Chapter 2

The forest clearing was quiet as usual, birds sang in the nearby trees, rabbits and ground squirrel foraged carefully, on the watch-out for hawks and other predators, all and all a completely tranquil scene. Suddenly, what sounds like thunder can be heard in the distance, but it's more constant, never-ending, and getting louder.

Then, out of nowhere, a black stallion seems to burst from the forest, as if spit out by the shadows itself. It is followed closely by a rather large brown mare, both galloping as fast as they can. Atop their backs, two youths that seem as different as day and night, but also just as inseparable. About sixteen or so in age, the youth on the black stallion pulls on the reins, slowing the beast and turning him around, as soon does the youth on the brown. The teen on the black stallion sweeps her long black hair behind her, laughing hard, "Oh man Tai, did you SEE their faces when we took off? That never gets old!"

The boy on the mare seems much less impressed, rolling his amber eyes a bit, though he could not hide the smile on his face, "I swear Yume, sometimes I have to wonder if Uncle Sesshoumaru was right when we were younger and you ARE devil-spawn. But as long as we're running, come on, I don't think we've lost them quite yet…"

Yume chuckles, "What are you talking about, we left them in the…" Even as she says this, suddenly a pair of palominos come crashing out of the woods, both mounted by the run-away teens' teachers, you guessed it, Miroku and Sango.

"Please, your highnesses, stop!" Sango calls out, obviously more than a little frustrated with the two.

"Crap! Taichi, haul butt!" Yume calls, quickly turning her steed around and moving to urge him forth again into the relative safety of the forest, before an unexpected 'visitor' thunders out of the woods in that direction and both of the royal heirs sigh a bit, Yume muttering a, "Double crap…" under her breath.

For on the great grey stallion that just came from the other side, sat their father, the great Hanyou King Inuyasha. He raises an eyebrow as he trots his mount over to the two, Miroku and Sango quickly slowing and stopping on their opposite flank. "You know, if we surged forward RIGHT now, we MIGHT be able to get away…" Yume whispered under her breath to her brother, who just looked at her like she was insane.

"So, what are all of you doing all the way out here?" Inuyasha asks, attempting to keep the amusement out of his voice and not doing a very good job of it.

The kids blush a bit as Miroku explains, a light smile on his face, "Well, it seems these two thought that running their horses wild in the forest was better for learning how to ride than what Sango and I had planned for them…as usual."

Taichi speaks up first, "It was my idea Father, Yume had mentioned what a beautiful day it was, and I gave her the idea of blowing off manners and riding training today. I'm sorry."

Inuyasha can't help but smirk, clapping a hand on Taichi's shoulder, "Kid, it's admirable that you're trying to take the fall for your sister, but I wasn't born yesterday, and this has 'Yume' written all over it. I may have been gone for a couple weeks, but that doesn't mean I forgot how my own kids are."

"Speaking of which sire, how did the talks go?" Sango asks, attempting to relieve some of the tension she no doubt had a hand in making.

The hanyou rolled his eyes before rolling his shoulders, "About as well as can be expected. I don't even get why the heck we have these 'peace talks' anyways, that idiot and I both know that we aren't going to attack each other. All it really does is give him a reason to gloat over me for a week or two and remind me that I'm not a full demon, several times over in several different ways. But enough about that annoyance for now, let's all get home, I haven't slept in my own bed for weeks, not to mention eaten an actual DECENT meal."

All present smile at these last statements, for all know the real reason he was anxious to get home was just as anxious to have him home. "Last one home cleans the stables for a week!" Yume calls before urging her horse forward, laughing as the others quickly follow suit.

Inuyasha gains the lead and looks back at his children and most trusted servants and friends, and can't help but smile a bit, 'It's amazing how much can change in such a little amount of time. Back when I was cursed, if I was told I'd have two children from the love of my life and a kingdom that accepted and loved me, I would've laughed, then tried to bite the person's head off. I was so stupid back then, it still amazes me…'

He's brought out of his reverie when he hears his daughter call from behind, "Hey old man, you getting on in your years or what? We're catching up to you!"

He can't help but laugh, "Nah, just trying not to win by TOO much. Last time I really went all out, you and that brother of yours wouldn't stop belly-achin' for a week!" Even so, he drives his horse on a bit faster, almost beaming when he sees the castle gates come into view. He rushes past them before quickly slowing his horse and turning it around, causing it to rear slightly, "Woah boy, easy now…" He says quietly before smirking, "Alright, so who of the four of you gonna be cleaning stables?" he crows triumphantly.

"You're going to WISH you were just cleaning stables if you keep up that attitude mister!" Despite the harsh words, Inuyasha turns with a wide smile on his face towards the owner of the voice, who was standing at the top of the front steps.

He quickly dismounts and rushes up the steps, met partway with the one he was rushing to, picking her up and spinning her around, causing her to giggle a bit as she smiles down at him. He chuckles as he sets her down gently, keeping his hands at her waist as he grins down at her, "Gods I've missed you Kagome…"

The young queen giggles a bit, her hands having placed themselves on his upper arms, "As I have missed you, oh noble King."

Inuyasha can't help but roll his eyes, "Oh don't start with that again. I got enough of the 'you are a KING, you should act like it and have your subjects respect you as such' treatment from Sesshoumaru-baka these last couple of weeks, I don't need to start thinking somehow he's got YOU brain-washed too."

Kagome just giggles again, "Would you rather I take to acting more like Rin-chan, Inu-chan?" She says, using a slightly higher-pitched, child-like voice that causes her hanyou husband to wince a bit.

"I rather you not 'act' at all, and you know it." He smiles a bit before dipping his head to place his lips on hers in a gentle kiss.

This might have gone further, if Yume's voice didn't break through their slight haze of happiness with a teasing note and a giggle in it, "Eeew, Mama and Papa are KISSING!" The two separate before looking down where the other four are still on their mounts, all grinning while Taichi was rolling his eyes.

"Oh please Yume, YOU have no room to be talking in the kissing department!" He says before his eyes widen and he promptly shuts up, his face mirroring the horrified expression on his sister's. The adults look to the two, now VERY interested. Taichi looks to Yume, his eyes horrified and pleading for forgiveness in the same instant.

Kagome crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow, "Yume…what is your brother talking about?"

Yume tries to smile sweetly, "Nothing?" Then, seeing her parents clearly have the 'We aren't buying that' look on their faces, she glares at Taichi before sighing deeply, "It's nothing…REALLY. It was just…Kohaku did something that really helped me, so I gave him a kiss on the cheek to thank him. That's ALL…I promise. Taichi was just over-reacting, as usual."

Inuyasha raises an eyebrow, but nods, sighing a bit, "Alright, alright, I just got home, I don't want any trouble. Understood? Now, I'm starving, let's go eat." He chuckles slightly at the end, having the teens smile and cheer, knowing they were off the hook, for now at least.

Meanwhile, far away, outside of the radius of the royal family's noses, a fan snaps shut as a mysterious woman growls, watching the heart-warming scene in a mirror held by another figure. "Oh, I can't stand it anymore, clear the image!" The woman seethes before turning around, growling low for a couple of moments before she stops, a sick smirk spreading across her face as she places the tip of her fan against her chin, "No matter, soon the happy little family will get a rude awakening. In fact, their entire kingdom will soon find out just what kind of trouble all of them are in. We will avenge our father's death, of that, they can be assured, even if they don't know it yet."

A dark cloud seems to loom over the two figures, darkening the area until all that can be seen is their outlines and shining red eyes, which is soon joined by six other pairs, outlines forming every shape and size, all seeming to crawl from the darkest depths of the human nightmare. The woman laughs darkly before a malicious wind picks up suddenly, whipping the grass violently before the eight figures disappear, leaving the clearing eerily quiet, as if awaiting the destruction the strange woman had promised it's royal family.