Chapter eight: The Arrival

The sun was beginning to set and Inuyasha and Yasha had been riding in silence ever since they had left the ship, which had been way before the sun began to go down.

Inuyasha was riding ahead, totally aware that Yasha didn't mean what she said, and waiting for her to apologise, after all she had to talk to him sooner or later, right? And she was the kind off person who sometimes thought things out and acted or sometimes didn't think things out and just react . . . just like him. Yasha on the other hand was feeling awful, Inuyasha had been so nice to her, feeding, bathing, supplying new garments, letting her ride on a horse rather then walk behind him tied up, not that he had much of a choice in the matter of her riding. She had her own horse.
She grimaced, what was she thinking? She was being a cow and Inuyasha was just

being a gentleman. She sighed, "Inuyasha?" she called out softly.

Totally aware that he may not answer, after all why should he?
To her surprise, Inuyasha slowed his horse down so that he was aligned with her, "Hmm?" he asked, gazing in front of her.

Yasha stared at him, her heart beating wildly, "I . . .I just want to say . . ."Inuyasha looked up at her and rose an eyebrow, "What?"
Yasha dipped her head, "That it wasn't my place to get angry at you"
Inuyasha nodded, back to the sorry business again, he mentally sighed, "It's o. . ."
"Even though you needn't worry about me, I'm happy being a slave" she butted in, gripping Ryuku's mane and staring at it fiercely.

Inuyasha was about to say something but thought better of it and just nodded.

Yasha looked up at him, "Inuyasha?" she asked again in a whisper.
Inuyasha who was gazing up at the now darkening sky brought his face down to stare at her, "What?"
Yasha looked at him then returned her attention back to the track, "About what happened on the ship" she mumbled.
Inuyasha nearly choked, he hadn't thought she would bring that up.
"I won't tell anyone, it was just an pure incidental happening, it could've happened to anyone," she breathed, feeling her stomach doing flip-flops.
Inuyasha could sense her discomfort but wanted to hear what else she had to say.
"I wouldn't want you to be rumored to being having an affair with a slave, to risk any courting with ladies and princesses" she finished, feeling tears well up in her.
Inuyasha stared at her, but didn't say anything. Yasha taking that as an 'that's alright' sucked in a breath of air and decided to change the subject, "How do you want me to act?"

Inuyasha turned to face her and frowned slightly, "What do you mean how do I want you to act?"
Yasha smiled, "Well, how do you want me to act in your manor, for example something like a quiet 'I'll do anything' servant or a louder but following one?"
Inuyasha thought for a moment, "Just act like you"
Yasha stared at him, and there it was again that little jolt of electric butterflies making her feel ill.
She knew what this meant; she had felt the same thing with a wolf demon boy when she was younger, way younger.
She couldn't believe it.Inuyasha snapped his fingers in front of her face, "You okay?" he asked. Yasha looked up

at him and nodded slowly, "Sorry"
Inuyasha nodded, "I'm going to have you stay up in a room near mine, okay?" he asked.
Yasha stared at him, "But I'm a servant, I should be sleeping down in the headquarters" she questioned.
Inuyasha stared at her, his eyes burning.
He stopped his horse and jumped off, and grabbed Yasha by the waist and pulled her down, carrying her over his shoulder.
Yasha gasped at his movements and began to pound Inuyasha on the small of his back, "Let me down! This isn't right!" she yelled hoarsely over and over.

Inuyasha just frowned and tapped her on the back of her leg, "Just be quiet for a moment"
Yasha stopped and stared at his back, her forehead leaning against it, she closed her eyes as she felt the blood run to her head.
Inuyasha found what he was looking for and pulled Yasha down at made her look at the ground.
She looked at him but he leant over the top of her and held he so she had to look at the ground.

When she did she saw a small stream, she stared at her reflection, she didn't really recognize the person she was staring at, the shirt pants, and clean, white, shiny hair.
"Who do you see?" Inuyasha asked quietly, still holding her neck firmly but gently.
Yasha didn't answer for a moment, "Me"
"And what are you?" Inuyasha asked.

Yasha hesitated; Inuyasha wanted the truth, "A princess"Inuyasha smiled, "And what are you really?"

Yasha swallowed, "A slave"

Inuyasha frowned she wasn't meant to say that, "Yasha, what are you really?"
Yasha spun around to face him, her hair twirling and moving with her movements, "Inuyasha, I know who I am, I'm a royal families child, a daughter at that, if my family was still alive they would be pushing me to get married, to raise the honor of my family, but that's the past, I'm now a slave, because of my damn mother handing me off like a piece of land."

"My mother and I have found you again, we're a noble family, and we want to reinstate your position" Inuyasha exclaimed.
Yasha shook her head, "Inuyasha, I don't know why but it's you who wants to, your mother just thinks I'm a slave, one sold from her family to pay for food"
Inuyasha grabbed her wrists and pulled her close to him.

Yasha stared up at him, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly in wonder and surprise."Listen Yasha" Inuyasha said quietly.
'I'm listening" she whispered.
"That's good, you're a princess and you will always be one, and I'm going to turn you back into one"
Yasha laughed bitterly, "Look who's my fairy godmother" she said, challenging his gaze.Inuyasha smirked, "Yeah maybe I am"
"Then my fairy godmother answer this for me" Yasha began, "How do you suppose to fix the problem when I want to marry someone but I can't because they don't want to marry a slave?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, "Like I said, no-one needs to know"
Yasha sighed, "You know that wouldn't work, it would leak out somehow when they asked around for my family and background, where my fortune is"
Inuyasha thought for a moment, "So? We'll take it as it comes, I'll be there to help you"
Yasha stared up at him in disbelief, just realizing that her stomach was weird again, "I don't want to put the burden on you" she whispered.
"But I want to help" Inuyasha replied backwards.
Yasha bit her lip, "No-one would want me, Inuyasha, I would be an outcast, and if someone did happen to come along and we were in a romantic relationship for a while, as soon as they found out they would be washing their mouth out with salt and soap"
Inuyasha caught her chin and caught her lips with his. Yasha didn't know what hit her; she stood there leaning back slightly, eyes closed, but open within, he body feeling like it was made of fire.

Inuyasha pulled back slightly and they both licked their lips, "Well I kissed you, and I knew about your past"

Yasha scowled at him, "You moron"

Inuyasha smirked, "Why?""That was my first kiss!" she hissed, staring up at him, her eyes ablaze a fire of amber and sapphire stone.
Inuyasha stared at her and rose his eyebrows, "Are you kidding me?"Yasha shook her head, "Well my first real kiss"

Inuyasha rocked on his heels, well that had made his day.
Yasha began to walk back to the horses, "You coming?"Inuyasha looked up in mild surprise, remembering the same comment on the day of the sale, he jogged over and helped her through the trees and growth, "Do you believe me now?" he asked, climbing onto his horse. Yasha frowned slightly as she situated herself on Ryuku's back.

"So, do you believe me or not?"
Yasha turned to face him, she smiled, "I do"

Inuyasha stared at her, "Really?"
Yasha nodded slowly, "Really"

Inuyasha nodded and felt great inside, the feeling was soon disappearing as he saw the top of his place coming into view, this wasn't good, this was great traveling lightly with a nice young girl and chatting away . . . and a kiss on the way. Come to think about it, that was his first proper kiss.

Being under the age of fifteen doesn't count; he didn't know what he was doing then.
He sighed and caught Yasha humming to herself, but stop abruptly when her eyes fell on his place."Looks like we're here" Inuyasha grumbled.

Yasha stared at it, mouth agape, eyes wide and shining, "I thought you said it was a manor. . .not a. . .a castle!"
Inuyasha grinned, "Whoops . . .didn't I tell you?" he began in mock innocence.
Yasha stared at him, "Whoops what?"
Inuyasha reined his horse in as he felt it start to sidewalk, "I'm prince of this district"
Yasha stared at him, "You're kidding me right?"

Inuyasha shook his head, "No, I'm not" and with that he waved to the guards to open the gates and allow the two in.

Yasha trotted in and looked around, she couldn't believe it, she had just kissed the prince.Inuyasha came up behind her and helped her down, "Welcome to my kingdom of Shikoku" he began.
Yasha stared at the surroundings around her and then at him, the man whom had bought her, had bought her freedom and had unknowingly bought her love and respect.

But something didn't fit, Inuyasha+prince+Shikoku(kingdom and dog's name)+his familiarity no, it couldn't be. Her new master, was her best friend. At least, she hoped.