Sesshoumaru was a man who took what he wanted. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. That's the reason he had given himself every morning for the last four days. He recited it in his head as he prepared for the day.

That's why he had kissed her. Because he had wanted to. But why had he wanted?

He had been with women, yes. But they were few and far between. He didn't have much interest in the chatter of high-born girls, their troublesome nature. Nor did he wish to invite any of the maids into his bed, for that would prove to be even more of a problem. Weaker youkai, ones he encountered on his travels, ones that didn't know his name, wouldn't seek him out claiming to carry his child, wouldn't make a fuss when they found him gone the next day. No words, just that primal need.

But this was different. She knew him. Spoke with him. Toyed with him. Lived underneath his roof. Demanded to be treated with care. Made him want.

He wanted her. More than any of those short-lived trysts. He wanted those crimson eyes, those sweet cherry lips, ebony hair. He wanted to see those eyes fill with delight, as if laughing at a joke only she knew. To see those lips curve into a smirk as she made some willful comment. To hear her soft chuckle on the breeze.

He wanted to comfort her. To kill Naraku again for still haunting her, still having a hold on her. Even three years dead, she was not free of him.

He sighed and raised his head to look at the portrait that hung on the wall. Something he had never had the heart to take down. A remainder of what he must not do, what he was trying to achieve. His father, in his true form. The great dog snarled at him, as the real thing often had. Sesshoumaru had been a stubborn child; he had needed a good dose of fear to listen. He had grown out of that by the time it truly mattered.

'I will not be like you.'

He huffed and pulled himself to his feet. He had more important things to worry about.

Today was the day his mother arrived.

~xXxXxXx~

Kagura sighed. Again.

Hotaru gave her a sympathetic look before being yelled at by Kamiko for not paying attention.

Kagura concentrated on her steps, on when to open the two fans she held, when to turn and when to dip. She imagined the sound of the drums, getting faster and faster with each step, each flick of her wrist. The deepest drum, slow and steady with her heartbeat. Step, step, flick, step, twirl, step, step, step, dip, step, spin, vanish.

The last part had been Kamiko's idea. For her to vanish just as the drums reached their climax. "It will be magical." She had said with a chuckle.

Kagura sighed. Though, in this form all it did was lightly tousle a few girls' hair. She hadn't seen him in four days. Avoiding her, most likely. Why? He had been the one to come to her room; he had been the one to close the distance, to kiss her. So why was he the one hiding?

She reappeared several feet away from where she had been, watching Noriko and Hotaru. At least that had been settled. Noriko had apologized profusely, though she really didn't have anything to apologize for. Stating the truth was not something she should regret. But still, she had. The wolf had even gone after several servants who had been whispering a tad too loud and a tad too close to the wind witch.

That's when she felt it. The air pressed in on her, not crushing her, only as if a shroud had been cast over the room. The others did not notice it, the odd blue tone that had suddenly appeared.

Kagura sighed as the wind began to tousle her bangs.

"I don't know what game you're trying to play, but I would stop." She flicked open one of the fans as a few girls turned to see whom she was talking to. "I'm really not in the mood for this."

"Come now, Kagura," there was a chuckle, "that's no way to great an old friend."

"Friend's generally announce themselves when they come to visit." She huffed. The other girls were watching her now, confused. Kagura was the only one of them who could see the blue shroud twist and pulse, pulling itself back into a physical form.

"My apologies," bright blue pupil-less eyes stared up at her, the man bent over into a deep exaggerated bow. His high tied hair fell in one long lock over his shoulder. "Long time no see, Kagura."

Kagura didn't bother with a response, only rolling her eyes and turning away from the black haired man inclined towards her.

"Kize!"

The two turned to see Kamiko bounding up to them, a grin plastered to her face. "I didn't think you two actually knew each other!"

Kagura sighed half-heartedly; she turned to Kize with a smirk. "Unfortunately."

"Oh, Kagura, don't be like that!" Kamiko giggled, waving a hand at her.

"Yes, Kagura, when was the last time we saw each other? Six, seven months ago?" a grin spread across his lips. "I did not expect you to be in a place like this, though."

"Tch, I never expected to see you, either." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. "What brings you here, anyway?"

"Nothing at all, my friend Kamiko here," he gestured to the woman next to him, who nodded to the mention of her name, "merely sent me a message that there was a kaze-youkai named Kagura staying at the Western Palace, I thought I would pay a visit to an old friend."

Kagura rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you bothered, you should know my answer will still be no."

"Now what makes you think that I came because of that?" the grin fell and he crossed his arms over his chest. "You always jump to conclusions so quickly. It was merely a suggestion, anyways…."

Kamiko's eyes flicked between the two, she cocked her head to the side, "what are you two talking about?"

"Oh, don't you worry your little head about it," Kize reached out and patted the woman's shoulder, "don't you have students to coach?"

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Kize." She bristled, pulling her shoulder away from his hand. "And Kagura, don't forget we have to be there for the Lady Mother's arrival." She waved a hand at them and walked away. She shouted something to the girls and they returned to their practice.

The two barely noticed. "so what are you really doing here, Kize? And how do you know Kamiko? I didn't know she associated with the homeless."

"That stings, Kagura, but I think the real question is what are you doing here? The same applied to you when you left."

"You know I have other friends besides you." She scoffed, even though, at this point, she couldn't really consider Sesshoumaru a friend and he was the reason she was there in the first place.

"Alright, alright, you don't have to be so snippy with me." He muttered, shrugging his shoulders and looking away.

"I won't be once you tell me why you're really here."

"I already did." He sighed. "Kagura, I was serious before, I-" he was interrupted by the sound of a bell.

Kagura exhaled and lifted her chin towards him, waiting for the tolling to end. "Don't finish that."

"I know." He looked away, bringing a hand up to run through his hair. "Well, I guess we should go see the Great Mother of the West, shouldn't we?" the grin returned and he lifted an arm towards the door with a bow. "After you."

She couldn't help the small sigh that graced her lips.

~xXxXxXx~

It was suffocating, waiting, kneeling on the ground between Kize and Hotaru. Kagura hadn't realized how many people had been housed in the castle. And all of them were now standing and kneeling in the entry yard. She saw Sesshoumaru enter and stand in the clearing at the front of the crowd, watching the sky. She wondered if she could vanish and go scream obscenities in his ear without anyone noticing. She doubted it.

Kagura watched him, he seemed so stiff, so cold. She wasn't used to that anymore. So she watched, hoping that maybe his eyes would turn to her, or at least that sharp knife of a gaze would soften slightly.

Too preoccupied with the prince, she barely felt Hotaru's gaze on her, the kitsune hadn't said anything but Kagura knew once they were alone she would be drowned in questions. She felt eyes on the other side of her, as well. Not as probing, just a subtle glance every so often. But for now, both were quiet.

Suddenly the others around them began whispering, looking up and gesturing to the sky. The three turned their eyes up as well. There was something in the clouds.

She tried to discern it as the clouds parted. It was… a dog.

Kagura nearly jumped at the sound that came from her left. She turned to see Sesshoumaru, rising from the ground on his fur. His eyes a bright shade of red, mouth open in a snarl. The stripes on his cheeks had become jagged.

This was bad, the only time she had seen that look on his face, he had been ready to cut Naraku down. She reached for the fan tucked into her sleeve and could only watch as he burst into a ball of light, darting back and forth until what emerged was not Sesshoumaru.

'Oh.' She felt like slapping herself while the son took his place shoulder to shoulder with his mother. Kagura stared in awe as the two inu yipped and snapped at each other, tails intertwining until the two collided with the ground at a sickening speed. She had to shield her eyes from the resulting dust storm, using as little of her power as possible to clear the area around her.

She was slightly disappointed when two humanoid forms became visible. His true form had been terrifying, giant, powerful, beautiful.

"Sesshoumaru."

"Haha-ue."

Hotaru grabbed the back of Kagura's neck and forced her head down, eliciting a hiss from the woman. She could only glare at the ground in front of her face as she listened to the dissipating sounds of the inu-youkai's footsteps.

The kitsune's hold loosened just in time for Kagura to see the two stepping up onto the deck. She waited, watching, hoping.

And when he turned, those knives fell on her, only they didn't soften, just became sharper than before.

She felt like she couldn't breath.

The mother and son turned a corner and disappeared, the servants and guards around her began to stand and leave, returning to their duties. But she didn't move.

Kagura ignored the eyes.

Sorry about not updating last week, I was in Costa Rica and didn't have a computer. But thanks to everyone reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!

Gabriela Romero: Sorry that they've been so short, it's just that I've already written most of the chapters out. I'll try and make the next ones longer though!

Sami199: ILY 2. Not joking though, I love your stories so I really appreciate the reviews. :]

And meh. Inukimi. That is all.