A/N: Well, The Protector of Her Heart has been seconded and nominated in the IY Fanguild! Thanks to those who nominated me, and to all those fans out there who helped this story gain its popularity, to be the first story nominated for two quarters in a row! Now, don't forget to vote, will ya? ;P

P.S. Financial aid forms are a bitch.

Chapter 29: Wedding Night

Small, beams of light filtered in through the high windows, illuminating the chapel below in a mystic light. Everything seemed hazy and dreamlike to Kagome, as she stood at the altar, dressed in white.

It seemed as if Inuyasha had appeared from no where as he stood before her, grinning at her with that trademark smirk of his. This was it…that wish she had wanted for so long…the happiness that she craved had finally come true.

It was impossible to breathe as she leaned towards him, the love of her life, and as his lips descended upon hers. Tears leaked from Kagome's eyes in this one moment, to be remembered throughout a lifetime. Inuyasha's strong, but gentle hand ran through her black hair, to pull her towards him, in a loving embrace. She held him back, never wanting to let go.

He pulled away, as she held on to the feeling of him kissing her. "I love you…" she murmured uncontrollably, dizzy from taking in it all. Her dream had come true. She had married Inuyasha. He was hers and she was his, for all eternity.

But suddenly, everything changed.

The light in the chapel went out as Kagome heard a cruel, harsh laugh. She opened her eyes, and in shock, saw the one holding her was not Inuyasha, but Naraku. As he laughed and his red eyes gleamed, she desperately tried to free herself from his arms, his nails digging into her flesh.

With one swipe, Naraku grabbed the Shikon no Tama off from around her neck, drawing blood as he did so. As he held the jewel in his grasp with a triumphant grin, the blood that had fallen stained Kagome's dress…blood red filling her vision…swirling in her mind…

Kagome cried out as she jerked awake, instantly alerting the man holding her as she slept. "Kagome, are you all right?" Inuyasha asked, as she frantically struggled in his arms.

It took her a moment to come to herself as she breathed heavily, the fact that it was a dream slowly sinking on her. Glancing around, she saw they were in the middle of a sunny field, Inuyasha holding her in his arms as they leaned against a tree, taking a rest from their travel on foot. They had reached the Midlands the day before, but they still had a while to go before they were fully safe.

"Kagome?" he asked again, making her turn back to him, calming down.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha," she told him, resting her head on his chest as she snuggled back into his arms. "Just a bad dream…"

Kagome could feel his strong arms tighten around her, as if to protect her from those bad thoughts. She smiled a moment, holding to that thought, before looking down to see the jewel, glowing pink against her chest. Gently she touched it for a moment, her fingers brushing her low cut blouse. "I shouldn't have this now…" she mused out loud.

The hanyou raised an eyebrow, glancing back down at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…this jewel is to be given to the heir of the Human Lands…since I ran away to be with you, I am no longer the heir; it belongs to Souta. I only keep it because I don't want Naraku to get hold of it."

"We can give it back later," Inuyasha explained, glancing up at the clear blue sky. "After Naraku is finished, I mean…Once they figure out what you meant by what you wrote, he'll probably be arrested; the dowager queen is no fool, I hope?"

Kagome shook her head, though felt a small ache in her heart at thinking of her mother, who was probably worried sick by now. "No, Mama may not be all seeing, but she will pick up on that."

"Good. So once she figures out what you meant, then Naraku won't have any leg to stand on. They can arrest him for treason, and he won't be able to do a thing about it, since he's in human form."

But Kagome wasn't so sure…that dream she had made her wary when thinking about her former betrothed. If Naraku was ambitious enough to set up an elaborate plan to marry her in order to steal the Shikon no Tama, wouldn't he be smart enough to have some insurance if that took place? But she didn't want to think about that any longer. Thinking of Naraku only reminded her that, as her former fiancé, he had a claim on her; a claim that Inuyasha still could not break.

If he comes after us…he could claim me as his bride, and no one could stop him…not even Inuyasha. Even though my heart belongs to him, because of a stupid agreement, my body still belongs to Naraku…

Bringing that up would only upset Inuyasha and break the wonderful mood he was trying to hang on to, so she merely nodded. "Yes…that will probably happen." Tucking the jewel safely back beneath her blouse, she turned back to him and smiled. "Perhaps, in a few years we can give it back…after all this is over with and forgotten."

Inuyasha returned her smile…Yes, in a few years…after he had officially started his life with Kagome. Even though they had reached the Midlands, he hadn't claimed her in any way yet. Though she ran away, Kagome was still nobility, and he wanted to honor her by having a house ready and to marry her in a human ceremony. Kagome deserved that. She deserved more than that, but even though he would never know why, she had chosen him. Not, that he was complaining or anything.

In a few years…when we're together without interruptions…perhaps even a few children, he couldn't help but soften his smile at the thought. We have our whole life ahead of us now, with no worries or cares about the past.

Kagura the wind demon rode on her feather, high above the Midlands as she scoured the land with her red eyes. She looked left and right, searching frantically. They should be here…she thought, glancing around for any sign of Kagome and Inuyasha.

Of course, her master had told her to seek them out and tell him of their whereabouts, but Kagura wasn't going to follow his orders this time. Naraku had been cornered by those ridiculous humans, and had lost all the support he had worked so hard to get when Lord Bankotsu had burst into Kagome's bedroom, to see the spectacle. He had been forced to flee the Human Lands, but he wasn't about to give up his goal.

Kagura knew, once he found them, there would be Hell to pay. If those two didn't get to safety in time…

She sighed, glancing back down at the endless meadows. The wind witch knew it was fruitless, since the Midlands were far too vast for even her to search in a limited amount of time. There was no way she could find them now. Even so, if Naraku managed to track them both down, they would be killed, and he would get hold of the Shikon no Tama.

And that's not good for anyone, Kagura mused, the wind around her ruffling her magenta dress in the sky. Especially not King Sesshoumaru…

But thinking of that handsome, silver haired man, she was struck with an idea. Sesshoumaru can help. She could warn him, and perhaps he would get to Inuyasha and Kagome in time to protect them. If not, he was the only one who could stand up to Naraku when he got his hands on the jewel. He was their best hope for preventing a disaster.

Turning around and speeding off towards the Demon Lands, Kagura thought of him and how long it had been since she had seen him. Looks like we will meet again, and hopefully not have to part so quickly this time…

The sky clouded over the Human Lands as Naraku, now stripped of his former title, raced towards the Midlands will all speed, upon a horse he had just barely stolen. He was no more the picture of elegance he had once been in his disguise; there had been a struggle when those foolish humans tried to arrest him, and his doublet was torn and dirty, with his long, dark brown hair flying wildly as he rode on, malice in his maroon eyes.

That damned harlot! he cursed, thinking bitterly on how if Kagome hadn't taken the Shikon no Tama with her when she went to the Midlands, he wouldn't have ended up that mess. Those humans would have known their place instead of trying to attack him for treason. And what was worse; they knew he was a demon now. Ever since he put up that barrier, his human form had slowly been ebbing away, and even now, he could feel his demon strength returning.

But with this new turn, that was the only thing that worked out for the better. With his full demon strength, Naraku would have enough power to kill that whore and her hanyou lover, and be able to take on King Sesshoumaru himself. Once the Shikon no Tama was firmly in his grasp, he would be invincible.

A smirk came to Naraku's face as he kicked the horse, frothing at the mouth from exhaustion into a faster pace. Soon, this shall all be mine. With the Shikon no Tama, I can take over and unite the three lands under my crown. That will show everyone, including that proud son of the Inu no Taishou, that I cannot be beaten. Wait, Sesshoumaru, once I finish with the girl and the half breed, I will come for you.

He had reached the hilly landscape near the western edge of the Human Lands. Naraku knew he was nearing the Midlands. I hope your time with Inuyasha is sweet, Kagome, because it will soon end, forever!

Nothing at all seemed amiss, but wonderful as Inuyasha and Kagome walked, hand in hand, through the beautiful meadows of the Midlands. The air was cheery as they both laughed in happiness. Kagome held a few wildflowers she had picked up as they went by, their sweet fragrance filling the air. The world was perfect; the sun shining down upon everything wonderful.

"I can't believe how much I missed this place," Kagome smiled, glancing at the wild, earthly beauty the meadow had. "I'm glad we decided to come here," she glanced back at him, while he couldn't help but return her cheery smile.

"Yeah…" Seeing her happy smile made his heart warm all over again; the feeling so wonderful Inuyasha wondered why he had ever considered letting her go. "It's really…beautiful." His subtle glance back at her wasn't misunderstood as she blushed slightly.

Kagome knelt down to look at an interesting violet flower, her dark blue skirt pooling around her as she sat. Inuyasha followed suit and sat next to her, musing on how when they knelt down, the tall grass around them hid them from view…much like they were hoping on hiding themselves within this vast country from any pursuers from their past.

"Still," Kagome began, when she turned back to Inuyasha, "Even though I am a stranger here…it doesn't feel like it. Somehow, in this place, I feel like I have come home."

Inuyasha began without even thinking, "It's home now…well," he fidgeted for a moment, blushing, "I mean, since we ran away, it should be—"

She always could read him like a book. "Just spit it out, Inuyasha! What is it?"

He turned away, suddenly feeling very nervous asking this question, even though he knew it was a ridiculous feeling. "I was wondering…perhaps…since we're already far enough into the Midlands as it is…maybe we should…um…settle down?"

"Settle down?" Kagome's brown eyes went wide a minute later as she interpreted his meaning. "Oh…" He means live together…Her heart raced at the very thought. Back in the Human Lands, they had decided on running away to be together, but at him asking this now, she still blushed like a bride on her wedding day. "Inuyasha…do you want us to…settle down…now?"

"Well, only if you want to…I can understand if you don't, but—"

"Inuyasha," she cut him off again, before he started rambling. Gently, she reached out and placed her hand over his, the contact still sending her heart racing; even after all they had been through together, touching him could still make her heart beat faster. "I want to live with you, but…I think we should wait before we build a house and officially settle down. Before we find a place to live together…I'd like to see the village you grew up in as a child, if that's all right. Maybe, it would be good for you too, Inuyasha…"

The hanyou couldn't help but smile at that, as his fingers closed over her soft hand. "I'd like that…But when we do find a place to live, it can't be too close to the Human or Demon Lands. We'd have to find somewhere else."

"It doesn't matter where," Kagome assured him. "As long as I'm with you." When she said that, she leaned against him, a small smile on her face. She felt Inuyasha's arm come around to hold her gently against him. After a moment, they both turned, meeting each other's eyes, before Inuyasha bet his head down to capture her lips with his.

A sweet kiss it had been, but feeling so lightheaded from their happiness finally appearing, the fires within their bellies lit with a heady gleam. And neither of them cared, Kagome pulling Inuyasha closer as he kissed her everywhere he could reach, his hands moving, revealing his inner desire to touch her where no man had touched her before.

For Kagome, she was in heaven, feeling the touch of his lips, the gentle caress of his fingers. Their separation had made her want him even more, and now, at last, she was free to have what she longed; to allow only one man to touch her like this. She kissed him back as she felt herself being gently pushed to the ground, and she didn't care, wanting to give herself to him as the final declaration of her love…

But suddenly, Inuyasha jerked away, looking horrified. Kagome slowly opened her eyes, still hazy from the previous sensations and asked, "Inuyasha?"

He didn't look at her, and only felt himself turn away in shame. How could he have thought to dishonor her like that? He hadn't meant to lose control...but when Kagome had responded so much to his kiss, he had forgotten. She was such a kind, beautiful, pure woman that even though it was obvious that he wanted her, Inuyasha couldn't shame her by taking her innocence before they were officially wedded. Being born a noble, she deserved that, at least.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked again, noticing the hard look on his face. "What is it?"

Making up a quick excuse, Inuyasha told her, "We shouldn't waste time here, Kagome. We should keep moving, to get to safe cover before nightfall." With that he stood up, looking towards the endless expanse of land before them.

Kagome could only stare, feeling worried. Why did he stop? Is he…is he ashamed? Because, the truth is…I didn't want him to…

Night had fallen when Sango, walking out on the palace grounds, looked up at the stars. It was a clear sky, with all the tiny dots twinkling back at a distance, reflecting the light off the full moon. The sight seemed to soften her overall lonely mood of late. I remember once, someone said, no matter where we are, we all look up at the same moon…I wonder if Kagome is now looking up at the same moon, with Inuyasha beside her…

She heard footsteps behind her, making her turn to see a familiar face. Miroku, dressed as usual in his monk clothes, was walking towards her. "Sango?" he asked. "What are you doing out here at this hour? Everyone else is still at dinner."

She turned away for a moment, the moonlight reflecting off her hair and face to make her glow like an angel. "I was thinking, that is all, Lord Miroku."

In an instant, the monk took two steps closer to her, with a serious look on his face. Looking back up, Sango mused on how he seemed more imposing this close. "I believe I asked you to call me only 'Miroku', Lady Sango."

Unable to help it, Lady Sango looked back down again. Looking in his eyes was too hard right now. "I'm sorry Miroku…I've just got a lot on my mind."

"The princess," he spoke at once, reading her thoughts. Instead of replying, Sango merely nodded, her eyes flickering back up to the moon. "You don't need to fear for her, Sango. I'm sure she's fine…Inuyasha will take care of her."

"That's not what I'm worried about," she shook her head. "I…I just miss her. Before, when we were apart, we could always exchange letters, but now…I will never see or hear from her again. I know…somewhere, in my heart, she is happy, but I just…I want to know for certain. And then, if Lord Naraku truly escaped and goes after them, then…"

"Do not worry, dear Sango," Miroku cut her off. "The Midlands is a large place, remember. They went there to hide, and hide they can, in a large country like that. With so many hanyous, demons, and humans there, it's impossible to track one person through word of mouth as well. They will be fine."

She remained silent, but took his words to heart. Yes…Kagome and Inuyasha could hide in a country like that, perfectly disguised. Yet, why was she so worried?

Deciding to cheer her up, the monk looked up at the sky, and said, "It's a clear night."

"Yes, one of the clearest I've ever seen."

Grinning slightly, Miroku began, "You know, the monks at the monastery used to say, that a clear night like this was the perfect one for lovers' walks…not that they knew anything about that of course."

Sango gave a small laugh at his comment. "That's too bad for me, as I have no lover to walk with."

Grinning wider, and violet eyes twinkling with mirth, Miroku began, "Since you seem quite in need at the moment, My Lady, may I offer you my services?"

The exterminator merely raised an eyebrow as she looked back at him. "Are you offering to be my lover, Miroku?"

"If you had asked, I would have certainly said yes, but since you do not seem like that type of woman, I merely offer you my services as someone to walk you along on this clear night."

To that, she couldn't help but smile. "I accept," and she held out her arm for him to take. They walked and talked together, under the clear night, and as Sango smiled with Miroku on her arm, she couldn't help but think, that perhaps Kagome and Inuaysha were looking up at the same sky, and walking under it together as they were.

It's a clear night, Kagome thought, her eyes glancing at the shine of the full moon. I remember I once heard that a clear night is a night for lovers' walks… Her eyes drifted over to Inuyasha, who had, thankfully, warmed up after that display that afternoon. But at present, I have no lover…at least, not one who is willing to completely qualify for that term.

After they had begun traveling again, Kagome had discovered a bit of why Inuyasha had stopped when they were in the meadow. He kept talking of how they had to be married in a human ceremony, before they would build a house and live together. She knew he was doing it because of her. He thinks because I was born to privilege, he should honor me like this…but doesn't he understand that I don't care anymore?

Even if she had told him she wanted to run away together, Inuyasha still was treating her like she was higher up that him. Whenever they could, they got a room in an inn, and Inuyasha always gave her the bed. He always made sure she had better food than he did, and would worry if they did too much walking or anything else in one day. Hadn't she already told him they were equals? Didn't he understand that she ran away so they could be equals, instead of being back to a princess and a knight forever?

Using his keen hanyou sight, Inuyasha picked up a village coming before them in the dark. "They have an inn," he said, looking towards her. Kagome knew without asking he wanted to get a room for her, so she could sleep in a bed like a noble, instead of on the ground like common peasants.

"All right," she sighed, agreeing without protest. She didn't want to argue before she knew how she could fix this rift still between them.

She was given inspiration soon enough.

The inn was practically empty that night, despite it being a little early. This innkeeper was awake when they approached, and unlike innkeepers in the Human Lands, he didn't even glance up at Inuyasha's dog ears twice. "We'll have one room for the night," Kagome spoke, handing over the money before Inuyasha had time to protest. With the way he had acted ever since the incident in the meadow, she suspected he might have wanted to get two.

Counting the coins, the innkeeper muttered, "Clear night, tonight."

"Very," Kagome replied, as she and Inuyasha went up to their given room. They ascended the stairs to enter into a dark, silent hallway. The door they sought was the one at the end, at a slight angle due to the walls of the building. Kagome pushed open the door, to see a smaller room than the one they had in the Human Lands, but nevertheless, it had a cozy, welcoming feeling.

The room was dark, without a candle lit, and so very, very quiet. The only noise she heard was the sound of Inuyasha shutting the door behind him, leaving them both alone, and closed off from the world.

Heart racing at the very thought, Kagome knew now, how to fix the rift that had come between them. Turning, she found that when she and Inuyasha stood in the doorway, there wasn't much space between them. Enough that when their eyes met, and their heart's began to beat faster once more, there was no room for escaping that wonderful feeling.

Not wanting to wait any longer, Kagome took the imitative, leaning up and kissing him, feeling him instantly respond. She pulled him closer, the contact causing him to lose control once more, until she ended up being sandwiched between him and the wall, the hanyou kissing her back passionately. Once again, she felt his hands begin to wander, and she certainly wasn't going to protest. Loving every minute of this new and wonderful feeling, Kagome wouldn't have doubted that they would have made love right there against he wall, had Inuyasha not come to himself once more.

"No, Kagome!" he spoke through panting gasps, turning away. "We…we can't…we can't do this…I don't want to shame you like this when—"

"Inuyasha," she cut him off, making him turn back to her. "What do I look like to you?"

That caught him by surprise. "Huh?"

"Do I look like a princess to your eyes?"

Inuyasha glanced at her outfit. It was a simple skirt and blouse, with the vest tied tight enough to give her quite an appealing look. Shaking his head, he replied, "No, you don't."

Kagome nodded, "That's right. Inuyasha, I ran away with you because I no longer wanted the life I had as a princess. I gave up all that, because I love you too much to live a lonely life of a noble without you. I am but a common girl now, equal to you in status…that means," Kagome gently reached out, and took one of his clawed hands, "If I say I am not ashamed, then that means I am not ashamed. If I say that I want this…" Her brown eyes never leaving his golden, she brought his hand to cup her breast. "Then I want this."

A new fire went through him at her actions, telling Inuyasha to forget his worries and do whatever she wanted. But... "K-Kagome…"

She kept her hand over his, fully asserting that she was making no mistakes with her decision. "Inuyasha…with the contract that I agreed to…Naraku still has a claim over me. Even if I do not want it any more, he can still say he owns my body. I don't…I don't want to give myself to anyone, except you. Please…make me yours, not his."

Hearing her beg made him through all arguments out the window, as he pulled her closer, desire ignighting in both of their eyes. "Kagome…you really…want to be mine?" he asked, his voice the only thing he had control of anymore.

Feeling his hand come to tug at the strings of her vest, she said in a husky whisper as their lips met, "Yes."