Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Authoress' Note: well I'm on kind of a roll now. So let's hope it continues!

As Long As You're Mine
Chapter Three

"Hey! Hey! Wait up stupid girl!" Inuyasha yelled as he chased Sango through the village. He finally caught up with her, grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, trying to get away from Inuyasha.

"Calm down…calm down" Inuyasha said, turning back to Tanaka who had been following him and told him to return to the castle.

"Yes sir." Tanaka said, turning with a small bow and began running back towards the castle.

Sango tried to take advantage of Inuyasha's lack of attention and almost managed to pry herself free of his grip.

"Stop it!" he said, pulling her into an alley between two houses. "Listen to me for a second. Why did you run?"

"Isn't it obvious? I spend half of my day talking to a man that I legitimately liked and I had thought that I knew him somewhat. But I was wrong. He's the prince! He lied to me!" she said.

"I wouldn't think that Miroku would lie about something like that. Unless there was a reason to hide it" Inuyasha said and he could tell by the look in her eye that there was a reason Miroku had lied. "What did you say to him?" he asked.

Damn! I feel like such an idiot. Sango thought and then looked back to Inuyasha, "I might have said some less than complimenting things about the royals. I didn't know! I had no idea! Or else I never would have said things like that!" she said, trying to save herself.

Inuyasha just looked at her, and then shook his head. "I don't know why he would still talk to you for so long if you were saying things like that…unless…"

"Unless what?" Sango asked.

"Nothing. Listen, you need to come to the castle and talk to him. Let him know why you took off, he needs to know."

Sango shook her head, "I…I can't. I can't talk to him now…he's the prince"

"Did that matter before?"

"Well…no. But-"

"He is the same person. Nothing about him has changed. Now come on, you need to talk to him before the ball begins."

"Wait, can I change into something less…peasanty? I'm in no shape to go to the castle now"

"We can find you something at the castle, there's no time. Let's go"

Sango nodded and followed Inuyasha up the road towards the castle.

With Miroku at the Castle

Miroku took a deep breath as he held his hand up to his mother's chamber door; he was about to knock as the door was opened by a lady-in-waiting.

"Come in Miroku" he heard his mother say.

Miroku stepped into the large room, filled with ladies-in-waiting and their assorted pets. He saw his mother sitting on a sofa in the corner of the room and approached her, bowing.

"Hello mother" he said, sitting on a chair across from her.

"Hello Miroku, as you can assume I am not pleased with the actions of Inuyasha and you. What made you think you could just go to the village when there is a ball tonight?"

"I am sorry mother. We just needed a breather, it's not often we can get away from the court."

"That is unacceptable Miroku, this ball is very important. And someone very important to you will be there"

Miroku knew instantly who his mother meant. She was referring to the one person that he did not want to see that night, his betrothed.

"She'll be there?" he asked, hoping that he was wrong.

"Yes Miroku, Koharu will be there tonight. And I am expecting you to spend time with her, not like the last ball when after one dance you and Inuyasha ran away and hid in the gardens"

Miroku chuckled to himself at that memory and then realized that his mother did not find it as entertaining as he did.

"You are dismissed Miroku, and I expect you to be ready for the ball, and I also expect you to spend the whole night there. Koharu will be arriving later tonight."

"Yes mother." Miroku said, bowing again and exiting the room.

As he walked down the hall towards his chambers all he could think of was Sango, and how he would probably never see her again. He saw a servant hurrying towards him and stopped so the servant can approach him.

"Is there a problem?" Miroku asked the man.

The servant stopped and bowed low before him. "Yes your highness, you have a visitor in your chambers waiting for you. I was sent by Master Inuyasha to tell you"

"Thank you" Miroku said, and then he hurried down the hall towards his room. Who could it be if Inuyasha told me to hurry up? He thought, it can't be Koharu…at least I hope not.

He stopped in front of his door and paused for a second before opening the door. He pushed the door open and walked into his chambers to see Sango sitting on a couch in the corner. She looked nothing like the peasant girl he had met in the village. She looked like a lady of the court and it was obvious that Inuyasha had a hand in that.

A long, dark purple dress replaced the pink and green kimono he had seen her in earlier. Her dress was simple and unadorned, her hair was fastened in a bun and the only jewelry she wore was a simple pearl necklace. She was a simple beauty, but she was the most beautiful girl Miroku had ever seen in that moment.

Not realizing that he had been standing silent, Miroku was lost in his own thoughts until Sango finally spoke.

"Miroku? Are you okay?" she asked. Standing and walking towards him.

"You look beautiful" he finally said and then shook his head and took a step towards her; "I'm glad you finally decided that you would talk to me" Miroku said, "I would have been very sad if you refused to see me again. I've never met anyone like you before Sango."

Sango blushed, not used to being complimented, much less being complimented by the prince. "Thank you, your highness. I'm flattered." She said with her head bowed.

"Sango. Look at me. And call me Miroku. Pretend that we're still in the town at the fountain. Nothing has changed."

Sango nodded, "all right, and I guess there can't be any more huge surprises right?" she said jokingly.

As Sango spoke those words there was a knock on the door and the door to the room opened, revealing a beautiful girl.

"Miroku!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck.

Miroku looked at Sango and uneasily said, "Well…just one more surprise"

Sango looked at Miroku with a stare that could kill him, "Who's this?" she asked him, praying that she was only his sister.

"Sango…this is my…this is Koharu." He said finally.

Koharu looked at Miroku with an annoyed look. "What's gotten into you Miro?" she asked and then looked at Sango, "I'm Koharu and I'm Miroku's fiancée. We've been betrothed since we were born." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.

The words cut through Sango like a knife. And one word echoed in her head Betrothed. Betrothed. Betrothed.

She looked at Miroku, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry to run out on you again your highness. But I really must get home. Lady Higurashi will want to start dinner soon." She said and began walking towards the door.

Miroku caught Sango's arm as she walked past him, "Sango. Call me Miroku." He said. She nodded and he let go of her arm and she left the room.

Sango hurried down the hall towards the exit. Inuyasha was coming out of his rooms when Sango scurried past him.

"Sango! Wait!" Inuyasha yelled at her and she turned around and looked at him. He could see the pain in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Why didn't you tell me Inuyasha? Why did you make me think that he cared? How could you make me come here just to find this out?" she asked him, trying not to tear up as she spoke.

Inuyasha knew automatically what she was talking about. "Koharu is here isn't she?" he asked and her face told him what he needed to know. "Sango…it's complicated."

"How complicated can it be Inuyasha! She said that they have been betrothed since they were born! How complicated can that be?"

"Sango, calm down. Just come inside and talk to me." He said, pulling her into his chambers.

With Miroku and Koharu

"Miro, who was that girl?" Koharu asked semi-angrily.

"She's just a girl I met today." He replied, trying to hide everything that might hint that he had feelings for her.

"Well who is she? A noble? Is she from the court? Who is this girl Miroku?"

"I met her in the village today. Inu and I sort of ran away for a while."

"Miroku…you can't act like that! You're going to be king!" Koharu scolded.

"Koharu please stop acting like this. I get enough from my mother…and I won't even start talking about my father. You're supposed to be a friend."

"No Miroku, what I'm supposed to be is your future wife." She said.

Miroku cringed to himself at the word. Wife. He certainly didn't want to be thinking about a wife now.

"Koharu…can I be alone for a while. I'll see you tonight at the ball." He said.

"Fine Miroku, but think about it. When you need to be king…will you be ready?" she said as she walked out the door.

Miroku sat down on a chair and put his head in his hands.

"No" he said, answering her question, "I won't be."

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Authoress' Note: so how was that? R&R! And now for the sneak peak!

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Koharu clung to Miroku's arm. "Miroku!" she hissed, "What is the meaning of this?"

Miroku turned to Inuyasha, "Remind me to hurt you later" he whispered.

"You're welcome" Inuyasha replied with a smile.