Inuyasha and the Shikon Jewel

Chapter 3: It's Hard To Be A Princess

It was a bright sunny morning at the palace, or at least it was until a loud ''BOOM!'' by the sound of the large door burst open, as the prince storms off in total frustration follow by humiliation because a rear piece of his hakama pants torn off showing his fundoshi plus his two pairs orbs of men buttcheeks exposed.

"Ughh! I've never been so insulted in all my life!" he spatted.

"Oh, Prince Akito. You're not leaving so soon, are you?" asked the empress, Atsuko Higurashi.

"I hope you are not." Sanosuke said in a panicking state.

"Good luck marrying her off!"

"Oh, dear." she sighed.

"Ugh! What has my granddaughter done this time?!" Sanosuke grumbled as he heads out the palace garden where an 8 year old boy was stand by the entrance way. "Sota! Where's your sister, Kagome?"

"She still sitting by the fountain with, Sango just as she is, grandpa."

"Good! Because I like to give her a piece of my mind!" he said grumbled angelically as he walk passed him.

"Now, Sanosuke. Don't be to harsh on her like you did last time." Atsuko follows him behind leaving, Sota concerned.

"This is not gonna go well." he said in a worry tone, knowing the fact of what about to come.

At the palace garden as birds chirping and whistling as two ladies were sitting that a big fountain along with a large saber tooth cat laying down with a piece of the prince's hakama on her mouth.

"Kagome!" the old man called out to her. "Oh, Kirara! Give that to me now!"

Sanosuke grab it as they tug-a-war for it.

"Kirara! Let go! I'm not asking you again!"

He finally yanks it out of her mouth while he falls rear first on the floor.

"So, this is why Prince Akito stormed out!"

"Oh, grandpa," Kagome chuckled as Kirara transforms back into a small cat and leaps up to the other woman's lap. "Kirara was just playing with him isn't that right, Sango?"

"Oh, yes. She was just playing him, weren't you, Kirara?" Sango asked her pet Nekomata on the head as she mewed happily to her owner. "You were just playing with that overdressed, self-absorbed, Prince Akito, weren't you?"

Both the teens started giggling own to received by the angry frown upon the old man's face with his arms folded.

"Ahem. Uh, sorry, Lord Higurashi." she apologetically said.

"Sango, would you please let us speak to her?" Atsuko asked her.

"Yes, your majesty." She bowed respectfully as she heads over to the other side carrying her pet nekomata by her arms.

"Kagome, you've got to stop rejecting every suitor that comes to call. The law says you...

"...must be married to a prince." Kagome interrupted.

"By your next birthday." he added which, Kagome sighed in annoyance.

"The law is wrong."

"But you've only got three more days!"

"Grandpa, I hate being forced into this. If I do marry, I want it to be for love."

"But-" Sanosuke was about to say something before, Atsuko place her hand on his shoulder as prompting him to let her handle this herself.

"Kagome, it's not only this law. But I'm not going to be around forever, and I just want to make sure you're taken care of, provided for." Atsuko place both hands to her shoulders to comfort her. "You're father would've wanted you to continue his family line and you're heir to the throne."

Kagome hung her head sadly upon hearing about her passing father.

"I know, mother. But try to understand. I've never done a thing on my own. I've never had any real friends."

"Ahem." Sango cleared her throat.

"Except you, Sango." she smiled at her. "I've never even outside the palace walls."

"Kagome, I do understand. But I know I'm doing it for your own safety."

"I'm fifteen years old, mother. I'm not a little girl anymore." Kagome retorted.

"Kagome!" Sanosuke protested point his finger directly at her. "As your grandfather, you will do as your mother said! You're...a...princess!"

"Then maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore!" Kagome shouted at him as she take the family heirloom necklace her grandfather gave from her 7th birthday and threw to the ground leaving both her mother, and Sanosuke shocked.

"That was my gift to you! Why you- no good... disobedient little- Aghhhh!" He yelled as he stormed off only to stop dead at his tracks and turn back to her. "Kami forbid you should have any daughters!" he spatted

"Sanosuke!" she exclaimed but took a deep breath as she turns to, Kagome.

"I'll go talk to your grandfather. But for now, please be reasonable and try to do what right for your own future." with that she gets up and heads back inside the palace leaving, Kagome alone with, Sango and Kirara. Kagome let out a deep sigh.

"What future do I have if I'd had to remain a prisoner here for the rest of my life." she sadly hung her head.

"I know how you feel, Kagome." Sango said as she stroke, Kirara's head. "If I had a grandfather like yours, my life would be a living hell." she joked in which, both she and Kagome softly laughed.

"Yeah, but still... If only I can be free from this all." Kagome said.

Looking up on the trees seeing two birds on one of the branches as they huddled up, and the female start rubbing it's head underneath the male's neck as their chirped happily. Upon seeing that, Kagome if one day she would one day find true love for herself.

XXX

Back inside the palace while, Sanosuke was still hotheaded over the fact he raised his very own granddaughter come to be such an disobedient brat.

"I just don't get with that child! How did I had to put up with her after all these years I help alongside my daughter-in-law to raise her and this is the thank I get?!" he ranted. "Now how is my family's legacy will ever continue without a new emperor and empress to rule the entire kingdom?"

"Now, Sanosuke mind your blood pressure. You don't want to get a heart attack like you did last time." Atsuko enters in the chambers. "Not only that, I'm very ashamed of you for what you just said back there." she scolded.

"Can't you really blame on me for your own daughter being such a picky on ever single suitor she meets and rejects them. And she should know better by now that she should carry out her role of being a royal princess. I can't just stand with her childish, and stubborn behavior of hers. If my son was still alive, he would've teach her some discipline."

"Yes, if only he was still here." she said sadly over the passing of her former husband, and former ruler. "But you know I wasn't nearly as picky when my mother to let me choose a suitor. And let's not forget that, Kagome has same stubbornness and temper as your son's." Atsuko pointed out.
"Yes..." he sighed deeply.

A shadow fall over them both as they looked to sees, Naraku standing by the doorway with his large demon crow sitting by his shoulder.

"Ohh, oh. Ah, Naraku. Our most trusted advisor. We're are in desperate need of your wisdom." Sanosuke said in glee.

"My life is but to serve you, my lord." Naraku bows. "What seem to be the problem?"

"It's this suitor business. My granddaughter, Kagome is refusing to choose a husband. And I'm at my wit's end."

"You mean my wit's end?" Atsuko pointing out him.

"Ah, y-yes, her wit's end." he correct himself.

"Your majesty, mind if I disgust this in private?"

"Of course. Sanosuke, if you please?" Atsuko asked in which the old man nodded.

"As you wish." he said as exit out the chambers, leaving the two alone.

"Now then, we should can go over the situation of yours?"

"Of course, Naraku. As what, Sanosuke said, my daughter refuses to choose a suitor to become her husband."

"Indeed. Perhaps I can divine a solution to this thorny problem."

"If anyone can help, it's you."

"Ah, but it would require the uses of the mystic diamonds." Naraku takes her hand as the sleeves slip down to reveal her beautiful royal bracelet in which pulled away from his.

"Uh, my bracelet? But- but it's a wedding gift from my husband. It's the only thing I have left of him."

"It's necessary to find the princess a suitor." Naraku says the word 'princess' with the second syllable, ''cess.'' He then turns to her and his stares dead straight to hers as his red eyes glows demonically. Atsuko's eyes glows red the same as his as she's being hypnotized.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." his voice slows down and deepens.

"Yes...everything...will be...fine."

"Now...the diamonds." he commanded.

"Here, Naraku. Whatever you need will be fine." she take the bracelet off her wrist and slowly hands it to him in which he takes it.
"You are most gracious, milady. Now why don't you go and tend to your little garden." Naraku suggest.

Atsuko still hypnotized, stood still motionless and her eyes still glowing red.

"Yes...that'll be...pretty good."

Once, Naraku exit out the chambers as he look at the diamond bracelet with a sinister smile appeared on his face. While scrolling through the hallway as he spotted, Kagura was by the corner fanning her fan as she sees her master approaching.

"I take it that you've gotten the bracelet from our goody little empress?" she asked.

"Yes. I have required it." Narak said pass by her not making eye contact. "And soon I'm almost close of becoming emperor, not her daughter and so called future husband."

He pulls a rope, which the wall opens to reveal a secret entrance.

"The Higurashi line will soon come to an end." Naraku give a slight evil chuckle as he enters along with, Kagura following him.

XXX

Later that night, Kagome decided it was time to escape as she is dressed up in a different clothing as she puts on a straw hat while her long raven black hair tucked in. She as makes her way through the garden as she makes sure no one is watching as she makes her way the palace's wall as she hides a tree to climb on. As she begins to climb until. "Kagome."

A voice came out which startled her. As she turns to see, Sango standing there with, Kirara next to her.

"S-Sango?" she nervously murmured feeling like she's now in trouble and she going to tell her mother that she was trying to sneak off and escape out of the palace. "I-I can explain..."

"It's alright." Sango began. "You're safe with me. I won't alert the gurads."

"What? You're not going to? Why?" Kagome asked.

"Because I'm your best friend. And won't go against you. But are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Oh, Sango. I can't stay here and have my life lived for me." Kagome said she heads towards her as she give her long time friend an embrace as, Sango return the same embrace back to her. "I'm going to miss you, Sango."

"I'll miss you too." Sango replied sadly. "Kirara. Can you please help her up?"

She answered with very depressing mew as she transform into a big feline cat as she allows, Kagome to ride on her as she flew upward as they reaches to the top palace walls.

"Thank you, Kirara." Kagome thanked her as she hugs her. "Good-bye."
Kagome disappears over the other side of the wall as, Kirara flies back down and turns back to a small cat and leaps up to, Sango's arms as she starts to whine, and whimpers.

"I know, Kirara." Sango sadly said. "I'll miss her too."

Just as she was about to walk away from the wall she stops and glance back behind her shoulder as she looks back one last time at the wall.

"Please be safe."