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After great inner debate, Sesshomaru decided to stay in Edo for an additional two days with Kagome to appease their children, who pleaded with him and had effectively stirred his conscience and he gave in.

However, he could not rely on luck in his absence to safeguard the responsibilities of the west. Shippo was employed with the task of rallying lord Aburame and his brother with his expressed wishes on how to proceed, and from there to the site of the reservoir so that construction could begin.

Although he had not related his views on a certain matter to the fox, there was an issue that weighed heavily on his mind. The unsupervised soldiers of his wife that lived in the barracks on the easterly ports of his region needed more assessment.

The plan was simple enough with the ability the fox possessed as a shape shifter. All that he would be required to do was to infiltrate the garrison in the guise of a human seeking to render employment. The path he must now follow as leader was dictated to him out of necessity and he had no reservations about it.

His wife, if he should continue to allow her to do as she pleases could prove to be a problem. There was no doubt in his mind that she had changed somewhat, leaning more heavily on the earlier traits of manipulations and contempt that he'd assessed.

The development of those unlikable qualities were unavoidable, he had to be subjective. It was not uncommon for the mind and thoughts to sway to unfavorable choices if the outcome of an individual's hopes and dreams were exploited and taken away from them.

It was with urgency that he must supervise her actions more carefully because she had started to act out on her disillusionment. Talking to his daughter had enlightened him on how bitter she had grown. He knew before hand that his wife could be damaged emotionally as a direct cause of his coldness towards her. He shook his head that had begun to rise with tension. He was partially to be blamed for her distasteful behavior, although that was not something he'd set out to accomplish.

But what choice did he really have? He tried for both their sakes, taking her into his bed and thus immersing himself in shame and guilt, all the while trying to live up to the lofty expectations of lord and leader in their cause for absolution. He hadn't offered her much he knew, and she had felt it each time he'd lain with her, his heart was just not into it. He'd performed out of duty as her husband, with no real emotions, just base emotions and meaningless sex from a coerced coupling.

He sighed heavily; there really was no way around his problems. He had only one option and that was to take the necessary precautions. Shippo would be the currency spent to ensure maximum containment if the princess decided to attack. He would therefore delve into the role of a spy while carrying out his duties as head supervisor in the building of the dam. It would be the first project carried out under the unified alliance, and they as a unit must succeed.

He knew that he required a lot and hence the expectation, the fox would have his hands full in the coming years.

The smell of a delicious meal that Kagome prepared wafted into his nose as he left the family room and strode towards the kitchen. He smiled as he remembered how she had enjoyed cooking, and even with servants she would insist on preparing some of the meals herself.

As he entered the kitchen he saw how engrossed their children were, leaning against their mother's side as she instructed them on how to organize the ingredients. It was a pleasant sight to behold, a familiar one that tugged on his conscience. The situation at home in the west was devoid of a sense of family and unity, all around him there was hostility and bitterness, and his children suffered because of it.

Soon the impasse would be over, and while he had no doubt that Taizo would begrudgingly return to the west with him, his daughter Aiko would be another matter all together. No matter what she had said earlier about wanting to stay for a little while longer, he knew implicitly that his child would not acquiesce so easily. He sighed softly, mentally preparing himself for the opposition he knew would come when it was time to leave.

The harsh realities hadn't changed, but there were some things that he needed to say to Kagome before they parted. And one of the things that he wanted to impart to her was how much he would be grateful if she would consider waiting on him.

He knew he had no right to ask it of her, but being with her now and with their children provided him with the necessary information. They still could make it work if only she would be willing to wait on him.

He closed his eyes a brief period as he stood at the door, feeling the soothing balm of serenity and love. He reopened his eyes and moved to sit at the table; Kagome glanced into his direction and gave him a pleasant look, while his children totally ignored his presence. He wasn't put off by their behavior per say, because he knew them to be happy and wanted to enjoy every moment that they had with their mother.

The time to leave would descend upon them soon enough. He had no objections leaving them in the care of their mother, she was quite capable and the house large enough to accommodate them since they had renovated it years ago. However, there was one issue; they needed to return with him so that they could start to repair the damage between themselves and the princess.

No matter what happened in the future, he had to at least hold up his end of the bargain. Aiko had grievously wounded the woman and could have killed her. He understood the rage the child displayed and her subsequent reactions to the provocation, notwithstanding, she must apologize for her actions, and the only way to do that was being at home.

"Would you like some tea?" Kagome asked while she approached the table with the steaming kettle.

"Thank you," he replied softly.

The table was already set for breakfast so she poured the hot substance into the tea cup that was already placed.

In silence he drank the tea while contemplating the best way to issue his desires without coming off too strongly. He had no right to and he would never pressure her into making a decision. He respected her, and would allow her the time in which to make up her own mind.

With that thought out of the way he felt a gentle brush on the side of his leg, he looked down and saw that it was the puppy rubbing its head absentmindedly on his pant leg. He chuckled and lifted the dog into his large hands and stroked its furry head.

sksksk

Princess Maemi's heart beat thundered violently in her ears, so loud that she feared her ears would burst. She came awake on a gasp, her gaze darting around the semi darkness. She saw that the room was dimmed, the curtains pulled tightly against any light from the outside.

At first she didn't see the form of the other person in the room, but the gentle pressure on her arm had her peering through the shadows and she saw the outline of a female.

"How are you feeling?" A gentle voice asked.

"I..f..eel…?" She tried to speak but her throat dry and brittle made the words come out as croaks and groans instead.

Hotaru evaluated her charge's condition and believed that the woman's throat was parched and still a bit sore from her injury, and with some medicine and a sip of water she should be able to talk a little better.

"Would you like some water?" she asked softly.

Princess Maemi tried to speak again but thought better of it and closed her mouth, she shook her head instead.

Hotaru walked to the table in the room and lit the lantern, the light poured in a gentle wash of illumination over the entire bedroom. Before she left, Hotaru approached the bed where the princess lay, looking down on her she said.

"I will be back in a short time with your medication and some water."

She nodded her answer of yes, sighed and closed her eyes, as the vicious attack on her person that almost ended her life saturated her mind. A bitter sob escaped her as the memories continued to flow.

It was Monday afternoon and the servants had already cleared away the dinner apparatus from the table. The lord's children had eaten their meal but would still be hanging around the area until much later. Hotaru took the back entrance to avoid the traffic, and found Jaken whom she was quite familiar with sitting on a chair in the kitchen looking pensive.

He stared at her when he saw her and she smiled at him instead. Jaken had been a regular customer at her family's herbal store, and often times he ran errands on behalf of his master to purchase medicine from her.

Once she'd finished thinking on their brief encounters throughout the years, she sat down and addressed him.

"Could you fetch me a wooden bowl and a pestle, I need to crush these herbs for the lady's medicine."

He stared at her face and did not respond timely, and she wondered if he was feeling alright. She waited s bit more, he still did not answer or move. She cleared her throat. He sighed and looked away and then answered lowly. "I will go and retrieve the items you've requested."

Was it her or did the imp seemed stressed the moment that she mentioned the princess and medicine? There was an air of mystery surrounding the lord's home and perhaps she could seek the answers from the toad.

Relying on cunning and a huge measure of caution, she propositioned Jaken as soon as he came back and gave her the items.

"I sensed turmoil and disharmony in this house the moment I'd arrived, is there something else that I need to know since the master has left me to care for his wife."

Jaken expelled a quiet breath and stared at the demoness. Did she really believe that he was that naïve to fall for an underhanded trick like that? He swiped a hand across his forehead that felt damp to the touch in the cool evening wind and continued to watch her suspiciously.

Her fingers were steady as she crushed the herbs while she glanced ever so often on the toad, that seemed flushed and a little uneasy since she'd asked him that question. Now more than ever she believed that there were deep dark secrets in the lord's house.

She had been away overseas for nearly two decades studying to become a doctor of sorts, although her profession was centered on ancient practices infused with more modern techniques. When both worlds collided it created a wonderful blend of fascination and useful transformation. In her absence many things had changed in her hometown, including the legacy of the Inu no Taisho

She glanced up again and stared directly into the bulbous yellow eyes of the imp and was genuinely alarmed, for Jaken stood frozen, lost in another place and time.

The more he thought about the nosy female's question, a silent gasp burned inside him, there were many things that he had wanted to say to Sesshomaru before he'd wed the princess and had isolated his mate. However, he'd retracted that line of thinking because he understood the logic and soundness of the implication.

To be frank he'd thought that Sesshomaru hadn't fully realized what cutting the soul ties would do to the both of them. He knew his master to be tough and at times he himself thought him impervious, but when it came to matters of the heart, no one was immune to its poison, even the gods themselves had fallen victim to its prison.

In what seemed like an eternity Jaken finally met her gaze. Suppressing a new wave of remorse, he gave her a tremulous smile instead.

"I daresay you are very perceptive Hotaru, but the master's affair does not concern you," was the brusque reply.

"Maybe so, but even I can tell that lord Sesshomaru does not love his wife, and I have been here for only a short time, my only interest is to know why."

He stared at her, his gaze swept over her face as if tried to decipher how sincere she was.

"Please tell me, maybe there is something I can do to help the lord. I know as much and understand what he's faced with to save our people, even if a little I would welcome any opportunity to aid him on this quest."

His brows drew tight, clearly puzzled over what she'd said. But he said nothing; he just stared.

The pulse in her finger tips quivered all the way to her wrist as she grounded the herbs into a powdery substance, holding the pestle tight. She needed to convince him that she honestly just wanted to help and only thought of their survival, she decided in haste.

"Think little one," she said. "There is nothing for me to gain here; if our master did not trust you or me none of us would be in his home. I can tell that a dark cloud hangs over this place, and if I can help to remove it then give me the tools that I will need to vanquish it."

"Why do you care?" he mumbled, his eyes heavy with undisguised sorrow.

Why do I care? She repeated the words as though she asked herself the same question, only this time she thought deeply on it.

"I suppose for the same reason you do," she finally answered.

"Very well then I will trust you, but this is only between us…Do you understand, no one else must know."

Nodding hastily she swallowed a gulp as Jaken slicked his tongue over his beak like lips in preparation to satisfy her ravenous curiosity. He cleared his throat and then smacked his lips together, looked her into the eyes and opened his mouth.

"Lord Sesshomaru found the other part of his soul when he mated the human priestess lady Kagome, and once keeper of the Shikon no Tama, in time they had children of their own, lived in exile for almost thirty years before the wars that would see him reclaim his kingdom and lands."

The action on the herbs and pestle slowed to a stop as she listened wide eyed to Jaken's very eloquent re-telling of lord Sesshomaru's life.

"He loved her with a single minded commitment with his heart, body and soul, but a prediction of the changing times loomed over their heads, though they'd tried not to think too much about it throughout their time together, inevitably the lord had no choice but to choose between the love he held for his mate over the needs of thousands."

The startling revelation made her blink as some spark of awareness fitted the pieces of the puzzle perfectly.

"The result is as you see," he continued, "our master wed the princess out of necessity to safeguard our futures whilst destroying his perfect love and home, and in time himself if he doesn't get a firm grip on the things he feels inside his heart for his lost mate, as he struggles to keep his wife and children contented."

With a smack she wrenched her mouth shut that gaped moments before as she'd listened aptly to the damning tale.

Without even being aware of her actions, she had left the stool and was wiping some tears from the toad's face which had spilled down his cheeks with the sleeves of her kimono.

The heady sensation that came with awareness was not lost on her. The lord had sacrificed everything he holds dear for his people, in an ungrateful world of disconnected and ignorant individuals that lived haughtily while he suffered in silence, and his poor mate, what became of her? Hotaru hoped that she survived the severing of the bond.

sksksk

Deeply asleep, princess Maemi showed no signs that she was the least bit aware of Hotaru's presence as she'd returned. She lay on her back, one arm across her forehead, while the other rested on her chest.

Resisting the urge to fidget as her mind was pre-occupied with recent facts; she set down the tray on the table and went to rouse the sleeping princess. Lifting the hand up that rested on her chest Hotaru whispered.

"My lady it is time for your medicine, please wake up." She said it twice before Maemi opened her eyes and blinked rapidly.

"Can you sit up a little so that I can give you your medicine?"

Maemi nodded and swallowed thickly trying to rid of the nasty taste in her mouth. The youkai must have fed her bitter medication while she'd slept for her mouth to taste like bile she reasoned.

She raised herself up on the bed with Hotaru's aid, and rests her back against the wall cushioned by two pillows. Hotaru picked the teacup up with the concoction and placed the cup at Maemi's lips and ordered.

"Drink."

The liquid warm and bitter made her frown with disgust, after the first taste she tried to push the cup away. The healer would have none of it and forced her to drink by pouring the rest of it down her throat, which was not ideal because she coughed and choked, and the medicine spilled.

Anyhow it was of little consequence, because all she really needed to consume was about two tablespoons and the cup held far more than that amount.

"How are you feeling princess?" She asked again after she had calmed down a bit.

Deciding to test her voice again to see if she could actually speak, considering that the little bitch had crushed her throat, she opened her mouth.

"M—y- head h-u-r-ts," she choked out, her voice low and raspy.

Hotaru smiled, there would be no lasting impediment to her throat from the attack, and with more medication and fluids she would be speaking clearly in no time.

A little later in the day, knocking was heard at the door, it was the princess's relatives that had come to see her. They didn't stay for long but was overjoyed that she was doing better. The medication was laced with a sleeping potion that took effect so that she couldn't stay awake for the visit to last.

Throughout the night as the princess slept, Sesshomaru's story was constant on Hotaru's mind; it turned around inside her head slowly like the blades of a windmill, whirling steadily with her fixation on it.

As a woman it wasn't hard for her to imagine the position that the princess was in and how she must feel. Sesshomaru could never love her, not that he could even if he had wanted to, because a youkai that has found his or her soul mate would never be able to love another again, that kind of bond was meant to last forever.

For that matter she wondered how Sesshomaru was able to break the bond. Defiling himself with another female alone would not have been enough. He must have felt in that moment that he had no other alternative, and the need and desire to break it would have had to be stronger than his will to clutch to the love that had tied their souls.

What could he have yearned for that burned so brightly within him to force his one true love from his heart and soul? And the pain he and his mate must have endured could have driven him mad and killed her. She asked herself many times, but sadly the answer remained elusive.

It was a regrettable turn of events, and all three involved would suffer a long time if something wasn't done to fix the problems.

Maybe she could try to reason with the princess when she wakes. If she could get her to understand then perhaps the healing process could begin, she thought hopefully.

Although the thought that the lady might not appreciate the interference in her private affairs was persistent, she sharpened her resolve against the pestering doubts. She would just have to be cautious with the things that she would say.

The day started out sunny and bright, the maids came and escorted the princess for a bath, change of clothing and a new hairstyle, then deposited her back into bed. She felt clean and the feel of her husband's witchy daughter's fingers on her throat crushing and cutting off the air from her lungs had left her somewhat.

The nurse entered the room again with the nasty concoction, fruits and some water. She sighed, how much longer would she have to drink the bitter frothy liquid? Mentally the derision of drinking the medicine had her grimacing, the healer saw her plight.

"This batch will be the last, don't worry so much."

Turning her head, she breathed deeply into the crisp linen case covering the pillow beneath her cheek. The sweet scent of flowers from the fabric filled her nostrils more strongly than the noxious medication moving ever so closely, as the nurse sought to administer it.

She swallowed convulsively as her body reacted violently to the foul substance. Hotaru retracted the cup when it was empty and then handed her the tray with the fruits and glass of water. For now she would watch as she ate, and if an opportunity presented itself for them to talk she would take it.

Once finished, her thoughts centered on her husband, and why is it that she could not remember his presence in the room when she could recall the other visits?

He must really hate her to abandon her in a time like this. He should be more contrite, considering that his brat almost killed her. The bitter thoughts ran rampant in her head; she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, as she strove to drive the memories from her mind.

Hotaru watched the woman's emotive expressions and saw how unhappy she became and felt a kindling of pity for her.

"Are you feeling well mistress?" She asked, hopeful that the woman might just be feeling self pitying, and would open up so that they could talk.

She sighed irritated. "Where is my husband…And why hasn't he come to see me?"

Hotaru frowned and then answered. "I am sorry to inform you but he is not here," her eyes widened and her lips parted to say something, however, Hotaru spoke first.

"The lord went in search of his pups," the princess's eyes narrowed, Hotaru saw the confusion and retracted the word. "What I to meant to say is that he went in search of his children who ran off the night of your attack, and he has not returned as of yet."

How much time passed, she had no idea as the princess remained mute, her judgment lost beneath the plight of the lord's private affairs.

In deep, rapid pants; shallow breaths rasped from between the princess's lips. Her mind and heart overwhelmed by a steady flow of grief and unrequited love, she wept. Her whole body shook with the uncontrollable urge of her emotions.

A throaty cry burst from her lips and Hotaru could not sit still any longer and watch. She entered the bed from the other side and sat close beside her charge and cradled her shoulders. The gesture was enough and the weeping female turned into her chest and cried brokenly.

Hotaru rocked the woman-child slowly like a baby, while she rubbed her arms soothingly, and in time the crying subsided into soft whimpering.

"Why can't he love me like he loves her," the discontented woman muttered in her chest.

Hotaru's eyes popped, this was the opportunity that she was waiting for, and she would take it.

"Listen to me very carefully mistress because I swore that I would never repeat it, but for you I will do it this one time."

Instinctively Maemi wanted to push the youkai female away now that she had sobered up with the words that she had spoken, to hide her moment of weakness and shame. Yet even as she gathered herself to leave the shelter of the embrace, her mind and body had other ideas; she leaned in a little closer, welcoming the comfort in her time of distress.

Part of her wasn't ready for this, for the truth. Because knowing would relinquish the hope that she had that one day he might truly love her. But another part of her felt like this new knowledge could set her free; though being with another man was unthinkable at the moment.

The world spun around them for several long moments as Hotaru sensed the conflicting emotions of the lady. She gave her time to adjust before she said anything else. She felt as the lady nodded her head, providing the necessary permission for her to continue.

"Your husband isn't trying to hurt you deliberately, and if he could love you he would try, but alas he is incapable of doing so. He had a mate, more significant than a wife in a spiritual sense, you see youkais mate for life, just like the birds and other animals, they were never meant to part unless one of them dies."

With her strength returning princess Maemi removed herself from Hotaru's arms and sat with her back straightened against the wall. There were so many things running through her mind, but she could not voice the words to express any of them at the moment. The nurse continued.

"The former lady of the house loved Sesshomaru and he loved her, to facilitate the treaty and to marry you he had to break their bond, something that could have killed her."

"How is that possible?" The small voice of the princess interrupted.

"To be with you meant pain and suffering for her, their hearts and soul had joined in intimacy the instant he infused his power with hers, making them two sides to the same coin. In rare cases like the lord and his former mate their bond was of their souls, this type is the strongest, and if one of them dies so would the other."

Maemi gave a quiet gasp at the realization, as the truth slowly spread inside her. Hotaru waited a few more moments for her to collect herself before she continued.

"The lord had only his people in mind when he sought your brother to facilitate better understanding and economic growth between the races. He had no idea that the emperor would betray him this way, and that is the reason why you are hurting now, this is not what he wanted for any of you."

"Why didn't he tell me?" She asked and squinted against the sunlight filtering beneath the heavy red velvet curtain in the bedroom.

Hotaru shrugged diffidently. "I am not certain but my guess would be that he didn't see the logic in it. You were under orders from the emperor to marry him and there was nothing you could have done even if he had told you, and besides, your brother gave him an ultimatum, either he marries you or the deal was off."

Although she considered all that the youkai female had communicated to her, she still felt unsatisfied on some levels. Thinking back, she recalled the lord telling her that he could never love her, and now she knew why.

Flashes of memory chased through her mind, scenes and sensation rose from the depth of despairing oblivion, new knowledge forced the bad feelings and desperation away, and she felt as a cleansing began to wash away the misgivings.

In the midst of her mind and heart's renewal, she heard the distant voice of the female beside her.

"Lord Sesshomaru is an honorable being, perhaps if you let go of the desire for him to love you, then maybe you two can help each other. I am sure that many women like yourself are forced to marry men that they had no desire to wed, help him find the answers to change the circumstances of many, for both of you hold the power in your hands."

She trembled at the idea, fearing the wrath of her family, nearly as much as the inevitable heartache that she must face if she decides to set him free. She would still be his wife but in a platonic sense. But how would her heart and body deal with such an arrangement, when they burn with passion for him relentlessly?

Her fingers trembled; she shoved them against her kimono as she pushed the thoughts away, or tried to, her nerves frayed to the point of exhaustion. Of course the attack and being cooped up in bed wasn't helping either.

Even if her conscience permitted the change in their relationship, her duty as princess wouldn't allow it. She was given an instruction to procreate within the first year of marriage. So how then would she explain to her brother for the failure?

Her head hurt with the confusion, the hand on her shoulder squeezed gently.

"Take it easy on yourself, the best thing that you can do now is talk to your husband when he returns, I am sure that together you will both find the solutions.

Making sure none of her thoughts showed on her face, she gave a nod. She had an obligation to her brother and the empire. Could she really shirk those responsibilities and set her husband free to be with the one that he loved? She didn't know the answer, and right now all she felt like doing was to cry some more.

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