Apologies that don't really matter.

Lady Inutaisho is never startled.

She comes from a long line of warriors, generals and rulers of might ... so she has been raised

"Never back down, Never cower"

It might have served her well as consort, as guardian ... but not as wife.

She could never soften to him, there was always a crunch between them despite having loved him so much; Their marriage political as it was deemed wasn't enyirely soulless.

Lord Inutaisho was princely in all context of the word, Courageous, kind , handsome yet somehow ...

Did he love her back?

It is a question that will always linger unanswered in her mind, she mused as she looked down on her withering riv ... no she wasn't even close, Izaiyou was never a match for her ..

'Such muddled thoughts'

Izaiyou opened her eyes, she was the one who requested to meet the lady Inutaisho after all.

"I am sorry"

It was a peculiar starter .. What exactly was she apologising for?

"It has been years" Izaiyou resumed "I have never stopped feeling that nag of guilt .. I never intended to take him, I swear. I just fell in love with him."

"I don't dwell on something as old as this" Lady Inutaisho replied, every inch the proud woman.

Izaiyou pointedly stared at her, eyes refuting every word she has just said

'No, you think about it, everyday. You have never stopped'

"Maybe you don't, Lady Inutaisho, but I do. Everyday I do. However, If it would be of any reprieve, I only ever had a piece, as much as a concubine could have, I never had him a whole .. I could never call him mine and nobody could pry you away from this special place he had for you"

Lady Inutaisho was silent .. what was she supposed to say to the frail woman in front of her? That part of her could never stop loathing her or that part of her will never stop envying her for the place she had in inutaisho's heart. Inutaisho loved her, she knows but he loved her with his mind, that sort of logical love that while stable and steady and harmless still lacked something, still lacked a spark, while he loved Izaiyou with his heart, this passion and burning affection that she never never knew in her life.

In truth, there was nothing she could say.

"I don't expect you to forgive me but at least I could say I have tried to make amends"

"After all this time, it doesn't change anything .. even earlier it wouldn't have. He made his choice, I made mine. I stayed, I stayed for the merits, mine and my son's and as much pain that I had to endure, It was worth it. I stayed because part of me wanted to."

"All that I ask of you now, noble lady Inutaisho is to not take it on my son. I know you aren't fond of him but you are wise enough not to turn Lord Sesshomaru against him."

"I don't scorn your son. I maynot love him yes but I don't hate him. I value his courage and valour. In addition he does carry the Inutaisho blood within his veins so it counts for something. But I can't promiise you that either me or Sesshomaru can tolerate him if e ever tries to break the kingdom apart"

"He won't do. Just don't give him reason to ... please"

"His name was Kagewaki, Hitomi Kagewaki"
"What?"
"You asked me to tell you about him, & I said no. On second thought, I decided to concede" Kanna shrugged as she sat opposite to the prisoner.

'What for?"

"Maybe, you could save him an by extension yourself and all of us from his madness"

Kikyo didn't think he had any salvagable part in him.

"You met him years ago, while on the run, while trying to gather an army ... he wanted to reclaim this lands from Rasetsu"

"I do remember a war occuring here more or less. But the house that ruled .. I didn't know they had a second son other than the sickly dead prince."

"He was the son of a concubine. he had never been legitimised"

'Like Inuyasha' Kikyo thought 'Except Inuyasha is legitimate'

"He wasn't treated well. He was scorned and ridiculed .. he had no prospects back then. However when disaster striked, he played the situation well."

"You and Kagura, you are legitmates? and your brother, He did die of disease, right?"

"You caught on that rumour, didn't you?" Kanna smiled "Kagura is legitmate, I amnot. she is our half sister and while we had a good relationship with each other, she always had a strained one with Naraku. Our brother died of illness. he hadn't murdered him as people speculate, but he didn't spare our father when Rasetsu captured him. Partly because he couldn't and partly because he didn't want to"

"And where do I stand in this story? Who am I in it?"

"You are the one who reminds him that he still has a heart. I know you must suspect something by now. You aren't dumb, Kikyo."

"Your brother is trying to manipulate me and I wouldn't rule out that you are helping him"

"You can say that all you want but you know it isn't true" Kanna stood to her leave.

He sent a messenger.

Sesshomaru summoned him and Miroko as soon as said messenger arrived..

"He would release Kohaku for Kagura" Sesshomaru announced

"And Kikyo?"

"He wants to negotiate her release one on one"

Inuyasha stared blankly at him

"While we exchange prisoners. He wants to negotiate while we do."

"And are you going to accept this?"

"If it were up to me solely ,I would .. but this isn't up to me alone. Mother will find out how Kaede and Sango feel about it then she would tell me. Accordingly your opinion along with theirs will either move this forward or not"

"Did he mention anything else in his message?" Inuyasha asked in a strained voice

"In tactical sense, he wants to meet in the wolves territory .. not a bad choice, considering Koga is more inclined to us than him. I don't think he is doing us a favour though, he chose this place because it is far away from Rasetsu whom he wants to avoid."

After his meeting with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha didn't know what to do.

For some reason the bastard wants to hold on her so much ... it puzzles and scares Inuyasha.

But there was also something else tugging at him, something he would rather ignore ... something is going limb inside of him towards the whole ordeal, a feeling growing inside of him that Kikyo will never be back.

And worse, he doesn't feel as angry about it as he used to.

'You are a spineless fool. Kikyo, I am sorry'

"I don't want to go back"

It was midnight, She was walking in the gardens under his watchful eyes and Miroko .. for the record he could find no one else to appoint as chaperone on those nightly excursions except the infamous lecher.

The admission however took him by surprise. Never had Kagura looked that vulnerable even when she fell in captivity.

"Why so? I thought you would be happy that you will be free at last"

"I told you before, I amnot his most favourite person. He will probably sell me off to one of his generals, someone he wants to make an alliance with ..."

Sesshomaru didn't know what to say

"It deters nothing, does it?, what I want"

He almost looked apologetic, almost.

"They deserve to be back. I have to ensure this as master and commander of this palace, as ruler of those lands"

"Of course"

A long pause passed between them before she finally said

"It is cold, I want to get in"

"As you wish, Miroko will walk you back"

He gestured for him and so Miroko understood

It was time for her to return to her quarters.

Sesshomaru looked him pointedly in the eye

'Off Limits'

Miroko took the cue. After all nobody wants to be on the bad side of Sesshomaru or Sango for what matters but admittedly Kagura wasn't very bad to look at.

Sadly, lady Izaiyou doesn't last the week.