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Bonjour, my favorite people!! I just wanted to extend another HUGE thank you to all my reviewers... my reviews have jumped up to 27!! This is my most popular story... and I love it!! I hope everyone is enjoying it... and if you want to give me any writing suggestions with the story... don't hesitate to put them in your review... any little bit of advice is always welcome ^ .^ And now... Here is Chapter 8... Happy reading!!
!!!!WARNING!!!! I HAVE DECIDED TO INCREASE THIS STORY'S RATEING TO PG-13 BECAUSE OF SOME ROUGH LANGUAGE SO FROM NOW ON STORY IS PG-13 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inuyasha slowly made his way back up towards the palace. He was regretting this moment ever since Kikyou told him that his father had died.
'This is insane.' He said to himself, 'I'm walking into my own demise I know it...'
As he entered the castle, the air felt cold. For the first time, the palace seemed so large and complicated to him. He had no idea where to begin. Should he look for his father? Should he hide from Kikyou? Should he attempt to talk to Sesshomaru? Inuyasha decided just to wait and be found by someone.
Inuyasha marched up the large, marble staircase that led to a large picturesque hallway filled with the massive windows that overlooked the city. The sun shinned through the glass, filling the white walled hallway with pure, clean light. Inuyasha suddenly could remember an instance of his childhood...
~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~
"Do you really expect to color the whole city with those few crayons?" Sesshomaru said, ruffling Inuyasha hair.
"No..." Inuyasha said, under his messed up tresses. "The city would have to shrink even more for me to color it."
"Cities can't shrink smaller, Inuyasha, they can only grow." Sesshomaru said. "And do you know what makes them grow?"
"Daddy?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's right. And not just Father, members of his court and warriors."
"But, mostly Daddy right?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes, mostly Daddy." Sesshomaru answered.
There was a short pause before either of them spoke again.
"Wanna go play Sesshie?" Inuyasha asked.
"No." Sesshomaru answered.
Inuyasha began to pout. "Why not Sesshie?" he asked.
"Because heirs don't play." He answered.
"Oh... then what do heirs do?" Inuyasha asked.
"We learn." Sesshomaru answered.
"Aren't you allowed to have any fun?" Inuyasha asked.
"No. We, I mean...I, have duties to uphold. I must be there to help father, and learn from his reign, on how to be a good king."
"Oh... is it fun?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's duty." Sesshomaru answered.
"Seems silly." Inuyasha said.
"It's called responsibility, something that you SHOULD be aware of by now." Sesshomaru said. He looked down at Inuyasha who ducked his head in shame and gave a soft whine.
~*~*~ End Flashback ~*~*~
Inuyasha frowned to himself. 'I'm not going to be pathetic anymore.' He decided. 'Even though Sesshomaru is older and a full demon... I'm still part of his family... and my opinion will be heard!'
With that thought he continued down the hallway, directing his attention at his objective.
An attendant, dressed in white, stepped out of a side room. She gently closed the door behind her. In her arms she carried a hamper filled with folded white towels. She didn't look up until she almost walked into Inuyasha.
"Oh, my Lord..." she spoke to him, "...your still here."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Inuyasha asked.
"Forgive my rudeness, but we all thought you had... supposedly... run away." She answered.
"What ever gave you that idea?" Inuyasha asked, his temper began to rise.
The maid grew scared at his tone of voice changed, she gave a quick bow, "My Lord, I am but a humble servant, I only know what I overhear from others." With that line, she hurried past him, almost at a run.
Inuyasha was fuming. He knew Sesshomaru had some part in this, he was sick of it all. Inuyasha turned and hastily walked toward the thrown room. 'If Sesshomaru was anywhere in the palace, he was there.' Inuyasha thought.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he stood out in front of the throne room doors. Normally, he would knock, but this time he owed his brother no kind of respect.
Inuyasha slammed his fists on the solid wood, but they didn't budge. They had been locked from the inside! Inuyasha sneered, 'This won't keep me out.' He thought.
Inuyasha backed up slightly, and then with a cry he ran at the doors with his right shoulder down. The thick wooden doors, cracked and splintered as Inuyasha hit them. Inuyasha created a hole and slipped through.
"Sesshomaru!" he yelled as he entered the room. His voice echoed off of the solid walls. Inuyasha ran down the red carpet that led to the royal platform. His golden eyes searched for his brother. Inuyasha was slightly out of breath, and so his fangs hung out of his half opened mouth, making him look vicious and wild.
"Where are you, you bastard?" He yelled out.
"...Inuyasha..." said an almost dead voice from behind his left shoulder. The voice was not that of Sesshomaru, it was a woman's voice. She stood in the shadow of the silk curtains.
Inuyasha turned to look at the shadowed figure. She slowly came into the light. Inuyasha sighed when he saw that it was Kikyou.
He ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, giving her a slight shake. "What did you tell him Kikyou? What did you say?"
Kikyou began to pout and whimper, "I had to tell him Inuyasha! That Siren had you in a trance, she was gonna turn you into one of her mindless sea slugs."
"You fool!" Inuyasha snapped, "She'd never do that!"
"Can you be so sure little Inuyasha?" Came another voice from above him.
Inuyasha turned to see Sesshomaru standing up on the alter, beside the royal throne. He had one hand on the back of the jeweled chair. Inuyasha hadn't noticed, but his fathers crown lay on the chair's velvet red cushion.
"From what Kikyou has told me, you have allowed yourself to be placed under the spell of a Siren." Sesshomaru continued. He seemed to be making fun of Inuyasha.
"I was not under a spell!" Inuyasha sneered.
"Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru said, as he walked in front of the thrown and looked down at Inuyasha like he held superior power over him. "I am very disappointed in you. You have been making such progress with your training. You are slowly finding the true powers of your demon abilities. I thought you could handle a simple Siren spell... but clearly you're too weak."
Inuyasha growled, "You're so full of shit Sesshomaru! What are you trying to accomplish by saying this?"
"Temper, temper... Inuyasha" Sesshomaru mocked. "You leave me with only one choice. Father and I used to talk about his when you were little, as a possible way for you to fully express you demon abilities."
"What are you saying?" Inuyasha asked.
"I have decided that you should relocate yourself to the summer palace for some intensive training. And besides, the summer palace is further inland... it will keep you from falling under more Siren spells." He laughed slightly at this comment.
"What will the summer palace accomplish for me?" Inuyasha said.
"I will see that you will seek only the 'best' training from some 'friends' I know there." Sesshomaru said.
Inuyasha didn't trust his brother, 'Why would he send me off for training to get stronger? It didn't make sense. Did he really want Inuyasha to improve more?'
Inuyasha cocked his head, "What's the catch?"
Sesshomaru slightly smiled, "Oh dearest little brother... do you think I... your own brother... would be out to get you? Don't be immature. This is a good...'growing process' for you."
Inuyasha was still unsure. "How long do I have to remain there?" he asked.
"As long as necessary." Sesshomaru said.
"Why are you suddenly telling me this now?" Inuyasha asked.
"I though you might ask that... I had tried to encourage father, may he rest in peace, to send you earlier in your life. But he didn't feel you where ready. And now that father's opinion doesn't really matter anymore... I though you would like to take part in this opportunity." Sesshomaru said.
This statement burned Inuyasha, "How can you say that about our father?" he yelled.
Sesshomaru growled, "Our father was a fool, especially when it came to you. If it would have been up to me, you would have been gone a long time ago. But father took pity on you because... well... because you are what you are..."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha roared, he took a step forward toward Sesshomaru.
"Miss Kikyou, if you please." Sesshomaru said.
Suddenly, Kikyou pulled out her bow and fitted an arrow into the string. She took quick, careful aim and let her arrow fly at Inuyasha.
"Whaa..." Inuyasha said.
The arrow struck Inuyasha in the chest, he flew across the room with the arrow, as it pinned him to the wall.
Inuyasha wasn't dead, only paralyzed to the spot. Inuyasha tried to reach his other arm up and pull the arrow out, but it glowed with a haunting pink color and couldn't be removed.
Kikyou's priestess powers held him to the spot; her sacred arrow could not be removed unless she removed it.
"Kikyou..." Inuyasha said weakly, "But, I thought..."
Kikyou's eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I have to do this, please forgive me."
Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshomaru disappear and appear directly in front of him. It was his full demon blood that made his so fast.
"I'm sorry to say, but I do not share father's sympathy for half breeds." Sesshomaru said.
"You bastard, how are you supposed to go through with this? There are eyes all around the palace... they will know I'm gone..." Inuyasha weakly said.
"Not if you're gone for 'training'." Sesshomaru said.
"Fuck you..." Inuyasha sneered.
"You have a nasty mouth..." Sesshomaru said. "I think it needs to be corrected."
Inuyasha watched with wide eyes as Sesshomaru balled up his fist, pulled his arm back and swung... and then Inuyasha's world went black.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kagome arrived home a little after nightfall. She had taken her time, she was in no hurry. She was enjoying her thoughts, her thoughts about Inuyasha.
She darted through the water, spinning and doing flips. 'I kissed him! I can't believe I actually kissed him! I mean... it didn't mean anything... I was saving his life... but still... I kissed Inuyasha!!' She had butterflies in her stomach. Her face was flushed and her eyes glowed.
Kagome sung to herself the whole way home. The sea life listened as the happy princess sung her sweet songs. Her voice was so powerful and beautiful. Her voice made the waves shimmer. And her song were not songs of death or deceit, but sung of fun and games.
Kagome entered the coral palace and swam passed groups of other merfolk, who stopped to stare at her.
"What's with her?" one asked.
"I swear, ever since she has been spending so much time alone... she seems happier." Another said.
"Maybe she's in love?"
"Does the King know?"
"Maybe it's a forbidden love!"
Rumors spread like wildfire. But no one really understood what the princess was feeling. She didn't even know, but whatever it was... she liked the feeling.
Kagome swam to the royal quarters; she knocked at her father's bedroom door. A servant answered and let her in.
The King was getting his portrait painted when Kagome entered.
"And a Good afternoon to you father dearest!" Kagome called to him in her sing-song voice.
The king's eyes flashed at his happy daughter.
"Kagome, what puts you in such a happy mood?" the king asked, trying not to move.
Kagome blushed, but she tried to cover it up. "Why what ever do you mean father?" she asked sweetly.
"I do believe the tides have changed on my Kagome." The King answered.
Kagome didn't hear him or wasn't paying attention. "Grand Master Painter, may we finish some other time? I would like to have a few words with the Princess." The king said.
"Of course sir." The royal painter echoed. His attendants helped him gather up his supplies and they all bowed politely and left the room.
Once the doors were shut, the King glanced over at his daughter, who was looking at her reflection in the looking glass.
Kagome never used to bother with her appearance before, but for some reason, her hair looked terrible today.
The King smiled at his daughter, 'And to think,' he thought, 'I wanted a boy.'
The King looked at his daughter, and he noticed something different about her color.
"Kagome dear, you seem tanner. Have you been spending time at the surface?" the King asked.
Kagome's heart jumped. "Um, yes I have been Father. The whales are migrating again... and I have been playing with the new whale pups."
"Taking a sudden interest in whale migration my Dear?" the king asked.
"Well, the whales don't come around these parts very often... and I love listening to them sing their love songs." Kagome answered.
"Are you, yourself, singing any love songs?" The king inquired.
"Oh, Father, I just haven't found the right merman yet." Kagome answered.
"That because you chase every merman who takes an interest in you away." The king said.
"Feh." Kagome said. Then she thought, 'Geez, I sound like Inuyasha...'
"Kagome, dearest..." the King said quietly, "I wanted to wait until you where older to give you this... but I feel that you have grown into a merwoman faster than anyone I know." The king said.
Kagome eyed her father, he never was this sincere. "What is it Father?" she asked.
The King almost looked like he was about to cry. He rose quietly, and swam to the opposite side of the room. He latched the lock on the entrance, and then turned to Kagome, "Follow me my Dear."
Kagome followed, hesitantly. Her father swam back towards the west wall of his room. The wall was bare except for a woven tapestry of Kagome's family tree that had belonged to the King's mother, Kagome's grandmother.
The King pushed the tapestry aside, revealing the bare rock wall. With a slight swish of his left hand over the walls surface, pieces of the wall began to glow a bright green color. The green lights flashed in an array of patterns, before finally settling on three different pieces of the wall... each side by side of one another, with only a small gap between.
The King lifted his left hand again and chose the first colored section. Tapping it once, the glow disappeared, and was replaced by a red glow.
Then the King tapped the last green section and that one turned red as well. Next, his fingers tapped the center and last green panel, turning it red like the others. But then, he pressed the center/middle panel again, and it glowed blue.
Once the middle panel glowed blue, the wall came alive. A beam of light in the shape of a square appeared on the wall the light grew brighter and brighter until the whole square was filled with the light. Then, just as quickly as it had increased in brightness, the light disappeared, revealing a large square hole in the wall.
Kagome watched with amazement as the wall flashed the colors. She never even knew this wall was so special. The black hole in the wall looked like a hidden passageway and the lights must have represented a secret code of some sort.
Kagome's mind flashed back to her childhood. All she could remember was when...
*Flashback*
Her father would bring her into his room and show her this tapestry. Kagome would swim up and follow the tree's roots with her small fingers until she landed on her birth.
"See this spot, Kagome." He would say to her, "That is you. You are the first princess of over a century of princes. My grandfather, your great- grandfather, had all boys, as did my father, but I was blessed with a girl. Your life and your decisions will shape the future of our family tree. Who ever you marry, their family will become part of our family, but they will never be full royal blooded, you might very well be the last fully royal blooded Princess."
*End Flashback*
'The last fully royal blooded...' those words echoed in Kagome's mind. They took a new meaning to her now, as her father swam into the wall and disappeared behind the dark, black hole.
"Come Kagome." He spoke softly to her.
Kagome was hesitant, but she followed her father through the dark portal.
Kagome found herself in a low ceiling passageway that extended deep into pitch darkness. Kagome kept her eyes on her father's fin as he swam just a few feet ahead of her. The passage was not big enough for the two to swim side by side.
Kagome found nothing interesting to look at as the passageway extended further and further. The walls were bare and plain. The water pressure began to increase around Kagome, 'we must be traveling underground.' She thought to herself.
Suddenly, the King stopped. Kagome peered around his thick body, and could see a faint outline of a door. A crack of light emanated from around the door's frame. The King pushed on the wooden door and then held it open for Kagome to enter.
As Kagome entered, her yaw dropped. The room was lit with two magnificent crystal chandeliers; above each candle's wick was a royal blue flame. Which gave the room a cool, yet bright light.
"Those are called chandeliers," the King said, as he noticed Kagome was looking up at them. "The bright blue light is called fire. On land fire is an orange-red color and is hotter than the sun's rays. I call this fire, 'blue fire' because it is not hot."
"How is it made?" Kagome asked swimming up towards the chandeliers and staring into the blue fire. She poked at the blue flame with a curious finger. It was cold around her finger and sent shivers down her spine.
The King smiled, "by magic my Dear."
Kagome looked at her father awkwardly and then swam around the great room. The walls had been carved into deep shelves and every shelf had an array of items on it.
"What is all this stuff?" Kagome asked her father.
"Land items..." her father answered, "Things that land creatures use."
Kagome's mind drifted to Inuyasha as she picked up a spoon and held it up into the light, she could see her reflection in it, but it was a weird reflection, the object made her nose look huge. 'I wonder what Inuyasha used this thing for?' Kagome thought, 'it certainly isn't a looking glass, your face is all distorted.'
"That is a spoon, Kagome" the King told her. "It's used to cook with."
Kagome thought it was weird item. 'Why cook with something so oddly shaped.' She wondered.
"Kagome," the King called, "Come here, I need to show you this."
Kagome left the spoon and swam over to her father. Along the wall hung many long, thin, and shiny objects. Each of these things had a long shaft, and a guilded handle.
"Oh, what are these?" Kagome asked wide eyed.
"Together they are called swords. But each sword has a specific name." The king explained.
"What are they used for?" Kagome asked.
"For war, my Dear." The King answered. "These swords may not look like much but they have secret hidden powers that come alive when they are used."
"What kinds of land creatures use swords?" Kagome asked.
"Any kind of land creature," her father said, "But only ones who believe in humans, can wield them. Demons most of all."
"Demons?!?" Kagome asked, 'Inuyasha!' she thought.
"Yes, Kagome, Demons. Demons are a breed of land creature that have incredible powers of strength and speed. They are violent individuals that have ruled over the land for over a millennium."
'Violent?' Kagome thought, 'Inuyasha isn't violent...'
"This sword right here," the King spoke pointing to an old rusted sword with a red handle. "Its blade is made out of a demon bone. It is perhaps the most dangerous sword of all..."
"Then why do you have it?" Kagome asked.
"I'm protecting it, Kagome."
"From what?" she asked.
"From anyone... anyone who wants to use it to rule over others." The King said.
"The demon royal family would give their first born to have this sword back in their possession. But they do not know where it lays, hidden." The King said his voice trailed off.
"How did you get this sword Father?" Kagome asked.
"I didn't get it. My great grandfather did. Back when merfolk and land creatures got into a war."
Kagome didn't understand, "What war, Father? We never have been in a war, we are a peaceful people."
"Kagome," he began, "It's time you learned a little about your family history."
Kagome felt like she didn't even know the merman standing in front of her. How could he not tell her everything since the first day she was born?
"My great-grandfather, his name being King Hiead, was king over the merpeople at this particular time. During this time, Merfolk had the power to split their fin and walk on land for a sun and a moon every time the tide would change. Meaning every full moon. It was common for Merfolk to be seen in and out of the water. Demons and Merfolk as well as all other land creatures lived in harmony with one another. Yet, Demons always saw themselves superior to every race around them. Then the Demon race began to intertwine with the human race, creating a half breed species. Soon demon's and merfolk began to intertwine in relationships, and as a result merfolk gained the powers to transform into 'beasts of the water' and demons gained the ability to breath underwater. Yet the blood types did not mix. No demon- mermaid child survived past the age of seven snows. At first it wasn't a problem. Merfolk usually stuck with Merfolk and Demons stayed with other Demons. But then King Hiead's son and a demoness (female demon) who happened to be the daughter of the demon royal family, they both fell in love, a deeper love then ever existed.
Anyway, as time went on, the couple finally got together and consumed a son. The son was now heir to two great dynasties. The baby prince lived to be only four snows old when he died. Both Demon and Merfolk blamed the other's rotten blood for the death of the little prince. And a huge feud rose up between the worlds.
Then, one night, the greatest mystery happened. Both the King Hiead's son and the demoness princess were murdered; and on the same night no less. Evidence proved that the Hiead's son was killed by a demon, although history doesn't tell us who, and the demoness was killed by a merfolk, their identity also unknown.
Well, that just about ended the peace between the worlds. War was inevitable. The war dragged on for over ten years. The battles dwindled down to nothing but geographical advantages. The merfolk owned the water, the Demons owned the land. Then, slowly but surly the war just stopped. The merfolk stayed beneath the surface of the water, and the demons stayed on land."
"So... there was no winner?" Kagome asked.
"It depends on the way you look at it." The king continued. "It turned into a kind of 'Cold War' between the nations. The demons grew stronger and the merfolk grew more powerful with our Siren powers and spells.
Then, of course, the Age of Humans was on the horizon. And the Demons had new problems to worry about. As did the Merfolk. Miko's developed ancient forms of healing and prayer. Miko priestess' became guardian's over villages, and the Demons turned to living in forests or ruling over small kingdoms."
"But, I still don't understand." Kagome said, "Why was the couple killed? I mean, I understand that the little prince was killed because his body couldn't handle the different blood types. But why kill the parents... they had no control over their son's blood."
"Ahh, yes my dear," the King said, "There was something missing. Something that the murders wanted, that they didn't find when they killed their targets."
The King left Kagome and swam over to the far south wall, opened a small box, and removed something that Kagome couldn't see. A noise that sounded like wind chimes sounded in Kagome's ears.
The King held the object in his big hand, which Kagome could tell was connected to a black wire.
"This object really did belong to the Merpeople. It was our greatest treasure. When the prince was killed, he didn't have the object with him. So therefore it wasn't found. The Demons wanted the object because it could grant wishes. Anything that was desired could simply be wished for and it would be granted."
The King looked down at the object in his closed hand. He released his fingers and Kagome gazed down at something she almost thought was a joke for a second.
It was a small, pink colored, jewel. About the size of a spatice.
"This is the object, the Shikon no tama Jewel..." The King said. "When King Hiead's son died, he wished on the jewel to bring him back. But the jewel only brings back the dead if the dead want to be brought back. The son didn't want to leave his love, which was dead with him. So he chose to remain dead. The King was furious that the Jewel was powerless, so using his power; he shattered the Jewel into thousands of tiny fragments. The shards flew all over the Great Ocean, imbedding themselves in plants, sea creatures, rocks, and other merfolk. It became the royal duty of every King to help collect all of the shards once again. All the way up until now, a few months ago, I found the very last shard. And now the jewel is complete."
Kagome glared at the whole pink jewel that rested in the palm of her father's hand.
The King swam over to his daughter and placed the jewel, attached to the black cord around her neck; it fell just in between her breasts.
Kagome looked down at the jewel around her neck. "Why are you giving it to me?" she asked.
The King cupped the edge of her face in his hand. "My sweet Kagome, I believe that the jewel was meant to be yours. I think you were meant to be its guardian." The King smiled down on his daughter.
Kagome was speechless. "But why me?" she asked again.
"Because Kagome, I am to old to watch over the jewel anymore. You are the first MerPrincess in over a century. I believe that the mermen were meant to find the shards, but now that is complete, the mermaid is meant to protect it."
Kagome nodded her head. She felt a huge weight place itself on her shoulders. But Kagome had always felt that she was, in some way, able to complete many great things in her life.
"I will protect it, Father. I will keep it safe." She answered him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Phew! Long chapter... anywho... don't worry I'll update soon! I know your all worried about Inuyasha... hehe... Chapter 9 coming soon... oh yea... and if you like what your reading... don't forget to Review!! ; )
Bonjour, my favorite people!! I just wanted to extend another HUGE thank you to all my reviewers... my reviews have jumped up to 27!! This is my most popular story... and I love it!! I hope everyone is enjoying it... and if you want to give me any writing suggestions with the story... don't hesitate to put them in your review... any little bit of advice is always welcome ^ .^ And now... Here is Chapter 8... Happy reading!!
!!!!WARNING!!!! I HAVE DECIDED TO INCREASE THIS STORY'S RATEING TO PG-13 BECAUSE OF SOME ROUGH LANGUAGE SO FROM NOW ON STORY IS PG-13 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inuyasha slowly made his way back up towards the palace. He was regretting this moment ever since Kikyou told him that his father had died.
'This is insane.' He said to himself, 'I'm walking into my own demise I know it...'
As he entered the castle, the air felt cold. For the first time, the palace seemed so large and complicated to him. He had no idea where to begin. Should he look for his father? Should he hide from Kikyou? Should he attempt to talk to Sesshomaru? Inuyasha decided just to wait and be found by someone.
Inuyasha marched up the large, marble staircase that led to a large picturesque hallway filled with the massive windows that overlooked the city. The sun shinned through the glass, filling the white walled hallway with pure, clean light. Inuyasha suddenly could remember an instance of his childhood...
~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~
"Do you really expect to color the whole city with those few crayons?" Sesshomaru said, ruffling Inuyasha hair.
"No..." Inuyasha said, under his messed up tresses. "The city would have to shrink even more for me to color it."
"Cities can't shrink smaller, Inuyasha, they can only grow." Sesshomaru said. "And do you know what makes them grow?"
"Daddy?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's right. And not just Father, members of his court and warriors."
"But, mostly Daddy right?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes, mostly Daddy." Sesshomaru answered.
There was a short pause before either of them spoke again.
"Wanna go play Sesshie?" Inuyasha asked.
"No." Sesshomaru answered.
Inuyasha began to pout. "Why not Sesshie?" he asked.
"Because heirs don't play." He answered.
"Oh... then what do heirs do?" Inuyasha asked.
"We learn." Sesshomaru answered.
"Aren't you allowed to have any fun?" Inuyasha asked.
"No. We, I mean...I, have duties to uphold. I must be there to help father, and learn from his reign, on how to be a good king."
"Oh... is it fun?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's duty." Sesshomaru answered.
"Seems silly." Inuyasha said.
"It's called responsibility, something that you SHOULD be aware of by now." Sesshomaru said. He looked down at Inuyasha who ducked his head in shame and gave a soft whine.
~*~*~ End Flashback ~*~*~
Inuyasha frowned to himself. 'I'm not going to be pathetic anymore.' He decided. 'Even though Sesshomaru is older and a full demon... I'm still part of his family... and my opinion will be heard!'
With that thought he continued down the hallway, directing his attention at his objective.
An attendant, dressed in white, stepped out of a side room. She gently closed the door behind her. In her arms she carried a hamper filled with folded white towels. She didn't look up until she almost walked into Inuyasha.
"Oh, my Lord..." she spoke to him, "...your still here."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Inuyasha asked.
"Forgive my rudeness, but we all thought you had... supposedly... run away." She answered.
"What ever gave you that idea?" Inuyasha asked, his temper began to rise.
The maid grew scared at his tone of voice changed, she gave a quick bow, "My Lord, I am but a humble servant, I only know what I overhear from others." With that line, she hurried past him, almost at a run.
Inuyasha was fuming. He knew Sesshomaru had some part in this, he was sick of it all. Inuyasha turned and hastily walked toward the thrown room. 'If Sesshomaru was anywhere in the palace, he was there.' Inuyasha thought.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he stood out in front of the throne room doors. Normally, he would knock, but this time he owed his brother no kind of respect.
Inuyasha slammed his fists on the solid wood, but they didn't budge. They had been locked from the inside! Inuyasha sneered, 'This won't keep me out.' He thought.
Inuyasha backed up slightly, and then with a cry he ran at the doors with his right shoulder down. The thick wooden doors, cracked and splintered as Inuyasha hit them. Inuyasha created a hole and slipped through.
"Sesshomaru!" he yelled as he entered the room. His voice echoed off of the solid walls. Inuyasha ran down the red carpet that led to the royal platform. His golden eyes searched for his brother. Inuyasha was slightly out of breath, and so his fangs hung out of his half opened mouth, making him look vicious and wild.
"Where are you, you bastard?" He yelled out.
"...Inuyasha..." said an almost dead voice from behind his left shoulder. The voice was not that of Sesshomaru, it was a woman's voice. She stood in the shadow of the silk curtains.
Inuyasha turned to look at the shadowed figure. She slowly came into the light. Inuyasha sighed when he saw that it was Kikyou.
He ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, giving her a slight shake. "What did you tell him Kikyou? What did you say?"
Kikyou began to pout and whimper, "I had to tell him Inuyasha! That Siren had you in a trance, she was gonna turn you into one of her mindless sea slugs."
"You fool!" Inuyasha snapped, "She'd never do that!"
"Can you be so sure little Inuyasha?" Came another voice from above him.
Inuyasha turned to see Sesshomaru standing up on the alter, beside the royal throne. He had one hand on the back of the jeweled chair. Inuyasha hadn't noticed, but his fathers crown lay on the chair's velvet red cushion.
"From what Kikyou has told me, you have allowed yourself to be placed under the spell of a Siren." Sesshomaru continued. He seemed to be making fun of Inuyasha.
"I was not under a spell!" Inuyasha sneered.
"Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru said, as he walked in front of the thrown and looked down at Inuyasha like he held superior power over him. "I am very disappointed in you. You have been making such progress with your training. You are slowly finding the true powers of your demon abilities. I thought you could handle a simple Siren spell... but clearly you're too weak."
Inuyasha growled, "You're so full of shit Sesshomaru! What are you trying to accomplish by saying this?"
"Temper, temper... Inuyasha" Sesshomaru mocked. "You leave me with only one choice. Father and I used to talk about his when you were little, as a possible way for you to fully express you demon abilities."
"What are you saying?" Inuyasha asked.
"I have decided that you should relocate yourself to the summer palace for some intensive training. And besides, the summer palace is further inland... it will keep you from falling under more Siren spells." He laughed slightly at this comment.
"What will the summer palace accomplish for me?" Inuyasha said.
"I will see that you will seek only the 'best' training from some 'friends' I know there." Sesshomaru said.
Inuyasha didn't trust his brother, 'Why would he send me off for training to get stronger? It didn't make sense. Did he really want Inuyasha to improve more?'
Inuyasha cocked his head, "What's the catch?"
Sesshomaru slightly smiled, "Oh dearest little brother... do you think I... your own brother... would be out to get you? Don't be immature. This is a good...'growing process' for you."
Inuyasha was still unsure. "How long do I have to remain there?" he asked.
"As long as necessary." Sesshomaru said.
"Why are you suddenly telling me this now?" Inuyasha asked.
"I though you might ask that... I had tried to encourage father, may he rest in peace, to send you earlier in your life. But he didn't feel you where ready. And now that father's opinion doesn't really matter anymore... I though you would like to take part in this opportunity." Sesshomaru said.
This statement burned Inuyasha, "How can you say that about our father?" he yelled.
Sesshomaru growled, "Our father was a fool, especially when it came to you. If it would have been up to me, you would have been gone a long time ago. But father took pity on you because... well... because you are what you are..."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha roared, he took a step forward toward Sesshomaru.
"Miss Kikyou, if you please." Sesshomaru said.
Suddenly, Kikyou pulled out her bow and fitted an arrow into the string. She took quick, careful aim and let her arrow fly at Inuyasha.
"Whaa..." Inuyasha said.
The arrow struck Inuyasha in the chest, he flew across the room with the arrow, as it pinned him to the wall.
Inuyasha wasn't dead, only paralyzed to the spot. Inuyasha tried to reach his other arm up and pull the arrow out, but it glowed with a haunting pink color and couldn't be removed.
Kikyou's priestess powers held him to the spot; her sacred arrow could not be removed unless she removed it.
"Kikyou..." Inuyasha said weakly, "But, I thought..."
Kikyou's eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I have to do this, please forgive me."
Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshomaru disappear and appear directly in front of him. It was his full demon blood that made his so fast.
"I'm sorry to say, but I do not share father's sympathy for half breeds." Sesshomaru said.
"You bastard, how are you supposed to go through with this? There are eyes all around the palace... they will know I'm gone..." Inuyasha weakly said.
"Not if you're gone for 'training'." Sesshomaru said.
"Fuck you..." Inuyasha sneered.
"You have a nasty mouth..." Sesshomaru said. "I think it needs to be corrected."
Inuyasha watched with wide eyes as Sesshomaru balled up his fist, pulled his arm back and swung... and then Inuyasha's world went black.
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Kagome arrived home a little after nightfall. She had taken her time, she was in no hurry. She was enjoying her thoughts, her thoughts about Inuyasha.
She darted through the water, spinning and doing flips. 'I kissed him! I can't believe I actually kissed him! I mean... it didn't mean anything... I was saving his life... but still... I kissed Inuyasha!!' She had butterflies in her stomach. Her face was flushed and her eyes glowed.
Kagome sung to herself the whole way home. The sea life listened as the happy princess sung her sweet songs. Her voice was so powerful and beautiful. Her voice made the waves shimmer. And her song were not songs of death or deceit, but sung of fun and games.
Kagome entered the coral palace and swam passed groups of other merfolk, who stopped to stare at her.
"What's with her?" one asked.
"I swear, ever since she has been spending so much time alone... she seems happier." Another said.
"Maybe she's in love?"
"Does the King know?"
"Maybe it's a forbidden love!"
Rumors spread like wildfire. But no one really understood what the princess was feeling. She didn't even know, but whatever it was... she liked the feeling.
Kagome swam to the royal quarters; she knocked at her father's bedroom door. A servant answered and let her in.
The King was getting his portrait painted when Kagome entered.
"And a Good afternoon to you father dearest!" Kagome called to him in her sing-song voice.
The king's eyes flashed at his happy daughter.
"Kagome, what puts you in such a happy mood?" the king asked, trying not to move.
Kagome blushed, but she tried to cover it up. "Why what ever do you mean father?" she asked sweetly.
"I do believe the tides have changed on my Kagome." The King answered.
Kagome didn't hear him or wasn't paying attention. "Grand Master Painter, may we finish some other time? I would like to have a few words with the Princess." The king said.
"Of course sir." The royal painter echoed. His attendants helped him gather up his supplies and they all bowed politely and left the room.
Once the doors were shut, the King glanced over at his daughter, who was looking at her reflection in the looking glass.
Kagome never used to bother with her appearance before, but for some reason, her hair looked terrible today.
The King smiled at his daughter, 'And to think,' he thought, 'I wanted a boy.'
The King looked at his daughter, and he noticed something different about her color.
"Kagome dear, you seem tanner. Have you been spending time at the surface?" the King asked.
Kagome's heart jumped. "Um, yes I have been Father. The whales are migrating again... and I have been playing with the new whale pups."
"Taking a sudden interest in whale migration my Dear?" the king asked.
"Well, the whales don't come around these parts very often... and I love listening to them sing their love songs." Kagome answered.
"Are you, yourself, singing any love songs?" The king inquired.
"Oh, Father, I just haven't found the right merman yet." Kagome answered.
"That because you chase every merman who takes an interest in you away." The king said.
"Feh." Kagome said. Then she thought, 'Geez, I sound like Inuyasha...'
"Kagome, dearest..." the King said quietly, "I wanted to wait until you where older to give you this... but I feel that you have grown into a merwoman faster than anyone I know." The king said.
Kagome eyed her father, he never was this sincere. "What is it Father?" she asked.
The King almost looked like he was about to cry. He rose quietly, and swam to the opposite side of the room. He latched the lock on the entrance, and then turned to Kagome, "Follow me my Dear."
Kagome followed, hesitantly. Her father swam back towards the west wall of his room. The wall was bare except for a woven tapestry of Kagome's family tree that had belonged to the King's mother, Kagome's grandmother.
The King pushed the tapestry aside, revealing the bare rock wall. With a slight swish of his left hand over the walls surface, pieces of the wall began to glow a bright green color. The green lights flashed in an array of patterns, before finally settling on three different pieces of the wall... each side by side of one another, with only a small gap between.
The King lifted his left hand again and chose the first colored section. Tapping it once, the glow disappeared, and was replaced by a red glow.
Then the King tapped the last green section and that one turned red as well. Next, his fingers tapped the center and last green panel, turning it red like the others. But then, he pressed the center/middle panel again, and it glowed blue.
Once the middle panel glowed blue, the wall came alive. A beam of light in the shape of a square appeared on the wall the light grew brighter and brighter until the whole square was filled with the light. Then, just as quickly as it had increased in brightness, the light disappeared, revealing a large square hole in the wall.
Kagome watched with amazement as the wall flashed the colors. She never even knew this wall was so special. The black hole in the wall looked like a hidden passageway and the lights must have represented a secret code of some sort.
Kagome's mind flashed back to her childhood. All she could remember was when...
*Flashback*
Her father would bring her into his room and show her this tapestry. Kagome would swim up and follow the tree's roots with her small fingers until she landed on her birth.
"See this spot, Kagome." He would say to her, "That is you. You are the first princess of over a century of princes. My grandfather, your great- grandfather, had all boys, as did my father, but I was blessed with a girl. Your life and your decisions will shape the future of our family tree. Who ever you marry, their family will become part of our family, but they will never be full royal blooded, you might very well be the last fully royal blooded Princess."
*End Flashback*
'The last fully royal blooded...' those words echoed in Kagome's mind. They took a new meaning to her now, as her father swam into the wall and disappeared behind the dark, black hole.
"Come Kagome." He spoke softly to her.
Kagome was hesitant, but she followed her father through the dark portal.
Kagome found herself in a low ceiling passageway that extended deep into pitch darkness. Kagome kept her eyes on her father's fin as he swam just a few feet ahead of her. The passage was not big enough for the two to swim side by side.
Kagome found nothing interesting to look at as the passageway extended further and further. The walls were bare and plain. The water pressure began to increase around Kagome, 'we must be traveling underground.' She thought to herself.
Suddenly, the King stopped. Kagome peered around his thick body, and could see a faint outline of a door. A crack of light emanated from around the door's frame. The King pushed on the wooden door and then held it open for Kagome to enter.
As Kagome entered, her yaw dropped. The room was lit with two magnificent crystal chandeliers; above each candle's wick was a royal blue flame. Which gave the room a cool, yet bright light.
"Those are called chandeliers," the King said, as he noticed Kagome was looking up at them. "The bright blue light is called fire. On land fire is an orange-red color and is hotter than the sun's rays. I call this fire, 'blue fire' because it is not hot."
"How is it made?" Kagome asked swimming up towards the chandeliers and staring into the blue fire. She poked at the blue flame with a curious finger. It was cold around her finger and sent shivers down her spine.
The King smiled, "by magic my Dear."
Kagome looked at her father awkwardly and then swam around the great room. The walls had been carved into deep shelves and every shelf had an array of items on it.
"What is all this stuff?" Kagome asked her father.
"Land items..." her father answered, "Things that land creatures use."
Kagome's mind drifted to Inuyasha as she picked up a spoon and held it up into the light, she could see her reflection in it, but it was a weird reflection, the object made her nose look huge. 'I wonder what Inuyasha used this thing for?' Kagome thought, 'it certainly isn't a looking glass, your face is all distorted.'
"That is a spoon, Kagome" the King told her. "It's used to cook with."
Kagome thought it was weird item. 'Why cook with something so oddly shaped.' She wondered.
"Kagome," the King called, "Come here, I need to show you this."
Kagome left the spoon and swam over to her father. Along the wall hung many long, thin, and shiny objects. Each of these things had a long shaft, and a guilded handle.
"Oh, what are these?" Kagome asked wide eyed.
"Together they are called swords. But each sword has a specific name." The king explained.
"What are they used for?" Kagome asked.
"For war, my Dear." The King answered. "These swords may not look like much but they have secret hidden powers that come alive when they are used."
"What kinds of land creatures use swords?" Kagome asked.
"Any kind of land creature," her father said, "But only ones who believe in humans, can wield them. Demons most of all."
"Demons?!?" Kagome asked, 'Inuyasha!' she thought.
"Yes, Kagome, Demons. Demons are a breed of land creature that have incredible powers of strength and speed. They are violent individuals that have ruled over the land for over a millennium."
'Violent?' Kagome thought, 'Inuyasha isn't violent...'
"This sword right here," the King spoke pointing to an old rusted sword with a red handle. "Its blade is made out of a demon bone. It is perhaps the most dangerous sword of all..."
"Then why do you have it?" Kagome asked.
"I'm protecting it, Kagome."
"From what?" she asked.
"From anyone... anyone who wants to use it to rule over others." The King said.
"The demon royal family would give their first born to have this sword back in their possession. But they do not know where it lays, hidden." The King said his voice trailed off.
"How did you get this sword Father?" Kagome asked.
"I didn't get it. My great grandfather did. Back when merfolk and land creatures got into a war."
Kagome didn't understand, "What war, Father? We never have been in a war, we are a peaceful people."
"Kagome," he began, "It's time you learned a little about your family history."
Kagome felt like she didn't even know the merman standing in front of her. How could he not tell her everything since the first day she was born?
"My great-grandfather, his name being King Hiead, was king over the merpeople at this particular time. During this time, Merfolk had the power to split their fin and walk on land for a sun and a moon every time the tide would change. Meaning every full moon. It was common for Merfolk to be seen in and out of the water. Demons and Merfolk as well as all other land creatures lived in harmony with one another. Yet, Demons always saw themselves superior to every race around them. Then the Demon race began to intertwine with the human race, creating a half breed species. Soon demon's and merfolk began to intertwine in relationships, and as a result merfolk gained the powers to transform into 'beasts of the water' and demons gained the ability to breath underwater. Yet the blood types did not mix. No demon- mermaid child survived past the age of seven snows. At first it wasn't a problem. Merfolk usually stuck with Merfolk and Demons stayed with other Demons. But then King Hiead's son and a demoness (female demon) who happened to be the daughter of the demon royal family, they both fell in love, a deeper love then ever existed.
Anyway, as time went on, the couple finally got together and consumed a son. The son was now heir to two great dynasties. The baby prince lived to be only four snows old when he died. Both Demon and Merfolk blamed the other's rotten blood for the death of the little prince. And a huge feud rose up between the worlds.
Then, one night, the greatest mystery happened. Both the King Hiead's son and the demoness princess were murdered; and on the same night no less. Evidence proved that the Hiead's son was killed by a demon, although history doesn't tell us who, and the demoness was killed by a merfolk, their identity also unknown.
Well, that just about ended the peace between the worlds. War was inevitable. The war dragged on for over ten years. The battles dwindled down to nothing but geographical advantages. The merfolk owned the water, the Demons owned the land. Then, slowly but surly the war just stopped. The merfolk stayed beneath the surface of the water, and the demons stayed on land."
"So... there was no winner?" Kagome asked.
"It depends on the way you look at it." The king continued. "It turned into a kind of 'Cold War' between the nations. The demons grew stronger and the merfolk grew more powerful with our Siren powers and spells.
Then, of course, the Age of Humans was on the horizon. And the Demons had new problems to worry about. As did the Merfolk. Miko's developed ancient forms of healing and prayer. Miko priestess' became guardian's over villages, and the Demons turned to living in forests or ruling over small kingdoms."
"But, I still don't understand." Kagome said, "Why was the couple killed? I mean, I understand that the little prince was killed because his body couldn't handle the different blood types. But why kill the parents... they had no control over their son's blood."
"Ahh, yes my dear," the King said, "There was something missing. Something that the murders wanted, that they didn't find when they killed their targets."
The King left Kagome and swam over to the far south wall, opened a small box, and removed something that Kagome couldn't see. A noise that sounded like wind chimes sounded in Kagome's ears.
The King held the object in his big hand, which Kagome could tell was connected to a black wire.
"This object really did belong to the Merpeople. It was our greatest treasure. When the prince was killed, he didn't have the object with him. So therefore it wasn't found. The Demons wanted the object because it could grant wishes. Anything that was desired could simply be wished for and it would be granted."
The King looked down at the object in his closed hand. He released his fingers and Kagome gazed down at something she almost thought was a joke for a second.
It was a small, pink colored, jewel. About the size of a spatice.
"This is the object, the Shikon no tama Jewel..." The King said. "When King Hiead's son died, he wished on the jewel to bring him back. But the jewel only brings back the dead if the dead want to be brought back. The son didn't want to leave his love, which was dead with him. So he chose to remain dead. The King was furious that the Jewel was powerless, so using his power; he shattered the Jewel into thousands of tiny fragments. The shards flew all over the Great Ocean, imbedding themselves in plants, sea creatures, rocks, and other merfolk. It became the royal duty of every King to help collect all of the shards once again. All the way up until now, a few months ago, I found the very last shard. And now the jewel is complete."
Kagome glared at the whole pink jewel that rested in the palm of her father's hand.
The King swam over to his daughter and placed the jewel, attached to the black cord around her neck; it fell just in between her breasts.
Kagome looked down at the jewel around her neck. "Why are you giving it to me?" she asked.
The King cupped the edge of her face in his hand. "My sweet Kagome, I believe that the jewel was meant to be yours. I think you were meant to be its guardian." The King smiled down on his daughter.
Kagome was speechless. "But why me?" she asked again.
"Because Kagome, I am to old to watch over the jewel anymore. You are the first MerPrincess in over a century. I believe that the mermen were meant to find the shards, but now that is complete, the mermaid is meant to protect it."
Kagome nodded her head. She felt a huge weight place itself on her shoulders. But Kagome had always felt that she was, in some way, able to complete many great things in her life.
"I will protect it, Father. I will keep it safe." She answered him.
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Phew! Long chapter... anywho... don't worry I'll update soon! I know your all worried about Inuyasha... hehe... Chapter 9 coming soon... oh yea... and if you like what your reading... don't forget to Review!! ; )