Chapter 15

Sesshomaru was irritated. His aunt had descended on the palace and everything was in an uproar. The words "color" and "fabric" were being thrown at him daily and it was driving him insane. To make matters even worse, Seiuka reminded him of his mother.

Queen Inyanatzuru had been his aunt's best friend in their childhood, which is how she caught the eye of InuTaisho. The inu woman was much like her friend. Lovely, kind, and she had an excellent sense of humor. The king became besotted with her and asked her to be his mate and queen. In the end, they were not in true love, but had an excellent partnership.

It was probably a bad idea, but Sesshomaru found himself hiding from the flurry of wedding preparations in the queen's old chambers. His father had left them untouched for the nearly three centuries that she had been dead, and it had been at least half that time since Sesshomaru had last stepped foot inside. As soon as he crossed the threshold memory overtook him.

The queen sat in her garden with her head tipped back. The sun made her pale skin look like polished marble and her hair shine like spun silver threads. In Sesshomaru's mind, his mother's beauty outshone every flower in the garden. On this particular afternoon, he had just come from sword lessons with his father, and he ran to his mother's side.

Inyanatzuru smiled at her son, her blue eyes shining like sapphires. "Good afternoon, my little king." she said. "Come and sit."

She always called him that: her little king. Sesshomaru settled himself gracefully at his mother's feet and she began running her claws through his hair. "I envy you, little king." the queen continued. "You get to be useful, to learn things. I get to sit in gardens and look pretty."

"But Mother, you are excellent at being pretty. You are beautiful." Sesshomaru replied. Sometimes he found his mother to be a little childish. Honestly, why on earth would a queen and the mate of one of the most powerful youkai in existence need to be useful?

"I tire of being beautiful." Inyanatzuru returned. "I want to do something." she sighed. "But there is nothing to be done. Tell me of your day, little majesty."

And he would. He'd prattle on and on about what he had learned that day. His mother would soak it all in, her pride at her son's progress shining in her face.

The prince shook his head, coming back to the present. Kagome would be an excellent queen, he thought. She was both beautiful and useful. Like Inuyasha's mother had been. Another memory broke in.

A 463 year old Sesshomaru stood in front the palace with the household servants and nobles. He was hardened and cold now, his face an emotionless mask. His mother had been dead for four short years and his revenge had been sweet. King InuTaisho knew what his heir had done, but chose not to acknowledge it. Instead he brought his new lady, the reason his mate was dead, to live with them.

Izayoi was everything his mother hadn't been. She was dark where the queen had been pale. Inyanatzuru had been old but had a youthful spirit. Izayoi was young, a mere twenty years of age, and she had the bearing of a much older woman. She was quiet, obeisant, and useful. Someone had taught her to fight, so InuTaisho ensured that she had continued practice. That made Sesshomaru resent her most of all.

When she arrived at the palace that first day, Izayoi looked terrified. InuTaisho handed her down from the royal carriage and led her right up to the prince. "Izayoi, I'd like you to meet my son, Prince Sesshomaru. Sess, this is the Lady Izayoi, the new lady of the household."

The human woman immediately sank into a curtsy. "I am pleased to meet you, Your Highness."

The prince sniffed in disdain. "At least you know your place, human." he said. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked back into the palace.

InuTaisho growled, but Izayoi rested a hand on his arm. "The death of his mother is fresh on his mind still, my love. I am not offended by his anger."

Sesshomaru stiffened when she heard that. The last thing he wanted was her pity. He changed his course for the wild forest; he needed to kill something.

A sigh slipped unbidden from the prince's mouth. It was hard to believe that less than three months before, he had still been that cold arrogant being. Kagome's presence had soothed his soul and changed him completely. He found that he liked the change. A check of the sun's position in the sky, told him that Kagome would be done with her archery practice by now, so he made his way to her rooms.

He knocked politely and waited. The girl came to the door dressed in a light gown with her hair still messy from her bath. She smelled exquisite. Kagome grinned when she saw him. "Where have you been all day?"

"Hiding." Sesshomaru replied simply.

"Aw, is the big strong youkai afraid of a few fabric samples?" Kagome teased as she let him in.

"Quite." the prince deadpanned. "However, the sight of your face is enough to quell the fear."

"So glad to hear it." Kagome pulled him to her and laid a kiss on his nose. She leaned back and looked at him closely. "You're sad." she observed. "The wedding isn't upsetting you that much is it?"

The youkai sighed. "Of course not, beloved. I cannot wait for the wedding." Mostly because then it will be over.

"Then what is it?" The miko made him sit beside her on the bed. "You're trying to hide it, but I can feel the sadness in you. Tell me."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing in the intoxicating fragrance of the woman next to him. "I have been thinking of my mother quite a bit as of late. Aunt Seiuka reminds me of her."

Kagome nodded. "I understand. Having Kikyo and Sota here makes me thinks of my mother as well." She was quiet for a moment, biting her lip. "You shouldn't blame Inuyasha you know. He can't help that InuPapa chose his mother, anymore than he can help that she was a human and he's a hanyou."

Before he could respond, a particularly strong memory assaulted him.

Sesshomaru stared at the small creature in front of him. His head barely came up to the prince's waist and he looked terrified. There was a stubborn set to the whelp's chin, but his golden eyes, their father's eyes in his mother's face, were filled with awe and fear. This was the first time Sesshomaru had taken any interest in him.

As small as the boy looked, he was already fifty years old. His mother was old, older than Sesshomaru thought any human had the right to be. The prince could smell the death hanging over her and speculated over whether the hanyou could as well.

"Why can't Father teach me the sword?" Inuyasha asked petulantly. "I want Father."

"Silence yourself, half breed." Sesshomaru snapped. "I could care less about what you want. It is our Father's wish that you learn from me, and so you will." He lunged forward with his practice sword.

Inuyasha barely had time to get his up and block before the blow landed. He could feel it rattle his bones and he growled. "Not so hard, brother."

At the word 'brother' Sesshomaru's anger flared and he launched into a flurry of attacks. The hanyou didn't stand a chance. Before long, he was in a heap on the floor, bruised and trying not to cry. The youkai could smell the hurt and tears on his half brother. "There is no room for weakness in the West." he said impassively. "Father should have thought about that before he made certain errors."

"It's not my fault." Inuyasha muttered.

Sesshomaru paused at that, but only for a second. "And yet the world will make you pay for it."

That was not the last time Inuyasha received lessons from his older brother. As the decades passed, the hanyou improved greatly and even Sesshomaru had to admit he was impressed. It became harder to land blows on the boy.

Once, when Inuyasha was 102, they sparred with real swords. InuTaisho had gifted his younger son with a sword forged of his own fang when the boy turned 100. Now the hanyou held it up in opposition to his older, stronger, and faster brother.

That was the first time Sesshomaru nearly fatally wounded Inuyasha. It would not be the last. The hanyou lay on the ground, clutching at the gaping hole in his middle. The bastard hadn't even used his sword, just plunged his poisoned hand into Inuyasha's stomach when he was close. Inuyasha couldn't understand why. He had never done anything to hurt his brother.

"I'm sick of this." he shouted at the prince's retreating back. "I didn't do a damn thing to you and all you do is give me hell. My mom's dead too, you ass. It's as much Father's fault as your mother's death was. So just take the chip off your shoulder and stop being such a prick!"

Sesshomaru was upon him in a matter of seconds. His hands closed around the whelp's throat as he lifted him into the air. "Speak not of things you are too insignificant to understand, filthy half breed. I should kill you for your insolence."

"Do it then." Inuyasha spat, despite the hand clenching his wind pipe. "Spill my filthy blood if you're so strong."

"Sesshomaru release him." InuTaisho took the decision away from him. "I cannot believe how you are behaving. You are a prince and the heir to the throne here, this behavior is unacceptable."

The prince dropped his half brother. He gave his father a mocking bow and walked off. That was not the first time InuTaisho wanted to kill his older son, nor would it be the last.

"No," Sesshomaru replied when the past released him. "It is not his fault."

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

An hour later, found Inuyasha talking to his aunt by the koi pond that had been his mother's. Seiuka had been acquainted with the Lady Izayoi as well.

The inu woman lounged in her summer gown and dipped her feet in the water. "Tell me, Inuyasha, does Sesshomaru treat you better now?"

Inuyasha looked away. "I guess. Kagome keeps him in line with the insults, and even he has to admit that I'm getting dangerously close to being as good as him with a sword."

Seiuka smiled. "That's good to hear. Your father was worried you know, that you wouldn't make it this far."

The hanyou sighed. He'd had the same worries. He shook off bad memories and shrugged. "Takes a lot more than an arrogant prick like him to kill the likes of me."

"Good. I must say Inuyasha, that I am proud to call you one of my nephews. I was a bit skeptical when InuTaisho brought in your mother. Hanyou are not always as resilient as you have shown yourself to be. But then, the Taisho line bears strong fruit, it aways has. Do you think this trend will continue?"

"Don't see why it wouldn't." the hanyou shrugged. "Kagome's strong enough, and she's smart. Any brat she has with Sesshomaru will be plenty powerful."

The princess nodded. "That is reassuring. And what will you do, Inuyasha? When your brother is mated and on his way to becoming king, what will become of you?"

"There'll be no shortage of unrest comin' with their union. My job's gonna be to keep them safe."

"You have a good soul, my nephew." Seiuka said as she got to her feet and walked off.

"She's right, you know." a gentle agreed. "I may not be a miko like my sister, but I can sense that much about you."

Inuyasha looked up and into the brown eyes of Lady Kikyo. "Feh. And how would you know?"

"It's in your eyes and your actions." Kikyo responded, sitting down ext to him. "You protect the very people who mistreat you. You've devoted your life to their safety. It's a noble thing, what you do."

"It ain't like I have a choice." the hanyou protested. "I'm the younger son, so I gotta do what I'm told. The old man said protect this place, so I do. It's the only thing I'm good at."

"At least, Lord Inuyasha, you're good at something. I am the eldest of my siblings and all anyone will let me do is marry. That's all anyone expects of me." Kikyo chuckled. "I couldn't even do that correctly." Inuyasha was silent so the woman continued. "Tell me, how did my sister and the prince grow so close?"

"They went on a lot of walks." Inuyasha answered.

"Walks?"

"Yeah, on their feet if I remember correctly." Inuyasha quipped.

Kikyo surprised him by laughing out loud. Her laugh was lovely, clear, and beautiful like water over river rocks. It was then that Inuyasha really saw the lady. She and Kagome looked a lot alike, but there were subtle differences. Kikyo was paler, more delicate than here sister. Her beauty was less vivacious and more refined. It intrigued the hanyou how much the Higurashi sisters were like he and his brother. Someone like Kagome was too like him for comfort. But someone like Kikyo... Well he had always been told that opposites did attract.

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

A/N: Okay so another chapter down. Enough of you guys were fine with Inu/Kik that I decided to put a little in there. On another note, I only have 3 weeks of school left and then I am going on vacation. There might not be any updates for a month or so. But never fear because I will be back with more to write. I'm going to try to get one more chapter out before I leave though! Maybe two if I get a nice set of reviews.