Shocked, Inuyasha snapped his head up to lock eyes with Miroku's as he mouthed, Princess?Miroku's smug grin grew while he nodded.
Inuyasha quickly scrambled off of the girl and then on to his feet and watched with disbelief as she angrily struggled to get up and then once standing proceeded to march right up to him. She slapped him hard across the face.
"If you're a prince, you jerk, start acting like one!" she screamed and then stomped away towards the castle.
Inuyasha continued to watch, awe struck, with a hand held to his now sore cheek.
Princess Kagome.
Heh, who knew?
Wait! Miroku knew! Why hadn't he told him?
He turned sharply to glare at his, soon to be dead, servant and friend.
"Mirokuuuu." He growled. "Why the hell didn't you tell me we had a princess staying here!"
Miroku shrugged, grin still in place, "I tried to tell you this morning but you refused to listen, my prince."
Inuyasha glared at the idiot who was dumb enough to rub his face into anything and then remain standing where he was. The fool should have been running.
Well, that could be fixed.
"Oh is that so Miroku?" Inuyasha asked darkly. Miroku caught on to the danger that was being promised in his near future and put his hands up in defense.
"Now wait Inuyasha I did truly try and tell you! And then you left me when you went for your walk! How could I have-When could I have- Inuyasha wait!"
Inuyasha's predatory smirk only grew as Miroku stumbled over himself in his haste to place some distance between himself and his dangerously angry prince.
"You won't get away Miroku!" Inuyasha threatened as he dashed off in pursuit of his unlucky servant.
"Of all the things! I have never seen a prince act so rudely!" Kagome seethed as she stomped towards her room.
"I mean really? Who taught him how to act anyway? First spying on guests and them chasing them like its some psycho game of tag. Well that won't happen again that's for sure." She declared as she came to her door.
Nodding firmly with her decision, a fire came to life in her eyes as Kagome announced to herself, "Yep, from now on I'll just stay away from that dumb Inuyasha." The angry and slightly rumpled princess opened the door and entered through it slamming it shut behind her.
Two sets of eyes, which belonged to two people who had just so happened to overhear the princess's entire angry monologue, turned towards each other.
It appeared their job was going to be much more difficult than they had first thought.
"Inuyasha don't you think you were rather hard on me? All I did was neglect to tell you one teeny tiny little detail. Was that truly worthy of this pain you've caused me?" Miroku whined as he nursed his tender jaw.
"Keh, hardly! If anything you deserve worse! I looked like a fool." Inuyasha snapped as he stomped over to the window and glared out of it, his arms crossed over his chest.
Miroku raised his eyebrows suggestively, "Oh I see. In that case you are absolutely correct sir, I did deserve what I got and a little more maybe. I had no idea you were smitten."
Inuyasha's mouth dropped open as he whirled around to face Miroku. Whose grin said it all. He'd known exactly how to get a rise out of his friend and had very well done just that. Miroku smiled at the disgruntled prince and waited for an angry comeback, but it never came. Miroku turned a questioning gaze towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha was staring open mouthed and wide eyed at the door behind him. Hesitantly, the servant twisted to see just what had his friend speechless.
There standing a little ways down the hall was Inuyasha's older brother Sesshomaru, in all his regal glory talking with a lovely woman dressed in an elegant yellow dress. She appeared to be in her late forties and had a warm motherly smile on her face as she laughed at something elder prince said. Though it was strange for Sesshomaru to be carrying on normal conversation with another life form it was not unheard of. What was unheard of was Sesshomaru carrying on a normal conversation with another life form and both parties enjoying it. And from the lack of ice in Shessomaru's gaze, it was obvious he was enjoying his conversation just as much as his guest.
Inuyasha could not control his legs. They carried him over to his brother and the woman without his bidding them to do so.
Sesshomaru, ever aware, noticed his brother's movements and turned his steady gaze to meet him.
The older brother silently waited to find the reason why his younger sibling felt it necessary to grace them with his presence.
Inuyasha glanced at his brother, then eyed the woman closely.
"Who's this?" he demanded.
Sesshomaru inwardly groaned and rolled his eyes, though physically he never even batted an eyelash; much less showed any outward sign of his displeasure.
"Inuyasha must you always act with the manners of a pig?" he retorted dryly.
Inuyasha shrugged, "I'm not a pig. Now who's she?" he said indicating the woman standing beside him offering a warm smile.
Sesshomaru would have sighed then and there if he believed in doing such things. As it were though, he did not and so to show his frustration he simply hardened his stare that was currently trained on his brother.
"This, Inuyasha, is Queen Higurashi of the Eastern Lands. She is here to discuss with me a few matters involving our two kingdoms. I expect you will treat her and all who accompanied her here with the respect they are due, yes?"
Inuyasha's eyes widened the slightest bit.
Queen? Did that mean….was that princess with….? Oh. Oh crap.
They were. The princess was this woman's daughter! It had to be that.
Well it would certainly figure. He grumbled.
"Of course. What do you take me for, a pig?" Inuyasha answered with a smirk. He then turned on his heel and walked off, stopping only to grab a still wide eyed Miroku before continuing on to his quarters.
Once the two of them reached his bedroom Inuyasha shut the door tight and turned to Miroku with frantic eyes.
"I have to fix this!" The troubled prince exclaimed.
Miroku, who was unsure of what his prince was talking about, hesitantly replied, "Oookaaaay."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes at his friend's stupidity.
"She's a queen you idiot! And she's here to discuss important matters with my dumbass brother! Do you know what that means?" Inuyasha shouted.
Shaking his head Miroku answered, "No. No, not really. What exactly does it mean?"
"It means I'm a dead man!"
"How's that?"
"I pissed off her daughter! Which means I've pissed off the mother! Which means I've pissed off my brother! Which means I'll have to do all kinds of stupid crap and listen to tons of his stupid lectures on how to be a proper king! Which means I'm gonna die from brain exhaustion or boredom or something!" he screamed ramming his hands through his hair. "Gods, I'm doomed." Inuyasha added with a groan as he fell back into his bed.
"Oh I see. Well, my prince, why don't you just make it up to the princess?" Miroku suggested.
"That could work." Inuyasha agreed sitting up to meet Miroku's confident gaze. His hopeful grin then turned to a scowl. "But dammit, she acts like a royal bitch and I'm the one who has to go groveling back asking for her forgiveness? I don't like it."
"I understand Inuyasha, but which is more important at the current moment in time; a small blow to the pride or days full of endless hours of Sesshomaru's Guide for Kings to Be?" Miroku questioned, holding his hands out like a scale weighing the options.
Inuyasha sighed and opened his mouth, ready to refuse all ideas that involved his begging for forgiveness, when a memory hit him.
The prince saw himself sitting in a stiff backed chair staring straight ahead with clouded unfocused eyes. Sesshomaru was in front of him with a chalkboard to his right and a pointer in hand, with which he was presently using to indicate a diagram depicting several key factors of the perfect royal posture.
Inuyasha shuddered. His back had hurt for weeks after that.
With a sigh he relented, "Alright Miroku. Got any ideas as to how I can fix things between me and the royal pain in the ass?"
Miroku's eyes glinted merrily, "Oh I may have something or other up my sleeve."
He leaned in closer wrapping an arm around Inuyasha's shoulder to bring him close enough to quietly inform his prince of his many schemes.
A single figure crept silently out of the room unnoticed by the two boys and quickly headed down the hallway. The princess very much needed to know that the younger prince and his sidekick servant were scheming against her. She would not be very happy to hear this and would probably like a chance to form some sort of retaliation or at least be prepared for what ever those two were planning.
Kagome had just finished changing clothes when a knock came at her door.
"It's not locked." She called, flopping down on her cushy soft bed unhappily.
The massive door creaked open and in popped a head.
"Hello Princess Kagome."
Kagome sat up at the sound of the feminine voice she'd come to know and love the past few days and met the steady gaze of Sango, a maid in the castle.
"Boy am I glad to see you. You will not believe what happened to me!" Kagome exclaimed as she leapt to her feet and crossed the floor to her friend.
Sango came the rest of the way into the room and closed the door behind her.
"Oh I may have an idea," she said with furrowed brows, "But you go ahead and tell me anyway."
And Kagome exploded. She told her story and with each passing word her voice grew sharper with anger.
"And the worst part is, Sango, that he wasn't even sorry! He was rude to me the whole time, even when I got hurt, that jerk!"
"You got hurt?" Sango questioned, concern instantly entering her expression.
"Oh, well, a little, just my ankle. It doesn't hurt nearly as bad now. I took a bath and wrapped it." Kagome answered with a tiny wave of the hand, dismissing her injury. Suddenly a spark flashed in her eyes as a thought occurred. "But then, there, it did hurt, pretty badly too and he didn't bother to help me. He didn't even bother to actually see if I was hurt! He should have been a little sorry. But no he wasn't the least bit remorseful, Sango."
"Yeah well he's sorry now or at least he will be." Sango reassured with a knowing smile.
"What? Why?"
"His brother will kill him when he discovers how rude he was. Sesshomaru has high expectations for as to how his family's name and reputation should be upheld."
"Good. Then he'll take care of it and I won't have to worry about dealing with that dumb prince again." Kagome smiled.
"Um… no." Sango answered biting her lip.
"No? Why not?" Kagome argued.
"You see, Inuyasha has this plan to make things up with you so his brother doesn't find out about what happened today."
"What? How do you-"
"I was in there changing sheets when they came in and began discussing their plans." Sango grinned, "The idiots never saw me."
"Oh. So he's going to make it up to me, huh?"
"Yes."
"But not because he's sorry or because he wants to make me feel more welcome?"
"No."
"But because he doesn't want to deal with the wrath of his brother?"
"Yes."
"I see." Kagome replied with a blank look. "That jerk!" she exploded. "He's worse than I thought. I'll drop dead before I make peace with him!" Kagome yelled, her face reddening in anger.
"I thought you'd say that. So what's the plan? Because trust me we'll need one. I know these two and with that pervert calling the shots their plan will be a doozy."
"You mean…you're going to help me go against them?"
"Of course. Those two numbskulls deserve it and I'm the best at making sure they get what they deserve, well except for Sesshomaru. But sometimes I think I may be better, I am a woman after all."
They giggled.
"Well alright then! Let's get to this. By the time we're done prince Inuyasha will regret the day he ever decided to mess with me." Kagome declared.
"I hate this." Inuyasha grumbled as he followed Miroku down the hall towards the princess' room.
"I know Inuyasha, but its for your own good so deal with it. Because if you don't feel anything but anger and resentment about this then you won't be able to pull this off. You have to act charming and interested and apologetic and caring and you can't do any of that if you stay angry the whole time." Miroku lectured.
"Geez, you sounded just like Sesshomaru for a minute there."
Miroku grinned sheepishly, "Did I? Oh well perhaps I went a tad bit over board but it really is important now for you to pull this whole thing off. My butt is on the line now as well since I have helped you conspire against our guest."
Inuyasha glared at the servant, "You mean to tell me you're only worried now because you are at risk? Thanks. Really, your concern is touching, Miroku, it means a lot."
"Now Inuyasha, you know that's not what I meant."
"Isn't it?"
"No, no of course not I would be worried for your welfare regardless of whether I would be in danger as well." Miroku replied with a nervous grin.
"Yeah, yeah whatever you say. Just get outta here and leave me alone to apparently save both our asses." Inuyasha grumbled.
"Inuyasha watch your language when you're around her." Miroku advised.
"What do you think I am? Stupid? Of course I'll watch what I say. Now get outta here. Go find some woman to bother and leave me alone." He snapped.
Miroku nodded and then quickly scurried off, hoping and praying with his every fiber that Inuyasha didn't damn them both to hell on earth.
Inuyasha walked the last remaining steps to the door and took a deep breath before he knocked on it.
The sound boomed out and echoed around him in the hallway. After a few moments when no answer came he huffed and tried again. The echoes came but still no answer did.
He bit back his frustration and raised his fist to knock again.
"What are you doing?"
He jerked around to face the intruder. He quickly saw that it was the princess he'd been trying to get for the last ten minutes. And she was glaring at him
Oh shit.
This would be harder than he'd expected.
If she was angry-and that look on her face said she was-then he'd have to do a lot more to make things up for his actions then they'd originally thought.
Why did women have to be so difficult?
"I umm…" his voice caught.
He coughed and tried again, using his best princely voice. "I came to see you princess."
"Oh really? Why?" she asked crossing her arms and lifting a brow.
"Well, I guess I came to say that I was sorry." He explained in his still very prince like voice. He hated it, he sounded stupid and snotty but most women loved it so why shouldn't this dumb princess? She wasn't any different then any other woman.
"Well, get on with it then. I have better things to do then stand here and stare at you." She snapped.
Make that this dumb and rude princess.
"Dear princess, I am deeply sorry I offended you earlier with my actions. I beg thee for your sweet forgiveness." He said with a grand bow.
He glanced up at her. She didn't look impressed. In fact she may have looked a little angrier.
"And I also seek to reconcile with you for what I did by treating you the way I should have from the start." He continued, making it up as he went, hoping he'd say something to take her scowl away.
"Um-hm. And just what do you plan to do to reconcile with me? How will you fix things?" she demanded.
"It's a surprise." He said easily. Because it was. At this time and moment it would be a surprise for him too.
"A surprise." She repeated disbelievingly.
"Yes, my princess, a surprise." He replied with all the confidence in the world, meanwhile, on the inside, he was panicking about just what exactly he could do for her.
"I don't really like surprises." She answered stiffly, the challenge notably in her voice.
"Now if you'll be so kind as to remove yourself from my way. I'd like to go into my room now."
He stared at her. She was dismissing him? Just like that? He stepped aside, but kept one arm in front of her, leaning against the doorframe.
"Does this mean you refuse my offer of reconciliation?" he asked adding the perfect amount of disappointment to his prince voice.
"Yes, that's exactly what it means. Now, if you will." She said waving him away with the flick of her wrist.
She really was dismissing him.
He removed his arm and stepped the rest of the way out from in front of her door, dumbfounded.
He watched her open her door and step inside.
"Wait!" he called out just as she was shutting her door.
"What?" she asked looking at him through the still halfway open door.
"What would I have to do to make you reconsider?" he asked, this time actually desperate. His first two plans had failed. He had nothing else to go on, no clue what to do. He didn't want to deal with his brother or the consequences of what he'd done. There had to be a way.
She glared at him, eyes hard; and then for a tiny moment in time-one that he'll never forget even if he tried-the fire faded and her eyes softened. Her soft gentle gaze was like a punch in the gut taking him off his feet. The look she wore gave the impression that she could see into his very soul and he momentarily wondered if that were true.
She sighed softly, "You really want a chance to make it up to me?"
"Yes I'll do anything. What do I have to do?" He answered, eyes wide. He couldn't tear his gaze away from hers.
"You have to be the prince you're supposed to be." She replied softly.
With that final gentle whisper she quietly closed the door in the face of an awestruck prince.