The young girl sat there… in front of the window, one of her only sources of fresh air and sunlight. She watched the Sakura tree outside of the mansion. The pink blossoms were just starting to bloom. Oh how wonderful it was to this young lady. She was never able to leave that mansion. And she was just getting the privilege to go out to the garden.

Her raven hair blew behind her as she watched the blossoms fall in a dance to the ground. Her chocolate brown eyes were intensely gazing at her beautiful surroundings, her cheeks becoming pink with the breeze.

For her whole life, she was stuck in the castle. Her parents, King and Queen Higurashi, would never let her leave the walls. But today they would make an acceptation. Today was her sixteenth birthday.

"Kagome dear," Her mother bellowed throughout the hallways of the vast palace.

"Yes Mother?" She replied innocently from the training room.

"Come to the throne room please."

"Yes Mother. Oh Sango, quick! I have to get a dress… I can't be in these clothes while going to see my parents! We'll have to schedule another lesson later."

"Aye Kagome, I'll help you," The demon slayer replied. She quickly helped the younger girl to her room to change. Kagome put on a pale blue dress that puffed out at the sleeves yet went straight down from the bust to the floor. It was presentable for a private meeting with the King and Queen.

"Thank you so much Sango! I owe you one!"

"No problem Kagome, you know what best friends do."

Sango came to the castle when Kagome was six and Sango was eight. The young girl and her little brother came to the castle to report of the Demon Slayer's Village's demise. A hoard of demons from the north had killed the whole village while Sango and her little brother, Kohaku had gone to pick berries for their mother. Their father had been the village head-man, so Sango and Kohaku were allowed to stay with the Higurashi's. Kagome and Sango had been inseparable ever since.

"Kagome, where have you been?" Asked the queen as Kagome rushed into the throne room still fixing her hair.

"Um… I was just doing my hair. See?"

"Alright, but don't make that mistake again."

"Yes Mother."

"Now, now Mimi. Don't be so hard on the girl. She is a wonderful daughter," Said a proud King Higurashi, "After all… she is sixteen today."

"Thank you Father," Kagome said bowing her head.

He walked down to where his daughter was standing and lifted her head.

"Now child… We are your parents. You can be yourself around us."

"To be honest with you father… no I can't."

He was shocked. He thought he always was close to his one and only daughter.

"What do you mean by that dear?"

"Well, why couldn't I go out of the palace walls for sixteen years?"

She was getting angry now. You could see her beautiful rosy cheeks fluster a tint of ruby.

"That was for your own good dear," Queen Higurashi cut in.

"Mimi!" The King bellowed, "Why is our only daughter saying this?"

"Um… dear… I…"

"ENOUGH! Kagome, what are you talking about?"

The young lady hesitated. He didn't know? What? Even if he didn't… how could my mother hide it from him for sixteen years!

"Well Father... I… I don't know. Mother always told me that I wasn't allowed out of the palace walls. I wasn't even allowed in the garden. She told me that I could go out to the garden on my sixteenth birthday, which is today. I always thought that you knew…" She broke out into sobs.

"Mimi… is this true?"

"Well… Kiro… I…um," she sighed, "Yes, it's true."

"Why!"

"Well… I don't know Kiro…"

Her sentence was never finished. There was a loud slap heard throughout the palace.

"Never go near Kagome or Souta ever again! Do you understand me!"

She was quivering now.

"Yes Kiro…"

"And don't ever address me in such ill manner. I am King Higurashi to you."

With that, he left the room.

"You little twit!" The Queen bellowed.

Kagome quivered.

"Wh…what?"

"You heard me! You are a little twit that should never see the world! You will never be as beautiful as me…ever! I won't ever let you have the throne. Souta will take it before you will!"

She was then taken away by the guards, to who knows where.

Kagome then fell to her knees, her body raking in sobs. She then felt arms around her shoulders. It was Souta, her younger brother.

"I heard everything, Sis. I wouldn't ever take the throne from you. You deserve it more than I do anyway."

"Thanks Squirt." She replied as she ruffled his hair.

"Kags…?" shouted a voice.

"Yeah Sango?"

"Now, how about that visit to the garden?"