A/N: Hey everyone. Welcome to the second chapter of Thousandfurs. Several people have pointed out that another author, SublimeTrickster, has a Grimm-based story called Dog Skin. Thank you. Now I am informed. That said, I hope you enjoy this second chapter. Have fun.
Thousandfurs
Chapter 2: Scullery Maid
"Kagome… Kagome… Please wake up."
The former princess opened her eyes slowly, trying not to listen to the flea snuggled in the curve of her neck. "What do you want?"
They were in the hollow of a tree, curled underneath the protection of Kagome's fur coat, but the winter wind still rushed into their temporary home. The night had been miserable, spent on the root-covered ground and trying to huddle against the winter weather. Kagome, not accustomed to any lack of food, ate the entire chunk of bread she had brought along, while Myoga had tried to stop himself from drinking too much of her blood. He couldn't weaken the girl, who was already wilting in harsher conditions than she could ever have dreamed of.
"Kagome, there are men coming this way," he whispered. "I see their shadows through the falling snow and I think they'll pass right by us."
She sat up, groaning at her stiff joints, and tried to peer through the thick white powder. Several massive figures were moving through the silent wood, becoming clearer every moment. Kagome gave a tired smile. "Oh thank Kami! We can ask them for help."
"No, Kagome!" he admonished before she could move. "We aren't in human territory anymore! These are probably demons and they could kill you as easily as not. You must not tell them who you are, if they even see us. If they find out who you are, they'll send us back to your kingdom to prevent war, because there's no way a secret like that can be kept. You know that, Kagome."
The girl sighed in frustration, knowing that her little friend was correct. After all, she had run to the Taisho kingdom to have anonymity. "Fine, we won't say who we are. Can we please ask for some food though?"
Myoga frowned in thought. "Let them find you. Lie down again. I'm sure they'll investigate, considering that you smell of a thousand different animals. Don't resist them. And remember, I am not Myoga, the diplomat. The name is just a coincidence."
"Big coincidence," muttered the cold and damp girl as she settled back down upon the ground.
"Demons frequently name their children after famous youkai, particularly those of the same species, so they will not question it," he responded, burying himself in her hair behind her ear. From there, he could keep warm and whisper to the princess easily.
Kagome carefully covered her head with the cloak's hood and tried to cower in the back, out of the wind. Through a small gap, she watched the dark figures in the white wood come closer. There were five men riding massive stallions, three in the uniforms of a royal guard, one in purple and navy winter robes, and most strikingly, a creature clad in apple red.
She thought of him as a creature, because surely, he couldn't be human. He was what she had envisioned when she had thought about angelic demons, when Myoga had spoken of them so many months before. With flowing white hair, glowing golden eyes and his regal bearing, Kagome knew in an instant that this male was the leader of the group. He even had adorable, fuzzy dog ears, as if to remind the onlooker that there had to be a gentler side to this youkai. He was beautiful.
As they came closer to the tree, she could pick out their words over the wind. She was startled to hear that they were already talking about her and shut her eyes in anxiety.
"What is it?" asked a strong, slightly rough voice. Kagome smiled under the hood. It was the voice of the young lord. She knew he had to be of royal blood!
"My lord, it seems to be some kind of sleeping animal," a warm voice said.
"It looks like it has a thousand types of fur," muttered a more gritty tone.
"Catch it. We'll take it to the king," ordered the first voice. Kagome tensed up. Catch it? She began to tremble in fright.
"Yes, your highness."
She heard the three guards dismount and land in the powdery snow. It creaked underneath their feet as they approached the tree with steady, slow footsteps. She could feel Myoga shaking against her neck. She practically felt the vibrations as one of them leaned his weight against the edge of the hollow. The hair on her arms stood up as she heard their breathing. The wood of the dying tree groaned as they moved towards her.
"Don't hurt me!" she shrieked, breaking her silence and recoiling back as far as she could get.
The guards jumped back, holding their ears against her scream, which echoed in the small hollow. A fourth man, one with human ears and lacking the pale skin that the other four had, dismounted and walked over to the tree, holding up his hands. "No one will hurt you, I promise."
He was the one with the warm voice, like a comforting monk at a confessional. So Kagome slowly pushed back her hood and, despite her soot-covered face and grotesque outfit, the man didn't flinch. He held out his hand to her. "Come on out of there. You must be freezing." She crawled out of the hollow with his help and stood in front of the five curious males. She saw that a wagon was now coming into view, driven by two servants, as the others continued to stare at her.
"Who are you?" asked the kind man. He didn't seem to mind that she had smeared his hand with black soot.
Kagome remembered Myoga's words and lowered her head. "I'm just a poor girl whose parents have abandoned me."
"You're human," said the creature in red, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Why are you in demon territory?"
"That would be my fault, my prince," spoke up Myoga, appearing on Kagome's shoulder. "You are, I'm assuming, Prince Inuyasha of the Taisho kingdom?"
The prince leaned forward in his saddle. "I am. And you are?"
The little flea bowed deeply. "I am called Myoga, sire."
"The diplomat?" asked the man in blue and purple, arching a brow.
Kagome felt the youkai tremble once with nerves, but his voice was steady as he answered. "No, my lord. Simply a coincidence."
The male called Inuyasha looked at the princess carefully. "This doesn't explain why you're in demon territory. Humans don't do so well here, even if they have demon guides."
"I found her, my lord," broke in Myoga, before the girl could answer and cause even more suspicion. "She was starving and someone owed me a bit of food. We made a deal. She got the food if I could drink some of her blood. We've been travelling together ever since and I suggested that she attempt to find work in the Taisho kingdom. I have heard how tolerant this land is and there was no work in the human lands."
Inuyasha frowned but nodded his acceptance. "I guess you expect us to help you then?"
Kagome almost frowned herself. Her 'angel' wasn't very polite, and he certainly didn't have the warmth of the human male. But years of placating courtiers and fellow royals kicked in and she gave a mild smile. "My lord, I know that I am far from your responsibility. I am not even one of your subjects. But please, take pity on me and take me with you. You can leave me at the city gates if you want, but I won't survive in the wood another night."
The prince scowled. "Fine, come with us, but there's no room except the back of the wagon. Try not to step on the venison."
She obediently moved over to the wagon, allowing the two servants to hoist her over the side. Landing with a little splash, Kagome looked down to see blood surrounding her feet. Five dead deer with their throats slashed open sat in the wagon bed. "Oh Kami!" she cried, clinging back against the wall. "They're dead!"
The huntsmen laughed indulgently as the prince's scowl deepened. "Such a poor creature like you should be used to living in filth. Be happy that you don't have to walk."
Kagome was about to retort when Myoga tapped her ear. "Don't say anything, Kagome. I don't think he'll take it very well."
Instead, she curtsied with a bitter retort in the back of her mind. "Of course, your highness. I am thankful for anything you have to offer."
"Be sure to keep that in mind," he warned. "I can smell your insolence."
"No," warned Myoga again, as Kagome opened her mouth. "He has excellent hearing you know and as the only female here, he'll easily pick out your voice."
The man in purple and navy watched Kagome carefully as he mounted his horse once again. "Inuyasha," he whispered to his friend, "I think that the girl might be good in the kitchens at the palace."
He growled softly in response. "And have that girl constantly underfoot? You humans always get in the way. She'll be a pest in the kitchen, not a help. She's filthy. I don't want her touching my food." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't be a lech either. She's just a little animal. She's beneath even you."
"Your mother would not be pleased if we left her at the city gates," replied the human, ignoring the insult to his character. "And I don't think that she would appreciate your comments about humans, considering that is what she is herself."
Inuyasha paled a bit and then rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, whatever." He wheeled his horse around and rode up alongside the wagon, chuckling under his breath as he saw the girl trying desperately to avoid the blood. "We'll give you a job in the kitchens, alright, wench?"
The former princess scowled. "I have a name, you know," she snapped, before Myoga could stop her. "Kagome. Ka-go-me!"
He stared at her for a long moment, a frown threatening to crease his features, and then chuckled again. "Kagome, eh? Doesn't suit you. Thousandfurs should be your name, considering that horrid cloak."
"It is all I have!" protested the girl.
"And you probably stole it," countered Inuyasha.
Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the edge of the wagon. "I did not!"
"Sure, Thousandfurs." He grinned at her, showing off his fangs. "Let's go," he called, turning back to his men.
The wagon started moving, nearly causing Kagome to fall into the puddles of blood. She heard Myoga murmuring quiet assurances in her ear, but her heart was not listening. The wind had picked up again, burning her cheeks red underneath the soot. She clutched her yellow bag tightly, thinking about the brilliant kimonos inside and what the prince would say if he had met her while she was wearing one of them. He would treat her as the princess she was. He certainly wouldn't have been rude!
"He's really not that bad of a guy," said the kind human male as he dropped back to ride next to the wagon.
"What?" Kagome asked, an eyebrow shooting up.
The man shrugged. "He's just a bit rough around the edges. You can't let him frustrate you too much. I think he rather enjoys it."
"But you're human, aren't you?" she asked. She was quickly learning that appearances could be deceiving and except for their pointed ears and pale skin, the other men were indistinguishable from any human she would pass on the street.
"Oh, yes. I guess I've just gotten used to the prince's unique method of conversation. I'm Miroku, by the way. I'm the diplomat of the human territories for the Taisho kingdom." He winked at her. "I'm very important."
"And a complete pervert, no doubt," muttered Myoga in her ear.
Kagome smiled, although it was hard to tell under the soot. "I've never heard of you."
"Ah well, you wouldn't have, being from a human territory, would you? Not many humans care about our contact with the demon world."
"No, I suppose not," she agreed.
"Well, truly, Inuyasha doesn't have a problem with humans. In fact, I think he has a bit of a soft spot for human females, especially considering his mother is human," he said in a low voice.
Kagome's eyes widened to show the whites around her irises. "He's a half demon?" she asked, looking down at Myoga.
"Of course, my dear," said the flea. "Couldn't you tell?"
The girl flushed. "Except for you, I had never met a demon before, Myoga. How was I supposed to know?"
Miroku grinned at Kagome's naïveté. "Do you see his dog ears? He can't hide all of his demon attributes, like most of them can. He's quite as strong as any demon, but unfortunately, those ears are like red flags to youkai that he is not pure blooded. That, and supposedly he doesn't smell the same, but this," he tapped the side of his beak-like nose, "can't really tell."
"Well, neither can I, obviously," said Kagome, smiling. "I thought he was just beautiful."
The diplomat raised an eyebrow. "Beautiful?"
Myoga smacked his forehead as Kagome blushed again. "You have to forgive my companion, my lord. She has this disillusioned idea that youkai are exquisite, kind creatures."
"No, I certainly don't believe that," cut in Kagome, before Miroku could begin laughing. "They seem to have a terrible greatness about them. I understand that they can be violent and cruel. After all, you suck the blood out of a starving girl any chance you get!"
This time Miroku did laugh. "Trust me, there is really nothing great about demon kingdoms," he said, when he caught his breath. "Many of them are just like the farmers and laborers in any human village. And they can get very violent. It's the reason we don't have any overpopulation problems, if you understand me."
"How horrible!"
"You're no longer in a land of human law. Youkai law is considerably more lax concerning internal disputes," he replied. "You should be careful."
Kagome nodded solemnly. "I've been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of dubious justice. I'm sure I will be fine."
He gave her a small smile. "I hope so. There are so few humans in the palace. It would be a shame to lose even one."
"Miroku!" called Inuyasha from the front. "Get up here."
The diplomat sighed. "Ah well, duty calls. I shall speak to you later then?"
Kagome very much doubted that the man would ever venture down into the kitchens, especially to talk to a dirty, fur-covered girl like herself, but she nodded. "I hope so," she replied, watching him join his lord.
The rest of the trip was cold, wet and long. Kagome stood in the wagon, finally learning to ignore the blood lapping at her heels. The few times she had actually gone with the hunting parties at home had been lovely experiences. Back at home, she would be on a magnificent mare, the offspring of the most powerful beasts in the stables. She never saw the animals that were killed up close and could command the others to leave any animal alone, if she so wished. If the snow and cold got to be too much, she would be lifted out of the saddle and placed in a covered litter with plush pillows and gold edging.
But she wasn't at home anymore. She didn't even have a home. By now, the king had discovered her flight and had sent troops to cover the kingdom and the neighboring human kingdoms to find her and drag her back. Even before she had left, he had taken away her title, in some pathetic attempt to erase his sins. She hadn't been a princess for quite awhile, and now she certainly would never be a queen. She had no desire to return, of course, but she missed her castle and her bed and the fireplace that roared every moment of the cold winter.
And she missed her brother. She sighed, looking over at Miroku. Even if he was a pervert, he reminded her a bit of Sota with his calming attitude and straightforward way of talking. If she regretted anything, it was leaving her little brother behind to face her father's wrath. Certainly the king would realize who had helped her escape.
She sighed again and Myoga moved against her ear. "Something wrong, Kagome?"
"No, not really. I guess that I regret nothing, but everything at the same time. Is that crazy?"
He shook his tiny aged head. "Of course not. It's reasonable to miss your family, despite your father's faults. It's all you have known, after all. But I'm afraid that now, you must learn a new way of life. One considerable below your former level of living."
Kagome looked over at the prince. "I think I get that."
Myoga sighed as he followed her gaze. "I have never seen the hanyou prince, but I now see that many of the rumors are true. He is in the shadow of his elder brother."
"Oh? So he isn't the heir then?"
"In fact, he is," corrected the flea. "His elder brother was born by a different mother, the king's first wife. When Inuyasha was born though, there were two sons in this kingdom, two potential heirs. However, the Sato kingdom had only a daughter and no son. The king of Sato kingdom got sick and fearing his death, the queen asked the Taisho kingdom for help. The elder brother, Prince Sesshoumaru, agreed to marry the daughter and rule Sato kingdom. They have a son now."
"You mean, he gave up the Taisho kingdom? Why couldn't he have had both?" asked Kagome, who was very familiar with kings' vying for other kingdoms on a regular basis.
Myoga laughed softly. "You humans and your greed. It never ceases to amuse me. Youkai are so much more logical. Sato kingdom, although politically and militarily less powerful at the moment, has great potential in the future. The Taisho kingdom is at its height, or so most people say, and it's a bit smaller as well. Prince Sesshoumaru took what he believed was the greater choice." He lowered his voice even further. "They also say that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha detest each other and I don't doubt one kingdom away is still too close. Although they say the rivalry has calmed down a bit since Sesshoumaru had his own son, ensuring his legacy."
"Surely they would never go to war with each other?" asked Kagome. "They're still brothers."
"Half-brothers. And no, I don't believe they would ever engage in war, but only because it would completely disable the demon kingdoms and allow the humans to gain power. And that's the one thing that Prince Sesshoumaru would never allow." He frowned. "Oh well, I suppose he's the king now, but no matter."
"The king of the Sato kingdom died?" she questioned.
Myoga nodded. "Oh yes. A few days before his daughter married Sesshoumaru. It was a bit tense for awhile. No one was sure if the next of kin would try to take the throne by force, but Sesshoumaru is a formidable opponent and the law of the land says that a betrothed is good enough to be next in line."
Kagome frowned. "It's funny I hadn't heard of any of that."
"It only shows how much you have not been told during your years under your father's roof. And it shows how careful you must be, because most people do know these things, human or not. You have been dangerously closed off from the world."
She lowered her eyes, watching the snow splash up as the wagon moved. "I know." She looked back at the prince. "I think I'm learning how different this world is."
Myoga chuckled. "Well, Kagome, I think that there are unpleasant people like Prince Inuyasha in every land."
"Not quite like him, I wouldn't think," she responded. "And I've been around some distinctive characters."
The flea smiled to himself. "I know, little one."
They fell into silence and listened to the rattle of the wagon. The sun was beginning to go down again. Kagome hadn't realized that they had slept for so long in the tree hollow, but she remembered that she had walked for the entire night and much of the previous day. She was lucky that her father's palace was close to the border, a remnant of the days when demons and youkai still cooperated.
Kagome wondered if that peace would ever return. She knew that Sota had no bias against demons, perhaps a testament to how little contact he had with the king. But who knew how much that would change in the years it took for her father to decline and die? He said that he would find her, but would he even remember his elder sister? She could only hope that her father would continue to alienate her brother, so that Sota would not forget her.
It had stopped snowing by the time they reached their destination, a small village with a castle towering over it. Lights twinkled against the darkening sky as they moved past the tiny, prosperous shops. Demons were moving back and forth in the streets, acting almost human enough to make Kagome sick for home again.
The youkai paused as Prince Inuyasha rode down the flagstone street. Instead of the bows and smiles that Kagome expected, they simply stared at him with large luminous eyes, shining like jewels in the firelight of the street lanterns. And they were beautiful and graceful, just as Kagome had imagined, but their eyes held contempt for the prince.
"Half-breed!"
The snarling call came from behind them, but Inuyasha did not pause. He only tensed his shoulders and rode on down the street. The silence that surrounded him erupted into whispers by the time Kagome passed by.
"What are they saying?" asked the girl.
Myoga clicked his tongue and shook his head. "They are whispering about his heritage."
Kagome frowned. "But you said the queen was generous and lovely. Surely they can't hate anyone born of such goodness."
"I hear nothing against the queen. You must understand that while humans are tolerated, half-demons are reviled. I think that they hate him for simply that reason." He caught the look on her face. "But then, I do not have the hearing of most demons."
To his dismay, she formed an expression of even deeper pain. "Then… he can hear every word."
"Ah… ah well yes, I suppose so," agreed the flea hesitantly.
Avoiding the sneering looks of the youkai subjects, Kagome looked up to the massive roof of the castle. Like the village inhabitants, it was elegant and exotic. The tiled roofs, delicate edging and golden statues at each corner were very different from the thick, dark wood and chunky stone of her former home.
The gilt gates opened for them without command, letting them onto the wide, smooth path of the outer courtyard. The hunting party veered to the right, circling around the main body of the palace and going back to the stables, which were neatly tucked away behind a thicket of bamboo. As the prince rode up the stable entrance, big enough for ten horses to ride abreast, he turned in his saddle. "Take the wagon to the kitchen. Tell the cook to find a place for our new furry little animal," he said with a grin that didn't reach his eyes.
The wagon turned sharply as the servants whipped the horses into action again, down the back garden path to the kitchen, with smoke billowing out of its chimney. Forgetting the pity she felt for him moments before, Kagome threw a scowl back at the prince, but he and the others were already going into the stables. Only Miroku met her gaze, with a sympathetic smile.
Kagome's ride rumbled across the back garden, drawing the attention of all servants. She could only lower her head and remember with shame that this was how prisoners were frequently driven to execution in her own kingdom, in the back of a dirty wagon. She had always thought they had deserved it for their crimes, but now she would never subject any of them to it again.
They jerked to a halt and the servants dismounted, opening the back of the wagon with a snap. "Come on, Thousandfurs. Get down," said one of them, so grubby that Kagome could barely see his skin. She imagined that she looked much the same.
She climbed down from the wagon, trying not to step on the carcasses. "Which way do I go?" she asked after a moment's silence, watching them unload the deer.
"Hold your tongue, Thousandfurs," said the other servant. He looked at her carefully. "If you want to work here, little animal, you should learn to only speak when spoke to by your superiors. And in your position, everyone is your superior. Remember that, and perhaps you'll spare yourself a few lashes from the cook."
"Lashes?" she asked horrified. No one had ever dared to raise a hand against her as a princess. Catching the warning glare from the servant, Kagome lowered her head. "I mean, never mind. Of course I'll keep what you say in mind."
"Keep that flea out of the way too," he said. "None of us will be very happy to find it sucking on our blood."
Myoga gave a little snort of annoyance. "I will certainly not want his blood," he muttered in her ear. "Too bitter."
Kagome tried to keep the smile off her face. "I'm sure he won't bother anyone," she replied.
"Better make sure of that," he said, walking towards the kitchen door. He looked back over his shoulder. "Well? What are you waiting for, Thousandfurs?"
The princess scampered after the servant, almost bowling straight into him as he paused at the doorway. Glaring at her, he slid it open, letting out a thick wave of heat, a relief against the biting cold of the woods. The inside of the kitchen was darker than she had expected, lit only by the glowing fires and the few small windows near the ceiling. Wooden tables stood in the middle of the room, on which vegetable waste was piled in preparation for dinner, while five fires roared away in the stone wall. Twenty servants scampered back and forth across the floor, stirring, chopping and mixing ingredients.
"This is the palace kitchen, only for the preparation of the royal family's food and any of their guests," explained the servant, clearly just killing time until he could hand her off to someone else. "The army has their own kitchen, and no one else really stays in the palace except the royal family and the guard. You may be placed there if you're not needed here. The prince was not specific after all."
A servant nearly dripping with sweat stopped in front of them, carrying a full cauldron of water. Kagome resisted wrinkling her nose at the stench of the unwashed girl. She knew that she stank too. "What're you doing here? You belong in the stables."
He shrugged. "Just bringing the cook a new girl. Be careful, Sango. Thousandfurs might replace you." He raised an eyebrow as she snarled at him and scoffed. "Eh, whatever. Take her. I have no time for her anymore." He chuckled and lounged out.
Sango brushed her dirty black hair back from what Kagome could now see was once a very pretty face. It could be pretty again, Kagome realized, if she was given a warm bath and some decent clothes. As it was, the other girl was wearing a sack cloth.
"Well, come on then," she said a bit roughly, hefting the cauldron over to the fireplace.
Kagome followed dutifully. She could tell this girl was a human. "My name isn't Thousandfurs, you know."
Sango set down the cauldron on an iron arm and swung it around to sit over the fire. "I know," she replied shortly.
"I'm Kagome."
The girl's big brown eyes met hers. "Uh huh. You heard my name," she said, wandering away again, motioning for Kagome to follow. She led her towards the far corner, towards a tall man with a river of black hair down his back. She stopped short suddenly and turned around with an apologetic look. "Listen, I've had a bad day. Bad life actually." She gave a sad little laugh. "It's been awhile since I've seen a human girl of my age and I almost immediately messed it up."
The princess smiled, relieved that Sango was not so hard as she had first appeared. "It's fine. But I thought that there were more humans around here. Like the man that brought me in?"
"He's youkai too. He's just too dirty to tell really. The only humans here are slaves or diplomats. Or you," she amended.
"You're a slave?"
Sango nodded. "I lived in a town that trained many of the Nakao kingdom's soldiers. Several of us were sent across the border, contrary to all treaties between demon and human kingdoms, to capture a youkai for interrogation and target practice. We were caught and of course, the Nakao kingdom denied everything. We were labeled as renegades and our freedom was taken away." She shrugged. "We were lucky that they didn't kill us. I'd imagine the king didn't want to upset his wife though."
"That's the same thing that Lord Miroku said about my situation, otherwise Prince Inuyasha probably would have left me in the snow."
The other girl's eyes widened. "You've spoken to Lord Miroku?"
Kagome gave a cat-like smile. "Yes, indeed I have. Why do you ask?"
Sango burned red. "He's… very handsome. I've seen him a lot in the stables, although I've never spoken to him."
"Why not?" Kagome asked. "He's very nice. I would imagine he would gladly talk to you." Being a princess, she had never been afforded the luxury to be shy around strangers.
The elder girl shook her head. "I don't know. He's so noble."
"It's hard to imagine that he never would have spoken to you," prodded Kagome. "He doesn't seem to pay attention to social classes after all." She stared at the girl, who could only flush with color and lower her eyes.
Myoga suddenly appeared on Kagome's shoulder. "Ah, you've been hiding from him, haven't you, my girl?" he asked.
Sango jumped a bit as Kagome scowled at her friend's poor timing. "Myoga! Don't jump out like that! It's so rude! Don't worry, Sango. He's a flea demon that has been traveling with me."
She smiled, still blushing from the princess's gentle questioning. "I understand," she whispered. "I have a fire cat demon in my room. I found her the night before I crossed the border and got caught. The demons took her, to keep her in the stables, but she comes to me every night to keep me warm." Color flooded into her cheeks again, knowing that she had revealed too much of her life in a few words. "Um, I'll introduce you sometime."
Kagome and Myoga smiled indulgently. "We'd like that, my girl," replied Myoga. He turned to face his princess. "I'm off to explore a bit. I'll find you later." He jumped off her shoulder and deftly made his way through the crowd.
"What an odd little youkai," mused the other girl.
"Sango!"
The girl jumped and turned. The man with the long dark hair was staring at her and she bowed. "Yes, Naraku-san?"
"What is that furry creature with you?" he snapped. "Don't stand there gaping, wench! Get over here and answer me!"
Sango cowered slightly, something that seemed unnatural with her. Scurrying over, she bowed again with Kagome close behind. She knew that Myoga could take care of himself, despite his diminutive stature. "Naraku-san, one of the other servants brought her in."
His red eyes flashed over to the princess. "Stealing chickens were you?"
"N-no, Naraku-san," she replied quickly. "Prince Inuyasha and Lord Miroku found me in the woods and said that I could work in the kitchens. My name is-."
"Did I ask you what your name was, animal?" he snarled.
She lowered her eyes. "No, Naraku-san."
His sharp teeth glittered white. "What did the half-demon prince call you?"
A pit formed in her stomach as she wondered if Sango had some equally humiliating nickname. "He called me Thousandfurs, Naraku-san."
The malevolent smile spread further. "Thousandfurs. Fine. Follow me." He moved back towards the fireplaces, leaving Sango with her head bowed. "You'll be sweeping up the ashes of the fire, carrying water, scrubbing pans and doing pretty much whatever anyone else tells you to do. You are the lowest insect of this world, human."
"Yes, Naraku-san," she replied softly. Underneath her hood, her ears began to burn red in embarrassment. If he only knew who she was!
"Sango!" he called, bringing her over in a scurry. "Take Thousandfurs to her bed. She'll only get in the way tonight. Be sure that you come straight back, girl."
The elder girl gave him a clumsy curtsey. "This way," she whispered, leading her back into the cold, now dark as well. Their footsteps crunched in the snow.
"You shouldn't be here," Kagome said suddenly. Blushing when Sango threw her a questioning stare, she continued. "You were a warrior yourself, weren't you? You weren't just along for the ride when they caught your group."
The slave shrugged. "It was a long time ago. I've been here for three years. But yes, I was a warrior. The Nakao army called us the demon exterminators, because we were sent out whenever a youkai crossed the border."
"It's hard to believe that the queen would let you remain here, away from your family." She bit her lip. "And um… not give you proper clothes."
Sango looked away. "I couldn't go back if I wanted to. The king doesn't bear failures. Before I went across the border, we all knew that if we failed and returned, we would be killed. I would rather stay here as a slave than go back there and fall under the blade of some of the king's goons."
"But do you have to be a slave?" she questioned.
The other girl shrugged. "How else would you keep a possible spy? They're worried that I know too much, so they make sure that I can't exit the castle grounds. To tell the truth, the royal family probably wouldn't care if I was freed or not in the beginning, but now I've been here too long. I know too much, even as a slave." She pointed to a large, dark form in the shadows. "There's the servants' quarters."
Although she couldn't see Sango's face in the night, Kagome got the distinct feeling that she was embarrassed again. "Oh okay," she said, searching for another topic. "And where do I sleep?"
"Under the stairs, I'm afraid," replied her companion, truly sounding apologetic. "It has a door and a shelf and a sleeping mat, but nothing else. The last girl who lived there was one of the other servants' daughters. She left to serve a family in town. It's our only empty bed."
"It's alright," Kagome said, thinking longingly of her plush bed at the castle. "It's better than a tree hollow."
Sango turned her head to look at the younger girl. "Is that where they found you?"
"Yeah," replied the princess, feeling a bit abashed in turn. "I didn't know how deep the woods went and got lost." She remembered her hunger then, her stomach giving a sharp pain to punish her for forgetting so long. Kagome wasn't sure how or when servants got their food though, and decided not to mention it.
The other girl guessed her thoughts anyway. "There's a cupboard in the main room of the quarters. The day old bread is kept there, as well as water. Try not to take more than you need. People get sore about that. Every once in awhile there's cheese, although probably not this late in the day. We can take some of that when we get hungry during the day. Besides that, the kitchen and grounds' servants have a bit of porridge in the morning and usually stew in the late afternoon, right before we make the royal family's meal." She paused and scoffed, jerking her head roughly towards the castle. "The castle servants get three meals a day. Good stuff too. Milk and meat! They're really snobby about it too."
"Who cooks their food?"
"Naraku himself," she answered. "He's technically a castle servant himself, even though he works out here. He doesn't live in our quarters, but in the lower levels of the palace like them. As the head cook, he's quite important. It really goes to his head though."
Kagome reached the doorway as Sango paused to light the lantern beside it, as she muttered about worthless groundskeepers. The yellow light cast an eerie glow over the snow covered ground but left the door to the quarters in shadows.
"Come on, I'll show you to your room," she said, pushing open the door.
The inside was dark and smelled of damp and mold. A small fire burned in the middle of the room, but it was so pitiful that Kagome doubted that any warmth was emanating off of it. Thin doorways encircled the space and a stairway led up to a second floor. Underneath, a tiny cupboard door was barely visible. Sango walked to it and pulled it open.
"See? Not much," she said in a dreary sort of way, pointing to a room that Kagome couldn't even see in the dark. It was just a black hole to her. Sango pointed to another door. "The pantry with the bread and stuff is directly across the room. Any questions?"
"Um, no, I don't think so."
The girl smiled softly. "You'll get used to it. Just don't anger Naraku and you should be fine. The demons aren't that bad, even to humans like us. And if you need anything, my room is on the second floor. First one on the right when you come up the stairs. I share it with the two sisters, Kanna and Kagura."
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Three people in one room?"
"Yeah, of course," laughed Sango. "We're lucky. Most of the girls have to sleep four or five to a room, but Kagura is a favorite of Naraku's."
"A favorite?" questioned the princess, feeling more and more uncomfortable about this head cook and new boss of hers.
Sango shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't call it a favorite, the way he treats her. Like dirt really. Worse than any of the other servants. Some of the others say that they're really mates, that he's marked her as his. And if that's true, that would explain why she takes all the abuse from him. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I hope she fought like hell before he bit her."
"Bit her?" repeated Kagome, who was beginning to feel little better than a parrot.
The other girl chuckled. "I bet that flea demon of yours could tell you about that. I need to get back though. Naraku will probably yell at me as it is." She turned to walk out the door, but paused and looked back. "I hope you do okay here, Kagome. It's kind of nice having another human girl around."
"Thanks," replied the princess, giving her a genuine smile.
"Don't get yourself in trouble," reminded Sango again before disappearing back into the cold night, letting in a gust of icy wind.
After raiding the pantry for a bit of bread and water, Kagome huddled into her furs and dragged herself into the hole that was now her bedroom. Able to see a bit better in the dark by now, she could tell that this would really be a trial of will to live there. She could imagine the sort of crawling creatures that liked to hide in this tiny room, especially during the cold of winter. Tossing the yellow bag underneath the shelf, she rolled out her bed and arranged her cloak to be her blanket, realizing that she was lucky to have that. The wind was howling outside and although the walls were rather thick and reinforced with clay, she could feel the chill creeping underneath her clothes.
"Princess?"
She turned over carefully. "Yes, Myoga?"
"Are you doing well?" asked the flea, jumping up onto her makeshift blanket.
"Yes, I think so. Sango is very nice. And I had a bit of food, which makes everything seem better. This is kind of a dank little hole though, isn't it?" She waved her hand a bit around in the darkened room.
Myoga looked around, able to see with clarity with his demon eyes. "Indeed, but at least you have it to yourself. Or nearly, if I may impose upon you to sleep on the shelf up there?"
"You'll freeze. Sleep in the furs," argued Kagome.
"And have you roll over on me in the middle of the night and crush the life out of me?" asked Myoga incredulously. " You almost did last night. No, thank you, princess. I'll take my chances. I resist the cold very well."
Kagome nodded her assent. "I thought you weren't supposed to call me 'princess' anymore?"
He jumped over to his place on the shelf, raised above her feet. "I suppose I miss it already."
"Me too." She sighed, resting her head upon her bent arm. "If I was home right now, and if Mother was still alive, I would be with her right now. And we'd be talking about our days in front of that big fireplace she had in her room while she sat in her chair and I sat on the thick rug. And maybe Sota would be there. And servants would come in and give me and him some hot chocolate and those little butter cookies that I loved so much. Mother would have her tea. And she would smell like chamomile and honey for the rest of the evening." She inhaled deeply. "I miss her so much."
"I, as well," murmured Myoga.
Kagome closed her eyes, trying to feel warm while the wind shrieked inches from her head. "Do you think Father will be able to find us here?"
"Even if he knows where we've gone, the king would not dare to cross the border," he reminded her. "Your kingdom cannot afford to go to war with demons."
The girl smiled, her eyes still shut, and murmured a soft agreement. Myoga watched as her breathing began to even out and her fur cloak rose and fell over her body. He hoped that he had told her the truth, and that no one would come after her. He couldn't imagine her father being so bold as to send an army, but an assassin slaughtering a servant girl in the middle of night would barely raise an eyebrow in demon territory, where a different law ruled the land.
Before falling asleep himself, Myoga could only comfort himself with the fact that his young friend was nothing if not adaptable. It was a skill she would need as soon as the sun rose.
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I went through quite a few versions of the beginning of this chapter before settling on this one. If anyone wants to read the original story (at least one version of it) can go to this site: http/ www. pitt. edu/ dash/ grimm065. html – remove the spaces first though. Thanks.
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