Chapter 33: Whirlwinds of Fate

Nori, Lord of the Takeda clan watched with hands folded behind his back as his messenger left, headed for Hojo lands with the message that would set both of them against Hiraku, Lord of Setsuna, and his plans to wed his daughter to a youkai, Lord of the West or not.

He had every expectation that Hojo would fall in line behind him on this issue, though it would be with the idea of then claiming her for himself. He was certain, however, that he would be able to sway either Hiraku, or the heir, Ichirou, to gift him with her hand, instead. After all, the Hojo clan weren't known for treating wives and daughters well, and he was young, handsome, wealthy, and would treat her much better – though maybe with not quite so much freedom as they had given her. No battlefields for her once she was his wife, that was for certain.

A little frustrated, though, at the slow pace of such things as messages, especially between two such distant daimyo as he and Hojo, he sighed and turned from his spot on the first wall of the keep and walked back towards the stairs to ground level without even seeing the salutes of his soldiers or the grandeur he was surrounded by.

If only there were a way to move things faster! Perhaps I should make a visit to Hojo – and then we could both go and confront Setsuna of this blasphemy right away, he thought, beginning to be excited at the thought. If he left on the morrow, even, his messenger would only beat him to Hojo by a day, thus negating the need for Hojo to in turn send him a message back. They could simply both converge on Setsuna immediately, rather than the whole thing taking several moon cycles, by which time it might be too late. No... in this matter, speed was of the essence.

Decided, he hurried into the palace proper, motioning curtly for a servant to attend him as he stepped inside.

"Send a message to my escort to prepare to leave at first light on the morrow. Send my personal servant to me in my quarters as well as Naoya, and notify the cooks to prepare travel rations for me at once," he said, impatient of a sudden to get everything ready to leave as soon as the first rays of the sun passed the horizon. The servant bowed and then hurried off to attend his master's commands, calling for other servants to assist in the given tasks.

Hopefully, it is not already too late, he thought dourly as the castle and its denizens began gearing up to attend its master's wishes, for the first time wishing that Takemaru had given him this information much sooner. If we arrive too late and Izayoi is already wed to that youkai, I will end my alliance with Hiraku and look upon him as an enemy, instead.

Yes... either I will gain Izayoi's hand as an ally, or I will not, and become an enemy, instead.

There are no other options.

Takeda Nori swept through his palace, his robes swishing behind him as he prepared himself and his second-in-command for the long journey and absence from his palace this would most likely turn out to be.

But if he could gain the hand of the fair Izayoi, it all would be worth it.

If.

That if loomed over his head like a sword on a thread.

~oOo~

A frustrated mou crossing his face, Hisashi slumped back on his cushion, his clawed hands clenching and drawing his own blood in his angst.

He had been trying to get some spies into the palace for the last two days, and had no luck so far. Apparently, Touga was not allowing anyone unknown to him inside now, and had upped the guard on the gates so as to keep all those who could possibly be working against him out. The only spies left inside the palace were the ones already there – and they were unable to get any word out, as he was also keeping a tight rein on who left the palace, as well. Even magical means of contact had been somehow cut off.

All that meant that he was unable to find out anything of what was going on, and that left him in huge trouble. It endangered all his plans, and that fact had him in what was close to a panic.

He straightened back up as a servant announced a certain person, one he could possibly use. With a curt gesture, he ordered the male to be escorted in and then waited impatiently for him to arrive.

No sooner had the male sat down than he began to speak, and Hisashi froze in shock at the topic he introduced.

"The others and I have all agreed – you are the spy working for that dragon. We would never have allied with you had we known who your... benefactor was, and so, once I return to the others with the final word of your guilt we will be cutting ties," he said, face set and cold as he watched Hisashi carefully for his reaction to his words.

So the fools have finally figured it out. Damn. What do I do? Should I lie? No... from the look on his face, I would not be believed even were I to deny his claim. That panicky feeling from earlier began to claw its way up his throat again and without even thinking about it, simply reacting to the threat, he immediately attacked the other male, carving a fatal wound across his throat with elongated claws before he could even react. He watched, almost in shock, as the male fell back and landed in a pool of his own blood, the same shocked look on his dying face. Hisashi watched in a morbid daze as the other male bled out and finally died, eyes still open and staring into nothingness.

Mind in a whirl, Hisashi tried to figure out what to do. There was no help for it, now – if the others suspected him, he would have to make visits to all of them and kill them all. And there was no time to be lost – it was obvious from the now dead male's words that the others were simply waiting on word from him. Mind now curiously blank, Hisashi called for his head servant to attend him, and when the male arrived he ordered him to dispose of the body, discreetly, of course, and then stood up and hurried to prepare himself to make visits to the others.

He was careful to take two changes of clothes that he rolled up in a small pouch, just in case he got blood on himself. It would not do to be caught out in the city in bloody clothing, after all.

Within half a mark of killing his former ally, he was heading out to visit the first of the two that were left.

Soon, none of his former allies would be left to be a danger to him.

He paid no attention to the house he left behind, nor the expression on the face of one of his many servants as he watched him walk away into the city, intent on his own goals.

He should have.

~oOo~

Takemaru looked at the abandoned compound his men had found with approval.

It was intact and not in need of any repairs, and he frowned lightly, wondering why it had been abandoned. But only momentarily – then his expression smoothed out and he shrugged. Truly, it did not matter – it only mattered that it had been and was therefore left open for him to take over.

The best part of it all was that it was near several rather large towns, giving him many possible prospects to add to his growing contingent of men. It was also a good place to obtain rations, as they would most definitely be needed. Raiding had provided him with much good coin, and every one would be used for supporting his growing army. Of course, sooner or later that coin would run out, and then it would be time to raid again. He would be careful to go far from here – he wanted those in the towns nearby and the smaller surrounding areas kept friendly to their presence.

Dismounting from his horse in the small forecourt, he tied the reins off to a post and entered the dwelling, intent on exploring and finding a good room for himself – one far and away from all his men. He had the herbs the yamauba had given him to help ease his nightmares – and they had so far, but he could not afford to have one and have his men hear him screaming like a woman. No, most definitely not, for then they might start to question his mental acuity, and that could not be allowed to happen.

Ever.

It did not take too long to inspect the entire compound as it was not really that big, and he was indeed pleased – there was a most perfect room at the very back of the compound and removed from all the others that would be quite suitable for his needs. Heading back outside with the rest of the men who had also chosen rooms for themselves, Takemaru quickly unloaded his horse and then had one of the men take and put his tack away in the room meant for such before turning his horse loose in the corrals that were inside the rather extensive walls of the compound.

It didn't take long to unpack himself, and soon he had gone back to the main room of the compound to start handing out duties. One of the men, a most excellent cook, took stock of what supplies were on hand and soon had a nice stew going with the meat the group had hunted while on their way. The fire roared pleasantly and the hum of life in a dwelling began to wash over Takemaru from his place near the fire, soothing the ever-present churning feeling in his gut and calming him as nothing else had since this whole nightmare had started.

Izayoi. In some ways I wish I'd never laid eyes on you, for it was your advent into my life that started me down this path, he thought drowsily. But I cannot in all conscience leave you to be taken by your mortal enemy, a youkai. Though you are a dutiful daughter and have chosen to obey your father as is seemly, t'would be cowardly in the extreme to leave you to such a fate.

His mind wandered even farther, then, to days long past, and surprisingly the nightmares stayed away.

It was the happiest and most calm he'd been since he was a small boy, before his world was torn apart and then reshaped with haphazard hands into what it was now.

He'd come a long way from his humble beginnings.

He had every intention of going even further.

~oOo~

A dark growl broke the frozen silence in the Eastern Lord's den as Touga looked at the wolf cub that had just trampled all over his claim on his wife and tried to claim her for himself, instead.

"Submit, boy, for I know you are more than old enough to scent my claim on her and know what it means," he snarled, gold eyes bleeding red as he lost a bit of his normally formidable control and slipped closer to his true form and nature.

The young wolf prince turned away from Izayoi at the first growl, crouching and bristling fiercely as the older male's much more powerful youki became more apparent to him. But it was his father's reaction that had him truly cowering, as he reached forward and pushed his son onto his face before the angered Western Lord.

"Do as you were told and submit, boy," he growled warningly, worry for his impetuous son clear in his eyes. He bared his fangs at the cub, and Kouga finally submitted as he'd been told, now near tears with fear of his father's wrath. The moment that Touga's eyes began to clear and his youki settled down again in acceptance of the boy's submission, he bolted into the arms of the worried-looking female that had hurried into the cave after the boy and whined his upset into her protective arms.

Izayoi, still frozen, watched as Tamotsu looked over at the woman angrily. "Can you not keep him contained for even a few minutes, Amaya? If he keeps doing things like this he will not live to rule the clan at all! Take him away and let me not see him again until my wrath has died down," he finished warningly. The female, apparently his wife and Kouga's mother, nodded and took her son by the arm and began leading him away, scolding him in a soft voice edged with threat all the while.

Tamotsu turned back to a much calmer Touga and sighed. "I apologize for my heir's rather... impetuous actions," he said tiredly. "Kouga is always this way, and I fear his nature is growing worse as he ages, not better."

"Hn. You must find a way to reign him in, for if I were someone with less control I would have killed him immediately. My true nature is still calling for his blood," Touga returned firmly, letting the other male see that truth in eyes that were still veined with crimson.

The Eastern Lord nodded in acknowledgment of that simple fact, accepting that truth. He would have reacted the same way were someone to try the same with his wife, and he wouldn't have been able to stop his baser nature from taking blood for the offense. That Touga could do so spoke to his impressive amount of control – and he could only be glad of it. He didn't want to lose his son in such a way.

After motioning for new cups of tea to be brought Tamotsu sighed and directed the subject back to the original one, not paying the slightest bit of attention to Izayoi's silence. It was expected of her, after all. But that wasn't why she'd remained silent at all – she had been literally frozen in place as Kouga had done what he'd done, the past and the present clashing heavily within her and leaving her unable to even attempt to calm her husband down. Her mind was still whirling with all the memories of Kouga as he'd been in that future; the loss of his tribe, which was somehow, she couldn't remember how at the moment, all tied in with Naraku, the claim laid on him by the white wolf Ayame, and his claims on her, Kagome, in return.

Through it all she had to acknowledge that his father's words were right – he was very impetuous. He acted first and thought second far too often, and it had almost led to his death far too many times – times when she'd had to beg Inuyasha to help him.

"-arrive at the Western citadel in four days time. That should give us more than enough time to hammer out all the details of this war before marching on that damn dragon," Tamotsu was saying, and Izayoi realized she'd missed most of the intervening conversation while lost in her still-returning memories.

"How many warriors can you bring while still yet leaving enough to protect your females and cubs?" Touga asked, needing at least a round figure so he could go about coming up with a workable plan that they could then hash out the details on when all those involved finally arrived at the citadel.

Tamotsu put his hand to his chin, ignoring the female wolf that was bringing the pot of tea around to offer another cup to he and his guests, and looked thoughtful as he mentally tallied his grown ookami and the amount needed to protect the den from intrusion by any trespassers, especially as the Gokorokou-chou would love to take advantage of his leave-taking.

After a few moments contemplation, moments during which both Touga and Izayoi sipped their replenished cups of tea, he said, "If it weren't for those damn birds I could bring many more, but because of the threat they pose to my people I must needs leave a great deal of my wolves behind. Perhaps... a thousand wolves will be behind me when I arrive at your stronghold."

Izayoi blinked in shocked surprise. Her memories of the wolf tribe in that other time showed that there were far less ookami then than there apparently were now – she looked around the cave and wondered how the hell they stuffed so many inside it. Yes, it was large – but not that large.

Tamotsu caught the look on her face and chuckled, correctly interpreting it. "Oh, this isn't the only den here – there are quite a few more further back in the mountain. This is just the main one."

Touga had been turning that over in his mind and finally nodded. "One thousand is a good number," he said to Tamotsu, who turned his attention back to Touga and nodded in return. "I will admit I didn't think you would be able to field nearly so many, but that's all to the better. I've information that Ryukotsussei has been building up his forces on a massive scale in secret and hiding them in the mountains. The good thing is that they are mostly low-level fodder and won't pose much of a threat. Still, it will be tiring to get through them all."

At that, Tamotsu looked a bit concerned. "Is your information reliable?" he asked, wanting to be sure.

"As reliable as can be. But do not worry too much – remember, he will be facing the Lords of all three remaining Cardinal points, and he can't have an army larger than we will be fielding. Normally, his army runs around five thousand. From what I've been able to find he's probably beefed that up to around ten thousand or so. I keep an army of over eight thousand, though Ryukotsussei does not know this. And the Southern Lord has about the same. All in all, we will have almost eighteen thousand, so I am not too worried about numbers – we have the advantage, though true, it is not as great as I would like - you should always strive to have half again what your enemy has, and half and a tithe more again is even better. Still, it is what it is. We have no choice in the matter, as he plans to attack us if we don't surprise him first."

Sighing, Tamotsu agreed. "What you say is true, though I don't have to like it. It won't change my mind, of course. What those dragons did to my son is unforgivable."

At that point, Izayoi broke into the conversation with a polite clearing of her throat, and when the two males turned to look at her, she asked, "What did the dragons do to your son, if it isn't impolite of me to ask?"

"Not at all, Izayoi-sama," Tamotsu replied with exquisite politeness. After all, even though he was a cardinal Lord, there was no question that Touga, and by extension his bride, were higher than he was. Touga had far more land and power than he, Tamotsu did. And Izayoi could rightly be called 'sama' simply because of her status as a priestess – and a hime in her own right. He was lucky his flapping tongue hadn't gotten him killed earlier – or at least maimed a little. "My son and a few of his guards were moving between some of the further caves one day when they were suddenly attacked by a contingent of five dragons." He scowled at the memory. "That damn Ryukotsussei claims all the dragons hassling my lands lately are rogues, of course, but that is just an easy excuse. At any rate, my son barely escaped with his life and was severely injured. It was only thanks to the diligence of his guards that he even escaped at all – they were all killed defending him, though they managed to take down three of the dragons before they fell. It was the last two that assaulted my son, though they didn't have time to do much more before more ookami arrived and finished them off."

Izayoi blinked, surprised. Then she frowned. "But...why did his guards not exhort him to run so that he could escape?"

At that, a resigned expression settled on the older male's face as he said, "It is that cursed impetuousness again. They did tell him to run. Instead of doing as he was told, though, he stayed and tried to help, convinced he could fight, too. And even with such a lesson as he got that day, he learned little from it – except to be very wary of dragons."

Izayoi couldn't help the slow chuckle that escaped her throat – she almost wished she could tell the male not to bother trying to scare the cub's nature out of him, because he wouldn't succeed. But she couldn't, and so fell silent once again as the two males began to finish up their conversation. She looked out at the sky and was pleased to see that though it was getting later into the afternoon, they would still be able to make it home before night fell, meaning she would be getting a bath. It would certainly be appreciated, because even just sitting here in the cave, she felt coated in dust. Her robes would definitely need a thorough washing.

Keeping a small, polite smile on her face when her husband stood and held out his hand to help her up, Izayoi inclined her head when Tamotsu said his goodbyes and waited quietly as her husband also made his goodbyes. Before long they were exiting the cave and Izayoi stepped quickly into her husband's side, eager to get home. It had been, after all, a long, rather dusty day.

And stressful.

She knew that as soon as they were home her husband would be asking her about her earlier lapse, and she wasn't looking forward to telling him the whole story while still wrapped in dirty, gritty clothes and desperately needing the hot water to relax the tense, knotted muscles in her neck and back.

She would just have to put her foot down – he could interrogate her after her bath, after all, just as well as he could when they first arrived.

~oOo~

She wasn't wrong – as soon as they touched down back at the citadel, right in the same place they'd left from, he was gripping her elbow and leading her into their rooms only to turn her around to face him with a set look on his face.

"Tell me."

She gently extracted her arm from his grip with a sigh. "Do you mind waiting until we have bathed? I feel like I have grit in every pore of my body. It isn't anything that will cause the world to end in the next half a mark if you don't hear it right this second, I promise," she chided softly as he opened his mouth to speak. "Be tranquil, husband."

He narrowed his eyes on her for a few seconds and then calmed himself with a short nod. "Very well, Izayoi, but as soon as you have bathed..." he trailed off, and she simply nodded agreeably. With her agreement he set the matter aside for a few and allowed her to help him off with his armor, and he in turn helped her out of the more complicated top layer of her hitoe, since he was well aware she wouldn't want to wait for Nami or her maid to come and assist her, and he really didn't desire to see anyone else, yet, either. Soon enough to see others at the evening meal once they were clean and comfortable again.

Once they were down to their yukata, he led her into their private baths and Izayoi smiled happily at the sight of curling steam. With a deep sigh she slipped out of her yukata and climbed into the water, letting the tension knotting her shoulders drain away. After soaking for a few minutes in a comfortable silence, she sat up and began leisurely washing, starting with her hair as she scrubbed away all traces of grit and dirt with her special sakura soap, while Touga used his personal herbal favorite.

The silence was maintained until the moment they both rinsed – and then her husband turned expectant eyes on her and waited.

With a wry, affectionate smile, Izayoi sighed. "I'll say this: Kouga will never outgrow that impulsive streak, though it does become tempered – a little."

Brows rising into his bangs, Touga looked interested. "So you knew him in that other life. How?"

"He kidnapped me because I could see shards of the jewel and then decided to claim me as his woman," she laughed. "His actions earlier today in doing the same thing froze my mind and my tongue. He certainly is consistent – and persistent, as well," she shook her head with a final chuckle, shaking it again as her husband glowered, not pleased with the reminder of the audacity of the young cub's earlier actions. "Stop it, Touga. It is funny how much you inuyoukai are all alike – Inuyasha did not like his claims, either, and fought often with him about the matter."

"Hmph," Touga huffed, his nose in the air arrogantly, "if he was any kind of inu he would not have needed to fight the wolf often, because he would have taken care of the problem immediately – and permanently. There would have been no wolf prince left to claim anything again."

Izayoi glowered at her husband as she lifted herself gracefully from the baths, catching her husband's undivided attentions, had she been paying attention to that fact. "And he would have done just that – if I had not interfered and kept him from doing so. Inuyasha was much, much stronger than Kouga. Attacking him in such a manner would have been the height of dishonor, Touga. To attack an opponent that is so much weaker than you is shameful!"

"Perhaps in most circumstances that would be true, Kagome," he emphasized her name deliberately, "but not in matters of claims. I told you in the beginning – youkai are a jealous race, and claiming someone that has already been claimed and bonded, unless it was against the female's will, is always a fatal mistake. Answer me this: Did this Inuyasha ever just attack the wolf prince for no reason? Wasn't it always when in relation to you?" he asked knowingly, waiting for her nod before continuing. "This shows that whatever this inu felt for the other female you have spoken of, he definitely had feelings for you. He wanted to keep you to himself, and that is why he reacted as he did to the wolf's claims, whether you understood his feelings for you or not."

Her attention had been completely arrested by his words, and Kagome stared at her husband with wide, blank eyes. What? "Touga, Inuyasha wasn't in love with me," she shook her head, knowing that for a fact. Yes, she knew that he'd cared about her, but it wasn't...

"I did not say it was that kind of love, necessarily, but nonetheless, he didn't want anyone taking you away from him and he felt threatened by the wolf." He looked at her then, standing covered by little more than a drying cloth held clutched to her front as she stared at him with wide eyes. She looked like a wide-eyed doe in that moment to him, and he growled slightly with distaste at thoughts of her having anything to do with that wolf cub even in her former life, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me... what were your feelings for the wolf prince?"

Kagome blinked, startled at the fast switch in questions. "Feelings?" she echoed blankly. "He was a friend. I wanted to see him be safe and live to marry Ayame as he had promised her he would do. Is that what you were asking for?"

A low, short growl was pulled from his chest, and she abruptly took in the fact that she was staring at her naked husband. She blushed, but couldn't pull her eyes from him. He was magnificent, with clothing or without, and actually even better without although she didn't think she'd ever have the courage to actually say that out loud.

Touga stiffened and was just about to respond to the slight scent of desire that was beginning to coil off of his wife's skin when his son's youki made itself known outside their chamber doors, and with a disappointed scowl he decided that he'd just have to have his way with his little wife once they retired for the evening. He sighed, knowing they really didn't have the time, anyway – the evening meal was about to be announced, and while he could go indefinitely without food, his wife could not.

"We will act on your thoughts later, my wife, be sure; but for now put those thoughts at the back of your mind and retire to our rooms to get dressed – it is almost time for the evening meal, and apparently Sesshoumaru is awaiting audience outside our rooms," he said as he flared his youki a bit in answer to his son - and as a way to dry himself off. As his wife's blush deepened, he chuckled and entered their rooms and was quick to dress before going into their sitting room and sliding the fusuma closed so that his wife could dress in privacy while he spoke with his son.

Kagome hurriedly finished drying herself, all the while trying to calm the now raging blush at her husband's suggestive words. He never answered me about that question about Kouga, she realized idly, and sighed, wondering why he'd even asked something like that. Picking up a clean yukata from the small chest that sat in the bathing area she wrapped herself in it and moved into their room, intent on dressing quickly. She had just realized how hungry she was, and dinner sounded wonderful.

Touga pulsed his youki as he moved over into the small sitting area over which now presided Izayoi's family's portrait, and settled himself down onto a cushion as his son entered the room and quickly sat across from him.

"What you were expecting has happened," he said immediately. "An assassin from the demon ninja clan attacked Takako this morning not long after you left. I disposed of him." He paused, then finished, "This one was actually a decent swordsman. Not my equal, of course, but he died with honor. I have sent his body back to his clan."

Touga frowned. "It makes me uneasy that they would attack so quickly after I left the citadel. Just who do they have here in the palace that is spying for them?"

"I do not believe that the timing was deliberate – I am almost positive it was just coincidence. If they had known that much so quickly, then I think they would have known just as well that Takako was no longer bound and helpless to attack, and they definitely did not."

"Hn." He thought for a moment. "Still, I think it is time for a little more spring cleaning. I already got rid of several problems when I dismissed the council. Now I think we should eliminate any other pests."

Sesshoumaru looked a little surprised. "You mean to eliminate all the spies?" Normally, his sire enjoyed playing with them, feeding them misleading information – usually with just a touch of truth to make it believable. He had always thrived on these games.

"Yes. It is time to make what happens here in the palace a blank to all those outside it. Get rid of them all – I want no possibility that Ryukotsussei will find out we are coming. Also... we have been unofficially keeping those in the palace in, and those out, out. Make it official. No one is to go in or out without my express permission."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head as he and his father both stood at the same time, the bells for the final meal of the day ringing just as they did. Touga turned to the fusuma into their sleeping room but before he could take a step toward it, Izayoi slid it open and entered the room looking much refreshed and more comfortable back in her miko robes.

With perfect timing, the signatures of those he trusted to protect his wife, Kenji, his sister, and Kirara foremost among them closed with their location, and Touga strode toward the door, sliding it open and beckoning his wife and son to follow as they headed for the dining hall.

"Did the wolf Lord agree to join with us against the dragon, father?" Sesshoumaru asked coolly, his voice expressionless as his face when Izayoi flicked a glance towards him.

Touga glanced over his shoulder at his son for a moment and then looked away. "Yes. There was really little doubt that he would. He will be arriving here within four or five days with his wolves."

It was only because she happened to be looking in his direction secretly, but Izayoi caught the slight curling of his lip at the news, and wondered at it. Did he just not like Tamotsu, or ookami in general? Touga had said that many youkai looked down on the wolves for the way they lived – perhaps Sesshoumaru was one of them. She smiled inwardly with slight cynicism. It seemed humans weren't the only ones disliked by the inu prince. She lowered her eyes so as to keep her thoughts to herself.

They followed Touga into the dining hall, everyone fanning out to take their seats as they approached the table, and he waited 'til everyone was seated to motion for the servants to begin serving. As conversation broke in the room once he'd taken the first bite, he turned his attention to his son and assistant, beginning to consider where to house the ookami that would be joining their Lord under his roof.

"Izayoi-sama?" Nami said, a slight smile on her face as she watched her Lady feeding Kirara, who was glad that she was back. Though it was curious that she hadn't gone with them in the first place.

"Yes?" Izayoi asked, letting go her preoccupation for a moment to answer her.

Not liking seeing her Lady looking so introspective, she initiated an easy bit of conversation between herself, her lady and Mine, but it was apparent that Izayoi had much on her mind as her answers were desultory and almost monosyllabic. It didn't look as though she were going to be able to chivy her mistress into a more sociable mood, and after a while she gave up, shaking her head at the questioning look in Mine's eyes when she tilted her head towards Izayoi.

Nami's eyes then went to a purring Kirara drowsing next to Izayoi, and the firecat opened lazy eyes to meet hers, twitching her tails as she held the kitsune's eyes calmly, conveying that there was nothing seriously wrong with her lady. Nami sighed then and simply fell back into her own thoughts, seemingly not paying attention to any of the conversations going on around them.

She wasn't as oblivious as everyone thought, however, and was very busily listening into a conversation making the rounds – speculation on where Chiaki and Rika had disappeared to – they had not been seen out and about inside the palace at all. Apparently, the two had set aside their normal hostilities and gone missing together that morning after breakfast, and both were oddly absent for the current mealtime...

As were their fathers.

She glanced at Touga from beneath her lashes, noting that he seemed very busy with his conversation, talk of battle and other things between he and his son and several of the Generals. She couldn't be sure if he was paying attention to the talk around the room or not, but she was inclined to believe that he was not. After all, that was why she and the others were there – to help in the protection of his wife. Daiyoukai or not, even he could not do everything.

However, if Chiaki and Rika and their fathers as well had somehow gotten out of the palace, then she knew she would have to report this to Touga. After all, he'd had the guards turning away requests to leave for several days now, so if they'd gotten out just today, they'd had to have bribed someone.

Touga would be furious, and someone's head would roll. She could understand, too – this was a delicate time, and keeping Ryukotsussei from knowing what was going on here was of the utmost importance. One such breach could easily turn into another, much more serious breach. It was not to be tolerated.

She glanced from under her lashes at her Lady, who was still lost in her thoughts, to her Lord, whose conversation with his son and Generals seemed to have wound down, and signaled him that she needed to speak to him. She caught the gleam of curiosity in his eyes and his slight nod, as well.

Turning her attention back to her meal, she finished up and then set her chopsticks aside, waiting patiently for the Lord and his entourage to be done. Fortunately it didn't take long and as Touga stood and swept from the room and she, her brother, Kirara, and Izayoi all followed. She took note of the lull in conversation as they left, and decided to question a few of her confidants about what was discussed after they left, just to make sure she wasn't missing any good information.

Once they reached their quarters, Izayoi murmured her excuses and headed for the bedchamber, followed by Kirara, sliding the fusuma closed as she did. Once she was out of the room, Touga turned to her and nodded.

She bowed. "My Lord, I've been listening to the talk, and it seems that Chiaki, Rika, and both of their fathers have somehow managed to disappear out of the palace. The belief is that they have decided to join forces in some scheme against your Lady wife. Beyond that, however, was the thought that they shouldn't have been able to get out of the palace in the first place," she finished delicately.

A menacing scowl broke out on Touga's face upon hearing her words. "So... I have a weak link in the guards, do I?" He turned away and began to pace. After a few minutes spent thinking, he looked at Kenji. "Notify the Captain of the Palace guard immediately that I require his presence, along with all the guards that were on duty this morning, in the practice yards in a quarter mark from now."

Kenji bowed and left the room without a word, and Touga turned to Nami. "You've done well. Notify me immediately should anything else interesting come to light," he said, and Nami bowed. "Also, I will need you and Mine to guard the doors into my quarters in a quarter mark. One of you in the hall, and one of you on the doors into the garden." Nami bowed again, her long hair sweeping the floor, and then left the room to gather Mine.

Once alone, Touga turned and made his way over to the shoji into the garden, sliding it open only to stare out into the night, his eyes thoughtful and far away.

So those two have somehow bribed one of the guards into letting them leave, eh? All the better for me in the long run. I find the weakness in my guards and rid myself of it now before it does true damage, and those two bastards and their repulsive daughters are now outside of my palace – he grinned ferally – and won't be getting back in... at least, not until after the war. We will see if they survive this effort against the dragon or not. And if they do, and still continue to plot and plan I will leave them to Satori and Nami's not-so-tender mercies.

Turning with a decisive nod, he slid the door shut just as his little wife peeked her head around the fusuma into their bedchambers, a light yukata clinging sweetly to her curves. Touga felt his body respond, but he had something to do first.

"Are you coming to bed, Touga?" she asked, her voice low and rather subdued; he wondered at it, but decided to ask when he returned – the quarter mark he'd given Kenji was almost at an end.

"Not yet, my dear. There is a small matter I need to take care of – nothing you need concern yourself with." He leered playfully at her for a moment, surprising a blush and giggle from her, then finished, "Get a little sleep now while you can, Izayoi, for I have every intention of plundering you when I return." He felt a flash of amusement at the deepening blush she was sporting, then turned and headed for the doors into their rooms, firmly putting his mask back in place as he set his mind back to serious issues.

Izayoi watched him go with a sigh, shaking her head just a little at her husband's constant-seeming readiness. He was literally always ready to take her, and if it weren't for other things getting in his way and taking his attention she was almost positive she wouldn't be seeing the outside of their chambers for days at a time.

She wandered out into the sitting room and sat down on one of the cushions to stare up at her family, wishing she had her father near in that moment. She was confused and worried, her slowly-returning memories still so out of focus and unclear. She had so many pieces of the puzzle that was her past, but it was all scrambled and out of place. It was so frustrating!

Something occurred to her as she sat there, and using her new link with Kirara she called the firecat to her. Once she trotted into the sitting room from the bedchamber and settled down into her lap with a quiet purr, she asked her question.

"Did you know about Kouga? Is that why you didn't go with me to the Eastern caves today?"

'I did. But I did not want to push your memories of the wolf prince, and so I chose to stay away. It is good that you have remembered him, for every piece of your memories returning will give you more insight into what must be.'

"Kirara... if you already know everything about that past, why don't you just tell me?" she burst out after a moment, her frustration getting the better of her.

'I cannot, Kagome. And even I do not remember everything.' Kagome felt the firecat sigh, and met her gaze, startled. 'You must remember on your own, because someone telling you, "this is what happened" does nothing for you – it does not make you remember. It is your memories of your once future life which will help you with this present, not mine.'

Kagome sighed, then nodded reluctantly. She could see Kirara's point though she didn't have to like it. With nothing further to say she stood and cuddled the tiny firecat to her and headed for her bed. She was tired and she knew that her husband's words in regards to waking her when he returned were not just talk - he had every intention of doing so. She definitely needed every bit of sleep she could get.

The fusuma into their bedchamber slid shut with a small clack, and silence fell in the suite of rooms as she allowed her tired mind and body to let go of consciousness.

~oOo~

Touga swept through the halls of his palace with a grim expression that warned everyone that saw it to stay away – as if they had even needed to see his face, what with the heavy weight of his youki pressing on everyone and demanding submission as he passed. And they all gave it, too, every single one of them knowing that there was no way that they could do anything to harm him.

He was the Inu no Taisho, nearly invulnerable and with a power and intelligence that simply overtook them all. And that was why he was Alpha – because none of them could challenge him for said title.

That didn't mean that they didn't plot and plan in what they liked to think of as secret, though Touga was aware of ninety-nine percent of what went on around him. His lip curled as he passed certain beings as they bowed low before him, knowing it was a false submission, a false respect, done simply through fear of actually facing him in combat rather than trying to plot his death from the shadows.

Entering the lower levels of the palace he moved straight to the back entrance that led to the training yards for the palace guard, arriving in the midst of the gathered guards and their Captain right at the quarter mark he'd given. He came to a halt facing them, and then slowly moved his eyes across the gathered youkai, meeting the eyes of all those that dared to look back.

His youki spiked again, and all eyes abruptly dropped at the blatant warning, fear beginning to wend its enticing scent through the ranks. His nostrils flared as he inhaled that scent, and a very dangerous smile formed on his face – one that left his fangs glinting in the light of the flaring torches.

"It has come to my attention just this night that a certain group of people was... allowed out of the palace sometime this morning," he began, "despite my orders that none were to be allowed out. Does anyone care to explain this to me?"

"My Lord," the Captain approached him, his eyes appropriately downcast, "your information is reliable?"

"Very, Captain. It seems that the whole palace knows this particular group is gone. And that is significant, because this group of beings happens to be rather high-profile. Which means that I have a weakness in my guards... one which I mean to purge," he growled low, his voice beginning to rumble with the sound of his more bestial side. Red was beginning to leach just a little into his eyes, and everyone gathered there in that yard trembled at the sight.

Someone would die this night.

It didn't take Touga long, wandering through the ranks, to find the one that smelled not just of fear, but of guilt, deceit, and dishonor, as well, and he knew immediately that he had his leak. But there was never just one guard on a gate...

Once he'd turned the first guilty male over to the Captain to hold for his justice he once again continued on through the ranks, looking for the second guilty party. This one was more difficult, however – he didn't sense anyone else with feelings of guilt or dishonorable intentions... but he did come across one guard – a very young male – that was near terrified, well beyond the levels of fear the others had. He grasped the boy's arm and pulled him from the ranks, striding back to the front of the gathered group.

Once there, he turned the boy's arm loose and motioned for the Captain to do the same to the one he was holding. Once the two were standing before him, he looked to the older one, the one smelling of guilt and deceit, and said, "Talk."

"M-my Lord," he cried in an annoying, rather squeaky voice, "I do not know what it is you speak of!"

Touga didn't miss the confused look in the younger one's eyes, and backhanded the liar into the ground. "You lie – I can smell your deceit on you," he snarled, his voice rumbling even deeper. He turned his eyes to the younger one now trembling before him and gave the same order. "Speak."

"M-my L-lord," the boy stammered, bowing low, "a group of people approached the gate earlier this day – just before the mid-day meal, and one of the males, a haughty looking one, pulled him aside-" he tilted his head to indicate the male that was still on the ground from Touga's blow, "-and spoke to him for several minutes. I know not what was said, but when they returned he told me to let them pass, that they had permission. So I did. I had no reason to question him and no right, either."

"You are of lower rank than this rat?" Touga asked, even as the 'rat' in question glared up at his companion with vicious eyes.

"Yes, m-my Lord," the boy said as he bowed again.

"You may go back to your position in ranks – and for your truth this night you are to be moved up one rank." He turned a stern face on those still standing frozen in their ranks. "I hope this goes to show you that veracity, honor, and loyalty to me will get you much – while deceit and greed will get you dead."

With that, he turned to the scum that had finally managed to climb to his feet, and in a blinding move that no one even saw, Touga's suddenly elongated and glowing claws swept through the male's neck, severing his head from his body with ease that none there missed.

The silence was deafening as they all watched the now dead guard's body and head hit the ground, the head rolling a bit to face the file and ranks. Not one being there was able to keep their eyes from looking at the head of the male whose mouth was still moving even in death, his eyes frozen in perpetual pain and terror – and shock. Even he had not seen the deathblow coming.

Letting everyone there take in the circumstances of the evening for several long moments, Touga finally turned to the Captain and said, "Dispose of his body – I wish not to house a rat in my palace. As from now, the unofficial order to keep everyone here, in, unless I give specific orders otherwise is now official. No one goes in or out without my permission. Are we clear?"

"Aye, my Lord, you are quite clear," the male said, bowing again.

"Good," Touga grunted, sweeping the ranks with one more penetrating glare. Without another word he turned and made his way back inside the palace, ready for a nice relaxing soak once more - he did not wish to go to his hime's bed with blood on any part of his person, after all.

For one moment, his bestial side broke free, and his eyes reddened as he licked at his fingertips, savoring the blood of his prey. He rumbled in enjoyment at the taste, and then his eyes faded back to gold just as he passed into the confines of the palace, back in control of himself and his instincts once more.

But no one in that yard that night would ever forget their brush with the beast that was Touga in deceptively human flesh. That form was merely clothing for one such as him, hiding the beast within from those unable to clearly see.

Daiyoukai he was, and always would be. The Great Dog General, whose true form was so huge that he could destroy his own palace and most of the adjoining citadel with one huge paw.

More than one soldier there that night wondered if his oh-so-human wife understood just what it was she was sleeping next to.

Most there would have been surprised at the answer.

~oOo~

Izayoi stirred in her sleep, reluctantly wading back to full wakefulness. Her eyes opened slowly, squinting a bit in the bright light and she sighed, knowing it was time for her to get up – she had duties to discharge as part of her role as Lady here, and there was no arguing with the sun.

I'm going to have to tell Touga to give me a break, she thought ruefully, stretching her wonderfully sore yet satiated body. He'd kept her up most of the night, for some reason in an especially affectionate mood. He'd pushed her over the edge so many times she'd lost count before taking her in a blinding whirl of passion and racing her back up that peak again. They'd fallen off together, and when they'd come down from their high he had been content and cuddly, wrapping himself around her and kissing and petting her until she'd finally succumbed to exhaustion and fallen asleep on him.

"Good morning, little wife," Touga's voice, deep and husky with sleep, rumbled next to her sensitive ear and she shivered, her eyes going opaque.

"Good m-morning, Touga," she manged to get out around a tight throat as she swallowed hard at the sensations that one little move had sent rushing through her body.

A deeper rumble in his chest made her blink; he was laughing at her, and she pouted sweetly at him. "Do not make fun of me, husband – I am still weary from the night and have many duties to attend this day," she chastised softly, and Touga's eyes softened on her, his laughter dying down.

"I'm sorry, my sweet – I should give you more rest. It is just that you are irresistible," he murmured as he nuzzled apologetically into her neck. "What are your tasks this day?" he asked, finally turning to a more serious topic, not wanting to overwork his still relatively new wife with his rather large libido.

"I must meet with the head of the servants and that will take a while, since I haven't had the chance but for once since getting here. I need to get a handle on all of that, since we will be leaving soon for battle and will not be here to oversee anything." She looked up at him with a level expression, her eyes dark and serious. "Touga, are you really planning to force everyone but the injured or infirm onto the battlefield?"

He was silent for a moment, then shook his head, his magnificent and slightly tousled silver locks sliding across her flesh erotically in response.

She shivered, but forcibly kept her mind on what they were discussing, watching her husband intently as he thought about her words.

"You think that I should not?" he asked, his voice deep.

"Think about it, Touga! Women forced to leave their children behind and leave with their fathers – what happens if both parents fall in battle? You would decimate the houses and bring low your own people with this plan-" her eyes narrowed knowingly on him, and she continued, "-and I can hardly credit it that someone with your intelligence and experience missed such a thing. So why?"

He knew what she was asking.

"To stir up those same houses. Have no fear, Izayoi, I have no intentions of doing such a thing. I would destabilize my entire court, and despite the toadies that such things always attract it is a necessary function. I will only be requiring those the equivalent of seventeen human years, male or female, to join the battle. By that age, they should have been well trained for combat by their families. Young children, their mothers, servants and those with injuries that make them unfit for battle will be exempted."

Izayoi nodded, relieved.

And then her husband spoke again.

"Be aware – as you hold your informal court this morning I may have soldiers coming in and out removing certain of the females that are sure to be there. I have decided it is time to sweep all the spies out of the palace – and their families. We do not need a leak getting back to Ryukotsussei – I do not want him to know we are coming." His eyes were warm on her but she knew the killing edge that lay behind that warmth and otherworldly beauty. He would be ruthless in pursuing his foe – whoever that might be, the dragon – or a spy here in his own home.

"So you intend for the palace to become a blank spot to Ryukotsussei," Izayoi mused, her eyes thoughtful. "Yes... I can see how that would be best. Keep him unsuspecting until the last moment. But perhaps its not just time to sweep the palace clean, but begin surrounding yourself with those who are trustworthy?" she asked, searching his eyes for his thoughts as if she could read them there.

"You mean, reform the council, but only with those I trust?" he asked bluntly, knowing her mind.

"Yes. Now is not the time for division between those who are loyal to you. We are more powerful together than alone, Touga, ne? And so it is for those who follow you."

He nodded slowly, taking in her words. She was right... and with the other Lords soon to be joining him, he needed loyal youkai at his back. "I think you are right, my love, and so it is perhaps time that we got up and dressed, because it is almost time to break our fast. We will both be busy this day, it appears."

Izayoi nodded behind him as he flowed onto his feet with matchless grace and began to ready himself for a long day, before following his example and getting up to get ready.

Yes, today would definitely be a busy day – her first day relatively alone, without Touga's direct support. They really hadn't been separated but once before since coming here, and she'd had Satori at her back then, which had kept the harpies at bay. She had the niggling feeling that she would end up having a showdown of some sort or another at least once today.

Maybe she should make it an overwhelming show of her power and just get it out of the way?

She stiffened her spine – she was the hime of Setsuna, royal by birth, and the miko of the Shikon no Tama reborn. She had never bowed to anyone who'd tried to intimidate her before, and she wouldn't start now.

They would respect her – or at least learn to fear her power.

~oOo~

A/N: Okay, I'm warnin you all, this is the unedited, un betaed version. When my beta gets back to me with the chapter (she's fallen behind what with work and school and all) I'll replace the chapter. Until then, it stands as it is.

Amber

Edited 11/07/13 – out of sequence