Kagome woke up in a warm embrace. Sesshomaru was tucked under her chin and his long legs were dangling off the end of the bed. She yawned and noticed the lazy circles his fingers drew over her bare back. Both remained quiet in the still dark room, avoiding the morning light filtering in through her curtains.

"What did you say?" Sesshoamru asked quietly, his breath blowing across her collarbone. She raised and eyebrow and he specified. "In the battle with Naraku, you spoke to your bow. What did you say?"

"I-" She went silent then intertwined her legs with his, letting out a sigh. He let his hand drop from her back and move up to her waist. "I told it to protect you."

They let her words drop off and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. The unanswered question floated around both their brains but nether wanted to say it for fear it would shatter the peaceful moment they had created. Instead they talked about other things like weapon preference and childhood. He asked about her mother and brother while she questioned him about his father and mother. Finally, Kagome groaned.

"What now?" She didn't want to hear the answer. Scenarios flashed before her eyes, all of them leaving her with another broken heart due to another dog demon. With bated breath she readied herself for bad news.

"We wait." He never stopped the gentle swirls his nails made on her skin. It was less than an hour later that the scurrying of feet caused both to release a breath. They carefully untangled their limbs, letting a light caress finally separate them. Kagome sat at the far end of the bed, her legs dangling onto the cold floor while Sesshoamru was trying to find his garments buried under hers and scattered about the room.

"This can never happen again." The words came out a quiet whisper. Kagome was taken back to realize she was the one who had said them. Her keen ears caught the sound of his sharp intake of breath and her fingers tightened around her waist. Sesshomaru halted for a few seconds and with a brush of warm air, he disappeared from her room as quickly as he had arrived.

TUH

Yuzuki could feel the sun on her back and the hands covering her eyes. Cho had snuck into her room at an ungodly hour and convinced her that she had a surprise for her. After a bit of running and smacking into trees, they stumbling into a clearing.

"We're here!" Cho smiled and her pixie features caused her to look almost magical in the sunrise. Yuzuki glanced up and her breath caught in her throat.

The Dragon's village was complete. Large pillars of darkened stone rose up on four sides, matching the points of the compass. Children raced to her feet and fell into a pile, laughing and giggling. A few mothers were setting clean clothes onto lines, sending smiles to the pack of people slowly making their way across the square. Yuzuki walked forward to meet them, hindered only by the numerous children clinging to her legs.

Unlike other creatures, dragons were up with he sun, meaning all of the townsfolk were already awake. Yuzuki shook a few hands and in the middle of meeting another, a deep drum beat started from the center of the town square. A large painted boulder was surrounded by lots of colorful flowers and she noticed the Twin's signature at the bottom.

When an upbeat tune was whistled from a pipe, she was whisked into a dance. A smile was a constant companion throughout the dance. When one partner spun a little to hard, she was flung away and into the arms of another. The woman were welcoming but reserved, their movements unhindered by their conservative clothing; the complete opposite of the men, who threw themselves into the songs. They danced with one another, ignoring the laughs of their peers.

Once the celebrations began, they only became more and more interesting. By mid morning they had brought out the game boards and the gambling became outrageous by early afternoon. The music was loud and many dragons started singing. Yuzuki caught Cho and a large shadowed figure stealing a private moment in a doorway and the twins giving all he kids masks made of paints. Takeshi and his owl companion sang a bit before taking to sitting on a roof and sip a bottle of alcohol.

While she could feel her heart hammering with happiness, whenever she caught a moment to herself the occurrence from last night surfaced. When a hand clapped onto her shoulder, she jumped and the culprit sprang back to.

"Looked like you saw a ghost." Ryutaro smiled broadly and she saw the way his top lip was a bit fuller than his lower. He tried talking to her but they ended up having to move away from the party to be able to converse without shouting. Both could feel the awkwardness in their overly formal words and after the formalities, Yuzuki grilled him about his hobbies. He did the same to her.

They laughed about their meeting and about their childhoods. He explained the time his mother tried cooking with him only to come into the room and spot her child burning the place to the ground. She shared her first battle and how she had tripped in dung.

"I was wondering," They had gravitated to the town's edge and found a quiet patch of grass a ways from the festivities. He continued. "How did a female inherited the strictly male inheritance title of Heir?"

"It's quite a long story. Not a very happy one either." Her smile dampened and he wished he had kept his mouth shut. Ruefully, she stared into the forest. He got up and just when she thought she might have scared him off, he returned with a large bottle of liquor and placed it in her lap. With a laugh, she popped the cork, took a swig, and continued. "My mother had three girls. I was born first, then my twin sister. The West needed a male heir, and believed because my mother was still young, the royal family had many years to conceive.

"A small uprising started in the North and my father went personally to support and my mother had to tag along." She went silent for a few seconds, as if not really listening, before coming back to herself and moving on. "Don't get me wrong, my parents are marvelous fighters, especially together, but something was off that night. My father was wounded and she focused on him, not noticing a spear. The doctors say she tore her womb and that it healed incorrectly. Any more children could forfeit her life and that of the child."

The festive mood he was feeling that day deflated as he looked at her down turned face. He raised his hand and caught her chin in his grip. Her eyes looked a bit wet, but no tears fell.

"And you were declared the Heir," He finished for her, letting his hand drop but holding her gaze. Before he realized what he was doing, he spoke and it collided with Yuzuki's words.

"Are you coming tonight-"
"Is that party still on?"

They blushed and looked every where but the others face. He stood and excused himself, she sat ramrod straight until she couldn't stand it, glancing over her shoulder and catching the fleeting glances he threw to her while being covered in small children. He winked at her and then turned his focus to the boy at his feet, grabbing the kid under his arms and tossing him onto his shoulders. The girls and boys laughed and pointed, joined by Yuzuki.

When he left her vantage point, she could feel the goofy smile that spread across her face. With a reprimand, she mentally smacked herself.

"He is your fathers most trusted soldier! What would he say if he found his daughter together with him!" She shook her head out of the gutter and noticed the half full bottle next to her. With a defeated sigh, she grabbed it and threw it back, the burning liquid causing a lightness to sink into her limbs. "You are almost 250 years older than him!"

"In this time," She reasoned, placing the rim of the bottle to her lips and thinking about it. "In my time he is only...250 years older than me. Huh." She scoffed and drained the bottle before standing up and trekking back into town. With precision, she threw the glass into a designated bin and watched as it sunk into the pile of other empty liquor bottles and an assortment of trash.

As she was rounding the corner that led to the town square, a hand shot out and grabbed her waist. She was about to bring her foot up to kick him in the shin, but stopped when Ryutaro laughed into her hair. She let out a sigh that morphed into a laugh joined by his chuckle.

They silenced their giggles and peels of laughter. His hand was splayed across her midsection and hers were wrapped around his arms. He leaned his head into her shoulder to stop from laughing any harder than he already was.

"You think this is so funny." She hissed, trying to get her voice to come out harsh but only managed to make her giggles more noticeable. Her head fell back and rested at the juncture of his neck and throat. Her smile was still on her face but she stopped snickering when his hand was no longer cool but flaming hot and the breath fanning across her neck was scorching.

They untangled themselves and moved away awkwardly away, promising to keep in touch and to talk soon. They also both reached up tentatively to brush the place their the others breath had brushed across.

TUH

Sesshomaru could feel his anger start to fester and spread. His room was now a mess of shattered wood and shredded bedding. He had contemplated sparring against his soldiers but quickly thought better of it, remembering none of his men showed much promise at becoming his lieutenant. With that came thoughts about the hordes of men said to be flocking to his palace to enlist due to his daughters rather impromptu announcement. He stalked down the halls, determined to find the miko and talk to her.

As he rounded the corner a woman blocked his way. She was small with platinum hair and pale skin. Her wide yellow watched him with a hawk-like gaze. Her smile was wide and her teeth almost blinding, much like he girl herself. He politely excused himself and she slipped around him to block his exit, holding out her hand instead.

"You may call me Chi, I am the Northern Lord's daughter. Sorry for my late arrival, I ran into a bit of trouble on my way here," She waited as if she expressed an apology or a conformation that she was as important as she thought she was. When she realized she would not get one, she continued. "I was hopping to become acquainted with my host."

"I must go." He then quite rudely brushed past her and into the halls leading to his room. When he entered he almost applauded the staff for so quickly replacing the furniture. His only regret was that they had taken the bedding that still held Kagome's scent. He moved to the wardrobe and plucked at the many fabrics.

"The purple one."

He spun around with his claws bared and mouth pulled into a snarl. Kagome sat next to the fire in his large pillow. Its massive sides seemed to envelop her, making her tall frame seem petite. She smiled a bit and pointed to the magenta fabric tucked into the bottom in a box.

"I had it made when we arrived. I always thought you would look lovely in purple," She stood and moved forward. He waited patiently for her to finally make her way into the room. Her feet made little noise and he wondered how he could have overlooked her in silent room. "I never thought I would every get to see you in it."

When she got close, she sat on his bed and waved for him to change. He caught the subtle increases in her heartbeat when he slid the thin sleeping shirt from his chest and tossed it onto the floor. To avoid giving the poor woman a heart attack, he averted his heated stare and continued undressing, listening to her intakes of breath and strained sighs.

"Did you come to dress me?" He asked and she drew her eyes from his thighs up to his face. She shook her head and as he fixed the layers, he waited for her to speak.

"What did you mean by 'We wait'?" Her words were quiet and he could detect the small amount of hope that bubbled into her voice. He spun quickly and walked up to her resolutely. She marched forward to meet him and they were inches apart when they stopped.

"I do not think the West needs two scandals, one after another." He phrased it simply and she frowned. "What?"

"What about me could make you do such a thing?" She shook her head and then scoffed. "I'm nothing like these girls with their manners and...and...and their grace! I can shoot bows and arrows not dance on a marble floor!"

"I find you mentally stimulating but yet you show sights of stupidity." She gasped and he placed a finger to her lips. "Those qualities only matter to those who desire them. You never once considered what drew me to you to be your bows and arrows?"

She was speechless and so when he took a step forward, she took two back until they shuffled backwards and onto the bed. She gasped as he flattened her making her wiggling useless as he refused to get up. She pounded at his back until she was reduced to laughing so hard tears ran down her cheeks.

When he finally stood, she was clutching her stomach and trying to stop the giggles bubbling in her throat. He helped her up and noticed for the first time, the fancy clothes she wore. The neckline was modest but the plunging back was questionable. He clamped his beast from making her, no demanding, that she change.

As they exited, she stopped him to fix his collar. With nervous excitement, she babbled about the entertainment and how she would be happy to she Sango and his half-brother and the Monk. He finally stopped her fidgeting with his clothing and instead pressed a delicate kiss to the inside of her palm. She fell silent and he dragged her to the door.

As she exited, laughing apprehensively, she bumped into someone. Kagome apologized but the woman was quiet. He recognized the blonde from earlier. Chi frowned at the little space between them before a bright smile was pasted onto her face.

She trailed them to the party, keeping a watchful eye on both of them. When they reached he dinning hall, all the people flocked to seats and Kagome squeezed next to Sango and Miroku which was within talking distance to Sesshoamru's seat.

When the music began playing, people flocked to the dance floors, moving with exaggerated hand gestures and wild voices. As she was about to join the throng of woman, Sango yanked her arm and gestured to a nook. They both squeezed inside.

"If your brazen smile means anything, I have to guess you told him you like him." She crossed her arms over her chest with a smug grin. Kagome laughed and Sango's jaw dropped. "That is no crush kiss Kagome. Did you...?"

Kagome just bit her lip and her giggles mixed with Sango's. Both girls latched on to the other and jumped around excitedly before realizing their outburst caused a slight commotion. They straitened their fabric and Sango squinted before ginning wider.

"Lover boy is coming in for the kill," Kagome frowned and her brows drew together in confusion before a strong grip was placed at her elbow, leading her to the dance floor. Most of the couples took no notice, the seductive music causing them to become too enthralled in their partners to notice the Ice Lord running a hand over the hips of the miko.

"Hands where I can see them," She smiled and when he caught sight, they were whisked off the dance floor and down a nearby hall. When the slight wind caught her hair, she knew what was coming and was prepared when he pressed her up to the wall and caught her lips with his own. She locked her legs around his waist and laughed when he growled.

They were so enamored with each other that neither of their keen senses caught he girl watching from the shadows. Her golden dress mixing with the reds and yellows of the setting sun. Her teeth pulled back from her mouth and as silently as she had trailed them, she slipped into the shadows and vanished.

TUH

Yuzuki had caught sight of her fathers hair racing down a nearby hall, a bundle in his arms. It only took a few seconds for her to realize he was carrying a woman. With confusion, she glanced around and the only empty chair was that of the Norther Lord and his daughter. She prayed to the gods they were in a dark corner with someone who was not her father.

From her seat, she could see the erotic dances many couples had taken to doing. Woman draped their arms over others shoulders, their exposed skin watched by other males. She tried to turn away but found herself caught, like watching a collision just before they connect.

"Wanna try that some time?" A voice sounded in her ear and snorted when he fell into the seat next to her. Ryutaro grinned and sipped a glass of some strong alcohol.

"Are offering?" She shot back and he raised and eyebrow. He leaned in close.

"For you, sweetheart?" He let his words settle over her skin. "Anything."

They both refused to be the first to back down and caused the scent of her perfume and his cologne to mix. She glanced down at his lips and grinned when she caught his stare directed at hers.

"Come with me." He followed her without hesitation, her hand slipping into his when they passed the onlookers stationed around the hall. Down one corridor she turned, knowing her way perfectly. When they reached her mother's garden, he felt his breathing halt before she waved her arm out. "This is my mother's favorite garden."

"This place is important to you." He whispered and was happy to she the gentle nod she gave. With a few kicks, both their shoes were scattered over the wood surrounding the garden. Their hands remained intertwined and when she went to pull away he yanked at her wrist and sent her into his chest.

He held her tight until she firmly pushed away. He thought maybe he had gone to far but was quickly cut off by her kiss. It was short bit before he could deepen it, she pulled away. His eyes fluttered open and noticed her smeared lip gloss and wild hair that had slipped from her up-do.

"God I hope I don't regret this." She hissed, throwing her hands to fiddle around in her hair. He muttered out a confused murmur that sounded like 'What?'. She only let her hair fall in white waved over back. "This."

She leaned over, grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.

TUH

"I want her gone!" Chi threw her chest at her father who only plucked it from the air and placed it on the floor by the foot of her bed. She hissed and spit and he only frowned. "She needs to disappear, father!"

"I would more than love to take her home with me, but that dog has to much power for me to just pluck his most prized lover out from under his nose." He placed a delicate hand on his chin and took in his daughter. Her hair had curled out of its bun and her painted face had slipped a bit in her rampage around her room. "Why the need to mate this lord?"

"Because father, you will devour all the money I'm am to inherit on alcohol, woman, and shiny new toys!" He just sighed and waved a hand around as if telling her those things were technicalities. He glanced at her again and wondered from which wife she had come. It had to have been the first, she was the only one to make it a full year. He nodded his head and moved towards his raging daughter.

"If I remove her, will you promise to not destroy anymore of your belongings?" He ran a claw along the spine of the book she destroyed. She nodded exuberantly and he smirked. As he left her room, he motioned to his men stand at both sides.

"For now, forget the woman in my room, we are also grabbing the Western Lord's little pet."

Sorry for the late update, my grandfather passed away and the funeral was hectic.