For Forever My Lord, For Eternity My Love

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.









..."Kojiro stop bothering your brother." Kagome said, giving him the Look. Kojiro ignored his mother and pushed his brother again. Sozen growled warningly at his twin sibling.



"Come on, Sozen! I need someone to spar with!" he complained, his amber eyes narrowing. Kagome's jaw clenched. She swore that Kojiro was the most hard headed one of the two. Where Kojiro was enthusiastic and hard to get through, Sozen was quiet and kept to himself. Sesshoumaru always told her that it was her fault that Kojiro was like that, only because Kojiro had inherited some of her qualities. Kagome only scowled at him and told him it was the same with him and Sozen.



"Kojiro, go find Haru at the stables. He'll spar with you." Kagome suggested.



"But Haru isn't good when it comes to sparring." Kojiro replied, almost whining.



"Kojiro." Kagome said warningly.



It had taken a moment, but Kojiro finally gave up on his brother. He had finally walked off leaving Sozen to himself. When he was gone, Kagome walked up to her eldest son and sat down beside him. He had been sitting against the sakura tree all afternoon.



"You know your brother enjoys sparring with you." Kagome said, removing a strand of hair away from her eyes. Sozen did not look at her, only continued to stare at the flowers ahead.



Kagome smiled at him. "You know, you and your brother has grown so much over the passed year."



"Father comes home today." he said, turning to look at her. Kagome nodded. "Hai, he does."



Kagome had thought that he would had said something else, but she wasn't too surprised when he didn't. She sometimes wondered why Sozen kept to himself so much. It may have been because of Sesshoumaru and him wanting to teach him so early. Kagome sometimes felt bad for her youngest and so when Sesshoumaru did come to take Sozen away, Kagome made sure she had some activity ready for him.



"Your birthday is coming up soon, you know?" Kagome asked.



"Yes, mother. It is also Kojiro's." he replied dismissively.



"You should be excited for your first birthday!" Kagome said disapprovingly. She did not like the way he dismissed such a thing so easily.



"Why?" Sozen asked, turning his head to look at his mother.



"Because!" Sozen rose his eyebrow, something that irritated her to no end. It seemed only Sozen did the one thing Kagome disliked the most. It reminded her too much of Sesshoumaru.



"Because it's your first birthday... and..." Kagome trailed off.



"And?" he asked, trying hard to keep his voice leveled.



"And I don't think you'd like your father searching for your mate-to-be just yet." she said with a knowing smirk. Sozen would not like that.



"No, he wouldn't!" he said, his calm demeanor gone. Kagome mentally added a point to her score. Kagome knew that Sozen tried to live up to his father's standards. Even though Kagome hoped that Sozen would not be like he was, she always enjoyed his childish nature, because that's what he was still. A child. A hanyou child. But him along with Kojiro were her babies.



"Oh, yes he would. Not this time, but maybe next year." she said, nodding. She was only joking with him, but Sozen could not tell it.



"Father wouldn't do such thing without telling me!" he said, now standing. Kagome stood as well, laughing.



"What's so funny!"



Kagome shook her head, leaning down to him. "You are, my little cherub!" she said, gently scratching his ears. Though Sozen growled, he leaned into her touch.



"I love you, mother." he whispered, meant for her ears only.



"And I you, Sozen." she said with a smile and kissing his forehead. After a moment, she said, "Your father will be home soon, go find your brother and have some fun before he arrives."









...Sitting in the dining room, Kagome watched her boys eat in silence. As soon as Sesshoumaru had come home, he ordered the cooks to begin dinner and for them to meet in the dining room in ten minutes. When she had asked him about his trip to see Toshiyuki-sama, he gave her his Look and 'Go get ready for dinner'. When she opened her mouth to say her peace, he walked off, leaving her there with her mouth agape. Now, sitting in the dining room, Kagome had to keep herself from glaring at her husband.



Knowing it would have to be her to break the silence, she turned to Sesshoumaru and said, "How is Lord Toshiyuki?" Sozen and Kojiro froze as they looked between their mother and father.



Sesshoumaru did not look up from his plate as he replied, "Dead." Kagome could have sworn she saw his jaw clench when he said that. Kagome dropped her chopsticks.



"What?"



"He is dead."



"When did this happen!" Kagome asked, her eyes wide. They had just talked to him last week. What had happened between that time.



"Eat and we will speak of this later." Frustrated, Kagome stabbed her chopsticks into her dinner.



Sozen and Kojiro's ears fell when they felt their mother's distress. Sesshoumaru seemed to notice this. "Kagome," he said, glancing up at her. Kagome turned to him and saw the way his eyes seemed to swiftly point towards the pups. Nodding, she allowed herself to relax.



"Haru played with me and Sozen today!" Kojiro suddenly said with a smile on his face. Kagome almost let out a sigh of relief. Nothing could disrupt that one's day. Kojiro would keep a smile on his face till the end.



"That is surprising." Sesshoumaru said and Kagome smiled. She liked it better when Sesshoumaru did not continue eating as if ignoring them. That was one thing that she had to talk to him about that first year. The pups would talk to him and he would hardly acknowlege them.



"Usually Haru is busy with the stables." Sesshoumaru said, looking towards Kagome, challenging her. Kagome smiled nonetheless.



"Haru was done with his duties." Sesshoumaru stared at her for another second before returning to his food.



"Hn." he said and Kagome smiled even wider then. One point for Kagome.



When dinner was over, Sesshoumaru allowed the pups to leave once more for play, but reminded Sozen that he will have twice the many lessons tomorrow. Kagome gave Sesshoumaru a pleading look and after a moment gave in to her.



"We will continue another day." he said before walking away, not missing the smile on Kojiro's face. Kagome turned and winked at her eldest one and her heart soared when she saw him smile back.



"Come on!" Kojiro said, pulling his brother's arm.



"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, getting her attention. She turned around and blushed lightly. "Gomen nasai."



He did not reply afterwards, just offered her his hand. Taking it, she allowed him to pull her towards the library. As soon as the door opened, he pulled her to his chest and slammed the door closed. Kagome's eyes widened when his lips fell upon hers, his hands working themselves down to the obi of her kimono. Kagome wanted so much for him to continue, she has missed him so much from the time he's been away, but there was something she had to know before they did. It had taken a moment, but she had finally removed herself from his oh, so sweet lips. He growled when she did, his amber eyes taking on a light shade of pink.



"What is it?" he ground out, his voice darkening.



Kagome kept her eyes on him as she asked, "What happened to Toshi?" Sesshoumaru let out a sigh before redressing her. He was frustrated, disappointed, and not to mention his heat began just last night. He wanted his mate, dammit!



"Toshiyuki had died before This Sesshoumaru arrived. His son was on the throne by that time." he answered, going to sit in a chair near the books. Kagome followed him, taking the seat beside him.



"How?" she asked. Sesshoumaru's jaw tightened. "The coward came and took his life overnight, while everyone was sleeping. They killed his guards and immediately went for Toshiyuki. Toshiyuki bled to death on his bed."



Kagome's eyes began to water. Toshiyuki was one of her good friends as well as the children's. He was so kind-hearted and fun to be around. She could only imagine what Toshiyuki's death did to his son.



"Does anyone have any idea who may have done it?"



"He had left a message with Toshiyuki. His name is Taji." Sesshoumaru kept some of the information to himself; like where the message was located. Taji thought it was nice for him to leave the dagger in Toshiyuki's stomach, the message embedded with the dagger.



You are next.



"Taji?"



Sesshoumaru nodded his head once. "Takana's heir."