When she pulled herself out of the well after one week of being back home she was surprised to find two demons, well one demon and one hanyou, waiting for her. She let her bag fall next to the well as Inuyasha walked over to her, his lips pulled into a tight grimace. He jerked his thumb toward the bored looking lord behind him.

"He wants to talk to you. He's been waiting for you for three days. Bastard wouldn't leave. He thought I wouldn't give you the message."

She gave her best friend a smile, "And would you have?"

He scoffed at her but smiled back. "I'll be at Kaede's. If he tries anything-"

"He won't."

He scowled as he threw a glance over his shoulder at his half brother.

"He had better not, if he knows what's good for him."

She sighed and swatted Inuyasha away, trying to do the same to the nerves that suddenly crept up on her. Why would he need to speak with her of all people? And he waited for three days? What was this about? She bowed her head as she came to stand before him trying with all her might to smother the nervous butterflies in her stomach.

"Sesshomaru-sama."

He inclined his head slightly to her.

"Miko."

"Inuyasha said that you've been waiting for me?"

His golden eyes narrowed at the mention of his brother.

"I have need of your council."

She blinked rapidly unsure if she had heard him correctly. He needed to ask her opinion on something. The great demon lord of the west wanted her thoughts on some lordly matter.

"Don't you have already have a council?"

He gave her a look that was appearing quite frequently in her presence and that he always directed toward her. The look that screamed how dare you imply that I'm unintelligent.

"You are an unbiased party. Your words are not persuaded by wealth, property, or power."

"Oh," well, that made sense, "then what is it that you seek my council for?"

He gestured to the thick grass that grew in the clearing of the bone eater's well. She immediately held back a sigh. Sitting down meant long conversations. Long conversations meant using time she didn't really have. Using time she didn't really have meant dealing with an impatient hanyou that acted more like a bratty six year old child than a half demon. But Sesshomaru had come to her to ask her for advice and he was doing it humbly, even going so far as to wait to hear her council. She pulled her legs under her and focused her thoughts on the demon sitting before her.

"The Western Lands exceed into the cold mountains of the North. No one has ever challenged my claim to my lands. No one has ever challenged my rights."

She was not surprised to see his eyes flash with hostile anger. He kept them governed and protected. He earned them with blood. He had earned them as the first born son of the Great and Terrible Dog General. She would be pissed too if one of her cousin would take her mother's pearls away from her.

"That is until the Bear Yoaki that border my lands in the North thought that my land looked like their land. I quickly rectified there mistake. I took the Bear Lord's life for his oversight. But under the laws of both our people, all that he owns is now acquired by the House of the Moon."

That's the problem he had to take care of a few months ago! But her elation at figuring out one of the many mysterious pieces that made up the Demon Lord was quickly destroyed when his words began to sink in. She could see where this was going.

"You don't want to keep anything but your council does."

He nodded, "their greed seems to have deepened over the years."

She laughed at his scowl and he eyed her with a honey colored gaze. A silver eyebrow rose high on his forehead.

"It is no laughing matter, Miko."

She stopped her giggles with a throat clearing cough.

"Ah, sorry. Why don't you want to keep the land, may I ask?"

"I do not want, need, or look forward to patrolling any more land."

She titled her head to the side, "I thought you liked to travel."

He folded his arms into the sleeves of his kimono.

"I do not find myself enamored with sub zero temperatures."

She fought back another giggle with the help of his well timed glare. She was always surprised at how well he could read her and conceive her thoughts and actions before she even realized them.

"And I assume that you've made it clear to your council that you have no interest in laying claim to the Northern Lands?"

The I am no simpleton look took hold of his features but he nodded. Kagome gave a thoughtful sigh as she brought her fingers to her chin. She was drawing a blank here. She didn't have a clue how to handle demon affairs or how to give sage advice. She went to Kaede for that or her grandpa. Kagome furiously worked her bottom lip between her teeth. She knew that coming to her was a last resort. He would have probably preferred killing all the members of his council and just instating new ones but the members of the council remained unchanged since his father was the Lord of the House of the Moon. Sesshomaru had just inherited them along with everything else. Her mind snapped to full attention at her last thought.

"Did the Bear Lord have a successor?"

Sesshomaru nodded once, "A son, younger than me by nine centuries."

"Does he hold killing his father against you?"

Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side ever so slightly.

"He mourned his passing but he was against his father's will. He does not wish to follow in his footsteps."

She nodded chewing her lip vigorously as she thought. Minutes ticked by and she was suddenly stopped from punishing her bottom lip anymore by two stronger fingers held firmly against her mouth.

"Miko."

She yelped and pulled away blushing madly. She must have looked like a mad women sitting there gnawing away. He gave her a quizzical look before letting his eyes roam over her form, checking her for signs of illness. As his nose twitched she waved her hands in front of her body.

"Sorry, sorry. It's a habit. But I think I have a solution to your problem."

"Go on."

She took a deep breath.

"There are two options for you. Keep the land, let your council get fat and greedy, and spread yourself thin over two empires."

A soft growl rose from his chest, the look he reserved for her appeared on his face in full force.

She rushed on, "Or you can give the Bear Lord's son his rightful inheritance back, with a tightly bound contract of peace between both countries."

The space between them was quiet for a second.

"Your second option would cast me in a very unappealing light."

She shook her head and smiled at him. He had realized the issues she already had a genius answer for.

"Your father tried to attain a peace treaty with the Bear Clan once but he never was able to convince their lord."

She could see the curiosity in his eyes. He was wondering where she had heard this tail from but he wouldn't ask. She beamed at him when he gave no argument about her reasoning. The bloodsucking flea Miouga was good for something after all! She had gained some beneficial information from his late night bedtime stories of his former master and his sons.

"You would be able to do something your father could not. For that no one would see you as weak Lord Sesshomaru."

She watched as he ran over her words once again before nodding and standing. She pulled herself to her feet and stood in front of him. He bowed his head this time, a real bow.

"This has proved to be a commendable visit. I was not expecting to find much if any guidance in your council."

She frowned at him and his smug words. Her temper got the better of her and she spoke.

"Well then why did you travel all the way out here and wait for three days for it?"

"A much needed and deserved break."

He was implying that she didn't derive her break. Inuyasha must have told him that she went home to restock supplies and wash her clothes. She glared and poked at the air in front of his chest.

"Well I'm not done yet. My last piece of advice to you is to fire your present council and get new members. They should be helping you, not me."

He bowed his head again and walked away but not before she found the barest hint of smirk captured his lips. She called out after him.

"I said fire NOT KILL!"

She watched his back as he disappeared into the air on a cloud of smoke. She shook her head and slung her bag over her shoulder and headed for Kaede's hut. Inuyasha would be waiting for her with a million questions and even more complaints.