Disclaimer:I do not own InuYasha or Robin Hood (sadly)... I only own this fan fiction piece.

Special Thanks: to each of my wonderful (and patient!) reviewers.

Dedicated a: mi gemela de sherry. Nosotros no bebemos sherry, pero es nuestro apodo. XD (The things I say on a dare. Forgive me if I slaughtered what I wished to say.)

Recap: Continuing Kagome asked, "You will be attending dinner with us?"

"It is not necessary," he answered before turning and making his way outside.

Normally, Kagome would have insisted, but looking at the almost bare cupboards, she was silently thankful.

Once Upon A Robbery

Chapter 4

The early morning light came too early for Kagome. After giving up her mattress to the little orphan girl, she had slept on the dirt floors of the little hut. For someone who had slept only on soft beds with lush bedding in the past, the last few days had left Kagome with too little sleep and a constant ache that coursed throughout her body.

Hearing a soft snore, Kagome looked up from the floor to see that the servant assigned to watch Rin during the night had fallen asleep. She sighed and hurriedly stood to her feet and tapped the other woman's shoulder.

Awaking with a start, the servant girl's gaze filled with fright as she realized that she had fallen asleep on the job. "I'm—" she started to say.

Seeing that Rin was still sleeping peacefully, Kagome smiled sleepily and whispered, "It's all right; it was a long night. Go home and get some rest."

As the other woman left, Kagome took her place on the chair by Rin's makeshift bed.

'She's still alive; perhaps the worst is already over,' she thought as she watched the child sleep.

Almost as if she realized she was being thought of, Rin blinked her eyes open and cracked her lips in a small smile.

"Good morning," Kagome said, cheerily, just as a quiet knock sounded on the hut door.

Rising to her feet, Kagome walked to the entrance and opened the door. Sango stood in the doorway, and at her mistress's appearance, she gave her message. "Your mother has requested that you join her outside."

"Now?" Lady Kagome asked.

Sango nodded, "Now." Gazing at Rin, the maid continued, "I will watch her for you."

"Thank you, Sango," Lady Kagome murmured as she exited the hut.

Seeing her mother standing with their guest, she hurried in their direction.

Seeing Kagome approach, the older woman lifted a regal hand in her daughter's direction, "Kagome, come join me."

Then she continued where she had left off.

"Prince Sesshomaru, we wish you success in the coming days. May you find that your brother is safe, your travel easy, and the coming crown light," Lady Higurashi said quietly.

Lady Kagome gasped loudly, a fact that the prince catalogued for further thought.

"Prince," she whispered. Quickly, the wide-eyed girl scanned the regal man before her, blushed with shame, and screamed inwardly at her obliviousness.

'How could I not have noticed?'

Lord Sesshomaru glanced down his nose at her with the same question in his haughty eyes.

Completely unaware of her daughter's reaction, Lady Higurashi continued, "Know that you have our support. We will do what we can to help from here."

The prince's gaze cleared as he nodded, "Thank you for your hospitality."

As he turned to go, he looked back once more, "Though it will take time, I will not allow the injustice done to your family and to your people to go unpunished."

With that promise, he left, leaving no doubt that he would do just as he said.

"Wait!"

At the childlike cry, three sets of eyes turned toward Kagome's hut. Standing in the doorway, was Rin, her arm frantically waving to get their attention. Without pausing, she ran over the threshold and up to the prince.

"May I go with you?" she asked, her eyes hopeful.

Unreadable eyes stared down at the small child. Then without answering, Prince Sesshomaru turned and began to walk down the dusty village lane. Apparently used to the man's manner, Rin followed happily.

The Lady Higurashis looked on wordlessly.

"She can't go with him; she's still hurt," Kagome finally whispered.

Her mother shook her head once, "That she is, but she is an orphan and as long as the prince allows her presence, there is nothing we can do."

The two women watched as the prince and the small girl walked out of sight, the dust flying softly behind them from the soft padding of their feet.

"Perhaps," Kagome whispered, "perhaps, they will help each other."

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Standing in the midst of the now familiar forest, InuYasha brewed over Naraku's abrupt rise to power and the advisor's apparent threat to the prince's own safety. While most people believed Naraku's lie that the king and his sons were dead, Naraku himself seemed to be wasting no time in making sure that was indeed fact. Apparently, he had hired men assigned with the very task of finding and killing any of the potential threats to the throne, including its true King.

In addition, as a supposed gesture of good will, he had sent home the old, the feeble, and the sick—sent them home with nothing other than the clothes that they wore the day they were snatched from their villages. Sick and elderly, these men would be unable to lend their support to the women who were now frantically trying to harvest the fields in the men's absence with little strength and almost no knowledge of how to accomplish their task.

As the men began to filter into the areas closest to the royal palace, rumors began to quietly spread through the streets. Taxes—a black and deadly word to all peasants was being whispered amidst the village people. Their last king had been a fair man, but the people knew naught of what Naraku's true nature was. The simple minded gushed over the fact that in returning the small portion of men, Naraku was looking out for the interests of the people and the kingdom. Those that had lived longer and wiser waited in silence.

Pressed to take care of her village, Kikyo used her knowledge of plants and superb skill with a bow and arrow to provide a small source of food for the town. The people adored her. Yet the nagging feeling of worry hovered over InuYasha's head and angrily he scoffed at the forgotten feeling.

As a soldier, InuYasha had seen what a lack of food could do to people. They became someone other than themselves and riots tended to follow those that dared to eat in front of those that had nothing.

Now, the only people who could afford to feed themselves and pay their taxes were the nobility, and there would be no lost love between the wealthy and the pauper. The dark cloud that represented the future was turning black with malice and when the thunder and lightning began to fall, civil war would likely come to the land.

"Something's got to be done, and I guess I'm going to have to be the one to do it," InuYasha growled as he clenched his fists.

Hearing soft footsteps, he turned to find that Kikyo stood amidst the greenery behind him.

She looked him square in the eyes, "You would be guaranteeing your own death, and you know it."

"Naraku is too much of a coward to kill me himself," the prince answered with a snarl.

Kikyo's right brow raised in a skeptical gesture. "You know him better than I," she said quietly, letting her voice trail off in silent question.

Snapping, InuYasha glared fiercely at her, "Well, what do you expect me to do? I can't let him just sit on Father's throne and ruin the lousy country."

The healer's eyes widened in surprise. While he may not have meant to, he had asked for her opinion—the opinion of a lowly peasant. Pausing, she thought a long moment before speaking softly, "I think it would be wise to stay in hiding and let him think you are indeed dead. Watch him; learn his plans, find your brother, then make your move."

Eyes temporarily clouding, InuYasha scoffed, "Sesshomaru's probably dead."

"You're alive, aren't you?" Kikyo's question rang through the quiet stillness of the forest.

Unsure of why he was even listening to the girl, the young prince nodded curtly.

"You play chess, no?" Kikyo asked, already knowing the answer.

Snorting, InuYasha asked, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"One person can control the board, but in the end it only takes one wise move to capture the king and win the game," Kikyo whispered as she turned and walked deeper within the forest, leaving a gaping prince and a vague answer.

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Three days later the forest rang with the sound of pounding footsteps and loud shouts. From the branches of a towering oak, InuYasha watched as soldiers bearing the seal of the king chased two lithe figures through the surrounding vegetation.

Bandits had struck again.

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Author's note: I guess it's rather obvious now, but there will be no youkai and hanyous in this fic; I hope this will not faze any of your decisions to read this story. ) I hope you will forgive the shortness of the chapter, but I am hoping you will not mind as long as you were able to get an update.

Out of curiosity, do you as readers prefer quicker updates and shorter chapters or longer update times, but longer chapters?

I absolutely hate to beg for reviews, so I'm not going to. I will say though that about 200 of you read every chapter, and I would really appreciate it if you would take the time just to tell me "update soon" or something else that would let me know that you like this story. Like I said, this is the first time for me to try this pairing, and I would really like some feedback, so that I can at least attempt to meet your expectations. It really does make for a quicker update as well, because reviews serve as a great encouragement and incentive to an author.

Thank you ever so much.