I was looking at my stories from the past, when I came across this one. oO I totally forgot that I had even started this one. --;; Ok, so yes, it's been a year. I actually had this chapter finished about a month ago, but I've been really lazy. I also have come to realize that I have a lot of errors in my previous chapter--which makes it crap, but alas, I hate to change things once I've published 'em. This most likely has errors too that I will later find (and regret), but I have taken my time to try and get rid of as many as possible.

I did enjoy myself when I wrote this, so I plan to continue (and not take a year like last time o.o). There are some parts where I repeated (done on purpose of course)--so I hope that doesn't become too annoying (if it does, just tell me).

Yah...and that's it. :)

Title: Chapitre Deux

Published: July.23.06

Authoress: Chat-chan

Summary: Inuyasha learns that his future is more set in stone that he thought it was, while Kagome and Duke Kouga face it out in the battle of the words.

Disclaimer: Me: This stuff isn't necessary! I could have Inuyasha jump off a cliff in my story and Takahashi-san wouldn't care!
Inuyasha: HEY!
Lawyers: She's right, let's get out of here.
Me: Wait...no argument? No FIGHT! GET BACK HERE! -Chases after lawyers-
Inuyasha: -Sweat drop-

"So…where am I going to get myself a bride?"

"It appears as though before you were conceived, or when your mother was impregnated with you, that you were arranged to be married with some daughter of a duke who was close friends to the family. Her name escapes me now...I believe it was something similar to Kyoko, but the reason why I am doubting the idea of letting you marry her is because she is the granddaughter of Kaede, that old hag that brings us bread fresh every day."

"Oh, you mean that grumpy old woman that makes that marvelous French bread?" Inuyasha asked eagerly.

"Yes, that's her! Have you tasted her jams?" Inuyasha shook his head fervently. "Oh!" Sesshomaru gasped. "They are to die for!" An awkward moment passed between the two male siblings.

Sesshomaru coughed, and reverted back to his 'serious' tone. "The point is, that woman Kaede might be a problem. Well, even though her food is quite marvelous, she has quite the reputation. Kaede was the one who gave up her social status to become a baker after her husband died. Women working...who put that idea in her head? Next thing she'll be declaring is that we shouldn't have slaves! Dear brother, it would be best if you were to marry someone else with other relatives that aren't so... odd."

Inuyasha looked at his brother strangely. "Ok...well, that still has us at square one. Again, where am I going to get myself a bride?"

"Do you not have faith in your handsome, wise, most intelligent brother?" Sesshomaru questioned. When he got no reply, he just shook his head and continued. "I was thinking that perhaps a ball could be held in your name for you to select a wife, which would be held a month before your birthday. That way, once you chose a girl, you can bring her home for a month, and a marry by the time you are of age."

"Sounds good," Inuyasha responded. "I still see a small problem. How do we get a ball fit for an entire kingdom done in just one month?"

Sesshomaru smirked. "I already have that taken care of."

Those cruel people couldn't rule my life forever! I don't understand how I could have let them do it this far. Out of the blue, I lost my balanced on a rock and fell to the ground. I didn't fall without a fight though. Flailing my arms around like a chicken was the only thing I could do before I came crashing down into a pile of mud.

Ah yes. How could I forget? They rule my life because I'm not of age (and/or I haven't gotten married) AND I can't see the things that come my way.

Literally.

As if life couldn't get any worse, it began to rain. I raised my hand to my cheeks, and I wasn't sure if the moist feeling was from the tears falling down my face or the rain splattering down. I pushed myself off the mud road and continued down the path at a slow trudge. I could tell that I was almost in the center of town by how the road's texture seemed to become less rocky and more paved.

The noise from the town seemed to dissipate. It was about breakfast time, and everyone was inside preparing themselves for the new day. I made my way over to the sound of falling water, which I knew was the fountain in the center of the town square, and took a seat on the edge. This was my favorite place ever. I could feel myself getting hit by the cool mist, and a wave of calmness engulfed me. I allowed my hand to dip into the pool of water as a small smile played over my face.

Suddenly the quiet air was filled with the sound of horse hooves clapping against the pavement. By the sounds that filtered through my ears, I could tell that these horses belonged to a group of the higher class because I could also hear the wheels of a carriage clutter along the path. What most drew my attention was that the carriage and its horses seemed to stop right in front of where I was sitting.

"Look here, Duke Koga!" A man declared, which I suppose was one of the riders on the horses. "We were sent by Lord Sesshomaru to distribute invitations to the ball of Prince Inuyasha to every young woman in the land. I wonder how he would react if we brought this young one along with us."

Perhaps he was referring to me?

"Indeed," a young man responded with an obnoxious voice, who I suppose was the honorable duke himself. "Perhaps the prince would fancy himself a vile peasant such as this one."

Maybe I was not the in the most respectable attires (as I had to clean and maintain my house for my family), my eyes puffy from crying, tear stained cheeks, and my clothes covered in a thin layer of dirt. There was also the mud caked on my face and in my disheveled hair, which was coarse from the rain and unkempt in the braid I had always pulled it back into. Oh, and how could you forget the fact that I was soaking wet? However, I was not going to allow these "gentlemen" to insult me in such a way, especially after my hard morning.

The group of men let out a chortle of amusement at the duke's comment. I believe I scared the men when I let out a short, pleasant laugh myself. They quieted themselves rather quickly, which allowed me the opportunity that I had desired to let out all my frustrations. Oh, this was going to be fun.

"Do my ears deceive me? Perhaps I am becoming deaf as well as being blind!" I exclaimed. "Someone as high up as the duke and his honorable men resorting to torment a young, blind woman! What is the world coming to? I shudder to think how our government will stand in the future, if diplomatic men such as yourselves need to pick on crippled peasants to make their own egos bigger! Think of the shame it will bring to our kingdom." I could hear the men shuffling around on their horses uncomfortably. Ah, the benefits of guilt. However, that didn't seem to stop their leader...

"Well then, my dear, I cordially invite you to the ball. You could even be my guest of honor, seeing as you aren't that repulsive. Well, that is, if you came in something a little more decent than you are in now," he added snidely. I gave a sweet smile, but I bet he could tell that it was full of scorn.

"I may not be in my best of states now sir, but it doesn't even take a blind woman like myself to see that your head has grown far too big."

With a smirk played across my face, I turned and left the Duke Koga and his men in a stupor.

"I'm going to meet my bride to be in a month," Inuyasha retold Miroku. "This is so overwhelming, I don't know what to do." Miroku nodded understandingly.

The prince was laying on an inclined couch in his room, feeling sorry for himself. Miroku sat across from him in a chair, looking pensive in his spectacles, and scribbling something down on a pad of paper. "I wanted to find someone funny, relatively smart, beautiful, loyal ..." Inuyasha said, drifting off. "Wow," Miroku thought. "He's got high standards."

"And how does this make you feel?" Miroku asked.

"Well...rather confused. Now I have to chose a woman in just one evening."

"What are you your standards for the girl you want to marry?" Miroku asked his friend in a serious tone.

"She's got to be good looking." Both of them stared at each other, and then smirked.

"Well I think that concludes our session for today," Miroku declared after clearing his throat. "You are progressing quite well my patient. Perhaps in the near future you may no longer need a shrink like myself."

" Woah, woah, woah," Inuyasha sputtered. "You're not a...-wait, is that why you were scribbling in that stupid note book? That's why you are wearing those stupid glasses!"

"I take my previous comment back because you're in denial, Inuyasha. Accepting the problem is the first step!" Miroku exclaimed.

"Oh god!-" and with that, Inuyasha swiped the pad of paper away from Miroku and examined his "notes." What he saw amused him greatly. There on the first page was a self portrait of Miroku...as a stick figure. He was wearing a mighty cape with a crown, and his body took up most of the page. Underneath the Mighty Miroku (as it was titled), was a stick figure that seemed suspiciously similar to Inuyasha, who was bowing down. At the bottom right corner of the page, Inuyasha made out some words scratched out that read, "On the day of the ball, must find (Inuyasha) myself a wife."

Inuyasha started cracking up, and in between breaths he managed to declare, "you're even loonier than I am!"

"Which is saying something," Miroku added smugly. Inuyasha smacked Miroku over the head, and soon a friendly shoving match erupted.

"Kagome!" Kaede cried. "You're a mess. Did Urasue and Tsubaki insist that you clean the pig pen again? I told her that those pigs are too much trouble." Kaede rushed over to me, while I stood at the entrance of her bakery, dripping wet. "You'll catch a cold like that child. What brings you to town?"

"Well it all started when I enraged Urasue by talking back, which resulted in my walking stick being cracked in half. Then, while I was coming to town, I tripped in the mud. Duke Koga himself ridiculed me, and then I ended it when I said a rather nasty comment." I giggled at this. "It's been a rather rough morning, but I managed to find your bakery without my stick."

"Oh, you poor dear," Kaede soothed. "That was a beautiful piece of wood. It's a shame that it had to end up in such a way." I heard Kaede's footsteps get closer.

"I hope Tsubaki and Kikyo are doing well. Even if they can be stuck up, they are my granddaughters as well. The castle will have to wait for their bread while I clean you up. Now tell me, what exactly did you tell Duke Koga?" With a chortle of merriment, Kaede led me to her bath.

After I bathed, I felt (and most likely looked) so much better. Kaede assured my that my skin was no longer tinted brown, and I replaced my dirty dress with one of Grandmother Kaede's simple (and slightly large) dresses. Grandma Kaede brushed my hair back into a braid as it reacher my mid-back. I decided to walk around barefoot as I waited for my socks and shoes to dry by the fire. The front door of the bakery ringed as a customer walked in.

"Oh Hojo, what a wonderful surprise!" Grandmother said through her teeth. "How is it going in medical school?"

"Quite well, thank you. I just wanted a loaf of bread to bring to the professor. Oh my! Kagome, is that you?" Hojo asked excitedly.

"Hello Sir," I answered politely as I curtsied.

"Please, none of that," Hojo said kindly. "If I had known that you were going to be here, I would have tried to come earlier-" Kaede interrupted him.

"Interesting weather we're having," Kaede said joyfully. "It was raining and now it was sunny! Here's your bread Hojo. Run along or you'll be late to class."

"Thank you Kaede," he replied cheerfully. "Well, have a nice day. Kagome." I nodded my head as I heard the door close. Suddenly a huge smile broke out onto my face, and I let out a laugh which bubbled from my mouth.

"You really don't like him, do you Grandma?"

"Oh, he's quite the accomplished man. He's going to medical school, comes from a well bred family, handsome, and he's taken a fancy for you, I believe." I shook my head.

"I dread the idea of wedding myself to him, but alas, it seems expected of me. I shouldn't be picky Gran, but even though he's so perfect...there's something that I dislike that I can't quite place-"

"He's a wuss. A suck up too." We both started laughing. "I just wanted a loaf of bread to bring to the professor," Kaede squeaked mockingly. "At least if you marry him, he'll get you lots of stuff." I put on my socks and shoes, preparing myself to leave.

"Even so, I have a feeling I'd be treated as a disabled, which I loath. Well, I'm off to go back home so I don't anger Urasue even more. I'm in deep trouble as it is."

"And I am going to the castle for my daily trip. Perhaps I can figure out if the rumor about Prince Inuyasha getting married is true."

"Thank you Grandma Kaede!" I yelled happily. "I'll come to visit you soon!" Kaede watched her youngest granddaughter exist the bakery, and right when the sunlight hit her face, Kaede thought as if she appeared as if she was an angel.

"I just hope she finds someone to treat her as such," Kaede mumbled, and went back to her daily routine.

Inuyasha started cracking up, and in between breaths he managed to declare, "you're even loonier than I am!"

"Which is saying something," Miroku added smugly. Inuyasha smacked Miroku over the head, and soon a friendly shoving match erupted.

Unbeknownst to the prince and his loony advisor, a couple of shadows lingered outside of the prince's door."Do you think he's old enough for this? I don't know if he's mature enough to get married." A voice questioned.

"I hope so," responded another. "His country depends on it.

So there is chappie numbah 2. I know, not so good, but I'm tryiiiinnggg...

The real reason I am adding my story (besides the love of writing ) is that there are no more original plots out there! My story isn't that good, but every fanfic that I open up seems to have stuff repeated over and over. It's gotten to the point where I already know how the ending will be like because they are so OBVIOUS. Ex: Kagome scratched Inuyasha's ears, and he let out a purr. It's been done over, and over, and over again. I knew that I couldn't rant about crappy stories if I wasn't writing any, so I'm giving it a shot. :P Sorry if I've insulted you in any manner (-.-)

Hasta luego! Have a great summer ;)