A/N: Well, I hope that everyone is having a very good and busy summer. I like being busy, lol. So, here's the next chapter. It's not long, I might add more before I post. Hmm… interesting thought.

Thank you everyone for keeping up with my story and reading it and thank you for all your reviews. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Four

Revealed

The man looked through the window. He recognized the girl. A smile formed on his face. This was going to be easier than he thought, and this time he was going to get it right.

His sword was gleaming in the moonlight. It was positioned right in front of his face. He struck hard and glass shattered. Glass flew, hitting Kagome. She tried to duck and collapsed on the ground.

Inuyasha heard her second scream. He had just gotten into bed, but the day had worn him out and he had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as he had lain down. He got up quickly. It was dark around him and he had no idea what was going on. Instinctively, he grabbed his sword that was right beside his bedside.

The man now had already gotten himself through the window. He jumped down, landing only a couple feet away from Kagome. She tried to get up and make a run for it. But it was all too late.

The man pulled her up, placing his sword onto her throat. Kagome sensed that she had seen him from somewhere before. All she could see was his eyes. A black cloth covered the rest of face. She tried to pull away, elbowing him in the stomach. "Inuyasha!" she called out.

"Stay still or else…" His blade was pushing harder and harder onto her throat. She could feel drops of blood fall down her neck.

"Kagome! Don't move. Everything is going to be okay." Inuyasha spoke, standing right in front of them.

Kagome sighed in relief. Inuyasha's presence just made her feel so much safer.

"Inuyasha…" the man said, his voice sounded as if he was purring.

"Naraku." Inuyasha said immediately. He would never forget that voice. "What do you want?" His sword was still in his hand behind his back. He didn't want Naraku to know that he was armed.

"Oh, you must have to know what I want," he laughed slightly, "I want you. But I want you dead," he added.

"Let Kagome go." Inuyasha held his ground firmly. He was not going to let Naraku scare him, but in reality, his heart was racing uncontrollably.

"I can't do that. At least not yet." Naraku pulled Kagome closer towards him and his blade sunk deeper into her neck.

"Inuyasha, don't do anything stupid. I'm not worth it," Kagome said, tears rolling down her face from the pain.

"Shut up," Inuyasha said in fustration. He didn't want Naraku to hurt her. He wanted nothing to happen to Kagome.

"You have to escape and get help. Inuyasha, please listen," she pleaded again.

"Quiet. This is done of your matter girl." Naraku said threateningly. He didn't want the girl. She was bait and she was not going to talk Inuyasha to escaping.

"You have your empire. China needs you, don't do this for me," Kagome continued. She didn't want Inuyasha to die for her. She loved him, and no matter how much she had denied it, she did.

"Shut up, Kagome. I would not able to live any longer if you were dead. You know that? You mean the world to me and no one is going to take you away from me." Before anyone could react to what Inuyasha said, Inuyasha pulled out his sword and swung at Naraku. He slashed his arm, and Kagome fell to the floor.

Naraku quickly lifted his sword with his other arm and prevented Inuyasha from striking him a second time. Their swords clashed, each one putting all their strength in the battle.

The furniture in the room was knocked over causing a lot commotion. Soon soldiers were called, and they surrounded the building. Inuyasha heard them coming and yelled, while lifting his sword to keep from getting hit by Naraku. "Don't come in. Anyone who disobeys will be killed."

Inuyasha was finally able to wear out Naraku. His surprise attack had helped him. He was tired and his arm hurt. Their swords struck hard. Inuyasha was pushing down on his sword as Naraku pushed up from above his head. "You're never going to beat me," Naraku snarled at him. "This empire was meant to be mine. You're nothing. This empire will crumble under your feet, and you wouldn't even know it."

Putting all his strength into it, Naraku was able to push Inuyasha off.

Kagome had watched all this. She was scared. Naraku and Inuyasha seemed to match in strength. Neither one of them were able to inflict anything on the other.

"You know nothing about how I am and what I can do," Inuyasha breathed, trying to catch his breath.

"You're useless. Your father was the same. He only won because he tricked us. He had hid his army in the forest and attacked us by surprise in the night. I want you dead, Inuyasha." Naraku jumped forward, using all of his weight to try to stab Inuyasha. Luckily, Inuyasha held up his sword in time and deflected the attack.

Quickly, Naraku regained his balance and soon their swords were clashing again with little pauses in between.

Then something occurred to Kagome. She was going to help Inuyasha. Behind her was a shelf and she grabbed a heavy stone vase. Naraku's back was now facing her. She stood up and hit Naraku hard on the head.

At this moment, Inuyasha was able to finally place his sword on Naraku's neck.

"Kill me." Naraku said, knowing deep down that Inuyasha would not. He could not live knowing that Inuyasha had defeated him twice. "You are just like your father. You can't win anything fair and square." Naraku knew that he did not usually play by the rules either, but it still vexed him that both his father and himself and lost to trickery.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. He knew that he were to kill Naraku, he would never be haunted by him again. But then… he just couldn't bring himself to do it. A man, with so much hate towards him, should not ever be granted his forgiveness…

"Men! Come in here and take this intruder away. Lock him up and chain him." His men finally came into the room.

"You're going to regret not killing me now," Naraku said monotonously as he was taken away.

&

The men left after rearranging the place to make it look decent for the night.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked her after a doctor had come look at the two of them.

"Yeah. Are you alright?" She touched her bandage above his eyebrow.

"It's just a scratch." He took her hands and held them.

"You shouldn't have risked your life for me," Kagome said looking down at their hands.

Inuyasha shook his head. "It has happened twice now. You have been close to getting killed… and it's all because of me. I don't want anything to ever to happen to you. I wouldn't be able to go on living." His last sentence was soft and ever so sincere. It warmed Kagome's heart.

"But I wouldn't have been able to live if anything were to happen to you." She looked up at him. Her eyes were watery with tears. She was so happy that he was alive. During the whole time in which he had fought, she had never stopped worrying.

Inuyasha pulled her close to him and hugged her. Her head rested on his chest and he kissed her on top of the head.

She smiled up at him. His kiss felt warm and tingles ran through her entire body.

They each knew that they were more than friends. They had feelings for each other, they loved each other. And all these feelings that were bottled up for so long had come out so easily tonight. Kagome and Inuyasha stood in each others arms knowing that their future together would be a hard road traveled.

&

That night Suga walked into the prison in the palace. The prisoners yelled at him for waking them. Suga tried as hard as possible to make his steps soft, but it was nearly impossible on the stone ground.

He had already asked the guard where Mr. Matsuo was and walked briskly to his cell.

Mr. Matsuo looked worse than he had when Sesshomaru came. His cell was a mess and his hair was covered with straw. He looked absently at the metal bars in front of him; his eyes blood-shot red.

"Yang Matsuo?" Suga asked questionably. He didn't recognize his old friend. The man that looked blankly at him was in total disarray. The Yang that he remembered was ordered, handsome, and never lost his cool.

Yang didn't respond. He just looked blankly ahead, not even really paying much attention to Suga that was right in front of him.

"I'm Suga. Don't you remember me? We used to go to school together. I'm here to help you. Sango-"

At the mention of Sango, Yang started throwing his fists, hitting them hard on the stone floor. "SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S DEAD! AND ALL BECAUSE OF WHO? BECAUSE OF ME! SHE'S DEAD. MY OWN DAUGHTER. DEAD!"

Suga didn't understand what he was saying. Sango had just come to see him. "Yang, listen to me."

"SANGO'S DEAD! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" He screamed at the top of lungs. The prisoners were all now yelling and throwing food at him to make him stop. Yang was completely going crazy.

"YANG!" Suga yelled back, finally getting his attention. "Sango isn't dead. I just met her. She's fine. She wants me to find you and help you get out of here."

Yang looked at him in silence. His head was tilted to one side. "No…" he said softly, "no… you're lying, Suga. Sango is dead because of me," He said this solemnly.

"You have to trust me. Sango isn't dead. Who told you she was dead?"

"Sesshomaru."

Suga was getting more and more confused. Why did Sesshomaru talk to Yang? "Sesshomaru?"

"He worked with Ximong to frame me. I'm sorry for how I acted before. I just completely lost it when I found out that Sango had died," Yang said slowly, he was finally regaining himself, "I absolutely broke down. She's fine, right?" asking again to make sure.

"Yes, I guarantee it. She's in the palace. Now we have to figure out a way to get you out of here, without trying to break out."

For the rest of night Suga and Yang discussed their ideas quietly, making sure no one was going to overhear their plan. By sunrise, they finally figured it out. Yang was going to get out of here and return to his city and return to his position as judge, and his accusers were not going to get away with it.

&

The women, Mai Sato, from the fabric shop tossed and turned in her sleep. Whenever she would fall asleep the same nightmare would come to haunt her. Even lying awake, Mai couldn't get what had happened nineteen years ago out of her head. It was her fault she thought. The girl that met her today… she longed for her parents and she had turned her away. Was it right of her? She shook her head furiously. No, the girl was supposed have a family. The girl that came to here today just couldn't be the one. She just couldn't be.

"Hurry! Get wet cloths and warm water." She was directing all the servants around the queen's bedroom. Late in the evening, the queen had gone into labor and the new prince or princess was soon to be born.

The queen was screaming out in pain and she held her hand, trying to help. The doctor exclaimed, "I see its head, your highness. Just push a little more. There you go," He was holding the baby in his arms already.

Sweat covered the queen's forehead. She laid her head back down on the pillow in relief. "Is it a boy or girl," she breathed, closing her eyes, waiting for the answer..

The doctor froze at the question. "You have given birth to…" he stumbled at the words, "a princess."

Shock swept over the queen. She couldn't believe. A girl. It was a girl. Her fate was sealed. She would either be forgotten or killed. Her heart ached. How she wanted a boy. In any other situation, she would be holding her baby, regardless if it was a boy and girl and love her baby with all her heart, but the emperor demanded a boy. He needed an heir.

Mai took the baby in her arms. She rocked her back and forth sadly. The baby was so beautiful. She was perfect. Mai took the baby over to the queen and placed her in the queen's arms.

"You are very blessed."

The queen looked at her baby, tears falling from her face. "If only you were a boy, your father would love you too."

Then Mai remembered something. She leaned over and whispered, "Suga's wife, I heard just went into labor…"

The queen jerked away from her. What was she suggesting? "You are saying that… I switch babies with her if she gave birth to a son?"

Mai remained silent. She didn't want to see her queen be killed.

After thinking about the idea, the queen decided that she had to do it. Suga's family was well off and would comply with her offer. The queen called one of her guards over and told him about her plans.

The guard returned quickly; Suga's wife had given birth to a boy. The baby girl was wrapped in a red blanket, still in the queen's arms. "I love you. But this is the only way if we are both going to survive." She took one of the baby's arms and bit her, leaving the baby wailing. The guard took the child away and the queen was left, crying in her bed.

By morning, Mai had finally came up with her resolution. If the girl was to return to her shop, she would check if she had the set of teeth marks and if she did than she would tell her everything that she possibly knew. She had made her mistake years ago and regretted that deeply, and the only way for her to feel alright at heart would be for her to help the girl out now.

&

Kagome and slept well that night. Even as she woke in her bed she could remember Inuyasha's arms around her. It had felt so warm and so caring.

Lin marched into the dormitories, looking for Kagome. "Wake up! Don't think that the queen is being friendly with you, that you don't have to do any work around here," Lin said angrily.

"Sorry," Kagome replied with a smile. Nothing was going to ruin her mood. "I'll get to work right away."

"You better." Her voice didn't even have a sign kindness in it.

Kagome worked all morning with Sango and Miroku by her side. They didn't get much of a chance to talk with Lin watching over them, and by the afternoon they were all sent to refill the tea.

Walking slowly, Kagome stepped into the last room that she had to go to. As she approached, she heard voices- two female voices mingling.

"Your highness," she said bowing her head to the ground, she noticed that Kikyo was sitting by the queen.

"Kagome, it's so nice to see you. Get up now." The queen held her arms and pulled her up into a standing position. "You never got to meet Kikyo, did you Kagome?"

"No, I didn't…" Kagome inverted her attention over to the young lady that was seated. Kikyo was beautiful. She looked royal. Her back was straight and her hands were placed neatly in her lap.

"Oh, Kagome!" she squealed. "You're the one that prepared those wonderful dishes for me and Inuyasha the other night. They were so delicious!"

"Thank you. I'm glad that you liked them."

Kikyo smiled at her. "You seem so nice! The queen never judges anyone wrong."

"I can only hope so," the queen said, "Tomorrow morning I was planning on going up to the mountains to the temple. Would you two want to join me? I've been there so many times. It's just so beautiful and the scène is just breath-taking from that high up."

"Oh, your highness, it would be my pleasure." Kikyo got up and hugged the queen. The queen was like a second mother to Kikyo. She looked after her and planned things that they would be able to spend more time with each other.

"I would love to," Kagome said. She could not have said anything otherwise, but she wanted to go as well. And at the temple, she knew exactly what she would ask about.

&

That night, Inuyasha met Kagome out by the bridge. He had sent Myoga earlier with a note asking Kagome to come out there.

He had thought about the lady from the fabric shop all day long. Now he wanted to find Kagome's parents probably just as much as Kagome wanted too. Inuyasha wanted to go back there and get the truth out of her.

He came to the bridge and Kagome was nowhere in sight. He sat down, throwing rocks into the water below, waiting for her.

She came soon after, she looked tired. Lin had made her work extra late for not waking up at the right time.

"Inuyasha," her voice was soft and cheery, "did you wait long? I had to do the rest of the dishes."

"No, I didn't. You look so tired, Kagome." He wished he could let her relax and not have to work for her stay at the palace.

"I'm alright," she sat next to him, her body so close to his. "Did you have any news of anything for me?"

"I wanted to ask you… if you wanted to go back to that fabric shop."

There was silence. Kagome had been thinking about this, and she didn't know what she wanted to do exactly. "I don't know… if we come again, I don't know if she's going to even tell us. You saw how shaken up she was. I just don't know if I could handle such a secret."

Inuyasha nodded. "But we could at least try again. I think you should know about it… it's your family. I don't want you to regret it later on not knowing."

"That true," Kagome smiled, "Whenever you have time we'll go. I promise."

"Okay." And he pulled her up and they walked back to her dormitories.

&

Kikyo had stayed overnight at the palace so she could leave with the queen early the next day. She turned in her bed restlessly. The bed just wasn't the same as hers back home, and she could not fall asleep.

Slowly, Kikyo got up from her bed. She decided that she needed a little bit of fresh air before she would try to fall asleep again.

The air was crisp as she stood just outside of her room. She noticed some lights a little ways ahead and decided to walk towards it. She remembered that just up ahead was the bridge- her favorite place in the palace.

Kikyo had walked a bit and heard some voices. 'Who was still up this late?' she thought.

She hid behind a tree. She didn't want to get caught wandering around the palace in the middle of the night. Kikyo peered out to see how the people were.

To her surprise, she saw Inuyasha holding Kagome in his arms. "Good night, Kagome," he said to her softly, but loud enough for Kikyo to hear.

Pain shot through Kikyo. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Inuyasha and Kagome. The look in his eyes. He had never looked at her that way. She had always dreamed of Inuyasha loving her… her knees started to buckle under her and she had to place her hand on the tree to keep from falling. But she couldn't let them get away with this. Kagome was nothing but a servant.

Kagome was just walking through the door when Kikyo appeared from behind the tree.

A/N: Kikyo is not going to let Inuyasha get away with this… or Kagome either for that fact. And finally, Inuyasha and Kagome are together… but there will be other obstacles that fall their way.

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