Chapter Eight:

Prejudice of the Feudal Age

InuYasha woke up feeling warm and content. So much so that he refused to open his eyes at first. Then the feeling of someone snuggling close to his side made him aware of the body pressed against his own.

He opened his eyes and looked to his right where Kagome was balled up with her head on his chest. His naked chest.

What happened? InuYasha wondered as he realized that it was more then just his chest that was naked.

The best night of your life hanyo that's what. Give it a minute it'll come back to ya.

And it did as he lay there looking at his best friend and love of his life he remembered everything.

The look in her eyes, the feel of her supple body against his own.

But most of all he remembered her words before they had begun their nightly activities.

There is nothing I'd ever wanted more. I love you… all of you.

She wanted me. She gave herself to me as if it was the most natural thing in the world. InuYasha thought in amazement as he stared at the sleeping priestess.

"Inu… Yasha." Kagome mumbled as she stirred from her sleep. She slowly opened her expressive brown eyes and blinked up at him then she smiled.

"Good morning." She whispered. InuYasha couldn't stop the goofy smile the consequences of last night made the hanyo realized that he had a family; a wife that loved him and maybe one day children would follow.

"Morning." He mumbled as he beamed at Kagome with love and adoration.

He hugged her to his chest and kissed her lovingly.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

Kagome laughed as InuYasha showed more affection and attention then he ever had.

"I'm okay," she giggled. "I'm fine. I promise. Just a little sore." Kagome was pleasantly surprised at the hanyo's reaction to their night together. The hanyo was snapped from his delirious stupor when Kagome's stomach growled hungrily.

"I guess I worked up an appetite." Kagome blushed. Her lover chuckled as he kissed her softly one more time then he stood up. "I'll go find you something to eat and we'll head back to the others."

Kagome looked away from her naked husband, for lack of a better word, as her cheeks warmed at the sight of a very nude InuYasha.

Who knew he was so comfortable with nudity.

InuYasha walked over to his clothes and couldn't help but grin in pure masculine pride at the way his woman's face seemed to turn the same red as his kimono. She's going to have to get over this shyness of her's.

InuYasha couldn't deny that it made him a little smug to see that look of desire and embarrassment on her face. He dressed and left his fire rat robe near the nest for her.

Considering that her shirt was laying in a shredded mess at his feet, he figured that he had gotten a little to over zealous in his mission to claim his mate.

"You can wear this until we get back to your back pack." He said as he turned and smiled at Kagome as she sat up with one of the furs held against her chest to hide her naked form.

"Okay." The half demon grinned as he walked over and kissed her mouth one more time.

"I'll be back soon, don't go anywhere okay?" Kagome agreed and watched his as he left to hunt for their breakfast.

Meanwhile in the Village

Sometimes Miroku felt bad when he scammed people and then sometimes he felt like they deserved it. Like right now. After InuYasha had left the village with Kagome he and the others were given a feast in honor of Hiroshi's slaying and the villagers had spoken not another word about the silver haired hanyo and the young miko that had nearly been drained of her life energy.

Then when the group woke the next morning the headman had come into their room and made a heinous request, which is why Miroku was honestly thinking of stealing every single thing of value in this stupid village.

The headman had knocked on the door and when he was invited in he began the conversation with the usual thanks for their efforts.

"Thanks to you and your companions our village is finally free of Hiroshi's evil once and for all."

"It was no trouble. We were only doing what was right, besides it was more InuYasha then us."

At the mere mention of the hanyo the headman's countenance darkened severely.

"Ah yes, that creature." Miroku and Sango exchanged a look at the older gentleman's words. This doesn't bode well.

"He carried that young woman off did he not? Surely he's defiled her by now and for the sake of her family's honor I would hope that should a child come from such a tragedy that you purify the abomination."

Sango gasped in horror and Shippo gave a small growl. Miroku closed his eyes and prayed for patience and serenity. What this closed minded man had asked made the monk sick to his stomach. He knew how InuYasha felt about Kagome and how both of his dearest friends would feel should they become with child and suddenly loose it.

Something like that would destroy Kagome and possibly drive InuYasha insane. Miroku thought. He and Sango had talked about how different InuYasha's demon had been. He was more intelligent then the last time that side of the hanyo had been loose and came to the conclusion it may have been caused by the half demon's coming of age.

The two knew that when InuYasha and Kagome returned they would be much more then friends. In the demon community they would be mates and to humans they would be man and wife. Miroku would not allow his friends to be mistreated this way.

"Let me see if I understand you want my word that I will kill the innocent unborn child of a woman you handed over to a demon to die and the hanyo that saved your village. A child might I add that has yet to even be conceived might not ever be conceived. Are you that stupid?"

The headman blushed as he was given a very embarrassing verbal lashing.

"Hanyos should never be born," he said. "If that girl becomes pregnant her family will be shamed I am merely trying to make up for what I have done."

Sango scoffed. "Yeah well if I were you I wouldn't say anything like that around InuYasha. Dog demons are very protective of their children and he won't take your request well."

The headman lowered his eyes guiltily.

"Miroku, Sango you guys ready to go?"

The humans in the room turned to the door that led outside as the sound of an uncomfortable and irritated InuYasha sounded from the street. The demon exterminators stood and gathered their things and left the hut. What greeted them was a tense and protective half demon who held his beloved close to his side while casting threating glances at anyone that looked at her with disgusted judgment.

InuYasha watched as Sango and Miroku walked toward them Kirara and Shippo on their shoulders respectively. InuYasha could tell by scent alone that all the members of his little band of friends seemed very angry. Particularly the monk who looked as if he regretted ever setting foot in this village.

"Ready?" InuYasha asked as the humans made their way toward him and his wife.

"More then ready. I find this village to be quiet displeasing."

Kagome looked to Sango who had taken a spot next to her. The slayer also seemed upset and this made Kagome wonder what had happened after they had left.

Whatever it is I can bet it wasn't good.

As the group walked to the edge of the village an old woman walked up and spat at Kagome's feet and the miko had to physically hold her lover back from doing the old woman harm.

Luckily they made it to the outskirts of the village without incident, though InuYasha was in a very foul mood.

That night the group made camp and InuYasha didn't let Kagome out of his sight and had a woman not spat at her and a whole village not looked at her like she had the plague the hanyo's overprotectiveness might have irked her a little but given the circumstances she understood the his worry.

Once everyone had retired for the night InuYasha lay down behind Kagome and finally allowed himself to calm down as her easy, even breathing lulled him to sleep.

A/N: You always hear about how people in the feudal era treated Hanyos horribly but you never really see except in one or two episodes so here is a little of that prejudice that we hear about. Tell me what you all think and review. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I am not Rumiko Takahashi so I don't make any money off of InuYasha… none… nothing.