Byakuya stared at the arrow in surprise, eyes blinking as if it would disappear at any moment. Kagome raised her bow again. "Give me a reason," she said, blue eyes as cold as ice.

She stood next to Sesshoumaru, power swirling around her as Shippou clung to her leg. Shoulders back, she kept Byakuya in her sights, waiting for the slightest movement, the slightest excuse to launch another arrow.

"You have lost," Sesshoumaru said, not bothering to raise his sword.

"Impossible," his brother sneered. "Your power is mine."

Kagome smirked. "You were so hellbent on draining him that you failed to realize his power wasn't his own anymore." She hadn't been sure, and the twins had kept her busy long enough for Sesshoumaru to have to fight back.

She'd never seen him in battle before. She'd dreamed about it, her imagination taking her much further than reality ever could, but the real thing was a sight to behold. Amber eyes had focused on his foe, weapons clashing as each fought for dominance. Byakuya had been looking to subdue, while Sesshoumaru had simply been looking to deter.

There were a few moments when his tactics had switched, and he'd been forced into a more offensive position, but the ripple through the ground was all Kagome needed to realize what was different about him.

His power had changed.

It was subtle. Like a bubble encased in armour. The opposing powers started off like puzzle pieces, attempting to figure out how to work in tandem. The seams disappeared once they'd fit together, leaving no room for defeat.

Byakuya blew another lotus at them, the petals morphing into a tempest before billowing past them. It was nothing more than a breeze, and she took a moment to offer the king a confident smile. He smirked in return, voice low. "Now is not the time to distract me."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to distract you."

A single claw made its way up her spine, sending shivers through her body as the last of the petals dissipated. "You forget, you are always a distraction."

There was something besides lust in his eyes as he placed a kiss on her temple, and she leaned into the embrace. "Aren't you lucky, then?" He chuckled against her hair, and she wished she could check on him properly, but there was still the matter of his brother, as harmless as he was now.

Sesshoumaru's fingers brushed her side, and she flinched. As annoying as the twins had been, they'd relied on their own power, so she'd been forced to do the same. Shippou's foxfire had helped, but her reiki was needed to fend off their attacks instead of healing.

Sesshoumaru's power turned dangerous, the remaining petals going up in flames as lightning struck the ground. "You are damaged."

She gave him a guilty smile. "Only a little."

Shippou shifted into his humanoid form, pointing a shaking claw at Byakuya. "It's his fault!"

Byakuya clicked his tongue as he rested his blade on his shoulder, trying for an air of nonchalance Kagome knew he didn't feel. "All's fair in love and war, dear brother."

Rising to his full height, Sesshoumaru towered over them, and she was reminded of why he was feared by so many in the mortal realm. People could speak of the boogeyman all they wanted; he didn't steal your loved ones away. There was something to be said about being torn apart by guilt after wishing someone away in anger and having it actually happen. And then having no one remember the person but you.

The boogeyman had nothing on him.

And neither did his brother.

The arrow was still in his chest, and Kagome lowered her bow before reaching out and twisting her hand. The arrow shattered, the pieces embedding themselves into his torso. Byakuya keeled over, using his sword as a cane as he gasped in pain.

The king's smirk was feral. "You will make such a ruthless queen."

"Last time I checked, you hadn't asked me to be anything," she retorted, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach. A well-placed glare had Shippou's giggles turning into a cough, and she stepped away from Sesshoumaru's side. Her power rolled and circled, decorating the floor in glowing tiles before returning like waves upon the shore. The luminescent liquid splashed around them as if they were encased in a bubble, none of them flinching.

Byakuya righted himself, malicious eyes glaring before the lightning shifted. It was darker than before, like when he'd tried to trap Sesshoumaru, and Kagome was having none of it. She placed a hand on the ground, the heartbeat of Meikyuu pulsing under her fingers.

She didn't move, but she didn't need to. Sesshoumaru stepped forward, the tip of his blade dragging along the floor. "The land has spoken, brother. It had rejected your claim."

Byakuya finally straightened, pretending to dust himself off, though his sword still held most of his weight. "It'll be a different story once you've met your end."

Sesshoumaru raked a hand through his hair, the silver strands floating in Kagome's direction. "There will be other, more qualified creatures to take my place."

His brother's eyes widened in realization, and he screamed his malcontent, then engaged the king, metal clashing as he tried to reclaim the higher ground. Kagome kept her hand on the ground, looking to Meikyuu for guidance, its power sizzling below the surface. It had been drained for so long; all it was looking for now was rest.

She breathed deeply then patted the tile. "Soon," she murmured. Byakuya's power was waning—no wonder Sesshoumaru had never seen him as a threat—and his purpose shifted the moment the barrier came down, intent on taking out as many of them as possible. Shippou remained on edge, foxfire at the ready, but it was unneeded, even as Byakuya launched himself at her, weapon raised.

Sesshoumaru attempted to come between them, but Kagome merely raised her hands, and he froze in midair. She enjoyed the look of shock on his face before her fingers curled into a fist. Byakuya clawed at his throat, suddenly unable to breathe as his feet dangled beneath him.

He tried to kick her, to distract her in some way so he could escape, but her eyes narrowed into hardened steel, and she threw him against the nearest wall. He groaned, limbs shaking as he tried to sit upright. "You're nothing but a human," he spat.

"Maybe," she said, kicking his blade away before standing over him. "But I abide by the rules."

His fingers twitched, hand rotating to form another lotus, but he never got the chance. A screech of pain was ripped from his lungs as Sesshoumaru's sword pierced his palm. His skin turned black, knuckles pulling in on themselves before they crumbled to ass.

"Pity," Sesshoumaru said. "I had such high hopes for you."

Byakuya made one last desperate bid to escape, the lotus petals on the ground retracting and swirling around him. They quickly covered his body, power shining through the cracks, but Kagome was done with his tricks. She reached into where his chest should be and yanked out a fully formed bloom. It pulsed in her hand, much like a heart would, and as the petals disintegrated, the lotus in her hand turned black.

Branches protruded from the centre, attempting to find a new host, but caught fire as soon as they touched her skin, and the last of Byakuya's cries were lost as it crumbled. She let it drop to the ground, brushing what remained off on her clothes.

"Why is it you only take risks in my presence?" he asked, nudging away the pile of ash with his foot.

Kagome let out a strained laugh. "Because I know you'll always save me?" Sesshoumaru scowled at her, the ground rippling in displeasure, and she blew him a kiss. "You'd miss me too much if I was gone."

Shippou pulled at her clothes. "I'd rescue you, too! And so would Jinenji!"

She ruffled the kit's hair, winking at him. "And you would do it so well," she crooned. Sesshoumaru's arm snaked around her waist, pulling her against his chest, and she tilted her head in his direction, eyebrow raised. "Something to add?"

He snorted. "As if you would ever allow me the last word."

She patted his cheek. "At least you're learning." His expression promised retribution, but she wasn't worried. She knew his weakness—and it wasn't just iron. She was about to voice as such, but the castle shuddered as if the land were clearing away cobwebs or the last remnants of a cold. The sun suddenly seemed bright, light shining through the surrounding windows, and Kagome let out a breath of her own.

They'd won.

His arm tightened around her waist, and she threaded their fingers together. "You're welcome," she whispered.

Sesshoumaru growled low in her ear. "I have not thanked you for anything."

She snorted. "You wouldn't," she agreed. "Even when you should."

"And if I say your interference was unnecessary?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow, daring him to follow through. "I'll just sit the next fight out, then."

He didn't release her. "Your safety would be guaranteed that way."

Rolling her eyes, she turned in his arms, poking his chest. "Or, you could just admit that a king needs help from other people now and again."

Shippou crossed his arms, the fight having done much for his self-esteem. "She wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me," he pointed out. "You were too busy chasing her clones around the garden to hear her."

That made Sesshoumaru pause, golden eyes lingering long enough to have heat rising into her face. She clicked her tongue, shoulders slightly hunched. "It's not like it's a common name."

"Indeed," he said knowingly, then turned to Shippou. The kit tensed but puffed out his chest, and Sesshoumaru chuckled before patting his head. "You did well." Nothing else was said, nothing else was needed, and Shippou rubbed his ear against the king's palm.

"We don't like it when you're being weird," he mumbled. Kagome wasn't sure if including the other children was a deflection, but it didn't go unnoticed, the edge of Sesshoumaru's hardened expression softening ever so slightly.

"I will be sure to apologize to them when next we meet." He scratched Shippou's ear, a ripple of power sliding down his back before another tail sprouted out from his vest. The kit jumped, eyes wide as he stared up at him. "You did well," he repeated.

Shippou looked torn, hands flexing with the need to hug him but knowing it wasn't his place to do so. Instead, he bowed low, a sly smile spreading across his face when he straightened. "You should kiss her now. She helped a lot while you were being weird."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "I intend to."

He nodded. "Good. I'm going to go check on the others!" He took a step, then seemed to think better of it, shifting into his true form before galloping up to the ceiling. It came easier than her ride into Bokuseno's garden, and he barked with joy before disappearing through the nearest window.

Kagome looked down at what was left of his brother, her aura automatically spreading out into the neighbouring rooms. "That's it, right? He doesn't have any other followers?"

"None that are so obvious," Sesshoumaru replied. "But we will sweep the castle as well as the surrounding cities to ensure it remains that way."

"We?" she repeated, hands on her hips. "What happened to 'I'm not going to bother thanking you because I think I could've done it all myself'?" She dared him to be dishonest, knowing full well that there would be consequences if he did. Even the king wasn't immune to the rules of fae, regardless of his heritage.

He reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I would not think to break up such an effective team," he said. "Especially since Meikyuu acknowledges you as such."

"At least you can admit to that," she replied, reining in her power. She placed a hand on his chest, smiling at the warmth she felt underneath. "Welcome back, Your Majesty."