Thief of Hearts

Sakura's Note: I survived Freshman Hell Week! (Without even a petty insult from an upperclassman, I might add) Spirit week is over, the Homecoming game was tonight (we WON!), and Homecoming is tomorrow. So, I apologize if this is posted a little late today. This chapter is mostly about Sango and Miroku, because they are a main pair in this fic.

It took me long enough to get over a rather ugly snag in the plot line in this chapter, so let me let you go ahead and read.

.-..-.

Chapter 5: Birds of a Feather

.-..-.

Kagome broke into a run. She stumbled, but regained her balance almost instantly due to her adrenaline. Her shoes clacked as she ran, telling the Jidai behind her exactly where she was going. "Stupid shoes!" In an effort to silence her movements, she tossed them behind her haphazardly.

Finally, her room came into view, just at the end of the hall…!

Wait. Kagome stopped; there were no footsteps behind her, no curses from the enraged King of Thieves. She let out a sigh of relief as she slipped into her room.

"Boo."

She screamed. Swirling around, azure met with gold. With a gasp, Kagome slapped the man across the face.

Oops.

She expected something like a knife at her throat, or something to strike her across the face, but she didn't expect hot breath in her ear.

"Don't do that again." He grabbed her arms roughly and pinned them behind her back with a callused hand. Kagome jerked in every direction she could, pulling and pushing her body away from him as best she could.

"Hold still, woman!" He shook her and she felt the tie securing the jewel around her neck go taut, then the weight of the Shikon Jewel disappear all together. In one swift movement the Jidai had stolen Shikon's way of life and was at the door.

In the second it took him to turn, Kagome grabbed the one thing she knew could hold him. "Don't move." It surprised her how little of a quiver remained in her voice. There was more anger there than terror. The princess pulled the bow's string taut, aiming it for the hand carrying the jewel.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, his entire face mocking her ability. "So this is the secret weapon of the Jewel Protector, eh? Keh, I've seen better in Ano Horaana…" He snorted when she scowled. This is a joke. The girl's hand is as steady as Onigumo after he's had too much to drink. Without another word, he took a step out of the door.

Kagome knew something she had a feeling he didn't. He was a man; therefore he would not back down from a challenge from a girl. "Drop the jewel – now, I know you're not running from me."

"Keh, you'd be amusing if it weren't for that annoying voice of yours." Maybe not what she'd imagined him to say, but he had stayed. Anything would work right now.

"You truly are a foolish king."

Kagome sounded more than a little angry, he noticed, when she released the arrow she was holding. There was something about the arrow that made him weak in the knees the closer it got to him. Inuyasha was never scared, but he was concerned about why his energy was draining… and why he suddenly felt like flying off into the sunset somewhere.

He unsheathed his sword just in time for it to grow and shatter the arrow before it hit him. It had been mere inches away, and the feelings he had gotten still shook him.

My arrow… Kagome's eyes widened. "There is more to you than meets the eye." Inwardly, she gasped. What could have come over her to make her say that aloud?

Inuyasha scoffed. "Must say I was expecting something better from a woman such as yourself. You have that majestic look about you. I thought you'd have at least something that would make we work at least a little to win at."

Deep down, he was somewhat disappointed she hadn't put up more of a fight. The entire time she was infuriating him, she was also intriguing him. He hated to admit it, but this girl had spunk.

"Typical wench as always." He hooded his regret with nonchalance.

"I am not a wench! I am Kagome! Kagome! Get it? It isn't that hard of a name to understand, you arrogant, egotistical, bastard!" She hadn't meant to forget proper royal etiquette, but this man had drawn every straw she had of patience left. Without warning she drew back her fist and punched.

Inuyasha released the jewel instantly, his cheek in more than a lot of pain. It felt heavy, sore, and it throbbed – oh how it throbbed!

The Shikon Jewel rolled across the floor to its keeper loyally, glowing a faint pink when it touched her foot. Kagome gave a sigh of relief, sweeping it up off the floor.

You bitch! "Not bad, wench, not bad at all…" They both froze. He had complimented her. You idiot! What the hell did you say that for?

…huh?' Kagome scrunched up her nose in confusion. Had she just done that? I've definitely lost my mind… "Leave, or you won't be so lucky to compliment me on my excellent fighting skills the next time." The moment the words left her mouth, she was in shock again. Where was this attitude coming from? Oh, if mother heard me now…

"Inuyasha! Where the hell are you? We gotta go!" A deep voice called out from the rampant streets below.

Kagome glared, gripping the jewel so tight it made a place in her hand. Kill him… kill him… he's right there, kill him! But she didn't.

With a look of loss on his face the leader of the Sengoku Jidai dashed towards the window, taking the time to push Kagome out of his way to get there. He gave a high-pitched whistle before leaping off the balcony and onto his retrieved horse down below. Dozens of hooves stomped the ground as they stormed out of the city.

Kagome followed as far as her balcony. Bags of loot hung from every saddle of every thief of the Sengoku Jidai. She could make Inuyasha, ahead of the rest, calling out orders and brandishing his enchanted sword.

Kagome blinked and they were gone. Yells and cries of the wronged citizens of Shikon was all she heard for the rest of the night.

.-..-.

"The village is in ruins!" Geneva Higurashi announced sternly. "How is it possible that less than forty men managed to do that much damage in less than an hour? Every Warrior we had was fighting them, what went wrong?" She looked over the people sitting at the breakfast table with serious eyes.

The Sultana had long ago lost her husband, but because of her powerful opinions and leadership skills they had allowed her to continue the rule over Shikon. Now, thanks to that judgment twelve years ago, Shikon was in its longest Golden Age.

"Sultana, we did everything in our ability. There was some kind of magic at work, there must have been! They appeared out of nowhere -- and their King!"

Kagome's fork froze over her plate.

"Their King has powers! His sword alone transforms to become a monster when he draws it! Three men are on bed rest because of their cuts. And he is given so much respect from those Jidai mongrels."

Her younger brother, Souta, tugging on her sleeve, jerked Kagome out of her reverie.

"Kagome, pass the grapes."

Even with all the turmoil, the Sultana would not let her motherly duties die. "Souta, your manners!"

Souta sighed and repeated the phrase in a much more polite manner, although his sister could clearly see his annoyance.

Kagome dazedly handed off the fruit bowl and resumed her subtle eavesdropping on her mother's breakfast conversation.

"We followed them until their King held us off for them. They disappeared, and soon so did he."

The Sultana nodded. "Tell me, why is it that Sango is not telling me this?"

With her words, the entire flight of Warriors silenced their murmurs, gaining looks of sorrow. Kagome's heart dropped into her stomach, and her stomach dropped into her feet. Something was wrong. Where was Sango? She couldn't have been hurt, could she?

"Sango has not been seen since yesterdays battle. We scoured the entire city, she was no where to be found. Our guess is she is with them as a captive."

"That can't be!" Kagome pounded a fist on the table. Everyone looked her way. "Sango is too good to have been so easily captured by a band of Jidai even on her worst day. If she's gone, she has a good reason and it is not because she is their captive."

"Kagome, I understand your bond with your cousin, but that is not the proper way for a Princess to behave." Her mother looked down the table at the voice in surprise. Hojo had stopped his eating, and was looking directly at the Princess.

"How dare you talk to me that way?" Kagome breathed, "You are in no position… you have no right!" The legs of her chair scraped against the floor, giving her room to storm from the room. "What authority does he think he has, anyway? He is not my King, nor my Prince, yet! Oh, Sango, how I wish you were here…"

.-..-.

"Oh, come on… it isn't that bad."

Sango gritted her teeth and took another few steps away from him out of annoyance. "When are you going to get that I'm not speaking to you!" The Warrior huffed and crossed her arms.

"Ah! But you just did, Sango."

With an infuriated sound from the back of her throat, Sango attempted the mature action of smothering herself with the side of his horse.

Needless to say Miroku was concerned.

"Are you alright?"

Another infuriated sound.

Kazaana neighed.

"Sango, I really don't think that's good for you…" Miroku tried, only receiving more desperate attempts at suicide from the young woman. How could he get her to stop…?

Oh, he was going to get pummeled for this…

"Actually, stay that way." Sango could hear the mischievousness in his voice. "The way you're standing I have the perfect view of your delightful, delicious, heart shaped rump." She froze.

It wasn't until Miroku was blacking out did he notice that she did indeed have a delicious rump.

.-..-.

Miroku slowly opened his eyes – and immediately closed them due to the powerful sunrays blinding him. He attempted to roll over, still wondering why he wasn't inside Ano Horaana, to find that he couldn't.

.-..-.

Two miles away Sango could have sworn she heard the sound of that incredibly perverted Jidai screaming.

"Well, I would too if I woke up and realized I was buried from the neck down in sand…" Sango smiled gleefully as she trudged on through the hot morning sand. She had to get back – and soon. She would already get a thousand questions from the Sultana, not to mention from her own men… but, if she didn't get a move on that Jidai would be on her tail all over again.

He was annoying. He was perverted. "And he had to nerve to call me Sango!"

Stupid sand storm… the horse she'd stol– borrowed from a villager had gotten spooked and was only God-knows-where, leaving only Miroku's horse pacing loyally by his side. Made her wonder… he must treat the horse good for it to have had stayed.

So, seeing how the horse was so loyal, it wouldn't budge for her.

Not even when poked angrily in the bum.

Ergo, Sango was now trudging through the desert in search of her city, determined to make it there before anyone sent out a search party for her -- all alone.

But, there was one good thing about all of this…

That Jidai wasn't with her.

He was buried neck-deep in sand, sweating profusely in the early morning sun, with a horse as his only savior. Beautiful, really. If he was as smart as she assumed he was, based on their previous meetings, then he'd realize his horse was tied to his buried arm with a long rope he'd been carrying. Get the horse to move -- you're free.

Of course, the rope was very thin… and it would easily break if the big oaf was too heavy.

Sango stopped walking, looking back behind her. It didn't do any good; she was a good five miles away by now. I was trained to kill people like him... I gave him enough of a break by giving him a way to pull himself out. Why didn't I just get it over with?

She sighed; the Jidai would escape.

.-..-.

Miroku brushed himself off airily, making sure no sand would be bothering him tonight. He turned to his horse with a bemused look. "She sure is an odd one, isn't she?"

Kazaana neighed.

Whether it was to agree with him or because a dozen vultures were circling overhead, Miroku didn't know, but he still smiled. "I knew you thought so too." He looked at the ground, noticing the faint sunken remains of her footprints leading off deeper into the desert. The Jidai shook his head. "She's going the opposite way. Might as well go off and help her, she won't meet anyone for weeks that way."

He, unlike the feisty Warrior Princess, was not about to let her roam around aimlessly for days until she starved to death.

He knew this desert better than he knew the Jidai Code, and she obviously didn't. The problem would be when he returned to Ano Horaana to all the questions about the woman. He couldn't exactly say she buried him in sand whilst he was unconscious; they would guffaw to no end. They wouldn't let him live it down -- ever. He doubted even Inuyasha would be able to keep a straight face.

He couldn't tell them he went out of his way into the endless desert on the outskirts of Shikon to save a Shikon Warrior; that had to be a code breaker if he'd ever heard one. Of course, he hadn't heard most of the Code since he was a teenager, but it just seemed like such a...such a good thing to do.

Good was not good in the Sengoku Jidai.

Also, he couldn't tell them that he had been with her so long already without harming an auburn hair on her beautiful head. That definitely had to be against the Code.

But, he didn't care. Inuyasha was his best friend and would understand.

...maybe he should come up with a good ol' fashioned lie?

Until last night, women had been his main focus, but right now Sango had replaced all others. She challenged everything he knew, and was more fiery than any other woman he'd ever had the pleasure to meet.

Sango wasn't scared of him, nor was she afraid to speak her mind. And, if he wasn't mistaken, she clearly was unique. He'd never seen a woman with so many men fighting under her command, demanding as much respect, and with such an air of complete loneliness ever before.

Before he knew it, he could spot the stubborn woman ahead of him.

Sango continued muttering to herself. "Damn man... Why do I care at all if he doesn't escape? He's getting what he deserves!" She stomped her feet extra hard, only making her more exhausted. "But it wasn't an honorable defeat. It should be hand-to-hand combat..." She cursed -- colorfully.

Miroku smirked, his horse silently trotting along behind her.

"He'd probably gone from there anyway... No one is that stupid... Well, maybe he is..."

Miroku frowned.

"Just forget about him... But he's so annoying! So obnoxious! So...so... perverted!"

"Don't forget devilishly handsome."

"Yeah! That too-" Sango's magenta eyes widened, and her heart stopped. She positioned her arms so the already exposed blades were poised to strike. "...Jiiiiiiiidaiiiiiii!" The eighteen year old whirled around, narrowing missing cutting his stomach.

With a gulp, Miroku ducked and rolled, grabbing her by the leg. They both fell, the Jidai on top, onto the ground. Sand billowed out from under them, making clouds form around them in large puffs.

"Get off of me!" Sango snapped, knocking him to the side. "Who do you think you are?! I am your enemy, not your playmate! Get your priorities straight, Jidai."

"You're going the wrong way." It was all he said, and then he mounted his horse and continued off in the direction he'd come from.

Sango cocked her head to the side, giving her a very comical expression. She stared dumbly in the direction the infuriating thief had gone.

.-..-.

Kagome leaned back on the cool marble wall of her bedroom with the small glowing jewel clutched tightly in her palm.

She had been so close... So close to losing the jewel and failing the entire city. It was all because of one Jidai whose face continued to surface in her memory. She could remember everything about him.

His insults... his scowl... his intense honey orbs full of unreadable emotions... shimmering silver hair that had swirled around his face as he rode off with his men...his well-toned muscular chest covered by the vest it seemed he never took off... His temper...his cockiness...

Kagome jerked her eyes open, coming out of her reverie. That Jidai was truly a man of violence, yet there was something she couldn't place about him. Something in him was hiding, and she was determined that if they ever met again she would find out.

The leader of the Sengoku Jidai was considered a Prince, and if the opportunity presented itself he would be eligible to claim the Shikonian throne. A scary thought, but his father had once been a noble. She had learned that today.

She was a princess... He was a prince... So it wouldn't be that bad if... She slammed the proverbial brakes in her head, shaking the thoughts out of her mind. How could she be thinking such things about a Jidai? The King of the Jidai, for that matter! She had to admit, he was handsome, and strong, but he was not the kind of man she was after. No one with such an evil heart as his was (or so she'd heard) could never even be an ally, let alone anything more.

Thoughts like those came sometimes, probably because someone so free attracted a part of her.

One thing, though, she did know.

Both herself and Inuyasha were hawks, but she was the only one caged.