I am sorry for the long wait I have been fussing over this chapter for a long while trying to make it feel right I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to you All.

The Imprisoned Heart
by
Firebird Phoenix

Chapter XI

Days past in a blur of beatings, hunger, and dehydration with Spiritual Energy constantly draining InuYasha's Demonic Power the agony brought him to his knees. Nightmares of his beloved Kagome, at the mercy of that vile creature Naraku haunted his dreams and tormented each waking moment. He hadn't seen Kagome sense the guards dragged him away. Locked away in the West Wing under constant guard her only visitors were Sakura and daily visits from Lord Naraku.

InuYasha was barely conscious when the guards came for him, collaring him and binding his hands behind his back and feet with heavy manacles. Carrying his nearly lifeless form to the Great Hall, ominous storm clouds hung low in the late afternoon sky, casting a dark shadow mirroring the evil waiting inside. The guards dropped him with a thud before locking his chain leash to the floor. InuYasha struggled to free himself cursing his weakness.

"Hey Guard?" said InuYasha to any guard that would listen, he didn't know what passed thru his mind that told him this was an excellent idea but he couldn't stop the words coming from his lips.

"I'm talking to you, you gutless son of a whore." A new guard on the end took his bait and stiffened his back glaring at InuYasha.

"What's the matter, did I hit a nerve?" mocked InuYasha, the guard tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

"I remember your mother," InuYasha lied, "She worked at the brothel that owned me. I remember she was very popular. She told me when she had a bun in the oven and when the Madame found out, she kicked the poor wench out, and the poor bastard that knocked her up was a drunkard, pathetic." InuYasha laughed mockingly, furious the guard stormed up to InuYasha raising a fisted hand.

"Shut your barking, you worthless mutt." The guard spoke with an uneasy coldness, striking InuYasha with such force he fell limp against the floor.

InuYasha woke with a throb in his head, why did he bait the guard trying to antagonize him. All it gained him was a goose egg and a nasty headache.

Four Lord's dined with Lord Naraku and Akago, InuYasha didn't need an introduction to know these Lord's along with Naraku imprisoned Kagome. InuYasha's blood burned, he dreamt of ripping their throats out and presenting them to Kagome as a token of his love. The thought brought a twitch of a smile to lips.

"What is this tea Naraku, how did it hide the wenches Heavenly Blood?" asked Lord Hayato examining a small cup of the tea.

"Each night when the Sun touches the ocean the Heavenly God Ryōjin swallows the Sun becoming the Moon watching over the world of darkness. That is part of Ancient Legend telling how a Moon Spirit became the Sea God Ryōjin and how he becomes the moon each night to watch over the world, except the Night of the New Moon making the Tea useless. This, my friends, is Dragon's Tea, given to Kagome by her Father. It suppresses any Demonic or Heavenly Blood as long as the Moon hangs overhead." Lord Naraku paused for dramatic effect letting the realization hit them of how Kagome had so easily fooled them.

"Enough of this nonsense Naraku, I am tired of your games and blabbering!" Said Lord Hayato slamming his fist against the table, a tense silence fell over the room, jolting InuYasha out of his murderous dream. "Produce the girl, so we may finely complete the ritual and finely be rid of this annoyance."

"Lord Hayato, why such haste to complete the ritual, we have all waited years for this moment, let us saviour it." Lord Naraku reasoned Lord Hayato leaned forward staring Naraku in the eye, challenging him.

"I have waited long enough Naraku; we should complete the ritual first, and then celebrate our divinity. Who is with me?" asked Lord Hayato glancing around the table, the other Lords' nodding and murmuring their agreement.

"If you all insist, then so be it." Lord Naraku signaled the guards, two guards escorted Kagome into the Great Hall. InuYasha heart skipped a beat even dressed in Sacrificial Robes she was beautiful, her snow-white hair blending into the white of the robe making her ice-blue eyes stand out.

"Magnificent..." said Lord Hayato walked toward Kagome examining as if she weren't real. "Had I known her Heavenly Blood would increase her beauty like this, I would have spent more time with her." Reaching to touch her cheek Kagome recoiled from him, a violent flash of anger burned in his eyes, lashing out striking Kagome across the cheek, he forcibly grabbed her chin bring her inches to his face.

"Get your hands off her... Kagome!" InuYasha growled struggling against his chains, holding Kagome he annoying glanced toward InuYasha calling back to Naraku.

"What's with the mutt Naraku, get rid of him, he's a nuisance." Tone like ice Lord Naraku calmly spoke.

"It seems the Half-Breed has fallen in love with Kagome. I thought it would be fitting for him to watch her last moments." A deep rich laugh roared from Lord Hayato's belly.

"You can be a real Bastard Naraku." Swiping the food off the table Lord Hayato hoisted Kagome onto the table with a loud thud.

"Akago, hold her down boy." Ordered Lord Hayato, eagerly holding down Kagome's struggling form staring into her eyes drinking in her terror, the other Lords' eagerly gathered around the opposite side of the table holding goblets to gather her blood, standing back Lord Naraku only watched.

InuYasha struggled violently growling like a rabid beast, biting at his chain collar desperate to free himself. Lord Hayato fed off his anguish smiling devilishly raising a curved dagger above his head.

"The best way to take the power of a beast Akago is to eat its heart." Said Hayato, Kagome's heart pounded like thunder, her blood ran cold unable to look away from the dagger. She didn't want to die, not now that she had so much to live for. Lord Hayato licked his lips griping the hilt of his dagger tighter. Glancing up he noticed Captain Itsuki enter with four other guards carrying bows behind the other Lords', lowing the dagger slightly he looked at Lord Naraku a terrifying realization spreading across his face.

"What is the meaning of this Naraku?" asked Lord Hayato a slight tremble entering his voice. An onslaught of arrows answering his question, arrows struck the bodies of the other Lord's slumping over Kagome protecting her with their corpses.

Lord Hayato opened his mouth to yell curses at Lord Naraku when an arrow struck him in the throat taking his voice. Lord Naraku surveyed the scene before him the Lords' surrounding Kagome like a pack of ravenous bloodthirsty wolves laid dead around her. Akago caught in the crossfire lay dying on the floor Lard Naraku only regarded him with contempt.

"Who killed Akago?" demanded Lord Naraku, no one moved or dare speak, "Speak your Lord Commands you!" Lord Naraku shouted Hiroshi stepped forward clearing his throat.

"I did my Lord, I beg your forgiveness." Lord Naraku stared at the young guard his face emotionless.

"Excellent work, you have saved me a lot of trouble an extra weeks pay for you. Now remove the corpses." Too shocked to speak Hiroshi only mumbled a 'Thank You' before helping his comrades remove the dead, Kagome climbed off the table confused looking too the equally confused InuYasha for answers.

"What... What have you done?" Kagome asked in barely a whisper, Lord Naraku smiled walking toward Kagome.

"I had never intended to share you Kagome. I let them live simply for the reason it would have been too much trouble to kill them sooner. Now that your Heavenly Blood has awakened, their lives are forfeit." Kagome swallowed her heart pounding and thoughts' racing thru her mind of what Lord Naraku has planed.

"I first thought your father was a demon Kagome, wooing your mother with that Phoenix feather. I despised her after that, the whore choosing a Soulless Demon over me, how embarrassing and then having his wretched Half-Demon child." Lord Naraku paused to drink a cup of sake.

"Then I heard rumours that your father is the Dragon God of the Sea, I realized what an opportunity this granted, if the legend was true I would become a Heavenly Being after consuming your Blood and Flesh. If the Legend proved false, I would send what was left of your corpse to your father. I knew your mother would sell you for the right price, she was always so concerned with the materialistic things, but I could not afford it alone." Lord Naraku paused again to drink another cup of sake.

"I approached the other Lords' who courted her and told them of my plan to buy you from your mother, and then once your Heavenly Blood awoke, perform the ritual. Lord Akira was most reluctant he did not want to sacrifice an innocent girl but after some convincing, he too agreed. Everything went perfectly; your mother offered to drug you and warned us to take you at sunset while your father was busy. My perfect plan changed the moment I laid eyes on you; your beauty surpassed your mother's I could not let it go to waste."

"What is your new plan?" Kagome asked almost too scared to know the answer.

"Once you bare me an heir then I will sacrifice you. The human Naraku will die and be erased from time to be reborn a Heavenly Being for all time." InuYasha gasped his blood ran cold; Lord Naraku intended to use Kagome as his concubine until she sired him an heir, images of his mother's empty pained eyes flashed in his mind, and the sound if her sobbing in the next room every time his step-father took her echoed in his ears.

"No, get these chains off me, Kagome!" InuYasha cried out Captain Itsuki wrestled him to the ground tying a clothe gag around his mouth.

"Perhaps if you prove yourself a good companion, I may sacrifice the child instead, if it is a girl of course. It will give you something to hope for, don't you think?" Hot tears streamed down Kagome's cheeks, her fisted hands shook with rage.

"Naraku you monster, I would rather die than allow you to sacrifice an innocent child." Kagome picked up Lord Hayato's discarded dagger holding above her stomach threatening to perform seppuku.

"Now, now Kagome, there is no need to be so dramatic. If you perform seppuku then I have to punish InuYasha for your betrayal. I will not kill him but I shall bring him to the brink of death and have him beg for death. This is my promise to you Lady Kagome, as long as I live, the Half-Breed shall know nothing but suffering." Lord Naraku smiled he knew he had won; Lady Kagome's arms quivered losing her nerve, her arms dropped to her side. Kagome hung her head low hot tears flowing freely dropping the dagger, it clanging loud against stone the floor.

"Don't cry Kagome, if you behave don't try to escape or perform seppuku I let you keep that Half-Breed as a pet." Said Lord Naraku treating Kagome like a spoiled child and Kagome knew she was helpless to stop it.

"If you never intended to sacrifice me, then why bring InuYasha here?" asked Kagome her voice quivering barely above a whisper.

"To let him watch as I take you, the Mutt's screams are the sweetest music to me." said Lord Naraku a twisted happiness in his voice, his love for torturing InuYasha sparked in his eyes.

"Why do you enjoy torturing him so much Lord Naraku, what could he have done to deserve it?" asked Kagome her courage slightly returning demanding to protect her love. Lord Naraku glared at her with dead eyes and spoke with venom dripping from voice.

"What could he have done you ask... he was born... His whore of a mother choosing a Demon lover and having his wretched offspring, for years I lived with the dishonor of being second best to a Demon. Even after I learned the truth of your lineage that dishonor clung to me like a bad smell. When the Half-Breed came into my ownership, I used him to cleanse myself of your mother's dishonor by spilling his filthy Half-Demon Blood slowly and painfully. I actually started to enjoy it, thinking up new way to break him and make him bleed." Kagome stared at Lord Naraku mouth hung open in shock and defeated. She burned to challenge him but she couldn't defy him, he held complete power over InuYasha.

Lord Naraku stared at Kagome his lips twisting into a smile relishing in her defeat, finely after all this time she was completely his for the taking. He grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her hard, she struggled against iron grip.

The sweet taste of Kagome as she struggled made her only more appetizing to Naraku, and InuYasha's anger growing as Lord Naraku forced himself on his woman only added to her sweetness. Struggling loose the gag InuYasha shouted.

"Get your hands off her Bastard!" Captain Itsuki shoved his knee into InuYasha back and his arm on the back of his neck pining him while another guarded retied the gag, with his free hand Captain Itsuki grabbed InuYasha's hair pilling his head up forcing him to watch. The Enchanted Beads flashed pink tightening around his throat threatening to pump spiritual energy into him. InuYasha's furious protest only fed Naraku viciousness, pulling at Kagome's kimono. Frantic to escape him Kagome pulled away from Naraku, that moment her heart cried out for InuYasha filling her soul with warmth she hadn't felt before she cried out.

"Stop..." Answering her call, an enormous roar shook the ground, Lord Naraku stopped, running into the courtyard to find the source. A giant Dragon hovered over the castle glaring strait at Naraku opening its jaws and letting out another earth-shaking roar. An unseen force tossed Lord Naraku like a rag doll into a wall. The Dragon descended from the sky ripping the Great Hall from its foundation and tossing it to the side, wrapping its long snake like body protectively around Kagome destroying the rest of the castle in the process, wreckage crashed down on InuYasha and the Guards. Lord Naraku stood before the massive Dragon staring into his ice blue eyes his knees threatening to buckle.

"Human, you and your comrades have abducted my daughter." said Ryōjin with his deep voice vibrating the ground.

"I bought her from her mother, I own her." argued Lord Naraku, Ryōjin narrowed his eyes, his long white main floating as if suspended in water.

"Silence!" roared Ryōjin vigorously shaking Lord Naraku off his feet.

"I am the Dragon God Ryōjin, King of all Dragons. I care not for your deluded thoughts of ownership. Kagome is my daughter and Princess of Dragons she belongs to no one. You have taken her from my sea, hidden her from my gaze, imprisoned her, defiled her, and you mean to sacrifice her in some foolish attempt to gain a small part of my power. For your crimes I condemn you to death." Said Ryōjin, terrified Lord Naraku scurried to his feet and ran, Ryōjin grabbed Naraku by his arm and hurled him into the air swallowing him whole. Ryōjin flew into the sky looking back down at Kagome floating above her he look down at her with a regretful gaze.

"Forgive me Daughter. The moment I learned those scoundrels had taken from the protection of my Sea I searched endlessly for you, sadly, the spell Naraku placed upon your heart hid you from me. When you fought against that wretch as he tried to defile you, your heart called out for the Half-Breed, your love for him broke the spell and touched your soul. With your heart no longer bound by Naraku's Darkness your Heavenly Blood called out to me allowing me to find you. Come my child, I shall return you to the Sea." Said Ryōjin holding out his giant clawed hand for Kagome to climb on, she looked around the wreckage of the destroyed castle, InuYasha buried under the debris, bound and gagged.

"Wait father." Said Kagome running over to InuYasha pulling the rubble off him, she reached deep inside releasing her dormant power. Letting it flow out of the depths of her soul like a wave freezing InuYasha's chains and snapping them like twigs, Kagome rolled the unconscious InuYasha onto his back.

"InuYasha...InuYasha!" Kagome shook him praying for him to live. Slowly InuYasha's eyes fluttered opened, Kagome smiled tears of joy threatening to burst. InuYasha got up noticing Ryōjin he pushed Kagome behind him standing protectively in front of her.

"No one's going to hurt Kagome as long as I'm around you over grown snake." Said InuYasha defiantly, Ryōjin looked at InuYasha choosing to ignore the over grown snake comment.

"Half-Demon you have protected my beloved daughter whilst I searched for her. I thank you; I wish to grant you your freedom however, if you choose to stay at my daughter's side I cannot break the Spiritual Curse upon the Enchanted Beads around your neck you will never be free as long as you stay with my daughter, What is your Choice Half-Demon?" said Ryōjin, InuYasha looked at Kagome and smiled.

"If staying enslaved means I can be with Kagome, then I gladly accept it."

"If that is your wish Half-Breed then it will be so. Grant me this favour Half-Demon and allow me to give you this." Ryōjin took and old rust sword from under his scales handing it to InuYasha.

"My father's sword, how did you get this?"

"One of the treasures given to Kagome's mother by her suitors was the Sword of the Great Dog Demon. After I learned she had sold my beloved daughter to those men I took everything she valued most from her." Ryōjin held out his open claw to carry them back to the Ocean with him.

"Father before I return to the ocean I want to live with InuYasha, under my own power."

"Kagome is that what you truly want?"

"Yes father, I've been imprisoned for so long. I want a chance to see the world."

"I understand my daughter and you have my blessing. However, Half-Breed watch over my beloved Kagome for if she dies under your protection your life is forfeit." Ryōjin flew high disappearing into the clouds InuYasha looked over at Kagome as the setting sun beamed down upon Naraku's' destroyed castle, with Ryōjin voice whispering on the breeze.

"I will always watch over you from the night's sky Daughter."

"Kagome." Whispered InuYasha, Kagome looked at him and smiled taking his hand in hers. InuYasha took Kagome in his arms and kissed her a warm wind passed around them with Ryōjin roar echoing in the distance.

Kagome and InuYasha stared out into the forest, and for the first time sense he was a child he felt safe and happy. He knew his mother in heaven was looking down at him smiling. Kagome felt the warm breeze catch her pearl white hair she knew that as long as she was with InuYasha nothing could harm her.

The End

I truly hope you have enjoyed this book and that this final chapter has answered all the questions you might have had, I understand that Kagome's Tea was confusing, I wanted Naraku to explain how it worked and I hope Naraku love to torture InuYasha was explained without causing confusion. I thank everyone that has read, review, added me and my story to their favorites list. I really enjoyed writing this story I hope you have enjoyed as well.