*Sesshoumaru steps into a spotlighted area, he is the only thing that can be seen*

"Ahem.  Bishonen no Hime does not own that bastard's…" *sound of a whip cracking, Sesshoumaru looking nervous and suddenly changes tactics*  "*cough* Um, I mean, Inuyasha's show or any of it's characters.  She does however own the plot…and borrows me in her sick, twisted and *whip cracking again, except louder this time, Sesshoumaru looks off to the side, startled, into the darkness* I mean, her charming, and creative mind." He answered quickly, everything coming out in a rush.

*As spotlight fades Sesshoumaru looks to either side with wide eyes.  It fades to complete blackness and Sesshoumaru screams as the whip cracks several times, followed by dark laughter*

AN:  I have been trying to write for a fanfiction contest for the past two weeks and what do I come up with, absolutely nothing.  Oh well.  Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!  You have no idea how much I appreciate them all! 

Chapter 5

Kagome stretched her arms above her head and gave a loud, unladylike yawn as she kicked away the warm covers that had been wrapped in a warm cocoon around her.  She absently rubbed her eyes free of the sleep that had built up over night as she blearily looked about the room.  She had been quite happy with her room after Inuyasha had shown her to it; it had been a comforting atmosphere to her stressed mind.  Things in her life had changed so rapidly and drastically that it had almost left her head spinning. The sight of a normal and familiar setting with the large four post bed and a warm fire friendly popping in the hearth had been a balm to her soul.  Kagome had thrown herself onto the bed and gazed out at the balcony that she had just noticed and had fallen almost instantly into a deep and dreamless sleep.  She yawned again as she crawled off the bed and set her bare feet onto the cold floor.  'Wait a minute…' She couldn't remember taking her boots off before she fell asleep.  And how had she gotten under the covers?  Someone must have come in after she had fallen asleep and taken her boots off and placed her under the covers.  She was still in her blue dress from yesterday, which was probably ruined by all of the probably permanent wrinkles.  'But…but who?'   Kagome plopped onto the edge of the bed as she tried to remember anything else.  Engrossed in her thoughts as she was, Kagome didn't hear the door to her room opened quietly.

"Oh, you're awake!" a surprised voice said from the doorway.  Kagome sprung to her feet and spun around to face the intruder to find the girl from the hallway the day before.  Her long dark hair was up in a high ponytail like before, and her warm brown eyes almost sparkled as she smiled at Kagome.  Her hands were clasped in front of her, directly below the tie for the white apron she had on over a gray muslin dress.

"Are you hungry?  I'll send for something."  She turned away and spoke to someone that Kagome couldn't see in the hall before she turned back and smiled at her again. 

"I'm Sango, by the way, I run the household for the most part."  Sango said warmly as she stepped into the room, two men followed her, each carrying a large trunk.  They placed the trunks at the end of her bed and then left the room without saying a word.  The girl Sango went instantly to the bed and began rearranging the covers and fluffing the pillows. 

"I hope you don't mind." She started warmly, "I came to bring you dinner last night and you where already asleep, dead to the world as a matter of fact."  Sango almost giggled at the horrified look on the other girl's face.  "But I took off your boots and put you under the covers.  It can get really cold in this castle at night."

Kagome let out the breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.  So, it had been her.  She had been so worried that some sick pervert had come into her room last night and possibly done something to her.  Kagome smiled back at the girl for the first time since she had entered the room.

"I'm so relived to hear that." She said with an embarrassed giggle.  "I was worried that some lecher had come into my room last night."  The other girl snorted and waved a hand to dismiss the thought.

"There's only one lecher in this castle and he is strictly forbidden to leave his rooms at night as long as the castle isn't under attack."  Kagome's eyes widened in comprehension.

"Miroku." She breathed.  Sango looked up at her, startled.

"You know him?"

"He's the guy that was with you yesterday in the hall, right?"  Kagome asked in a deadpan voice; Sango nodded.  Kagome sighed heavily and hung her head.  "He groped me right before I was kidnapped."  Sango felt her blood boil as she literally jumped the distance between the girl and herself.  She grabbed her shoulders in a strong grip and looked at her with worried eyes.

"He groped you?  He didn't try anything else did he?  Are you okay?"  She asked the startled girl rapidly.  Kagome blinked at her before answering.

"I'm fine.  I smacked him hard enough to almost make me forgive him." Kagome smiled again at Sango, whose clenched fist was shaking with adrenalin. 

"I'll kill him." She pronounced each syllable separately, filling each one with malice.  Kagome cocked her head at Sango as she watched the other girl's reaction.  Suddenly something seemed to dawn on her.

"Why are you so worried about him groping people?  Other than the fact that it's inappropriate." Kagome asked in a sly voice as Sango immediately shut her mouth.  Kagome watched in rapt fascination as a small blush crept onto the other girl's cheeks.  Sango suddenly cleared her throat and went to smoothing a wrinkle in the bed covers that never existed.

"N-no reason, I'm just sick of his perversions.  That's all."  She slightly stuttered out, Kagome just smiled at her knowingly.

"My name's Kagome, by the way."  She said politely as she walked to the foot of her bed.  Sango seemed all too happy to change the topic.

"Those trunks contain some clothing I found that, now that I look at you, should fit almost perfectly." 

Kagome squealed excitedly at the idea of actually being able to change clothes as she opened one of the trunks to find it packed with clothes of every color possible.  She pulled out the top-most dress and awed at the exquisitely soft fabric that flowed through her fingers as she held it up to herself and looked in a full-length mirror on the side wall.  It was emerald green with paler green lacings up the front of the bodice and a square neckline.  Kagome's gaze lingered on the neckline, wondering just how low it was going to come one her.  Sango had come beside her and opened the other chest and Kagome could see that it was equally as full as the one she had opened.

"Where did you find all these clothes?" Kagome asked; the wonder unmasked in her voice.

"They were the late Lady's."  Sango said quietly as she gazed into the fire.  Kagome looked over at her in curiosity.

"The late Lady?"

"Lord Inuyasha's mother."  Sango sighed as she turned back around and began to take the dresses out one by one and hang them in a closet near the mirror. 

"Not Lord Sesshoumaru's mother as well?"  Kagome asked as she fiddled with the lace on another of the dresses.  Sango scoffed and she shook the dust off another gown. 

"No, they are only half brothers.  Lord Sesshoumaru's mother died when he was little, and Lord Inuyasha's died five years ago."

"Oh."  Kagome would have asked more but she was interrupted by a knock on her door.  Both girls looked to the door as it cracked open and a childish voice called out to them.

"I've got the Lady's morning meal here."  It sounded strained.  Sango immediately giggled and walked over to the door and pulled it open to reveal the cutest little boy that Kagome had ever seen.  He had orange-red hair that was roughly gathered in a ponytail at the top of his head and enormous blue eyes that took up a large portion of his smudged face.  He had a pale blue shirt and a light orange vest on over a pair of darker blue pants that were somewhat ragged at the bottom hem, from running through woods probably, she mused with a smile.  The said boy was currently weighted down by two trays that were piled with enough food that they probably weighed more than he did.  Sango sighed as she leaned down to the boy and took the burdensome trays from him with ease.

"Oh, Shippo." Sango started, also smiling at the small boy.  "Did that old woman send you up here all by yourself with all this food?"

"Yeah, you know how the old slave driver is."  He sighed melodramatically as he 'dragged' himself into the room.  Kagome giggled at the sight he made which drew his attention.  His large eyes widened even more when he saw her and he excitedly ran over to her.

"Are you the Lady?" he asked her in wonder.  Kagome smiled and knelt down to his level before nodding.  Shippo's mouth opened into a large O before saying,

"You're pretty."  Kagome giggled and thanked him right before Sango called for her attention.

"Miss Kagome, you should come eat before some of this gets cold." She admonished, slightly sounding like Kaede.  Kagome looked at the piles of food warily before an idea came to her as she looked down at Shippo.  Kagome smiled at him again before asking,

"Would you like some?"  Shippo looked at her totally shocked.  He looked like he was about to protest when Kagome easily cut him off.

"There's way too much for me to eat, and there's surely something that you like in there right?"  Shippo obviously didn't need any more encouragement as he easily grabbed her hand and walked them both over to where the food sat on her bed.

*~_~*

Sesshoumaru was going to strangle Inuyasha very soon if he didn't sit still.  He was driving him absolutely crazy as he paced restlessly back and forth in front of the fireplace, picking up speed as time went on.  Sesshoumaru was trying to figure out the expenditures in front of him and was distracted each time Inuyasha made a pass near the desk and the small breeze he was creating rustled his papers.  With an aggravated sigh, Sesshoumaru placed his quill gently onto the cloth next to his work and closed the cap on the inkwell so it wouldn't dry up.  He elegantly put his elbows on the desktop and laced his fingers together as he watched his fidgety brother.

"Why don't you go outside." He suggested calmly.

"Nothing to do."  Came his short reply.

"Go riding."

"Boring."  Suddenly Inuyasha stopped and looked at his brother with a lopsided smile.  "Why?  Trying to keep me entertained?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed at him.  "Hardly.  You should do something useful while you're here.  Plus, you're distracting my from my work."

Inuyasha pouted and began pacing again.  Sesshoumaru gave a barely audible sigh and rubbed one of his temples with his index and middle fingers. 

"Have you decided what to do with the Kagome?"  Inuyasha asked him suddenly.

"That's your job.  She's your prisoner."

"WHAT?!?" Inuyasha bellowed at his brother.  Inuyasha thought he was serious before he saw the barest ghost of a smile on his brother's face.  After living with him for so many years, Inuyasha could decipher a few of his brother's expressions.  Right now he was in sick, sadistic, 'I-love-feeding-off-the-pain-of-others' mode.

"You're a bastard, ya know that."

"I beg to differ."  Sesshoumaru sniffed indignantly.  "Who was the one conceived outside of marriage?"  Inuyasha bristled at the insult.

"What did you…"

"Why not show that girl around."  Sesshoumaru deftly changed the subject as he picked up his quill again.  This was not a suggestion.

"Wha?"

"Give her a tour you idiot."

"Why do I have to?"

"Because you're bored, she probably is too and misery loves company.  And all that rot."  Sesshoumaru said snidely as he scratched some figures down on the paper.

"Damn you to hell."

"You'll probably beat me there."

Inuyasha snarled at him and stomped out of the room.

At last.  Some peace and quite.

'I wonder what she's doing?'

*~_~*

Shippo flopped down on the soft bed as he sighed with contentment.  He was so full that his belly actually bloated out from the rest of him.  Kagome and Sango sat talking to each other as they daintily nibbled on some cheese or something.  He hadn't eaten that much since his parents had been alive; the thought dimmed his contentment only for a moment before Sango called to him.

"When do you have to be back in the kitchens Shippo?"  Shippo carelessly shrugged his shoulders and stared at the ceiling.

"I guess whenever the old bat notices I'm missing.  Or when she finds me."

"Maybe I should tell her where you are."  An arrogant voice called from the doorway.  All three heads turned to see Inuyasha leaning stiffly against the doorframe.

"Don't you ever knock?"  Shippo called tauntingly from the bed.

"The door was partly open, runt."

"You're so uncouth, dog breath."  Shippo smiled triumphantly as he used the new word he had learned recently.

"What'd you say?"  Inuyasha snarled as he took a threatening step inside the room.

"Did you have a reason for coming Inuyasha?"  Kagome asked, forestalling a potentially violent argument.  'Geez, wherever he goes, he fights.' Kagome thought dismally as she waited for Inuyasha's response.

"I'm supposed to take you around for a tour."

"A tour?"  Kagome asked wonderingly.  "I thought I was a prisoner."

"You are.  But this is Sesshoumaru's idea of punishing me for disrupting him."  Inuyasha sighed dejectedly.

Kagome's eyebrows quirked at his statement.  'So I'm something to punish him with?  Am I really that bad?  I know I'm a little rambunctious, and excitable, and use a few bad words…'

"Hello?" Inuyasha called agitatedly as he waved his hand in front of the zoning girl's face.  She suddenly jerked and looked up at him blinking.

"Huh?"

"Take a bath and get dressed so we can end this private hell already." He snarled at her before stalking out of the room.

AN:  I know, I know, lousy filler chapter.  But she needed clothes, and to befriend Sango and to meet Shippo so it's all good.  Sssooo… What did you guys think?  I love reviews.  I love emails too.  Why is it that I get into the mood to write at 10:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at night/in the morning?  Lord help me, my Aunt has started reading my stories.  Hehe, hi Sandy.  Anyway, onto Reviewer Responses.

vicious-wolf – Thank you so much for the review.  I'm sorry that this isn't Inu/Kag, but I'm glad that you'll still read and review.  I'll hold you to it.  :)

Snowgirl – Thanks for the review.  I'm sorry!!!

SB – Thanks for the review!  *does happy dance*  Anyway, NO, Kikyou will not make an appearance.  I don't like her.

Me.. – Thanks for the review.  I'm glad you like it.

zel no miko – Thank you for the review!  And yes, there will probably be some Inu/Kag/Sess triangle stuff going on later.

Chibi Yume – Thanks so much!!  I hope you enjoyed this one too.

Windfall – Thank you for the review and thank you for correcting me!  That tells me that you are really reading the story.  And it makes me happy!!  Thanks again!

Hikaru – Thanks for the review!!

Laura-chan – You are ssooo kind!!  And I already have an idea for an Inu/Kag story.  But I refuse to start it until I'm finished or insanely close to finishing this one. 

Dark Star – O.O Yes!  Seriously!  Anyway, thanks for the review and (no, Sess wasn't really!)

Kitty – Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it.

shikome kido mi – Thank you for the review and advise.  It was very encouraging!  :)

Lady-Ravenclaw – Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it and I hope you enjoyed this one!!

Saori – Thanks so much!  To be honest, I really feel kinda honored to hear (read) you say that about my story.  It's very encouraging!

Wizardess Gal – NYAAAAA!  Here it is!  Enjoy!  Anyway, Thank you!!

Ferburt05 – Thanks for the review!! I hope you enjoyed this one!!

shura – Thank you so much and I'm sorry you had to wait this long!!  Unfortunately, I didn't get the fic for the contest out.  *sighs* I was sparking with ideas when I first read about the contest, but when I went to write it the hamster that runs on the wheel that powers my brain had a seizure of some kind.  Oh well.

HoTtIe GuRl – Thank you so much!!

And to the two Anonymous reviewers:  THANK YOU!!!!

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