Chapter 26

Inuyasha had just finished dealing with Kikiyo when he was stopped by his best friend. Miroku stood at his door waiting for him as if he knew he would need to talk about some things. However the look that was in Miroku's eyes did not seem as if he were there to speak with him about his problems. Once the two were alone in his room, Inuyasha turned to Miroku and asked, "What is wrong now monk? I know you didn't come here to talk about my problems, so what did you do to Sango this time?"

"Nothing, I have just decided to formally tell you that when Sango leaves to go fight for her country, I will be joining her as her king and husband." Miroku answered.

"What the hell are you talking about monk?" Inuyasha growled in a slight hurt voice. "I thought you said you'd always be here as my friend. If I remember she said that also."

"I did and I am sorry that I have to break my promise my friend but my wife is with a child and she will need help getting her country back together." Miroku answered in a sad voice of his own.

"What about Sango?" Inuyasha growled.

"Well, if what she told me is true, it pained her to have to make that promise to you knowing that she would never be able to keep it." Miroku explained. "As a royal she made a decision and knew that it would pain but she has to think of her people."

"When are you leaving?" Inuyasha asked in a disbelief voice.

"I do not know; we leave when the Princess of miko country feels that it is no longer safe for her or her sister to stay here." Miroku explained. "She does not want to ask for help, she has made that very clear."

"What if I talked to her, what if you tell Sango to let me talk to her, I can't and won't let you go in a lone only to be killed." Inuyasha growled. Miroku had been like a second brother to him and he would be damned if he let Miroku go into war without any help or at least with him at his side.

"Even if you will join us of your own free will I am sorry to say that the Princess will probably stop you. Inuyasha, my friend, I will come back to visit you once we have gotten everything under control." Miroku stated as he turned to walk out.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked.

"I need to go and get my wife so that we can join you for dinner." Miroku stated with a grin on his face. "Perhaps you can even skip your royal duties and join us for a walk with Kagome; we will be going into town again and has invited us."

"I think I will join you tomorrow." Inuyasha answered with a grin on his face.

"See you later my friend." Miroku stated before he walked out and took his leave.

As he made his way to go and get his wife, Miroku stopped with a smile on his face, when he saw Sango walking along side Princess Rin. However what made him smile was the fact that Sango was slowly practicing, without her own knowing, how to be a mother. In her arms slept Rin's daughter while Rin carried a much tried Shippo. As they walked toward him, Miroku kept his smile in place. Once they had reached him, Miroku looked at Sango and said, "I'm glad that you are having some fun preparing for our own child."

"I am not practicing if that is what you are implying." Sango hissed. "I was simply helping Princess Rin with these two."

"Indeed she was; however I have not seen you since this morning, have you been with my brother or my mate this whole time?" Rin asked.

"I was with Prince Inuyasha; shall we all head to dinner together?" Miroku answered as he locked eyes with Sango.

"So I take it you told him?" Sango asked in a sad voice.

"Yes, it was also my choice my love so do not blame yourself." Miroku answered.

"I will have to go and speak with my brother later on tonight then." Rin stated.

"It would be best." Sango added. "I am most certain that he must feel bad since he now knows that I made a promise to know with the intent of not keeping it. I would not blame him if he would no longer want to see me."

"What are you three talking about?" Shippo asked. "My Otu wouldn't let you go, he'll just follow you."

All three adults turned and looked at Shippo with shocked eyes. If he was able to call Inuyasha his father than that would mean he had agreed to make Kagome his mate to make sure that young pup would have a real family once more. However they could not believe this since he had already gotten his wish of being intended to Kikiyo, the 'reincarnation' of the late queen from miko country. Rin looked at Shippo and asked, "Shippo honey, how long have you been calling Inuyasha your father?"

"I don't know…a while now." Shippo answered. "I'm hungry and I want my Oka!"

"Alright, let's get going then." Sango stated as she eyes Miroku and Rin knowing that they would have to talk about this later.

"This is very interesting indeed." Miroku stated.

"So you really didn't know?" Sango asked.

"No, he told me nothing of this, all he had told me was that the no longer wished to be with Kikiyo, of course he didn't tell me that until after Inutaisho ordered their marriage to be final." Miroku explained.

"I see, so my brother really does love her." Rin whispered.

"Of course, Otu said so." Shippo whispered knowing that he might have said to much.

As they walked into the dining hall, Rin, Sango, and Miroku were all surprised to see that they were the first ones there. Knowing that there was nothing else they could do, they all took their seats. Rin sat alone with her child in her arms. Shippo sat to the right of her, Sango in front of him with Miroku to the left of her. Once they had all been seated, Sesshomaru walked in with his parents as Kikiyo walked in alongside Inuyasha. Once they were all seated, Rin turned to her father-in-law and said, "Please wait just a moment longer, I have invited someone to join us tonight."

"Who have you invited dear?" Izayoi asked in a sweet and gentle voice.

"I invited Kagome." Rin answered.

"That's why I'm here!" Shippo cried. "I'm waiting for my Oka!"

"I see, Inuyasha do you wish to have your meal with your intended in a different room?" Inutaisho asked.

Before Kikiyo or Inuyasha could even answer, the doors slowly opened as the room was filled with a calm yet cold aura. Once the doors were closed, Kagome locked around the room and met every ones surprised stare, all expect for one person. The person she could not face was Inuyasha, the prince of these lands, the prince that her mother wished for her to marry even when she herself was intended to this man. Before she could say a word, she was not surprised when she heard Inutaisho growl out as he stood up and asked, "What is the meaning of this? What do you think you are doing girl?"

'My dragon…she has my dragon's soul…why…no…she…she knows…I must leave.' Kikiyo thought as she watched her daughter silently.

"Kagome? What's wrong?" Sango asked in a worried voice.

Ignoring the questions and the sound of her worried child, Kagome turned to face Sesshomaru and locked eyes with him before she turned to King Inutaisho to say, "I wish for you to move up the date when I battle Kikiyo for the miko of this village. I wish to fight her the day after tomorrow."

"What has made you so confident that you believe you no longer have to train?" Izayoi asked.

"I know that I must train some more, however I will not wait for her to be ready any more. I wish to fight her because of the actions she did against me." Kagome answered. 'Forgive me…forgive me for what I am about to do.'

'What the hell is she doing?' Inuyasha couldn't help to think as he asked, "Why do you wish to fight my intended?"

Turning cold eyes, Kagome glared at Kikiyo before meeting Inuyasha's eyes to say, "She is not your true intended and you know it. You have already promised yourself to another…hasn't he Shippo."

It wasn't until then that he realized what she was doing, she was not only fighting to be the miko of the village, she was also going to challenge Kikiyo so that she could take Kikiyo's place as his intended. Before Inuyasha could tell the fox kit to stay silent, he heard Shippo say, "Yes Oka, Otu promised you first."

"Young kit, who do you refer to when you say Otu?" Izayoi asked.

"I refer to Prince Inuyasha…my Otu…right Otu?" Shippo answered in a sad voice.

All eyes now turned to Inuyasha, he was speechless, he had no idea that Kagome would go this far just for him, for their love. Little did he know she had another reason behind her actions. Before he could say a word, Kagome turned to King Inutaisho and asked, "Will you allow this or will I have to wait another week to watch that woman call the man that has already claimed me as his intended her intended?"

"King Inutaisho I would also like to know the answer to this." Sango hissed as she saw the pain in her sister's eyes.

"For this is a matter that we will not over look, she is after all my sister-in-law now." Miroku added.

"We?" Izayoi asked.

"I have accepted Sango for who she is, I love her and that will never change." Miroku explained. "If I must become a king to stay at her side, I will."

"I will allow this; I shall send word to Kaede that your battle will be the day after tomorrow. As of now Kikiyo is no longer my son's intended until this matter is resolved. However the villagers are to know nothing of this." Inutaisho stated.

"Thank you, Shippo honey lets go…I have something to eat for you when we reach the room." Kagome was heard.

"Will you really not eat with us?" Izayoi asked.

"I'm sorry to say but I do not wish to eat alongside Prince Inuyasha, I may be his intended however, I cannot stand to see him now when he had me hidden like if I were some his secret lover." Kagome stated before she took her leave and left with her son in her arms.

Once she was out of the room, Sesshomaru lifted his chop sticks and said, "Well isn't this interesting."

"Indeed, very interesting, I didn't think we would be having a show before dinner." Rin added. "Did you know about any of this brother Inuyasha?"

"I do not think so." Kikiyo was heard as she stood up to leave.

"You are not eating?" Sango asked with a grin on her face.

"No, I also do not wish to eat with Prince Inuyasha." Kikiyo hissed. "How dare you demand of me to be your intend and then go and promise yourself with that woman!"

"I can tolerate her better." Inuyasha answered with a grin on his face before he began to eat. 'Why the hell did I say that?'

Knowing that it would not be in her best interest to hit him in front of his family, Kikiyo stormed out and made her way to her room so that she could go to sleep before she had to go and meet up with Kagura. Once she had entered the small hut, Kikiyo froze when she found Kagome sitting on her bed with a grin of her own. Before Kikiyo could say a word, Kagome locked eyes with her and said, "Even if you are my mother…I will never forgive you for trying to take the man that I was meant to marry."

"So, how did you find out?" Kikiyo asked in a cold voice as she dark miko aura began to surround her.

"I found out once I agree to allow your dragon to tie itself to my soul." Kagome answered. "She wishes for you to rest in peace, as do I."

"What can you do little girl?" Kikiyo asked. "You have not mastered your true power because of the curse that is upon you…what makes you think that you can win?"

"I can and will because unlike you mother." Kagome replied as she stood up to leave. "I have been crowned as the Queen of dragons…the only and eternal queen of dragons by the my third dragon."

"If you were then you realize what you are expected to do?" Kikiyo asked in a slight worried voice.

"You're worried…I didn't think you could actually worry about me in the state you are in, but don't worry mother dear, you will not have to fight me." Kagome stated in a cold and emotionless voice. "For it will only be to distract them while you lead me to him like you were ordered to do in the first place."

"Do you really think you can defeat him without using the spells I have thought you…by the looks of it you have yet to read the book I left for you." Kikiyo hissed. "Well no matter, once I have handed you over I will get back your fathers soul and rest in peace while you suffer for all eternity…Eternal Queen of Dragons."

"If that is your wish mother than I will grant it for you." Kagome whispered before she handed a small crystal to her mother. "As well as your dragon, oh and tell Naraku that I will see him very soon."

Once she was gone, Kagome quickly made her way to the stable where Rinji and Helios waited for her. She would have to tell them the plan, she would have to make sure that Rinji would be able to leave and meet up with them before anyone could stop him. She had lots to do and so little time. The only thing she did know, was that she would have to go in alone, she had already seen what would happen if she went in as a group with Sango and Miroku. She would not risk it; she would go in a lone and face eternal suffering alone. 'I will not watch Sango, my sister cry her eyes out because of the death of her husband…I will not allow it.'