Chapter 24

She couldn't help but stare at the last page her mother had wrote for her. Not only had her mother just told her to use the link she had with her three dragons to kill Naraku but she had also left her the right spell so that she could cut the link off so that she would do just that without feeling the pain and betrayal that they would feel. 'No, she has got to be mad if she wants me to do this…there has got to be a different way.' Kagome thought sadly as she tried to think of something that she could do. Just as she was about to break down, Kagome looked up to find her son handing her warm blanket while saying, "Here you go Oka, its cold out."

"Thank you honey, come on I'll take you to Helios and Dante." Kagome whispered as she picked him up and wrapped the blanket around the both of them.

"Are you sure Oka?" Shippo asked. "Won't Otu get mad if you're late?"

"I'll just tell him I was taking care of you, he should understand." Kagome whispered as she walked into the stable to find Miyazu with Dante and Helios.

'Mistress.' Miyazu greeted.

"I'm glad you are back, I suppose you are going to help look after my son while I am gone." Kagome replied.

'Princess are you alright.' Helios asked.

'You seem upset.' Dante added.

"I'm alright, you three are to look after my son, Miyazu, please tell your master that I have to speak with her when I get back, please have her waiting for me when I return." Kagome replied.

'What should I tell her, she does not…' Miyazu began to reply only to be stopped by Kagome's words.

"I have already been told that everyone here has already told their rider in one way or another that I am the missing Princess. Now look after my son and please make sure that she is here by the time I return." Kagome stated before she walked out.

'So…who told?' Dante growled out into all of the stables.

As she walked and made her way toward their secret spot, Kagome couldn't help but feel as if she was being followed. Just as she had reached the edge of the forest, Kagome stopped walking, froze in her place, let out a great deal of miko energy and hissed out, "Whoever you are show yourself right now."

"I'm sorry if I frightened you Lady Kagome." A familiar voice was heard.

"Kikiyo is there a reason you are following me?" Kagome asked in a cold voice.

"I just wanted to make sure that you would not be attacked however I believe you just proved that, if you don't mind me asking, but where are you going?" Kikiyo answered.

"That is none of your concern, now would you kindly turn back around and head back tot Kaede's hut, I have somewhere I have to be." Kagome hissed.

"If you are meeting with my intended I would like it to be the last." Kikiyo stated before she took her leave.

'Wait, what? I thought he would have told his parents about…that no good lying son of a bitch.' Kagome thought as she continued to make her way to go and meet with Inuyasha.

Kikiyo made her way to the other side of the village, she knew that there was no other place to meet the one that had given her the order to accept the offer that the prince had been begging her to accept. She knew that if she didn't show up it would only mean that her soul would be further broken. Just as she entered the clearing, Kikiyo watched as a woman landed gracefully in front of her while putting the feather back in her hair. Once they had locked eyes, Kikiyo took in a deep breath as she said, "he has nothing to worry about, I have done what he told me to do, soon the Princess will feel alone and confused before she decides to go back to her home land."

"Are you sure this will work?" Kagura asked.

"I am most certain, I know my own daughter after all." Kikiyo hissed in a cold voice.

"Here, Naraku wishes for you to wear this, he found the family you spoke of and killed them before getting the clothing you will need to represent the family you claim to be from." Kagura stated as she ignored the cold words the miko had told her while handing her the clothing.

"Is there anything else he wanted me to know?" Kikiyo asked.

"He told you to hurry up, he almost has the dragon of darkness free and needs your daughter to control it." Kagura stated.

"Very well then, I'll make sure to have her there by the end of the week." Kikiyo stated as she turned around to make her way back to Kaede's hut.

"Do not forget that he is always watching you with Kanna's mirror." Kagura growled before she took her leave.

"How can I forget that he watches me, I was once the Queen of miko country, of course I would know what to expect from such a coward like him." Kikiyo whispered out in the lonely sky knowing that Naraku could and would hear her words.

'Do not forget my beloved Kikiyo you still have that soul of your tied down by me…I can enter your thoughts from miles away. I look forward to your return.' Naraku's tainted voice echoed in her mind as she tried to walk straight.

Just as she had entered the clearing, Kagome found Inuyasha waiting for her by a small fire that he had started not that long ago. Knowing that this was not a time to worry about how she felt, Kagome kept her distance and waited for him to say something. Once he got tired of waiting for her to get closer to her, Inuyasha locked eyes with her and asked, "What's your problem?"

"Nothing I would just wondering why I was meeting a prince that already has an intended." Kagome answered calmly.

"Feh, what are you talking about, I haven't told my father about us yet." Inuyasha growled.

"There is no use. Prince Inuyasha I would like for you to explain yourself." Kagome hissed in a cold tone.

Out ragged by her statement, Inuyasha stood up and growled out, "What the hell are you talking about wench. I agreed to be the runt's father therefore that makes you my intended."

"You are a jerk! What makes you think that I am your intended when you have already agreed to your fathers demands!" Kagome yelled out as she tried to hold back her tears.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked in a confused yet stern voice.

"I'm talking about Kikiyo telling me to stop meeting you." Kagome whispered. "I'm talking about the promise you have already made with her."

"Feh, I will talk to my father tomorrow, there is no way I will be her intended now…not when I have a pup to look after." Inuyasha growled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing?" Kagome asked as she leaned into his arms.

"I know very well what I am doing. For now you're just going to have to trust me." Inuyasha growled as he sat down with her in his lap.

"Inuyasha…I need you to answer me just this once honestly." Kagome whispered.

"Not until you answer one of mine." Inuyasha growled.

"Alright, then ask away." Kagome answered.

"Who are you really?" Inuyasha asked.

"What do you mean?" Kagome answered.

"Don't give me that, why did my mother's maid call you princess?" Inuyasha growled.

"What? When did you hear that? It was a mistake; she thought I was going to accept being called that since Sango calls me her sister." Kagome explained. 'Shit this is bad.'

"Feh, what is it that you wanted to ask me." Inuyasha growled. 'I should of thought of that.'

"Well, don't laugh ok?" Kagome replied. 'Did he really buy that?'

"Just ask the question if you are going to ask it." Inuyasha stated.

"Fine, do you love me." Kagome whispered.

"I…I love you too." Inuyasha whispered back as he turned away to hide his blush.

"Really?" Kagome asked.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it wench." Inuyasha growled as he turned around to glare at her.

"Ha, I got you to look at me." Kagome smiled as she moved slightly closer to him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Inuyasha stated as he reached for her.

As she looked into his eyes Kagome close her eyes and took in a deep breath. She knew that she had no right to do what she was about to do but she had to know. She just had to know if he was telling her the truth or if he was going to lie to her and hurt her before he got to us to her. Once their lips had met Kagome could see and feel what he had deep within his memories. However, as soon as she saw an image of her mother within his memories, Kagome opened her eyes and pushed herself away from him. Before he could say or do anything, Kagome stood up and said, "Sorry, I have to go…one of the dragons is calling for me."

"Feh, just don't stay up all night wench, I'll see you tomorrow." Inuyasha called after her.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome called as she stopped walking.

"What is it my intended?" Inuyasha asked with a grin on his face.

"Nothing…never mind…good night Prince Inuyasha. Sleep well." Kagome replied before running off.

Not liking the sound of her voice, Inuyasha quickly went after her only to be stopped by Kikiyo. His real intended. Once she was in her room, Kagome grabbed her mother's book against the well and let out a low growl of annoyance. She could believe that her mother had not written once about knowing Prince Inuyasha in her book. What could it mean, what did it mean? As she stood up to go and get her son out of the dragons stable or to at least join him wait the other dragons, Kagome looked down only to find a hidden page falling out of the side of the book. Knowing that she had had no time to read it now, Kagome picked the two up and hid it under her bed before she made her way to the stable. She still needed to talk to Ayame and the last thing she wanted to do right now was stay up even later. 'Mother can wait, I want to get this over with so that I can just go to bed.'

Once she had entered the stable, Kagome was not surprised when she found Shippo sleeping in between Dante and Helios. Once she had closed the door behind her, Kagome turned around to greet Ayame only to stop at what she saw. Not only had Miyazu told Ayame who she really was, it was as clear as day that the dragon had also forgotten to tell its master that bowing before her was completely unnecessary. After taking in a deep breath, Kagome turned to the now awake Miyazu and said, "Did you really not tell her a thing of what I told you?"

"She told me, however I thought it is unbefitting since you have never been bowed to, how would you react once you have your lands back?" Ayame was heard as she stood up.

"Do as you please however I have something I must speak with you." Kagome replied.

"If this has anything to do with Koga he was a fool and is behind held until after you leave. Those are the orders I gave out." Ayame quickly replied in worry. "He will never lay a finger on you again."

"I'm grateful that you were that worried, whoever this has nothing to do with the actions of that wolf." Kagome stated in a queen like voice.

"Than what do you need me to do Princess?" Ayame whispered.

"Just Kagome, secondly I must ask that you have your tribe and your mate help me keep the King and his army from aiding me when I go and reclaim my lands." Kagome explained. But before Ayame could object, Kagome added, "If you do this for me then you can consider the crime your mate has done upon me forgotten and over with completely."

"I thought you said this was not about my mate." Ayame growled.

"It was not, however did you really believe that I, the heir to the throne of miko country, would allow your mate go without a punishment of my own?" Kagome asked.

"You cannot do that; I will not allow you to hurt my mate." Ayame growled in anger.

'Master!' Miyazu growled in sadness as she quickly went to the princess aid.

"As you can see all dragons are born and realize that they must protect me, however I was born with the feeling and longing to protect them. I cannot do that if I have to worry about an army whom I did not ask help from." Kagome explained.

"I understand however you cannot go into a battle alone, do you have any idea what you are going to do?" Ayame replied.

"I have made some plans however I cannot see much very clearly because of the interference of the King and his army. Now give me your word that you will not allow the king or his army to leave the lands once I am gone." Kagome stated in a cold tone.

"You have my word; however will you really tie Princess Sango down only to leave her to worry?" Ayame asked.

"I requested for you to stop the King and his army not anyone else, now will you please just take Miyazu with you so that I can rest with my son." Kagome requested as she walked over to Helios so that she could lie down.

"As you wish, when will you leave?" Ayame asked.

"The night after I have my battle against that new miko, I don't want to run from a fight, even if she does not know who I am." Kagome stated as she waited for Dante to cover her up with his wing.

"As you wish, come on Miyazu, let us go." Ayame called as he let her dragon out of the stable.

Once they were out of the room, Kagome turned over so that her son lay across her chest while the two dragons looked down to face her. With a smile on her face, Kagome closed her eyes and slowly exhaled while she said, 'Well, by the looks of it, I'm going to have to come up with my own spell if I want this to work.'

'That is not possible mistress.' Dante stated.

'Not even the late Queen, your mother was able to do such a thing.' Helios added.

'Just because my mother was unable to do so does not mean that I will be unable to do so. Now, would you two just trust me…I believe I have seen enough to know what it is I will have to come up with.' Kagome hissed as she tried to fall asleep.

'With the curse in place we will not know what could happen, perhaps you should ask for help.' Dante added.

'I do not think so, besides the spell that I hope will work will not be used until I have entered my kingdom once more.' Kagome stated. 'Now shut up and go to sleep.'

'As you wish mistress.' Both Dante and Helios replied as they looked away, lowered their heads and quickly drifted back to sleep.