Chapter 2: Stepmother vs. Stepdaughter

Kagome stared at the dress and then smiled. "This is my mothers dress." She sighed as her smooth hands glided over the silky fabric.

Lizzy smiled and went to speak when she heard a door slam down stairs. Lizzy quickly closed the door as she heard a woman scream from the bottom of the stairs, "KAGOME!"

Tahoe slowly crawled off his master's bed and crawled into the closet where he laid down in a little ball. Kagome quickly stripped out of her sweaty clothes and tugged on her dress. Lizzy grabbed her sweaty clothes and tossed them into the closet that she quickly slid closed when the door swung open. "Young Lady didn't you hear me calling?" The woman spat in the teen's face. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a curly bun. Her dark brown eyes bore into Kagome's showing the hatred that she had towards the tiny teen.

"Sorry I was getting ready to come down." She said in a stern fearless voice as she grabbed her perfume that was on her desk and sprayed herself.

"Sure you were." She growled as she looked around the room. Her tight fist rested on her bony hips. Her dark forest green dress went past her feet and clung to her body showing off her sharp curves.

"What is it that you need?" Kagome asked sweetly throwing on her I'm innocent smile.

"I saw you at the peer again with that ship boy." She growled at her turning her attention at her stepchild.

"His name is Koga." She said glaring back at her stepmother. "And I wasn't at the peer. If I was how did I beat you here since you have all four horses pulling your carriage? Besides I would have stayed there instead of coming home to you accusing me of such nonsense."

Before Kagome could blink her stepmothers hand slapped Kagome's cheek leaving four scratches from her long fingernails on her flawless face. Her off struck face and confused brain ignored the pain as she slowly brought her hand to her face. She moved her hand away from her cheek and stared at the drops of blood on her hand. Lizzy stood back with a confused look on her face as she stared at Anne. "How dare you talk to me like that?" Anne snapped at her stepdaughter.

Kagome's hands turned into fist as anger took over her body. Lizzy quickly grabbed Kagome by the waist and held her back before she started swinging at her evil stepmother. Anne smiled at the angered child that was held tightly against Lizzy's chest. Anne turned around and went to take a step forward when a low growl and sharp bark erupted from the doorway. Kagome pushed her way loose from Lizzy's tight grip and crossed her arms in front of her chest as an evil grin stretched across her face while Anne stared into the dog's eyes with her frightened ones. "Remember what my dad said before he left me with you?" She paused and smiled as her dog's ears that went flat against his head. "Do you?"

"N…nnoo." Anne stuttered.

"My dogs are trained to protect the land, animals, and…my god what was the last one Lizzy?" She asked her friend that had taken a few steps back.

Lizzy's eyes widened before she snapped them shut. "He's trained to kill anyone that trespasses onto his land or hurts the animals and…Kagome."

As the last word escaped her mouth Tahoe rushed forward and leapt forward going for Anne's throat. She screamed as she fell backwards making him miss her throat and slide on the floor. Anne scrambled to her feet and ran into a hard muscular body that was blocking the door. Tahoe stood, crouched low with his ears pinned against his head letting out a low growl at the woman that quickly scrambled behind the 6'2 man that blocked the doorway. "Heel." His stern voice said making the dog back down and let out little growls at the woman as he sat down in front of Kagome.

The man's jet-black hair was slightly messy from his long travels. His dark blue tired eyes stared at his daughter that stood next to Lizzy with her hand over her cheek. His dark blue pants were strapped to his hip with a black belt that had a silver sword hanging at his left side and his handgun on his right side. Gold tassels rested on the broad shoulders of his dark blue jacket that was tucked into his pants. His stern face continued to stare at his daughter as he stepped forward leaving Anne to fend for herself in the doorway. His warm caulis hands touched her hand and pulled it away to show four long scratches on her cheek that continued to drip blood.

Tahoe let out a little growl towards the door when he noticed Anne take a little scoot away from the door. "Don't you dare move." The man's hard voice threatened from where he stood making Anne freeze.

His thumb wiped some of the blood away from her cheek making Kagome wince away from his hand. "Lizzy…clean this up and then bring her down to the dining hall to eat."

"Yes sir." She said taking Kagome's elbow and shoulder and leading her out of the room with Tahoe on their heels.

Kagome stopped next to her father. "Wait…" She whispered as she turned around to see her dad for the first time in three months. She walked up to her dad and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a teary hug as she placed her good cheek onto his shoulder. "I missed you daddy." She cried slightly into his shoulder then pulled away and walked up to Lizzy.

As they passed Anne in the doorway Tahoe snapped at her ankles, unable to control him self. The frightened woman jumped letting out a little scream as she ran towards her husband. As the teens walked down the hallway to the bathroom Kagome couldn't help but smile when she heard her father say "Anne," in an angered tone.

Lizzy closed the door behind her as they entered the all white bathroom. She started the warm water in the sink and placed a cloth in the sink as Kagome sat on the side of the tub. "So where were you all day today if you don't mind me asking?" Lizzy asked as she peered at the day dreaming Kagome who was staring at the floor.

Kagome smiled and brought her hand to her lap. "I was at the peer with Koga, Miroku and Sango." She whispered loud enough for Lizzy to barely hear. "I was saying bye to Miroku. He was going with his father on his third trip to the U.S. dropping off merchandise."

"That's why you ran home. But how did you beat her here?"

"Koga and Sango distracted her." She laughed lightly bringing her stare up to her friend. "It was really close for a little bit, but I got out of there fast."

Lizzy dabbed the warm cloth on her cheek and smiled at the fact that her flawless face will remain scar less. "Is that the only reason why you went to the peer?"

Kagome's cheeks flushed as a bright smile gleamed on her face showing her white teeth. She turned her head to the side trying to hide her embarrassment. "Um…"

"You like that Koga boy that comes to see you every night don't you?" She said slyly.

"Ssshhh…" Kagome whispered, as her face got brighter. "No… him and I are best friends I just think he's cuter and nicer than all the other men I know beside my father."

"You should tell the Commodore…I mean your father." She quickly corrected herself as Kagome sent her a glare. "I'm still not used to saying your father while he wants me to call him Commodore."

"I know…" She sighed as she looked at the floor. "It's just…I don't like my father being in the navy anymore since those pirates of 'the Shikon Jewel' started attacking any ship that crossed their path. I used to want to travel on the sea with my father or marry a rich merchant and travel the seas with him and his crew." She paused as Lizzy stopped dabbing her cut to pay attention to her. "But…now I don't know what I want to do. I want to leave this house…but where ever I want to go I'm not aloud to and just end up getting in trouble. Then where my father or that retched wife of his takes me somewhere I feel like I'm trapped in a small cell with nothing but the clothes on my back. I just want to…"

Lizzy stared at her hoping to hear the answer but to no prevail. "What do you want Miss?"

"I want to be…free. I want to travel the world with no worries and just be myself not something that other people want me to be. I want the greatest adventure that anyone could ever ask for."

Lizzy put the cloth in the sink and turned to stare at her mistress that was her friend, her friend that entrusted her with her deepest thoughts and feelings without even thinking before she spoke. Kagome continued to stare at the ground as thoughts and wishes ran through her head. "You should go and eat."

Kagome looked up and smiled. "Will you eat with me again?"

Lizzy grinned and nodded as she helped her friend to her feet. "Of course Miss."

"How come you continue to do that whole 'Miss' thing?" Kagome asked as she walked out of the bathroom to be met by Tahoe who was lying down outside the bathroom. She stepped over her dog and rubbed his head before they started to walk down the hallway.

"I have to Miss." Lizzy giggled by her side.

"I loathe that word." She grumbled as she started to walk down the stairs with Lizzy and Tahoe behind her.

Her father sat at the end of the table facing the stairs. Kagome froze on the steps and stared at the 2 muscular, navy men on either side of him. On his right side was a 5'8 man around 20 years old. His black hair was spiked up shinning slightly in the light of the candles that lit up the room. His tan face was facing her having his hazel eyes meeting her first as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He rose to his feet making the other naval officer look up to see what his partner was staring at.

The man to the left smiled brightly showing his white teeth on his slightly red face. His light brown eyes stared at her through his slightly long brown hair. He stood up showing his tall height of 6 feet. "Why hello there Miss." He said sweetly waiting for her to come the rest of the way down the stairs.

"Sorry…" Kagome said coming the rest of the way down the stairs, with Lizzy and Tahoe staying on the stairs. Kagome curtsied and smiled back, "I didn't know we had guest here. Shall I still dine with you father?"

He rose to his feet and smiled back to her. "Please sit down next to Lieutenant Bankotsu." He said sweetly motioning towards the hazel-eyed man to his right.

She bowed her head and did as she was told. Tahoe ran to her side and stared at Bankotsu as he pulled out Kagome's chair for her to sit in. "Thank you." She said sweetly as she sat down in the cushiony chair.

"Your welcome Miss." He said happily as he pushed her up to the table. He went to pat the dogs head only to get a warning growl and the showing of his teeth. "What a beautiful guard dog."

"You can call me Kagome. And thank you, he is a very good guard dog."

"Yes he is. He did exactly as he was trained." The commodore spoke with slight anger in his voice.

"Yes well it's a good thing that I heard a dog growl." Bankotsu said from his seat. "Otherwise that woman would have been dead in the hallway. Instead of the jail cell that Ryu took her to."

"That is true." The other perky stranger laughed from the other side of the table. "So…Commodore Collin, why are we here dinning with you and your lovely daughter? If you don't mind me asking?"

Collin let out a hefty sigh and sipped some of the wine in the glass that he had just picked up. "Well…I suppose I can relay it to Ryu when he gets back." He paused as he put the wine glass done on the table. "I am taking my daughter with me to the U.S. and I need you and your crew to follow with me to make sure that no bloody pirates gang up on me during my quest to the U.S."

Kagome turned and looked at her father. "Why am I going to the U.S.?"

"I met a Commodore at the U.S. during my trip. He has a son that is only 2 years older than you. So I was going to go take you to meet him and get you married into the family." He said calmly taking the wine glass back into his hand.

"What!" Kagome screamed as she shot up out of the chair causing it to fall to the ground. Tahoe shot to his feet before the chair hit him in the head. "How could you do this to me?"

"Sit down young lady."

"No!" She screamed at him as she ran up the stairs.

Bankotsu turned and looked at Collin with a puzzled look. "Why did you arrange a marriage?"

Collin sighed and placed the wine glass down once he sipped the last of it down. "Commodore Derek says that he would help us destroy the pirates that plague our seas in exchange for Kagome marrying his son. His son isn't pleased either but he is ready to serve his father."

"I see." Bankotsu spoke quietly as he pondered. "I shall help you with your quest to the U.S., but I wish that the girl take her dog just incase an officer has a bad idea. And a slave that she knows so she doesn't feel lonely while she is on the ship."

"Good idea." He said as he stared at the stairs that his daughter and dog disappeared to.

There we go. I know it's a little confusing right now but I swear to god it gets better. I have 10 more chapters written right now I just need to double check grammar and so and so forth. Sesshomaru and the rest of the gang will join the scene too. Sorry we won't be seeing much of Shippo, Miroku and Sango. Please review!