Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, they really made my day. I had to edit chapter one as there were some minor errors. But, I hope this chapter is okay, and that you like it.

A Sweet Life

Disclaimer: I do own Satoru, Itachirou, Naiera, Ichirou, Noboru, Atoru, Matasumi, Sayuri, Kinjo and Kasumi. I do not own Sesshomaru, Jaken, InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango or Kaede. They are all the brilliant workings of Rumiko Takahashi.

'More children' I scoffed.

Nine years had passed since that day. Nine years, seven children, all growing with demonic speed like the dark circles beneath my eyes. Every time the end of the week came around, for the past nine years, I have had to search through the palace for the six children I knew would be running. It seemed that the very idea of a bath sent both dog and tiger demons running. Itachirou, I already knew would be lurking somewhere on the grounds, while the others would be playing. I continued through the palace halls, kept warm by the many fires Satoru kept running throughout the winter for me. I had searched through the kitchen, the dining room, the study, the library and the courtyard, to list only a few places. Yet, something told me to return to the East Wing of the Palace, where I knew they would be. Itachirou was fotunate enough to have his own, as it seemed he was not fond of these 'games' of hide and seek, then again he wasn't a problem at bath time.

"If you all do not stop this game of hide and seek. I will tell Kasumi to make you no more cookies." I spoke down the empty hall knowing all too well that they could hear me.

I turned down the hall that led to their rooms, listening quietly as I passed each. I knew they would not have gone outside; I would have caught their prints in the snow, and they preferred the warmth of the palace. As I neared Naiera's room, I heard whispers to 'shut up' and 'be quiet' grow louder. A small giggle which I was certain came from Matasumi as she, like her father, had a tendency to giggle quite a bit.

"I can smell her. She's on us." Noboru whispered.

"We call daddy now." Matasumi laughed.

"No." Atoru snapped, though slightly amused.

"Yes. We must work on using our demon senses to avoid the bath monster. She is truly our worst enemy." Naiera reminded.

"Yeah, well great demon masters. She found us." Ichirou said, in his usual sarcastic tone. He was quick on a path to becoming like Itachirou in some ways, which appeared to be his life long goal.

As I moved to open the door, an arm snaked around my waist and pulled me from behind towards the opposite wall of the hall.

"Run children! Run for your lives!"

The door slid open and the sound of four running feet, and a walking pair was heard throughout the halls. Fading until finally it was gone, I was released and turned to a smiling Satoru. My attempt to glare at him must have been effective, as his smile faded fast.

"If you do not stop the hide and seek game every time I try to get them to bathe, Satoru."

"Well you should know after nine years, that the battle of the bath is never won." He joked.

"And you should know they need to be clean, they roll around in dirt all day."

"Yes, but they are children." He held my face in his hands stroking my cheek with his thumb. "Traveling through the land, helping the villagers, they have not had to learn the best bathing habits."

"Then perhaps we should not bring them with us."

"Do you regret taking them?" He sounded hurt.

"Of course not!" I pushed my hands through the air as I tried to calm myself. "Though you possess the life span of a demon-"

"As do you." He added. "I gave you a part of my demonic heritage when it came to aging, the day after you had Itachirou and Naiera."

"I know. I know." I laughed. "But I wish I didn't feel like they don't have to chance to be children. I need the time to watch them start small and grow into who I want them to be. I just don't think that we give them the life of normal children and because of that he rest of their lives will not be easy. I envy the time you have given me. I know for sure I will be able to watch them live those lives, and be there if they need me."

He chuckled as he placed a chaste kiss on my head.

"Don't these bath attempts remind you that they are children? Never the less, they aren't normal my dear, they are just ours. Life cannot be life without complication, but we have all the time in the world to watch them grow, into the people we know they will become... I understand the loss you have suffered when you were young, but that is not our fate, we make our own destiny." He stepped back as his face and twisted into a face of humorous confusion. "Itachirou however, is another matter… He takes after his true father."

"I wish that it were not true. Naiera has come to be like you…"

"No… I would ask him to be none other than himself, as you should wish it. I only wish that he would seem to find a place here."

"As do I… Do you know where he is?"

He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. After what seemed to be two minutes, he opened his eyes to answer.

"His usual place."

I left the kids' baths to Satoru as I stepped into the chill air of a winter's day. I tightened the furs Satoru had given me and bundled myself up as I journeyed to Sayuri, the lake Satoru had named after our youngest daughter. It was there, in the center of the lake where a small island lay within, that Itachirou would find peace. He would sit beneath the gazebo and stare aimlessly at the cherry blossoms that surrounded it. I could never see how he enjoyed watching their beautiful petals dance in the wind above the branches. In winter, he would stare in the empty space, and cold of winter, in this time he seemed more content to be out there. Alone he would sit, and ponder thoughts that not even I was allowed to know. He truly was the son of Sesshomaru, in body and mind, what distinguished him most however… was his soul. He would play the role of a strong demon, but it was his soul that made him different.

In the nine years that had passed, he had grown unexplainably. Instead of the nine year old I should see, I beheld a young man of seventeen, drawing him closer in appearance and stature to Sesshomaru. A demon of whom, I had not mentioned to him or Naiera. Satoru was their father, and though he gave no restrictions on them knowing the truth, he having just recently discovered it, I felt that if it was to truly be us, without the demon that had practically left his children, half demon or not, it was best to pretend that he did not exist. And in some form of truth, he didn't, for any of us.

Itachirou however, he knew something, Naiera truly believed Satoru her father, and if that made her happy, it made him happy. Itachirou believed differently, though he did not know full well the truth, he knew enough. He accepted that this was what happiness was, a mother always smiling, a loving husband, insane children. He did not feel a loving mother and father, loving siblings, and to an extent I believed InuYasha had played a part in that development. He would talk often, when he visited the castle, of how he was treated as a young child. Though Satoru and I knew it to be true, the way that demons and humans could be, we shielded our children from the worst of it. Everyone within the Northern Palace loved them, demon and human alike, their race made no matter to any of them. On more than one occasion, they suggested that an entire clan of them exist.

Though the line was tainted with human blood, or demon blood, however you chose to see it. They were pure in some way; Satoru always believed it was their hearts. Thanks to his efforts, they did not know of hatred, and fear. They knew only of the values that gave humans a somewhat pleasant reputation, as caring and loving and humorous, the true values of living, as if every day was your last. The demons provided a glimpse on pride, power, strength and wisdom. And unfortunately, fighting. Satoru kept the dark aspects of life from them, but feared that one day, he might befall the same fate as InuYasha's father. And since they were little, they were trained to fight with the swords that he had commissioned for them.

As expected Itachirou did well at a young age, the same age we began to notice that he distanced himself from the family. As if an outsider, looking in, wanting to belong, but unable to get a grasp on what it meant to belong. He was protective and strong, with an exceptional mind for battle tactics, the Generals of the North, and some from other lands, consulted him on occasion. He looked over his sister, aware that her heritage too matched his own. He wished to know the truth that I was too weak to give, as am I still. A mother, scared and frightened that my child might hate me for withholding a truth that I was certain would do no good.

I loved all my children equally, treated them fairly, played with them, and indulged them, their father more so on that account. Itachirou, he was different, he was my first born, and from the moment that I met his eyes, the color of liquid amber. He was separated from all the others. 'That's the most painful thing in the world.' I thought crossing the bridge over the frozen lake. Perched on the railing, he sat motionless dressed in his hakama, preferred color of white, with a red sash tied about his waist that held his sword, and white fur draped over his left shoulder, staring into the white of the snow.

"I do wish you would reconsider coming out on days like this." I said as I came to stand beside him. "You'll catch your death of cold."

"I will be fine."

"Not even willing to set my fears at ease."

He looked at me through the corner of his eyes as he slightly turned his head, piercing me with a stare that so much resembled Sesshomaru. And as he often did, he spoke as if it was of his own decision, not the request of his mother who he would do anything for.

"I will return shortly."

I smiled. "Thank you."

He simply nodded as he returned his gaze to the now snowy sky. I watched as he stared at the falling snowflakes, detecting each pattern, and moving eagerly to the next one. He was always fascinated by the snow, even as a young boy he would stare out the window as it began to fall, cloaking the earth in white. He would sit in the gardens, unaffected by the cold that surrounded him.

"What is it about the snow that holds your interest?" I asked ernestly.

He did not answer. I nodded turning to leave, knowing well that he preferred his solitude. As I did, his voice stopped me, with a question I had never expected from him. And an answer to what thoughts sometimes run through his mind.

"Mother… Do you wish me to be like them?"

'Them'?" I asked confused.

"Like the other children."

I smiled lightly as his eyes met mine. With the softest voice, and most sincere gaze, I spoke these final words to him, hoping that this answer would be all that he would ever need.

"I want you to be who you wish to be. Any one else, and you would not be the son that I love most dearly."

I headed towards Atoru's room as I had heard a loud noise upon entering the palace courtyard. Followed shortly after by Itachirou, who stood silently behind me as I watched the scene taking place. Satoru and Matasumi hung in a net above a broken table as the other kids stood around them poking spears at it.

"You fiendish demon, you are no match for our Kung Fu." Atoru threatened as he did the most peculiar poses.

Atoru was a boy similiar to his father in attitude and appearance, his body, like all of the boys was built strongly, drawing from their demonic heritage. His hair was short in comparison to his father's. The strands of night black just barely touched his shoulders, and set up his eyes that had the fortune of resembling his father's. The crystal blue windows into his soul contrasted against his hair, which was always tied up to show his pointed ears and leave his head open for his diamond mark to be shown his skin, pale as his father's. The only similarities between Aotru and I was that we shared the same colored hair. For him, it was a look most befitting, especially dressed, as he always was, in hakama of dark blue that revelead the demon marks on his arms.

"I suppose they thought they could outwit us." Noboru suggested stroking his chin, the pose he often took when deep in thought.

The fourth, before Atoru, shared Satoru's hair color, and length, always untied and hanging to touch his waist. His skin was soft, and always warm for some reason beyond my understanding. Eyes the color of emerald green, were all that I could say marked my blood in him. He claimed that they were his favorite feature, and as such he dressed in nothing but green. It was a mark that he was proud of. Atoru was clever, as our journeys took us from home, he searched for new book on our travels to add to the library that was his room. When home he could often be found in the library, burying himself in maps, tales and stories made from the minds of others. Anything, everything fascinated him.

"Whatever the case, they must be interrogated." Ichirou stated as he turned to Sayuri beside him. "I will leave it to you two."

As always, he was the ring leader. The third oldest, and more similar to his father than any of them, still different. Ever since his birth, which followed twelve months after Naiera, Ichirou had looked up to Itachirou. As a result, he grew his hair to his length, brishing against his ankles as he walked, dressed as always in heavy light blue hakama to honor his father. His hair fortunately was a color that left questions as to whether it was white or a very light blue. If you asked him, he would tell you that it was white. His bangs parted to reveal the mark of a tiger demon, against his pale skin. Often times he would carry his sword with him, in hopes of making all believe how grown he was. He had a need for others to believe in him, and as a result, he sometimes was least childlike of them all. In the depths of those ice blue eyes, you would see a longing, for what, not even I knew.

All stepped back as they poked their father's behind with the spear.

"Speak demon. Tell why it is that you have entered our realm."

"I will never submit to your weak antics." Satoru said snapping his head. "Say nothing my daughter."

"Ah ha." Naiera jumped. "Reveal your secrets little one, or I will be forced into drastic measures."

Naiera resembled her brother, long white hair, eyes of liquid amber, skin pale white, the marks of the dog demon on her. She dressed often in shades of purple and blue, her twist on honoring Satoru. She was gullible at times, easily tricked on certain occasions. You would never know how smart she was just by looking at her, you would think her the most beautiful girl on the planet. In the years since her birth, she had grown beyond time. I stared at a developed seventeen year girl, instead of the nine year old innocent daughter that I should see. She often attracted attention from boys of the village, but they could pay her no real heed as Itachirou was always behind her. Satoru found some comfort in that. Neither of us however could explain the time change in Itachirou and Naiera. Ichirou was the eight year old boy, Noboru a year behind, as was Atoru, Matasumi and finally Sayuri. All born within a year of each other. Why were they different?

"What mean drastic?"

Sayuri was cute with a voice to match her small stature, and the one most similar to me of them all. Like all her brothers and sisters, her ears were pointed, and she bore the marks of a demon, but her eyes were mine. Her hair was mine, which she always preferred to wear down. She dressed in orange, and other warms colors, the brightest light in darkness. She shone, and smiled, and laughed just as I did at her age, though sometimes she would find comfort just being with her father. She loved to draw, to run, and play. If any one thing had to be said to describe her, it would be that she was the most human of all of our children.

Naiera lowered her spear briefly as she looked to Sayuri. She gazed at her for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and returning to her interrogation.

"I will drop you into the fire of a bath, should you not answer me infant."

I smiled as Matasumi clapped her hands at the idea.

Finally, we come to the little girl who found humor in all things. She was a mini Satoru, always managing to find the sunlight on a cloudy day. The most distingueshed of the children. Her skin was the color of peaches, her ears less pointed than the others, her eyes the color of the earth to match her hair that traced down her back, just brushing past her shoulders. She was the least demonic of them all dressing always in pink and yellow, the sun that fell to the earth was how people often remembered her. Only one mark of a tiger demon to be found on her, and that was on her head, like all the others. I began to think that the blood of these demons had attempted to overpower mine, and compensate for the missing pieces, make up for what should not have been there. They too were different. InuYasha only bore marks when he had transformed. These children had not, and still carried with them everyday such marks.

"We are getting nothing from them." Ichirou snapped as he turned towards the door, the expression on his face changing to fear, as if it were a joke.

They all dropped their spears as they said hi, as innocently as possible.

"Hi mother and brother."

"Hi." I said lightly. I bent my body around the group of children clustered around the net. "Darling…" I teased. "I leave you alone for five minutes, and this is what ensues. I am afraid to think of your life before we met."

"I am not defeated." He swore.

"And I assume you don't take defeat easily… Or alone. I will not pose the question as to how you hang from the ceiling." I turned to Atoru, he was often found building traps. I looked to my husband whose face now glowed red. "But I will ask how our daughter became involved?"

"It was nothing." He rushed. "It is a long story."

"Long!" The children all snapped at once.

"And something tells me possibly entertaining."

"He stole our cookies mother, and then pulled Matasumi with him as we hauled him up with the net."

"This seems to be you're doing then."

He attempted to shrug. "Might I get down now?"

"When you promise to make us more cookies." Sayuri snapped as she crossed her arms in a child tantrum.

"Well, there is your bargain my dear." I folded my arms turning to him matter-of-factly.

"I do not negotiate."

I exchanged glances with all my children. Itachirou somehow retrieved his sister from the net an returned to his place at the door. They grabbed their spears and in a line we left the room, leaving my husband begging to be released. As we descended towards the dining hall for dinner, we were oblivious to his pleas, until we were certain he could no longer hear us. As we sat through our meal, we spent that hour deciding whether or not we were going to retrieve him soon, or at all to say the very least. We had resolved that we would after our meal was finished, as we stood to leave, desert presented itself, and we could not refuse. Satoru would just have to wait; besides, as I should know the warning regarding the bath, he should have known when it came to the cookies.