IV – The Western Castle

Just as promised, the two travellers reached their destination at dawn. Inuyasha could see the newly-risen sun behind his father's castle silhouetted before them in all its magnificence and despite the unwelcome people who inhabited it, as he did every time he returned, he couldn't help but smile and be thankful that he had a place to call home. He knew fate could have been much crueler with him, as with so many other half-demons; his father could have died the night he was born, and his mother would have had to return to her father's estate, where she would most likely have been consumed day after day by her grief. He barely glanced towards Kagome, who was still sleeping peacefully with her cheek resting between his neck and shoulders, her lips stretched into a most serene smile, and it was impossible for him not to feel happy, even though the road ahead presented no small amount of danger.

He tightened his grip on her and turned again to look at the castle.

Slowly and feeling the fatigue of the day that had just passed – not so much the physical fatigue as the emotional one – he emerged from the semi-darkness that had hidden him from the eyes of the guards at the main gate. He approached them, thankful that they weren't the ones who hated him and were always trying to get in his way; Kagome's presence would have elicited a lot of complaints from them – as if they could really object. The two looked at him in surprise but did not mention the passenger he was carrying when they greeted him.

"Inuyasha-sama, we were expecting you earlier; your mother is very worried," the one on the right informed him. The half-demon was not surprised to hear it; the princess was constantly fussing over him, although he was now 200 years old and had become an experienced warrior under his father's guidance.

"There have been some unforeseen events in the village," he conceded as his only explanation. He then made to go through the gates, but the one on the left held him back.

"I hope nothing serious, Inuyasha-sama. Is everything alright?"

The hanyou couldn't tell if he was genuinely worried about him, about the human girl he carried on his shoulder and showed no signs of life, or wanted to pry into things that didn't concern him. He stopped and inhaled deeply, praying to find an ounce of the patience he had long since lost to keep up with Kagome's convoluted reasoning and her doubts; he managed not to answer rudely but preferred to keep his mouth shut anyway. Resuming his movement, he only offered a nod, not even turning to look at him and keeping his gaze fixed in front of him.

Only a few seconds had passed when, on the opposite side of the long main gravel road, the huge wooden doors opened abruptly, revealing a tall female figure.

As if summoned by her maternal instincts, perhaps sensing his presence even though she had no demonic abilities, Izayoi rushed to the castle's entrance. Her still young facial features, even though she had long since passed the age normally accorded to a human being, were distorted into a concerned expression; slender fingers held up the hems of her long, colourful kimono to keep her from falling off as she walked briskly towards them, and a few drops of sweat beaded her pale skin from exertion. Who knows which wing of the castle she had come from, Inuyasha thought, but judging by her quickened pulse and heavy breathing, she must have been running for a while.

It was amazing how she proved to be perfectly in tune with him every time as if whatever bond they had had when they were still one in her womb had survived birth and continued to mature over the years. In other words, Izayoi had a highly developed maternal instinct that allowed her this and more when it came to her one and only beloved son.

"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, distressed, when they were still a few metres away and she still hadn't caught sight of Kagome behind him."Inuyasha, you had me so worried! Your father told me it would be a-" She froze as soon as he reached her and finally saw that he was not alone. "Honey?"

"Hi, Mom," he smiled at her, "It's good to see you."

"Oh, honey!" She took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead, not being able to embrace him as she would have liked; the demons around them ignored that display of affection, being used to it by now. "But come, come, we will talk inside. Shall I call a healer?" she asked, lowering her voice and casting a glance at the girl who gave no sign of being disturbed by the two's intimate greeting. Should Inuyasha be worried because she still wasn't waking up? No, he told himself, it had been hard for her those last few days, after all, and she clearly needed her rest.

The half-demon shook his head and then offered his arm to her, walking towards the entrance. "I think it's best to put her in a room, after perhaps helping her undress. Could you take care of that, mother?"

Izayoi nodded immediately and Inuyasha was grateful for her lack of inquisition, even though he knew she would have loved to pepper him with questions about who this girl was and why she needed a place in the castle. "I will place her in one of the guest rooms in the wing reserved for us, so she will be safe. I will personally choose those who will assist me in the task. Come, come."

With the same speed with which she had rushed outside, the princess began to walk the long corridors of the castle like a true expert, still retaining her usual grace and without showing for a second the inner turmoil caused by that surprise. But she trusted her son and could read him like no one else. Inuyasha had changed in the space of a day; she still didn't know how or why, but she could see the signs of a transformation taking place. Above all, there was a new light that she had never seen in his eyes. For Izayoi it was undoubtedly a positive sign, and whatever news or difficulties the newcomer would bring, whatever happened, she knew that everything would work out for the best. She just had to be patient and believe in the men she loved.


Once he was sure that Kagome was in good hands, Inuyasha hurried to his father who – no doubt – was waiting for him. When he arrived at his office, Toga had just finished talking to one of his subordinates; he looked up at his youngest son, not at all surprised to see him, and signalled to the other to leave them.

"I was waiting for you," he exclaimed once they were alone. "I heard your mother rushing towards the entrance a while ago. Did she keep you long? Is that why you're late?" Usually, the half-demon would head to him without delay when returning from a mission, but it also happened to be slowed down more than expected by Izayoi and her need to show him how much she had missed him.

"Not really," was Inuyasha's reply as he approached. "Don't you want to know how it went?"

Toga arched an eyebrow but didn't ask any questions, knowing that by the end of the conversation his son would explain everything to him even if he didn't inquire. He was happy with their relationship and he felt like he had been given a second chance after his failure with Sesshomaru. Not that he had any preference between the two, but it was undeniable the distance the eldest had always kept and that had only increased since the day he had found Izayoi. "Of course," he agreed.

"Did you know that village is full of people who despise demons?"

Toga smiled sadly. "Of course. Being in charge of relations with the humans living on the border of our lands, I am well aware of who is more willing and who is not. Why exactly do you think I sent you urgently? Not everyone is like that, as far as I remember, but the majority don't see eye to eye with us. It's a good thing the headman fears me; not that I like to rely on those kinds of feelings, but otherwise, they would give us even more trouble."

"Keh, I figured as much. I didn't even set foot across the border that two priestesses were already there to attack me," he huffed, annoyed.

"You didn't make a mess, did you?" asked Toga again.

"Dad! I really thank you for your trust in me." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, you can't blame me; I know my son." He smiled.

"And yet you sent me in your stead," Inuyasha continued, throwing him a dirty look.

Toga patted him on the back, continuing to smile. "Of course, I knew you wouldn't actually try to make the problem worse, and that at the end of the day you can tell when it's worth fighting or not. So, leaving aside these two priestesses whom I hope you got rid of soon enough, how did the meeting with the headman and the victim's families go?"

"Well," the half-demon began to scratch the back of his head nervously at the thought of Kagome but decided to speak before the rest. "The headman didn't appear that sorry about what happened if you want the truth; he was only too happy with the gold you sent and couldn't wait to get rid of me. The dead man's relatives, on the other hand... wouldn't even let me in and wanted nothing. The headman agreed to take care of their sum and talk to them for me." He snorted again. "But I knew that if I did, they wouldn't see even a bit of the money you had sent and, honestly, if it had been up to me, I wouldn't have given the guy anything; he and a lot of the other inhabitants looked too fat and satisfied, as well as people of the worst kind."

His father nodded, agreeing. "And so, what decision did you make about that?"

"I let the idiot know that I would take care of it myself and waited for someone to appear. Eventually, a little girl showed up. She seemed quite scared at first, but I managed to convince her to take the gold and told her not to let her parents know where it came from, to try and hide it somehow. It may go unused, but at least it won't serve to fatten up more people who don't deserve it." He felt the blood boil in his veins at the mere thought of what had come out of certain people's mouths, and his suddenly blacker mood did not go unnoticed by Toga.

"I see no one has made a good impression on you. I didn't expect such a strong reaction from you, even though you weren't enthusiastic about the task."

"Keh, I do have reasons to hate those bastards," he stated, raising his voice and surprising his father.

"What is it you're saving for last, Inuyasha?" he asked, realising that it was no longer the case to wait for some answers. The half-demon sighed and running a hand over his face, he finally slumped onto a pillow beside him, as if suddenly feeling the full weight of those last hours on his shoulders. Toga looked at him worriedly and approached him, touching him with his fingers for comfort. "Inuyasha, calm down; you know we can work everything out, whatever happened. If it is necessary, I will go there myself and postpone everything el-"

"No, you don't understand, Dad; I didn't screw up anything. It's just... damn, how do I tell you?" he huffed, pulling at a few strands of hair.

"Start at the beginning," he murmured. "Where does this story you want to tell me start?"

Inuyasha sighed a second time. "A priestess," he finally revealed.

"A priestess," his father repeated. "One of those who stood in your way when you arrived?"

"No, no." Inuyasha shook his head. "A third one – that village is full of them!"

"No wonder," Toga confirmed. "Did she behave like her companions?"

"Not at all. When I met her, her back was turned, and I saw her stiffen. Soon after the smell of her fear invaded the whole clearing. Dad, it seemed–no, she was terrified. Her reaction was opposite to what I expected from a woman trained to fight demons..."

The dai-youkai grimaced. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but unfortunately, we can't say this is the first time misinformed people have an outsized fear of half-demons."

"No, no, let me finish, that's not all yet." Toga looked at him sceptically, but let him speak. "But tell me... do you remember how the first meeting between you and Mom went?"

"I don't see how it would matter right now, honestly. Inuyasha, if you please, I am worried about you and would like to understand what it is that has destabilised you and provoked such anger in you," he replied, now growing impatient.

"It has everything to do with it; I need to know!" Inuyasha snapped, getting up suddenly and shooing his hand away. "At some point, you all stopped talking to me about it, convinced that it was hurting me and also believing that there wasn't much of a chance for me. So now I want to know!"

Toga looked at him, surprised by that outburst. "Why would you want to know, I don't see how-" he stopped and gaped, unable to believe that possibility. "It's not possible that... I mean, a priestess-"

"Dad," Inuyasha almost begged him; he could no longer live in uncertainty and wanted to know if there was even a chance that he hadn't been mistaken, that everything was really what he had believed it to be.

At that point, it was Toga who had to sit down, dumbfounded. "Well... it was your mother who started it all. As you know, one must first experience a particularly traumatic event, something catastrophic. We can't know if there's a rational part behind the whole process – I don't think so – but it seems that no one had to wait for more than one day. Then, one look and you know. I remember standing still and looking at her, I was... enchanted and at the same time, I felt an attraction I had never felt before, a force pushing me towards her with an intensity I never thought possible. And I knew that, well, I had found her. Even my demonic senses left no doubt. When she told me what had happened to her, I had the ultimate confirmation. She later confided in me that she had sensed the same thing the moment our eyes had met."

"A force pushing you towards her..." repeated Inuyasha, shocked. "God, Dad, is it possible, then?" he asked, staring at him intensely, hopeful.

"Only you can really know. You know that despite the research I've done I've never read of a half-demon finding a soulmate, but that could be because both humans and demons are very prejudiced. This may have prevented any kind of encounter. Yet... a priestess." He shook his head at the improbability of it all. "Perhaps you had better start over again, son."

Inuyasha nodded. "Maybe I can't explain it any better than you can... but the moment she looked up I felt something pulling me towards her, some sort of lace joining us. But the smell of her fear destabilised me; I thought she recognized the moment – in fact, I'm sure she did – and I didn't want her to dread me."

"Did she?"

"Worse, dad, worse. That priestess was betrothed to the man Sesshomaru killed... before her eyes," he finally confessed, leaving his father even more stunned. "She watched as he murdered him in cold blood! She even asked me if I had returned to finish what that bast-Sesshomaru had started," he concluded, restraining himself in front of his father.

Toga ran a hand through his hair, partially undoing his neat ponytail. "That certainly complicates things," he stated; his son looked at him as if to say, wryly, "You think so?"

"We can understand why she was scared. She must have connected you two, and you, at some point, must have explained to her why you were there." Inuyasha nodded. "And how are we to connect this unexpected discovery with the rest of the villagers?"

Without dragging it out any longer, having wasted too much time already – mostly because he wanted to go back and see how Kagome was doing, as he couldn't stay too far away from her – Inuyasha recounted everything that had happened, from the rumours to what her grandfather had told him, not leaving a single detail out.

When the tale was over, Toga felt like he had never felt in all his long life, and nothing he had learned came to his aid. Finally, he asked, "So is she here at the castle? With Izayoi?" Inuyasha nodded at both questions. He sighed. "That's certainly a lot of information and nothing I expected from this assignment, but... I'm proud of you. You handled it perfectly, especially your emotions, and you had the right to be angry or confused." Then he patted him on the back and burst out laughing. "Oh, wait 'till you see your mother's reaction, especially when she finds out you didn't tell her right away." Then he noticed that his son did not look happy at all. "Why do you still look in a bad mood? I thought you would be ecstatic!"

"I would be... I would be if the situation wasn't so complicated," he admitted sadly.

"It isn't, Inuyasha. She's here and her family has given you their consent. Do you have any idea what that means given your history with humans? Do you think I got the same from your mother's family or do I need to remind you of how she was disowned?"

"You got mother's, though, and that's what matters most."

At that point, Toga began to understand. "She rejected you? But that's not possible... you're her soulmate! Then why is she here at the castle?"

"Keh, no, nothing like that. Not yet at least."

"Not yet? Inuyasha! You mean to tell me that you asked for her hand, travelled with her, she's here at the castle and you haven't even discussed the matter yet? This story is getting more absurd by every second," he exclaimed as he began pacing across the room. "I don't understand, son; really, help me to understand you better. I have never had so much difficulty." He approached him again and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Inuyasha bowed his head, unable to sustain his father's gaze as he said the next words. "You couldn't understand, besides," he murmured with an edge to his voice, "you don't know how it feels to be... me. Why would mother reject you, after all?" he chuckled, not at all amused by that confession.

His father clearly perceived the sentiment embedded in those words and once again felt guilty for sins that were not his own. He had dedicated his entire existence to the cohabitation of demons and humans, but at the end of the day those who lived in between were always frowned upon and cast out. His son hadn't had an easy life and had grown up without friends at the castle, spending all his time with his mother when he was away on missions. As he matured, Inuyasha had hardened his armour and met people worthy of his presence during his travels, but Toga had always hoped that those like him could find a soulmate because, as individuals capable of understanding both sides of the coin, half-demons were special. However, those who shared that thought were rare and his studies had not provided answers. Eventually, seeing Inuyasha's suffering, always so clearly no matter how much he tried to hide it, he and his mate decided not to have any more children. The thought of condemning another person was inconceivable. Yet, now Inuyasha had a chance and still prejudice threatened to make him throw it away. Could the soul chosen for him by the gods turn out to be so mean? Toga didn't think so. The difficult thing would be to make him understand, even though he well comprehended the reason for his last words and the scepticism behind them.

"I spent the last few hours seething with doubt, not understanding her gestures and telling myself a thousand different things. In the end, I concluded that the only reason she came with me to the castle was to escape from that man to whom the rest of the village wanted to give her in marriage. And at one point I even believed she saw me as that being." He covered his face with his hands, shaking his head. "I told myself that I wouldn't be selfish, that I would let her be free, have a chance to start again elsewhere. But I can't do it, I can't do it," he exclaimed, desperate. "Just the thought of being away from her, even at this moment, kills me inside. It's as if this force is pushing me to be with her all the time, making sure she's fine and that she has everything she needs. How can I even think of letting her live a life of her own where I'm not even contemplated?" he concluded, finally looking up at his father.

Toga was glad his son wasn't holding all those conflicting emotions inside him but, at the same time, desolate to learn how many doubts were tearing him apart. "Inuyasha, how can you even compare yourself to a man who killed his wife or people who for their own quiet lives are willing to sell out their neighbours?" The thing that killed him the most was the knowledge that Inuyasha thought this of himself. "Don't you see? This is proof that blood doesn't matter. Those people are the real monsters, not you! And if the gods saw fit to put you on the same path as that girl, it was because they knew you would be her salvation. Another man wouldn't have thought twice about abandoning her to her fate, but instead, without even accounting to yourself or your feelings, you offered her more than she would ever have believed possible – I'm sure of it."

"I keep telling myself that if I married her, she would live thinking she had settled and would end up hating me," Inuyasha confessed again. Never, despite the two of them having a very good relationship, had he bared his soul like that. However, he had never been so confused or felt such feelings. He felt that if he didn't expel them immediately, they would find a way to wear him down from the inside, day by day until they made his life impossible. He wasn't lucid, he couldn't sort out all those different thoughts and his father was the only person he trusted – maybe he could help him out.

"Oh, you will have to talk to her about that. Still, believe me when I tell you that life in the villages is not as simple as you think, especially when it comes to marriages and love – as you have partly seen," Toga smiled empathetically. "But none of this will make sense if you don't decide to open up with her first. You are afraid and I can understand where that comes from, but have you ever thought about her doubts, her fears? You said she was frightened of you, of the possibility of you behaving like Sesshomaru... And meanwhile, she has undoubtedly experienced traumatic events and might believe the same about you. Why couldn't you be the one to settle for her? Remember what they said about her and think about what she might have thought," he reasoned.

"Keh," Inuyasha huffed. "Who would ever think that I have so many options that I have to settle? I am a half-demon, after all."

"Inuyasha," exclaimed his father, annoyed and stern. "You're still thinking like your enemy and ignoring that part of the world that believes in you! What happened to our teachings? You are like any other, with your feelings and needs. I can't believe your soulmate could have such mean ideas, nor do you do her justice by harbouring such thoughts." His tone was harsh, as it was every time Toga heard his son speak so badly of himself. "I am sure that if she heard such words leave your mouth she would be deeply offended."

"Then why did she not speak to me, ask me anything about this bond we both felt?" He raised his arms in the air as if he wanted to find another reason to be right and feel pity for himself while, at the same time, begging his father to prove him wrong.

Toga knew him well and read his gestures smoothly. "And why didn't you ask her? Didn't you talk to her about it? Are you afraid of rejection?" he asked before being interrupted. "The situation is delicate for both of you, yet she is the one who has experienced the worst day of her life, not you. Remember that, Inuyasha."

At that point, the half-demon was speechless and, rewinding every memory in his mind, he reviewed everything with extreme clarity, reading her gestures and words a second time to analyse and understand them better. Everything seemed to be telling him just that: Kagome was even more afraid of being rejected and, worse, abandoned. He remembered her reaction when he had proposed that she go live in another village and how absurd it had seemed to him that she cried and despaired at the thought. But what would another person in her place have thought if the man who had just sworn to protect you now proposed to leave you in an unknown place? "I've been a damn fool," he muttered after those reflections, remaining speechless.

"Yeah, well, I don't know what exactly you're referring to," his father assented, bringing his hand to his chin, "but I guess as an adjective it will do. Luckily, you still have plenty of time to make up for it."


As Toga tried to help his son sort through the chaos currently ruling his heart and mind, Kagome awoke in an unfamiliar room. At first, she thought she was dreaming, any dream that would allow her to escape the grim reality that had become her life. Then, everything suddenly came rushing back to her: meeting Inuyasha, what she felt, her grandfather's tale, the proposal and her fear of being abandoned. However, before she could burst into tears, she remembered his last words and, looking around, she finally realised that she didn't know where she was.

"Oh, you're awake, dear. How are you feeling?" A voice coming from her right made her jolt. Kagome turned her head sharply and before her she saw the most beautiful woman she had ever met, which caused her no small amount of inferiority complexes, although she had never really paid much attention to physical appearance; it was not what usually mattered to a priestess. She pulled the silk sheets that covered her legs up to her chest and took a few extra seconds to study her as best she could, without even realising that the other was waiting for her reply. She had very long, ebony hair that reached past her waist, an oval face accompanied by a serene smile and brown eyes; she had not even the slightest trace of imperfection. Her diaphanous skin made her look almost porcelain, yet Kagome immediately felt that this woman was anything but weak. She didn't know how or why, but that gentle expression told her that her all-too-fragile appearance was just part of that, an appearance.

Kagome obviously couldn't have known that she had had two centuries of experience to harden her skin and live as peacefully as possible with her mate and son. Nor could she have imagined that, at that moment, Izayoi was seeing in her the ghost of who she had once been; a truly fragile woman who had grown up to be only a wife and mother to the best buyer.

Recovering from her surprise, the young miko immediately recalled where she was and, looking again at the clothes the other was wearing, immediately imagined that she was in the presence of someone of special importance in that castle. She lowered her head and in a partly trembling voice said, "Please excuse me, I panicked for a moment. I would never have made you wait so long otherwise, nor should you have taken the trouble to wait for me to wake up. I assure you-"

Thin fingers and the echo of a crystalline laugh interrupted her. "What are you apologising for, dear? There is no need. Now, what I really want to know is how you are feeling after the long journey you have faced. My son mentioned that the last few days have been particularly difficult for you and that you could have gone on sleeping for a while longer."

"Son?" repeated Kagome, shocked.

"Oh, how careless of me. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself; I didn't do the honours at all. You may call me Izayoi; I am Inuyasha's mother, the half-demon you travelled with," she added in case the girl had a small lapse of memory.

That answer sent Kagome completely into a state of panic. Mother? She thought to herself alarmed, but if Inuyasha was the Inu-no-Taisho's son then that means that she was…

"Are you alright?" asked the princess again as she began to notice the pallor on Kagome's face and visualize different scenarios, especially knowing how people usually reacted to the mention of her hanyou son. "Inuyasha did not reveal the specifics of your encounter to me, but I hope he did not behave rudely. I'm not saying this because I'm his mother, but I can assure you that he is a man of manners and kindness as soon as he throws off the bad boy mask." She paused, imagining well how Inuyasha would react if he knew she had just said such things and realising that the girl wasn't paying attention to her anyway. She tilted her head to the side, observing her better and trying to solve the mystery.

"His mother?" repeated Kagome, stupefied. "I'm sorry, I'm immensely sorry," she added, clutching the fabric of the sheets firmly between her fingers. "I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble; I never wanted to."

Izayoi would have loved to laugh at that reaction; of all the things the young woman had thought about, nothing seemed to fit with the usual human prejudices she had experienced so much in more than two centuries of life. And to say that despite her old title – in reality, she had not been a princess for centuries, ever since her father had disowned her – and the position she held as Toga's wife, humans were always quick to denigrate her and treat her as the lowest of women as soon as they learnt that she had given birth to a half-demon, laid next to a demon. This girl, on the other hand, worried that she had done her harm. She covered her lips with the fingers of one hand while the other sought out Kagome's and untangled them, causing her to loosen her grip on the sheets. They were cold and white and Izayoi considered how bewildered she might be at that moment; after all, she had been in a similar situation years and years ago. "You don't have to apologise for anything... Kagome. I can call you that, can't I?"

"C-certainly, Izayoi-sama," Kagome nodded, still not looking up.

"Just Izayoi is fine."

The other nodded again, thinking at the same time how old this woman in her presence might be despite her appearance. "Inuyasha didn't misbehave with me," she murmured with an edge to her voice, aware that whatever quarrel there had been between them was not just the half-demon's fault. It would not have been fair to make her mother believe otherwise.

"I'm glad to hear that," Izayoi affirmed, giving her a gentle tap on the hand. "His father and I can't help but be concerned for him every time he goes to some human village. It gives him experience, of course, but when you become a mother you will understand what it feels like to know that your child is not accepted for who he is."

Kagome's cheeks suddenly turned scarlet and she began to stammer, not even knowing if Izayoi was aware of why she was there. Just imagining such a thing a few days earlier would have brought to her mind a child with a bit of her and a bit of Hojo. Now, telling her about this was the mother of the man who had received permission from her family to marry her, one she knew nothing about and, at the same time, seemed to be the one chosen for her by the gods. This soulmates' business wasn't so simple to accept or understand, not if all your life you had grown up thinking they were fairytale-like stories. And Kagome, despite the bond and attraction she felt, still found it hard to wrap her head around the fact that an unknown person was perfect for her, let alone someone who sent her such different and strange signals – the fact that his mother had assured her it was only a mask had not heartened her.

Izayoi's next words involuntarily provided her with the answer to her doubt. "When he wants to, my son can be of few words. He used to tell me everything but since he became a man and started following in his father's footsteps…" She sighed. "So, woman to woman, why don't you tell me what circumstances bring you to us?" she asked her, smiling, trying to put her at ease and gain her trust.

However, her question had the opposite effect, making Kagome blush even more and leaving her speechless. "Er, that is, I... Y-you see..." Before she could even formulate in her mind any sentence that could get her out of trouble, the shoji doors opened abruptly, jolting both of them and revealing the topic of their discussion: Inuyasha.

"Izayoi-sama, I am immensely sorry," came the faint voice of a maid from behind the half-demon. "The young master wouldn't listen to me. I told him it was not polite and proper to enter without announcing, but-"

"Don't worry, Yuki; I know my son and I know you are not to blame. Would you kindly bring us a hearty and varied breakfast? The young lady will eat in her room," Izayoi informed her kindly. The woman at her service offered them a few bows, said a hasty goodbye and closed the doors behind her. Left alone, Izayoi gave his son a look full of disapproval. "Entering a maiden's room like that is definitely not polite," she reprimanded him as he rolled his eyes and settled down beside her, kissing her on the cheek.

"There was no time to waste," he replied, searching out of the corner of his eye to make sure Kagome was all right without being too conspicuous. The girl, meanwhile, had turned if possible even redder and lowered her gaze, embarrassed at the thought of almost being caught in the act. Still, she was grateful to him for rescuing her from the situation. Overall, the mix of smells she gave off however seemed to calm Inuyasha, who then focused on his mother. "How long has she been awake? Still not eating?"

"Recently, sweetheart," Izayoi informed him, arranging a lock next to his ear and stroking that too in the process; he blushed accordingly. "We were just about to talk about why Kagome is here with us. Do you want to start the story?" The awkwardness that followed informed the woman that there was something important that none of them wanted to reveal to her yet. She didn't know whether to fear bad news or be hopeful.

"Oh, well, you see, mom," Inuyasha began, "you'll have to wait. As soon as Kagome has finished eating, we will go to the family room. Dad has expressed the desire to meet her."

And while even that statement had momentarily saved Kagome, the relief lasted very little. At the idea of soon finding herself in the presence of the Inu-no-Taisho, she immediately became agitated, and whatever appetite she had built up at the mention of breakfast disappeared accordingly.


N/A: We met Inuyasha's parents and I'll let you know I love writing about them; I'll also try to write of them as a couple as well.

I hope you liked this chapter and I look forward to hearing from you.

Next update will be up in circa 2 weeks. Thanks for reading!