Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the InuYasha series, only names and characters from my own imagination. The creation of InuYasha and those associated with him by either manga or anime belong to Rumiko Takahashi, VIZ Media, Shogakukan, and others who have either invested in the series of books and episodes, or in the company itself. I do not make a financial profit from writing this fan fiction. Only profit I receive is from knowing that my writing has either touched someone deeply or brought joy to someone's day.

Summary: He was a prince from the West. She is the princess of the East. When an accidental death causes war between these two kingdoms, can they save their country from ruin or forfeit the lives of the innocent?

Honor: Chapter 2

"Kamisho, what have you done?" His wife questioned him. Only his wife had the ability to do this, every other on another hand, was imprisoned for such a violation. He knew he should have ended this war long ago. His pride, it would not allow him to do such a thing. He had his brother to avenge, the things that his wife had to endure. Their children, who would never see their parents again. He took in a heavy breath.

"I have secured a mate for our son." Simple. It said so much in such a little way.

"He had a desired mate, one of which attempted to kill him because he chose to make an effort to follow in your footsteps and that of his brother. Do you not remember when the guards found your son half dead when he failed to show for court for three days? Do you not remember him locking himself in his quarters for months, refusing to eat more than the basic necessity? The pain in his eyes when he watched from his window as you had your guards force her to her knees as they cut out her heart?"

He remembered. He needed no reminder. "Princess Kagome," Kamisho said as he cleared his throat, "will not be the way Kikyo was. The girl was raised by a witch and had an evil spirit. The way that people in the Eastern Kingdom speak of their princess is one of kindness and love. If anyone can heal InuYasha's broken heart, it would be her."

"And if he does not accept her?"

"He has no choice. If he does not accept the girl, the deaths of thousands of young demon children will be on his hands. Their deaths would be his cause, and he would have to give a life for a life, as is our laws."

"This is unjust, Kamisho." Izayoi raised her voice. Kamisho flinched at the sudden spike in her tone. His wife was upset, he knew. She feared for the life of her only child. Seeing that demon births were so hard on the human body, it was rare for a human female to conceive more than once afterwards.

"It is what has to be done."

"Listen to me, Kamisho." She walked in front of her husband. Her layered Kimono dragging behind her. "If this girl so much as looks at my son the wrong way after they have been mated, you and this girl will be dealing with me personally. Do I make myself clear to you?"

"I understand, though, I think that she is the only one who can help our son out of this rut that you placed him into in the first place."

Shock played on her features. Sorrow soon followed suit. He was right, she supposed. She had introduced the two. The girls' mother and she had been friends, a very long time ago. And when her mother died, Izayoi had sent word to the village that they stayed in to send her to their palace. Izayoi, unable to bear another child, wanted to take the child in as her own. But when she found out that a witch had taken the girl, she sent guard to scour all the lands of Japan to find her. Years passed and the girl had found herself in the city. InuYasha fell in love. They were to be mated the next full moon, when his powers were the strongest, and the mating bond would be most likely to hold. It was not what Izayoi had wanted, but as long as her son was happy she would be happy too. A week before the ceremony was to take place, the both went missing. They found InuYasha mangled, and the girl a few days later. She did not have a care of what she had done to the boy. And for this her life had to end, as was demon custom.

"I cannot believe that you would throw something like that back on me, Kamisho. Your word is your integrity, am I not right? You told me that it was not my fault and that I could not have known. And yet you sit here and practically blame me for the ordeal. You are a lucky one that you are Emperor, because if not, you know as well as I it would have been your head. Tell your son of you decision, the girl arrives by noon and he has yet to know."

"I DO NOT want her father." InuYasha stated as bluntly as he could without offending him. "This is your war, not mine. And I will have no part in it."

"As commander to my army, this is as much as your war as it is mine. Tomorrow is the full moon. Tomorrow she will be your wife and your mate. And will treat her with the respect and the honor that she is entitled to. You will not hurt the girl, nor will you deny her wants or her needs." He placed an emphasis on the things that were of most importance.

"I understand that you hurt. I did too when Sesshomarus' mother died. But such as life. Mates die and we find more."

InuYasha glared at his father. His brother sat silently sipping his sake. After taking a long sip and a deep breath his brother commented, "InuYasha, you know how I feel about you. I have not made it undeniable that I detest your existence, but if it were you and your mate who had lost their lives I would do the same."

"No one asked you, Sesshomaru."

"Lose your head then, see if I care." Sesshomaru said smugly. "I will take on your mate as a courtesan, and she will enjoy every moment of my presence."

"Sesshomaru! InuYasha! Enough!" their father yelled. They both shrunk down into their places, knowing wrong had been committed. "InuYasha, there is no way out of this. If you do not take this girl as your intended mate, I will sever your head myself. Sesshomaru, you touch his mate, now or ever, I will take your manhood, and you will never know how it feels to have an offspring in existence, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, father." Both said in unison. Now the both of you get ready. Princess Kagome arrives momentarily."

"Yes, father," they called once again before bowing and leaving.

NOT LONG AFTER noon the caravan arrived at the palace gates. The first to emerge from the well-made coaches was Miroku. He was to be consort and ambassador for the humans, to ensure their safety. He was to see that her needs were properly taken care of, and that not a single finger was laid on her unwantedly. He was a man who wore black and purple robes. His dark hair was pulled into a small ponytail at the base of his neck. A gold earring graced his right ear as two took residence on his left. Grey eyes met three sets of gold and one set of green.

"Greetings Emperor Kamisho." Miroku bowed his upper body as was custom in the east, unsure of how they done it here, he did not wish to disappoint and possibly lose his head to two Emperors. "May I introduce myself as Miroku, ambassador of Emperor Souta. Consort of Princess Kagome and her maidens."

"Greetings, Ambassador." Kamisho nodded in a reply. "This is my wife, Empress Izayoi." In which she nodded her head as well. "This is my eldest son, Sesshomaru. And my youngest, InuYasha." Both of them respectively did the same as the emperor and empress had done.

"Empress Izayoi." Miroku reached an open hand to her as she placed hers in his. A chaste kiss to her hand in respect. "You are as lovely as they come."

"Thank you, Ambassador Miroku. The pleasure is mine." She spoke to him sweetly.

"No, I insist, the pleasure be all mine." He responded. He had no idea if he was upsetting this royal family, but such things were custom to the humans. He figured he would have to learn the ways of these people soon as to not offend in the future. Until then…

"Prince Sesshomaru," Miroku moved on. "I have heard of your strength from the Eastern Kingdom. They say you can kill a thousand men with the flick of your wrist. May I ask, is this true?"

"It is." A simple statement from a stoic man.

"Ah, you may have to show me one day, on trees of course." Miroku joked playfully.

"Yes, perhaps on trees. Of course." The tone Sesshomaru gave to Miroku told him to continue on, he had no desires of being here at this time and he wished for things to hurry along. Very well then. His eyes spied the youngest of the three demons.

"Prince, InuYasha? I have heard much about you. I can assure myself that you are anxious to meet our Princess Kagome." As if on cue, her door slid open to revel the most beautiful human either brother had ever seen. Dark hair was pinned up in a customary style they wore in the East.

'That would not do.' InuYasha thought to himself. 'It is wrong. It is all wrong. Her hair is to be down.'

She wore a modest kimono that covered her breasts. 'A mark is never allowed to be covered. The chest piece must be lowered.' As he was making his way to see her more physical features a fragrance assaulted his nose, and he had to use his sleeve to cover the sensitive appendage. When his eyes cut over to his brother and father, they too had their noses covered. So it was not just him. Good. But the stench, it became worse as she approached.

"Pardon me," Izayoi cut Miroku off before he could even begin. "But we do not allow perfumes here. You will need to bathe to remove it from your skin. Their noses are too sensitive for such a thing."

"Yes, your majesty." Kagome replied bending at the knee to show respect. "I do apologize for such a crime. I did not realize. Please forgive me, I can assure you that such a thing will not happen again."

"It is quite alright girl." Izayoi commented. "As you said, you did not know, as I did not know when I came from the East." A gentle smile equally requited. A sharp breath taken in as her face lit up. Though no human could hear such a thing, Kamisho and Sesshomaru turned their heads in the direction of InuYasha. Sesshomaru turned towards his father to see that he too was looking at this girl in amazement. She had caused this reaction in his son. A good thing. A good thing in deed.

IZAYOI INSISTED ON taking Kagome and her handmaidens to go bathe and properly dress, something that each man was highly grateful for. She had explained that in the East it is customary to wear such things to mask other odors that men in their kingdom found disturbing. The same smells that men of the West found intoxicating.

"Human senses are different from here. They use a lot of spice and scents, as they cannot smell the same things you can. It is quite alright, she did not know. Humans do not understand demons, and vice versa." Izayoi explained to each of the men. "Give her time, she will learn as I have."

So they sat in the throne room and waited. Another exotic pillow was brought for Kagome when she finally did arrive. Taikei, the (not so) chosen mate of Sesshomaru was instructed to follow Izayoi, for she would need help with Kagome. Taikei, went unwillingly. She did not dislike humans, but in the same, she like her mate, did not like them either. Though with the insistence of Sesshomaru, she went. Mumbling under her breath as she left.

"You like her," Kamisho broke the silence. "You find her attractive." Sesshomaru smirked. His brother was like his father, he had a weakness for humans.

"I do not." InuYasha replied. "It was just an intake of air. I could no longer hold my breath from the stench that is Kagome."

"You inhaled when she smiled."

"Father." InuYasha exasperated. "Please, not now."

"You like her." A smile played on Sesshomarus' features. "I can smell it on you. Outside your usual disgusting smell. You have a thing for this, Princess Kagome."

"How can I have a thing, brother, if I do not know her."

"Pure physical attraction." Kamisho stepped in. InuYasha hated when his father and brother ganged up on him. Especially when it was about the same topic at hand. This round: Kagome. When the throne room door slid open each man took I a deep breath. InuYasha closed his eyes and shuttered. He smelled his mother enter first. A smile spread on his father's features as he stood up to assist his wife to her cushion. Waterfalls at night. Sesshomaru kept his features cool as Taikei walked in next. First dew of the morning. And when Kagome walked through InuYasha could not move. His body was frozen in place as her smell assaulted him. Cherries and the rain water.

"InuYasha. Get Kagome." His mother mumbled under her breath. All in his family looked at him expectantly. He stood up and made his way towards the door and took her hand in his. Her skin was as soft as silk.

"Princess Kagome." An easy greeting.

"Prince InuYasha." An easier response. Turning he made his way to their seats, ensuring she sat down comfortably enough, before he sat. Taikei seated next to her mate, Sesshomaru. Then Kamisho and Izayoi. Followed by InuYasha, and this girl he had no idea what he was to do with her. Everyone but Taikei smiled before Kamisho announced, "Let the court in."