A/N: Some/all of the characters will be OOC. The end is getting near! O.O but I'm still placing some facts into place...

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To Be A Commoner

Chapter 7


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Her headache was causing her vision to whirl around; she couldn't concentrate on focusing on anything. Putting a hand up to her forehead, she felt the blood recede from her head. Finally able to look around, she felt warmth around her. Immediately she blushed bright red, but thanks to the darkness in what seemed like the cave, nobody could see her blush.

She lay there like that, in Inuyasha's embrace, hearing his soft breathing. She calmed down, listening to the night sounds, it seemed like she slept for hours. Her thoughts raced through her mind at incredible speeds, most of them about Inuyasha. He must've done that so she could have some warmth, instead of freezing to death. A smile crept over her usually plain face. After a few more minutes of breathing in Inuyasha's sweet smell, Kagome decided to get some fresh air and maybe find a way back to town.

Shifting around, she found Inuyasha's arm and tried to lift it up. He growled possessively and held on tighter. Kagome paused, growling? Shrugging it off, she tried to push his arm away, that didn't work either. She sighed and thought hard of what to do. Finally, she leaned over his ear, as far as she could go, and whispered gently.

"Inuyasha...move your arm..." She repeated it until he had loosened his grip enough for her to squeeze out of. He grumbled and went back to sleeping. Kagome turned around on her knees and looked at his peaceful face. She didn't think that he could've been the taunting, rude, and obnoxious person earlier that day, which was all just some bluff to keep his inside thoughts protected. Looking at him once more, she got up and quietly walked towards the light.

The cool night air whistled through Kagome's hair. It felt good, calming her nerves and relaxing her muscles. She let out a curt breath and looked around, hoping to identify some sort of landmark, but she couldn't find any. It was like any other part of the forest, surrounded by many trees, rocks, and undergrowth. Where were they? Sitting on an eroded rock, she started to think, slowly realizing what sort of dangers lurked in the forest.

Wrapping her arms around her, she shivered from the cold; the night was a dusty navy blue, shining with thousands of stars. Kagome started to think clearer, something she hadn't done in a long time. She crossed some happy thoughts until she came to the conclusion of the ball. "Just perfect!" Kagome cried out exasperated. She got up and walked towards the forest, intent on heading towards the castle. Might as well get this all straightened out, or I'll have to live with it forever...

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"I still think this is not the right thing to do! You never know darling, think about it, this girl is going to inherit this kingdom!" Lady Higurashi said as she threw up her arms and paced around the room, letting a servant girl polish up her hairdo.

"You need to know that this ball can't wait and when the people find out about this, everybody is going to go against the monarchy! So I say we stay with it, moving it up a few days might delay the public's reaction! Maybe Kagome might come back, you never know." The king said as he went back to eating grapes.

"My daughter is out there right now, probably wondering around aimlessly, waiting for the guards to come! She's not able to protect herself!" The queen sat down in a cushioned seat and supported her head with an arm. "It's just that- it's just that I don't want that girl that you chose to take my daughter's place, it's not right."

"Honey, we'll see in due time, now we need to go to the Grand Hall and take care of matters there."

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Kagome could barely see lights beyond the sparse clearing of the trees. I must be close! She thought happily. She broke into the back clearing of a farm, housed with neighing horses. It seemed very familiar, well; she didn't have time to memorize places. She unlatched the gate and chose a horse, straddling it; she galloped towards the castle, just in the distance, promising herself that she would give the horse back.

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"He likes me...he likes me not..." Sango said as she sat on a tree stump, picking off petals.

"Are you done yet?" Miroku asked agitated. "Can you please answer me?"

"Wait, let me get to the last petal!"

Just then, hoof beats sounded on the earth just a few meters away and a voice could be heard urging the horse on.

"Kagome!" Sango shouted and started to run after the sound. "That's Kagome! Miroku, come on!"

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So Kagome galloped towards the castle and sneaked in through the back door. She heard the voices of the cook and a servant.


"They say that the daughter is a fraud, that the real one got lost somewhere out in the land!" The cook was gossiping.

"You don't say!" The servant girl cried, ladling a hot pan.

"No, for real!"

Kagome's brain tried to work things out, There are two daughters? She went on towards the Grand Hall where her mom and dad should be. Sneaking from archway to archway, she found herself in front of a set of double doors. Here goes nothing! She took a deep breath and opened them. The creak from the doors resounded in the vast hall. Her step dad and mom looked sharply up.

"Ah! Kikyo! Finally." Her mom got up and walked towards her.

"Kikyo? Who's Kikyo? Mother, I'm Kagome!" Kagome said with confusion.

"Look, she's already acting her part."

"No, I'm really Kagome! I'm serious, believe me." Kagome said, returning her mom's hug.

"Now, you don't need to start acting until other people are in the room." Her mom said as she sat back down.

"Mother!" Kagome cried aghast, she had figured out everything and her heart felt torn that her parents would do such a thing.

Just then, the doors opened again to reveal a girl dressed in one of Kagome's best gowns. "Really, is this the best gown-" The girl stopped and stared at Kagome.

"Who is she?" Kikyo asked.

"Um...um...Kagome?" Her step dad asked uneasily. "Is that you then?"

Kagome felt hurt that her parents wouldn't know her, their very own daughter! But then again, her dad never really cared did he? And her mom, she seldom even saw her. She felt miserable, unwanted, rejected, why should she still keep on living this life? She decided to remain silent, dismal, she didn't really feel like talking.

"O gods, it IS you!" Her step-dad said. Kikyo had already been sent away to move out of the house and put back all the stuff that was Kagome's. He started to mumble some things to her mom.

"We need to pick some dresses and makeup for you darling." Her mom said apologetically. Kagome followed a maid out the door and up the stairs to a room, passing a pissed Kikyo on the way. Startled by the resemblance, Kagome uttered a small gasp that was long overdue.

"This close, THIS close..." Kikyo muttered. Kagome recognized an ugly bracelet that belonged to her but she didn't' care if Kikyo took it.

Her room didn't change, but there was considerably more makeup. The dressmaker immediately made adjustments and asked many questions concerning the color and what sort of lace should the dress be made on and the like.

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Sango and Miroku had arrived and Ms. Higuarshi had heard about Miroku's good news, even though Sango had denied all of it. "We'll make arrangements immediately, I'll tell Mei to get on it right away, go up to your room to get measurements taken, Miroku, you can meet up with Li, he's somebody who can tailor your outfit."

Miroku nodded sincerely with an evil smirk as Sango groaned and put her hand up to her head. "However did I get myself into this mess?"

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A/N: I'm SOOOOO sorry this took so long, but I really wasn't in the mood to write and I had a couple of projects I still had to do. And there wasn't that much fluff in here! I'm sorry, but again, I wasn't in the mood to write, and I suffered from writer's block, so bear with me, there are at least 3 more chapters, unless I need to add things onto it. And if you made it this far, I'm surprised! Thank you all who reviewed!

~responses:

Ame Tenshi: Well, I'm used to making cliffhangers! I think they're a good place to stop anyways.

^.^: Lol, I do sorta count unfinished stories cliffhangers too, they don't update fast enuf!

tOkU-cHaN: Ty, I'll try and update soon and end this fic.

Skittles: Ty for all your comments! I really did luv your fic Where Did You Go? But I haven't gotten around to reviewing the last chapter.

LilDragonKeeper: LoL, if you still want more, it'll be hard becuz I'm plannin to end this fic soon.