Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!
It's me again!!! With another story that I wanted to write. And in this one, Inuyasha is indeed a half demon.
Prologue
Inuyasha grunted as a sword crashed hard onto his own. He pushed forward with all his weight and threw his attacker back. His opponent, a man with long black hair in a ponytail and brown eyes and a slight built that made him faster.
He let the momentum from Inuyasha's push wear out, then ran forward again attacking in his own style.
Inuyasha ducked under a sword swing and kicked him in the back sending him sprawling. Without hesitation, Inuyasha jumped onto his back and held his sword to his neck and shouted, "Dead!"
"Damn." Miroku went limp and Inuyasha climbed off of him in triumph.
"Ha ha! I truly am the best swordsman." He bragged to the empty training room.
"If I had my spear you wouldn't be so cocky." Miroku said standing up and whipping the dirt of his breeches.
"Be that as it may," Inuyasha said, "You do not, therefore, I'm the best!"
"Your highness." A calm serene voice interrupted. Inuyasha groaned knowing immediately who it was. "I feel precisely the same way about you, half demon." the voice said walking into the training ring from the shadows.
She had long black hair that she kept down and unadorned unlike most women. Her face was unpainted but her coloring was vibrant enough that she didn't need it. Her eyes were brown and held secrets that man was never meant to know. Her skin was unblemished and ivory colored. Normal women wore bright colors or some thing eye catching. Her clothing was simple and dull. A long brown skirt, a white shirt with loose sleeves and a brown vest with the royal seal on the right shoulder. Every one who worked in the palace had the seal some where on their person.
"What do you want, witch?" Inuyasha asked his voice filled with disdain.
"I want nothing from you, half demon." She said dismissing him. "Your highness," She turned to Miroku who got to his feet. "Your father wishes to see you in the throne room."
"Thanks, Kagome." Miroku said. She bowed her head to him as he walked out.
"Half demon," She turned to Inuyasha who was putting his tunic back on, it also had the royal seal on the shoulder. "What do you want?" he asked re-sheathing his sword.
"Just a quick question." she said walking to him on the platform.
"Oh?"
"Yes. I merely wish to know what it is you despise about me?" She smiled at him with that smile that held more secrets than her eyes.
"Despise?" he asked smiling back, the smile completely fake.
"Could it be me myself? Or maybe, more likely, my profession?"
"Yup, you caught me." he held up his hands palms out. "I got this thing against con artists. Damn, how did you know?" His smile and hands dropped and he rolled his eyes.
"Con artists?"
"Yeah, con artists. You know, those fakes who tell lies for money or fame? Kind of like...oh, um....you!"
"You don't believe me? You don't believe in magic?" she asked her hands clasped in front of her, her serene face never fading.
"There is no such thing." he said with absolute certainty. "Just fakes like you who tell lies to get jobs at the palace so they will payed for doing nothing." his face showed contempt and dislike for the women in front of him.
Kagome did a quick survey of him. Long silver hair, golden, heated eyes, a strong face and stronger body. Cocky, arrogant, yet still cares though refuses to show it.
"You are no more real than that damn prophecy." he waved his hand at the wall with the ancient writing off to his side. Kagome spared it a cursory glance but turned back to Inuyasha quickly.
"You should be careful when speaking of prophacies, they have this tendancy of coming true." she told him.
Inuyasha scoffed. "That thing was made up by your kind."
"A witch?"
"A con artist. Some one who wanted money and fame and was willing to lie and cheat to get it. And whoever it is, got it. Those words have been there since the palace was built ages ago. No one can even read them any more."
Kagome smiled at him then walked to the words.
"The heavenly kingdom will one day die
it's buildings will crumple, it's people will fall
Blood red smoke to fill the sky.
There is no hope, the land will be lost;
But where the armies will fail,
killed by demons of legend,
No longer a child's tale
There will be four
The Monk who is not
The Power of nature
The Slayer almost forgot
And the most powerful of all
From alone to a team
From hatred to love
These will rein supreme
But they make it together, or not at all.
And for it to succeed they all must
Learn to love
Learn to trust
Or the heavenly kingdom, has no chance."
Kagome turned back to him. "Every one knows it. Doesn't mean you can read it." Inuyasha pointed out.
Kagome chuckled low in her throat and approached him. "Careful Inuyasha." She whispered in his ear.
Inuyasha looked straight ahead as she leaned against him and said, "Prophecies also have a way of picking ones who don't want to be picked."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
Kagome laughed deep in her throat again, and spoke, her voice husky and slightly seductive, "Witches don't make prophecies, the spirits of the earth do. They merely tell us and one told me only this morning, 'Be prepared, the time is coming. None will be spared, only the four.'" She backed up, smiled at him, and left him alone.
"Stupid witch." Inuyasha said with her gone, he didn't want to admit how her voice, there at the end, sounded nothing like her, or how he felt power coming from her. He denied her very existence, he always had, it was just a trick, like every thing else she did. He didn't notice how his hands were shaking, nor how the words, having always been etched into the stone wall, started glowing as he followed her out.
"If we raise these taxes then, your majesty, we can have the...."
"Absolutely not." The king interrupted.
Miroku tried not to sigh. Council sessions always bored him, though he was very good at looking interested.
The man stuttered, surprised at being interrupted. This was not natural behavior for kings. They did not just dismiss notions to raise taxes, and as a builder of fine buildings, the man would know.
"'Not', your majesty?" he asked as if to be sure he had head him right.
"This years crops were lean. We can still feed our country and have emergency, but we do not have the money to raise taxes." The king told him. "Your proposition is a fine one. An arena to test my warriors strengths would be marvelous, but not at the cost of my people." He waved his hand dismissing the man.
He stuttered for a minute, but he rolled up his blue prints, bowed and left.
"Father," Miroku leaned over to him and whispered, "We have not had any kind of lean winter since the founding of this kingdom."
The king smiled and whispered back, "Yes but he doesn't know that. Do you really want that monstrosity on our land?"
Miroku smiled and sat back in his chair as the next man stepped forward.
"And what is it you need, um....?" the king asked kindly.
"Uh...Serevat, my Lord." he told him nervously.
Kagome entered the room, Inuyasha a step behind her.
"Council recognizes Grand Healer Kagome, and Captain Inuyasha." the stuffy chronicler said interrupting Serevat.
They both bowed to the king. He nodded and they rose.
"Great King," Kagome spoke, stepping forward. "Forgive our lateness, we had a matter of importance to attend to."
The king raised his eyebrow knowing very well they had probably been fighting again. "Of course, Healer." he said formally. Honestly the two were his great friends, though this was public, the king had no friends, only loyal servants and people. "Please, take your positions."
They bowed their heads and walked onto the raised dais on which the royal family sat. Miroku, on his father's right hand, looking much more formal than he had before, wearing a satin tunic and black breeches and the gold coronet.
His father was robed much the same, though his chest was decorated with medals and he wore a grand cape, merely for show, and a set of the royal jewels. Not the real ones of course.
His wife, a beautiful women with bright golden hair and gray eyes, sat on his left. She was revered as the most lovely woman in the land. Her dress was long and a pale pink. There was no adornment on it, a simple circled neck and long flowing sleeves. Her golden hair was curled in the latest fashion, that she herself had set, and matching jewels of the king's sat on her head.
On her left was Kia, Miroku's little sister. Her hair was gold like her mother's but her eyes were her father's. She looked dignified and excited. She was gripping the arms of her tiny throne as if she was playing a great game. She was only 5, but she was still required to attend the council.
Inuyasha leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Guess what I got you?" he asked his eyes playful. Kagome watched amazed, how he was so nice around children, but rude around everyone else was a surprise to her. "I got you a doll."
She gasped in happiness and smiled, it was radiant. "Is it pretty?" She asked just as quietly as him.
"Of course. But it could never compare to your beauty." He scrunched his nose at her as no one could see, then took his place between the king and queen.
"Flirting with my daughter again, Inuyasha?" the king asked.
"I must admit your majesty," Inuyasha responded as Kagome stood beside Kia. "She has stolen my heart. I fear I am in love with her."
The king chuckled. It was not a bad thing to have the man in charge of your protection, not only loyal, but fiercely devoted to your daughter.
Kagome sat next to Kia on the cushion next to her throne. Inuyasha was the only one allowed to stand on the throne when their majesties were seated and that was only because he was in charge of their safety.
"Have you been studying hard, Kia?" Kagome asked.
The girl nodded. "Real hard, just as you told me." Kagome smiled at her.
It was no coincidence that she was seated there. Should anything happen, not that anything did in their kingdom, she was charged with getting the princess to safety through a door off to their side.
"Please, continue, Serevat." The king prompted.
"Uh....Yes...er...Your majesty." He bowed again. His hands moved nervously on his hat that he had removed and held in front of him like a shield. "It is...uh...not important your majesty, and I could understand if you said no but...."
"Please, don't be nervous." The queen said smiling at him kindly. "What ever it is, we shall help you the best we can."
He nodded and cleared his throat. It was probably not a big problem. Nothing bad ever happened in the Great Kingdom. A kingdom older and more powerful and prosperous than any of it's allies. The kingdom had no enemies that it knew of, it was polite and kind to all of the kingdoms on the continent.
Besides that, there was a magic barrier surrounding the kingdom, it kept out anyone who meant the kingdom ill.
As far as the public knew, Kagome was just a palace healer. But her true job, known only to the king and queen, was to keep the barrier up and strong.
"Well, I am a farmer, your majesties. But, this year I need food for my family."
The king blinked in surprise. Maybe he had jinxed something by saying what he did to the builder. "Why do you need food, was your crop infested by parasites?" he asked confused. It had never happened before, nor had weeds, or bugs, or anything else ever eaten an entire family's crop before.
"Uh...no, My Lord. 'Twas bandits. They set the fields afire."
The king and queen snapped to attention. They looked at each other, shocked and disbelieving.
"Bandits?" The queen asked. "Can you be sure?"
"Yes, my lady." he said. "I saw them set the fires with my own eyes, after they beat me and my family and robbed us blind."
"Do you live in the border?" The king asked, his features worried now.
Serevat nodded, "No, only a two day trip away from the palace, my king. I don't even live close to it."
Miroku looked at his parents obvious shock, and didn't know what the problem was. He was only told of the barrier when he became king, so he had no clue of it's existence. Noticing that his father was not going to do it, he said to the farmer, "We will open the emergency stores for you, citizen."
The king and queen looked at him as he spoke. "We will give you enough food to last your family through the winter until you can replant next year."
"Thank you, your highness." Serevat bowed and his face cleared as a burden was lifted from his shoulder.
"Tell this man what you need." Miroku summoned a servant with a clipboard forward.
Serevat bowed formally, and left with the man.
"Council is closed." the king said before another man could step forward. "Please return tomorrow."
The people bowed and left not noticing their king's obvious distress.
"Father?" Miroku asked.
"Your majesty, what's wrong?" Inuyasha asked.
He waved off their questions, his face down thinking hard. "Every one leave." He ordered.
The council, confused, bowed and left.
"Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku you stay."
A nurse came in and took Kia by the hand. "What would you like to do today, your highness?" She asked kindly escorting her out of the room.
The door shut before she could answer and the five were left inside.
"Mother, Father, what's wrong?" Miroku asked getting up.
The king ignored him and turned to Kagome who had stood and was pondering just as hard. "Kagome?" he asked.
"I preformed the ritual, your majesty." she assured him. "Every month, at the same time, as always. It shouldn't have let them in."
"Then why were they here?" he asked.
"Uh...Your, Majesty?" Inuyasha asked. "What is she talking about?"
"The barrier." he answered immediatly. "She is responsible for it's keeping."
"Barri...." His eyes widened. "The rumors were true?" He asked. "There really is a barrier around this kingdom."
"Of course there is." The king said looking at him like he was stupid. "Have you ever noticed that we never needed the royal guard?"
Miroku was speechless. "Why was I not informed?" He finally asked.
"Your were not supposed to know." The queen said her eyes dark as she regarded Kagome. "Check the barrier, now."
"It is not that simple." Kagome said.
"Make it that simple." she ordered.
"Tapping into the barriers power without preparation will kill me." Kagome told her. "I need to prepare."
"Fine." The king interupted before his queen could speek again. "Just get it done, fast."
Kagome bowed, and ran out of the room.
Inuyasha scoffed, "You know she's going to run, don't you?"
The king looked at him curiously.
"Con men always run when their con has been revealed. I'll get the guard to stop her."
"Don't." the king held up his hand. "If she doesn't return we will know what the problem was and we can fix it easily. Just get a new witch."
"A new con artists." Inuyasha said under his breath. The royal family pretended not to hear him.
They waited in silence, the minutes dragging on.
Finally Inuyasha sighed. "I told you she would run."
"Did you now?" Kagome asked re-entering the room.
"Trying to keep up the charade?" Inuyasha asked in a false kind voice.
She didn't answer him. She set a basket at her feet and opened it up. She had changed her clothing and now wore a simple sleeping robe, easily removable by the string around her waist. Her feet were bare and she wore nothing else.
Without talking to the family, she set eight candles in a large five foot circle. One at each of the four directions, north, south, east, and west, and four more in between each. She didn't light them though. She grabbed a bag of sand and made a circle around the candles. Inuyasha was surprised to see it was a perfect circle. Lastly, she placed a deep clay bowl in the center then filled it with clear water.
"Shut all the doors and extenguish the lights." she told them, now lighting the candles.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes but obeyed. As Kagome lit the candles, she stayed on the outside of the circle.
He returned to their majesties sides.
"Are you ready now?" The queen asked.
The room was plunged into darkness and all you could see were the tiny lights casting shadows on every one's faces.
"Yes." Kagome stared at the bowl of water. "Please, do not attempt to talk to me, nor break the circle." Kagome told them.
"Break the circle?" Inuyasha asked.
"Enter the circle." Kagome clarified.
Inuyasha made an 'O' shape with his mouth then his jaw dropped as Kagome untied her robe and let it drop to the floor.
"Shit." he said covering his eyes.
"I cannot do it with clothes on." Kagome said completely oblivious to her own nakedness.
Inuyasha peeked at her, determined to only see her face, but the candles kept her body mostly in shadows.
Without another word, she took a step into the circle and Inuyasha tried not to look as her body was temporarily revealed than just as quickly robed in darkness. He didn't succeed, and she had a great body.
Miroku, usually one who would love to see a women walk about naked in front of him, was completely focused and not on her body.
Her feet padded quietly on the floor as she stopped in front of the bowl.
She started mumbling so no one could hear. The water in the bowl started sloshing as if an invisible wind made waves in it.
Kagome mumbled something in a much stronger voice and the water exploded from the bowl. But it didn't fly off every where. It exploded in a perfect half circle and made something resembling a barrier where the sand stopped. And thought it passed through Kagome, she was dry, and it went over the candles, yet the fire burned strong.
She turned in circles, her eyes far away, and Inuyasha knew she wasn't seeing the throne room through a bubble of water.
Suddenly what she did was so real to him. The water moved in it's perfect half circle and shimmered as if it were a living thing, and Kagome was keeping it up. In an instant his entire belief changed.
"She's a witch." he said to himself.
"What is that?" Kagome asked, obviously to herself.
Inuyasha looked where her gaze had traveled with everyone else. The circle wasn't as perfect as he had thought. There was a slightly ridged hole no bigger than his fist at the southeast side. The edges of the hole was red and glowed like an ember and the space between it and the floor was pitch black.
"What...." Kagome reached out to touch it with her finger.
"Don't!" Inuyasha yelled suddenly having a terrible feeling. But she didn't hear him.
She touched the black space.
She screamed.
She clasped her head, not ending her terrible wail.
She backed away from the blackness, still screaming.
Inuyasha ran forward into the water despite her earlier warning. It was like being stopped by a brick.
Her body started writhing in pain.
With a scream of his own, he drew his sword and made a swift cut through the water.
The scratch hung there for a second and at first Inuyasha thought nothing would happen, but then the water fell with a crash to the tile below extinguishing the candles.
Kagome gasped, her eyes wide with fear. Inuyasha watched a tear fall down her cheek before she collapsed to the ground.
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Reviews please, I do so love them.