Shayril: Hi, everyone! Long time no see.

Navi: Oh no. She's back at it again.

Shayril: Well, I couldn't very well leave the story unfinished.

Kalika: Yeah!

Navi: (glares at the leprechaun) Shut it.

Kalika: I don't want to and you can't make me. So there! (sticks her tongue out at the other muse)

Aliri: What are you, five? Grow up!

Kalika: Make me! (plugs ears and starts singing) I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid, There's lots of toys at Toys R Us that I can play with……..

Shayril: (shouting over the singing) Anyway, I'm really sorry for being gone for so long. I got a massive case of writer's block. Plus I had school. Then my grandma died. (lower lip trembles) Then, my best friend went and abandoned me. I graduated from school. And finally, I got into a car accident. But everything's mostly all better now, so I can now work on finishing my stories.

Kagome: Awwww. I'm really sorry, Shayril. I wouldn't have bugged you so much if I'd know all that.

Shayril: (sniffles) It's okay.

Kalika: (singing the same song for the fifth time already) …… That I can play with, From bikes to trains to video games, It's the greatest……

Aliri: (clamps hand down on her mouth) Would you shut up already!

Navi: i Thank you! /i I get enough of that from my kids!

Kalika: I still can't believe you're a mom!

Navi: (growls) Hey, I'm a good mom!

Aliri: Yeah, sure. That's why the little brats tore up the living room the other day.

Navi: i Don't /i call my kids brats!

Shayril: (to readers) I think now would be a good time for you to go on to the story.

Chapter Seven – It's a Good Thing

"SIT!"

Every head within the palace grounds turned for only a moment at the sound of the bellow, immediately followed by the ground trembling from the impact of a hardheaded hanyou with the ground. It had become a common occurrence in the past few days. No doubt Inuyasha was pestering Kagome to remove the rosary and losing his temper when she refused. Everyone had to admit, it was refreshing and amusing to have someone around who could exert some sort of control over the temperamental hanyou.

Kagome stood glaring down at Inuyasha with her fists on her hips. As always, he was muttering curses into the ground.

"Now, dog boy, let's try it one more time. Maybe you'll get it through your thick skull. My name is Kagome. Ka – Go – Me. Until you learn that little bit of information you'll be keeping the ground an awful lot of company."

"I don't need to learn anything, wench!"

"Sit!" The gypsy concubine sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know what, I give up for today. Go ahead and keep calling me wench. Eventually, you'll learn better, but I'm not in the mood to continue trying to teach you today. Now, if you'll excuse me, I promised Sango I'd help her in the kitchen."

"HENTAI!"

Shaking her head, Kagome walked past the dazed form of her clansman as she greeted Sango. In the two weeks since she was sold to the taiyoukai's family the two of them had become good friends. It was something the young gypsy was extremely grateful for. She didn't know how well she'd be able to handle her situation if she hadn't found a friend. Granted, for the time being things were pretty good for her. After all, she'd been here for two weeks and her virginity was still intact. However, it was only a matter of time before Sesshoumaru changed that. He couldn't go forever without satisfaction. It amazed and confused her that he had left her alone for so long as it was.

"All right, Sango-chan, where do you want me to start?"

"You can chop the vegetables," the cook said, pointing to a counter over to the side.

A sweat drop appeared on Kagome's head as she took in the many piles of any vegetable you could name. "Um…. Sango-chan, couldn't we just have Miroku do that?"

The other girl considered for a moment and then shrugged. "Sure. It'll keep his hands too busy to wander, at least. You can start work on dessert while I revive the lecher."

Nodding, Kagome headed into the pantry for the ingredients for fruit pastries. A moment later she came rushing back out when she heard someone holler in shock. The sight that greeted her was a dripping wet Miroku sitting before a smirking Sango clutching the now empty bucket of water that had been sitting just inside the door. The young gypsy healer stifled a laugh as she easily deduced what had happened. Shaking her head at the antics of her two friends, she returned to the pantry for her ingredients. When she returned and set to work Miroku was already chopping away at the vegetables.

That night at dinner Inuyasha was as obnoxious as ever. He had taken to sitting beside Kagome so that he could attempt to convince her to remove the rosary from around his neck. The only reason Sesshoumaru tolerated having his brother so near was because it amused him to listen to his slave make the hanyou feel stupid without even really trying. Though he pitied the fact that the girl was too busy with the idiot to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone else.

"Please, take the spell off, Kagome."

"No."

"Take the damn spell off!"

"Let me think a minute…… Umm… ... No!"

"Why not? I said your name!"

"Don't whine, Inuyasha. It's not very manly."

"Feh! I'm not whining, wench!" She glared at him. "Er… Kagome. See, I did it again. Now, will take the spell off."

"Sorry. Can't."

"Well, why not?"

"Because, Inutaisho-sama doesn't want me to until he asks me to," Kagome told him primly.

"WHAT?" he shouted.

Lady Michiko glared at her son. "Inuyasha, keep your voice down when you're inside."

He ducked his head and his ears folded towards his head. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry, okaa-san."

Sesshoumaru didn't even bother to hide his smirk. Anything that caused humiliation for his half-brother was a good thing. It afforded him some amusement. He decided that he didn't really mind have his concubine around anymore.

(Navi is chasing Aliri and Kalika around the room while Shayril watches with an exasperated look on her face.)

Shayril: I don't see why she even bothers. She can't kill them. There's a protection spell on this place.

Dragonwing: But she can still hurt them, though.

Inuyasha: Feh! She couldn't hurt a fly!

Dragonwing: (growls) That's my wife you're talking about!

Shayril: (glares at them both) Don't you guys start, too. I've actually been in a i good /i mood lately and I don't need you guys to screw it up!

Inuyasha: Like you could stop us!

Kagome: (tugs on the sleeve of his haori) Inuyasha, I wouldn't test her if I were you. Remember how she had your brother cowering in a corner?

Inuyasha: (pales) Sh… She wouldn't do that to me. I'm the one that she i likes /i

Dragonwing: Trust me, Dog-Breath, the only ones safe from her are the kids. You do i not /i want to mess with her.

Shayril: That's not true. The readers are safe from me, too. Speaking of… (turns to reads) I hope you guys liked the chapter. I know it's kind of short, but nothing else seemed to fit in it. Besides, I figured a short chapter was better than nothing after so long.

Navi: (off screen) GET BACK HERE YOU YELLOW-BELLIED LEPRECHAUNS!

Shayril: Ummm. I'm gonna go break up my muses. Please let me know what you think. Ja ne!