I Promise You
By Serenity Angel Tsukino
Chapter One:
The Garden
Prince Sesshomaru walked up the stairs to the front of the palace. There standing at the top was King Higurashi with his finest men around him.
"Sesshomaru! Welcome to my home!" The king greeted Sesshomaru with a hug.
Sesshomaru returned the hug and smiled at the shorter human.
"Arigato, Higurashi-san. It is wonderful to be back."
Sesshomaru turned around and the King moved slightly to the side to see Inuyasha walking up the steps, in awe of the palace.
'They must be loaded…'Inuyasha thought to himself.
"There must be little Inuyasha." The king walked over to Inuyasha and took his hand to shake. "My, my last time I saw you, you were a tiny infant."
Inuyasha shooked his hand back and nodded.
"Nice to meet you Higurashi-sama."
"Iie, Iie, Inuyasha. Call me Otou-san now. After all, you be part of the family soon enough." The king beamed at Inuyasha and then turned to the side to a servant. "Can you go find-"
"Otou-san!" A small voice chirped.
Sesshomaru, Inuyasha turned to their left and the king his right, to see a little girl dressed in a red and golden kimono. She wore a fancy hair style that braided in with her crown. Sakura blossoms dangled from her hair. She was a bit shorter than Inuyasha, having fair skin, ebony hair, and chocolate eyes. She reminded Inuyasha of his Mother, just in a chibi version.
"Ah, there is my little angel." Once the little girl reached to her Father, he placed a hand on her back and motioned her over to Inuyasha. "Prince Inuyasha, I will like you to meet my daughter, Kagome."
Kagome blushed a slight pink and placed a hand over the other in front of her and she bowed gracefully before Inuyasha.
"Nice to meet you Prince Inuyasha."
Inuyasha, a little bit taken back since he hasn't been around humans but Miroku. He looked up to Sesshomaru for advice and Sesshomaru made a glare and tiny bow as if you say 'bow back your moron'.
"Eh…eto…Nice to meet you Princess Kagome…thank you for letting me stay for the summer." Inuyasha turned back to Kagome quickly and returned the bow, not as gracefully.
Kagome only giggled and took his hand.
"Come I will show you the palace!"
Kagome had not stop talking since the moment she took Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha started off confused but started to get annoyed as they headed out of the palace towards the gardens.
"I have to show you my special place-"
"I don't care about your special place!" Inuyasha snapped, pulling his hand from her grip. "Just show me to my room so I can hide all summer."
Kagome turned around and looked a bit hurt.
"But we are friends I thought-"
"You are thinking a little too wrong, wrench." He placed a hand on her head. "I am not nor never will be your friend. If I am stuck going to marry you then you do what a wife is suppose to do. Like stay quiet, cook for me, bare children that whole stuff. Don't think I am marrying you because I like you because I don't." Inuyasha grinned to himself.
He felt better after letting all that emotion out. But soon he smelt salty tears and he looked down and removed his hand to see the Princess crying.
"Gomen-ne…Inuyasha-sama…" Kagome had her small hands rubbing her eyes, trying to get the tears away.
Before Inuyasha could never feel bad a water pail comes flying at the back of his head. Inuyasha then fell face first on the ground, Kagome avoiding his fall.
"You little prick! How dare you talk to Kagome-sama like that?" Out of know where, Sango, Kagome's servant, comes trailing up one of the paths from the garden maze.
Kagome reached for Sango and Sango embraced Kagome.
"If I ever catch you making her cry again I swear on the Goddess I'll rip your ears off!"
Inuyasha on up on his knees, rubbing the back of his head, growling at Sango.
"I can do whatever I want! If you didn't know I am a Prince!"
"Tisk! I've seen better princes when they are ugly full blooded demons." Sango stuck her tongue out at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha growled, hating the fact he was half demon, unlike his brother.
"Now you're going to get it…." Inuyasha got up on his feet, cracking his knuckles, showing his claws.
Sango quickly bent down and grabbed a sow and made a fighting stance.
"Not if I give it to you first, dog."
Kagome then started wailing, making them both stop to look at her.
"Onegai….to-tomare…fighting…"
The two panicked and hurried over to her to hush her.
"Hey, hey Kagome-sama, it's alright-"
"You wanna still show me the garden? Let's go see the daises-"
Then Inuyasha remembered. He reached into his never ending pockets and pulled out a white stuff rabbit with a pink bow. He then handed it to Kagome, looking away, blushing.
"Happy birthday…Kagome…I didn't know what girls liked so I thought this would do."
Kagome started too smiled and hugged the bunny, along with his arm.
"Arigato Inuyasha-chan!"
"Feh! Don't call me 'chan'."
"Inu-chan!"
"I said no! And it's Inuyasha, don't forget the ya-"
"Inu-chan gave me a bunny! He does like me!" Kagome held up the bunny to Sango, who was grinning at him.
"Kuku kuku…Kagome and Inuyasha sitting in a tree-"
"Iie! Wait! That's not what I meant!"
The Miko King and the Demon Prince watch from a window at the three children yelling, laughing and playing with each other. The King chuckled and went over to his desk and sat in his chair.
"Those two will get along fine. We should not have a problem at all, Sesshomaru."
"I do not worry too much of Inuyasha. He is a good boy when he wants to be." Sesshomaru continued to look out the window. "Now…there is that matter my Father wanted to discuss…"
"The Wedding will be taken place here-"
"Iie. I mean about Naraku." Sesshomaru turned around. "He has been sighted at my Wife's kingdom. My forces and she has been keeping him at bay but he had started to cut off our ports in a blockade."
The King's face turned serious and nodded.
"I understand. I will send my Water troops our there as soon as possible with you back to destroy the blockade."
"Arigato Higurashi-san, this means so much to my wife."
"'Tis nothing Sesshomaru. Take some rest and I will set up a fine feast tonight in you and Inuyasha's honor."
Sesshomaru turned to the Miko King and bowed.
"Arigato…I will be leaving first thing tomorrow."
"Yokata."
"You are leaving! But we just got here!" Inuyasha whined, standing on Sesshomaru's bed. "You said you'll be here…"
"You know of Rin's kingdom. We are slowly loosing and the city is slowly starving to death. I have to go." Sesshomaru walked over to Inuyasha and helped him pull off his Hatori shirt.
"Then I want to go! I want to fight with you and Daddy!"
"Iie." Sesshomaru shook his head, tossing the hatori at Miroku, which it landed on his head. "You must stay here, to protect Kagome."
"Feh!" Inuyasha's ears fall back. "If she is a miko she can handle herself."
"She is only a child, and so are you. You and Kagome are most valuable treasures to Otou-san and King Higurashi. Staying here in the Miko Kingdom will keep you safe. Besides, if the trouble ever should arise you are able to protect your-"
"Iie! I want to help protect you! And Daddy! And Rin-chan!" Tears came into the little boy's eyes.
Inuyasha clings to Sesshomaru's waist.
"What if something bad happens…and I never see you or Daddy again…."
Sesshomaru sighed, looking down sadly at the little pup. He pets Inuyasha's head gently.
"Nothing will ever defeat Otou-san and I. Besides, Otou-san and I need you to watch over Kagome. She needs to learn about her powers, to learn to protect herself and her people. You think you can help her?"
Inuyasha looked up at Sesshomaru, with watery golden eyes that Sesshomaru couldn't help to think 'kawaii'.
"As long as you promise you come back to get me." The pup sniffled.
Sesshomaru smiled and nodded.
"Of course. Now go wash your face. Get dressed. There is a party waiting for us."
As the two Princes entered the Dinning Hall, there were tables where important people sat and ate. Some where dancing in the center of the room to the loud music was playing by mixtures of drums, japans guitars, flutes. Geishas dancing with swords, fans, fire or whatever that seem to catch the human eyes, had gone to random tables here and there. The Princes had made their way through the crowd to the main table where King Higurashi sat, taking a sip of his first sake shot.
"Ah! Sesshomaru! Inuyasha! Come sit, you're just in time for the show."
"Show?" Sesshomaru sat by the King's right as Inuyasha took the King's left.
"You will see." He motions to the dance floor.
The lights started to dim and the drummers came out with a slow steady rhythm. Everyone cleared from the dance floor but one person. She walked closer to the main table but stopped about eight feet away.
It was Kagome, wearing a white and sky blue kimono. Then, as if it was a Full Moon within the room, it lit her up and she smiled at Inuyasha.
"Setsunasa no kagiri made dakishimete mo, itsumade mo hitotsu ni wa narenakute." It seemed soft, but it was loud and clear to everyone's ears.
Inuyasha's ears twitched and focused on Kagome's soft, sweet soprano voice.
"…fureau no wa itami dake, futari wo musunde kudasai…
"This is your song. A song that binds you and Kagome together. You might be able to see it but the magic flowing from her is making a tie with your own energy."
Inuyasha turned to the King and glared.
"Make her stop, I don't want her too."
Sesshomaru leaned over to glare at Inuyasha, the King merely frowned.
"Does she upset you, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, staring into her eyes, seeing hope and happiness. He glared down at her, which Kagome's voice started to soften, the strength started to die.
"….bokura no mukuchi na yoru ni hisonderu ima mo kitto…"
Then, even before he realized the warmth around him seemed to fade away. He felt vulnerable. The angrier from Inuyasha's eyes went away and looked at her.
"Does she upset you Inuyasha?" The king asked again.
Inuyasha looked back up at him, the sweet sound of her voice came to a stop.
"I…I…don't know…" He looked back at Kagome, who looked sad.
The mumbling through the crowd started, whisper of hate and disgust started up in the air.
"He rejected the princess' song…"
"The Kingdom is doomed…"
"Poor girl…she worked hard on that song…"
The voices of the crowd tickled Inuyasha's ears. His heart sank and just turned back to look at Kagome who only looked up at him. She bit her bottom lip and bowed.
"Gomen-nasai kudasai Inuyasha-sama…." She said.
The voices became louder, unsettling, seemingly like daggers on Inuyasha's tiny ears.
"Insult!"
"There are no good demons…"
"To think he's a hanyou…"
"Do not listen to them Inuyasha." The King placed a hand on his head. "I am not going to force you to marry Kagome. It serves me and your Father right to force a selfish act upon you and Kagome."
Inuyasha looked up at the man and saw a smile, there wasn't not angrier coming from this man. Inuyasha had no idea why would this man just let him get away from a treaty created by his Father.
Inuyasha looked back at the dance floor to see Kagome's back as she leaves through the doors. Then she started to break into a run. Inuyasha then stood, he had this feeling to go after her until he was grabbed by the collar of his kimono.
"What have you done Inuyasha? Otou-san will be most upset!" Sesshomaru snapped, turning the young pup to meet his face.
"Let go!" Inuyasha growled.
"Sesshomaru it is alright." The King grabbed Sesshomaru's shoulder.
When Sesshomaru's attention went onto the King Inuyasha licked his brother in the chest and got free. He jumped over the table and caught Kagome's scent.
He dashed down the hallway, following the scent down a familiar path towards the gardens. He got outside and slide to a stop on the soft green grass.
"Kagome-sama!" Sango's voice rang into the air.
Inuyasha turned to his right to see the opening of the garden maze, where Sango came out of earlier that day. He walked over to her.
"Where is Kagome?"
"She went into the maze…its dark. She'll never find her way out after dark."
"Where is she heading to?"
Sango pointed to where the Moon light hit the top of a huge Sakura tree.
"At the end of the maze is that Sakura tree-" Inuyasha pushed by Sango and started into the maze.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" Sango tried to call out but it was no use, Inuyasha paid no mind.
Inuyasha followed the path to the center where there is a water foutine of an angel pouring water from a vase. Inuyasha looked back at the tree and grinned.
'I'll just jump the garden walls.'
He started heading towards the tree, jumping for the first….second….third wall. But when he was about to go over the fourth wall something held him back. It caught him in his invisible net then without a moment to move he gets thrown back into the center of the maze.
"What is ye desire, boy?" A female voice whispers.
"To get to that tree, that's what! Stop playing games!" Inuyasha stood up, he knew what type of oni this was. 'A Tree Spirit.'
"The only people are allowed to reach me is if they followed their hearts."
"How in the hell am I gonna do that?"
"What is ye desire, boy?"
Inuyasha growled, he didn't have time for this. He only wanted to get to Kagome. But before releasing a nasty remark the garden walls started to move to a straight path. Inuyasha ran quickly through the path until he came to the end where he saw a stream. He sniffled the air and caught on Kagome's scent again. He took right, following along the stream where he saw thousands of fireflies. And there was the tree and at the bottom of the tree was Kagome, nestled between two huge roots and a bed of Forget-Me-Nots. She was still crying but she then looked up to see Inuyasha standing only a few feet in front of her. She sat up, wiped her eyes.
"How did you get through the Tree's garden?"
Inuyasha didn't answer, he didn't care how he got through. He walked over and sat on his knees beside her. Kagome sat there, tensing up and was about to get up until Inuyasha hugged her.
"Gomen-ne…Kagome…it's too much for me…"
"What's too much for you Inuyasha?" Kagome hugged back.
"All of this…everyone expects so much of us on getting married and all…" Inuyasha let go so he can look at her. "I don't know why it's so important…I don't want to be forced. I am just scared. Humans…scare me."
Inuyasha expected Kagome to start laughing but she only looked him with curiosity.
"Why are you sacred of me?"
Inuyasha's ears fold back; he reached out and wiped away the moisture from her tears off her cheek.
"Because humans die so easily…my Okaa-san was full human, not a miko, straight out human. My onii-chan's mother was jealous of Okaa-san and had her killed once I was eight years old. I couldn't do anything to protect her. I could only hold her and her life started to fade away. I can't protect anybody Kagome. I can't marry you if I can't protect you. I don't want anyone to take you away." Inuyasha fought back his tears and tried to look away from Kagome.
Kagome reached out and touched his cheek.
"It's ok Inuyasha; you don't need to protect me. I can take care of myself." Kagome lay back down, gently pulling Inuyasha down with her.
She lets Inuyasha rest his head on her chest and she rubs behind his ears. He clings to her, gives a whimper, but then gives a dog-like purr.
"I can take care of myself…I'll go learn how to sword fight and work hard on my powers-"
"I want to protect you…" Inuyasha mumbled, giving a low growl-like purr.
Kagome giggles.
"Only if I let you."
The entire palace has not gotten any sleep all night and was still searching by morning. Sango had alerted everyone seeing the two go into the garden, but because it was heavy guarded my magic, none of them could go through. The King and Sesshomaru stood with troops at the center of the maze.
"Our men have gone through every path and they all end up back here. Higurashi-san, how to we get to the tree."
The Miko King only looked at the Sakura tree in the distance. He only sighed and motioned to a solider.
"Get me a chair and a drink."
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, and kind of growled.
"You're going to sit and drink while the pups are-"
"The Tree Spirit is watching over them. She won't let us near them for a reason Sesshomaru. Besides, they are safe. They'll come out sooner or later."
Sesshomaru's eye twitched. Why was the fat man just sitting there? But then two chairs were brought up for the two to sit in. Then a cup of grape wine was handed to them. Sesshomaru could only sigh and joined the King in sitting and drinking.
The morning birds sang sweetly with their song. Inuyasha's ears twitched, causing him to wake up. He opened his golden eyes to see himself clinging to Kagome, who was curled up in his arms. The boy in he wanted to pull away and scream 'COOTIES'. But part him just smiled and nuzzled his nose into her lilac scented hair.
"Kagome-chan, wake up. We got to go back."
'Let her sleep for a moment longer Young Prince, I wish to tell you a tale.' The voice he heard in the garden came back, a small breeze started dancing within the tree's branches, causing some sakura blossoms to loosen and rain on Inuyasha and Kagome.
Inuyasha only looked up at the tree, eats twitch, to focus, to listen.
'A long time ago, a man named Higurashi came in searching for a song he kept hearing. When he came to my garden's center he asked me 'Please let me by, Tree Spirit, this song…it's pulling me. I must see who created such a melody.' At first I said 'why? It is just a song, just like any other, why must you seek for this one?' The man then said. 'Because whoever is the creator is, they had attached me to this song. It is my song, I must go through.' Because I was a young tree, a jealous tree I wanted the song myself so I did not grant his wish but He walked through, destroying my magic, without even meaning too. And when he reached to the same spot where you sit now, he saw a beautiful princess. And at that moment, without question he got down on his knees and asked for her hand in marriage. Later on when that Princess became a Queen she brought Kagome here and told her this story. And she said to Kagome 'If it was meant to be between you and your betrothed then if you came here, he will always able to reach you. And here, where you both can be together, no one will ever be able to touch you.' '
Inuyasha lay on his back, pulling Kagome onto his chest. She cooed and smiled, clinging to his kimono.
"Why won't anybody touch us?"
'Because, Young Prince, love is the strongest power of all. And if love is under my branches, I am unstoppable. I will protect those souls are united.'
Inuyasha's ears fold back.
"I didn't accept the song…we're not bounded."
'Oh! But you are! By faith! If you choose not to accept the song then you will not marry her. Your souls are still connected; you just not choose to watch down the path of marriage. You could be just friends, allies to each other countries.'
"But why do the mikos sing the song? Why?"
'Your energies link together so no matter how far you are apart, the song is played within your soul to remind you what you're living for. Who is waiting for you back at home. To remind you who loves you. The feeling of someone loving you is the warmest feeling in the world. It makes you stronger; it makes you happier like you can do anything.'
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, what should he do?
'It's time for her to wake up now.' A sakura petal glides down and lands on Kagome's nose.
It tickles and Kagome reaches up for the petal and opens her eyes.
"Ohayo, Inuyasha-kun."
Inuyasha smiled.
"Ohayo."
So what did you all think? Wicked eh? I am loving it. Please review. Also the song Kagome was singing earlier was Path, the ending song of Loveless. It's a good anime series, if you like yaoi. Review please! Or E-mail! à SAT