Our princess woke a little after dawn, the early sun streaming through the small gap of an old animal skin and the weathered window and hurting her eyes. With a soft groan, she rolled over and buried her face in the warmth she had felt on her back. The smooth, warm skin of a chest filled her body with warmth, and she could almost feel her body trying to drift off again as the owner's heart thudded gently in her ear.

She was, however, roused a little more when the warmth groaned and moved her away from her. Her eyes opened and a gaze landed upon the hanyo as he moved towards where she had spread out his robes to dry by the fire. She lifted her head, making her own noise of discontent in waking and he turned to her, his expression much more neutral than she had expected due to some of the way emotions were tossed and turned in the storm the night before.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice seemingly trembled as she addressed him, and he glanced at the corner where she had laid down the kitsune orphan the night before.

"Get the runt up and get dressed," He said in a low, grumbling voice that gave away no emotion, "I'm gonna go look for some breakfast we can cook and eat fast. I don't want to linger here." Kagome sat up and felt the warm blanket trying to slide off her, making her grab it and hold it to her.

"Inuyasha," She sighed, trying to find something to say besides his name, knowing, but not even knowing where to begin. He just walked to the hanging door mat, grabbing onto the edge of it.

"Use whatever you need from the trunk," He grumbles, making the genuine offer seem less so, "I'll be back."

Before Kagome could try to object, the hanyo was already gone and she was left alone in this lonely place he had made for himself over the years. When he wandered after his mother died, this had been the place he had stayed, likely seeking such shelter on his most vulnerable times, such as the new moon.

After all, who would ever think to look for anyone, let alone a cast aside prince, in a burned-out palace?

Shaking her head, knowing there was no use in pondering what just had occurred, Kagome crawled out from under the plush blanket and stood on the cool wood floor. Her shoulders ached a little, but nowhere near as bad as the day before as she stretched her sleep stiff body and moved towards the corner where she had left the fox child to sleep in the comfort of a makeshift den.

Shippo let out a groan of protest as she approached, rolling over and turning his back to her, making Kagome chuckle. She crouches down and gently shakes his shoulder as he let out an overly dramatic yawn.

"Come on Shippo, I'm sure you heard me walk over here," She says, "Time to get up." A pair of weary green eyes blinked at her, and he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry Lady Kagome," he grumbled, his voice thick with sleep, "I was just having a really good dream and didn't want to wake up." She nodded gently, stroking her fingers through his soft, fur-like hair.

"About your family?" She asks and he nodded slowly, a tear running down his cheek.

"It was nice, before Papa or even Mama died," He says, more tears welling up and Kagome carefully picks him up, resting him against her chest. Her slender arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace, and she felt his little clawed hands gripping the shoulders of her kimono.

"It sounds like a very nice dream, Shippo," She replies, relieved that the child hadn't been plagued by nightmares instead, but only just.

She knew that dreams that recalled those you could no longer reach hurt terribly when you had to re-enter reality in the waking world. The temporary fear that came with the nightmare of a horrible memory was hardly a cat's scratch in comparison to such a deep wound to a heart.

"I'm so sorry I had to wake you," She murmured in a pointed yokai ear.

Shippo sniffles and lifts his head to look at her. "I'm happy you convinced Inuyasha to let me come back with you guys." He says and she shakes her head.

"Believe me, he may seem harsh, but he never would have left you behind, even if I hadn't asked," She says, carefully using the sleeve of her kimono to wipe his swollen cheeks, "Now, how about you go out to the garden and see if you can find some tasty ferns to roast for breakfast?"

"Ferns?" he asks, looking confused and she nods, chuckling.

"Inuyasha went to go catch breakfast, but unlike the two of you, I can't just live off meat," Kagome replies, "I'm human, so I have to eat other things to stay healthy. So, do you think you'll be able to find some while I wash up and pack up the hut until the next time we come through?" The sad green eyes suddenly lightened up and he nods quickly.

"Yes Kagome!" Shippo replies, "I'll go get some right now!" Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, the fox cub scampers across the worn floor and under the bamboo mat, disappearing into the morning sunshine.

Smiling fondly after the child, the princess moved her way over to the messy futon she had crafted and picked up the blanket of stars, spreading it open and beginning to fold it so she could put it neatly back in its place within the ancient red trunk. The embroidery glimmered unnaturally, some kind of yokai enchantment in the warm cloth as she gently pressed her hand to the folded bundle and lifted it up.

"It must have been a gift to Lady Izayoi from Lord Toga," Kagome thought, kneeling down next to the red trunk. Her fingers rested over the carving of the Great Inu-yokai, the massive dog creature that protected the west. He was once painted white, but the color had stained a dull cream from being buried in the earth beneath the palace remains.

What must it be like, to only hear stories and legends about your father and never have memories of your own? To only know images like this great, ethereal creature and not remember or even ever know his face? It hurt to even think of having to grow up without seeing the side of her father, who was a kind loving man and not Higurashi's great warrior lord who became injured in battle and later died of infection.

To only know his father like this, and not as the ordinary lord who fell in love with an ordinary princess and gifted her tender, thoughtful things like a blanket of a moving, shifting night sky? She couldn't even imagine how hard that must be even now, let alone growing up for Inuyasha.

As she laid the blanket back inside the trunk, she began gently moving through the silken robes, examining each of the patterns for one she might be able to wear home. Nothing too light-colored that couldn't be easily laundered and returned, and preferably one of the layers closer to the base of the junihitoe so it wouldn't be a hindrance for her or Inuyasha, as he likely was going to be carrying her on his back for the short journey home.

Home.

She never would have believed a little over a month ago as she silently cried in her bridal carriage that she would ever consider Musashi home. But it was. After all, the yokai and humans aligned with them had a respect for the nature they lived in, and Higurashi was rather dismal compared to the beauty of the forest that held and concealed her husband's home.

Instead of smelling the harshness of the many dwelling fires from the bustling city outside the compound, Musashi's air was relatively clean and earthy from the dense trees. The skies were clear and free of dust and smoke, and she could sit out on a warm night to watch the stars twinkle, so much more alive than the dull dots she sometimes glimpsed outside her quarters in her grandfather's palace. They were more comfortable and didn't even really hold a court except on formal occasions such as her wedding.

Everyone was treated equally. Servants were brothers and sisters in arms you simply asked for help from. It was freeing, and had allowed her to grow close to people like Sango and Miroku, Ayame and Koga, who her father and grandfather would have thought were below her and should never address her and her husband as informally as they often did. She had friends she could confide in and not be cautious of their own political ambitions hidden behind a fluttering fan.

And Inuyasha...

He was there, making her feel safe and protected each night. The wildness that she was always told was no place for any woman, let alone one of her stature, lived in him and she couldn't help but be enchanted with it.

With him.

The young mortal woman finally found what she was looking for in the form of something she was surprised to find: a deep blue yukata and gray obi along with a nagajuban to wear beneath. It must have been a simpler, day to day outfit, or even more likely, something she wore to sleep in. She highly doubted that hime of the Heian would be allowed to ever be seen in such a state of "undress" and a yukata would keep drafts off.

No matter the reason, she was glad to have found it alongside the finer, more formal silks. Glancing at the door, Kagome carefully moved over to the draped corner that Shippo had slept in and slipped the deep green kimono off her shoulders. After she had folded it over and placed it safely up, she curiously reached back to the part of her back that still ached dully as she moved.

The sharp pains were gone, and she felt no irritation as she traced the healthy scabbing sealing the wound over. They were smooth and as she glanced back, the angry red skin had turned a healthy, healing pink. They didn't even itch like a normal scraping wound would, but simply felt slightly tender under her poking and prodding.

It was remarkable how quickly something as simple and normal as an animal licking a wound had healed what would have likely festered and continuously broken open.

She smiled to herself as she unfolded the white linen of the undergarment and slipped it on. In her opinion, everything about the night before had been remarkable. Inuyasha had opened up to her, if only slightly, when she confronted him about Shippo, and had admitted his fear in battle.

And when he found how badly she had been hurt, he'd tended to her with the greatest, gentlest care. Sure, they'd both been extremely embarrassed, especially when the more yokai aspect suddenly rose in him. She was pretty sure anyone would be, but she was also sure that she had enjoyed what it had done to her after they had gotten over the shock and accepted the practicality given their circumstances, she had enjoyed what his ministrations did to her.

She could feel his aura, gentler in a way from the sudden wind of power that had emerged during the new moon, caressing her, giving her comfort and pleasant tingles all through her body. She had felt her own, pure reiki stronger than she ever had before, even during mediation, flowing out and seemingly wrapping itself in the opposing force.

It was thrilling and amazing, how they felt so in sync and united at that moment. She could tell by the way he held her, the strong and determined grip of his hand in her own, Inuyasha too felt what was happening and the seeming spell they were falling under together, relishing in a closeness that neither had been willing to act upon before.

If only the damned storm outside hadn't caused such a screeching, awkward stop to it. He had immediately moved away from her, growling under his breath about something and grumpily crouched by the fire and she had immediately felt cold and alone, something that wasn't helped by the loneliness she felt laying alone in the furs.

Stubborn and irritating as he was, she couldn't even begin to understand why then, when she had expressed her fear of waking somewhere strange and alone, he had laid down against her, a strong arm once again gripping her middle and holding her close to his warmth.

"Of course, he had to act like it had never happened nearly the instant I woke up, but still, the gesture was nice," Kagome thought as she tied the gray obi around her middle, smoothing over the cotton yukata, her fingers tracing the white pattern as it criss crossed her body.

A clawed hand gently reached through and pushed the hanging reed door to the side, its owner ducking back into the ruined chambers. His ears twitched a little as he looked around and his eyes adjusted to the darkness from the bright eastern sun. His morning catch, a few carp already cleaned and skewered with whittled sticks, was held in his left hand. He could hear rustling from the corner and noticed the young woman's arm as she reached out and slipped on a dark blue sleeve.

Inuyasha blinked a little before stalking over to the dying coals, poking at them a little to stir up a small flame to roast the fish. As he approached, he was able to glimpse more of Kagome's back as she carefully wrapped a gray obi around herself and tied in a bow at the small of her back. There was a great white crane with his wings spread protectively across her shoulders and flowing waves of silver and white that hugged the curves of her hips and arms, the blue fabric ending at her knees, revealing more pieces of the grubby black skirt she had torn apart to bandage his shoulder bound around her slender feet and ankles. Her head was slightly bowed as she straightened her skirt, but she suddenly looked up, her black curls falling back and dancing over the crane's spread wings as she looked back.

Her blue eyes lit up as she looked over at him, brushing a few stray strands behind her ear, "Inuyasha! You're back." He quickly turned away from her, crossing his arms into his sleeves as he plopped himself down on the edge of the fire pit.

"Feh!" he scoffed, "Ain't that hard to catch a couple fish. Not for me anyways." She sighed and rolled her eyes as she stepped over to the trunk that sat open beside him with the folded green kimono and carefully tucked it back in its place. She rested her hand on the lid a moment before shaking her head and kneeling, which made her husband tilt his head as he watched her

Inuyasha could see she was pulling some of the disrupted clothing out and folding it neatly so it could be packed in again, handling the clothing as gently as if they were holy relics and not the silks of a disgraced princess.

She lifted the scrolled jewelry box and prepared to lay it back in when a clawed hand stopped her.

"What is it?" She asked and he blinked at her. She had done the best she could to settle her unruly, tangled curls, but she was clearly a little uncomfortable by the way she kept pushing it back as she had folded the silks.

And knowing the damn wench, she wasn't gonna complain seeing as she had sense enough to know it wasn't the time yesterday. But once she got back home and actually had access to things like soap and a hairbrush? By then, he probably wouldn't be hearing the end of it.

Inuyasha took the box from her and opened it, rifling through the more decorative pieces of gold and silver, decked in jewels until he felt a shell knock against his claws. He pulled it out, revealing the wide-toothed, iridescent comb and holding it out to her.

"Here," he said gruffly, "For your, uh, hair."

"Oh!" Kagome says, her small hand reaching out and carefully taking the small trinket from his hand, "Thanks. I was just gonna tie it with a scrap from the snakeskin, but I suppose this will help get the worst of the knots out."

She gave him a cheery smile and pulled a messy lock over her shoulder and started working at the ends, fraying them apart from the sleep and wind rumpled tangles.

There was a companionable silence that befell them as Kagome carefully worked on turning her dull black rat's nest back into soft, blue-tinged raven locks. Her scent kept washing over her dog-eared companion as she moved and he adjusted how he was sitting, just listening to the sound of her heartbeat and the occasional humming sound she made as she thought. When it began to follow a familiar tune, Inuyasha just had to break the silence.

"Where's the brat?" He asks and she looks over at him, her eyes narrow and scolding.

"His name is Shippo," She says, making him sigh in frustration, "I sent him out back for some greens to add to our breakfast. It's best to keep him busy, so he doesn't think too much about yesterday." He grunts in agreement and crosses his arms into his sleeves. He could feel her eyes on him, and he huffs, leaning back and resting his head on crossed arms, trying to make it clear he had no desire to further talk about last night.

He had no idea what the hell came over him, why his demonic instincts had suddenly risen in a moment that wasn't battle. He had enjoyed it but no, he knew better than that. He had loved the taste of her, her scent surrounding him and slowly becoming musky and spicy with arousal. Her heart beating seemingly in time with his own, the scent of her spiritual power rubbing against his aura.

He had never felt such things for anyone, that strong feeling as though they were becoming one not physically, but spiritually and letting go of her so suddenly had nearly made him, a half demon, dizzy and seasick. The look on her face as she stared back at him told him everything he needed to know.

Kagome had been feeling it too.

And that terrified him.

Inuyasha hated how weak he had felt to it. How her submission to his attentions made that part of him that had fallen for her as soon as she looked up at him from her place on the old god-tree's root pushed him towards the rushing sound of her blood. Part of him so deeply wished to just be that weak and bind her to himself before his rationale came back. To hold her close and never have to let go.

He hated his human weakness for making him still want to do that more than ever, knowing that she had been not necessarily ready, but most certainly willing. He wasn't so sure he could ever go back to the way things were now or if he even wanted to.

Such thoughts had kept him up half the night as he held her to him, breathing in her scent and constantly reaffirming that she hadn't died in the blast, that her warm body was breathing and her kind heart beating alongside his own wretched soul.

Kagome glanced back at him, setting down the comb and sighing. A white ear flicked at the sound, but he made no other indication that he even noticed her. She picked up a scrap of snakeskin from her side and secured her hair in a loose braid down her shoulder, her fingers running over the singed ends and ratty scraps that would need to be sheared away once she got home. Tossing the remaining pieces of skin into the flames, she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin upon them.

She had nearly been defiled yesterday, been taken by that human-faced monster Hiten. He looked at her like a predator closing in on his prey when he suggested it. Had he not bought what was admittedly a stupid excuse, she had no doubt that he would have raped her as yet another humiliation to Inuyasha, who he had clearly had no respect for. Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly squinted them shut in an attempt to will them away.

Inuyasha sniffed and lifted his head a little so he could look at her. He saw a tear tract glimmering in the firelight as she stared into the flames, confirming the sickly scent of sorrowful, silent sobs.

"Wench?" He asked and she just looked down, burying her face in the blue fabric in front of her, "What the hell you cryin' about now?"

"Nothing. I'm not crying," She says, "Just some smoke in my eyes." Inuyasha sat up once again, sniffing as he realized there was a fear scent falling off of her as well as the tears.

"Kagome," Inuyasha breathed, and she looked up, her eyes appearing puffy. She let out a rattling breath and suddenly latched her tiny fists into his suikan, burying her face in the red fabric. Her tiny body trembled and the hanyo held his hands out at the sides, completely caught off guard.

"I lied," She whimpers into his chest, her voice barely audible to the nervously flicking ears. Golden eyes look down at her, trying to figure out what the hell she was blubbering about when just moments before she had been fine.

"What?" He asks as she rubs her temple against his chest, making his cheeks stain red.

"I wasn't afraid of fighting, of you coming and killing the Thunder Brothers. I knew you would defeat them, and that you wouldn't let them keep me for honor's sake if nothing else," Kagome murmurs, "But I-I was still afraid." Her cheek came to rest against his shoulder as more tears started stinging his nose, "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold them off with my tale and they'd change their minds about using me for more than the jewel."

Inuyasha's ears suddenly filled with horrible, heartbroken sobs as Kagome clung to him, weeping the terror she had hidden from him in her selflessness. She hadn't wanted him to shoulder such a burden. She hadn't wanted to seem weak, and he understood that to a fault. He had had the misfortune of witnessing such cruel acts while hiding in the woods when he was just a boy, untrained and made a bystander because he didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to himself without the means of defense, let alone the ability to protect an abused woman or child.

The screams and cries he could never drown out, huddled up in a tree with his ears covered, it had taken a very long time for them to fade away. But for a mortal woman, who was so often the recipient of such cruelty...he couldn't even imagine how it must have felt for her to have such a thing hanging over her head.

"Kagome," He sighed, his arms slowly coming to hold her to his chest. He had no idea what he could possibly say to that, to her leaning so heavily on him as it all came crashing down, especially with no clue on why her resolve had suddenly and abruptly shattered.

The longer his arms held her to him, the more they began relaxing into one another. Her grip in his fire rat coat loosened until her hands simply rested on his chest. His hand subconsciously stroked her back as her sobs began to fade into hiccups.

"I'm sorry," She whimpered, "I don't know what came over me. I know nothing happened, but seeing the demoness, the one who died, seeing her clothing in the flames, and remembering what Hiten said would happen to me if I failed." She shook her head and began to try to push herself away from him, but he surprised her as his grip on her suddenly tightened.

"It's okay," He whispered, a hand coming up and resting behind her head, tucking her beneath his chin. "It's nothin' to be ashamed of." His claws rested gently in her black hair, a thumb carefully stroking the smooth patch of skin behind her ear. Her braid fell off her shoulder and he caught a small whiff of reptile as the golden yokai skin at the end came out from being pinned between them. He looked down, his other hand carefully picking the raven rope up and running down its length until he got to the cursed reminder.

He felt his lip twitch, a snarl trying to fight its way onto his face. He couldn't understand why, but it angered the yokai in him on the base level that it had reduced this bold, fiery woman to a whimpering mess. With a small, nearly silent growl, his claws reduced the makeshift hair tie to scale confetti.

Kagome felt Inuyasha's chest vibrate, a soothing sensation like when her brother's cat Buyo would sleep on her chest flowing through her as he let out a soundless rumble. A small tearing sound reached her ears and she saw something shiny fall to the wooden floor next to them. She lifted her head a little, preparing to ask why, but the inu-hanyo had her tucked tightly against his throat.

"You look better with your hair down," He grumbles which made her let out a sort of choked giggle as she raised a hand from his chest and swiped away some of the drying tears.

"You think I look nice?" She asked and she felt his grip on her loosen enough for her to lift her head and see a fire-rat colored stain making itself known on his cheeks.

"Keh! I didn't say that!" He scoffs, looking away from her, "I just said you look better with it down, ya vain wench!" Kagome's mouth fell open at the back handed compliment and she felt her fists ball up in rage as she glared at him, her momentary sorrow completely drowned out by rage towards him.

"Why you-"

"Inuyasha! Kagome!"

They both turned as they heard the sound of the fox kit's call to the two of them, not realizing the compromising position they were in, with the princess still fairly cradled between her husband's legs. The child's large green eyes grew wide as he looked at them, but he just dropped the grouping of greens he held and scampered up to them.

"Someone's coming over the trees!" He says. He tilted his head as he took in the way the adults were positioned, "Why are you sitting like that?" Gold locked with blue-gray, and they simultaneously shoved the other away.

"No reason!" Kagome said nervously and Inuyasha just crossed his arms.

"I thought you weren't mates," Shippo says, and a white furred ear flicked in irritation as the half demon scoffed. Seeing the opportunity, the little fox took a teasing tone as he took a step closer. "Were you two cuddling? Cause it sure looked like it to me."

"Feh!" Inuyasha growls, "We ain't cuddling! The wench is just such a klutz she fell on me. I'd have to be pretty desperate to go cuddling some wench I ain't interested in even courting." Kagome glared at him, feeling the heat on her face. She understood that he may have a desire to not define what was happening between them, but he didn't need to insult her like that.

"Inuyasha!" She growled out in a way that would make the fiercest of panther yokai jealous and the recipient of such wrath was too stubborn to know when to quit even if he knew the consequences.

"What?" He snapped back, as though he'd done nothing wrong.

"Sit boy," She commanded, relishing in the small glow of the subjugation rosary as he was slammed face first into the floor, right over his crossed arms.

Shippo shook his head and walked back to the door. Sometimes he wished he never had to grow up, especially if it meant turning out like either of those two. He ducked down and peaked past the hanging door mat. His eyes grew large as he glimpsed the large shape that was still approaching.

"You guys," He said, his voice shaking. "The thing I saw over the trees is headed right for us."

"What now?!" Inuyasha growled as he pushed himself up. He was getting tired of all this interference. He just wanted to go back to the castle and sit in one of those old trees in the garden, clear his mind a bit. As much as he didn't want to admit it, his left shoulder was still quite sore from suffering two serious injuries so close together despite his yokai blood.

Kagome carefully stood and followed him, her hair already unfurling from its braid. Her steps were cautious, and she rested her hand on the jewel, trying her best to stay calm. However, as she got closer to the door, she could feel no threatening dread setting in like she had upon approaching Yura or the thunder demons. Just a faint trace of youki, like that of a harmless lesser demon.

"I don't sense anything, at least not like the last few," Kagome said and Inuyasha stopped, his nose twitching before he even slid through the doorway.

"It's the cat," He said matter of factly, his face twisted in confusion.

"The cat?" she asks, "You mean-" She suddenly smiled and pushed past him, looking up above the western forest to see a faint, cream and white shape surrounded by orange flames appearing to her human eyes, shaping itself into the form of a two tailed, saber-toothed feline bounding through the sky as though she were leaping through the forest underbrush. "Kirara!"

"She ain't alone either," the hanyo said as he joined her and she noticed the two humanoid shapes perched on the nekomata's back, "the monk and the slayer are still with her." Shippo hopped up onto Kagome's shoulder, carefully perching himself by planting his tiny paws against her shoulder.

"You know the nekomata?" he asks cautiously and the princess nods.

"Yeah, they're our friends," She says, resting her hand on the frightened child's head in reassurance, "They must have come from the castle after Myoga informed them where we were."

"Keh, nosy bastards couldn't leave well enough alone," Inuyasha scoffs and Kagome shot him an exasperated look, while he just shrugged, "We'd of been back to the castle by midday, seein' as we're right outside the forest."

Kirara dived down and landed gracefully on the sandy ground as her riders called out greetings to their friends. The holy man climbed off first, offering his hand to the warrior woman, who was dressed rather casually in a pink and green yukata. The great cat's red eyes glowed and she purred as she saw the other two humanoids she served, particularly the kind-hearted princess who was her official mistress.

"Well well Lord Inuyasha," Miroku teased, the rings of his staff jingling as he and Sango approached the royal couple, "When I suggested you and the lovely Lady Kagome properly start a honeymoon, I didn't expect you to actually make an escape out into the country without a word to any of the palace guard." He had a sly grin on his face which made Inuyasha let out a low growl. Sango knocked the smug holy man on the back of the head with her boomerang and instead was diplomatic and mannered as ever, quickly bending at the waist to the Lord and Lady of Musashi.

"What my Lord Monk was trying to say," She spoke in her warm, even tone, "You had Musashi Palace quite worried by the sudden absence and we are relieved to have found you both unharmed."

"Oh cut the crap Sango," Inuyasha growled out, "It ain't like it's the first time I left the stuffy castle to fight a few upstarts." He sent a glare at Miroku for the insinuation he had made about the trip.

"Yes, but with both Lady Kagome and the Shikon Jewel disappearing as well, it was quite concerning," the monk admitted, rubbing the sore spot on his head, "Not that we would ever doubt your abilities to protect such a treasure as the lovely princess and her quarry, but as soon as Myoga arrived and reported that you two were injured in battle and sought out shelter in the old Gekkō ruins? Of course, we wanted to make sure our dear friends were alright, isn't that right Sango?"

"Yes, of course," She said reaching for the tied pack that she wore around her shoulders, "We brought some medicine actually. But-" The demon slayer suddenly looked quite nervous, as though unsure of her words.

"But what, Sango?" Kagome asked, feeling some concern setting in for her usually quite cool-headed friend. Miroku suddenly bowed in a way that wasn't his usual mock flattery.

"The real reason we sought the two of you out here was to ask for a private audience," he says before rising, "Without the possibility of being overheard by the sharp ears of the soldiers lest scandal arise, Dear Lord and Lady of Musashi."

The hanyo and his princess looked at one another, more than a little off put by the formalness they had put into such a request. Shippo looked between his two new guardians, confused as to why they would be confused. Sango shifted on her feet nervously as Miroku stood steadfast beside her.

Kirara's muzzle twitched, purring as she caught a scent. Flames surrounded her as she transformed back into a happy little kitten, mewing with glee as she scampered across the earth and between Inuyasha's red clothed legs as she sought out the fish she smelled cooking over the fire. Kagome couldn't help but laugh as Inuyasha's ear twitched in irritation.

"Well, I guess Kirara decided for us," she says, "We were just about to have breakfast, so I guess it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to hear you guys out as long as you don't mind us filling our empty stomachs while we listen."

"Not at all, Lady Kagome," Sango said, putting the young woman off even more. Sango was her friend, and no longer addressed Kagome so formally after she had asked her not to. As she shifted her feet, she winced and Inuyasha glanced down at Kagome's bandaged feet, seeing some of the raw redness of blisters trying to work their way through her skin.

"Well, let's get this over with," He grumbled, "Might as well get some medicine on her feet, seeing as the damn tenderfoot has been walking bare on rocky ground for two days now." Kagome felt her cheeks grow red and before she could snap back, she realized it was the gruff prince's way of saying he was concerned for her. A small smile graced her flushed cheeks and she looked down.

"Shall we then?" Miroku asked and Inuyasha let out a grunt as he turned, ducking back into the glorified hut.

"What a grump," Shippo whispered in Kagome's ear, and she gave the boy a warning look. He'd be better to know not to prod Inuyasha right now if he didn't want another goose egg on his head.

"Shippo," She chided and Miroku simply chuckled as he and Sango followed the princess and her new ward inside the old palace quarters.

"Actually, my young kitsune friend," the young holy man said, "I believe we have actually caught the Lord of Musashi in quite a good mood."

*****

The air in the small room was rather tense for the simple scene of a small group of friends sharing tea next to a glorified campfire. Kagome's feet were freshly wrapped in clean white bandages that held a minty smelling salve to her soles, and she couldn't help but give a worried look to her friend who had barely spoken during the whole ordeal of treating her besides asking Inuyasha if the mixture was too strong for his nose.

Miroku, however, was talkative as ever as the prince and princess ate their breakfast. The tea that Sango had packed with the medicines was prepared in a small chipped and tarnished tea set that Shippo had managed to scrounge up in the stack of pottery haphazardly stacked against the wall. And now, thankfully, the fox kit had found better things to do than try to understand the tension in the room between the four adults, playing with Kirara by making the skeletonized fish they had shared flutter around in the air like it were still alive, the demon cat playfully growling and batting at it with soft paws.

"I'm just saying," the monk said slyly, "One typically enjoys the fruits of marriage a little longer before bringing a child into the mix." Inuyasha growled at the monk, narrowing his eyes at him over his cup as Kagome coughed, having just taken a sip of her own.

"Lord Monk!" Sango scolded him, "Now is not the time. We are here to ask for a favor, not Inuyasha throwing you halfway back home through thorny bushes."

"Favor?" Kagome questioned, still very confused by this whole thing. For his part, the hanyo beside her had noticed something as he looked across the fire at the two humans. It was disguised slightly by the campfire, but he swore they reeked of one another far more than they would have by just riding the nekomata together from the castle.

They also smelled like shame and nervousness.

"Yes, we," Sango looked down, playing with the hem of her yukata, "We need forgiveness for the misdeeds of the last few days."

"What the seven hells do you need to apologize for?" Inuyasha asked, "The lecher I understand, seeing as he can't seem to do anything without getting in trouble with one lord or another for flirting with their wives and daughters or ripping them off with a fake exorcism. But you're," He just looked at her for a brief moment and then gestured with both hands in exasperation, "Sango. The fuck you do when you guys went to slay those rats?"

The two looked at one another for a moment, the mahogany brown of the demon slayer's eyes looked scared, desperate as she gazed at the deep blue of the monk's. His rosary wrapped hand came to rest on her elbow and the mortal princess started to realize why that look they shared had felt so familiar to her.

She had looked at Inuyasha the same way just before she had kissed his cheek and ran to cover with Shippo the day before. Searching for some reassurance that everything would be okay, that they would survive together.

"The Lord Monk-" Sango stopped herself, adjusting and straightening her back with a deep breath to calm her fluttering heart, "Miroku wrote to my father at the end of winter, not long before preparations for Lady Kagome's arrival began. He-" The bold young woman was becoming more and more embarrassed as she tried to explain what this was all about, "asked to marry me."

"What's the big deal with that?" The hanyo. seemingly not able to read the room asked abruptly, "He asks every girl to marry him or at least bed her." Kagome looked at him, starting to put some of the pieces together.

"Inuyasha," His ear flickered, turning towards her firm yet quite soft voice a heartbeat before the rest of his head did. Her blue gray eyes were kind, gentle, even as they reprimanded his outburst. He sighed and crossed his arms in his sleeves when he turned to the two humans as his wife addressed them, "Please, continue."

"Thank you, Dear Princess," Miroku says, causing a low rumble of a growl out of the hanyo prince and an exasperated sigh from Sango, "As the lovely Lady Sureiyā was saying, I did write to her lord father during the first thaws. He, ever trusting in his daughter, left the decision to her, and due to my family's curse-"

"Your flirting?" Inuyasha interrupted, sounding bored.

"No the curse of the wandering han-"

"The groping?"

"My friend, you wound me-"

"Asking anything in a skirt to bare your child?"

"Let's call it general lechery and get on with it," Sango sighs, knowing those two could go on like that for days, "Anyways, I told him no, for such reasons as were pointed out a moment ago. However, as you and I can both attest to being in the same room as that of your Lord Advisor during negotiations for treaties or exorcism contracts, if Master Miroku is anything, he is persistent. So after a prolonged discussion, I agreed to think about it." Miroku chuckled, looking quite pleased with himself as he turned to the princess.

"It was actually during your wedding feast that Sango finally gave me her answer," He says, "I suppose the romantic mood got to her because she agreed to allow me to court her." Kagome and Inuyasha looked at one another, their cheeks turning red. "So while you two were getting to know one another, we were meeting with one another and getting to know one another."

As the prince and princess both glared at the monk, a new welt appeared on the back of the monk's head, courtesy of the young woman on his right, her face beet red.

"Honestly Miroku," She huffed, "I thought we talked about presenting this professionally." She looked up at Kagome who was staring at her wide eyed, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Especially seeing as I was being so forward in my prying about your relationship early on. But seeing as the Lord Monk is never serious about anything, it didn't seem necessary."

"Then why say anything now?" Inuyasha asks, noticing the blush on Kagome's cheeks. "She talked to Sango about us? "

"Well, my dear friend, because it became quite serious recently," Miroku says, looking quite proud of himself, "For last night, the lovely Sango and I finally joined the two of you in wedded bliss and eloped at the shine of the village we were exorcizing."

As the adults all grew silent, Shippo finally looked up from playing with the twin tailed kitten, the bones clattering to the worn floor.

"What's 'elope' mean?" He asked, but his new caretakers ignored them as they took turns repeating the bomb that had just been dropped on them.

"You mean to tell me-"

"You got married!"

"To that bozo?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded and he just shrugged.

"What? He is! And a letch and swindler and about fifty other things!" the hanyo growled and the woman at his side just looked nervously at the newlyweds.

"Look, I know this is rather sudden, but I love Sango very much," Miroku says, looking across the fire at not his friends, but his master and mistress as he spoke candidly, "We wished not the pomp and circumstance of a state wedding and decided to go through with a small ceremony of my faith. I hope this has not displeased you too much, my most honorable Lord and kind Lady." He bowed, his forehead resting against the wooden floor in front of him.

"We understand if this displeases you," the monk's bride said evenly, "Please know it was not a decision made from any malice towards your authority. We will take our punishment for disobedience to your honorable person gladly and leave your service should you see fit."

She followed in bowing as Inuyasha's ear twitched curiously, completely confused and put off by the formality of the lecherous monk who had been teasing him about his marriage from the second he came back from retrieving Kagome at the Higurashi Castle and the pious demon slayer who never hesitated to call him on his shit. Kagome looked at him hopefully, but at the sight of his dumbfounded look, she just grabbed his ear to try to snap him out of it

"Say something!" She hissed under her breath, hating the way her friends looked, bowed in front of them like they would actually dish out some horrible punishment for breaking the law as they had.

"About what?" Inuyasha asked back, smacking her hand away from his head, "It's their business who they marry." Kagome just blinked at him, unsure if he were really that naive to mortal custom that he wouldn't understand the seriousness of what they had just admitted.

"As far as the law is concerned, My Lord," She says softly, still trying not to draw this out any further, but using his title so he might understand the seriousness that this must be dealt with, "A union between your lead advisor and a commander in your army is entirely your business and not their own." Shippo scampered up and hopped up on the prince's shoulder, adding his own reasoning.

"They're members of your pack and you are their alpha," kitsune child states matter of factly, "Matings in a pack need approval by you and they disobeyed the pack law by marrying without your permission." Inuyasha shook his head in exasperation, completely done with this. He glared at the prone forms across from him, growling

"Get up!" He snapped in a rumbling loud bark that made Shippo fall from his perch and Kagome to flinch away from him. She had only heard him use such a stern short tone of voice once before when she had been injured and cried about him possibly sending her away in shame. The two humans slowly, cautiously, rose from their bows and sat up. "Why the hell would I worry about punishing you?"

"Well we never did ask permission and approval of all marriages must be attained prior to such ceremonies," Miroku says, watching out of the corner of his eye as Kirara carefully rubbed against his knee and curled up on Sango's lap.

"According to the law, our act of impulse is high treason," the young woman continued and Inuyasha just huffed and crossed his arms once again.

"Maybe, but why the hell would I care whether you two decided to get married?" he says matter of factly, "If Sango wants the lecher, then let her have him."

"How very generous of you, Inuyasha," Kagome says, smiling in admiration of his mercy.

Her admiration would not last long.

"Personally, I give it a month but-"

"Inuyasha, Sit!" She sighed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as the impact from the subjugation spell shook the old bedchamber floor, "I, for one am happy for the two of you. If this is what you truly want, then we won't stand in your way and will honor your wish for a quiet union by doing no more than addressing it in sacred records upon our return to Musashi Palace."

"Thank you, Lady Kagome," Miroku said and Inuyasha sighed as he got up and dusted himself off.

"Yeah, well, now that whatever that nonsense was is taken care of, I for one just want to get back to the castle and try to figure out why so much activity has suddenly come up in the area around the forest," He says and Miroku nods as he and Sango stand as well.

"Indeed, we should," he says.

"Yes," the demon slayer at his side agreed, "For you and Kagome to have ran into two clans in as many days as you did is odd, even with the sacred jewel in her possession. We should discuss with the Wolf Demons if anything has come up since the four of us have been gone as soon as we have all had a chance to rest."

She was looking at Kagome, who was clearly still a little worse for wear from her ordeal with the Thunder Brothers. Inuyasha glanced at her as she still sat and offered his hand to her, which she gently took, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She smiled at their two friends and nodded.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" She asked, "Let's head home." Shippo climbed up on Inuyasha's shoulder, his tail flicking in excitement and the prospect of going to this place Kagome had told him about. Inuyasha stomped out the campfire and the small group carefully exited the chamber.

Kirara leaped from Sango's arms, transforming and letting out a purr as Sango climbed up. Miroku offered his hand to Kagome as she stood beside her half demon companion.

"It is only proper that you might take my place upon Kirara, My Lady. After all, she is your steed."

Kagome glanced at her husband, who appeared completely indifferent to the whole thing. With a small smile, she reached up and took hold of his arm instead of the offered hand. Inuyasha looked at her and her blue eyes simply gave him a gentle look.

"Do you mind carrying me?" She asked and a blush formed on his cheeks.

"Sure," He says, surprising the both of them. Kagome turns back to the monk and nods towards her husband.

"You go ahead and stay with Sango," She says, "I'll be fine staying with Inuyasha." The monk smirked, his dark eyes flashing as he looked at said hanyo over her head. A clawed hand came up to possessively clutch on her arm, a low growl of warning leaving his lips.

"Yes, I do believe you will be more than fine, Lady Kagome," His staff rattled, and he took a step back to jump onto the nekomata behind Sango.

"We'll inform the castle of your imminent return, though I doubt you'll be far behind," the demon slayer said as Kirara tensed her muscles and leapt up to fly her way across the treetops back to the castle.

The Prince of Musashi and his bride stood together for a moment, watching them disappear. His arm rested so gently that Kagome barely felt its weight, though the gesture of subtle comfort wasn't lost on her. Her heart pounding as she flashed back to some of the feelings that had started to become more noticeable in her being over the last few days.

"I give it a month," Inuyasha scoffs and she looks at him.

"It's already been a month," she says, ducking under his arm and walking behind him, the hanyo crouching down so she could perch herself safely on his back. She tucked up her yukata and hooked her knees into his hips, one of her arms laying over his shoulder and resting on his chest as he rose, the other helping Shippo to rest more securely for the ride.

"You ready?" Inuyasha asked and she quickly nodded, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Yep!" She says, "Let's go home, Inuyasha."

The hanyo took pause, surprised by the way his chest thudded as she called the Musashi Castle home. Hell, he didn't even refer to Musashi as home for a long time. And inside, that place hadn't felt like a home, just a place he lived for a long time that his brother claimed was willed to him by his parents.

But now...

"Hey! Are we gonna go to this palace of yours any time soon or are we just gonna stand here all day?" a small shrill voice asked and Inuyasha groaned in annoyance. He reached back and wacked the kitsune over the head. "Wah! Kagome!"

"Keep your yap shut unless you wanna get dropped!" he growled.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded and he sighed, carefully gripping onto her legs.

"I'm goin' alright! Stop naggin' me!" he grumbled as he turned towards the forest and started running through the trees.

As his passengers settled in, Inuyasha unfortunately found a lot of time to think once again. About the fact that he hadn't really thought about his castle, that human and demon-built fortress in the trees, as his home before. All the times he had run off, went hunting for some yokai, or came here to wait out the moonless night, returning wasn't going home. It was simply going back to the Musashi Castle.

But now, it did. He didn't know when that had happened, but slowly, as he spent time, and envisioned Kagome there, spending time with him and simply existing at his side, she had made him feel like he actually belonged there. Like he actually had a home for once in his sorry existence.

It had felt so natural, so right, just as the night before had. Somehow, someway, he wasn't alone anymore.

And he found, he didn't mind as much as he thought he would.

~~~~~

Index:

Sureiyā: Slayer

Sango's father is the chief of the demon slayer village, equal to a headman. So theoretically, their clan's name would be related to their profession. I just wanted to not go with the taijya name that everyone else uses because I just really wanted my narrative to have more dimension. Note that this comes from Google translate, and may not be correct, but this is fanfiction, so *Shrugs Shoulders*