Time passes quickly when everyone was busy with something or another. After Sesshomaru and Kagome successfully bonded over a week ago, they separated during the day until it was time to retire. Even that seemed to be not too often. It was because of this ball that Sesshomaru reluctantly hosted. He hated these stupid gatherings. Every time that one was held many noble women from all over the country including those in his court would flaunt themselves to him. They even challenged each other until the last one standing like it was a royal rumble wrestling match. Most males would be amused, flattered, or aroused, but Sesshomaru wasn't an ordinary male. Those males liked to see those mindless bitches making themselves look foolish to try to impress him. He, Sesshomaru, the Killing Perfection, wasn't impressed by them one bet.

The memories of past annual balls made him shuddered...a little, but this year would be different because he was already mated. He couldn't wait to see the faces of those arrogant, ignorant, spoiled bitches. He remembered when one of those bitches won their match, he would humor, just for kicks, cause one may had been his future mate; the strongest female of all the land. For the past ten years, there was this one bitch that had caught his eye. This one had won every match and he would had pursue her. Thank the gods for Naraku for making havoc in the land. He was an excuse that he made to keep away from that bitch and the court, who had been pressuring him to find a mate. The reasons was because he found his future mate: his Kagome.

He chuckled knowing that they were going to be shocked...well maybe shock would be an understatement because not only he mated, but a human woman at that. How ironic really. He used to swear that he would never follow his father's footsteps to be mated to a lowly human, which he then regarded them as lowest of the low of all of creation. He swore that since after his father died until he met Kagome. At first, of course, he denied it down to his bones. His beast, however, fell in love with her. Yes, he did try to kill her more than once, but his beast couldn't...wouldn't finished the job. It was until he met his adorable little girl, Rin. It's funny how a child could make a difference in one's life. She brought him much needed care, joy, and most of all...love. She unknowingly began to melt his ice, cold heart.

He frowned then because he remembered the first time when he introduced Rin to the court. At first, they were shocked, but then he could feel their enraged aurae. Yet, they weren't brave or stupid enough to challenge his claim to bring to the court as his ward. To them being merely a ward to their Lord Sesshomaru was like being in his pack...in his family, in which that alone was a desired and valuable position to have. It was a position that that one would had respect by the court. They would to respect her as they would respect their lordship and their Lady Mother. They had envied her because of it. Rin would have their respect and loyalty one way or another or they would immediately forfeit their precious lives if they didn't.

After the meeting of the court, Rin asked an unexpected question, "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Hm."

"Why did they looked at this Rin with such hateful eyes? They looked at me as if this Rin was a dangerous insect that needed to be squshed rather quickly."

Sesshomaru was startled by that question because he didn't even suspect that she could sense somethings that usually only youkai and those with reiki would had felt if they were there. He starred at her hard; not that he was angry with her or anything, he was puzzled. He searched with his golden eyes and aura, but he found no reiki power coming from her, that was what was puzzling him the most. He never thought that humans with no reiki would had a 'sixth sense' because he knew that humans had five basic senses: taste, touch, sound, smell, and sight. Therefore not all humans, excluding those with reiki, could have a 'sixth sense' like foresight. He knew, then, that Rin was a special human girl, which he had known that subconciously. He wondered if his beast had known that, since he claimed her as his pup.

Suddenly, he noticed Rin's anxiety of his silence. He, actually, sat on down on his knees, that he could be at eye level as physically possible. He decided to be honest with her knowing that it may hurt her feelings.

"Rin, they envy you."

He saw the confusion in her eyes. He sighed. "They envy you because you are close to me as to what a family member like a daughter or some other relation." Then she nodded in understanding. He knew that she knew that she had a special place in his life and...in his heart. In the end, Rin warmed the members of the court hearts. Now everyone respected and gave their loyalty and protection to her.

He found himself in Inuhime's sitting room while idling after he bathed and walked there as if he was to expect to be there for something or for awaiting for someone.

Kagome didn't really see much of her mate for the past fews days and the nights were far in between. She knew that he was busy catching up with his lordship duties that piled up while they were together bonding. She blushed every time she thought about it. Then out of nowhere sh heard someone calling her name demanding to pay attention. She shook out of her reverie and looked at her mother-in-law, Inukimi. Her very presence just screams: pay attention.

Inukimi sighed and said, "Kagome, I know you are exhausted from all these lessons and such. When I was newly mated to Sesshomaru's father, his mother was showing me how to...well really what was expected of me as the Lady of the West, which, by the way, wasn't all fun and games. We have...you now have the responsibility to hold this household together. You are to represent this household and his lordship to other royals and nobles from around the country and to our foreign allies. You are to show that the West is as strong as ever and so on. You should count yourself lucky because by the time the annual ball came around when I was first mated to InuTaisho I didn't have the luxury of his mother's guidance because she passed on a year after we'd mated. Trust me, Kagome, you will need me around if you aren't around Sesshomaru. No, it's not because you are human. I believe you could hold your own around them. It helps to have an ally around especially..."

Inukimi trailed off when Kagome interrupted her. "I am sorry to interrupt you, but I understand that I have responsibilities to Sesshomaru, of our future pups, to this household, and to the people of the West. I am not a kind of woman who believes this isn't important and as you said, 'fun and games'. I knew this already. Don't get me wrong, Lady Mother. I do appreciate the lessons that you taught me and I took it all to heart and soul. It just that I am so fatigue right now. I felt like I hadn't slept in days, but in reality I knew that I had."

Inukimi looked at her and nodded in amusement.

"I am glad that you feel that way, Kagome, minus being fatigue, of course."

Inukimi had seen something different in Kagome, she couldn't place it, even if her life depended on it. She just couldn't pin point it. She just shrugged.

Kagome said, "I am so happy that tomorrow is the ball. We could finally move on. All this preparation has exhausted every one of us. When I noticed that the decorating of the ballroom was through; the preparing the guests' rooms were complete; and had known that dinner came and went, I decided to let the staff have the rest of the day off. I know I should had consulted you or Sesshomaru, but I just couldn't help, but to let them rest because tomorrow will be a long day for them."

Inukimi knew, then, that her son had chosen the appropiate female; human or not. She will hold this household and rule it with an iron fist; just like she had done before and after her mate's death. Yes, she had made mistakes, some really big and some that were insignificant not to mention to anyone. Most of her mistakes, she didn't regret doing them. Just learn from them; took them to heart; and move forward. But there was only one big mistake that she wished she could relived and made it right. If she could go back in time, she would kick the living hell out of her 'past' self. Oh, she prayed to the Kami that she would had a second chance to right the wrongs that she did to her daughter. She'd hope that it would come to pass, hopefully.

While Inukimi was lost in her own thoughts, Kagome noticed that she doesn't have her full attention.

She giggled inwardly. "How ironic. Now who wasn't paying attention. I guess, I'd let it go for now," Kagome thought. She decided to say something that would get her attention for sure.

"Mother, you are angry with me, aren't you?"

Inukimi looked at Kagome half-shocked and half-contented.

"D-did you just called me, 'mother'?"

Kagome nodded and hoping that it didn't anger, bothered, or offended her that a human called her 'Mother' instead of 'Lady Mother' or 'Lady Inukimi'. Kagome knew that she wasn't particularly fond of humans much like Sesshomaru. Inukimi inwardly smirked mischievously. She knew that Kagome was getting nervous because of what she called her. Inukimi immediately became stoic, yet giggling inwardly.

"Kagome, why did you called me 'Mother'? You know how I dislike humans."

Kagome gulped and noddled.

"Yes, I apologize for offending you, Lady Inukimi."

She frowned after she heard the sadden voice coming from her daughter-in-law.

"Don't apologize, Kagome. I am...the one who should be apologizing."

Kagome eyes became widened and Inukimi chuckled from her reaction.

"Kagome, I was teasing you. Although what you said surprised this one. I hadn't heard anyone called me 'mother' in such a warm and trusting way since my twin pups were...well pups."

Kagome sensed a lot of sorrow caming from her mother-in-law's aura.

"Well, actually, just Sesshomaru. I'd rejected Inuhime as soon as she was brought into this life. There's no excuse whatsoever for what I did. I wished that I could take that moment back. I betrayed her in the most horrible way that a mother could. I rejected her whenever she'd cried for me, when she was a newborn pup. Many times afterwards whenever she and Sesshomaru would fall down and cried their hearts out. I'd only nurtured Sesshomaru instead of them both. Whenever she tried to grab my hand just to hold it. You know what I did. I'd just yelled at her like she'd done something terrible. Oh, Kami, Kagome, I don't deserved to be called 'mother' in such warmth. I, even, tried to kill her because in my mind, then, I blamed her for the separation between me and mine. I, nearly, killed her once. Luckly, her father rescued her before it was too late. She was so weak before this one attacked her after she and her brother had their 'sibling duels'. Then, in my selfish mind, this one knew that if she would had won then she would had the last word regarding Sesshomaru and their half-brother."

"Yes, I remembered them talking about it during their final duel."

Inukimi sighed. "It was until after we were attacked by the dragons of the North. Ryukotsusei was only a distraction. He was to keep my mate and my son away from the palace, while that bastard, Takemaru, abducted Izayoi. Inuhime was appointed as her guardian. Takemaru attacked her and made a cowardly escape. He wounds were near fatal. When I saw her laying in a pool of her own blood, right then and there, my beast took control. You see my beast never had a grudge against her. My beast wasn't in control when I attacked her. I was in full control; my inner beast wanted nothing to do with me until I..."

Her eyes were on a verge to overflow as she trailed off.

Kagome knew that she was being sincere. These emotions that was coming from the Lady Mother was unacceptable. She didn't judged her, though, because who was she to judge a soul. She, herself, wasn't a god. When she saw her tears streaming down the formidable inuyoukai's cheeks, Kagome just do what Kagome does best: comforting.

At first, Inukimi stiffen when Kagome embraced her. It was something that she never received in her centuries long life: a hug...a long comforting hug. She just broke down then and there.

"It's alright, mother, let it out. Let it all out."

Kagome knew that she was the first person, ever, seen her emotions. It took a long while until Inukimi calmed down.

"Mother, why don't we go on to the onsen and relaxed."

Inukimi nodded numbly. She felt as if she was a helpless newborn pup that recently cried for her mother; if not her then someone...anyone..., but in her mind's eye, she saw Kagome and...Inuhime.

Inukimi thought to herself as they were on their way to the onsen, "After coming out of the onsen, I am going to Inuhime. For some odd reason, I have a feeling that I am needed to be near my daughter and I will. From this day forward, I won't abandon and reject you like I had done in the past. This I promise you, Inuhime."

Afterwards, they went to their rooms to change and then went to do whatever they wished to do or to be. They found themselves together, again, in front of the entrance of Inuhime's rooms. They looked at each other, but was silent. Suddenly, it seemed wrong to disturb the peaceful and welcomed silence. They walked inside, together. Surprisingly, they found Sesshomaru sitting on a futon just starring into space. He, finally, acknowledged them silently. He stood up and walked to his mate and pulled her hand gently and then they sat down on the futon as Inukimi sat down on a cushion near Kagome's side in a comfortable silence.

Jaken, Rin, and Shippo were ouside playing...well the pups were playing. Jaken was griping about being a babysitter...again. It was bad enough to watch Rin alone, but now he had to watch a kit...a kitsune youkai at that. Jaken knew that kitsune were mischievous pranksters who used illusions and what not for their tricks. Shippo would be no different from the other kitsune. The pups loved to aggravate the hell out of Jaken. To them it was hilarious to make to imp angry. Jaken was getting very angry alright.

He yelled, "That is it, you brats! You have no respect for your elders! I don't know how my Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome puts up with you both. I wish that they'd NEVER met neither of you."

With that said, he turned around and walked away...fast. Rin and Shippo blinked shockingly in unison until the last few words that he spoke settled in their yooung minds and hearts. Rin's tears started to roll down her soft cheeks.

Rin said as she cried, "Shippo, do you think that...Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome regrets ever meeting us?"

Shippo smiled sadly and answered, "No, Rin. I don't believe that thought ever enter their minds."

"You're right, but why would Jaken say such things? Does he hate us that much? Does he know how much I care about him?"

"No, I don't know why he said things like that; if he hate us; or that you care about him. Jaken is just an old baka, if you asked me. He, sometimes, reminds me of the baka Inuyasha. He doesn't think before he speaks, which by doing so, he will get a beating by either Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Kagome, or even both of them. Hey, lets tattle on him. He deserves what will be given to him."

"Ok, but lets wait until after the ball because I know from experience that it's an important night for Lord Sesshomaru and the rest of the youkai noble society. I don't want to make things harder on them."

"Yeah, you're right. We should wait until afterwards, then he will get what's coming to him."

"Well until then, what should we do? To be honest, I am so tired. I think I will take a bath and then visit auntie Inuhime."

Shippo nodded in agreement. For some reason, they quickly grew attached to their auntie. After freshening up, they walked into Inuhime's rooms and their eyes widen as they were surprised to see Sesshomaru, Kagome, and Inukimi just starring into nothingness. It was strange to say the least, but there was this eerily serenity in the air. They shrugged and joined them in their contented, calmed, welcomed silence.

The silence for them was like Nirvana. It was much needed considering the last week or so was so insanely chaotic.