A Perpetual Tale
I am... so, so, so sorry for the late update! I really never intended it to be this long! School just dragged me off my feet and I hadn't had any time to go on the computer to do anything, let alone write!
And by the way, I don't think I've said this yet, however:
Disclaimer: I don't own anything apart from this story, so you can't sue me! Muahahahaha! (cough) anyway...
Chapter Three
And So a Voyage Begins
The next few minutes were a blur. The man, named Miroku had instantly suspected suspicious doings and had called upon a few ship mates to grab the two women and tie them up. They were grabbed by the wrists and forced to stand up, and then forcefully pushed down the ladder and completely and rather roughly thrown head first in the prince's room.
Groaning, Kagome hoisted herself off from the ground and was sitting up when Miroku came with rope and died her and Sango together, completely disabling either one from moving.
Running out of the room to get their third friend, Miroku left the two dismantled girls in the company of the sleeping prince.
"Great, see, Kagome... you got us into this, you should give yourself a big pat on the shoulder!" Sango snapped out, sarcasm dripping evilly from her every word. "We could've been sleeping in our warm beds at home by now... but no – instead, we're tied up in rope, taken hostage by the prince's crew on their ship which is taking a few weeks voyage across the sea!"
Kagome rolled her eyes and then felt a pang of guilt strike her as she heard the ship creak and groan as it sailed slowly across the waters. She was right... it was her fault that they were trapped mindlessly on the ship and if she just hadn't... wait – was that snoring?
Looking around the room, she raised her eyebrows as she just indulged the contents. The floorboard was wooden and creaky, just as any old ship's floorboards would be, two cupboards on one side of the room, and a small square window on the other side, letting in bright sun, meaning the sun had finally taken its toll in the sky, but what surprised her most was the man sleeping on the beautifully red quilted bed.
He was sleeping face first towards his pillow, his back rising up and down slowly and his silver hair washed over his neck and across the pillow mindlessly, and at the rate of how silky his hair looked – he was sure to be royalty, though the most curiosity grabbing characteristic of his were the two puppy ears on top of his head, which twitched slightly every so and then at any sound.
Nudging Sango's back, Kagome whispered to get her attention. "Sango... look at the man sleeping on that bed!"
Snapping out of her current misery, she pushed her head up and looked around the room miserably. Shaking her head, she returned to mourning on the ground. "Who cares... it's not like we're going to be alive in the next few minutes..."
Kagome blinked in confusion and then rolled her eyes. "They aren't going to kill us Sango," she said and then snapped her focus back on the man as he shifted his body around, so now his face could be seen as he continued to sleep. "Sango, just look, I think he's a demon!"
Sango shot her head up and looked around the room surprisingly. Finally spotting the sleeping demon on the bed, she widened her eyes, her mouth slowly gaping open. "See, they are going to kill us!"
Kagome sighed, "For gods sake, they aren't going to kill us, but just look at him... isn't he – oh my god, his ears twitched, I swear they did!" Squealing like a little girl who had just received candy, Kagome put on her brightest smile and continued to observe him. "... This is so fascinating..." she whispered out speechlessly and squealed again when he twitched his ears at the sound of her squealing.
Rolling her eyes, Sango shook her head and dropped her head down once again. "We're going to die and all you can think about is some demon with two... unusual ears on top of his head?"
"They aren't unusual, they're so cute!" Kagome giggled out, always having a thing for dogs, and this certain demon who had the cutest ears on his head wasn't going to be an exception.
Sighing, Sango went back to counting the seconds while Kagome continued to observe the sleeping prince. Just as Kagome was going to try and force herself out of the ropes so she could get closer to the ears which were fascinating her beyond measure, Miroku opened the door, the knob slamming on the wooden wall behind it. "Oops..." he murmured and walked in the room, allowing room for the third man to walk in, which he did, and rather quite sluggishly.
"Come on... I only got to sleep for fifteen minutes at the least!" he said and then dropped to the floor as he reached the middle of the room.
Miroku slapped his forehead as both of the men continued to sleep, Kouga being the one who had fallen asleep on the floor and Inu-Yasha, the prince, being the one who was sleeping without any care in the world.
"Get up you two morons!" he said and kicked Kouga in the ribs, jerking him awake.
"I never knew the floor could be this comforting..." Kouga murmured out and closed his eyes again after glancing around the room once.
Kagome giggled along by Sango as they watched the antics of the two men, Miroku trying hopelessly to get Kouga up from the floor, while he just slept on the wooden floor carelessly.
After a series of yelling and pushing, Kouga was finally standing up beside Miroku who looked frustrated beyond measure. Though rather unfortunately, just as Miroku was going to tell Kouga the happenings, he started to drift to the left.
Sango burst out laughing as another fight occurred, and just as Miroku was about to strangle Kouga, both of them stopped midair and turned all their attention to the two girls.
"What the hell?" Kouga yelled out and pushed Miroku away from him so he could focus all his attention on the newly found girls. Ignoring the cusses coming from Miroku, Kouga ran up to the girls, crouching down before them so he could become eye level with them. "Did you buy them off someone?"
Kagome scoffed, ignoring all formalities and snapped, taking the offence seriously. "Buy us? Who do you think we are?" she yelled out and ignored the groan which came from Sango at her outburst.
Kouga narrowed his eyes. "A little too feisty don't you think Miroku?"
"Didn't you even listen to me?" Kagome yelled out and struggled in the ropes, "He didn't buy us for god's sake!"
Locking gazes with Kagome, he raised his hand to his chin and rubbed it slightly. "Then you two must be pretty cheap to come along for free..."
Kagome growled. "You preposterous ass, what do you think we are?"
"What do you think you are?" he replied and furrowed his eyebrows as Kagome raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't even make sense!" she yelled out and was about to continue the fight, persistent to holding her self-respect when Miroku interrupted.
"Why don't we wake up Inu-Yasha first, Kouga?" he asked, or rather told as he didn't wait for an answer to walk up to Inu-Yasha, shaking him roughly as he still slept soundlessly throughout the whole ordeal.
"I'm not hungry..." he yawned out and punched Miroku's arm away rather hardly. "Sleep, sleep..."'
Raising a hand to his forehead, Miroku groaned and shook his head. "I'm going to lose all my sanity," he murmured out and then grabbed Inu-Yasha arm, pulling him closer towards the edge of the bed in attempts to pull him off. Just as Inu-Yasha landed on the floor with a 'thud', he snapped his head up and raised his hand up in the air.
"Waterfall!" he yelled out and then blinked in confusion as he looked around, noticing that everyone in the room, especially two unknown women were staring at him as if he had gone mad. "I swear there was a - huh?" he blinked as he processed the settings around him as if just remembering he was on a ship. Then, just as he noticed he was in his newfound bedroom with several people intruding his privacy, he narrowed his eyes, pushing away his last words as if he had never said them. "I mean, what are you all doing in my bedroom?"
Miroku growled. "Finally," he shook his head and then punched Inu-Yasha upside the head. "Shut up and let me talk."
Kagome raised an eyebrow as the man, named 'Inu-Yasha' grumbled and got up, bouncing back on his bed to sit down and lean against the wooden wall where he regained his full consciousness to glare deathly at both Sango and Kagome as if they were the cause of his lack of sleep. She was in the middle of averting her gaze away from Inu-Yasha so she didn't look like some obsessed freak, Miroku spoke up.
"I found these two girls aboard our ship." He said curtly and wafted his hand in their direction.
"Just let us explain-." Sango started off but was cut off by Inu-Yasha.
"So throw them in the cellars, I just want my sleep!" he said gruffly and rubbed his head. "Great... here comes the headache..."
Kagome felt her heart freeze as he said those dreaded words and stuttered for an excuse. "You can't!" she yelled out and felt Sango stiffen behind her.
"Why not?" Inu-Yasha said and narrowed his eyes, jumping off the bed to walk towards the tied up girls. "I don't see a problem with that," He crossed his arms across his chest and looked down at them. "I am, after all, the prince."
With at least five dozen thoughts scurrying throughout her head, Kagome blurted out the only thing closest to making sense. "Well, I'm a princess!"
Everyone froze in the room, including Sango who had silently started to pray for some miracle to occur. It was one of those times, where you could even hear a pin drop in the extended silence of the room.
"... You're a princess?" Inu-Yasha echoed everyone's thoughts, not noticing the way Sango flinched at the word.
"Kagome...?" Sango whimpered with a hint of deadly venom, yearning for revenge.
"Princess Kagome?" Miroku mused out loud, hearing Sango whimper her name and raised a hand to his chin in wonder alongside Kouga who looked deep in thought.
"So... Miroku never bought you?" Kouga said at last and studied them both hard, his brown pupils shifting from Kagome to Sango each second.
Kagome gulped, 'me and my big mouth...' she thought over and over again, swallowing the lump in her throat as she looked back at the three inquiring men. "Why not? Haven't you heard of me?" she lied boldly to their faces, hoping to god Sango would play along with her.
Kouga shook his head, pushing aside Inu-Yasha as he stared coldly down at Kagome with a stare which sent a chill down her spine, and as Kouga took Inu-Yasha's spot, he leaned down politely. "Excuse my earlier inquiries..." He said, his voice changing its tone completely, from stubbornness and rudeness to surprising inquiry and politeness. "I never knew we were handling with such loyalty."
"Wait a minute, wait just a minute! We still haven't gotten any proof that she's telling the truth!" Inu-Yasha said and walked back in front of Kouga, kicking him back, completely ignorant to the death glare sent his way from the wolf look like demon which had been knocked away.
"You're right!" Miroku said and walked beside Inu-Yasha. "You both don't have any proof to prove your statement right."
Kagome searched for words. Ugh... why did it feel like someone had washed her mind blank and to load up the pressure, scorch her tongue dry so she couldn't talk? Biting her lips as she was about to blurt out that she was in fact lying, Sango spoke up.
"Why should we prove it to you? It's not like we're lying anyway..." she said and then took in a deep and rather nervous breath as the three men sat down to think about her answer.
"... Well, could you tell us what Kingdom you rule?" Miroku asked after a minute worth of thinking.
"The...uhm... the..." Sango stuttered and thought for an answer. "The Kingdom of the... s-southern Islands."
There was another tenacious pause in the room and just when Kagome and Sango thought that the three men would catch their bold faced lies, Miroku widened his eyes and let out a surprised yell. "Well, that's where we're heading right now!"
Kagome felt her heart sink to her stomach and divulge right there and then. This couldn't be happening... simply couldn't! First they had lied that they were princesses, then they had lied about which Kingdom they ruled and which by the way, they didn't rule any, and after that, they figured out that the Kingdom Sango had made up majestically in her mind was the same place they were headed off to.
"So I guess we can keep you both with us and drop you off at the Islands." Kouga said at last and walked over to them, untying their ropes to set them loose.
Kagome spoke up quickly. "No, no, no! Don't drop us off there... uh... we had some business to do at the Village we just left from and so, we'll stay with you until we make our trip back there..."
Kouga shrugged. "Fine by me, but you have to do a favor for us." He said and turned to Inu-Yasha who was still glaring at everyone, especially Kagome and Sango as if still in doubt.
"...Favor?" Sango said meekly, not liking the sound of it at all.
Inu-Yasha spoke up, diverting Kagome's attention from Kouga to him. "Just tell your mother, Queen Kagura that we need some water of the gods to refresh our fountain back at my palace." He said curtly and then tore his eyes away from the scene, stomping out of the room in a huff.
x.x
Kagome groaned, banging her head on the bed she was resting on slightly. How could this happen to her? It wasn't fair... not fair at all!
She had been shown her room, which was directly beside the prince's room, rather unfortunately as all he did since their meeting was glare at her – sending off vibes he was not pleased at all by their occurrence and she was now silently mourning her life due to the big, mortifyingly wretched lie both Sango and she had delivered. She should've listened to the sayings her mother used to tell her. 'What a tangled web we weave, when we first plan to deceive.'
That was exactly what had happened.
Sitting up straight in the bed after half an hour worth of trying to get to sleep in the early morning, she felt her heart twist with worry as she looked around her room.
It was quite the room; she had to accept, but nothing like her room at home. This one, was outstandingly royal, her bed rocked from side to side, the bed sheets and mattresses made by the finest cloth and the most beautiful of embroideries, the cupboard in front of her was filled with every dress any girl would wish for and the curtains which hid the bright sunlight from filling the room was a rich red color, giving the room a majestically beautiful glow.
But her room at home, even though was nothing compared to the one on the ship was so cozy, so homey that she couldn't help but feel homesick.
"...Happy Birthday Souta." She whispered and crawled out of bed to walk in front of the mirror which was right beside the cupboard to glance at herself for the hundredth time that day.
She was wearing a purple dress which she had found in the cupboard, but nevertheless, despite the expensive material, she would rather wear her old clothes at home. She felt horrible. Well, who wouldn't after they had sneaked on a ship, gotten stuck on it and had lied that they were princess and were now sent on a job to ask their 'supposedly' mother to get them something.
She pushed the thought at the back of her mind. She'll think about what would happen to them when they reach the Islands. Taking in a deep breath, she turned around and walked out of her room, walking past Inu-Yasha's vacant room and up the ladder to the dock.
Climbing up, she let out a sigh of relief as a cool breeze hit her gently, calming her down at once, climbing the rest of the ladder, she crawled onto the dock and stood up. Walking further out onto the dock, she looked around, well; there was no point in hiding herself any longer. The whole crew had been notified that two 'princesses' were aboard the ship and she was pleased to go anywhere she wanted. Smiling as she looked around, she walked up to the wooden railings and leaned on it, looking down at the water they were passing across.
"It's so peaceful..." she murmured out as she saw miles and miles of water all around them, and the clear blue sky with not a cloud in sight above them, dotted with the happily bright sun which was sending off warm tremors, giving the day a delightful glow. The breeze which was being sent off towards her direction every moment of the day due to the movement of the ship was evening out the weather, making it seem calmingly beautiful.
Just as she was savoring the moment, she almost jumped out of her skin as she heard a voice behind her. "I still don't believe you're a princess."
Snapping around at once saw the prince eyeing her gruffly. Stammering, she spoke up. "I don't have to prove myself" she said to him and turned back around to watch the sea, her home village already dispersed from eye sight.
Noticing him lean against the railings beside her to look at the scenery, she stiffened as she felt his gaze upon her. "Then how come you become so nervous whenever someone brings it up?"
Kagome growled deeply. Why wouldn't he just drop it and let her enjoy the moment? "None of your business" she said snappily and glanced at him for a mere second, just noticing the fact that his eyes were gaspingly gold.
He narrowed his eyes and let the comment roll off his back. "I still don't believe you."
She let out a growl of frustration and turned to glare at him. "You don't have to; just go mourn in front of someone else!"
Crossing his arms across his chest, he narrowed his eyes and glared down at her. "You better keep your morals straight; just remember whose ship you're traveling on! Princess or not, I can throw you off any time I want."
Kagome felt her breath hitch in her throat, but nevertheless, she fought back. "Well, who would've known the prince was such an ass?" she wafted her hands in front of his face, not caring the roll of her mouth. "I didn't do anything to you and you're already biting my head off!"
Inu-Yasha scoffed. "I just have a hunch that you're lying about this whole ordeal!" he said and leaned down in front of her, "Because I never knew the Queen of the Southern Islands had two daughters!"
Kagome froze for the 'who knows what!' time that day, but regained her position quick enough. "Well, you've been missing quite a lot then!" she murmured and matched his glare with her own, tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear as the wind whipped it around gently.
"How old are you exactly?" He asked, surprising her with her question as it popped out of no where.
"I'm seventeen." She replied, and crossed her arms across her chest to match his posture.
He smirked. "Gotch'ya, you're too young to rule a Kingdom, you have to be at least eighteen!"
Kagome stuttered, how the hell was she supposed to know that? This was all new to her from the start! Shaking her head, she spat out the nearest thing closest to making sense in the discussion of political issue. "Well, I don't exactly rule it, I'm going to inherit the Kingdom soon enough and anyway, it's not like you're any older than I am!"
He raised an eyebrow, his golden pooled eyes sparkling in the sunlight shining down on them. "I'm nineteen." He answered back smartly and beamed proudly as if he had just answered a life puzzling question.
Kagome growled and looked away in a puff as his answer caught her off guard; she couldn't help but feel stupid though, she pretty much had expected him to be older than her, more or so in his twenties and nineteen seemed close enough, but his attitude and persistence had been nothing she had seen coming her way.
"So give in?" he said and cocked himself towards her in a friendly manner, surprising Kagome with his sudden mood swing.
Looking back up to him, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Give in to what?"
"That you were lying." He said and then stared down at her, waiting for the answer expectantly.
She shook her head furiously, frustration washing over all the confusion that had pooled inside of her. "Will you drop it? I wasn't and I'm not lying!" she growled and looked back at the sea for a second, a thought appearing in her head. "By the way," she glanced down at her hands. "Could you tell me the entire route of the journey?"
He narrowed his eyes, his golden orbs glazing with curiosity. "Why?"
"I just... want to know exactly where we're going to be stopping, traveling and landing... pure instinct, that's all." She said and looked up at him with a beg in her honey dabbed eyes. "Please?"
"Ask the captain, I've got nothing to do with the route." He said and turned around towards the front dock of the ship. "He's standing in front of the wheel, the one with the wooden leg." Jabbing his thumb in the captain's direction, he glanced at Kagome one last time before walking away stubbornly down towards the trapdoor of the ship, leaving Kagome to her thoughts.
"Uh... okay!" She called back, not knowing if she should thank him due to his earlier rudeness. Shrugging off the odd inquiries, she walked away from the railings and towards the captain who was looking mindlessly at the sea in front of them. Walking up to him, she poked him on the shoulder, gaining his attention immediately.
"Ah, 'ello deary!" He said and bowed down in front of her, startling Kagome with his actions. "Any reason why you must approach me?" he said as he got back up, fixing his hat as it had moved during his bow.
"I just wanted to know the route we'll be taking." She said, and gave a small smile as his face lit with pleasure.
"Of course my lady!" he said and pulled out a scroll from his pant pocket. Parching it open, he cleared his throat and showed the map to her, leaning closer so she would be able to see. "First we'll sail for three days, and as we reach the Misty Falls, we'll turn before the rocks and stop at the caverns to have a talk with Medusa."
"Medusa?" Kagome asked breathlessly... oh no... they had to be kidding her! The, almighty mistress who could turn a person into stone with just a glance of her eyes?
"You gots' me right the first time my lady," He said and then pointed to the map again and trailed along with his finger. "Then I's travel towards the nor'thern star until we reach the Nor'thern Islands, stay there for a few days," he adjusted the rim of his hat. "And then travel all the way to the Souther'n Islands, journey about a matter of two and a half weeks." He said and then rubbed his chin, a manner which a lot of the men on the ship had a habit of doing. "So it'll be taking I's at least a whole' month for us ta' go back home!"
Kagome nodded idly; already tinged with home sickness at the thought of not being able to see her family in a month... she could only imagine the worried expression which would plaster her mothers face at her disappearance. "Thanks..." she said and turned around and was about to walk to the other side of the ship when a loud bell was struck somewhere in-between the ship, almost clattering her ear drums.
"Ar, It's breakfast time!" The captain said and clapped his hands together. "You'd be eating with the prince and his fellow sea mates, I'll be eating on deck here, so make your way so you wont be late!" he said, wafting his hands in front of himself in a waver which told Kagome to move it.
Grumbling, Kagome sighed as she scrambled forward towards the trap door. So she'd be eating with oh so stubborn prince? "What a pleasure..." she murmured out, and even the densest of people could sense the extended sarcasm dripping from her voice.
x.x
That's long enough for me... and once again, I'm so sorry for the late update, I hope I'll get the next one done faster...
I wonder what's with me and updating on Sunday's during the night...
Anywho... Toodles, Kealilah!
P.S. – Review and tell me what you though about it! (I'd put a smiley face right about here... but fanfiction won't let me put in my faces anymore!)