An Inuyasha Story

Chapter 10

As soon as Kouga had left a girl appeared. She was about my age and had an enormous boomerang strapped to her back. Her long black hair was tied up in a ponytail and she wore a smile on her lips and in her eyes. I got the feeling that I could trust her.

"Hello Lady Kagome. My name is Sango and I will be your lady in waiting." She said with a deep bow. "Now let us get you ready for breakfast." She crossed to a large wardrobe to my right and began searching for a dress.

"Uh…Sango?" I asked still sitting in the bed.

"Yes Lady Kagome?" she answered brightly.

"Just Kagome is fine…can I ask you some thing?"

"Sure Kagome." She turned to look at me holding up a beautiful forest green dress as if for my approval.

"What's going on?" Sango's face fell. It seemed the question was one she did not wish to answer but had known she would have too. She crossed to the bed and sat down. I watched her begin to finger the dress as if to divine an answer from the fabric. Finally after a long pause she took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Kouga is ruler of this land, just as all our rulers have been, by Demon Law. That means that he fought the previous ruler and came out the victor. It was after he took over that we, the castle servants, learned his reason for his challenging the king. He had fallen in love, but the girl rejected him. He became king to make himself more desirable to her. But still she rejected him." Here she paused again and looked at me. She bit her lower lip hard. There was something more she wanted to say, but it seemed she was afraid.

"Go on." I urged gently.

"I did only as I was ordered, please do not hate me." She said softly.

"Why would I hate you?"

"When the girl rejected him, Lord Kouga wanted to give her reason to look to him for help. He had her parents accused of murder and sentenced to be hung. He wanted the girl to turn to him for help and save her parents. She didn't. He thought that maybe she would look to him for comfort. She didn't do that either. In fact she turned from him even more, saying she had to care for her brother. He decided to bide his time and wait for the boy to grow to a man. But on a resent visit to her home he found her in the presents of a male half demon. Kouga feared that he would lose the one he loved. So he sent his wolves to…to kill the girl's younger brother, hoping she would look to him for comfort. She turned to the Hanyou. He had us kidnapped the girl…" she trailed off. I felt numb. The girl…it was me. Kouga had ordered the killing of my whole family…I felt like crying, like throwing up, like running. I could feel the hot tears run down my face as my vision blurred.

"Shhh, Kagome, Shhhh. Don't cry." Sango comforted, placing an arm around my shoulder. "Don't cry. I'll take you out into the country side after breakfast, but if you cry now Kouga will know what I told you and we will both be in trouble." I wiped my eyes and nodded. If Kouga could kill my whole family he could definitely kill me.

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I sat opposite Kouga at the huge dinning table in the expensive looking dinning room. I had put on the green dress Sango had picked out. I tried to constraint on my food, it was very good, but Kouga kept smiling at me and I felt more uncomfortable then usual under his gaze.

"So my love," I forced myself not to cringe, "Sango tells me you wish to see the country side. Would you like me to accompany you?"

"N-No thank you Kouga, I just wanted to spend time with Sango." I replied as innocently as I could manage. He narrowed his eyes at me. I gulped.

"And why is that." I heard Sango hold her breath next to me. The monk standing just behind Kouga shifted uncomfortably. Think, Kagome, think!

"Well, Kouga dear, I know you. But if Sango is to be my lady in waiting then I need to get to know her so…she can…understand my wishes." I finished lamely. God that sounded stupid. He's going to kill me!

"Ok then." Kouga replied calmly, leaning back into his chair and taking a sip of his wine. Sango and the Monk relaxed and I did my best not to look openly shocked. He bought it, I can't believe he bought it! Is he really that dumb?

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Sango and I reined in our horses in an open meadow. The day was beautiful. We had ridden an hour out of the castle so to be away from Kouga. I guess he wasn't as dumb as I had thought because I over heard him chewing out Sango about not letting me escape. I felt bad for the girl. She didn't want to keep me prisoner anymore then I wanted to be one, but what could we do? The two of us couldn't stand up to him and ever hope to win. I wonder if Inuyasha will come for me? I blushed.

"Are you thinking of the Hanyou?" Sango asked gently.

"Yeah." I attempted sitting down in the grass and gesturing for Sango to do the same, "Inuyasha's really nice. Of course he doesn't want anyone to know that so he acts like a real jerk some times."

"I sorry you had to leave him…" she looked sad for a minute then a smirk crossed her face, "The only guy around here who will even talk to me is Miroku, and he's…well, a pervert."

"But you like him anyway don't you?" I said with a knowing smile, "And don't deny it I can see it in your eyes." Sango blushed deep red, but smiled.

"Do you love Inuyasha?" she turned on me.

"You're avoiding the question."

"So. I'll tell if you do."

"Fine. Yeah I love him." I felt my cheeks get hot. I looked up when I heard a faint sound in the woods to my right. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Sango asked.