Hello everybody! Sorry about the late update…again. First want to thank my reviewer PassionIsLove. I agree with you about the Healo thing, but who knows. Plus Inuyasha was honest about his past with Kikyo, but the Northern Lord hasn't been. Also want to welcome a new reviewer Kagome357. I'm a little torn on your advice, however, because when I was writing from one POV per chapter I received several reviews saying that I should add in more POV's. I know what you mean about the story being buried, but I am going to start making the chapters longer to try to help the problem, after this one of course. Also, I promise to try to keep each chapter based on one or two POV's instead of the amount involved right now. Sorry about the delay with The First Family Affair, but my job, youth fair, and soon enough school are keeping me pretty busy. I will keep trying to get myself to write the first chapter, but I am starting to think that I should just stick with one story at a time; considering my schedule. Plus I will have to lengthen the distance between updates since right now I usually update every two to three days. I may up the time if I start to get too busy so I apologize in advance. Anyway, this chapter starts the action back up, and it should continue into the next chapter. Hope you like it, but even if you don't try not to forget to review. Thanks in advance!

CHAPTER XLII

STOLEN IN THE NIGHT

Riath's POV

As the sun slowly set, the young captain had decided to walk around Ionin one last time. Whether the venture tonight succeeded or failed, Riath would never again look upon this city. As he watched the people as they peacefully traded and went on about their lives he felt again a small stab of guilt. The demon was torn on the subject; Ionin was a beautiful city, but it could never live up to his memories of the white walls of Brillith, and surely Naraku would be careful about civilian losses. It would not be in the hanyou's interests to further antagonize the people. One could not be everywhere…

Healo's POV

Yet another day had passed and now the Northern Lord could no longer see anything but the harsh rocks of the mountains pass. To some it would be depressing to walk a whole day without seeing anything green or living; or at least in the open. Healo frowned as he glanced to both sides; earlier he had noticed the wolf demons that were following them. Inuyasha, Magus, Sesshomaru, and the guards; were all also watching the area with an intensity that showed that they had also noticed their tail.

However, the humans in their party, and Kagome in particular; did not seem to have sensed the tension in the air, yet. Indeed, the miko seemed to be enjoying the moment of silence as she cheerfully followed her companions deeper into the mountains. The demon smiled as he watched the kind young woman who seemed absorbed in her own happiness. It was strange, but comforting, to see the miko who had fought countless terrors and stared death in the face in such peace; even though experience told the Northern Lord that it would not last.

Strangely, even though he was concerned for Kagome and his brother's safety, at the moment most of his thoughts were with his son. Healo blinked his dark blue eyes in confusion at his own anxiety; Sulam was in the Western Palace, in Ionin, and he was being looked after by Riath who had thousands of soldiers and guards at his command. What could possibly happen that could jeopardize his son's safety? The Northern Lord laughed at his own foolishness. Sulam may still be young but he was no ordinary child, or even demon, he was powerful enough to protect himself in most situations.

A loud peal from overhead sounded and brought Healo out of his thoughts. His hair swayed in the sudden gust that raced through the narrow pass, but the demon only calmly glanced up at the quickly darkening sky. Sesshomaru spoke in a loud clear tone ", Guards we will need to find some shelter to stay in while the storm blows out." The Northern Lord smiled slightly as he noticed his brother's gaze was not on the guards he had been addressing, but on a certain miko; who was looking at the black sky with dread. She obviously didn't notice the Western Lord's thoughtfulness, but by the sharp glance Inuyasha was sending his way, he did.

Healo found Kagome's cluelessness very funny. Of course she noticed some of the changes that the brother's had made for her sake, but she was not a demoness and so would not understand the subtler things. The miko had definitely noticed that she was always being watched by one or more of the brothers, but there was no harm in that. The Northern Lord was very thankful that so far there had been no more confrontations between the brothers, but who knew how long that would last. Hopefully, long enough to prevent Naraku from completing his dangerious designs. Surely they would realize how much of a threat he was to Kagome's safety and be willing to concentrate against the hanyou…

Sulam's POV

The young demon tossed fitfully before fully awakening. Sulam's sky blue eyes cleared as he heard loud noises in the distance. He rose quickly and dressed in the darkness as he crushed his feelings of panic. A minute later the young demon made his way out of the room and glanced carefully up and down the empty corridor. Confident that he was alone, he stepped quietly out of his room and gently shut the door behind him, just in case he had somehow not sensed someone. Sulam grimaced slightly at the bitter scent of blood and smoke in the distance, but now was not the time to try to figure out what was going on. First he had to get his friends to safety.

However, before the young heir could open the door to Rin's room; the large doors at the beginning of the corridor slammed open as several demons rushed into the area. Sulam sighed in relief when he realized, by their silver hair, that they were palace guards, and he was further encouraged when he saw a certain captain was leading them. Riath's face was calm but his tone was clipped as he said ", Guards, you will need to retrieve the other two children so that we can leave." Sulam was horrified at the statement and asked in disbelief ", Leave Ionin?"

The captain sighed and said ", Apparently the raids from the last few days were feints. As you know, most of the troops protecting this city were moved to the borders in order to help control these raids, but a large group of panthers, and many of the inu who joined Naraku, are already within the city. We have to leave immediately to try to summon aid." Sulam nodded as he absorbed the information and asked softly ", So are we heading south or east?" The captain hesitated then admitted ", I don't know, the four gates out of the city have long since fallen to the enemy."

The young demon paled as he saw his two friends coming towards him with frightened faces. Before they arrived Sulam asked firmly ", What about the port? Can we escape to the sea?" Riath nodded, smiled and said ", That is a very real possibility, but we must go now." The other two children now approached and Shippo asked tensely ", What's wrong?" Sulam answered calmly ", An army of demons is attacking the city, but we don't have enough troops to repel them so we have to leave now." Rin surprised everyone by smileing and saying ", Don't worry Sesshomaru-sama will save us."

Apparently no one had the strength to contradict her, but before anything else could be said a small toad demon burst down the corridor. Jaken yelled shrilly ", WAIT! Don't leave me here!" Riath laughed and said kindly ", It is nice of you to join us Jaken." Rin clapped her hands and said ", Master Jaken!" The toad demon sighed in relief and said ", Yes Rin now let's get out of here before Naraku's servants get here!" The captain nodded and immediately began to stride quickly through the palace's halls. No one spoke, but they all could hear the screams of the dead and dying, and the demons could smell death and blood in the city's air…

Kagome's POV

The young miko had slept through most of the night in relative peace. However, deep into the night frightening images broke into her peaceful dreams. Screams, smoke, and death. Despair; she was being chased, he wasn't giving up, but how much longer could he hold the demon off? Suddenly the connection, or whatever it was, broke and Kagome found herself shivering in a damp cave, but she wasn't the only one who appeared to have been awakened by nightmares.

When she glanced to her side she realized what had happened; the Northern Lord was standing near the entrance of the cave, looking out on the rain that continued to fall. The others did not speak, but Kagome knew that they were all watching the demon lord; waiting for him to speak. After a few moments Healo said quietly ", I apologize for interrupting your rest." Everyone appeared to be satisfied with his statement, but the young woman was not. She could remember how it had felt to be pulled into someone's memories and this had felt somehow different.

Besides, her friend seemed much more worried than usual, and so Kagome stood and moved closer to ask him what had really just happened. Before the miko could speak the Northern Lord said softly ", I don't know what just happened. I wasn't even having looking back on my memories." Kagome smiled to herself and asked ", Then what was it?" Healo turned slightly so that she could look into his eyes, but the demon lord did not speak. After a moment the young woman turned away and moved back towards the warmth of her sleeping bag…

Naraku's POV

The cool night air echoed with the sounds of thousands of screams, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and fire. The malevolent hanyou could not imagine a more beautiful scene then that of the ancient city of Ionin as it was burned and hacked to pieces by the invading horde. Those brave blue and gold banners that had defied Naraku's might for so long were finally being humbled. However, he did nto have the time to effect a complete destruction of the city, but until his prey arrived he could allow his servants to slake their lust for death. Naraku would have his finale reckoning with the Western Lands, and its lord, soon enough.

The hanyou was impatiently waiting for Riath to bring him Healo's son and the other children which would serve as wonderful bait. It would all be so much simpler if Sulam were strong enough to wield Yamikura, but Naraku knew that the young demon would not be strong enough to absorb the amount of energy that the sword would need. Without the right host, the sword would be unable to fulfill its part in the hanyou's devious scheme. The kitsune would be sufficient to draw in the miko as well. Kagome still had an important part to play, but when the time came Naraku would relish her death. Sesshomaru's death would be a wonderful bonus and since Rin was near at hand; it only made sense to snatch her as well...

Yay! Another chapter finished. Ok so I know it was really late, and that I didn't go into huge amount's of detail, but I have been very distracted lately so I think that I have a pretty good excuse. I have decided that I will only be able to update about once a week now, so the next update will be next Monday; as long as everything goes okay with my first day of college. Again I apologize for the delay and for my inability to get The First Family Affair up right now, but I promise to keep writing. Hope to hear from all of you. Please review!!!