people. Everything looked just splendid. The moment after Inuyasha was set in his carriage, they began moving instantly.

Myoga and Kagome didn't have a horse or carriage to ride in and were left to walk in the back of the group. "You want to find your parents, don't you?" Myoga asked, startling Kagome.

"I guess I do." Her hand clutched the cloth even tighter.

Myoga scrunched his face, trying to find the right words. "I don't mean to get into your business… but I think that it is best for you and Inuyasha to know that you two will only be able to be friends."

Kagome knew that Myoga was just trying to help Inuyasha and she wasn't upset. She had thought about her feelings for awhile now and she had already come up with the same conclusion. He was emperor and she was a child that her parents had abandoned. "I know that Myoga. I'll talk to Inuyasha about it tonight."

"I'm glad that you understand," he sighed in relief.

&

They continued to walk in silence and finally they reached the gates of the city. People had anticipated his arrival and were standing on the sides of the streets in hope of getting a glimpse of the young emperor.

Inuyasha looked out of his small window. No one could possibly see his entire face. As the carriage passed, the people would all bow down to him. "Your highness," they all said in unison.

Up ahead, he heard a women cry out. "He's not a worthy emperor! I would never bow down to him." She was screaming at him.

The soldiers immediately subdued her, pushing her to the ground and back your kneel down to the emperor. Inuyasha couldn't understand why she would be yelling at him. He hadn't done anything major yet. But his father had. He had come and overthrown the last dynasty. Inuyasha swallowed hard. He was to have to gain the trust and loyalty of his people, and it was hard for him know that someone out there would always hate him.

He called over to the soldiers that were now holding the women. "Let her go," he commanded.

"You don't deserve what you have. Don't you see all these people starving?" She pointed to the people around her. All of them dropped their faces to the ground. Yet, Inuyasha did notice that all of them were dressed in rags and here he was in his gold carriage and a golden robe. "You have done nothing to help us. You live in your royal palace, ignorant of how our lives our and you call yourself an emperor." She spat to the ground and turned to leave.

Kagome looked at the carriage, hoping to catch a glimpse of Inuyasha. She wondered how he had taken this. The women couldn't blame Inuyasha for her life.

Inuyasha stared at the woman's back. He knew that what she had said could not be any truer. What had he done for his people? Nothing. Nothing at all. He had been worried about Sesshomaru and building a navy and getting back his men from the northern border, but he had nothing for the common people of China.

&

The parade soon ended and Inuyasha changed into common clothes. "Sorry that you had to walk." He said once he saw Kagome.

"It's alright. It was nice seeing the parade. And that woman…"

"She's right," he said frankly.

Kagome looked at him bewildered. "You don't mean that? You've been emperor for how long? A couple weeks? You can't make everyone's lives better. That is impossible."

"No, I can't make everyone's lives better, but I can at least try. I haven't been focusing on the welfare of the common people like I should have."

Kagome looked at him. Trying to study every part of his face. "You've changed, Inuyasha."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" he asked uncomfortably.

Kagome laughed at him. "It's good."

"Then let's go to those fabric shops." Inuyasha led Kagome into the biggest fabric shop in the city.

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" a young lady asked them.

Kagome's hands stiffened. She gripped the cloth tighter and held it close. "I …" she began, but was unable to bring herself to finish.

"We were wondering if you have ever seen this type of cloth before," Inuyasha said for Kagome.

Kagome handed the cloth over to the lady and she shook her head. "This cloth seems awfully old. I don't think we carry that kind any more."

"But have you seen it before? Did you use to sell it?" Inuyasha pushed on.

The young lady thought carefully before answering, "No, I don't think so."

This same scene occurred in all of the following fabric shops. Everyone would shake their heads and Kagome's spirit dwindled with each passing shop.

"Don't give up hope," Inuyasha comforted. Kagome was trying not to show her feelings but she couldn't help it.

"Let's go back to the palace. I'm tired. No one has ever seen this cloth. Maybe it's just a lost cause."

"No, it isn't. Come on. There's another fabric shop down there." He pointed to a little shop at the end of the street.

"It's no use. They're just going to shake their head at us."

Inuyasha was not going to give up. He grabbed Kagome's hand and dragged her to the shop. "There is still hope," he told her as they approached the door.

"Sure, whatever you say." She pushed open the door and walked in.

The lady that was standing behind the counter was elderly. She looked about ten years older than the queen. Wrinkles creased her face and her grey hair was tied up into a bun. She greeted them warmly and Inuyasha asked her about the cloth. Kagome pulled it from behind her back and handed it to the woman.

The woman took the cloth. She studied it for a moment. "This cloth… it's so familiar. I might I have sold it before." She searched her memory. Then she remembered. The cloth dropped to the ground.

"Do you remember?" Kagome asked.

The women stared ahead. Her hands were shaking. "No… no…" she mutters. "I don't know anything." She quickly regains composure and picks up the cloth, handing it back to Kagome. "I just remembered something that I had to do today. I'm sorry. I don't know anything."

Kagome and Inuyasha exchange glances. "Please tell me if you do something. It means so much that I know," Kagome begged.

"I don't know anything, child." The woman looks at Kagome. She bites her lip. Her heart aches to tell her everything that she knew, but she knew that she just couldn't. She had promised to never tell.

"I'm begging you. If you can tell me… it would mean the world," Kagome pleaded again, "My parents left me on a doorstep with only this on me. I want to find them…"

The woman shook her head. "I don't know. Please, stop. I don't know anything." She was about to break down any second. This girl, why was she left on the doorstep? Things didn't fit. She wasn't supposed to be left on a doorstep. She was supposed to have a family. Not hers, but a mother and father nonetheless.

Maybe she was mistaken. The cloth, maybe it wasn't the same. But now that she had remembered she was sure of it. The little baby girl's face, the red cloth, she would never forget it. That night would always live with her.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Kagome finally said. "I'm sorry for pressuring you to tell me. It was very wrong of me." She turned to leave and Inuyasha followed her.

"She knows something, Kagome. She just wasn't telling you," he said as soon as they were outside.

Kagome sighed. "Maybe she has a reason for not telling me. It probably is really awful if she dropped the piece of cloth. Did you see how her hands were shaking? It was as if it was a really bad memory that she remembered."

Inuyasha nodded, agreeing with her. "Let's go get something to eat and then we'll head back to the palace."

&

They settled down in a nice looking restaurant. Inuyasha ordered and they sat silently- neither knowing what to say.

"So, who is Kikyo?" Kagome finally asked him.

"How do you know about Kikyo?" He eyed her curiously before answering her question.

"The queen talked about her with me," Kagome lied.

"She's just a friend. My mom makes her to be so much more. She keeps on setting us up. I really don't understand it."

"I see."

"What? Jealous?" Inuyasha laughs.

"NO!"

"Sure you're not. That's why you asked about her," he jokes.

Kagome, taking it seriously, "I am not jealous! I was just curious. Anyways, there can't be anything between us."

Her last sentence wiped Inuyasha's smile off of his face. "What do you mean, 'there can't be anything between us?' "

Kagome regretted saying it. She hadn't meant to put it in those words. "I just mean that… that we can't be anything further than friends," she finished.

"I wasn't planning on having you as my real wife." Inuyasha's eyes were as hard as stone. Her sentence had hurt him and now he had just hurt her.

"Now that we have things clear, we can eat." Kagome couldn't believe that he had said that. He didn't have any feelings for her after all. She picked up her chopstick and started shoving food in her mouth.

&

Inuyasha rented out a horse to ride back to the palace. He mounted gracefully and Kagome clumsily got on the back.

"The stars are pretty, huh?" she said trying to lighten their moods. There was no point at her being bitter with him. She already had established that she wasn't going to be anything more than friends before tonight.

"Yeah, the skies are so clear. I wish I could have more days like this. Without having to deal with my officials, without reading over papers. Just relaxing." He could sense that Kagome was trying to look past what they had discussed at the restaurant and he would try to forget it all as well.

Kagome's head rested on his shoulder. Her arms were wrapped around his waist. "Being royal doesn't mean you have everything then, does it?"

"I wish sometimes I wasn't. Then I wouldn't have all of China's problems. They would all be someone else's."

"You'll be a good emperor."

"I could only wish. There's just so much power lying in my hands. So many people want it… and so many would die in the attempt to get it."

Kagome didn't know what to say to it. Did someone want to take his before? Had they tried and failed?

They returned to the palace and Inuyasha walked Kagome to her room. "Good night," he said simply.

"Good night and thank you for helping me today."

"You're welcome. If you want, I could go back to the shop again with you. She knows something, Kagome. It might be all you need to know how your parents are."

Kagome merely nodded. Inuyasha walked off and Kagome stood outside to see him leave. Just as she was about to go inside, something caught her eye. It was Inuyasha's gold passport. It glinted in the moon's glow. She picked it up off of the ground where he had been standing.

It was dark and she didn't want to call out his name to get him to return. She quickly went inside and woke Miroku. "Where's Inuyasha's room?"

"Huh?" Miroku rubbed his eyes, trying to see who it was that woke him.

"Where's Inuyasha's room? He dropped something and I have to give it back to him."

"Oh, it's you Kagome. It's just the one on the right of the queen's."

"Thanks," and Kagome left.

The queen's quarters were easy to find and she made a right to get to Inuyasha's. The lights were already out in his room, but Kagome decided to just walk in and leave it on the table.

She quietly walked in, trying hard not to wake him if he was already asleep. She placed the passport on the middle table. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha's bed that was on the far side of the room. On the all of both sides of the room were windows. Kagome looked around the dark room and then noticed that in one of the windows there was a shadow of a man holding a sword up to his face.

Kagome screamed.

A/N: Okay, I was trying really hard to come up with a last sentence that I really didn't want to make it to complicated that it would defeat the meaning, so I thought simple would work. So who's the man? It's someone that has already showed up in the story before.

Please review! And thanks for reading!