Disclaimer: Refer to any of the first five chapters, sadly inuyasha is not mine! WAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!



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CHAPTER 6
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Kikyo came to the ranch often and watched Inuyasha do his chores. Key word here is Watched. She followed him almost every wear with a smug look on her face. He hated it, but there were no other women showing signs of marrying him. He went on for the next week until he couldn't take it anymore and went to talk to his mother, by himself.

" Mother, I can't take kikyo anymore. She's driving me insane!"

"How is she driving you insane?"

"Well...umm-"

" Because she's not kagome, right?"

"Yeah...I miss her"

"As do I. Why don't you go visit her?"

"Yeah right, how would I get into the palace? I'm not a prince!"

" I'm sure if she knew you were there she would let you in or beg till her parents let you. She really liked you Inuyasha"

Inuyasha's cheeks turned red at the comment and he turned his face away from his mother, "Okay, I'll do it. Just don't tell Kikyo I'm going okay? I don't need her to follow me."

"I'll keep it a secret"

With that, Inuyasha rode off to the palace gates on Totosai.

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The week at the palace had been uneventful. She was still forced to walk in big poofy dresses, talk to boring old people, and do other boring princess things. The only difference is the many talks kagome had with sango and the stalking of Hojo. He followed her everywhere, asking her if she needed anything, how she was that morning, etc. At first it was sweet, but now it was just irritating. This morning was different though, he had asked her a completely different question, he had asked, " Will you marry me?" on her walk through the garden.

Kagome had been in shock before she muttered a "I'll have to think about it and took off running to her room. *What am I going to do?* She ran through the halls, holding up her huge skirts and swung her bedroom door shut behind her. She sat down on the bed and did the only thing she could think of to do, she cried....* I don't love him! * That's when she heard a commotion outside.

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"I said I'm here to see kagome!", yelled Inuyasha

"Why would she want to see a mutt like you?'' the guard Kouga replied with a sneer.

"She's my..uh..friend!"

" Yeah right. Just turn around and go back to your run down ranch!"

Inuyasha's anger boiled when he made fun of his ranch and it was his last straw. " That's it, I am prepared to burst through these gates to get to her"

"Oh Yeah? Well you'll have to go through me"

Kouga layed down his gun and got into a fighting stance as he glared at Inuyasha. Inuyasha led his horse off to the side and left him there with a calm "stay"
This was it, they both were in fighting stances and on one...two...three! They both rushed forward with a fist held back, ready to make contact with the other fighters body. They stopped in their tracks when a small woman came bursting out of the palace doors screaming "NO!!! STOP!!!!", It was Kagome.

Inuyasha grinned and then turned to give a smug look to kouga before running to meet her half way. They embraced in a huge hug and Kagome stoop on tip toe to whisper, "I thought I'd never see you again"

Inuyasha whispered back, "I couldn't live my life without seeing you at least once more" This sent an electric jolt through Kagome's body and her heart skipped a beat. She looked up into his eyes and gave him a bright smile. Then he leaned down to brush his lips against her....but was interrupted when the entire royal family, including Hojo, came bursting out the doors. They each became flushed and quickly left eachothers embrace as they looked up into the king, queen, and princes faces.

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Kagome ran up to her parents and looked straight into her mothers eyes and said, "This is Inuyasha, him and his mother sheltered me when I ran away. Also, if it wasn't for him, I would have been....*gulp*....raped." The last part came out as a whisper and her mother gasped as she heard this. Kagome continued, her voice now stronger than ever, " I would like him to stay at the palace for a while to make up the debt I owe him."

Her mother sighed. "Very well, as you wish darling. You can show him to the guest bedroom. I assume you'll miss tea time to chat?"

Kagome grinned, "Thank you mother" She gave her a kiss on the cheek and ran back to Inuyasha. She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the palace.

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Inuyasha was in shock as he was dragged inside by kagome. *She want's me-- to stay?* He was dragged up a grand staircase and down a hall on the right. Kagome was practically in a full out run with a big smile on her face. They came to the end of the hall and on the right were to very large doors. She opened them up and shoved him inside. He didn't even have a chance to look around before kagome jumped onto him, knocking him to the floor in a huge hug. She lifted her head up to look at his face and he practically melted right there on the floor like the Wicked Witch of the East. She grinned even bigger than before, if that was possible, and said, "You came to see me!"

She was so excited to see him she didn't even think before leaning down and brushing her lips against his. She pulled back and looked in his eyes to see shock and then felt guilty for doing it in the first place.*Why would he like someone like me? I lied to him* She was proven wrong however when he reached up and grabbed her chin. He pulled her down into a very passionate kiss and both just layed there fighting for control of the kiss when they were disturbed by a knock on the door and they both jumped up and moved a few feet away from eachother.

Sango's small head peeked through the door. "Does the lord wish anything?" Inuyasha looked around.*Lord?* he thought *What lord?* That's when he noticed that kagome and the maid were both looking at him. "Who me?" kagome laughed at this.

"Yes you, stupid!"

He smiled sheepishly, "No thanks"

Kagome looked over at Sango, "Will you meet me in my room in a few minutes Sango?"

Sango grinned, "Sure Kagome!"

The door closed and Kagome and inuyasha both looked at eachother.

"Well..."Kagome said, " I should go, just make yourself comfortable and if you want anything from the maids, just ring this bell or if you have any questions, just come ask me. I'm the last room down the left hall. Okay?"

Inuyasha nodded, "Yup, but I already have a question for you."

"What's that?"

"Why did you run away from all this?"

Kagome all of the sudden lost her smile and she looked very depressed.

" Because.......I'm betrothed."