A/N: Soon the chapters will be re-uplodead with the grammar fixed.

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Chapter Six

A few weeks before...

Naraku sat in his chambers wondering about his next step. Since his last approach, there was no signal of Kagome, to his injury must have dealt with her. Now, no one can stop him. Kikyou isn't able to purify the jewel shards and her abilities to track them are lowering. But what will he do after making his wish? He is thinking about it for some time now.

The lands are already delimited between the lords, be he always can invade and usurp the throne. Proving himself as stronger is will be easy, but he don't have much knowledge about ruling.

Unlike common sense, he isn't a mindless avenger. He plans to finish his vendetta, but become stronger in the physical way is don't prove a point. He want to be the best youkai around and it means command and conquer.

What will be needed? An army. Human and youkais working for him in a loyalty vow. Humans so that no miko would stand as a menace. He will have to establish a fortress to hold his men and a manor. There is no point in create more minions since every time he loses a bit of his power and have to absorb more youkais to regenerate.

And what is better then triumph in front of your enemy's eyes? He wont kill the rest of inutachi right now. There's no rush. He have the almost complete Shikon no Tama in his hands and what is missing is been housed by the wolf prince and the exterminator boy.

In a week, Naraku reunited around five thousand youkais to make his first strike, which is directed to Sesshoumaru's castle in western lands. Lowering his numbers will give him support to approach the lowers lords. First the humans, that greedy race. They can sell a soul just for a promise of power. It is easier to convince humans to work with youkai then the other way. These last ones would be conquered by power.

He send his first army in hordes of one thousand. While one group attack, he ather mone allies to the next wave. It went like that for nearly three weeks. Then, four days later, Naraku sent his last blow for now and left.

Wandering around the southern lands, he started his army with unhappy vassals, promising lands and power. Using his clones, he met dozens of vassals willing to cooperate. Personally, he went to youkai and assemble hundreds of power hungry demons. A few menaces and promises made on both sides to work with each other.

Now, it's time to take someone's fortress.

-Now-

Aready in Edo limits, Sesshoumaru head to Kaede's hut with no ceremony. He have no business with the villagers beside the old miko and his ward. Ah-Un is outside playing with children. Gladly, once more no harm reach this area and it seems like the Shikon Miko have already set a stronger barrier around.

Near his destination he feel something new around. An energy he was sure that was locked in the deepest hell and now its calm, almost comforting. Who bring back Sounga and how, why? He don't want the damned blade around his ward.

"Who brought back my deceased father cursed blade back to this lands?"

Quickly recovered from the initial shock, Rin runs toward her Lord Sesshoumaru, hugging him tight.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! The same day Kagome-nee-san is back Lord Sesshoumaru have also come to see Rin! Rin is so happy."

Sesshoumaru have forgotten everything around but one person. Sitting in front of him ois his late father in all his glory. How could he not felt his scent before? Wait... There is no scent at all. No aura either.

Kagome is watching this little interaction between them. None of them is talking. Touga mostly because he is waiting his son to figure out what's going on. Sesshoumaru is studing the scenario: The cursed blade, Sounga, in Kagome's back; the lack of scent and energy around his father figure; the look on the Shikon MIko's face.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin is the first to speak after the awkward silence. "Kagome-nee-san bring your father to help against Naraku! Touga-sama is to nice to Rin, Rin likes Sesshoumaru-sama's father."

Sesshoumaru send a "you must have a good explanation" look toward Kagome, who is looking to Touga begging for some help.

"My son, always right to the point. Why don't you have a seat and we solve your questions."

Not caring to answer, Sesshoumaru, guided by Rin, take a sit near the old Miko.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Kagome-san was just planning to explain these news to us when he felt my lord's approaching, so we waited for my lord so she wont need to explain herself all over again."

"Now, stick just enough so the arrows wont fall neither be too hard to pull out. Keep them enar you, so it will be easier to shot them..."

After her explanation, Kagome left the hut and decided to train a bit of her bow and arrow skills. After some time not using them you may lost your aiming. She is also trying to evade what Sesshoumaru could possibly ask. He didn't said a word before, not seem to believe in any of her words. Even when Touga explained why he decided to help, hiding his guilt for leaving his offspring, he keep silent, probably to not start personal questions in front of others.

After a while, Sesshoumaru left Kaede's house and enter in the forest. Kagome and Touga exchanged looks and she uses a little of her oversoul power to materialize him, then, he go after his son.

Below Goshinboku, Sesshoumaru is standing. This turn of events is keeping his mind busy. First, Naraku's attacks his lands, lowering his numbers and leaving most of his territory unprotected. Now, his half-bother's miko, who was almost declared dead shows up holding a cursed blade and using his father's spirit as a ghost guardian. Have he not been Sesshoumaru, this could be too much to his mind.

He did not felt lie in the girl's words. Her aura, scent and eyes wont let her tell anything beside the truth. Yet he must see her using this supposed skill to fully believe this. Hold the weapon and say that you can to this or that is different then use in a real fight. There is also something that he can use in his personal battle against Naraku. Just fight wont be enough have he conquered a lot of humans seigniors. Humans are know to be too greedy to give up promises of gold and power.

His thinking is break by his father's approach.

"Father."

"Son." The silence fall between them, so, after a while, Touga starts a conversation. "You seem troubled."

"It's none of your business"

"Everything concerning my family is my business. You also have not said a word during Kagome's explanation. Surely you must have some questions."

"You didn't about your family concern when you laid with that human woman before. And if I had any questions I would have asked to the miko herself, not her minion."

"So is that what you are thinking? That you father went so low to the point of become a human's minion." Sesshoumaru norrow his eyes. "You must be very troubled to not discern between slavery and alliance. Me and the miko are allies. I decided to help her, since she hold the power to suppress Sounga's evil aura and also is training to have ghosts as her mochirei."

"It does not aswer why you came back. Are you here to see how I am faring as a ruler? You were never that much a self giving being to help anyone just for the pleasure of doing a good deed."

"What's so? Is it selfish for a father to want to see how his children grew up?"

Sesshoumaru is not a father, so he have no answer for that, although, he do not know why, it make him think about Rin.

"You mentioned the lands so I think something is off there."

Sesshoumaru have forgotten how no matter what his father always knew what he is thinking. Something about been around his sire make his cold mask break, even if it's just a little.

"Naraku. He have been gathering alliances with a lot of human landlords. Lately, he attacked for days just to suddenly leave. I receive reports about some assembly with his leading."

"Due to what Kagome told me, it is not his usual way of scheming."

Once again, Sesshoumaru not say a word, so Touga presume that he do not know what are the hanyou's plans.

"My son, let me help you. I'm a dead man, but my mind isn't useless. In this form, I can enter wherever I want without anyone see and Kagome can impersonate me if it's necessary."

Sesshoumaru is thinking about it. Some may think it's a stab in his ego accept his sire help, but he isn't one to let an opportunity go.

A few days later, heading back to the Western Fortress there are Sesshoumaru and Kagome, along Touga.

Traveling once again as a group, if you can say that to a pair and a ghost, make Kagome think about her friends. Neither Kaede or Rin knew what made them decide to leave so soon, without any news about her condition, not even left a message for her, in case she went back to the past, but she don't want to wonder about that right now. Some days ago, Touga disappeared the whole night. Once back, he told her that the western lands have been attacked several times and that there are some commotion about Naraku gathering allies with promises of power and lands. Sesshoumaru must not be willing to receive her or his father help, but, as a ruler, he knows that the welfare of his people is much more concerning then one's proud.

Kagome became worried because, even if it's on the very limit of the western lands and the protection of Goshinboku, the region where Edo is located can be attacked any moment. With the lower number in Sesshoumaru's army, she can't ask for an extra protection there and, even now, she does not have power enough to protect the village for herself. Knowing this, Touga already had a plan formed. Earlier, he asked Sesshoumaru to train her. With Asakura Family she learned the basics of spirit energy channeling and oversoul control, now, she will need to strengthen her body and mind to fight real blood-hunger enemies.

Since the first day, Sesshoumaru have been worse then Anna as a teacher. He made her run their way until she can't step a centimeter. Then, she need to use her oversoul to ride until she is exhausted or he tells so. At evening, she practice her swordsmanship, every day a new movement up to perfection. Seshoumaru accept no less.

Their trip is taking longer than she expected. Afraid to approach Sesshoumaru, she asks Touga.

"We are passing near the villages under his protection. Even not entering there, the citizens will know that their leader is looking for them. In times of war, every action have to ensure the loyalty of the townspeople. What is a king without a kingdom? And a kingdom is made by people, not tress or mountains."

Kagome look toward Sesshoumaru with a new light in her eyes. She already knew that he was not a bad-ass as Inuyasha describe. Not since he adopted Rin and saved her and her friends some time. Also, he is strong enough to just vanish Inuyasha's existence, yet, he just beats him and left. Now, he is training her and she can't be more grateful. Inuyasha always says that her job is to detect shards, he and the others can handle fights, since she is too clumsy to even hold a bow. No matter how much she trained, she was never good in his eyes.

With a deep breath, she stand up and take a sit beside Sesshoumaru, respecting his personal space, of course. Sesshoumaru ignored her. Kagome cleared her throat. Nothing again. So she gather all her courage and...

"Sesshoumaru. I mean, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru send a glare to her. Holding his attention, she says.

"I wish to thank you for helping me."

"Is that all?"

'How cold'.

"No! No. You see, Inuyasha never encouraged me to mastering my skills, besides maybe cooking for him and... and..." … " It's my duty to stop Naraku since he only have Shikon no Tama because I bring it back inside of me..."

"Don't put your self so high."

"What you mean?"

"A greeady one find a way, no matter what costs. Have it not been the Jewel, he would have absorbed more demons to gain power or something else."

'He is not blaming me...'

She wanted to speak more, but he have already left.