Chapter 5

Inuyasha banged on the door to the rooms that his brother and Kagome were staying in at the Southern Palace. He and Kikyo had just arrived for the coronation which was to take place in less than two hours.

The hanyou was irritated to say the least. A processional had to happen before Yuri was crowned where representatives from each cardinal kingdom were presented before the young king to be. Since Kagome's place was beside Sesshomaru representing the West, Inuyasha and Kikyo were going to represent the Higurashi family.

Not only did he have to present himself in front of a hall full of people, but he couldn't find his wife. Inuyasha had traced her scent to Kagome's chambers and now he banged on the door angrily.

A maid opened the door with a scowl on her face. "Can I help you?" she demanded.

"Yeah, you can tell my wife that she has three seconds to get out here, or I am going home since I never wanted to do this anyway."

Kagome laughed from inside. "I'll take it from here, Ashina." she said to the maid. The princess looked radiant. Jakotsu had designed the gowns for her and Kikyo to wear to the coronation. Hers was in the Western colors of course, but made in the Southern style. It was made of rich royal blue silk edged in ivory lace and embroidered in gold. The gown was long, sweeping the floor and ending in a short train. The neckline was low, showing off an expanse of bosom and the necklace that Sesshomaru had given her when he found out she was a miko. Her long raven colored waves were left unbound, and a gold circlet set with diamonds and sapphires sparkled at the crown of her head.

Inuyasha swallowed hard at her appearance. "W-where's Kikyo?" he asked, his throat dry.

"Oh, she's almost ready." the miko said with a smile. "I think you'll be pleased."

"Kagome?" Kikyo called.

"Come on out, sweetie."

Kikyo appeared at the door and Inuyasha's mouth dropped open. His wife's dress was the same style as Kagome's only done in the Higurashi colors of green and white. Emeralds sparkled at her ears and throat. "Well, Inuyasha?" the older woman said to her husband. "Worth the wait?"

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "You…you uh…yes. It was. Now let's go."

Kikyo laughed and threaded her am through his. "Thanks for your help, Kagome. We'll see you in there." She called over her shoulder as Inuyasha led her off down the hall.

"You know," the hanyou murmured. "We have some time before we have to be in the Grand Hall. We could…"

The lady of Higurashi Estate threw back her head and laughed. She had truly never been so happy. "No, Inuyasha. But perhaps after…Kagome is not the only sister who needs an heir."

Sesshomaru and Kagome stood at the entrance to the Grand Hall where Yuri would be crowned. Behind them were the members of the guard they had brought, Kagome's ladies, and Bank and Jakotsu. A fanfare was heard, and the two royals began walking down the aisle with their heads held high.

"Presenting, Prince Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, son of King InuTaisho, and future king of the cardinal kingdom of the West. His wife and mate, Princess Kagome Higurashi originally of the South, Warrior Miko, Master Archer and future queen of the cardinal kingdom of the West." the herald called.

Sesshomaru's head was held high as he stepped with his wife on his arm. They walked to the front of the room where Yuri was sitting on a throne. The prince and his men bowed and the princess and her ladies curtsied deeply. Yuri acknowledged them with a nod and they filed to their seats.

"Presenting Queen Sakiyami of the Eastern Lands, wife of the late King Taro, and reigning monarch of the cardinal kingdom of East." The water dragon youkai strode into the room and people gasped. Not since Princess Yukami had such a beauty walked the corridors of the palace. She dropped a low curtsy to the soon to be king and then turned to go to her seat.

The herald cleared his throat to quiet the buzz that had filled the hall at the arrival of the queen. "Presenting Lord Inuyasha of the Western Lands, now of the South, former captain of the Western Guard, second son of King InuTaisho of the West, and Lord of Higurashi Estate. His wife and mate, Lady Kikyo Higurashi of the Southern Lands and Lady of Higurashi estate.

Inuyasha grimaced at the formality of it all, but walked into the hall looking proud. Kikyo squeezed his arm, happy that her husband was being recognized for all that he was. Sesshomaru too, was proud, as he watched his younger brother walk into the hall with his lady. He gave him a nod when their eyes met, and Kagome grinned.

Once they were seated, the herald began again. He announced more Southern lords and ladies and then looked down at his list for the final time, his eyes widened minutely, but he did his job. "Presenting Princess Kanna of the Northern Lands, daughter of the late King Juromaru, and sister to the current monarch of the cardinal kingdom of the North, King Hakudoshi." A hush fell over the hall. No one, not even Yuri, Sesshomaru, or Sakiyami knew that Juromaru had died. The silent but malicious king was not someone they met with regularly. And now his son, who couldn't be more than a child was on the throne?

The princess stepped into the hall. Her face was void of emotion, as were her black eyes. She was clad in a long white gown, that matched her shoulder length hair and the flowers that adorned the locks. She stood in front of Yuri and met his eyes. "King Hakudoshi sends his congratulations." she said. Several people in the hall shuddered at the cold voice that came out of her mouth.

"He has my thanks." Yuri replied and motioned for her to be seated. Kanna inclined her head and went to her seat. Once everyone was in the hall, Yuri stood and motioned for someone to come forward.

It was a miko. One of the few the south had in it's employ. She was wearing a robe in white and trimmed in red. She came forward and knelt in front of her future king. Then she stood and the two of them switched places. The miko stood in front of the throne and Yuri knelt on the stairs.

"In the name of the Gods, I strip you of your title of Prince in preparation for another." the miko began, her voice soft, but resonant. "You are now simply Yuri. Behind you are the representations of your subjects, your allies, your counterparts. They are here to witness you take what is yours by right. Your subjects depend on you to lead them, to guide them and keep them safe. They also expect you to honor them and take their counsel. Do you vow to do this to the best of your ability?"

"I do." Yuri said.

"Your allies are trusting you with the safety of their people, as you put your trust in them. They are counting on your decisions to keep the peace in their lands and in this whole region. They want you to pull your weight in the alliance. Do you vow to do all you can to make this so?"

"I do."

"Your counterparts are also royal. Though they are not on your side, they still deserve your respect. They deserve you to honor them in counsel and in war. They deserve to be treated like people even if they are not your people. Do you swear to uphold your honor and theirs in all you do?"

"I do." Yuri replied once more.

"Then rise, and address them all, Yuri."

The king to be stood up and faced the crowd. "Thank you all for coming." he said. "I know that for some time the fate of this kingdom has been up in the air. According to my father's ruling, I was not supposed to stand before you in this way until I had taken a mate. My sister changed that. As I am sure all of you know, Yukami is dead. She proved herself to be unworthy of this crown. But I don't want to focus on that today. Today is about the future of the Southern Kingdom. Today is about making sure that everyone in this land, both those who are native to it, and those who have found their way to us, will be taken care of. Aside from what I have already promised to do, I want you all to know that I am your king. Never be afraid to voice your needs to me, any of you. The South is not the most powerful kingdom, or the richest, but that is why we have friends."

He turned to look at Sesshomaru and Kagome. "To the future rulers of the West, I say thank you. Princess Kagome, you have been my friend since before I knew I would one day stand in front of you today. Your warmth has been a gift to the South for a very long time, and now you light up the West. Prince Sesshomaru, you are one of the best leaders it has been my privilege to know, and I look forward to working with you as your ally in the times to come."

Kagome had tears in her eyes as she and Sesshomaru inclined their heads to their friend.

Yuri looked at the Eastern Queen. "To Queen Sakiyami, I say welcome. It has been an honor to get to know you as more than just the widow of a great king. You yourself are an adept leader and a kind demoness. I am sure that in the future, the bond between our lands will grow stronger. Though you are capable, if ever you have need, do not hesitate to call on me."

He turned towards where Kanna was sitting. "To the North, I say it is a shame. It is a shame that we cannot be friendly and that we are enemies. You do me an honor with your presence here, and I will honor you as well when the time comes for us to do battle. You may tell your king that I look forward to meeting him."

Finally he faced his own people. "I will not take up much more of your day, but I would be remiss if I didn't say something to those who have been here for the long haul. Subjects of the Southern Kingdom, you are the backbone of this land. It is you who are our strength and our pride. You make us what we are, and I am glad to serve you. Because that is what a king is, a servant. My job is to make sure that you are comfortable, happy, and cared for. The South has always been great, but we lost our way at some point. Together, we will get this kingdom back on track." Yuri bowed his head as the room erupted in cheers. Tears streamed down his face as he turned back to the miko.

She raised her hands for quiet. Beside her was the crown of the South. It was silver and wrought with amethysts and obsidian. The miko lifted it and Yuri knelt again. "With this crown, you look like a king. With your convictions, you are a king. In the name of the gods, I crown you King Yuri of the Southern Lands, monarch of the cardinal kingdom of the South." She placed the crown on Yuri's head and motioned for him to stand. The miko knelt as did everyone in the hall.

"All hail King Yuri, may he rule well." she cried.

"All hail King Yuri!" the hall echoed.

"I'm so proud of you!" Kagome said and threw herself at the new king. They were at the banquet after the coronation.

Sesshomaru was behind her with his usual stoic expression on his face. He was watching the pale princess from the North.

"Thanks, Kagome. I'm so glad you were here."

The white prince turned to Yuri. "Did you know of King Juromaru's death?" he asked.

"I did not. The fact that his son was appointed king and does not seem to be aided by a regent does not bode well."

Sesshomaru had to agree. "There was no announcement made. No coronation. It goes against the usually flashy nature of the North. I think this will present many problems for us in the future."

Kagome propped her hands on her hips. "I understand that this is all very important, but can we please focus on the happiness of the day?"

"I agree with the Princess." a melodious voice asserted from behind them. They all turned to see Queen Sakiyami standing there. "We will deal with the North in due time. Let us celebrate today." She smiled at Sesshomaru. "It is nice to see you again, Prince Sesshomaru."

"And you, Queen Sakiyami." the prince replied stiffly. "I don't believe you've met my wife. This is the Princess Kagome. My dear, this is the queen of the East, Sakiyami."

The queen's aqua eyes sparkled. "I have been wanting to meet you for quite some time, your Highness. You are causing quite a stir in the youkai kingdoms, young lady."

"Am I?" Kagome asked coolly.

"Well I suppose your prince is the one causing the stir. He made the choice, after all."

"And what choice is that, your Majesty? The choice to marry a miko or the choice to marry a human?"

The queen was a little taken aback by the directness of the miko's question. "Both, I assume. I offer no judgment, of course. Sesshomaru obviously made the right decision in choosing you. You seem like you are good for him."

Sesshomaru rolled golden eyes. "Thank you for your approval, Sakiyami. Do you plan to marry again?"

She gave a soft smile. "Are you proposing? I'm afraid I'll have to decline out of respect for your current mate. We female rulers have to stick together after all."

Kagome laughed. "I look forward to getting to know you, Queen Sakiyami."

"Gods help me." Sesshomaru muttered under his breath.

A/N: And so Yuri is king and everyone knows about Hakudoshi. We'll get to see what Naraku is up to in the next chapter and find out a little more about what happened to King Juromaru via some prophetic dreams from Kagome. As always, thanks for the reviews, and let me know what you thought of this.