CHAPTER 11

It had been a couple days since the conflict at the mall that had almost claimed Rin's life, Kagome and her group had said their farewells to her mother and brother that day before coming home.

The morning sun began to shine brilliantly through the open window onto kagome's bed where she laid peacefully sleeping, the scent of the morning dew that curressed the grass on the ground filled the air accompanied by the sweet scent of the flowers in the garden and the smell of food lofting and lazily filling the halls of the castle being made by the demons in the kitchen. Kagome's eyes slowly fluttered awake. She looked to where sesshomaru lay beside her and found his spot was empty and cold. She rose and looked around the room before realizing today was the day. The day she had waited for since she was a child even if it wasn't exactly how she imagined it, today was the day she would marry sesshomaru and their family would become whole.

The children played in the front garden under Sango's watch, the sun shone warmly on their faces while the gentle and cool breeze fluttered around them. Sesshomaru sat in his study filling out the scrolls that needed his immediate attention and some that didn't so he didn't have anything to demand his attention away from his new mate while he was trying to pup her. Slowly one by one the guests began to fill the castle grounds waiting for the impending ceremony. Sesshomaru had set up the guards for the day, if he knew Naraku like the thought he did, he would try to attack today and he for one did not want anything to go wrong, They both had already been through so much to get to this point.

The maids had fretted over kagome, pulling her this way and that. Dressing her for the ceremony and pulling clothes out for her to change into for the upcoming mating ritual that was to take place later tonight. When Kagome looked in the mirror they had done her makeup in subtle colors to highlight her more natural beauty she had been blessed with. Eyeliner to highlight the shape of her eyes, a touch of rouge to highlight her high cheekbones, a soft gold eyeshadow to make her big brown eyes pop, and a dark red lipstick to pronounce her lips curvy and full shape. They pulled her hair up into a braided bun with a few whispers of hair to frame her face, placed in her hair on one side were hair sticks with the families crescent moon sticking out with silver dangling below, on the other they had place a hair comb into her hair that had a lilly sticking out of the comb. She wore a silver necklace with a dog that hung off the necklace. The dress she wore was white with a red floral pattern adorning the back, trails of red petals started on the hips and in a single row on both sides made their way to the giant red flower on the back of her dress, the same petals trailed her sleeves in little flecks of color.

What felt like minutes was actually hours when she looked out the window again. The sun was beginning to set, the horizon was a beautiful mix of yellow, red and oranges. Her doors opened and entered two of the maids.

"Lady Kagome, it is time." a maid spoke softly and bowed, waiting for kagome to follow her.

Kagome silently nodded, as she was leaving the room Sango and Miroku approached her. Sango began to cry happy tears while miroku smiled, happiness and pride beaming for his friend. Without either of them saying a word the trio began to walk the hallways to take their friend to the beginning of her new chapter, a chapter that insured them would be full of love, acceptance, and happiness for the little girl they have come to know and love, who had countless times sacrificed herself for them.

As they entered the garden the maids had run ahead and informed their master that his bride's impending arrival was coming, he turned around to face his bride as she walked down the aisle. Seeing the lord turn the guests had in turn stood up and turned to face the woman who had captured the killing perfection's heart and was to be the new Lady of the West. The garden was quiet except for the gasps and awe's from the demon's that were surrounding her.

As Kagome walked the aisle her eye's fought to release happy tears, she stood beside sesshomaru as the elder demon spoke. After what seemed to take forever he had announced that there in front of all the eyes by law they were wed.

"But, my lady, as you are human I do not think you aware. If you wish to remain as such you must complete your mating and be with pup by the end of the blood moon."

Kagome turned to him and had chose to simply nod her head in understanding

-*apparently he doesn't know sesshomaru like he thinks…i don't think he'll let me leave our chambers tonight until i am pupped*-

They had left and retired to their chambers to complete the ritual. They had teased and played, moaned and was close to finishing together in unison when the castle had shook. They had stopped at the edge of completion to rise and listen to what was happening, kagome stretched out her aru be letting out a gasp and hurrying to put on her clothes.

"Sesshomaru, it's nutaku..I must hurry and get to the children." she said in between breaths.

"No koi, stay here I will fetch the children and bring them to you. You mustn't leave this room tonight while you're in heat." Sessohmaru quickly threw his clothing and armor back on and rushed out the door.

Kagome had finished dressing, knowing that her disobeying sesshomaru would result in a fight later she took her chances.

The couple raced to reach the children, sesshomaru wasted no time to get to them. They had been hiding underneath Rin's bed. He followed his nose into her room expecting to see the children but saw nothing but scattered papers and crayons on the floor.

Fear laced his voice as his mind raced; he forgot to hide his emotion when he spoke.

"Rin!?"

He searched around the room, looking in the closets

"Shippo?!"

He began to leave the room when he heard the sniffle that belonged to Rin..shortly after he heard shippo trying to quiet down and console his sister. He ran over to where he heard their voices, before we were able to bend down to look, both children scrambled from underneath the bed to attach themselves to him.

He took them into his arms as they cried and voiced their worries, tuning to return to his mate he froze in his steps, his features had hardened as he quickly stashed the children behind him for protection. He began to draw his demon sword as red eyes stared at him.

Gold faced Red, inu vs inu, brother vs brother. The time has finally come to rid his family of the hanyou that dirtied his family's name. As Inuyasha began to jump towards his brother claws extended, Kagome's voice boomed out and before long the inu had a mouth full of wood.

"INUYASHA, SIT BOY" without hesitation kagome ran past to get to her mate and children. Noticing his cold and disapproving look she let out a sigh when she wrapped her arms around the three of them tightly, her tiny body shivering from fear.

"You can yell at me later, but we must get the children to safety first, there isn't time to waste"

He felt her body shiver and could smell the fear in her scent, although she would never admit to it, he knew she was just as terrified as he was about their family. But for who knows why he couldn't figure out why the hell inuyasha would team up with Naraku. He knew he was upset that his pack left him, but he would never think that he and naraku would team up to bring his family to oblivion.

Out of the corner of his eye he shoved Kagome and the children to the opposite side of the room, and as soon as Inuyasha's claws swiped at him, they would have come across Kagome's back. He was distracted and it almost caused him the loss of his family. No. not again.

"Quickly, get them out of here. Lead the children, the visiting nobility and the others through the tunnels. Get them to safety." he yelled out noticing the tears in her eyes, he forced himself to turn away and focus on the battle brewing in front of him. One of them would leave and the other would die.

She did as she was told she had gathered the children of the castle and the women, being sure that miroku and sango were following her helping her keep everyone safe they ran for her chambers where a hidden passageway stood, waiting. They quickly ushered everyone into the tunnels, she handed the children to sango her hands on the door to follow them. The castle shook violently once again.

"Hurry Momma" rin yelled out clutching kirara's fur. Before she was able to speak, the sound of screaming and Naraku's voice boomed through. Kagome looked behind her and back to the group who awaited her a single tear fell down her face.

"I'm sorry guys. I love you.." she looked to sango "lead them all to safety and take care of my children..thank you for everything" she quickly shut and locked the doors with a spell before sango had time to reject. She quickly ran through her room grabbing her bow and arrows. She tied her hair back and tore her kimono so she had more access to move before racing down the hallway back to her mate.

-*just wait koi. I'm coming*- she thought as she thought of a plan to help her beloved and her friend.