Sorry, These chapters are in the thousand words category. I'm trying my best to work solo.

Hermione woke up and noticed that Kikyo's pallet on the floor was unused, she didn't return last night, why? The girl stood up, changed and left to join the others for breakfast.

Kikyo was sitting at the table, where are the higher ranked Priests, Monks, Priestesses sat. Hermione came up, much to the shock of the others, Kikyo nods to Hermione, "Sit by my left, Faith as my own apprentice sits by my right."

"Where does the Head of the Temple sit?" Hermione questions

"Right where I am sitting." Kikyo questions, "This table is for the higher ranking in spiritual power."

A monk smiled "Don't be bashful, Lady Kikyo, we all know you're the Head of the Temple."

Kikyo gave a half-hearted glare toward her companion. "I try not to allow my station to cloud my judgment."

"As you say, Lady Kikyo." the monk states before going back to his breakfast.

"So what are your plans for today?" Hermione questions, as Harry came up with his own breakfast. He hid a yawn, behind his hand.

"We have archery practice after breakfast, then tending to the herb gardens, we study religious text from all the various faiths practiced in the Temple."

"Which is to say, those enter our Temple are never a child again, when they join the Order of Four Souls, and if we have nothing to do here, then a select few go out into the world and offer our services elsewhere, that Kikyo abolished the vow that everyone must remain in the Temple."

"You have a full day." Harry replies, "even my days aren't as full as yours."

"Yes, my vacation is when we're at Hogwarts, and even then I don't get one." Kikyo answers, as she took her plate and put it in the collection basket, and exited the dinning hall. Harry and Hermione followed after Kikyo.

"I would ask that you stay again, but I just don't have the time to entertain, now you see why I get so flustered when no one listens to me, I have so much to do and so little time, I will have Faith escort you back to the Estate." Kikyo states, "I am the archery instructor here."

Faith met the two by the Gate, her own bow and quiver slung over her shoulder, "Lady Kikyo is a busy woman, she has so little time for herself, its like she's living three lives at once, trying to get all ready for when she passes to the Sacred Land." the young priestess in training states, as she set out to escort the two back to the Demonic Realm and out of the Order's lands.

Once back at the manor, the servants were busy packing the Family's bags, for their vacation.

Maria went over the checklist. "I do not want to be disturbed unless absolutely necessary. The other leaders can handle themselves for a few weeks."

"Yes, Milady," the servant replies, thinking of her own vacation as the other servants were doing the same, they paid on their own holiday while the royal family was away at the island estate.

Harry, Hermione were whisked away by Sara to avoid being trampled by the rushing servants.

"Are you going with us to the summer home?" Harry asked as he sat on his bed while Hermione looked over his room.

Sara shook her head. "Nope, I'm going back to Japan, checking on things out that way, and spending time with my family, I got nieces and nephews your age, that I haven't seen in a while."

"When are you leaving?" Harry questions.

"Next flight out of England, so I'll arrive in Kyoto tomorrow night." Sara answers. "So see you in a few weeks." she turned and left.

"I wonder what Yasha and Alison are doing." Hermione states

Harry shrugged "want to try and track them down?"

Hermione nods, "Sniff away, my friend."

Harry started sniffing and found Alison outside the council chamber, the older teenager raised a finger to her lips. She was listening in on one of Yasha's council sessions before the Council broke up for Summer recess.

Alison motioned for the other two to take a seat in one of the semi-private alcoves. "Yasha's about ready to tear them apart, he called a session of the Heirs of the Tribes, and its not going to well."

"How so?" Hermione questions worried for Yasha.

"They seem to be like minded as their parents, wanting to parade themselves or younger siblings in front of Yash's nose and he HAS to choose one of them. This is why I never wanted to be Heir, I would have throw the lot of them out the third story windows" Alison answers "he might as well say he's courting a human, no offense and be done with it."

Hermione shook her head. She still thought it was utterly wrong.

The Council doors

"Why all the nerve, I never." a horse demon states, as she stomped away, glaring at the three others. She snorted as she left the estate to head back to her pasture lands.

Yasha was the last one out, "Remind me to replace that stuck up mare." he glared at the retreating her form.

"what did you say to her." Alison states

"Told her, I was having horse for dinner if she didn't shut her snout." Yasha replies, "She was going on and on how her father was a thoroughbred race horse, and she was proud of the fact."