Supreme Conquest

By Danyealle

(MF/FanFiction)

Chapter 2

Though he loathed the idea, once Sesshomaru’s feet once more landed on real ground he waited for his younger half-brother.  While he waited he eyed the old miko and villagers that were milling around, calling for the miko and half-breed.

Cussing and snarling, Inuyasha finally stepped through the porthole.  After it irised shut, the pearl once more fell back into the boy’s eyes.  While Sesshomaru wanted to get moving quickly he had to wait for the boy to have a bit of a conversation with the old miko.  While that was going on he silently groused about his father making him bring the half-breed along.  Traveling with Jaken was always enough of a pain.  With the hanyou as well it was going to be worse.

After snarling to get the boy to hurry things along and ignoring Jaken’s incessant chatter his thoughts once more focused fully on his father.  Yes, he was worried about his status and standing now that he was back.  But he was also worried about other things.  As he was well aware his father always had something up his sleeve and was planning and plotting at all times.  This time, from what he was feeling and the way his hackles were rising, he was sure that something had to do with him and it was big in nature.

Then there was the way he saw him look at the ningen onna….  That he most certainly didn’t like.  He had a sinking feeling that part of his father’s plan had to do with her.  Whatever the plan was he was certain he wasn’t going to like it.  In less than a couple hours his life had been turned upside down and he was sure the worst of the changes were yet to come.  For once he was not looking forward to the place that had always been his home. 

After a loud snarl of frustration and flashing the boy an angry look, Inuyasha finally wrapped it up.  With Jaken in his usual place on the back of his mokomoko, he grabbed Inuyasha’s arm, feeling no small amount of disgust in doing so, then his cloud formed under his feet and they were off.  As they headed west he began to silently curse his father for the indignity he was now suffering through.

….kst….kst…kst…kst…

When all four of his furry feet hit the ground he was amused by all the astonished looks and panic the sight of him caused.  Shaking a bit to rouse the little onna on his back, he waited until he felt her stir around then he shifted to his humanoid form.  Once the change was done, he felt her slide off his back.  Knowing she was exhausted to the point of collapse, he quickly scooped her up into his arms once more, cradling her to his chest.  Ignoring all those around him and the questions being tossed his way, he strode to the front entrance.  Once inside he looked around for Saku, the old inu that had been in charge of running the household at the Fortress for as long as he could remember.  When he spotted the old, wizened inu he called him over.  After ascertaining that he was still in charge of that particular duty he asked, “Has Sesshomaru taken over my old room?”  When he saw the male done, he launched in.  “That’s fine, he can stay where he is.  Prepare the room next to his for Lady Kagome.  I will take the room next to that one.  If my old bed isn’t in use put it in there.  If it is then find me something similar. Inuyasha will be put in the room next to mine.  While that’s being taken care of I will be in the family’s common room.

“Along with that I need a meal prepared for me and both my sons as well as one for Lady Kagome.  Hers should be suitable for humans.

“Once that’s all taken care of find out if my clothes have been stored.  If they were have them retrieved and cleaned.  If they are gone get the seamstresses working on new ones for me.”

Bowing, Saku said, “I will handle it all Lord Taishou.  And it is most pleasant to see you once more.”

Nodding, Tagaou then swept off towards the part of the Fortress that was reserved only for family members.  By the time he got there staff was already in a busy flurry preparing things.  But they made time stop and bow to him, telling him that they were glad to have him back.  Nodding to them, he swept into the small parlor at the end of the hall.  A couple of the housekeepers were there straightening up.  Quickly, he sent them off to fetch some tea as well as a couple pillows and blanket for Kagome.  When they scurried off to attend to his wishes he sat the miko down next to him.  “How are you feeling Kagome?”  He asked her gently.

Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she yawned hugely.  “I’m exhausted.”  She admitted quietly.

Nodding, he told her, “Completely understandable my dear.”

Blinking a few times rapidly to get rid of the dry, irritated, itchy feeling in her eyes, she looked at him.  From her perspective the youkai next to her didn’t look very much older than either Inuyasha or Sesshomaru, certainly not old enough to be their father.  And, yes, she could most assuredly tell they were related.  In fact, they closely resembled each other, especially him and Sesshomaru other than the fact he had one blue stripe on his cheeks and no crescent moon on his forehead nor did he have the markings on his eyelids.  From her perspective he also seemed to be more powerfully built than either of his sons even though he was still wearing his armor and it was a bit hard to tell.  Although she really knew next to nothing about him, already there was a feeling that she could trust him to an extent and that he posed no danger to her.

Putting a hand on the small of her back, he gave it a reassuring pat, he told her, “It’s my fault that you’re so tired and, for that, I apologize.”

“How’s it your fault?”  She asked, not understanding.

As quickly and simply as he could, he explained things to her.  When he was done he moved a hand up to her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.  “I own you a big debt my dear.”

Smiling, she shook her head.  “Don’t worry about it.  I’m glad I was able to help.”  She told him simply with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Oh but I do owe you and will repay you for it.  I do not let such things slide.”  He told her firmly.  “But that will be discussed later.  For now we need to get some food into you then let you get some rest.  Be assured you are safe here and no one will bother you.  I will make it clear to all you are under my personal protection.”

“Inuyasha?”  She asked.  Honestly, despite the fact that he could be a world-class jerk, she would feel better if he were around.  After all, he did protect her, even if he complained about it.

“I would imagine that he and Sesshomaru will be here shortly.  I’ll make sure that you see him before you go to bed.  Is that acceptable?”  He asked.

“Works for me,” she replied with a nod.

By that point one of the servants had returned with the tea.  After removing his armor and laying Tetsusaiga on the table he poured both of them a cup.  While they drank he made a bit of small talk with her to try to get a feel for her personality.  Though she was tired and listless he found that she had a fire to her that he found to be very attractive.  Also, he was able to get a bit of information about her relationship with Inuyasha.  It seemed that the young onna viewed his youngest pup as nothing more than a good friend.  Though that heartened him, he was going to have to check with the boy to see if he saw her the same way.  After that he listened to a few of their ‘adventures’, amused.  Her ‘sit’ command actually elicited a few chuckles.  That was something he wanted to witness for himself.

As he well knew it would take Sesshomaru at least an hour to get to the Fortress.  That’s why he had suggested they leave separately.  In doing that he would have some time alone with her to get a sense of what she was like and a feel for her personality.  So far, what he was seeing, he liked.

…kst….kst…kst….kst….

After eating, Kagome curled up on the pillows he had brought in, snuggled under the blanket, and quickly fell asleep once more.  While she slept he sat and made plans for things that were going to have to be dealt with.

A little over an hour after he arrived his sons finally showed up.  When they came into the room where he and Kagome were, a meal was already waiting on them.

While they ate he took the opportunity to explain what had gone on.  As one would expect, both his sons had questions, lots of them, which he answered to the best of his ability.  When he finished he picked up Tetsusaiga and held it out to Inuyasha.  “That is yours Inuyasha.  Sesshomaru wears the sword I left him so it’s only right that you be given the one that was intended for you.”

Taking it, Inuyasha said, “Thanks,” quietly.

“We’ll work on just how to use it at a later date.”

Nodding, Inuyasha said nothing.

Turning back to Sesshomaru, Togaou asked, “Where is So’unga?”

Shaking his head, Sesshomaru answered, “I don’t know what happened to it.  It had always been my assumption that you had made arrangements for it like you did the other two.”

Hopping onto the table from Inuyasha’s shoulder in front of the great and terrible dog general, Myoga then bowed.  “We didn’t know what to do with So’unga because you left us no instructions on how to deal with it.  In the end Totosai, Saiya and I decided that Saiya would seal it in it’s sheath.  He said he could hold it for about 700 years.  We then dropped it into the Bone Eaters Well where it should have been safe.”

At the mention of the old demon eating well Inuyasha’s ears began to twitch and he paid closer attention to the conversation.  As he well knew it had more qualities of a mystical kind than most knew.

“Is it still there?”  The older daiyoukai asked.

“As far as I know, yes, it’s there.  I haven’t heard of anyone possessing it.  If they did I’m sure we all would have known.”  The flea youkai said with a nod.  

“True, very true.”  Togaou said with a nod.  “We’ll make plans to go check it out in the next couple days.”

Ears twitching nervously, Inuyasha shifted around a bit then tucked his hands into his sleeves.  Looking down at the table, he muttered quietly, “I doubt it’s there anymore.”  When he had passed through he well that time to get Kagome he had seen many demon bones and a few other things but no sword. That would have been something he would have noticed then, more than likely, grabbed.  “When Kagome wakes up you might want to ask her about it.  She might know something about it or where it is.”  He added.

Both other sets of golden eyes swiveled his direction.

“What would a ningen onna such as her know about a sword as powerful as So’unga?”  Sesshomaru scoffed.

Sighing, Inuyasha gave a minute shrug.  “I don’t understand the whole thing myself.  All I know is that it has to do with her family’s shrine and the Bone Eaters Well.  I’m not even sure she fully understands the whole thing herself.  But she might know where it is if it had been tossed into the well.”

Nodding, Togaou said, “We’ll talk to her about it tomorrow then.  It can’t hurt anything.  If she doesn’t then we’re out nothing.  Still, it’s worth questioning her a bit.”  Noticing his youngest pup’s agitation, he arched an eyebrow.  “There’s something you’re not telling us, isn’t there Inuyasha?”  He asked gently.

Blowing out a breath, Inuyasha nodded.  “Yeah, there’s a bunch of stuff.  But I can’t explain it myself because I don’t know how to explain a lot of it and there’s a big chunk of it I don’t understand myself.  Kagome doesn’t understand the whole thing either but she knows more than I do about it.”  He conceded.

Even Sesshomaru was intrigued by this.  Eyebrow arched, he looked at his younger half-brother.  This, he figured, was probably worth listening to.  If nothing else, he would get a bit of information and information was always useful in so many ways, even ones that weren’t readily apparent.

Now Togaou was even more intrigued about the lovely young onna.  As he could tell from just a glance there was something different, very different, about her.  Perhaps what they had to say would explain at least part of what made her that way.  Nodding, he replied, “That’s fine.  We’ll discuss it with her tomorrow.”  Stopping, he decided this was the perfect time to get at least one of his many questions answered. “What’s your relationship with Lady Kagome Inuyasha?”  He asked the boy gently.

Glancing down at the teenage girl, Inuyasha tried to think.  Normally he would deny there was anything between them and profess she was nothing but a nuisance.  But after the events of the day he thought she deserved better than that.  Plus, he didn’t want to start out his relationship with his father on that note either so he decided to admit the truth.  “She’s a friend of mine.  A good one and probably the best one I’ve ever had.  We haven’t known each other all that long but she’s a better friend and the truest one I’ve ever had.  She doesn’t seem to care that I’m a hanyou or look down on me for it.  Plus she cares about my welfare and all that.  No one else had really bothered before.”  He admitted.

“You like her then?”  His father asked.

“Yeah, I do,” Inuyasha admitted with a bit of a nod.

“Is it of a romantic nature?”  Togaou asked then shot Sesshomaru a hard look when he heard him snort that effectively shut him up.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha replied, “Naw, we’re just friends is all, nothing more.”

Nodding, Togaou said nothing but was heartened.  With Inuyasha not in the picture that meant the plans he was formulating could press forward.

Those were the big issues he wanted to get out of the way right off the bat so after that he settled back and spent a couple hours talking to his pups.  He caught up with Sesshomaru and learned much of what he had done.  Then he started the process of getting to know his youngest son.

…kst….kst…kst…kst…

About 10 PM Inuyasha was really tired and decided to call it a night.  He knew they would be there for several days from what his father had said so they could pick things up the following day.  After standing up and stretching, he glanced at Kagome.  She was curled up on the pillows, asleep, much the same way she had been when they had come in.  She had woken up a bit when they entered and said hi to her but had fallen right back to sleep.  Now it was obvious she was in a deep sleep, giving an occasional soft snore.  “What about her?”  He asked softly.  Yeah, he was sure she would be safe, no one would bother her if she was under his father’s protection but, the way he saw it, she was still his responsibility and it was his job to make sure she was taken care of.

“Her room is between Sesshomaru’s and mine so she will be safe.  I’ll see to it she is put to bed and watched.  Is that alright with you son?”  Togaou asked.

Nodding the hanyou replied, “That’s fine.  I just wanted to make sure that she was taken care of.  Goodnight.”  Then he slipped out and headed towards his room.  He planned to take a soak in the hot springs at the end of the hall then find his bed.  It had been a long day and he was tired.

…kst…kst…kst…kst…

Once Inuyasha left Togaou sent a servant for some more tea then settled back.  Now came the tough part of the night; dealing with Sesshomaru. 

Already, Sesshomaru felt his hackles rising and warning signals went off in his head.  On one hand, he wanted and needed to know what was going on.  But, on the other hand, there was a great deal of trepidation involved in knowing what would change and whatever his father may have in store for him.

Gazing intently at his oldest pup, Togaou said, “We have much to work out I believe.”

Nodding, Sesshomaru replied, “Indeed, we do.  Your return will throw many things into chaos and turmoil.  Setting things straight before word starts to circulate that you’re once more among us will be best for all parties involved and will save on much turmoil in the future.”

“Indeed, it will.”  Togaou agreed with a nod then launched in on what he had formulated so far.  “While traveling here I believe I have come up with a plan that both of us will find acceptable to deal with everything.”

Though he was fairly certain he wasn’t going to find it acceptable on any level, shape or from, Sesshomaru asked, “What’s your plan?”

“Well,” Togaou said, reclining back a bit, “I thought to leave things as they are for now and let you run things the way you see fit.  I see no point in stepping back in and once more taking over.”

So far so good, to Sesshomaru that sounded promising.  At least he wasn’t being demoted or stripped of the power he had gained since his father’s demise.  But there was something he needed to know about.  “What about the title?  Will I continue to retain or use it or is that going to revert back to you as well?”

Yes, Togaou had expected this and it was playing right into what he wanted.  He knew well that Sesshomaru had coveted the Western Lord title for a long time.  Plus he would do or agree to about anything to get his claws on it.  “I believe that I have come up with a way that allows us to share the title.”

Large warning bells went off in Sesshomaru’s head.  This was not going to end well.  Yes, he wanted to keep the coveted title but he was sure the price he would be paying would be something he wouldn’t like.  “Oh?  How will we be able to do that?”  He asked in a nonchalant tone as though it was only a mild curiosity.

Bracing himself for what was sure to come, Togaou continued on.  “I have no desire to resume day to day duties and am content to be little more than a figurehead but the only way that can effectively be accomplished is if we are equals on the level of power.”

‘Equals on the level of power’ made Sesshomaru’s ears perk up even more than they had before.  That was always something that he had desired.  But along with that came a stronger feeling of creeping dread.  He knew of only a couple ways that could be accomplished and all but one wasn’t feasible.  The remaining one was something he didn’t even want to think about or consider.  Keeping his normal, even tone, he asked, “How would we accomplish such a thing without raising the ire of court and the other lords?”

“We will share a mate.”  The older inu said in a mild, conversational tone that suited a bland talk about the weather rather than about the bombshell he had just dropped.

Eyebrow plastered into his hairline, Sesshomaru looked at his sire, eyes fractionally wider than they normally were.  Alright, that creeping dread was starting to evolve into something closer o the first stirrings of panic.  No, he wasn’t liking this, not at all.  With a short flicker of a glance, his eyes brushed over the little priestess sleeping on the pillows.  Somehow he knew this was going to have to do with her.  “Share a mate?”  He asked as though he hadn’t been able to hear or comprehend what was said the first time.  Honestly, his brain wanted a confirmation of it before they pressed on.

“Yes, share a mate.”  Togaou said a bit more forcefully, looking his oldest pup in the eyes.  “You are well aware this is common.  Though it’s usually to unite lands there is no reason you and I cannot do such a thing as well.  No one will think it all that odd.

“If we work it right you will be on the same level as I, power-wise, thus not causing friction among others.”

“How would that be managed?”  Sesshomaru asked, genuinely curious.  From his end he really knew of no way merely sharing a mate would elevate him to hold the same kind of power his father had.  Yes, it would elevate him a bit but not put him on the same footing as his great and terrible sire.

“The way I see it if you mark her first and I become the second mate that should be viewed as you as the dominate one.  Coupled with me abdicating most of the duties to you, that should be enough to elevate you to equal status with me.”

Quiet, Sesshomaru thought about what had been said.  From what he had heard it did indeed sound like it would work.  In allowing him to be the dominate mate and marking first meant he accepted Sesshomaru as his equal.  If he did and was willing to be 2nd behind him everyone else should as well.  That is something he could work with and, perhaps, deal with.  As for taking a mate…well, the realism was when he did decide it was time to take a mate it would most likely not be because of some kind of feelings for them but for gain of some sort.  So a mating such as this was comparable the way he saw it and he could deal with it.  Well, depending on whom the onna was.  That was his next question before he would agree to anything.  “I gather you already have someone in mind for this.  Who is it, if I may ask?”  Though he asked calmly, he was already fairly certain he wasn’t going to like the answer to it.

Reaching out, Togaou put a hand gently on Kagome’s head and stoked her hair a bit.  “Young Kagome here is my choice.”  He said, eyes twinkling a bit, voice warm.

It was just as Sesshomaru had feared; that ningen onna.  “No!”   He hissed emphatically.  “I refuse to take a ningen as a mate father!  You would think you yourself would have learned your lesson with Inuyasha’s mother!  That cost you your life.  Now you want to turn around and make the same mistake again?  Absurd!

“You can make that choice for yourself, I won’t do anything to prevent it but I refuse to let you draw me into it as well.  Pick another, a youkai, as a mate and I will gladly accept but I will not mate with a ningen!  That’s disgusting!” Sesshomaru hissed through clenched teeth, eyes narrowed to slits.  Oh yes, he was angry.  His sire was well aware of how he felt about ningen/youkai matings yet he ignored that completely and proceeded to propose such a thing. No way was he going to agree to this!

Expression never changing, Togaou just gazed mildly at his oldest son.  He had expected this.  In fact, he had actually prepared for worse.  But he had ridden out Sesshomaru’s fits of temper before so it didn’t bother him in the least.  “That’s fine.”  He told his contrary pup.  “No one will force you into anything.”  He said dismissively.

Relieved that it appeared he had managed to get his father to see sense, Sesshomaru relaxed a bit.  “Just chose another youkai and I’ll gladly accept then we can start mating arrangements for it.”  He proposed as an alternate solution to the whole thing.  That would be acceptable to him and he was sure to his father as well.

“Oh, no need to worry about that.”  Togaou said dismissively, in a light tone of voice.

“Are you planning on keeping her as a mistress?”  Sesshomaru asked looking at Kagome, disdain evident in his voice.

“No, I wouldn’t dishonor her that way,” the older inu said with a shake of his head.

“Good.”  Sesshomaru replied with a relived nod.  “Any idea….” He continued on but was cut off by his father.

“I’m still planning on taking her as my mate.”  Togaou continued on as though Sesshomaru hadn’t even spoken.  “Tomorrow I’ll start making necessary arrangements for that as well as take it up with her.  After that I’ll start taking over my duties once more and send dispatches out to let the other lords know I’m back and will be resuming my place as Western Lord.  You’ll have to catch me up with all that has happened since my absence but I imagine that it won’t take long.  Then I’ll resume my full duties.”  Stopping, he had to really fight hard to keep from giving a triumphant grin.  Without even looking at Sesshomaru he could tell he was stunned, the shock in his aura was easily felt.  Glancing over at his son, he schooled his features into a look that indicated mild surprise.  “Is there a problem Sesshomaru?”  He asked, a puzzled tone in his voice.

Astonished and bewildered, Sesshomaru looked at his father, mouth hanging slightly open.  He really didn’t know what to say.  “What is going on?  The negotiations…”

Shaking his head, Togaou told him, “No one ever said this was a negotiation.  I made a proposal that you either accepted or declined.  That was all.  You’ve declined so we’ll move on from there.”

All but sputtering, Sesshomaru glared at him.  He should have known his father would pull something like this.  In the past he had done such things to other lords so it stood to reason he would do it to him as well. Teeth clenched, ire skyrocketing, he fought the urge to argue the whole situation.  As he well knew it would lead to nothing good and just result in angering the older daiyoukai, something, from past experiences, he knew would result in an even worse situation for him. 

After a couple minutes of deep breathing to get himself under control, Sesshomaru asked, “That is your final word on the matter father?  No way to change your mind on the topic?”

“No, that’s the way it’s going to be.  You can take it or leave it Sesshomaru.”  Togaou told him, a bit of a bite starting to show in his tone.

“You’re giving me no choice in the matter!”  Sesshomaru snarled, his irritation beginning to show despite the fact that he was trying desperately to keep it under control.

“But you do have a choice, a very simple one: you can say yes or no.”  Togaou said, tone even.

Lowering his eyes, Sesshomaru’s gazed locked on the sleeping miko.  Normally he would flat out refuse to even consider this and turn it down flat.  But, as he was sure his father knew, he was over a barrel.  There was no way that he was about to give up all the power he had both earned and what he had inherited after his father’s death, then once more be relegated to living in that giant shadow once again if he could at all help it.  He was certain his father knew that as well. 

Still looking at the young onna, he tried to decide what to do.  Was taking her as a mate really worth what he would gain from it?  That sentence no more than ended in his mind when the answer came: a resounding yes.  Realistically there was no other way to gain the power his father proposed.  Even after his sire’s death he hadn’t gained that kind nor would he for many years to come, if ever.  On the heels of that admission came the question if he could handle such a thing.  Though he didn’t like the whole thing in general he could deal with it if hit got him what he wanted.  Quickly thinking about it he figured that if he had relations with her just once to mark her then a few years down the line to produce an heir he could deal with that end of it, though thought of rutting with a human was repugnant.  He would also have to deal with her for formal purposes but he was sure that was something he could easily handle.  Beyond that he would leave his father to deal with her. From the look of things the old inu had taken a shine to her and would probably not care if he was around or not.  Especially if he would have no real duties to attend to. 

Tearing his eyes away from the sleeping onna and hitching a deep mental sigh Sesshomaru made his decision.  After steeling his backbone, he said, tone quieter than normal, “Alright father, I accept the proposal but under duress.”  He said shooting the older inu a withering glare.  “Just don’t expect me to be enthusiastic about it.  But, up front, I will say once the mating is over don’t expect me to have any more to do with her than I have to or what is required of me.  I’ll leave dealing with her wholly to you and would prefer to see her only when it’s absolutely necessary.”  He said in a firm voice, making it abundantly clear that he was dead serious about this.

“You accept the proposal then?”  Togaou asked, making sure he was clear on the topic.

“Yes, though reluctantly.”  Sesshomaru told him with a firm nod of his head and a determined look on his face.

“So be it, it’s a deal then.”  Togaou replied with a nod.  Then, crossing his arms over his broad chest, he fixed his oldest boy with the same glare that had made even the most powerful youkai lords and princes wither during his time.  “But there are some things that I’m going to make very clear from the get go…

“One, though this is an arranged marriage to an extent, no mating to either of us will take place until Kagome herself is willing and ready for that step.  She will have to make that clear.  From what I hear tonight while still in the sword that may well take a great deal of time on her end.  The attitude you showed her not to mention the fact you tried to kill her is going to make it extremely difficult for you to convince her that you can be trusted, let alone develop some feelings for her.”  He could easily read the shock on Sesshomaru’s face and could see that the boy was trying to interrupt but ignored it and pressed on.  “You and you alone are going to have to do this.  I will not help or intercede on your behalf.”

“This is outrageous!”  Sesshomaru all but snarled, eyes flashing.  “I can see no way that this is called for in an arranged marriage!  If you want it that way then mate first then we’ll work on the rest afterwards.”

“Keep your voice down!  She’s tired and has earned her rest.”  Togaou hissed, eyes flashing dangerously.  “Like it or not, this is the way it’s going to be Sesshomaru.  I will brook no objection from you on the matter.  You’ve agreed so you’re going to do it my way.  Understand me?”  He growled out through clenched teeth.

Knowing that tone all too well, Sesshomaru shot his father a death glare but nodded.

“Fine.  Starting tomorrow you will start courting her.  Until she gets used to you I’ll stay close but you will be doing it on your own!”

“Agreed.”  Sesshomaru ground out.  Oh, he was not liking this at all!  Not only was there the fact that he had to consciously woo a ningen onna when she should feel privileged to have him willingly become her mate for whatever reasons but he really didn’t even know how to start going about doing so.  Then there was the fact that she would be the one to dictate the pace and how it progressed.  That was wrong on many levels! But he kept all that to himself.  He wasn’t about to argue any more with his father.  When his mind was obviously made up on the matter it would do him no good.

Pressing on, the dog general said, “Also, you and I will be joining Kagome and Inuyasha on their quest.  It’s bound to be a dangerous one and she will probably need more protection than just what Inuyasha can provide her.  Especially with what they are searching for.”

“Understood.”  Sesshomaru said with a nod.  This one actually made some form of sense to him.  Inuyasha was inept on a good day and had no idea how to sue the sword he had just been gifted with so the girl was going to need more than just him for protection.  Plus, she was the future Western Lady; that alone carried the need for better security.  It would also allow him the chance to beef up his reputation and prove how good he was. 

“Beyond that, you and I are going to have to work on things amongst ourselves and how to work around issues that are bound to arise.  We are both used to being in charge and brooking no questioning.  It will have to be worked out ahead of time and as we go along and things crop up.”  Togaou imparted.

“True,” Sesshomaru conceded.

Sensing that really should be all he dropped on his son for the night, Togaou decided that was enough.  He was tired and the boy needed a break.  “That’s enough for now.  Anything else can be discussed tomorrow.  But, keep in mind this: it will only be as hard as you make it Sesshomaru.  Also, how long it takes will be up to you and how you decide to go about things.”

Standing, Sesshomaru nodded.  “I understand father.  Goodnight.”  After a short bow, he exited the room, still fuming.

Watching his eldest son leave the old inu shook his head sadly.  He was certain that this was going to be a fight for a while.  At least until the whelp decided to get with the program.

With a sigh, he rang for the maids to help both he and Kagome prepare for bed.