Chapter 4

So it's my fault?

Sesshoumaru followed Jaenelle in diplomatic silence as she lead him down a set of marble spiral stairs. The way was darkened, lit only by candles along the walls.

"The Dark Throne resides in Lorn's lair," Jaenelle said quietly, reminiscing. They reached the blackwood doors and Jaenelle paused, looking to Sesshoumaru. "Don't be surprised by his appearance, Lorn is actually quite loving."

Sesshoumaru said nothing at all so Jaenelle pushed the doors open and slowly walked into the chamber. Lights lit up as they stepped inside, the Dark Throne shrouded in shadows, a ruined scepter resting on it. Sesshoumaru studied the scepter only briefly and then focused on the glittering jewel behind it. A few moments later had him discovering that that glistening jewel was an eye. Lorn's eye.

"Afternoon, Grandpa," Jaenelle said gleefully.

"Stop calling me that," Lorn sighed, looking at the strangely dressed Lord standing next to Witch. "What have you brought me?"

Sesshoumaru bowed to Lorn, raising his golden eyes back up to the Dragon curled behind the Dark Throne. "I am Lord Sesshoumaru, Demon Dog ruler of the Western Lands of Japan."

"Lorn," He studied Sesshoumaru for a moment, mainly the man's outfit and then looked to Jaenelle. "He's a long way from home, I can see,"

"We were hoping you might be able to help us figure out how they got here and if there's a way to get them back home."

"Them? How many of you are there?" He looked back to Sesshoumaru who's expression had not changed. How very diplomatic. Reminds me of Sadi in many ways...

Jaenelle smiled. "There are four of them, grandpa. Lord Sesshoumaru, Lady Rin, Lord Inuyasha--"

"My brother is no Lord," Sesshoumaru snarled in distaste. Lorn's jeweled eyes flickered towards him for a moment while Jaenelle continued on.

"--And Lady Kagome,"

"There is also a fifth," Sesshoumaru added. "A demon known as Naraku, an enemy."

"Do you know his whereabouts?"

"No," Sesshoumaru's expression still had not changed. "He's hiding his scent quite well, but I do know that he is injured."

Lorn rolled this new information over in his mind and looked back to Jaenelle. "Let us start from the beginning, Jaenelle. Where did you find them?"

Daemon found her easily enough two hours later after Sesshoumaru had returned to the family room. She was out in the garden, staring into the fountain with sharp eyes.

"Sweetheart,"

"They can't get home," Jaenelle murmured. "Not unless someone from their world rebuilds what was destroyed...and there's a good chance that will never happen. Lorn estimated that the amount of power used to destroy the Sacred Well plus the well's power itself would have killed anyone within a mile radius. The only reason they survived and were sent here is because of Kagome,"

Daemon nodded, understanding. "She told me a little about the Shikon Jewel she wears. When whole it can grant a wish, but it needs to be purified so that the Jewel will vanish. After that, Kagome's job will be done."

"The Jewel is corrupted?"

"Hatred, loathing, jealousy, they all seem to fuel it, to create shadows in that jewels light. According to Inuyasha, that's why so many demons seek the Jewel. To gain more power,"

"Greed is a powerful weapon in its own, I suppose," Jaenelle sighed. "Still, if what Lorn says is correct, then anyone who knew about the Well is most likely dead, meaning the well can never be rebuilt."

Daemon nodded at his wife, sighing heavily. "Then I suppose we should be prepared to have permanent house guests,"

"It's the least we can do," Jaenelle said, forcing a smile. "I just hope it will be enough for now,"

Daemon took a deep breath, stiffened, and looked over to her. "The coven is here,"

"What do you mean we can't get home!" Inuyasha growled, following his brother outside, ignoring the fact that Rin was practically attached to him again. "What did Lorn say? ANSWER ME, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru reached the bottom of the stairs and turned towards his brother. "The Well will have to be rebuilt on the other side in order for us to be able to go back."

Kagome relaxed greatly. "Then we don't have long here! Sango and Miroku will rebuild that Well in no time!" She looked at the solemn look on Sesshoumaru's face and her lips parted. "Right, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha glared at his brother. "The Well won't be rebuilt, will it, Sesshoumaru?" Silence came from his elder brother. Inuyasha's jaw twitched. "No, it won't, because everyone within range of that Well is dead, aren't they? ANSWER ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Inuyasha drew Tetsuseiga from its sheathe and dove at his brother, meeting Tokijin with a deadly force. Rin jumped away, screaming in terror as the brothers pressed against each other.

Kagome looked to the Shikon Jewel and felt tears come to her eyes. "Sango...Miroku...Shippo...Kilala...They're dead?" Her eyes rose to the form of the clashing brothers and the tears spilled over. "You destroyed the well, Sesshoumaru...you killed everyone on the other side. The only reason we survived was because of me..."

"Stop it!" Jaenelle had reached the doors, glaring. "Lords, stop!"

"You killed them!" Inuyasha hissed. "You killed my friends!"

"Really, Inuyasha? Or was it Kagome?"

"You bastard!" Inuyasha knocked his brother backwards, his eyes turning deadly. "How dare you blame this on Kagome!"

"Mother Night..." Daemon looked up just as his half brother, Lucivar, hit the ground, folding his wings tight to his body with a snap. Bastard?

Daemon shook his head towards his brother, sending his reply on an Ebon-Gray spear thread. Protect the coven, this could get ugly, Prick,

Should we intervene?

Just watch and wait for now, if need be, I'll put a stop to this,

Kagome, Jaenelle noticed, was shaking, her breathing was hitched. Was she about to snap?

"Think about it, Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru growled, watching his brother's every move, realizing how dangerously close Rin was to the fight. "Why did we survive? Why were we brought here?"

"YOU DESTROYED THE WELL! YOU KILLED THE OTHERS! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Inuyasha was losing control, anger, rage, it rippled through him, fueling him.

Sesshoumaru was smiling now. Smiling! "The Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha,"

"SHUT UP!"

"She destroyed the well trying to protect you!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" His hands were shaking, but he gripped Tetsuseiga steadily.

"No..." Kagome murmured, denying it, but part of her believed him. Either way she had to do something before Inuyasha snapped, and he was close to it.

"She brought us here," Sesshoumaru pressed on, knowing his brother would snap, but that was fine because he could just kill him and that would be the end of it. "She killed everyone on the other side and she knows it. She knew it then, too, which is why we're here! KAGOME DID THIS!"

"DAMN YOU!" Inuyasha snapped, launching at his brother full force.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome gasped then. "Inuyasha, Sit!"

He hit the ground hard, screaming in frustration. Sesshoumaru backed away from his brother, though he wanted to slaughter the half breed and just get it over with, but he had given his word to Lorn that he would not shed blood on the land when he could help it.

Lucivar just stared at the sight before him as he lead his wife and son around the scene towards Jaenelle and Daemon. "What the hell is going on, Bastard?"

"Kagome?" Jaenelle asked, worried about the look on the woman's face, the way her hands shook.

"I did this..." She whispered, tears springing to her eyes. "He's right. I did use the Shikon Jewel's power to protect Inuyasha...I destroyed the well...I killed them..."

"We don't know that," Jaenelle offered, though she didn't believe that very strongly. Kagome shook her head in denial.

Inuyasha pushed himself upright, glaring at his brother venomously, but remained still. He could hear Kagome starting to blame herself and if he moved too quickly, he'd end up losing control again. He could smell her tears and it was driving him nuts, and the fact that she was blaming herself for something he believed, he knew she didn't do, wasn't helping his temper either. Inuyasha rose, glaring daggers at his brother, wishing he could just kill him and end this feud. But if he tried, Kagome would just sit him again. He turned away from Sesshoumaru, sheathed the Tetsuseiga, and walked towards Kagome. She shook her head as he reached her, choking back her sobs.

"Inuyasha, I did this..."

He shook his head, too angry to say anything for fear he'd just go back after Sesshoumaru.

"I'm the reason we're here...Miroku and the others could be dead because of me." Kagome sobbed, unable to stop it any more, and removed the Shikon Jewel from her neck. She shoved it into his hands. "Keep it away from me," She turned to run back inside but Inuyasha stopped her.

"You're acting just like Kikyo."

Kagome stopped, turning to face him, a shattered look on her face. "You would compare us?"

"Kikyo let something like this happen to her and I lost her forever. I'm not going to let you do this. You're not going to walk away from me, Kagome. I won't let you do what Kikyo did."

"But I used the power of the jewel to protect you and it destroyed the well. I can't control that power, Inuyasha, I shouldn't have it!"

"Then I'll take it for now, Kagome, but you are not going to blame yourself for something that isn't your fault!"

"Lorn said that the backlash of Sesshoumaru's attack coupled with the power of the well is what brought you here. If the Shikon Jewel was factored into it, then it was, but that doesn't mean any of this is your fault," Jaenelle reassured, looking between the couple. "You might also want to consider Naraku,"

Kagome looked to Jaenelle nodding. "I forgot about Naraku,"

Inuyasha reached for her, stroking her cheek. "Did you understand that?"

She nodded, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry I sat you again,"

"Yeah, well, I'll kick Sesshy's ass some other time."

Rin went red in the face suddenly, avoiding Sesshoumaru's eyes at all costs. Oh boy am I going to get it now...

"Is it wise to have those two in the same room?" Lucivar raised the glass of brandy to his lips, watching with narrowed eyes as the coven introduced themselves to the strangers, taking an extreme liking towards Kagome and Rin. Of course, females will be females. The rest of the boyos, however, were on edge, tense as if a war was about to break out in the dining room.

"He's adorable," Karla grinned, reaching forward and tweaking Inuyasha's ears. Kagome giggled as Inuyasha grumbled something inaudible, glaring at the floor.

"He was asleep the first time I did it," Kagome giggled, smiling at him.

"I'll get you back for that one later," He snarled, glaring at her.

"You realize, prick," Daemon said, leaning towards his brother. "that there are some definite similarities between those two half brothers and ourselves."

"Noticed that one," Lucivar said flatly. "It's frightening, really."

"Not as long as Kagome has that damned power over Inuyasha and Rin keeps her innocent control over Sesshoumaru reigned in. They were fine until he got back from seeing Lorn and told us what had been said. That's when Inuyasha exploded."

"I just noticed something disturbing," Karla approached the two, leaning on a cane. "Surreal isn't here,"

"That's why it was so damn quiet in here," Lucivar looked around the room, baffled. "She said she'd be here,"

"Mother night, what kind of trouble did she get herself into this time?" Daemon slipped from the dining room, intent on finding out.

"Should you go with him?" Lucivar sighed as he looked to Karla.

"I suppose with Surreal I'd be a good help," Lucivar passed his glass of brandy over to Karla and followed his brother.

"Problem?"

"Of course not, Uncle Saetan," Karla said sweetly, smiling. "Kiss, kiss,"

He watched her saunter off towards Morghann and sighed heavily. "I knew it, I'm going to have another headache tonight."

Daemon and Lucivar matched strides as they headed for the main hall. Surreal had just arrived and looked a little flustered.

"Hell's fire, what did I do now?" She asked as the two brothers flanked her sides, took her arms, and started leading her towards the dining room. "I get an escort, oh yay."

"Where have you been?"

"What's going on?"

Surreal looked between the two brothers with a weird look on her face. "What do you mean? Graysfang was being stubborn, that's why I'm late, and nothing's going on. How is it that every time I'm late for something everyone thinks something's wrong?"

"Because every time you disappear something is wrong," Lucivar said flatly, tugging her along. "Now, tell us what it is,"

"Oh you annoying prick," Surreal yanked her arm out of his hands. "The only problem I'm having is the cramps, now stop being stubborn and let me eat in peace,"

Lucivar glared at her. "Well excuse me for being worried about you!"

"Sugar, the last thing I want is for you to be worried about me. Your fussing is the most annoying thing in the realms. Honestly, how Marian can stand it, I'll never know,"

"Children," Daemon warned, shaking his head. "Dinner, perhaps, might help us all?"

Surreal continued to glare at Lucivar and then showed herself into the dining room.

"Something is off with her," Lucivar insisted.

"I know," Daemon murmured. "I'll send Kaelas to check it out, just keep quiet about it. You're right, something is off..."

Graysfang watched Naraku steadily as he forced himself upright in order to make it to the restroom. His black hair fell greasily down his neck, shoulders, and back, his eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep despite being a demon, and his wounds hadn't completely healed. Surreal had done the best she could, and despite what he had thought about that, his wounds were healing, just slowly.

Naraku heard Graysfang whine as he struggled towards the bathroom. Surreal said to stay in bed!

"What would you have me do, wolf? Ruin her bed only to hear her bitch?"

Graysfang whined again as Naraku closed the bathroom door behind himself, bracing his weight against the sink, staring into the mirror. He looked terrible. It made him laugh.

"I bet you're just dying to tear into me, aren't you, Inuyasha? Or do you even know that I'm the one that destroyed the well?" He laughed quietly, knowing Graysfang was waiting patiently for him outside of the door. "You probably think it was your brother, which is fine. If you kill him, I won't have to. However, coming here wasn't any of my doing, but I have a good feeling I know how we got here," He lowered his eyes to his naked torso, at the reddening bandages. He'd reopened his wounds, apparently, but he didn't care. They would still heal. "I must wait this one out, unfortunately. But don't you worry, Inuyasha, I'll be back to kill you in no time at all."

End chapter! I'm having too much fun with this...really, I am...! heheh