Princesses aren't scullery maids: a Thousand furs story

Chapter 5

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Last Time:

His hand was palm upturned, awaiting hers to take it, not to kiss as her upbringing had instilled within her, but to take so that hers might be kissed. This acknowledgement of her growth was startling to say the least. This was also nowhere near proper father-daughter behavior. She looked to him in bewilderment as to his intention, but he only smirked at her, that smirk filled with a feeling that made her insides churn and convulse, like they had been dipped in the bottom of the lake in midwinter. What was this feeling?….

This Time:

Her father looked impatiently at her, a small scoff dictating his impetuosity at her hesitation, with a barely audible snarl he took her hand from her side, jarring her body most unpleasantly and bringing a barely concealed gasp of mixed pain and outrage to her countenance. Shakily she retrieved his hand as she bowed to sit on his left as the heir to the kingdom.

"No." the short, clipped statement drew a sharp gasp from the entire assembly, with Kagome bearing no exception. Looking quizzically at her father, Kagome stood and bowed, standing behind his left shoulder, as required for a daughter.

"No," he repeated, confusing her even further. Perplexed, she turned to her lady-servant Ayumi, standing in the shadows of the doorway to the extravagant hall, looking into her eyes as if they held the key, giving a barely perceptible shrug, Ayumi excused herself to the kitchens.

"Father," Kagome began demurely, with caution in her tone, " if-" only to be cut off by the very man she was speaking to,

"At my right, darling." The connotation of his words had small frozen minnows burrowing underneath her skin in search of warm waters, chilling her to the bone and beyond, her very soul shuddering at the iniquity in his eyes. The court gasped as a whole in alarm as she blushed in anger, and then blanched in terror. The right was the place of the queen, her father's wife, it was no place for his kin, his offspring, especially his eldest, and only daughter, but the calm within his eyes did not sooth her soul as it would have when she was younger, but ignited an even greater terror, shaking the very marrow in her fragile bones.

"Father!" she exclaimed in just outrage, "the court etiquette dictates that your right is reserved for-" only to be cut off by his snappish reply.

"My wife." The court gasped as a whole, mutterings and titters breaking out at sporadic intervals, painting Kagome's face a new shade of cream, of ivory – her skin becoming a sallow color only seen in death, so great was her terror.

"Father-" she began.

"You will not address me as such!" He roared, striking her across the cheek, his heavy signet ring digging deeply into her supple face, tearing the skin, only slightly, but enough that it bled. The court cried out in terror as the princess seemed to descend to the floor in slow motion, her beautiful kimono fluttering about her like rising doves as her body connected to the harsh marble of the floor, her blood tainting its pale shade in one, two, three innocent drops on its spotless surface. She clutched her face, tears flowing from her shining eyes, mixing with her royal blood, staining her hand watered red as the salt of her tears made her wound burn even more.

To the court Naraku yelled "SILENCE!" and not even a pin dared to drop for fear of the unpredictable king's wrath. He looked at his daughter again. She was not looking at him though, she was staring at her crimson-stained hand, her tears still flowing silently as the wound began to clot, leaving ugly trails of burgundy down her fragile porcelain cheek, one barely missing her ruby lips as she shuddered and tried with little success to wipe them away. He gave a wicked smile that had even the most devious of the court trembling in their tabi.

"Kagome, my sweet… those months ago, I made a promise to my wife." Both the court and the girl listened with an intent born of curious horror. "I promised her that I would not marry unless I could find someone who surpassed her in both beauty and wit. I have searched the courts for these last months, and I have even sent my most trusted soldiers to the surrounding villages, searching for girls of even remote beauty and wit. None, none have compared in even the slightest to your mother. But then there is you. You who surpassed your mother's beauty when you reached your sixteenth summer, you who continues to best every man here but myself of course, in games of wit and strategy. It is you who is fit to be the queen, lest you never marry."

"Father, this is madness!" Kagome cried.

"Silence! I am no longer your father dearest, you have been disowned! You are now my betrothed." Naraku replied with vehemence.

"Sire, is this really a wise-" an advisor tried to interrupt.

"Silence!" Naraku roared. "Guards-" the men snapped to attention, a many of them looking uneasy at the prospects. "Kill anyone who disagrees, or shows discontent with my actions." He said silkily, gesturing to the trembling advisor. He paused, "including those among yourselves. They looked positively green at the prospect.

"Then kill me as well," Kagome stated through her tears, "for I will never commit such a sin as marriage to my fa-" she was cut off by another brutal backhand.

"Silence!" Naraku roared. "You are lucky you are not to be treated as a common whore! You will obey or I will kill every person in this room!" the room itself contained all of the members of the court, and while she felt no particular attachment to any of them, and all had been mercilessly cruel to her, her heart could not allow such bloodshed.

Her head slumped in defeat, before quickly regaining her royal posture, lest she bring more shame upon her person. "I will not allow such slaughter…" He smiled wickedly.

"Very well my darling, we shall be wed at once!" There were murmurs of panic.

"Please, fa – your majesty, at the very least allow me the usual ceremony awarded to all members among royalty." He seemed displeased.

"Very well, what shall your gifts be, but darling, there can only be five, I will not spoil you with the twelve that is custom.

"Very well your majesty," Kagome all but choked on her words, "may I request a quarter moon to decide upon what I shall ask?"

"No," he said, and her breath caught, " you will have three days, and then a week until you are wed." With that he gestured for her to be removed to her rooms, and stooping sympathetically, two guards lifted the weeping girl to her feet, guiding her to the massive doors that were her escape from this nightmare, even if only temporarily. "Bow to your future queen!" Naraku snarled as she began to pass through the court, hastily each person averted their eyes and bowed deeply to the girl, as fresh tears stained her cheeks, rinsing the blood from her face to soak into the collar of her innermost robe, the pure white color staining the color of sakura petals.

Deep within her chambers the princess paced. 'Princess?' she scoffed within her mind, 'more like my father's whore.' She knew of the troves of women and girls who had flocked to her father's bed at the death of her mother, seeking power, prestige and wealth. All they received were bruises, shame and terse mutters as they passed. 'Fools,' she thought with disgust.

"Milady," Ayumi interrupted.

"Ayumi, we've been over this before," the heir stated tiredly.

"I'm sorry pri- Kagome," she bowed gently.

"Ayumi" Kagome scolded half-heartedly.

"Kagome," said the girl in quiet tones, so that her friend and lady leaned closer, lest she miss a word of her dear friend's speech, "Kagome, I think I know someone who might be able to help you, but please do not be angry with me."

"Why would I be angry with you?" The monarch-to-be questioned.

"He is a demon," was the timid reply.

"What does race matter, we will all die eventually, by now you should know I do not share my father's opinions or reasoning.

"I am sorry, but Myoga, he…"

"Shush," Kagome said, and they listened in silence as the guards patrolled past the corridor, for they had been on maximum security, as it was the princess's last night to decide her gifts.

"He is an advisor to the demon king, and he was stranded here, I helped him recover, and he said he was in my debt, I owe my life to you, so won't you please accept his aid." Ayumi pled with the teary girl.

"Where is he?" the princess inquired hastily.

Stay tuned for next time in 'Princesses aren't Scullery Maids: A Thousandfurs Story'

How did you like that? I thought you deserved something special for putting up with my absences, school was a bitch, and now I'm free!… Well, actually I'm working full time, so I'm not really free, but I'm getting sleep at least… at least 3 hours a night, which is a real improvement. Thank you all for reading, and please, please review 

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The Forsaken One