Chapter 4: Meeting People, Part Two

Thoughts of husbands and lechers and knowing servants left her mind, as she smelled something truly delicious. She sniffed and found that it came from the cracks of an old door just down the hall. Kagome walked to it and opened the door. Behind the door was a long winding stair. She could see lights flickering off the wall at the bottom. The smell was stronger now, and Kagome couldn't help but walk down to inspect the enticing scent. It hung around her, making her mouth water. Clinking sounds and sizzling hisses reached her ears now, sounding very much like her kitchen used to at home when she cooked. So I'n going into the palace kitchen, she thought.

Once at the bottom, she saw a person standing over a huge steaming pot of boiling liquid. Kagome took two more steps into the hot room. She now saw it was a man, an old man. He had big wide eyes, his short grey hair, which only grew know in the back of his head, was tied back in a ponytail.

He hummed to himself as he stirred, not once glancing up or noticing Kagome. She walked up to the man until she stood directly across from him, the pot separating them both.

"That looks good." Kagome said.

The old man jumped back like he'd been struck by lightening, his huge eyes only getting wider. "Whoa!" He shouted automatically, his breathing quick and panted. Kagome felt a giggle rise up in her throat, so instead of squelching it, she let it out. The old man heard her outburst and registered that she was the one who had spoken.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Princess?" He inquired, wiping the sweat from his brow.

She said nothing and leaned over the pot, partly ignoring his question. She hated the whole, "Princess" this and "Highness" that. It was bugging her. She did have a name, even if it was fake for the time.

"You may call me Kikyo from now on." She said to him, breathing in another whiff of what she now knew was vegetable soup.

"As you wish, High-I mean Kikyo."

Kagome looked up at him, her lips getting moist from the good smells. "Can I have a try?" She asked anxiously. It smelled so good!

He scratched his head. "I guess so." Scooping out a portion into a wooden bowl, the old man handed it to her. He watched as Kagome gulped it down in record time, never pausing for a breath. After it was gone, she wiped her lips and said loudly, "Delicious!"

"Thank you, Kikyo." He said. "You are Kikyo right?" After he said this, he seemed to berate himself, preparing for some unknown attack.

Kagome frowned slightly. "I'm the Princess." This wasn't a lie, because technically, if Kikyo were her sister, she would be a princess as well. But she was not Kikyo. Suddenly, she didn't want to lie anymore.

He nodded hurriedly. "Of course, of course. I was only joking." He gave a small chuckle for affect, to back up his claim.

She shrugged off his excuse. "Can I help?" She asked, rolling up her sleeves as she spoke.

He looked at her like she'd grown wings. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Oh yes! I love cooking!" She said happily, reaching for a discarded apron, tying it around her waist It was just what she needed, some cooking to take her mind off...things. "What else needs to be cooked?" She asked, looking around.

"Uh…we still need to make dessert." He said cautiously.

"Great! I can bake up a ginger cake." She said, knowing a great recipe from her mother on how to make ginger cake. Thinking of her mother and home, she grew homesick, but pushed her feelings away.

She reached for a huge bowl and spoon, and then began to rummage through the cabinets. "Where do you keep the spices…?" Once again, she didn't know someone's name.

"Totousai, Miss. There over in that cabinet." He pointed to a long tall one on the far wall.

"Oh, thanks." She said, walking swiftly to it.

Totousai scratched his head once again. The Princess was acting so happy, so normal. It was very odd. She'd never come down to the kitchens before. Why was she coming now? He couldn't help but smile though when she stumbled unto the pepper, upon which she loudly sneezed.

"Stupid pepper…" He heard her mumble.

Chuckling lightly, Totousai resumed his stirring while Kagome forwent the task of making a cake. They spent the time in content silence, Kagome occasionally humming or singing, while Totousai simply enjoyed the company.

Kagome thought of her life up to now. Here she was, baking a cake for a dinner that would be eaten by a prince she was meant to marry, all because she was masquerading as Princess Kikyo, her sister! If she had been told about this a day ago, she would have laughed. Her life certainly had taken a turn.

Looking at the old man next to her, and thinking of Sango, Miroku, and little Shippo, she knew she wouldn't trade it for anything. Meeting all these new people was something she would never give up. Her time in the palace might be rough, but she would have fun. No matter what.

O

The sun was just beginning to set as three figures could be seen climbing the ridge, on horseback, to meet the sight of The Southern Land's Palace. Each one was dressed in very fine clothing. The middle person, whom sat the highest on his mount, was very tall with long silver hair and piercing yellow eyes. In fact, this was a trait of all the men present on the hilltop.

Two the left and right of the man sat his sons. The one to his left looked around twenty years old, a serious man with an expression that could freeze the ocean. He was not ugly, but very cold in his manner. On his forehead there was a deep blue crescent moon, a symbol of his right to the throne.

The younger man to his right was slightly shorter and much more expressive. He wore a look of anger and frustration. His ears sat atop his head, each one a triangular dog-ear, the same color as his hair. His clawed hands fisted around his reins. Yes, he was extremely angry.

"We'll be late, I think." The middleman remarked to his sons.

"Keh!" replied the boy to the right.

The other young man said nothing, but gave a short nod in response.

"Inuyasha, stop your foolish behavior." His father reprimanded. "This is only a way to secure the peace between our two lands. As Prince of the Western Lands, you must marry Kikyo to bond the treaty permanently."

Inuyasha turned to look at his emotionless brother and asked, "Why doesn't Sesshomauru marry the stupid girl?"

"Because he must take my place as King. He cannot have a wife from this land if he is to rule ours." Inutaisho explained, his voice strained with aggravation. This had been going on the whole ride there.

Inuyasha's only response was a grumbling mess of words. Sesshomaru turned away from them, uninterested.

"Right then. Let's proceed." Inutaisho said cheerfully, trying to lighten his youngest son's dreary mood.

And so they went, down the hillside.

Inuyasha, of course, would have gladly turned away from the oncoming palace and rode off into the woods. The whole situation was extremely aggravating. He did not want to marry some stuck up princess! He'd been to the balls and parties that his mother and father had. Every girl there was annoying and boring, always saying things that didn't matter, like talking about the weather. And now, he was supposed to marry one of them? He would rather let his brother Sesshomauru beat him in asword fight.

His father had been somewhat happy to tell him the news, which made it slightly hard to get angry with him. He knew that the marriage would make peace between the two lands, and in doing so they would become more prosperous with their trade and economy, but it still didn't make him want to marry some girl in a month's time.

The palace gates came into view, and upon recognizing Inutaisho, the guards opened the large metal doors and let them pass. Inuyasha felt his claws digging into his palm and realized that he had fisted his hands the whole way down. He relaxed his fingers, trying hard to remain calm. He looked at his father and brother, seeing how collected and reserved they were. Well of course they would be! They weren't meeting their future bride in a few hours!

The stables were just to the left of the palace, which is where they rode. As soon as they reached the open end, a small little fox demon came scampering out from behind a stall, dirt smeared on his face.

Inutaisho dismounted and held out the reins to the small child. "Make sure he gets plenty of water, boy." He said, giving the horse a pat.

The little boy nodded hurriedly. "Of course, Your Highness." He spoke humbly, his small voice sounding almost frightened.

Sesshomauru handed over his horse without a word, turning to follow his father. Inuyasha hopped off his horse, a golden mare with a white mane and tail, and looked at the small boy as he moved forward to take the reins. Inuyasha got an idea.

As the boy came over, Inuyasha held up a hand to stop him and instead knelt down eye level to the kit. He looked at him with some fear, but held his ground.

"Yes, Your Highness?" He asked timidly.

Inuyasha smirked at how cowardly he was. "Listen, you know everyone here, right?" He asked.

The boy nodded slowly.

"Then you know the princess, right?" asked Inuyasha. He watched as again, the boy nodded, quicker this time. "Well, tell me about her." Inuyasha stated shortly, folding his arms.

The little boy didn't act scared any more. In fact, he seemed relaxed around Inuyasha now. He put a finger to his chin in thought, trying to piece the right words together. He thought back to earlier that day when the princess had smiled at him and remarked on how wonderfully he kept the stables. He blushed at the memory. She had been so nice. But that behavior was quite unlike the Princess Kikyo.

"Well, usually, she's very quiet. Uh…she doesn't talk much, and she doesn't really smile that often. In fact, that man with the crescent moon reminds me of her." The boy concluded, thinking of all the times before when Kikyo glared at him icily, just as Sesshomauru had done.

Inuyasha frowned. He wasn't disappointed. He knew that the princess would be a complete bore. But to make matters worse, she was just like Sesshomauru! How could he marry someone who acted the same as his heartless, uncaring brother?

"Man! She sounds like a nightmare!" Inuyasha spoke aloud.

The boy nodded gravelly. "She can be quite mean at times." His face changed then, brightened a little. "But today, she was so nice to me! She smiled and complemented me. She even asked my name!" He said, happily remembering how she had waved to him as she left.

Inuyasha looked at him skeptically. "It sounds like your talking about two different people." He leaned in until his nose was inches from the small boys. "How do I know your not lying?"

The small fox child backed away, waving his hands in front of his face. "I'm not lying! I would never lie! I promise!" He kept on backing up until he tripped in a knick in the dirt, falling on his back. "Ah!" He yelled.

Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh at the kid. He stood up and towered over the little boy. "Look, I believe you, all right."

The little boy gave a sigh of relief and sat up. "Thank you, your Highness."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed at the name. "Don't call me that! Inuyasha's my name, got it!"

The kitsune nodded. "My name's Shippo!"

"Keh! Whatever…" Inuyasha said, turning away. "Look, thanks for the info. I'm out of here." And so saying, Inuyasha bent down and in seconds was half way across the ground, his demon speed making him look like a blur.

Shippo waved after him, calling out, "Bye Inuyasha!" Wow! Shippo thought. Inuyasha sure can run! Gazing after the silver blur for a moment before returning to his work, Shippo couldn't stop wishing he could run like Inuyasha.