Author's Note: Hello again! Thank you to all of those who read the first chappy and a huge thanks to all that reviewed! You guys are so nice! Anyway, here is the second chappy, I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and if anyone noticed the spelling mistakes and missing words in chappy one, they should be fixed (sorry about those). Arigato, minna!!! ^_^

Disclaimer: If I owned him do ya think I would be sitting here writing FanFics in my PJ's?



The Will of the Heart

Chapter 2:Of Broken Homes and Silver Bracelets

"Damn!" Inuyasha cursed as he rolled over on his bed.

It had been two days since the conversation with his mother and he was still thoroughly pissed.

Shortly after their abysmal talk, Lady Inutaisho had sent a messenger on the fastest horse to the Higuarashi kingdom. With hopes that he would arrive as fast as possible.

"He probably arrived last night," Inuyasha mumbled to no one in particular.

Inuyasha hated this. He hated his life being controlled, he hated having to be a "body guard", and he especially hated his father for leaving him something so incredibly stupid.

He hadn't spoken to his mother in the two days, he hadn't spoken to anyone in two days for that matter. All he had done was sit up in his room, angry at everyone and everything.

~Flashback~

"Tetsusaiga is mine with or without protecting some damn wench," Inuyasha yelled at his mother.

"Inuyasha, how many times do I have to tell you? She is coming no matter what you decide," Lady Inutaisho yelled back.


"Why? Tell me why I have to do this. What is so important about this girl?"

Lady Inutaisho stopped for a minute, as if thinking what to say. "Enough, Inuyasha," she finally responded, "It's settled. You will fulfil you duty! And I will make sure of that."

~End of flashback~

Inuyasha suddenly jerked sideways on his bed, thinking about the confrontation.

Why? The question kept running through his head. But no matter how hard he tried to think of a answer he always came up blank.

He sighed and bounced around on the soft mattress.

'How can this week get any worse?'

Turning around, he fell off his bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I want everything prepared for Princess Kagome's visit tomorrow," Lady Inutaisho announced to a group of people assembled in the thrown room.

She turned and hastily began walking down the hall. Rounding a corner, she sighed. She hated not being able to be to tell them what was going on. Even though she really wasn't, she felt like she was lying to everyone.

She had told them that Princess Kagome was coming for a visit but she had not mentioned that it may be months, or even years, before that visit ended.

The truth was she knew she couldn't completely trust them. Most were trustworthy, she knew that. But she also knew for the right amount of money they would sell her out in a minute.

The will had clearly stated that no one , especially not Lord Naraku, was allowed to find out about the princess living there. And that was the precise reason Lady Inutaisho knew she must keep this secret only within the closest of people.

'But why?' Lady Inutaisho wandered, 'What is so important about this one girl, that she should have the luxury of being protected by a Hanyou prince?'

Inuyasha had asked her that exact same question. When he did Lady Inutaisho had no clue as to what to tell him. She had absolutely no idea what her husband wanted Inuyasha to protect this girl for. It was all a huge mystery, but Lady Inutaisho knew that eventually it would unravel and the mystery would be exposed.

Until then, however, she would see to it that Inuyasha completed his task. No matter how bad a attitude he had.

"MY LADY!" Suddenly two voices woke the woman from her thoughts.

She looked up to see a impish, green toad, carrying a staff, and a bug like creature rushing towards her.

"My lady. . ." they both said breathlessly.

"Jaken. Myouga, what's wrong?"

"It's absolutely terrible" the frog like creature, named Jaken, panted out.

"What's happened?" Lady Inutaisho's young face etched with worry.

"My lady," the flea, named Myouga, spoke up. "We have just received word that the Higuarashi kingdom has been attacked by Lord Naraku!"

Lady Inutaisho just stood there, shocked and horrified. The color drained out of her face and two solemn words escaped here lips . . . . "Oh no!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She could hear their screams.

Their pitiful, painful, blood curdling screams.

One after another they sounded and one after another they were silenced. She knew as long as she lived, if she even survived, she would never forget the sounds of those hair-raising screams that seemed to reach her no matter where she hid.

Princess Kagome sat in the corner of a closet, huddled up and praying to dear god she wouldn't be discovered.

It wasn't the best hiding place. One could find her by simply opening the door. But at that moment, it was her only sanctuary.

Her kingdom had been ambushed without a seconds warning. One minute she had been reading a book in her room and the next she had been running for her life; desperately trying to get away from the blood-thirsty Youkai.

"N..no, please...spare me! Please ~AHHH~ ."

Kagome shivered as she heard another life abruptly come to an end. She felt so helpless just sitting there. She wanted to help, but what could she do?

'Oh, how I wish I had a bow and arrow right now,' Kagome thought hopelessly. She might have not been able to do anything in her current position, but given a bow and some arrows she was lethal.

Kagome was afraid. She was more afraid than she had ever been in her life. Thoughts ran through her head:

'What if they find me?'

'What's happened to my family?'

'What's happened to my friends?'

'Am I really going to die such a cowardly death?'

Footsteps drew close and a prolonged hiss was heard outside the door.

Kagome froze. 'This is the end isn't it?' she thought.

She was to afraid to move, to afraid to breath. All she could do was wait for the inevitable death that awaited her.

For a moment everything on heaven and Earth went mute . . .

~CRASH~ Fast as lightning the moment was over. The door was ripped off its hinges, leaving the princess open and exposed.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared into the face of a Youkai. It had red, washed eyes that glared at her malice fully and scaley, taloned hands that held pieces of what used to be the door. But the first thing Kagome noticed was the overpowering scent of scarlet blood that stained his fangs and streaked down his chin.

It was sickening. If Kagome hadn't been paralyzed with fear, she would have turned her head and vomited.

"Trying to hide, bitch?" the youkai growled venomously.

"What a pretty thing you are. If I had more time I'd have my way with you."

Kagome's eyes began to fill with warm, tiny tears. She willed her legs to move but they remained limp, as if stuck to the ground.

The youkai suddenly lunged at her, ripping flesh and cloth alike off her arm.

She screamed loudly and again found her nerve, scampering out of the closet and trying desperately to get away from the crazed beast.

Kagome stumbled across the floor hoping, praying she wouldn't be caught.

Her heart suddenly fluttered when she saw the dead bodies of friends and servants adorning the room. It was absent of the other Youkai she had heard before, but from the looks of it, one knew that they had been there.

"Trying to get away, wench?" The Youkai yelled as he suddenly latched his claws into the skin on her legs, pulling her down, hard, to the ground.

"AHHHHHH," she screamed as the sharp talons came in contact with her legs.

By now hot tears were streaming freely down her cheeks. Unlike before, when she had been too afraid to move, her legs were now truly immobile. All she could do was lay there, staring into the face of her abuser.

Kagome watched as the youkai raised his arm, ready to bring it down and end her life.

'This is the end! I'm going to die!'She then closed her eyes, prepared to never open them again.

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

Kagome heard a voice behind her followed by a object spinning through the air and over her head.

She weakly opened her eyes just in time to see the Youkai burst into pieces and fall to the ground.

"Kagome-chan!!!" the voice from behind her yelled.

Kagome turned her head to the doorway. There stood a girl, clad in pink and black armor with raven hair pulled up into a high ponytail. In her hands she gripped a oversized boomerang, that Kagome could identify as the weapon that had saved her life.

"Sango-chan?!!" Kagome gasped, tears still flowing down her cheeks.

"Kagome, what happened? You're covered in blood!" Sango cried as she raced over to help the girl.

"How did you find me?" Kagome sniffled as Sango embraced her warmly.

"After we were attacked, I went as fast I could to the castle to save you. I heard that undeniable scream of yours and ran up here."

"Oh Sango, thank you! I was so sure I was going to die," Kagome sobbed as she held onto her best friend tightly.

"And rightly so," Sango said, "that Youkai was just about to rip you to shreds!"

The smell of smoke and distant screams of villagers brought them from their grateful reunion. "Kagome-chan, we've got to get out of here!"

Sango held her hand out to help the princess get up. Kagome took it and tried with all her might to hoist herself off the ground. The second she made the effort, a sharp pain shot through her legs and she clasped on the floor.

Kagome placed her hand under one leg, she withdrew it to reveal a sticky, red substance oozing down her hand. Blood.

Kagome felt dizzy. The whole world was spinning and a burning acid was rising in her throat. She started to sway and the whole world became a blur.

"KAGOME! I've got to get you out of this place!" with that Sango thrust her onto her back, piggy- back fashion, and started to run.

"We'll be out of here soon, I promise."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The smoke they had smelled before had indeed been the start of a fire. The flames had engulfed most of the room and were beginning to spread up the stair way, in which the girls were heading down.

The castle was a devastating mess. Fire burned everywhere, blood coated the walls, and bodies lay lifeless in heaps of charred cinder.

Kagome felt pain slam through her body every time Sango took a step. The smoke was making her head hurt and her senses were numbed considerably.

"You ok Kagome-chan?" Sango questioned as she jumped over a line of fire.

Kagome moaned in answer. Sango's legs hit the ground. She hated being carried like a she was a little child and if she hadn't been in a life or death situation she would have instantly objected.

"Which way is out?" Sango mumbled to her self, "All the usual exits are blocked with flames."

Kagome breathed in deep, but only succeeded in inhaling the ash filled smoke and elapsed into a coughing fit.

Sango stopped abruptly and carefully set the princess down. She untied the black mouth mask she had been wearing to protect herself from the smoke and gently placed it over Kagome's own mouth.

"Sango?!!" Kagome breathed, "but this is. . ."

Sango smiled. "You need it more than I do."

Without another word, Sango hoisted Kagome onto her back, once again, and began running down the hallway.

She turned into a open room, and breathed a sigh of relief. There, inside, was a door leading out to a high balcony. If she could just get Kagome and herself onto it, they would probably be alright.

Just as she was about to run to the balcony door, a low growl sounded.

"And we thought we killed everyone in the castle."

Sango whirled around to see four, hideous Youkai looking at them.

"Tell me," one spoke up, baring his fangs, "how do two wenches manage to survive a massacre that hundreds of others have died in?"

"Oh, great!" Sango hissed as she set Kagome on the ground and positioned herself, protectively, in front.

"Unless you want to die, you will let us be," she threatened, holding up her Hiraikotsu.

Another Youkai laughed. "We'll leave. After we've devoured you both!"

Sango sighed and tried one more time to end the confrontation with only words.

"I am a Taijiya, my job is to exterminate Youkai like yourselves. Do not test me!"

The group of demons only smirked and all simultaneously charged at the girl.

"HIRAIKOTSU!!!"

Sango thrust her weapon up from it's resting place, on her back, and into the air. It flew across the room and cut right through two of the Youkai, killing them instantly.

Retrieving the Hiraikotsu from the air, she eased it back onto her back and withdrew the sword from the hilt around her waist.

"Now for you," Sango yelled rushing towards the Youkai on the left.

She brought her sword down, expecting to feel blade meet flesh. However, all she felt was air; the Youkai dodged her attack easily.

"Damn," she cursed and swirled to face him again.

He swung his claws at her and she side-stepped just in time to avoid them.

'He isn't very strong,' she thought, 'but he's fast.'

"Ahhhhh!"

Sango whirled around abruptly to see Kagome being tortured by the fourth demon.

"KAGOME-CHAN!!!" she screamed with all her might.

'I was so distracted with fighting that Youkai, that I didn't even realize there was another one.'

Sango suddenly took off towards Kagome, but only to feel a sharp object nick the side of her neck.



Her eyes drifted back to the Youkai she was previously fighting. He was again holding his talons up and preparing to charge.

Sango tried one more time to go to her friend's aid but was again intercepted by a attack.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed, as she was reluctantly pulled back into the battle.

'Forgive me, Kagome. Just, please, hold out a little bit longer!'

Kagome screamed. She couldn't get away because of the wounds on her legs. All she could do was lamely hold her arms over her head, in a desperate attempt to protect herself.

The Youkai repeatedly slammed his fists and claws into the princess' body. Laughing at the top of his lungs, as he continued his abuse.

Tears flooded her face. But they only compelled the monster to inflict more pain on her.

His face suddenly contorted with a look that was complete and pure evil. She could sense the blow that was coming and weakly tried to shield herself.

He whipped his arm back and struck the princess in the head, sending her flying across the room and crashing into the wall.

She didn't even have time to scream as she hit the hard stone on the wall; the wind was knocked out of her with a jolt.

"KAGOME!!!" Sango screamed for the thousandth time that day.

Sensing an opportunity, the Youkai, Sango was battling, charged at her again.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU!!" Sango yelled and plunged her sword through his neck.

She didn't even wait for his body to hit the ground as she raced towards Kagome. Lifting her Hiraikotsu, she threw it with all her might.

It flew through the air and was just about to strike when a thin, clear barrier surrounded the Youkai. The Hiraikotsu hit it and bounced back with great force towards Sango.

She jumped as fast as she could out of the way of the swirling boomerang, crashing to the ground.

"He created a force field! Dammit!"

The Youkai watched the Taijiya's face contort with anger and began laughing again. He turned back to Kagome, grasping his hand around her neck, he lifted her off the ground.

Sango wildly began running and hitting the force field, desperately trying to save her friend.

The Youkai gripped Kagome's throat tighter. A choking noise arose in her throat and her body began to go limp.

'No, I can't allow myself to die here!' She weakly squinted open her eyes and instictivly raised her hand.

'My fate is not to die by a Youkai's hand!'

'I WANT TO LIVE!!!'

A blinding, white light suddenly flashed, severing the darkness of the of the shadowed room.

Sango watched as the Youkai was blown back from Kagome by a great power. As he hit the ground, she rushed over ready to finish him off. But instead found only a corpse, burned black and sizzling on the floor.


She couldn't believe what she was seeing. 'Did Kagome do this?'

The spoken of was now laying on the ground, only faintly conscious.

"Sango. . ." she whispered.

"Kagome! Did that power come from you?" Sango breathed.

Kagome remained silent.

Glancing at the dead Youkai, Sango remembered the balcony. She lifted Kagome's limp body and pushed through the door.

"KIRARA!"she yelled as she stepped onto the balcony. Suddenly a large, flying, Sabre-toothed cat rounded the corner of the castle and levitated next to the platform.

Sango gently placed Kagome on the cat's back.

"Kirara, please take Kagome to a safe place!"

"Sango," Kagome said weakly, "Aren't you com. . ."

"No," Sango replied as if reading her thoughts. "I need to help the surviving villagers."

Kagome frowned. "You're bleeding."

The Taijiya placed her hand to her neck and found little trickles of blood falling slowly from where the Youkai had hit her earlier.

"It's not bad," she said dismissively, "You should worry about yourself. Please stay safe, I couldn't bear to lose my best friend."

Sango smiled solemnly and signaled Kirara to fly off.

Kagome took one last look as Sango raised a single hand to say goodbye then jumped off the balcony.

The princess closed her eyes. She felt dead. At that moment she didn't care about Youkai, the power that had come from her hand, or the cold wisps of air that stung her cheeks as they became air born. The only thing she wanted was to make the pain coursing through her body stop.

She could faintly see the amber fires far below in her kingdom. Lifting her arm with remainder of her strength she turned her eyes away from the painful image and gazed at a little, silver bracelet fastened around her wrist.

Her efforts proved fruitless however, as she found herself watching the dim reflection of the flames dance across the surface of the shining metal.

Kagome traced her fingers over the small kanji symbols that spelled out her name on the bracelet. Her eyes clouded over with tears.

'To think, just this morning I was arguing with my parents over something as insignificant as moving to the Inutaisho kingdom for awhile.

'A body guard,' Kagome thought, 'I was so resistant. I was so rude. Now look what happened!'

'A body guard. . .' Wind rushed through her hair.

"Kirara," Kagome said weakly, "please take me to the Inutaisho kingdom."

With those final words her eyelids slid slowly over her brown orbs and into unconsciousness.

Her arm dangled off the side of the feline's back.

This time, rather then fire, a foreboding, moonless night flickered off the silver bracelet.



Author's note: Yea!!! I'm finally done typing this! Seriously it took me hours. I hope ya liked the chappy. What will happen? I wander. ^_^ The bad news is, I'm going up to Northern California for Easter break. I wont have access to a computer for about a week and a half. So don't expect updates any time soon. But the good news is I'll have plenty of time to wright the next few chappies (on paper at least). Below I'm acknowledging my reviewers. How do I get acknowledged?, you ask. Well that's simple silly, if you read, review! Till next time. Love you all!!! Ja ne!

~jarjayes- Thanks for reviewing! I have plans to put a lot of Sesshy in this, don't worry! ^_^

~desy- Thank you so much! I'm glad you like my story!

~Jamie- Yea!!! Thanks so much for reviewing!

And finally. . .

~kuro-tanuki- Nan-chan, my best friend. Thank you so much! I probably couldn't do much without your help and support! You're the best!