Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. This is a not for profit fan work.

"That is your brother's place?"

Kagome stared up at the palace above them. Situated on the top of a tall hill, it shone in the late day sun. Three white towers of varying heights, all with tiled roofs that curved and slanted elegantly. The walls surrounding the towers was the same white, crisp and clean and well maintained. She was reminded of Himeji Castle, not far from Kyoto, where she had gone on a school trip some years ago. She had thought that was magnificent, but it was a pale shade compared to the life and majesty that radiated off of Sesshoumaru's palace.

There was a small town surrounding the hill, farms, and fields. There was something that looked like a market, and she wondered if it was a permanent market, or if they had just arrived on market day. The homes in the town were above the caliber that she had expected, not ramshackle shacks, but actual homes, some of them multi-storied. Some were quite large, but then, that made sense. Some of the residents were quite large.

They were everywhere. Some, like InuYasha, were human looking, with or without animal features, other, though, looked like animals, but larger, or with different coloured fur, or able to stand upright. She didn't want to gape, but this was so far beyond her expectations, she couldn't help it.

"Keh, what did you expect?" InuYasha asked. He didn't seem taken back by the sight at all. He must have seen this place dozens, maybe even hundred of times.

"You live in a cave," she replied, trying to convey how that had warped her expectations. She hadn't really thought Sesshoumaru lived in a cave, but she hadn't thought anything of this scale.

He scoffed, though his eyes were far from relaxed. He was watching the townsfolk, golden eyes sweeping back and forth over them uneasily. Was he worried about how they would react to him, or to her? She wasn't entirely sure. She knew she was a little worried, no matter what he claimed about her being a part of the clan now. She kept close to InuYasha as they entered the village, trying to not stare at the myriad of demons around her.

When they reached the gate leading into the palace, she was almost surprised to find it opened. Demons were walking in and out, many of them wearing a crescent moon embroidered on their kimono. It was the symbol of the rulers of the Western Land, of Sesshoumaru, and InuYasha, and their father. She gathered those wearing it were servants, or vassals.

Inside the walls was a grand courtyard with a wide path paved with stone. Close up, the towers looked larger, more intimidating, and even more elegant. They were practical as well, though. She noted some defensive features, such as slits for arrows to be shot, and little recesses for the guards. It may be a grand palace, but it was also a functional fortress. She wondered when it had last seen battle.

She was drawn from her reverie by a sharp pain on her cheek. She slapped herself, catching the flea demon that had decided to take a bite on her palm.

"Ah, lady Kagome," the voice was strained, "how good to taste you again."

"Myouga," she said, remembering the first time she had met the flea. There was no fear this time, no worry that this flea represented a large demon flea lord. "What are you doing here?"

"And what are you doing biting her?" InuYasha sounded more annoyed than upset. "You're going to set a bad example."

The flea seemed to perk up and looked to his master. "Ah, Lord InuYasha, is that jealousy I sense?"

"Keh, why would I be jealous you didn't bite me?" Kagome could swear there was some red on his cheeks, though if that was a blush or just the setting sun, she wasn't sure. Myouga chuckled to himself, having made his own determination.

"I am here, Lady Kagome," continued Myouga, "because Lord InuYasha was to be here. As his vassal, it is my duty to attend these formal functions."

She nodded, as if that made sense. She didn't know what a vassal was supposed to do or not. She didn't know much about servants besides what she had seen in dramas on TV or read in books.

"Your chambers have been prepared, along with ones for Lady Kagome." InuYasha nodded, as if that was expected. It probably was. "There is time before dinner for you both to clean up and refresh yourselves."

Cleaning up sounded good. InuYasha had claimed it would only take a day and a half or so to get to Sesshoumaru's palace. It had, in fact, taken three days. It was her fault. Not because she had complained about the pace, but because InuYasha simply couldn't carry her and their supplies for a day and a half without a rest. They had alternated between walking and running, because there hadn't been much choice.

"Sounds good." He didn't look winded, or tired, but she knew it had been difficult carrying her for so long. He had to want to refresh as much as she did. "Come on, wench, let's get going."

She nodded, following along behind him as he walked into the main building. She followed as he lead her through a maze of halls and rooms, most decorated with fantastically painted scenes on the walls or ornaments. There were more demons in the corridors, some dressed in a fashion that suggested they were courtiers, other like servants, and even some guards. She felt beyond out of place in her combat boots, cargo pants that were so baggy on her, they only remained on because of a belt, and a t-shirt that was two sizes too large. Her hair was a mess, bunched into a messy ponytail. She heard the giggles from some of the finely dressed ladies that passed, even from some of the servants, though these stopped when InuYasha sent them a glare, sometimes accompanied with a quiet rumbling.

InuYasha stopped in the hall, suddenly, his hand reaching to open a door. He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What's wrong, my lord?" She hadn't even realized Myouga was still on his shoulder.

"Nothing," he said and he opened the door.

With all the demons around, she hadn't been able to focus and pick out any individual auras, so she was surprised to see a demon lounging in the room.

Kagome blinked, looking at this demon carefully. Long white hair tied into two long tails, a crescent moon on her forehead, and jagged purple lines on her cheeks. Whoever this woman was, she was obviously related to InuYasha and Sesshoumaru. She wore one of the most elaborate kimono Kagome had ever seen, a deep purple with a blue fur-lined mantle.

"Auntie," InuYasha said.

"Ah, InuYasha, how good to see you. I thought you had forgotten your old aunt. This is the first time you've been to the palace in what? Two years?"

"About that," he replied, and then sighed heavily. "Kagome, this is Inukimi, Sesshoumaru's mother. Auntie, Kagome Higurashi."

The demon stood and circled around her, eyeing her up and down critically. "So," she said, almost sounding bored, "you are the human all this fuss is about."

Kagome nodded, wondering what she was supposed say in a situation like this.

"And that is what you wear to the home of the Lord of the Western Lands? It seems humans have forgotten what little respect they had for themselves after all."

"It's not as if I had a choice," she said, her anger and frustration making their way into her voice. "They only had men's clothing to give me."

Inukimi cocked her head. "Men's clothing?" she asked, her frown becoming more pronounced. "Barbarians. Utter barbarians. And you," she turned to InuYasha, who actually shrank away ever so slightly, "How could you allow your charge to walk into this place in such a state! I knew you were rough, but this is absurd! No wonder Kikyo refused your advances."

Inuyasha sighed, and Kagome knew this was an old argument. "Kikyo was never interested in a half-breed in the first place." She blinked. She had never heard him use such a word to describe himself. She looked at him.

Inukimi took a deep breath, collecting herself. Calm once more, she walked to the door, seeming to float. "Come."

"Where?" Kagome asked, not having any intention to actually follow this strange demon.

"I will not have a guest of this household look like a slob, certainly not before the Council. Honestly, that boy should have sought a solution to this long before now." She seemed to be talking to herself more than to Kagome. "Come along, a hot bath and clean clothes will do you wonders, human."

She hesitated, not sure if she wanted to follow this strange demon, a relation of Sesshoumaru or not.

"Go on," InuYasha said when it became clear she wasn't going to just walk off with her. "Auntie's not going to hurt you."

There was a clearly approving grin from the demon when Kagome nodded. "I'll see you at dinner," she said, still nervous about going off with this odd demon in this strange place.

InuYasha nodded and followed her out with his eyes.

She was a fool. InuYasha could already see what InuKimi was trying to do, and she had to know it was a bad idea.

About a decade or so ago, she had taken it upon herself to find him a mate. He was of age, and Sesshoumaru would have none of her meddling, wanting to save his choice for a good political match. InuYasha's protestations that he could find his own mate if and when he chose to seek one fell on deaf ears.

Inukimi was a good woman, and his father's first mate. His only mate, some would say, ignoring the fact that he had been equally devoted to Izayoi. He thought. He had been young when his father died, and the memories he had of the man, and of his relationship with his mother, were based on the stories Myouga and other had told him more than his own memories. His mother had loved him though, dearly. She had never made any secret of it. And Inukimi had been a friend to Izayoi when many would have shunned her and pushed her out. In fact, before her death, Izayoi had made Inukimi promise to take care of her boy. To the shock of more people than would be willing to admit it, Inukimi agreed. It was her support that made it so he had a home here, more than anything Sesshoumaru could have done.

So, when he chose to spend most of his time in his little den on the outskirts of his brother's lands, she sought to do something to bring him to the family home more often.

Enter Kikyo, the daughter of an ally of Sesshoumaru. Not a very important one, or Inukimi would have never hatched the plan, but, important enough that the match wouldn't seem out of place. It had been a particularly harsh winter, and Inukimi orchestrated for he and Kikyo to spend time together, to get to know one another, to allow a sense of familiarity and companionship that could be built upon for something more.

It didn't fail, not really. InuYasha had found himself looking forward to spending time with the young lady, and, he had admitted to himself, she seemed to enjoy his presence. After nearly two centuries of being the outsider, he began to feel like he had a place with her.

It had been nearly spring. The days were getting longer and warmer, and the snow had begun to melt in the lower lands surrounding the palace. He had gone for a run, to stretch his legs and breath in some fresh air. As he returned, he saw Kikyo with some of her friends in the courtyard. He greeted them, on his best behaviour, and asked Kikyo if she would be available to dine that evening. She said yes and they continued on their way.

As she was walking away, one of her friends said something, he couldn't remember what, but Kikyo laughed. He remembered what Kikyo replied though.

To be the mate of the heir to the Western Lands, I'd let that human think I love him.

He had confronted her over dinner that evening and she laughed. "Did you really think any female would want a half-breed like you if you weren't heir to the Western Lands?"

He had walked out of dinner, and left the palace. He didn't return for nearly a year.

He was sure Inukimi knew about it. No doubt, it had been a matter of gossip. A decade was the blink of an eye to demons, and Myouga told him that talk still circulated, calling him a fool for thinking he might have anything more than a convenient mate, and that he should be grateful for that much.

And then to bring the matter up in front of Kagome. He could think of a few reasons to do it. Certainly, there would be rumours still going about, and those might eventually reach her, but he hadn't wanted to just throw her into things. He remembered her face when he had called himself a half-breed, the confusion, the surprise, the pain. If she stuck around long enough, she was going to hear worse.

"Lord InuYasha, did you hear a word I said?"

He sighed. Myouga hadn't been quiet about the itinerary for the next few days. Yes, this was important. Summoning the Council outside of their normal meeting times was something that hadn't been done in years, probably centuries, and, seeing as he was both directly tied to the reason the meeting was being called as well as the heir to the Western Lands, there was going to be a lot thrown at him. Inukimi would teach Kagome what she needed to know. She was probably the best person for it, too.

He hadn't even thought about how the Council would receive Kagome, dressed in those odd human clothes. Odd, male human clothes. She never complained about them. She didn't really complain about much. If he had been stuck in female clothing for as long as she had been stuck in men's, he wouldn't have gone along so nonchalantly. Still, he had never even asked if she might want something else. He would have to arrange some proper clothes to be brought back with them. Of course, Inukimi was probably already working on that.

"I heard," he said, frowning. "The Council should be meeting in three days, as long as all the members arrive in time." Members that would include Kouga, the damn stinking wolf, along with the panthers, and the birds, along with a few other of the larger tribes. He wasn't look forward to seeing any of them, let alone having to testify his part in all this. "Isn't it time for dinner yet?" It was already getting dark.

Myouga frowned and sighed. "Yes, I suppose we could head down for dinner."

"Finally," he stood, shifting his arms in an attempt to get the kinks out of his muscle. He was used to being out all day, to preparing his own dinner. This sitting around didn't suit him. It was part of why he avoided this place in the summer. There was so much to do in the summer out there and so little in here.

He was almost to the dining room when he caught her scent. It stood out here, among the demons, as much as it had on that stray breeze when he had been seeking her, or the nature scents near the den. He wondered if the other demons around caught her scent as easily, if they felt the strange comfort he did. He doubted it. He had already heard whispers about the human stinking up the place. Old complaints. He had heard them about his mother too. He had just been less willing to take things as they came, then. His mother's scent had been a different kind of comfort.

He turned a corner and saw Inukimi, dressed in her impeccable splendour. He made a polite bow to her and would have kept going if his nose hadn't made him take a second look at the little female next to her.

She wasn't wearing the oversized, bland clothing she had walked into the palace with, but a lovely silken kimono decorated with cranes and mountains, and the family crest on the shoulder. Her hair, usually loose or in some messy ponytail or bun, was tied up elegantly and decorated with a lacquered comb. Her face was paler, make up, likely, her lips red, though, if he had to guess, that was a natural blush gracing her cheeks.

She was beautiful. He had known it before, but seeing her like this drove it home in a way he hadn't expected.

"What do you think, InuYasha?" Inukimi's voice brought him back to the hall they were in. "She cleans up well. Much more presentable now, don't you think?"

"Keh," he scoffed, tearing his eyes from them even as he walked a little closer. "She was fine before." Kagome's flush intensified.

Inukimi sighed. "Really, InuYasha, have you no manners? Compliment your ward, or I will have her made mine."

From the way her eyes widened, she hadn't expected the growl he gave in reply to her challenge. Kagome chuckled though, hiding her smile with a silk fan that matched the kimono perfectly. It was completely impractical. Females.

"You look lovely, Kagome." His voice was rough, and his eyes were focused on Inukimi as he said it. Her smile, he noticed, though, just grew.

"Why, thank you, InuYasha. You make for a dashing figure yourself." He turned to her, noting the amused embarrassment in her scent. She was enjoying herself, seeing Inukimi put him in his place like that. Oh, he was going to make her regret it later. He didn't know how, but he would think of something. Inukimi smiled, a motherly aura of satisfaction about her.

"Come now, it's time to eat." She walked ahead, leading the way to the dining room. Before Kagome could follow, he held out his arm and waited for her to take it. If she were his ward, he was escorting her properly. Manners, after all, made the demon.

Kagome smiled widely as she took his arm.

Kagome knelt before Sesshoumaru awkwardly. While at dinner, things had seemed almost surreal and relaxed, things had taken a turn for reality once the meal was done. Sesshoumaru wanted to discuss what she would say to the Council when they convened. The first part had been simple enough, retelling the tale of how she had ended up here. Then, he began asking her questions that might arise from the testimony. What had happened to the demon she had helped? How many people had been convicted of a similar crime with a similar sentence? What did humans think of demons? He pushed and pushed until he was satisfied with what she had to say and how she would say it. Once it seemed they were about done, she asked what the decision could be.

"Changes to the treaty, perhaps, a summit at the least. Someone will almost certainly call for a charge against the Wall., but that-"

"You can't." Her voice was panicked as she spoke, the words coming out like shots.

He sighed. "I know you are concerned for your people, but the decision is not something you have a say in."

"No, you don't understand," she said, her breathing shallow. "You can't attack the Wall. If you do, you'll all die."

Sesshoumaru blinked and InuYasha looked at her intently. It wasn't like her to threaten something like this.

"Excuse me?"

"There's a plan the Japanese government made years ago, probably before I was born. There's some version of it in almost every country around the world."

"What kind of plan?" InuYasha sounded annoyed. He had sat in the room with her since all evening, listening to Sesshoumaru coach her in what to say, how to say it, where to look, how to sit.

"You know what a bomb is, right?" They nodded, but she knew it was not the right kind of bomb, not by a long shot. "Made with gunpowder, right?"

"Is that it?" InuYasha asked. "A bomb? We can handle a few of those."

"It's not like any bomb you have ever seen before. It's a series of nuclear bombs, set to be dropped if there is ever a legitimate belief that the Wall will fall."

Now, Sesshoumaru frowned. He did not like the sound of this. "Nuclear?"

She nodded, trying to think how to describe this to people who had never even heard of electricity, let alone the atom. "It's a special kind of bomb that, that breaks apart the building blocks of the universe." She wondered if they would understand that. As it was, she was trying to remember what she could from science class and tv shows. "One of them can set the sky on fire, and poison the wind and earth for a century, maybe more. They call it the Osterhagen key."

The demons looked at her, not really sure what to say, trying to process this new information.

"How many of these bombs do they have?" asked Sesshoumaru at last.

"I don't know. Hundreds?"

"If what you are saying is true," said InuYasha, his eyes on her intensely. "It'll hurt the humans, too. Poisoning the air? Who the hell came up with such a stupid idea?"

She shrugged. "Some guy name Osterhagen, I suppose." She tried to push the images from her mind, but they wouldn't leave. "It's been done, once, in a country far away called Germany. They bombed an area where demons lived, and the results were horrific." She shuddered, feeling the bile rise up in her throat. "They showed video of it to us in school. Some of them lived," she said. She could still remember the face of one, half charred nearly to the bone, but it still moved, still spoke. She had been sick at the sight of it. It had been used against her in the trial. Somehow, they had discovered even that. "Half of their bodies little more than burnt flesh, but, alive."

A hand touched her shoulder, and she didn't need to look up to know it was InuYasha. She grabbed it, grateful for the warmth, for the contact, the reminder that they were all ok.

"Why did you not mention this before?"

Kagome frowned. "Because it was easy before. Send me back to the Wall, go home, crisis averted. Now, though," she bit her lip,

"I need to digest this information," Sesshoumaru said, his voice tight. He appeared stoic, but she could tell he was shaken. She couldn't blame him. "We shall continue this later. Until then, speak of this to no one."

"Of course, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded, then rose and walked out of the room leaving her alone with InuYasha.

"You ok?" he asked after a moment.

"I knew about the Osterhagen Key since I was a child," she said, "Just like I knew the Wall was there my whole life. I never judged it, I never stopped and asked if it was ok. I just accepted it. It was just how things were." She turned from him, not wanting to meet his eyes. "I've never been more ashamed of being human."

"Kagome," he said in reply, his hand holding her chin so she had to look at him. They were close, she realized. She could feel his breath on her skin, warm and wet. "You had nothing to do with that osu-whatever thing. And telling us will probably save lives, now. Right?"

"Maybe," she replied.

"It will," he said. "I mean, it probably completely invalidates the treaty, but, at least we can work on something better now, right?"

She hadn't thought of that. If this news invalidated the treaty, then, she wasn't protected by it anymore. She felt dizzy.

"Hey, none of that," he said roughly. "Sesshoumaru's said you are part of the clan, so you are. Even if he changed his mind, I wouldn't let anything happen to you, you hear?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she said, smiling up at him. "Thanks, InuYasha."

At this point, he seemed to notice how close they were too. His cheeks flushed and he withdrew, scoffing as a way to cover his embarrassment. She smiled at him, wondering how he managed to cheer her up so effortlessly. She still worried, she still had doubts lingering, but if InuYasha said she would be safe, she'd believe him.

He stood, augmenting the distance between them. "Come on. It's been a long day. You must be exhausted."

She nodded and took his hand. Her legs were shaky, full of pins and needles. How long had they been in here with Seshoumaru drilling her? She leaned on him, waving off his concerned look when she wobbled ever so slightly with her first step, and her second, and her third. She let him lead her through the halls, still a vague maze to her, until he opened the door to his apartment. She hadn't even had a chance to look it over before being ushered away, and now, she was too tired to give it a good look. She wanted to sleep.

There were two doors from the one they were in, each leading to a room with a futon in it. The larger, she guessed, was his. She made her way to the smaller room, and saw a sleeping kimono laid out for her. It looked like silk and it shimmered in the soft light of a lantern. She blinked, realizing she would have to get out of these clothes, undo the knots, let down her hair, wash her face in the basin in the corner. InuYasha hovered by the door, looking awkwardly after her. It took her a moment to realize that here, in his brother's palace, there would probably be rules of decorum that didn't come into affect out in the wilderness around his cave.

She removed the comb first and laid it on the table, then, she began undoing the ties of the kimono. She heard the door slide shut behind her, InuYasha granting her privacy. She wasn't sure what to do with the clothes, so she laid them out neatly on the table. Not folded properly, but, neatly. She washed her face, brushed out her hair with a brush that had been left out for her, and then, put on the sleeping robe. It was light, and soft against her skin.

She opened the door to her room and found that the door to his was closed as well. She walked over and knocked, calling his name softly. It was mere seconds before the door opened to show that he, too, had changed into a sleeping robe. It took her a moment to adjust to the fact that he was not wearing the red suikan and hakama he always wore. She had never seen him take them off, even when she offered to wash them for him. They were fur of the fire rat. They cleaned themselves, or something of the sort. She suddenly felt as if she were doing something very inappropriate.

"Can I sleep in here tonight?" she asked, feeling like a child asking a parent to sleep with them after a bad dream. "I don't want to be alone."

He nodded. "Sure. I'll grab the other futon."

She watched as he grabbed went into her room, folded the futon in half, and carried it back to his, laying it next to his. The bedding was wrinkled when he lay it out, but it hardly mattered. Neatness wasn't her concern right now.

Seeing it there, though, she hesitated. What would her mother say? She almost laughed at the thought. Now came the question, not as they shared a cave. Her mother was far away, and if InuYasha was going to try anything untoward, he didn't need to wait for them to be here to do it.

She trusted him. It hit her suddenly. She trusted InuYasha, more than she had ever trusted anyone outside of her family. Implicitly. He had saved her, he had provided for her, he would protect her. She had known he wouldn't take this request as anything other than what it was. It was a strange thing for her to realize.

"You ok?"

He looked at her, his golden eyes narrowed with concern. She could almost see the questions on his face. She nodded and walked towards the beds. "Yeah. Just tired." She pulled back the covers and crawled under. "Goodnight, InuYasha."

He stayed where he was for a moment, before moving to his own bed. He took a moment to get comfortable before he replied.

"Goodnight, Kagome."

And here we go. More fluff, and more complications. And Inukimi. I like Inukimi, though I'm not sure if she is anywhere near being in character. And I don't care, really. She was hardly in the anime or the manga at all.

As for Kikyo, I think that's about all we are going to see of her. Yes, she's a demon in this one, and no, she's not connected in anyway to Kagome. I was going to have this be a random OC, but, if all I wanted was a character to spurn InuYasha because he wasn't fully demon, why not just use the character who spurned him because he wasn't fully human?

Also, thanks to Aan00 who mentioned nukes in their review and inspired this and a bunch of other stuff to come because of it.

Also also, thank you everyone for reviewing! I'm so glad you are enjoying this.