A/N: Yo! All of my Truth fans...I've got a chapter up! And it only took me two class periods to write it!

Yes, I know, I'm in class and I should probably be working on it, right? Well, I'm not sure you guys would agree, but don't worry. I finished everything early.

So, updates on everything. Wrapping this story up now, eh? I'm glad a lot of you people have stuck around. Not long until this story is shut down and put under the 'completed' category. The fun thing is that it'll be one of my first completed stories (NOT one-shots) written entirely on The not-so-fun thing is that I won't get to write any more.

Which brings me to another thing. I want to say this right now, loud and clear for all of you to know.

There will be no sequal to The Truth Of Beauty!

That's right, I refuse to write a Truth II. I have the ending all planned in my head. When you read it, you will understand why this story and all of its ideas will be stuck on the metephorical shelf after all is said and done. So please, don't ask if there will be a Truth II. I'm telling you, it won't work out.

So, enough of my hyper jabbering. On with the story!

Kagome sighed and sat up from her bed. It was very comfortable, with it's satin sheets caressing her body. She was loathe to get up, yet she was still worried that Youko hadn't woken up yet. It had been a stressful time for her, worrying over him and the curse that refused to kick in. She had had enough time to actually start wondering if she had something to do with the lord's condition, but dismissed it as unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

She reluctantly threw the covers from her body and, shivering in the biting stone room, hurried to the wardrobe. There, she threw open the doors and hurridly went through the piles of dresses she had accumulated over her stay at the castle.

Once she had returned, carrying the injured kitsune prince and struggling to stay upright, she had been hurried into a large steaming room and bathed by herds of attendants. She had been a little embarrassed about that part, especially when they insisted on helping her dress and undress. After being shuffled into another room, she had been garmented in the most beautiful outfits she had ever lain eyes on. Blues and purples had swirled in a tidalwave of color punctuated by soft greens and striking reds. The softest doe-skin had glided over her newly washed skin as a pale blue dress was slipped over her head.

The chaos of people around her had helped her do up her hair in a strange fashion; they had taken a heated cylindar to her hair and the effect was most unusual. Now, two weeks after, she enjoyed having bouncing noir curls cascading down her back. Of course, the curls had to be redone every so often, but the honest compliments given to her by the staff was worth the trouble.

As soon as she had been able, she made her way in her new dress to sit by the prince's side. She had food and water brought up, and slept at his bedside as much as she was able. She felt responsible for what had happened to him, so she felt it was her job to keep watch over him in the cool nights that kept getting longer.

With winter on the way, there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the castle. Preparations were being made to accomidate everyone. There wasn't a lot of time to spare, yet some of the women had still found time to visit Kagome during her self-induced vigil.

Her favorite companion had been Keiko. She had a sharp temper with her boyfriend, Yuusuke, and a lot of wit. She had also taken it upon herself to answer Kagome's ever-present questions.

Since then, Kagome had learned more of her host. She had learned how it was like for him to grow up, how his parents died, everything from the time he was but a babe to how he got to be when he grew up. She had even started to learn what he liked and didn't like, what his hobbies were.

When she wasn't with the prince, she wandered around the castle and acquainted herself with the rest of the staff. She visited the stables where Buka (who she finally remembered after about a week) was stabled and met the head stableman, Kuronue. She liked the chimera with his laidback attitude and way with getting the stubborn donkey to follow his lead.

She also spent time in the kitchens, helping Jin to cook and learning new techniques herself. A lot of times, when baking or mixing under Jin's instruction, the head gardener even paid a visit. Touya was a calm and somewhat secluded person who only seemed to be friends with the happy wind demon. That didn't stop Kagome from trying to break the ice, so to speak.

Shizuru had told Kagome, when asked, that Yukina was helping her learn to be a lady. That helped somewhat, especially when Kagome had been approached by the young koorime and asked to walk a certain way, eat a certain way, and a million other minial things. Yukina also helped Kagome learn to get dressed on her own for when she wanted to be in her room by herself.

A slight muscle spasm in her arm, created by the cold of both the night and an impending winter, snapped Kagome back to the present. She pulled out the dress she had in her hand, a simple lavendar gown with silver accents, and scrambled onto the bear rug that had been placed in her chambers. She didn't like the thing initially, but as soon as it got too cold to walk around the castle barefooted, she was gratedful of the thought.

She slipped the doe-skinned dress over her head. It was one of her favorites, coming to a modest point at the collar and accessorised with a woven silver belt at her waist. With her hair in curls, she was able to use a silver-toned ribbon to pull it all back into a ponytail. It kept her surprisingly warm, yet remained light enough for fast movement when the time called for it. The sleeves were simple, clutching the skin at the top and widening gradually as they approached her hands. The skirt of the dress was Kagome's favorite; unlike the rest of the somewhat fitting garment, it flowed loosly and liked to pool about her legs when she sat on the floor.

As Yuusuke had so graciously put it, the dress clung to all the right curves, showing enough to tease yet leaving a decent amount left to the imagination.

Latching the belt to her waist, Kagome spun once and then sat down to pull on her old boots. She had kept them with her, for sentimental reasons. Her brother had had them made from his first official kill for Kagome's naming day.

Stomping her feet softly, she made her way to the carved doorway and slipped out of her room. Hiei had taken to following her around for the most part, so it was no surprise when he was waiting for her just outside her chamber.

She smiled slightly and curtsied. "Hello again, Hiei. How are you?"

She didn't expect an answer, so she was slightly surprised when she got a semblance of one. "His highness is awake and in a foul mood. Most of it seems directed at you. I suggest you stay away for the time being."

Kagome processed the information slowly. So he was finally awake? Her brow furrowed momentarily. She had thought he would be asleep longer than that. Unless his healing had decided to kick in again, in which case didn't make sense because it hadn't worked for a long time.

Still...Kagome wanted to see him. It was an act decided on a whim, and she began to walk towards the same room she had haunted the entire week. She heard Hiei following, and could've sworn she heard the barest sigh escaping him.

Youko looked up from his place on the bed. There was someone coming up to his room, and he wasn't happy. Not that he was ever in a good mood, or so it seemed. But today was an especially foul day. He had learned that not only had his healing failed him, not only that he had been asleep and weak for over fourteen days (he refused to admit that he had sustained severe injuried when fighting Karasu), not only had almost his entire group of vassals seen him in his weakened state, but he owed his entire life to a woman.

A human woman.

A human woman with an attitude.

A human woman with an attitude that annoyed him.

A human woman with an attitude that annoyed him because he couldn't get her out of his mind.

And that infuriated him.

So, when the object of his thoughts just so happened to waltz through the door, which he had specifically ordered to remain shut and locked from any visitors or intruders, he started to growl.

She stopped in her tracks, hands on her hips. "What the hell is that for, huh? That's a fine way to thank the woman that saved your ass the other day. A fine way indeed." Her voice was full of anger and resentment, and another veiled emotion that Kurama couldn't pick out.

He snarled at her, baring his teeth. "I didn't ask for you to save me. In fact, if I had a choice, I think I would've rather died than be saved by a filthy, dirty, human bitch! After all, it's so degrading that--"

A slap rang out in the room and, for the second time since waking, Youko's face was thrown to the side. He idly wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut before his cheek began to sting. He slowly turned to face the woman that dared raise a hand against him and glared heatidly at her. "Why you little--" he began, before Kagome slapped him again.

"You foul demon!" Kagome's eyes blazed with fury."Do you seem to forget that not only were you human once, but everyone who is cursed here is also linked directly to you? It's your fault that they're like this, and now you're just going to wallow away in your own misery, moaning about the time when you had a chance at ruling and blew it just because you're a spoiled brat? How dare you!"

Youko sat there, shocked. He had been slapped, twice, by a woman that he had seen only a handful of times. Not only that, but he was being berated like a little child by the same woman he had nearly died saving! Not even Shizuru or Keiko would talk to him like this!

"You listen here--" he ground out.

Kagome would have none of it, and slapped him again. "No, you listen to me. You're acting like a child, thinking the entire world is mourning you because you were cursed. Which you deserved, by the way. So let me tell you something, Mr. High and Mighty. The world is full of problems, and your problem is by far not the worst. So suck it up and take it like a man, because right now you are the only hope of anyone in this castle ever becoming normal again. It's not only about you anymore. You hold the fate of countless people in your hand, grow up!"

Kurama growled, his red cheek screaming at him. "You will not tell me how to act, woman! It is my choice on what I do or do not do, and nobody can tell me differently. I am the ruler of this forest and everyone in it, including you! And as the sole ruler, I expect to be treated with dignity and respect befitting a prince!"

Kagome didn't even bat an eye. "I don't care if you're the king of the world. You are nothing but a child in my eyes. Until you can prove you are a mature adult, and until you earn my respect, I will not stop treating you as I have been." She leaned in towards the silver-haired invalid and Youko had the sudden urge to shrink back into the bed. "Now, do I make myself clear?"

Youko growled. He didn't like being told what to do, dammit! It was his life and he wanted to live it on his own terms! Unfortunately, something held him back from snapping at her or ordering someone to take her from his sight. He couldn't place it and it was driving him nearly insane.

Weightsinking downnext to him alerted Youko of Kagome's choice to sit on the edge of the bed. His eyes snapped to her and he bared his teeth. "What do you think you're doing? I didn't tell you you could sit there."

Kagome, completely calm on the outside, held a bowl and some cloth stripsin her lap. "I didn't ask, so it's obvious you didn't tell me. And it doesn't matter, because I don't have to listen to a child."

She turned to him, and it was only then that the fox prince noticed her outfit. For some reason, his breath caught and a warmth spread from his chest to the rest of his body. It took a moment for him to snap out of his stupor.

He was brought out of it by Kagome's hands reaching around him. A slight blush, which he fought down with every inch of his being, crept to his face as he snapped, "What do you think you're doing, woman?"

Kagome glared up at him. "I'm changing your bandages, what did you think I was doing?" She untucked the ends from the rest of the cloth and began to slowly unravel them.

Kurama couldn't think of a comeback, so the two sat there in a tense silence. The only noise was their breathing and the soft rustle of cotton.

Kagome had to hold her hands steady, least they tremble and reveal how afraid she had been of Youko actually finding an arguement to use against her. If he threw her out, she had no place to go anymore. She had been gone so long from her home, no doubt her father believed her dead and they were celebrating. He had never wanted her, anyways.

And the villagers wouldn't be so far behind him. Souta would get all the attention, and that would make him happy. Kenshin and his wife would just shrug and move on with life, just like they always did. Kouga and Inuyasha...they weren't so big a loss. After all, they were idiotic stalkers that just couldn't take a hint.

The only thing she really regretted was that she couldn't visit Houjo at his bookstore anymore. After all, he would just move on. He had had his eye on a young girl in the village, and had hinted to Kagome on who that might have been. It hadn't bothered her then. It didn't really bother her now, if she thought about it. She would miss sitting and reading, discussing different books and authors with the quiet brunette.

She looked down and pulled the rest of the gauze from Youko's wounds. They were healing nicely, the few stitches that were still in remaining clear of infection. That was a good sign, she thought to herself. She couldn't help envying his ability to heal,his ability to ignore his hurts and just move on. Her eyes took a depressed tone as she reached for the new bandages.

A hand stopped her, and she looked up with a start. Youko had grabbed her wrist, gently preventing any further movement. Kagome made the mistake of looking into his molten eyes, and felt herself drowning in the pools of melted gold.

Kurama's voice was soft as he spoke. "Don't work when you can't control your motions. You're shaking, as much as you're trying to hide it, and it may take longer than necessary. I'm not fond of pain."

Kagome wanted to whimper when the warmth of his hand left her skin, and had to forcefully yank her eyes from his. A small blush crept onto her cheeks as she took a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded.

On Youko's part, he was wondering what had come over him, to try and comfort a human wench.

After having witnessed the little scene between the lady Kagome and his overlord, Hiei decided that the workers would find a lot of humor in what had transpired. He took it upon himself to run to the kitchen and, wearing a smirk, related the story to his companions.

Yuusuke barked with laughter and slapped his hand on the table he was sitting at. "She slapped him three times? That's got to be a record! I mean, I can count on one hand the amount of times a woman has been brave enough to go up against the bastard." Hiei didn't nod, but the look in his eyes shifted to a light of immense humor.

Kuwabara shook his head. "You think this is happening? Are you two sure we aren't all dreaming, that they aren't falling for each other even a bit?"

Yuusuke dismissed the carrot-headed worker with a wave of his hand. "Of course not. They just need to be pushed into everything a touch faster. At this rate, with them both in denial, we'll be stuck as is for the rest of our...I wouldn't say lives, because we haven't had one of those for quite some time. I'm sure we can get the girls to help us with the two."

Hiei smirked. "You know," he commented dryly, "I think that most everyone but themselves know what's going on."

Yuusuke nodded emphatically, his dark brown hair bouncing into his face. He impatiently brushed it aside. "I can talk to Keiko and Kazuma can talk to Shizuru. We'll probably have to talk to Botan and get her in on it, too, and you can talk to Yukina. I know how much of a romantic she is. She'll be a true asset."

Hiei nodded and went to find his sister. The next few months would be very interesting...especially with winter about to rear his ugly head.

End Chapter
Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review!