Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

Sesshomaru watched his daughter with cold eyes. The gathered nobles sitting around the room watched as his daughter bowed before him, ready to receive her coming of age mission.

It was a challenge for all pups past their two hundredth birthday and since she was well over that age, the nobles demanded traditions be upheld. Yuzuki was tight lipped and even from the raised dais he could make out the hard line of her clenched jaw. She was kneeing on the first steps and he let his eyes wander for a second to take in the cruel faces of the nobles and the miko who had cleverly masked her presence and hidden in the corner.

"I have called you all hear to usher in a new age. While she has come to us under peculiar circumstances, I want to introduce my daughter and heir, Yuzuki of the Western Lands." He finished and raised a hand, gesturing for her to stand. She rose and the robe placed on her shoulders slid down her back and coiled into a purple pile at her feet. The dress she wore hugged her waist and brushed the ground.

Her teeth pulled back from her fangs when a few of the nobles sons shot lustful glances at her along with their fathers. Her hands were folded before her and her back was straight. She spun around and met each and every hard stare and pointed glare they could throw at her. They all reluctantly bowed their head in silent respect for the bravery she showed.

"As she his far since passes the Age of Challenges, she will be tested with a quest of my choosing." His voice was loud and commanding, strong enough to catch the wandering attention of the men and woman in the room but soft enough as not to offend them. After he roamed the room a few times, his eyes landed on Yuzuki and he nodded once. She moved smoothly up the steps and Kagome thought it looked like she was floating. "She will train a team of men that I so chose then head east to crush a rouge rebellion of remain dragon loyalist. It is rumored that ten or so have survived and as such, they pose a potential threat to your rule. You will capture and secure them before they are tried before the council. While there, you will craft two swords for your heir."

She glanced up and Sesshomaru saw the fear flash in her eyes before she masked it and dropped her head back to the floor. She feared she couldn't complete the mission placed before her and Sesshomaru felt his heart lurch in his chest and his beast rattle its celestial cage, demanding it kill whatever had hurt her.

Kagome held a hand to her mouth and she was both to step out of her hiding spot to comfort the girl when a hand placed itself on her shoulder. She jerked around and stared at Kimiko who never let her eyes falter from her sons face. She smirked happily when she saw the confusion swimming in his eyes and the excessive force he was placing on the throne's armrests. Good, melt his heart which he encased in ice.

"Wait." She whispered, removing her perfectly manicured hand from Kagome's shoulder and taking a step back. She melded with the wall and her eyes seemed to glow from the darkness of the corner.

The setting sun cast long shadows over the wooden floor and set the Lord and his daughter in a bath of rich oranges and burnt reds. The color of crimson cast deep lines on his face and her partially exposed back and hair. From her position, both heirs looked to be on fire.

"I accept."

Her words were greeted with a cheer and a few disgruntled scoffs from a few of the nobles. Kagome felt pride well up in her chest even through the girl with neither her family nor child.

Kimiko watched the miko's watery smile at Yuzuki's bravery and strength and clapped quietly with the rest of the guests, her large bracelets rattling together. Sesshomaru felt a small smirk curl the corner of his mouth and he knew he rest of the room was far to enamored with the thought of the party sure to come at the heir's return.

He sighed at the thought of mailing out all the invitations to the other Lands and having to explain their situation. It was challenging enough to invite the gather nobles. He wondered idly while the guests shuffled out and to the wagons and horses waiting for them outside. A few just transformed and romped their way down the mountain slope. Most lived less than a few miles away.

"Did I do well?" Yuzuki asked and he noticed her face was a deep red. The calm and strong demeanor slipped off and the heir before him was a scared and worried girl who needed her father, not him. He tried to stop his hand, by his inner demon won, and purred contently when his palm landed lightly on her shoulder. He knew it to be a gesture of solidarity, but it had a profound impact on her fear and soon she was no longer his daughter, but a heir once again.

"Great job!" The miko raced forward when all the nobles had left before wrapping her arms around Yuzuki's neck, leaving Sesshomaru confused as to why his beast was not getting angry that a priestess was so close to his daughter.

Yuzuki laughed and patted one of Kagome's hands. The miko untangled her arms from her shoulders before promptly smiling and asking for details about the party that would follow her homecoming.

Sesshomaru found himself watching her lips form words with rapt detail.

TUH

The sun blared down onto the sparing field and Yuzuki sat in training clothes wondering when her father would get here with her half dozen men. She hoped they were at least a bit trained, she didn't know what she would do if they couldn't fight or at least watch her back.

"I thought a lady never sits on the ground." The voice came from behind her and she let her head fall back to catch InuYasha's eye. A smile a raked across her parched lips and he was taken back by how happy to seemed to be at seeing him. She leaned back and rocked her body to propel herself forward and onto her feet. The six men trailing her uncle started clapping.

"You got an entourage?" She asked, pointing to the haphazard looking group. She planted her hands on her hips and squinted her eyes to get a better look.

"Nope," The smug tone was the first warning bell and by the time he finished, her whole head was ringing. "They're yours."

"Oh hell no." She bluntly stated, hissing when she raised a hand to her forehead to get a better look. The first man was well-kept with blond hair and dark skin. His rich brown eyes followed her movements with sharp precision, giving away his bird demon heritage.

The second and third were twins with hair red as the koi in her mothers pond. Their faces were thin and their bodies, malnourished. She smiled a bit when she caught a sly smirk light up their faces and make their many freckles pop. It would be interesting to travel with people of fox blood; they are known to be far to clever for their own good.

A girl was standing strait but even with her large heels and hair tasseled high, she was still a good foot shorter than the men surrounding her, but what she lacked in height, she replenished in ferocity. Her pink eyes glowed like coals as she met Yuzuki's questioning gaze.

The very tall man towered over her but as she caught his eye, she was surprised to see him smiling kindly down to her. His white eyes looked right through her and she was shocked to realize he was blind. The man at his side growled when she took a step back.

The soldier standing to her back raised his sword but the heir just waved him away with a twist of her wrist before pinning a glowering look at the white haired, silver eyed man who placed his hand protectively on the blind man's cane.

"So this is what I am given." She muttered, folding her hands behind her back. The twins had shoved a paper bomb into the pants of pretty boy who had pulled out a mirror. The woman held her head up high and clutched the huge spear in her small hands but screamed when the paper ignited and the man fell to the ground clutching his crotch.

The blind man tilted his head to the side and looked in the direction of the very high pitched yells. He pulled a pare of carved glasses from the folds of his shirt and placed them over his eyes, turning to face her.

"Someone should help that poor girl."

FYI, all of the names I use have special meaning.