A/N: I will be passing back and forth between using Inuyasha, Koga, and Miroku's alias' and their real names. Mainly cause I want to. Also the language gets a bit crude so if anyone has a delicate disposition about language check the rating it is T. I will not be offended if you don't want to read my story for that reason :) Alright on we go.
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the manga/anime characters. However any original characters in this fic belong to me.
Chapter two
Three days later Inuyasha and his team were hidden in the trees along the only road that lead into the Eastern Forest Kingdom's capital city, Dryades. The city was named for the nymphs that supposedly lived in the forest around it. Intel Koga had gathered said that the princess' private car would come through there and head straight up the road into the castle. The men didn't have to wait long to find out if the intel was right. A sleek black car crested the hill, the early morning sun gleamed off wind shield. Inuyasha signaled the other two from his position in the branches above when the car entered the cover of the trees. As the car neared their hiding places, the plan was set into motion. Koga gave a devistating kick to a large tree near the road. The tree cracked in angry protest before falling onto the road. It landed directly in the path of the car forcing the driver to slam on the brakes. Koga signalled back before he and Miroku changed positions.
As expected there was no movement from the car for a moment. Then three armed guards exited. One from the front passenger, one from the rear passenger, and the last from the driver rear. They held their guns at the ready as they began securing the area. While their attention was around the fallen tree Inuyasha slipped his mask in place, then dropped to the ground and slid into the back of the car.
"Who are you?" A startled femal voice cried as he slipped in. The question was followed by a shreik of surprise when he hit the driver over the back of the head with the hilt of a long blade knife.
"Now, Princess, it'd make everything go smoother if you'd cooperate." Inuyasha smirked behind his wolf shaped kabuki mask as the flustered girl shifted her eyes back and forth between him and his blade.
"You'll be sorry." She said as her storm grey eyes met his with little fear in them.
Inuyasha leaned back in the seat resting his back against the door. He openly racked his eyes up and down her form which she instantly bristled at. She was as pretty as her picture, that was easy to see. She sat prim and perfect despite the situation she was in. The robin egg blue sun dress she wore draped over her body perfectly and flowed over the tops of her knees. He did notice that she was bare foot, which seemed strange for a human princess. Before she had a chance to say anything the driver door opened and the unconcious man was dumped out.
"All clear!" A cheerful male voice called as a head of shoulder length dark hair popped into the car. "Well don't you look worth the trouble. How's about we keep this one, Boss?"
The princess' eyes widened as she stared at the new male in a red and white wolf kabuki mask.
"Calm down there oh cured one. No bounty, no booty, you know the rules." Inuyasha said mockingly as the passenger door opened and another male slid in.
"I don't know, she looks like plenty of booty to me." The new male said earning a round of laughs from the other men.
"Princess let me introduce you to The Cursed One," Inuyasha said pointing to the man sliding into the driver's seat. He flashed the princess a smile as he put the car in reverse, "and The Wolf's Howl." He said pointing to the second male in a matching mask.
"So that would make you The Steel Fang?" The princess asked in an almost mocking voice before she turned to look out the window.
"Well, well, well." The Steel Fang chimmed in amuzement. "Someone is very informed."
"You're horrible deeds have earned their way into after dinner talks." She answered off handedly as she watched the scenery glide passed her window.
"Conversation that men are privy too, not women." Even though her face was turned Inuyasha could see her stiffen at his statement. "We have ourselves a nosy little princess, boys." He mocked earning another glare from her storm grey eyes. "Who is it you watch when no one is looking?"
"I can't imagine that my private life has anything to do with your job. So the chit chat is not needed." The princess said glaring at the masked man sharing her back seat.
"We're here." The Cursed One stated ending the bantering in the back seat. The Wolf's Howl and The Cursed One exited the car to secure the area. As the car filled with silence The Steel Fang and the princess stared at each other.
"Look, I don't want to harm you-"
"That's a surprise! Then what do you want?" The princess demanded.
"It's not our job to harm you!" Inuyasha growled out. "Stay in line and this can be painless!" Looking at the storming fury that woman across from him held at bay, Inuyasha could say her photo hadn't done her justice. She had looked so cold, almost uncaring about whatever had been happening when it was taken. But as she sat here pissed off there was so much warmth to her, she could have set the car on fire. "Just behave like a good little princess, ok?"
The princess sent the masked man across from her a glare as her door opened. She slid her feet towards the door as she accepted the hand offered her. She exited the car with all the grace she had been taught, but the second both feet cleared the car she ran.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he exited the car. When she hadn't slipped her shoes on it was easy to figure what she had planned, but damn it was annoying. The irritated leader made his way to the rear of the vehicle where he was joined by his team mates. They watched for a few moments as the princess ran with her skirt hiked up above her knees to keep it from tangling in the taller weeds.
"Spirited." Miroku mused as he admired her legs running across the grass. She was trying to make it to the other side of the small clearing where she could hide in the trees, but he knew the being next to him wouldn't let that happen.
"Yea, just fucking great." Inuyasha grumbled as he sprinted off after her. Even with his charm in place he was faster than any human male so catching one female was no trouble for him. She had just reached the first tree at the edge when he grabbed her around her waist. The princess reached out as if the tree would save her but he never let her hand touch it. Whirling her around he had them facing the car once again. "That's not good behavior, wench."
"Let me go you rouge!" She yelled as he lifted her feet off the ground and began moving them forward. "I command you release me at once!" The princess wriggled and pounded her firsts against his arm, though it had little effect. Next thing she knew, she had been dropped to the ground. "Ow!"
The Steel Fang bend in front of the woman now rubbing her ass in protest to the pain. Reaching in his back, he saw her freeze. "Glad I have your attention again." Pulling white plastic from his back pocket he roughly grabbed her hands, quickly he slipped zip cuffs over them and fastened her wrists togather. "You had your chance."
"Why should I make your job easier for you!?" She shouted towards his face.
"Wench, you are too loud." The merc shouted back at her.
"How dare you! I am a princess not some common bar maid." She continued in there shouting match.
"Well, when you want to act like a royal again I'll address you as such. Now come on." The Steel Fang pulled the angry female to her feet by the cuffs and started leading her back to the car. However after a few paces the princess stopped walking. Unfazed he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.
"Why I never-" She squealed as she tried to shift off his shoulder.
"I'm sure you haven't." He interrupted as he walked on completely unbothered by her added weight or wiggling. "We aren't your polite princes who drink whiskey and smoke with your father after dinner. Don't take our generosity for granted again." Setting the princess down next to his team, The Steel Fang fixed her with a glare of his own. "I promise those horrible deeds you over heard were only what could be shared in polite conversation. We are much worse than that."
While he had been dealing with the princess his team had uncovered a hard top, tan jeep. They had hidden the jeep with cut branches before setting up to ambush the princess's car. Giving a nod to the wolf, Inuyasha walked over to the driver door while the woman was loaded by the other two.
As they drove off an explosion followed. The car they had been in had been wiped clean and then disposed of for good measure along with the cut branches. People would follow, that was a given, but they would be far from both Eastern territories by then. Their destination was territory unclaimed by any kingdom. It wasn't often they used it for missions but he felt this was an exception. "Cursed One, call your Slayer." The Steel Fang said to the man in the passenger seat. "We are coming for a visit."
Miroku's eyes sparkled with delight. "One room?"
"Make it two." Turning his eyes to the rear view mirror Inuyasha said. "I'll be bunking alone with the princess." He watched with delight as fear danced over the face of the woman in the backseat.
"Don't worry." The Wolf's Howl whispered. "He only like fighters. Oh, wait..." The male chuckled as the woman gulped. Inuyasha smirked over hearing the wolf's taunts. Yea, she was a faighter but he wanted nothing to do with her. The bitch was trouble, he could feel it in his bones. If scaring her would keep her in line until the hand of, then so be it.
Outside the window the world changed from the forest the princess knew so well to lonely roads she had never seen, to roads even less traveled than the previous ones they had been on. After about an hour the green she loved was gone. They entered the desert. The outlands that laid at the edge of the Eastern Forest and stretched to the edge of the salt flats in the Southern Kingdom. The desert belonged to anyone who didn't pledge loyalty to a kingdom but it was filled with people who had come from every kingdom. The worse among them bandits, pirates, and mercenaries. All for profit bad guys and she was being driven into the thick of it.
The sun seemed to blaze in the desert unlike how it shone in the forest or shimmered on the sea. Hills of sand rose and fell. They were scattered about, everywhere the princess turned there was nothing but bronzed sand as they drove down a road she couldn't see. Hours passed and the sun moved relentlessly above them. Finally a small town came into view as they crested a dune.
"Well, Pincess Kikyo, this will be home sweet hom for a while." The Cursed One called over his shoulder while his gaze stayed glued on the town in front of them.
Melodious laughter filled the jeep gaining the attention of the males inside.
"What's so fucking funny?" Inuyasha demanded.
"The joke is on you, Steel Fang." She said wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm not Princess Kikyo. I am Kagome, princess of the Eastern Forest Kingdom."
Inuyasha slammed on the brakes as all heads turned to study the laughing princess.
"You've stolen the wrong royal." Kagome knew she shouldn't be laughing, in fact she wanted to melt into a pool of tears. Whatever time she would have had to live if they had meant to take her was now gone. Surely they would kill her immediately now that they new she wasn't her cousin. Still the look in that cocky jerks eyes had been nearly priceless. Nearly, the price she'd pay would be her life.
Kagome couldn't believe the day she was having, on top of the week she had already had. First Kikyo had fell ill and demanded a visit from her. A fool's errand no matter how you looked at it. Kagome wasn't even supposed to be out of the forest, it had been Kikyo's turn to visit her for a season. Then she had only been able to stay a half a week before the other princess took to fever and Kagome was sent home before she fell ill as well. Too ice the cake she had been mistakenly kidnapped, taken by some of the worse mercenaries in all the kingdoms.
Looking out of the tinted window her heart sank. They had left no note from what she saw and no one had made a ransom call with demands. Surely she'd have been dead no matter what but now she had no idea how much time was left.
Inuyasha turned around to face the road and stepped on the gas. Damn it all! They fucked up and big time. They needed out of sight to figure this shit out fast. The roads through the town were wide but crowded with people. It was slow going for the group to reach the far west side of the place. There, standing alone yet still surrounded by buildings of clay and nomad tents, was a tavern/inn called Jitaku. It translated to home away from home. The name was fitting since most of the people here were from somewhere else. He pulled around the back of the building and threw the jeep in park. Their's was just another dirt covered vehicle among many. Killing the engine they were plunged into silence. Inuyasha was nervous though he'd never admit it. As the nutorious Steel Fang he wasn't supposed to get nervous.
"Damn." He mumbled pulling the key from the ignition. "Throw the cloak on her and let's get the hell inside."
The other two said nothing as they watched their leader jump out of the jeep and light a smoke. The wolf reached behind the deat to grab a black hooded cloak.
"What's going to happen to me?" Kagome asked in a surprisingly steady voice.
"I'm not sure, Princess, this has never happened before." The Wolf's Howl answered honestly. "Just keep your head down until you're told. We might have taken you by mistake but if someone else here recognizes you...Trust me it wouldn't be a mistake on their part."
Kagome nodded as the man beside her lifted the hood to shadow her face. She understood what he was saying. These weren't called the bad lands by the courts for nothing. She sat still as large hands fastened the cloak around her neck so it would stay in place. "Any chance we can ditch these?" Kagome asked raising her wrists hopefully as she slipped her feet into her shoes that were on the floor.
"Doubt it." Was the only answer she got before her door opened and The Steel Fang yanked her out.
Having put his mask back in place, The Steel Fang glared at the woman before him for a moment before turning away. "Let's go." He said as much to her as to his men.
Kagome did her best to keep her face hidden but she had never seen a desert town before, or the desert at all. Even the ground beneath her feet was fascinating. It looked so dry and course. The sand moved and shifted under the weight of her walk. She wondered if it felt the same as the sand on the beached in her cousin's country but she imagined her captured wouldn't allow her to stop and feel it. When she did risk a glance or two around she found everything was brown like the ground. There were splashes of color here and there from cloth awnings draped over doorways or curtains blowing in windows.
"Head down." The man beside her growled and her gaze shifted to her feet once more.
The Steel Fang grumbled under his breath as he walked in front of the princess. The Wolf's Howl was next to her and The Cursed One walked behind her. Luckily it was a short walk from the jeep to the front of the tavern. He had never been so glad to see a bar in his life. That joy was short lived as he pushed open the swing doors and his eyes adjusted from the bright desert to the darker room. The place was packed. Watching every movement inside he and his men entered with their prize. The room looked up and fell silent, all eyes watching the small group carefully.
"Fuck off ya bastards!" Inuyasha growled out. The room listened for the most part. The patrons going back to what they had been doing before The Steel Fang had walked in. "Find the Slayer, Cursed One."
Miroku didn't need prompting as he left the group to search out the hostess.
Koga and Inuyasha moved the princess to an empty table near the back so the pair could watch the room.
"Sit down and don't speak." The Steel Fang told her as he helped her into a chair. "And I don't give a fuck what anyone says, don't you dare look up."
Kagome nodded. She was terrified of where she was and what could happen if she looked around. From the sounds of the place there were many men there who were, in all likely hood, just like The Steel Fang.
Watching her nod from under her hood Inuyasha hoped she meant it. Now would be the worse possible time for her to try and spite him. Without an onther moment to think trouble walked their way.
"New merchandise, Fang?" A man of average height with long dark hair that was braided down the length of his back called out. He and two others stopped close to the table. "Let's have a look. Maybe I'll be willing to pay your price if she looks good enough."
The man reached out to throw back the hood but the other merc grabbed his wrist before he could touch it. "This ones for private use. No sales today, Banks." Giving the wrist a squeeze to make sure his point got across he threw the other man's hand away.
"You're lying." The taller bald man said from behind Banks. He eyed the hooded figure with a lustful stare in his beady eyes. "You never keep good to yourself and if you did, why would you keep her hidden?"
"Renkotsu, how the hell would you know what I do or don't do with my dick?" The Steel Fang slowly pulled out a blade roughly the size of his palm. While pretenting to admire the weapon he continued, "As for why she's hidden," pointing the tip of the blade at the older man Inuyasha smiled though they couldn't see, "I wanted to save her from having to look at an ugly mug like yours."
"Why you little shit!" Renkotsu yelled as he moved forward to grab the younger merc. He was stopped by Banks out stretched arm before he could reach the table.
"No need to get nasty. Right, Fang?" The dark haired man asked as he kept his gaze on the blade that was out but also weary of the blades they couldn't see. "After all we've done plenty of good business before. We'll just have to talk when you're in a more sharing mood."
"Keh. That won't be with this one, so don't waste your breath." The Steel Fang said as he leaned back in his chair and began picking his human looking nails with the tip of the knife.
"Let's go boys." Banks said turning around. He smacked his hand against the chest of a still enraged Renkotsu. Anywere else he'd have let his brother fight it out but their little scene had already gotten too much attention for where they were.
Koga relaxed as the three walked back the way they'd came. "Lucky it was just the three and not the entire group."
"Don't I know it." Inuyasha said placing his blade back in the side holster he had pulled it from. "Where the hell is that fucking lech?" He cursed as he flagged over a waitress.
A girl in a low cut navy blue tank top and long flowing tan skirt walked over to their table. "What'll it be?"
"Three beers and a water." Inuaysha said grabbing the girls hand holding it palm up. He placed some cash in it and closed her fingers around it. "You can keep the change if you tell your boss and the lech that we're done waiting."
The poor girl paled noticably. "Yes, sir."
"Do you get off scaring people?" The princess muttered.
The Steel Fang shoed the girl away before glaring at the hood that hid their most recent problem. "I said no talking. You want me to feed you to those fucking men from earlier?" The princess shuddered under the black cloak, he was glad she understood the position they were in here.
The waitress came back with their drinks and set them down quickly. Once finished she started to walk off but The Steel Fang was faster, grabbing her arm before she could get away.
"The lech?" He questioned.
"On the way." The Cursed One called in a cheerful voice.
"Steel Fang, what have I told you about handling my employees like that?" A female voice asked in an annoyed tone as she stepped up to the table. She was tall, tanned, and toned, wearing faded jeans and a black tank top. She stood glaring at the mercenary with deep brown eyes. Her hair was long and brown but she had it pulled high into a pony tail so the weight wasn't on her back and neck. She was a powerful picture to be sure but what made her serious news was the belt of silver plated holy bullets and the side arm holstered to her hip and strapped to her leg.
Releasing the poor girl, who scurried away quickly, Inuyasha lifted the bottom of his mask quickly flashing the owner a cunning smirk. "No harm done, Sango."
The woman identified as Sango huffed, "If I let you do it, every rough hand that walks in here will think they can. Then my girls will never be safe.". Impatiently Sango plopped down in one of the empty chairs at the table. "Two rooms this time, huh?" She questioned as she eyed the cloaked figure. "If you brought trouble into my bar-"
A wad of cash landed on the table between them.
"You have nothing to worry about." Fang said smoothly though he knew she knew he was lying through his teeth.
Grabbing the cash, Sango stuffed down her shirt between her breast. "For my trouble you will be down a man tonight. The Cursed One has lost time to make up for."
Said Cursed One smiled to himself as he reached out to grope the attractive owner. She was faster though, smacking his hand away as she sent him a glare.
"You know the rules." She ground out as she tried not to clentch her teeth.
"Which rooms, San?" The Wolf's Howl asked as he rubbed his temple. He was over this day.
"Top floor, end of the hall, left side." Sango tossed two keys on the table as she stood up.
"Thanks." Steel Fang said grabbing the keys. "You really are a desert rose."
"Spare me the flattery, Fang. There had better not be a mess left for me to clean up when you're done." She eyed the hooded figure once more before leaving the table. Whoever the girl was, she wasn't her problem. Sango had enough trouble with a bar full of outlaws, she didn't have time for someone else's misfortune.
"Let's go." Fang demanded gripping the woman's elbow. Grabbing his beer he motioned to the water on the table. The Cursed One grabbed it along with his beer and the four made their way to the stairs at the far end of the bar.
Gauging the level of curiosity they were getting as they crossed the room, Fang determined they'd be getting a lot of bothersome knocking in about an hour. Climbing the well used stairs the group made their way to the end of the hall. There Fang checked the numbers on the keys and the ones on the doors. Deciding to bunk him and the princess farthest away he opened the last door in the hallway and the group filed in.
"Well, this is fun." Koga said as he threw himself into the arm chair to the far right of the door.
"Tell me somthing I don't know." Inuyasha said as he moved to towards the princess.
Kagome flinched when she saw a hand come near her face. Suddenly the hood was thrown back and everything was very bright to her sensitive eyes. "What is this place?"
"Best you don't know." The Steel Fang said as he undid the tie of the heavy fabric.
"Why?"
"For our protection." The Cursed One said plainly as he leaned against the locked door.
"Your protection? That's rich!" Kagome scolded.
"Keep your damn voice down, wench." Inuyasha cursed as he drew a small blade and cut her ties.
Rubbing her wrist she looked from one face to another until she had studied all three men. They were all similar in height and weight each with a head of dark hair falling in different lengths, but their masks did their job. She couldn't tell a thing about their faces. "What now?" She questioned softly as she sat down on the queen size bed.
"Now The Cursed One and The Wolf's Howl go secure their room." Fang said handing the wolf a key.
"And us?" Kagome asked.
"And us nothing. You're going to sit there, shut up and drink your water." He said harshly as he handed roughly Kagome the glass. "You ain't use to the desert, hate to see you dry out."
"Thank you." She said as she took a sip. But a sip turned into her chugging down the water. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was. Then again she had never been this far from the forest. She was only allowed to travel to the sea kingdom, which had a lush orchard on the ground of the castle.
"Damn." Fang said taking the glass. "Thirsty?"
"Unbelievably so." Kagome said as she twisted to lay out on the bed. She felt so tired even though she knew she should stay awake around this man. "What's going to happen to me? You can tell me the truth, I promise I won't freak out again. I just need to know." Kagome said making an attempt at conversation to stay awake.
"Look, I really don't know what the hell we're going to do." Pulling the chair from under the roll top desk, he spun it around to face the princess. Princess Kagome, damn. "This has never happened to us before. I'll have to put in a few calls but I'm planning on dumping you back in your forest for your guards to find."
"Mm-Kay." Kagome mumbled as sleep dragged her down.
Whatever Inuyasha was going to say next died on his lips as he watched sleep pull the woman under. "Damn, princesses."
Inuyasha took off his mask and pulled the charm from his neck after watching Princess Kagome sleep for a moment. Then he pulling out his cell phone he called the number he'd memorized from the contractors phone.
After a couple rings someone answered. "I don't know this number so I imagine we shouldn't be speaking." A male said in a greasy voice.
"There's been a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
Inuyasha didn't like how intrigued the guy on the other line sounded. "Did you know the princess from the forest kingdom would be the one traveling today? Or am I reading more in your interest than's really there?" Some thing was starting to feel way off about this entire job and he did like it one bit.
"I had no idea when you were hired. I had only gotten word of their switch this morning." The male assured. "But it makes no difference one is as good as the other. I want her delivered to the edge of the Southern Cliffs by sun down two days from now."
Inuyasha didn't like it. Every instinct he had said this was more trouble than his team wanted. "I will confer with my team and get back to you."
"What!?" The man yelled into the phone. "If you don't hand over what's rightfully mine I will find someone who can!" He threatened.
"Here's the thing. I have this rule about misinformation from clients." Inuyasha said in a dark voice. "It goes like this, the client forfeits their first payment and merchandise if that's what me and my team determine. You say you knew this morning, yet we were uninformed. A man dabbling in a buisness as dirty as this, you could have contacted me with the new information."
"The Princess-"
"Is mine until further notice." Inuyasha stated firmly. "I'll be in touch." With that he ended the call and crush the cell phone in his hand.
Well this was a fucking mess! This bastard knew, he knew that the princesses had switched. The question was why was the wrong princess on the road today. Taking a deep breath he slipped the charm back around his neck, his mask back over his face, the decided to wake the sleeping woman.
She was sleeping so peacefully. He walked over to the bed and gazed down at her. Her black hair was a mess all around the dark blue pillow, one arm laid under her head and the other was draped across her stomach. Her legs laid one on the other, the bent knee on the top leg had drawn her dress up a bit. Inuyasha let his eyes travel back up her body to her face. She wasn't just pretty, she really was beautiful. Perfect, pouty pink lips, heart shaped face, delicate cheek bones, button nose, and long thick eyelashes that locked away eyes that resemblemed a spring storm.
"What the hell am I going to do with you?" He questioned to himself as he kneeled on the floor near the head of the bed. "Hey." He said in a hushed voice as he shook her shoulder. "Princess, wake up."
He leaned back as her eyes fluttered. The moment her mind caught up with her she shot up in bed. "We need to talk." Fang said as he pulled the desk chair close to the bed and sat facing the princess.
"What do we need to talk about?" Kagome asked stretching her voice was thick with sleep and her throat felt dry.
"What reason would someone want your cousin or you?" He asked bluntly leaning forward to rest him fore arms on his knees.
Kagome furrowed her brow as she looked at her kidnapper. He didn't know why he took her, he just took her! "Why do you do this?"
Kagome's question caught The Steel Fang off guard. He wasn't use to the job having so much spirit. Usually once they took someone that person shut up and quivered in fear, not this princess. "I think you're a little confused on how this goes. I ask you answer not the other way around."
"If you won't answer my question then I don't see why I should answer yours." Kagome stated as she crossed her arms defiantly. Unfortunately for the both of them she had a stubborn streak that usually got the best of her.
The mercenary stood up slowly from his seat in front of the bed. Every muscle in his body was tight. This bitch just didn't know what was good for her. Mask still in place he leaned towards the princess causing her to uncross her arms and lean back further on the bed. Her state cautious didn't stop him, he kept advancing. Placing his hands down on the bed on both sides of her legs, Fang chuckled darkly when Kagome tried to scoot backwards away from him. He just followed hovering over her body until they were half way across the bed. Kagome was flat on her back with The Steel Fang above her on his hands and knees, his arms on either side of her head.
"Wh-What do you think you're doing?" Kagome whispered in a panicked voice as she tried to squirm out from under him.
"Whatever I want, Princess." He said low his masked face inches from her. Planting a strong hand on her right hipbone stopping her movement. Squeezing her with the one hand as his other kept him propped over her he said, "You see. This is how this works. I have the power, you are the prisoner." The Steel Fang laid himself flush against her soft body so his face was next to her ear. It was a mistake, he knew it the second he'd done it but damn it was too late to turn back now. "I can feed you to those men downstairs or I can devour you myself, either way you are mine."
A half knock at the door followed by two full knocks let him know more trouble had just shown up. Peeling himself away from the princess on the bed he was satisfied to see she seemed to understand.
For Kagome's part the knock at the door had been heaven sent. The Steel Fang had pinned her to the bed and proved that she was powerless here. She hadn't been able to think, to move fast enough. He invaded her space so slowly she had thought he was just going to get in her face. There was no way she was going to let that happen! But when she leaned back, he leaned in and the further back she tried to get the closer he got. Kagome tried to scoot off the other side of the bed but when he caged her body in with his arms she became seriously worried. His chuckles had crawled down her spine in a strange way. His hand had been so strong and warm when he held her in place...
Kagome was confused to say the least. Part of her was terrified by him being that close to her pinning her body with his... Shaking her head, she shut off those thoughts. It had to be something like that Stockholm syndrome she'd heard about. Did that happen this fast?
"What the fuck do you mean she's not for service? I can smell the fucking heat come off you, Fang."
Arguing at the door drew Kagome's attentions there but it didn't sound any better than the thoughts in her own head.
"I don't give a fuck what your cat shit nose smells! I said she ain't for service." Fang ground out. "Like I told Banks and his groupies, this one is mine." Slamming the door he listened for this pissed off male to wonder back down the hall. This had been a mistake coming here. It was just adding to the list of problems this job already had.
"Do you sell girls here often?" Kagome didn't know why she asked. Morbid curiosity maybe. Still she had to do something cause the questions in her mind were giving her a headache.
"What does it matter to you what happens to common bar wenches?" Fang huffed as he threw the lock in place before walking to the desk where his beer waited.
"People matter. Common or not, people matter." Kagome stated. She got off the bed and walked to the chair The Wolf's Howl had sat in earlier.
Fang kept his back to the woman in the room as he lifted his mask and drank deep from the beer in his hand. "People matter, huh? What kind of people would that be, Princess?" Sliding his mask back in place Fang turned around to face the princess in the chair. "Human people? Demon people? What kind of people matter princess?"
Kagome blinked in surprise. What kind of question was that? "All people matter!"
"All people? That's rich, bitch!" Fang walked over to the bed and threw himself down. "That's just that preachy bullshit you're taught to say."
"Excuse me? I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it. All people matter. Not just demons and humans, but all people." Kagome said glaring at the man sprawled out on the bed before looking away. "It's not just pure bloods that matter."
She had mumbled it but he had heard. There was real feeling in her voice as she said not just pure bloods mattered. "I don't sell girls here. There's homeless girls all over the realm. Homeless people of all kinds. I pick girls up ever once in awhile and bring them to the desert. Some work here for Sango others get hired to others bars or to the brothels. The girls that go to brothels often ask me to escort them when I come to town. It's a safety thing."
He could feel her staring at him, honestly Inuyasha wasn't sure why he had said anything to her at all. But he had and it was out now so fuck it. "It's late. I'll be ordering up some food, my team will be joining us."
Kagome nodded as he reach for the phone next to the bed. The day had disappeared and she hadn't even noticed. What were her parents thinking? Was there parties out looking for her or had a ransom call been made while she was a sleep? Speaking of sleep she was tired again. Being kidnapped sure wiped her out and made her thirsty! "Can you have more water sent up, please?"
Fang nearly dropped the phone when she said please. Why the hell was she being polite now? "Sure, princess." He said offhandedly.
Kagome smiled despite herself as The Steel Fang finished talking to what she assumed was the kitchen then dailed the phone again. This time she could tell he was talking to his men. There was some grunting and growling, that she found strange, then he hung up again.
"What the fuck are you smiling at?" He was surprised to find the princess looking his way with a soft smile on her face.
In the East...
Queen Daphne raged around the sitting room she was in. What had once been a beautiful, delicately decorated room over looking the gardens, now resembled the green houses that sat about the grounds. The bay window had been broken by vines that now crawled all around the room. Vines covered with flowers grew up the walls and spread out across the floor. Outside the garden was not fairing any better. Young tree sprouts had sprung up, the flowers multiplied, bushes bloomed, what was once beautifully manicured was now as wild as the forest.
"Your majesty?" A soft voice called from outside the window.
"Enter." Daphne said as the vine around her shifted making her a throne to sit on.
"I'm sorry to tell you but she is no where in the realm that we can reach. There are only two places she can be." The young nymph said sitting down. She tucked her knees beneath her as she waited orders from her queen.
"Do we know no one in the desert who could tell us if she is there?" It was not the most ideal but Daphne would rather find her daughter in the desert than in the South.
"We maybe able to send a satyr. They would last longer in the desert than any of the nymphs." Marsa saw the sorrow in her queen's eyes. "I'm sure that the king's blood will help the princess survive longer."
"Thank you, Marsa." Daphne said with a broken smile. "We shall see what the king decides."
"Yes, your highness." Marsa said as she rose and faded into the green that surrounded them.
Daphne stared mournfully out of what once was the window. Even if they sent a satyr to the desert who was to say her daughter wasn't in the south. The southern kingdom would never know such wrath as what she would bring down upon them if her daughter was there! Still she and her kind couldn't survive more than a few days in either place, a prolonged search would have to be ordered by her husband and the humans.
Walking solemnly down the hallway to the throne room the queen did her best to keep her emotions from destroying the castle with her power over the flora.
In the throne room King Haro sat on his throne listening to his advisers. They had received the phone call after lunch. The person on the other end didn't demand money. No, they demanded a higher price. A formal engagement between Lord Naraku of the South and Kagome or Kagome would be killed and Kikyou would be taken. Now this was not only his problem but his brother's as well.
"You know what a formal engagement would mean, your majesty!" An older gentleman with thinning hair stated as the King listened. "When the time comes for the princess to take the throne the spiders of the south will then own the eastern forest!"
"The spiders will not own this land!" Daphne's voice carried through the room in a cold blast of her fury. "We will seek out our daughter on our own. You are dismissed, the king and I must speak in private."
The cluster of young and old men didn't argue with their queen. They quietly and quickly made their way out of the throne room through a side door. Once the room was emptied the king collapsed back into the cushions of his throne. Roughly he dragged his hands over his face in misery.
"They took our daughter, Daphne. This is grounds for war." Haro said as he felt his wife kneel in front of him.
"The cost of war is even greater than our daughter, my dear." She said resting her hand on his knee. "We will find her. We will bring her back!"
"What do the trees say?" The king drew his fingers through the midnight black hair of his wife.
"She is not within our reach in the realm. Kagome has to be in the south or the desert."
Haro and Daphne looked sorrowfully at one another. They had been given four days to make their decision. They would use as much of that time as they could to find their daughter first.
"I will go with men to the desert. We will spread out and cover as many towns as we can." The king rose bring his wife with him. "Keep heart, my love, soon our princess will be home."
Daphne nodded as she embraced her husband. She wanted to leave with him but with Kagome gone the forest would die without the queen. She had to stay and he...he had to bring their daughter back.
In the desert...
"What do you mean I'm bunking here?" The Wolf's Howl asked his team mate as the two stood off to the side.
Dinner had been an affair to say the least. The princess was made to eat first. Then the bathroom was secured so she couldn't escape out of the window. It didn't take much persuading to get her to go take a bath but after that the men couldn't agree on anything!
They needed to get rid of her. That much was a given. Koga and Miroku wanted to dump her back in her forest. After Inuyasha had told the about the suspicious call to the employer they all agreed it had been a violation of the agreement, but Inuyasha wasn't sure about dumping her in the forest. He wanted to keep her for a few days and see what they could dig up about her and the eastern kingdoms.
Then there was the current argument. Inuyasha wanted to keep her but after their earlier interactions he wanted some distance from her. He decided to have Koga bunk in the room with her while he himself went and handled his problem.
"Not bunking so much as just watch her for two hours." Inuyasha growled out as he swung his sword onto his back and he headed for the door. "I'll grab a cell from Sango. Call if there's trouble." With that he slammed the door and stormed down the hall.
The hall smelled like old sex and sweat. Over that he could smell that every member of the band of seven was bunked in the same hall as well as the Neko from earlier and an owl. This job had trouble in spades! Down stairs in the tavern room he found Sango behind the bar. She was sour with him about having to wait on the monk but she'd get over it, she always did.
"I need a spare phone." Inuyasha said pulling his mask free but keeping his face hidden with his hair.
"Do I want to know what happened to the last one?" Sango asked eyeing the patron who had become like family to her. True she didn't really know what Fang and Howl looked like. Both were very admit about hiding their faces, but they had been coming to her bar for the last four years so they had earned her trust.
"No probably not." Inuyasha huffed out resting his forehead in his hand as Sango slid a shot his way.
Sango knew better than push, if it was something Miroku could share he would later. After all she had known Miroku long before he had become "The Cursed One".
She couldn't say she approved of his choice in life but she wasn't surprised by it. Sango worried about him but he always came back to her. "Alright, Fang, but I'm warning you-"
Raising up enough for Sango to see a shadow covered face Inuyasha cut her off, "I know, San. No trouble in your bar."
"Stop, please." The sound of a panicked female voice grabbed their attention. "Please just let me go!"
"Maybe a little trouble." Fang smirked at Sango.
The female bartender, who had just hopped over the bar, stopped to looked at the merc next to her.
Throwing his shot back, he swallowed it down as he slid his mask back in place. Turning around he saw the same girl he had scared earlier in the grasp of a dolled up moth demon.
Walking over Fang earned plenty of looks from the males around the room. They knew what was about to happen or most did. The desert was a big place, new people wondered in all the time.
"Let her go." He said in a low voice as he stopped in front of the table.
The moth looked away from the girl he had been pulling onto his lap. "Who are you? The masked avenger?" The demon mocked the man standing in front of his table.
Laughing darkly The Steel Fang leveled his gaze at the demon across from the table. "You wish I was a good guy. I'll say it again, let the bitch go."
Throwing the girl away from him roughly the moth demon stood up releasing his wings. "Little man, you are not strong enough to challenge me!"
Inuyasha didn't give the demon anymore time to act, he charged to table. Jumping on the top of the table he threw himself at his opponent, right fist pulled back.
The moth was so shocked by the actions of the man in front of him that he didn't move fast enough to avoid the right hook thrown his way.
Both males stumbled back, the brawl was on. The moth demon was not accustomed to hand to hand. Struggling to get out from under the inhumanly strong man, he finally rolled them and scampered a short distance away.
"You won't live to regret this!" Opening his mouth he spewed poison silk towards the masked man.
Fang didn't waste time pulling the tessiga from his back to block the silk headed his way. There hadn't been time to pull the sword free and his cloth case was burned away instantly. The sword however protected itself and him as well.
A bullet lodging in the table next to them drew their attention away from each other.
Sango stood with her right side pointed towards the men, muzzle still aimed their direction, eyes blazing with anger. "Not in my bar!" She shouted at the two before she looked around the room. "The rules are simple. You don't touch my girls! Pussy's down the street go there. No, fighting! This ain't a boxing ring. Don't bring trouble with you or I'll shoot you myself. I've got enough blessed bullets to get the job done."
There was a low mumble around the room as the others went about their business. It wasn't the first fight to happen in Jitaku, it wouldn't be the last but it was the first fight anyone had seen The Steel Fang start.
"What's your name?" Sango demanded as she walked over to the table.
"Gatenmaru." The moth said sizing Sango up beady black eyes.
"Control yourself." Sango threatened leveling her gun with his forehead. "Demons survive a lot, but you'll have trouble not shiting yourself with your brains splattered on my wall."
The moth smirked at the ballsy owner. "Understood." He said holding his hands up to surrender.
"Don't touch my girls again. Hoshiyomi's two blocks over takes your kind of strong arming." Sango said turning her gun towards The Steel Fang. "Don't start another fight in my bar, Fang. My lover would be cross if I killed his boss." Holstering her gun Sango stormed back to the bar.
"The Steel Fang." Gatenmaru grinned. "I knew there had to be something more to you. No regular human throws punches like that."
"What the hell are you babbling about?" Fang asked glaring at the moth.
"Oh nothing much, just trying to figure what kind of mixed trash you are. Your line must be really damn dirty for you to look so human." Gatemaru laughed as he righted his chair to sit back at his table. "Must be why you keep your face hidden."
"Feh." Inuyasha spat gripping his sword tightly. "Find a new light moth." He ground out as he headed for the door.
Outside Inuyasha pulled the new phone from his pocket and call up to his room. The phone rang once then he hung up only to call back immediately. After two rings Koga answered.
"I'll be back in an hour then The Cursed One can do as he pleases." With that he hung up and made his way through the desert street.
In the room...
Kagome watched as The Wolf's Howl hung up the phone. The two in the room with her were acting strange, well stranger than earlier. And she was bored. "Do you guys have any cards?"
In the South...
Naraku drifted through the palace halls weighing his options for his next move. He thought hiring The Steel Fang would make the job easy. That band of mercenaries were rumored to be the most ruthless group out there, aside from the band of seven. Problem was the princess' powers must have been more than he realized to turn cold hearted killers into saviors. Still if her powers were that great then she must be able to lead him to his real goal. Entering the map room he pulled open the scroll of the Eastern Kingdom and laid it on the light table.
The kingdom had been divided forty years ago but there was one section of land that stretched for a mile and a half that belonged to both kingdoms. His prize was there under the ground in a cavern that collected sea water deep in land.
He had been wanting Princess Kikyo because she was the eldest, so he assumed she had the most power but now he wasn't sure and maybe either princess would do.
In the desert...
Inuyasha sat out on a dune not far from the small town just thinking. It had been four years since he had first wondered in there.
He had a run in with Miroku the month before and it had been quite the event. The shady monk had hustled his last hundred out of him. Giving Inuyasha a bogus concealment charm, promising the naive prince that it would hide his demonic features but not inhibit his demonic strength. Eagerly Inuyasha had paid the hundred and taken the ring. A week later he picked a fight with an ogre only to find out he had nothing but his human strength with the ring on. After he finished the fight without the ring he hunted the monk down. Inuyasha was about to run him through when Koga showed up.
The wolf prince had been spoiling for a fight and Inuyasha was willing to oblige. They fought for an hour before deciding it was a draw. One killing the other could have started an unnecessary war after all. Once his attention was free he chased after the monk, who had escaped during the fight, and Koga tagged along.
"Don't have anything better to do." The wolf prince had explained as the two headed into the small boarder town in the sea kingdom.
Miroku had been easy enough to find, entertaining himself at the local tea house surrounded by women. After some less than sincere sounding apologizes Miroku paid back the hundred and offered for both princes to meet him in the desert. Koga agreed right out of the gate but Inuyasha told him he'd think about it.
As far as Inuyasha had been raised, you didn't go into the desert. There was no if's and's or but's about it. But...what did he have to lose? The West didn't need him. His brother had his own family now. Inuyasha was nothing but a prince who would never see the throne living off of people who didn't really care if he was there or not.
Those feelings were what had lead the hanyou to be parked on the very dune he laid on now. He had traded a solid gold pendant for a dune buggy, gas, and some desert clothing. Mainly he needed the turban that wrapped around hiding his face.
Acadia had looked like every other desert town he had passed on his way out there. It wasn't that it was deep in the desert but if you didn't know your way around then you'd miss it tucked down between the sand dunes.
Walking through the town had been a chore. He had been bumped, shoved, mocked, and threatened multiple times looking for Jitaku. Inside the bar hadn't been any better. Inuyasha had thought himself a bad ass until he walked into the desert. The amount of weapons laying around had been intimidating on their own but the men and some women attached to the weapons had almost been enough to make him want to turn around and run back to the realm.
"If you look like new meat, they'll eat you up like new meat."
Those were the first words Sango said when he planted his ass at her bar. She introduced herself but never asked his name. He didn't know what had made him introduce himself as Steel Fang but he couldn't give her his real name. He asked if she knew a monk and was shown to a room. The rest was history.
Done with the past Inuyasha slipped his charm back in place followed by his mask then headed back into Acadia.
Jitaku was winding down for the night when he got back. Unlike other places Sango closed at midnight. Inuyasha walked through the thinning crowd to the back stairs then up to his room. At the door he could hear laughter and meaningless taunting.
Opening the door, Inuyasha really didn't know what to say. There sitting on the floor was the princess and his men slapping cards down as fast as they could calling out what they were laying down.
"Bullshit!" Princess Kagome yelled at The Wolf's Howl.
"Damn!" He said gathering the massive pile of cards.
Inuyasha blinked slowly. He turned around, shut the door and locked it.
"Bullshit!" The Cursed One yelled.
"I don't think so." Kagome said in a sing song voice.
"What the hell is going on here?" Fang finally asked as he watched Miroku scoop up the cards in the new pile.
"Bullshit, boss man." Koga said laughing. "Princess Kagome is a hustler."
Inuyasha turned his attention to the princess who blushed and looked down at her hands. "A card hustler, huh?"
"It's not a hustle, I'm just good at reading people." She explained. "It took a few hands with the masks but there are other tells that have nothing to do with faces."
"Really?" Fang questioned as his eyes locked with those of the princess. She blushed and turned away, but not before the other men noticed the exchange.
"Something you need to tell us, Fang?" The Wolf's Howl asked as he leaned back looking from the blushing princess to his leader.
"Not at all." Steel Fang said with a smirk though neither could see it. "Cursed One, Sango is probably waiting for you by now."
Taking their cue, the other two mercenaries got up and headed for the door. The Cursed One headed on down the hall but The Wolf's Howl hung back when he came to stand next to the Steel Fang.
"Be careful with this one." He said looking over his shoulder to the princess gathering the cards. "There's something more to her."
"You let those fairy tales of the East get in you head, Wolf." Fang said pushing his team mate out the door. "We'll look at our options in the morning."
Koga took it for what it was, the boot. Still he knew that if there were demons in the world then the beings in the East had a chance of being real too, but he'd let Inuyasha believe what he wanted for now.
"You don't believe in fairy tales?" Kagome questioned as her capture locked the door and the room quieted. She stayed on the floor all the cards from earlier in her hands as she stared at the masked man in front of her.
"Are you claiming to be a fairy, Princess?" Steel Fang asked as he turned to face her. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door all the while watching every emotion that crossed her face.
"I would never claim a heritage that is not my own." Kagome answered. Standing she straightened her dress before walking to set the deck of cards on the desk. Deep in thought she shuffled the cards for a moment. "Not all tales of the East are happy little fairy tales you know."
"Really?" Fang asked skeptically. "Why don't you enlighten me then, Princess Kagome of the Eastern Forest."
He was mocking her but she let it slide as she hid a smile. It was the first time he had used her name. She didn't know why it made her happy but it did.
Turning over the first card she reveled a tower. Inuyasha was confused, he had been sure those had been plain playing cards a moment ago.
"A great kingdom a rose in the east. It was like the others and yet it was not." Turning another card she reveled the sun. "A youth was chosen to be king and guard the people of the land that was seen." Then she turned a moon. "A queen arose to govern those in the land unseen."
"Unseen?" Inuyasha asked from his place next to Kagome. He hadn't even noticed that he had closed the distance between them.
"That which lies in the 'tween spaces is often unseen. Between the land and see, between the sky and ground, between the wind and trees. There are 'tween places every where if you only look." Another card, a star. "And a queen to rule the sea. She, keeper of all life beneath her waves."
Kagome looked to the man next to her making sure she had his attention. If she died in his possession then at least this story would survive in one person's mind.
"The three made a pact of magic. A promise to protect the peace of their lands and the people who dwelled on them no matter who they may be." The next card was the wheel of fortune. "War over took the other kingdoms of the realm but the East held true to their pact and peace remained. As the years passed rumors spread of the magic that held the East at peace and men came in search of it." A king of wands appeared next. "Soon a demon came. He spoke to the king of the land, saying he was seeking a way to inspire peace within his own people. The king entertained the man for three nights and four day, all the while watching how people listened and hung on the strangers every word.
At the end of the fourth day the king took the man to the sea and beseeched the queen there for an audience. She came and listened carefully to what the man had to say. She saw no harm in reveling the truth of the pact to help others.
Together the king of land and the queen of sea called for the queen of the unseen. However..." Kagome turned over the ace of swords. "When the queen appeared the demons true intentions became known. Grabbing the unsuspecting ruler he forced a blade to her throat.
Angered at the actions of her allies and the stranger, the queen of the unseen called the pact to appear before them." The death card sat face up on the table. "She used the power of the pact to curse the king and queen she had trusted. The queen of the sea she cursed to never again step foot on the land, never to cross the 'tween that separated them. The king of the land she cursed that his kingdom would be divided never to be whole again. The greedy demon, who thought he was forgotten, reached for the pact. She cursed him with a transforming body that would always revel his wriggling nature no matter how well he concealed it. Enraged at the tentacles that sprang from his back the being reached out for the power that lay before him, but the queen wasn't done.
She cursed the power to a hidden place. When he demanded she return the pact the queen refused. Stabbing her through the heart the demon vowed he would have the power for his own." The lovers. "On her dying breath the queen told him two would destroy him in his quest. Two who were more than what they appeared to be."
Kagome looked at the man next to her as he stared intently at the cards on the table. "She died there on the beach and by some dark magic the demon vanished from the East. The king lived an other fifty years, the only wars his kingdom saw were in defense of the realm during the Great Wars. On his death bed he gave his kingdom to his twin sons. One to rule the forest one to govern the sea. The queen of the sea still lives there, often she can be seen on the waves morning the friend she lost, reminded for eternity what trusting too much can do."
"And what of the unseen? Their queen was murdered surely they blamed the others in the pact." Inuyasha was more into the story than he was willing to admit but he had to know.
"Her son demanded the peace remain but also band all those who dwelled in the 'tween to stay away from humans. He didn't want to see what had happened to his mother to happen to others." Kagome slowly gathered the cards and shuffled them once more before placing them back on the table face down.
Inuyasha was to curious not to look. Lifting the top card his suspicions were confirmed, it was a regular queen of hearts staring back at him. "So there are some dark tales to your kingdom as well." He placed the card back as if he had never looked. "Good to know. That doesn't answer your heritage though now does it?" Steel Fang watched as her shoulders stiffened a bit before she looked in his eyes. Her storm grey's looked like a thunderstorm gathering.
"I'm tired." She said calmly. "How are we sleeping?"
"Keh." He said as he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the truck at the foot of the bed and threw them on the floor. "You sleep in the bed and I make sure you don't try to sneak out the door."
Kagome smiled softly before nodding and excusing herself to go to the bathroom. She was relieved he wasn't going to sleep with her in the bed.
Inuyasha waited until she shut the door, then he lifted his mask so he could rub his fingers over his eyes. The power of the pact. That had to be what this employer was after. But what the hell did that have to do with the princesses? Because they were of the king of the lands blood line? But what about the sea and unseen? Surely if all three were needed to call the pact then one from each bloodline would be needed. Damn, he had a headache again. Still, no good would come of the south getting power a queen would die to protect.
When Kagome was in the quiet of the bathroom she sank to the floor leaning her back against the door. Large tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed softly for the great grandmother she never knew. Her mother had told her the story many times and when she and Kikyo were both thirteen they were taken to the shrine where the pact was held. The part she left out was that the pact itself was cursed because of what happened. Blod was required to insure that all involved held up their end of the bargain.
Both girls then gave a blood oath to protect the pact and their kingdoms from all who would try and steal their peace. Each year at the spring equinox the ceremony was held and the promise restored. In three days the ceremony would take place for this year. If she was still missing her mother and father would have to fulfill the promise in her stead. More tears slipped from the princesses eyes. What was going to happen to her? Would she ever see her parents again? Would she ever see the sacred sight again? Would her mother and father fulfill the promise or damn the pact for not protecting her? Come to think of it how had she been taken completely unseen from the forest? Even without the pact there were always creatures in the forest and they should have seen her being taken.
Deciding she was too tired to worry about it that night, Kagome got up off the floor. She quickly finished in the bathroom and headed back into the bedroom she shared with her kidnapper.
The Steel Fang was lounging on a futon laid out on the floor between the bed and the door. Even though his mask was in place Kagome could tell he was still awake. Not having anything to say she walked over to the bed and pulled back the blankets. Once she was settled in and nearly asleep Steel Fang got up off the floor and headed to the bathroom.
"Aren't you worried I'll escape while you're in there?" She asked genuinely curious.
"Keh!" Inuyasha said looking at the woman snuggled up in the queen size bed. "The Neko from earlier is a few doors down. I promise he'll smell you. If you're lucky and he doesn't, six men like the ones who approached the table are out there, not to mentions the others that rent rooms here. Go on and run, Princess. Don't get confused by what I said earlier. I'm no white knight, I won't swoop in and save you. No matter what I plan to do with ya you're still safer here."
Seeing the woman swallow hard as her large grey eyes stared at him, Inuyasha smirked satisfied he had gotten through to her earlier.
Closing the door that would separate them he shut out the lingering gaze of the princess. Once he was alone Inuyasha pulled off his mask and necklace. With the charm gone his demonic senses came on line full blast. The first thing he noticed was the smell of tears. The bathroom was full of the smell of tears and sorrow.
"She sat in here and cried so I wouldn't see." Inuyasha mumbled as he walked to the sink to splash water on his face.
He felt sorry for her. There was something about this princess that was getting under his skin. Shaking his head he realized it didn't matter, tomorrow he and his men would decide what would be done and that would be the end of it. After a quick piss and wash up he replaced his necklace and mask then exited the bathroom.
He was relieved that the princess was fast asleep curled under the covers on the bed. Inuyasha checked the door again just be sure then pulled a tome from his pocket after reciting a few words it glowed blue and he placed it in front of the door. Satisfied that they wouldn't have any unwanted guests he turned off the light and shuffled his way to his bedding on the floor. The futon was a welcome comfort after the day he had just had. Inuyasha slipped off his mask and laid it next to his pillow. Three knives he stick under the edge of the futon and a fourth he slipped under the pillow. Then the mercenary sprawled out on his stomach and let sleep loosely drag him under.
In the East...
The King and his Queen stood deep in the forest staring at the moon. The equinox was coming whether they were ready or not. The woodland around them was silent. It was disturbing to hear such quiet at this time of year. Normally the three days leading to the Equinox were celebrated with joyous festivities followed by large banquets held through the kingdom after the ceremony on the fourth day. But this year there was only mournful quiet. The King had given permission to all his subject to continue as usual, still with the knowledge of their princess missing none felt in a merry making mood.
A/N: So there is the end of another chapter. I'm projecting a week before the next chapter is up. Like I said they won't all be quick. Also they won't all be this long. Now for those who may be concerned about the tarot cards in this chapter. I know that most of the cards weren't used in their strictest guild lines...but this is fiction and like so many other things I used them for my own design.
Once again thank you to everyone that reads and reviews!