Chapter 14

"It's so nice to have the family all together." InuTaisho boomed loudly. At Kagome's request they were having a private family meal. Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Sota were seated around the table of one of the smaller dining rooms in the palace.

The girl was pleased to have everyone there. Even more pleasing was the fact that Inuyasha's eyes kept straying towards Kikyo.

The king had also never been more pleased. It seemed that his household were all happy. Kuisotenboru was certainly giddy. Kikyo had been training with the archers and with Kagome by her side, they had never looked better.

InuTaisho had written a formal letter to the council, informing them that Kagome had been revealed to be a miko. Mitsuko had replied that they would be returning to the West in a month's time to see for themselves and make their final decision.

Also arriving soon was InuTaisho's sister, the Princess Seiuka. She was Tsubame's mother and was going to be in charge of planning the wedding.

Kagome watched her sister blush as the hanyou's hand brushed hers, and realized that she had never been so excited for the future.

She was not the only one making contingency plans either. Okudo, head of the inuyoukai council was beginning to panic. Kagome was a miko it seemed. The rest of the council were leaning towards just approving the mating between the girl and Sesshomaru. Any child they could have would be demon enough to keep the humans in check and miko enough to to earn the fear of the youkai if not their respect.

Okudo was not so easily swayed though. He had been leader of the council for seven centuries and never had a half anything been heir to a throne that he oversaw. The youkai didn't intend to start making allowances now.

He paced in his study, trying to come up with some way to stop what seemed to be inevitable. A knock sounded on the door and Okudo barked and angry, "Enter." A tall hanyou walked in with a bow. He had sickly pale skin and falls of wavy black hair. His eyes were a bright, blood red.

"My Lord Okudo. How good to finally meet you." the hanyou said smoothly.

"Who the hell are you, hanyou?" Okudo snarled.

"My name is Naraku." the hanyou replied. "The young Lady Kagome is a cousin of mine."

"Oh and I suppose you are here to convince me to allow the mating between her and the prince of the West."

"Quite the opposite, my Lord." Naraku drawled. "I believe it would be the ruin of the West if she was allowed a chance to be queen. Such a fine youkai run area is more than the wench can handle, in my opinion."

"How do you even know of the situation?"

"Oh I have eyes and ears everywhere, Lord Okudo." Naraku answered. "My cousin has always been unstable. Not her fault of course, what with growing up with an absent father and a sickly mother. At the moment, the family is barely holding on to Higurashi Estate. There are also rumors that the chit is unchaste."

Okudo rolled his eyes at that. "There are also confirmed stories that she is a miko, which cancel out your rumors, don't they?"

"Ah, well, yes." the hanyou flushed. He had not yet received that information. It seemed his little cousin was more than she appeared. "Either way my Lord. I get the feeling that we have the same goal overall."

"Which is?"

"To see that the wench never gets the chance to taint a great youkai throne with her filthy human blood."

Okudo found it odd that the hanyou would have such strong negative feelings about humans when he himself was half, but quite honestly, the youkai had no ideas himself. Help would not be unwelcome. Even if it did come from a hanyou. "Alright then Naraku, tell me what you have in mind. We have but a month to prevent this mating."

Naraku smiled evilly and his blood red eyes seemed to glow. "More than enough time."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Concentrate, child. Feel the powers within ye." Unbeknownst of the plotting surrounding her Kagome was having miko lessons. InuTaisho had found an elder miko in a nearby village willing to train the young woman.

The old miko refused to leave her home to go to the palace, so Sesshomaru escorted Kagome to the village every other afternoon. It took a couple of weeks, and many reassurances from Kagome before the villagers believed that the youkai was not going to harm anyone. Now the village girls clustered to stare at the silver haired prince as he meditated, wondering aloud how Kagome had charmed the fierce creature.

Kaede, the elder miko, was awed at Kagome's powers. She had only used them once, and yet they were in perfect order and control. The only thing that Kaede could teach her was how to access her powers and make them do what she willed.

"What am I supposed to do when I find them?" Kagome queried in response to Kaede's instructions.

"Become familiar with them. Figure out the best way for them to come to ye. Ye have to know your powers to make them do your bidding. It would do ye well to take an example from your youkai out there."

"Sesshomaru?"

"Aye. Meditation is the best way to become acquainted with your innards. I'd wager that he's in such control over his youki because of it. Centuries of meditation to bend the power to his will. In fact, I've an idea." the old woman motioned for Kagome to stand. "Go, get your betrothed and bring him back here."

Kagome was confused but she did as she was instructed. She wandered out to an open patch of land where Sesshomaru sat crossed legged surrounded by young men and women who were emulating his position. The youkai's eyes were closed and his breathing was barely noticeable. The girl bit her lip, she hated to disturb him when he looked this peaceful.

A small smile quirked in the corners of his mouth. "Was there something you needed, beloved?" Sesshomaru asked without opening his eyes. The villagers gasped. They had never heard the intimidating youkai speak before.

"How did you know it was me?" Kagome wanted to know.

"Your scent, and your aura." her fiance replied. "The latter is ever so much stronger now that your powers have made themselves known."

"I see." Kagome fibbed. She could understand the scent thing. Her Sesshomaru was essentially a large humanoid dog demon. But she knew nothing about auras. "Well, Kaede asked if you would come help us with an idea she had."

Sesshomaru got to his feet in one graceful movement. He took Kagome's hand and allowed her to tug him in the direction of Kaede's hut. The village girls gaped at the show of affection and the youkai rolled his eyes.

Kaede greeted the prince with a deep bow. "Your Highness. I am trying to teach your fiance here how to sense her powers within herself and make them obey her. Ye seem like a prime example of one who has conquered that feat."

"Indeed, I have miko. What do you wish me to do?"

"Stand behind her." the elder ordered gently. "I want her to be able to find ye in her powers. Because of the bond between ye there should be two ways that she can sense ye, instead of one."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru replied. "Very well then." He positioned himself behind the girl and nodded at Kaede.

"Kagome close your eyes and find your powers." the old woman intoned. "Find them and coax them to ye. I want ye to be able to envision the power flowing through ye, down your arms and into your fingers."

Kagome took a deep breath and did as she was instructed. It was hard at first to get the pink fire insider of her to do what she bade it to. Finally though, she had the energy moving. It tingled as it made it's way down her arms. "Okay. Now what?" she whispered.

"Now let the power spread from your fingers over the room. Keep in mind that if ye aren't careful, ye'll singe your demon love. Let the power coat the room."

That was a tall order. "I...I'll try." She let a little of the power leak from her hold. There had to be some way to ensure that Sesshomaru would not be harmed by her pure powers. Maybe if the power just floats around him...the girl mused. Testing her theory, Kagome began to search for the youkai in her mind. At first things were cloudy, but as she concentrated, things began to clear up. The fading pink glow in the corner had to be Kaede. That meant...Kagome gasped. Sesshomaru was a bright ball of pure white fire in her head.

She could feel out his youki flaring around him and there seemed to be a pink and silver cord that linked her to him. In her mind, Kagome felt Kaede nod in satisfaction. "Excellent. Ye can stop now. That was good work, girl. We'll pick up there next week. Now be off with ye."

Sesshomaru took Kagome's hand once again as they took their leave of the village. "You did wonderfully." he told her.

"I've never felt anything like that before." Kagome said breathlessly. "It was as if I could sense everything. Not just you and Kaede; I felt all the villagers, their children, and even the livestock. It was incredible."

"I am very proud of you." Sesshomaru murmured. "You have done more than anyone could have expected of you. I am constantly astounded by your vast extraordinariness."

"Oh stop." the girl blushed. "I'm nothing special."

"Then you do not see yourself clearly." As they approached the palace, they could see InuTaisho helping an inu demoness down from her carriage.

Kagome was stunned by her beauty. Her silver hair tumbled to her ankles in glorious curls and she was dressed in a delicate riding gown. When they got closer, Kagome could see that the female youkai had the same crescent moon on her forehead, but it was the color of Tsubame's marking.

"Ah, Aunt Seiuka has arrived." Sesshomaru remarked. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let the madhouse commence." They were close enough now that the king heard him and beckoned to his son with a smirk. The prince sighed and they headed over.

"Seiuka, you get lovelier and lovelier with each passing decade." InuTaisho was saying to his sister. "You look so much like our mother."

"Still a flattering old fool I see, InuTaisho. You never got that from Father." Seiuka's voice was deeper than expected, huskier.

"I've always been an anomaly, dear sister. You know that."

"Indeed I do." Seiuka's head snapped up suddenly. She turned to stare directly at Kagome with wonder in her eyes as the couple joined them.

"Aunt Seiuka." Sesshomaru greeted. He bowed to the elder woman as Kagome curtsied.

"Sesshomaru. Look at how you've grown. A fine king you will make." Seiuka's eyes never left the miko's face. "And this must be your betrothed."

"Yes. This is the Lady Kagome, originally from the Southern Lands and now of the West. She is an excellent archer and a first rate miko. Kagome, this is my Aunt Seiuka, Princess of the North West and mother of Tsubame."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, your Highness." Kagome said.

"And you, my dear. Although you did cause me to lose a bet with Sesshomaru's uncle."

InuTaisho chuckled. "Don't tell me you and Mitsurugi still have that ridiculous thing going on, Seiuka. That was two centuries ago."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes. "Dare I ask, what bet?"

"Well son they were betting on how long it would take for you to, and I quote, 'pull the scepter out of your royal tush and give the fairer sex a chance.'"

"I assure you, those vulgar words never left my mouth." Seiuka commented. "I was betting that you would be at least 900 before you even so much as glanced at a female in interest. Mitsurugi bet that you'd be about 700 and you'd glance, but then decide that...well...it's unimportant now."

Kagome giggled. She was pretty sure that she knew what Seiuka was going to say. She could also see how Tsubame had come from such a jovially beautiful woman. "Shall we go inside now?" the girl offered. "I'll get the kitchen staff right on making dinner."

InuTaisho's sister smiled at the miko. "What a fine queen you'll be, young Kagome. I look forward to seeing how this kingdom will thrive with you and Sesshomaru at the helm."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

I absolutely loved creating Sesshomaru's aunt. I wanted her to be quirky like InuTaisho and Tsubame to show that Sesshomaru's coldness is something he chose to adopt, not a family thing. Expect to see a lot more of Seiuka. So far it seems that the majority of my readers have no problem with me doing an Inu/Kik pairing, but it'll be another chapter or two before that starts up so there's still time to offer opinions. This chapter is dedicated to my reviewers as always. Especially the ones who have reviewed just about every chapter so far. You're great!