A/N: Hey all. You may be reading this and saying - "Why didn't she reply to our reviews for the last chapter? RosieB always answers them right before updating!" And you are right to ask. I have had, however, a series of personal misfortunes that have prevented me from doing much work on this story, let alone answering reviews. (I would give details, but it's tiring just to think about it.) I have decided, therefore, to forego replying to your reviews for chapter nine. ONLY chapter nine, of course. Ironically, the crappy luck I've been having lately will free up some of my time soon and so I will be answering chapter ten's reviews and on. Thanks for understanding and please don't let this deter you from reviewing! I've had some bad days lately and you guys cheer me up!
Thousandfurs
Chapter 10: Year of the Dog
Sango sat on the steps, drinking her broth. "It's not even properly warm," she complained, grimacing.
"They didn't even put rice in it," said Kagome, tipping the last of the liquid to the back of her throat. "I can't believe Naraku expects us to work with just this in our stomachs."
"He's getting stingier by the day," said the other girl.
They stood up and placed their dishes in the basket the servants used for their dirty wares. Kagome herself would clean them the next day. "Let's hang back a bit," she suggested as the rest of their shift began to file out. "I don't want to go back quite yet."
Sango leaned against the wall and closed her eyes gratefully. "I hate this time of year."
"The snow isn't pretty anymore," agreed the princess. "It's just depressing. And cold and wet."
"And it's just our luck that this is the year that the Taisho kingdom is hosting the New Year's celebration. We just recovered from the king's birthday feast a month and a half ago!" Sango said with a sigh.
Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. It's going to be the Year of the Dog. That must be exciting for the Taisho kingdom. They only host it once every twelve years after all."
"Yeah, there's a ceremony tonight and everything. The bird clan represents the Year of the Rooster passing on the power to the dog clan." She sighed again and tossed her head as the princess smiled at her. "I suppose it would be interesting, if we could actually see it. But we'll be stuck in the kitchen tonight as usual."
The princess looked across the room to the door to her little room under the stairs. "I'd like to see it sometime soon."
"Keep dreaming," scoffed Sango as she began to walk towards the door. The kitchen staff ate in shifts today, so that the work on the feast would go uninterrupted. If they didn't arrive before the next shift went out, Naraku would gladly take the time to lash both of them until they bled.
Kagome wrapped the fur cloak around her tightly as the door opened to let in a sharp gust of winter air. The afternoon sun bounced off of the snow to produce a blinding glare, reminding the girls that they had many more hours of work yet to do. "So would you mind telling me why you're in such a bad mood?" she asked as they stepped out onto the path.
"Why are you in such a good mood?" snapped back the other girl.
The princess shrugged. "I haven't been harassed by any nobility during this gathering. I haven't been smacked by Naraku in almost a week. I get to see the beautiful youkai walking around the gardens. And I've gotten used to the workload." I may get to see Inuyasha tonight, she added silently, hoping that she would have the opportunity to slip away again. She smiled at Sango's disgusted expression. "Alright, so I told you my reasons. What are yours?"
"We have to cook for the entire youkai population in one night," she groused.
"I don't mean just tonight," said the princess, hurrying to catch up with her friend. "Lately you've been irritable. For weeks really. I've almost gotten accustomed to it, but I was just wondering what caused it."
Sango sighed and slowed her steps. "I suppose. I didn't mean to take it out on you though, Kagome. I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted."
The servant girl looked at the princess, who was walking silently and serenely beside her. "Miroku hasn't talked to me since the king's birthday more than a month ago," she said quickly. "Just that one note and then nothing. What a jerk."
Kagome frowned. "But he cared for you. I'm sure he still does. Maybe he's just been busy. This is the biggest celebration that the youkai have all year and it's happening here. It must be a nightmare to coordinate everything."
Sango shook her head. "No, it's not just that. The other day, he was going into the stables as I was fetching water and he ignored me when I greeted him."
"Maybe he didn't hear you."
"I know he did. He made this sudden movement and stopped, but then just kept walking without speaking to me." She opened the kitchen door and laughed mirthlessly. "He's a liar. He said all those beautiful things in that letter and now he's treating me as the servant I am. I told you he would come to this realization. I only wish that he had had the courage to tell me himself."
The princess sat down at her place and began to scrub the pots the staff would need to prepare dinner, beginning with the largest cauldron. It was large enough for two grown men to comfortably sit within it. Kagome was always amazed to see one of the other servants lift it with ease to put over the large central fire. "I never saw him as a coward," she said as Sango moved to help her. "I can't believe he would just leave things as they were. Last time I talked to him--."
"You've spoken with him?" the other girl asked, her eyes wide.
Kagome frowned and thought for a moment. "Well, actually, he hasn't spoken to me in over a month either. On our day off, after the last feast, I saw him in the gardens. He was depressed about something, but he wouldn't tell me what it was. He said that he was pleased about how things were progressing with the two of you though. Something like that."
"You must be remembering incorrectly," said Sango sourly. "That was probably the day he realized his mistake in pursuing a person like me."
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked the princess, climbing into the belly of the pot. "Even if you're a servant now, you were once a great demon slayer. Even in my short time here, I have been able to recognize that you would be honored for your skills, if you hadn't been captured as a prisoner of war. You shouldn't speak about yourself like that."
The demon slayer stared at her. "You're insane. Just because I may have been worthy of a man like Miroku once, doesn't mean that doesn't change."
Kagome shook her head, thinking of how she felt as she had danced with Inuyasha at the king's birthday. She felt whole, as if she had come home. "No. I refuse to accept that. You are Sango, the tajiya. Miroku saw that and I think he still does, no matter what you say."
Sango lowered her head and scrubbed the inner lip of the pot. "You're feeling inspirational today, aren't you?" she murmured.
"I'm feeling like myself," the princess replied as she cleaned the grime from the bottom of the cauldron. "I'm not just a servant either."
"Then what are you?" said the demon slayer. Her curiosity was always piqued when the fur-cloaked girl volunteered a bit of information about herself.
Kagome stood up within the pot and spread her arms. "Really want to know? I am Kagome. I am free, able to do whatever I wish."
Sango sighed. "You never give me a straight answer about your past."
"I'm sorry, but really, my life was quite dull until I decided to come here," the princess replied truthfully.
They scrubbed for half an hour before Naraku was satisfied. One of the males filled the cauldron with water and moved it over the fire without help. Sango disappeared to collect the vegetables to boil for the massive group of nobles waiting to eat their dinner. Kagome rubbed at her already raw hands and then went on to the next pot. The dinner preparations were moving along nicely when Myoga materialized on her shoulder.
"Kagome."
"Hello, Myoga. I haven't seen you around lately. Where have you been?"
The flea frowned, although he could not be seen from his place. "I have been investigating the new arrivals for this New Year's celebration."
The princess laughed lightly. "Why?"
"Because it is likely your father has sent out spies, scouts and assassins to look for you. This gathering would be the ideal situation in which one or all of those men could freely wander in a youkai city."
"But surely one of the king's men would notice anyone that was less than friendly towards youkai. There are humans here, but it is largely a youkai celebration and I'm sure all of the humans present will be closely watched," she replied.
Myoga stamped his foot, making Kagome jump a bit. "You don't understand! There was a spy here last time! I saw him posing as one of Kikyo's entourage. This time, there could be someone sent to kill you!"
Kagome shook her head. "Don't be so paranoid. You couldn't have seen one. If my father knew where I was, he wouldn't have waited a month and a half before sending another man to kill me."
"He wants to do this quietly, don't you see? You are a liability. You know about the darkest part of his heart and you could potentially damage his kingdom and the few remaining relations he has outside of his borders," the flea hissed.
The princess paused in her work and bit her lip. "You could be right," she conceded, renewing her work with vigor. "But Myoga, how would he ever recognize me like this?"
The flea lifted his chin. "You're right. He wouldn't recognize you like this. Any man in your father's employ would be used to seeing you as a princess." He gave her a sidelong glance. "In finery. He would be used to seeing you with other nobles, not servants. So if you stayed as you are, you should have no problem remaining out of his notice."
Kagome slowed her scrubbing. "So there's no problem," she said softly.
"So you wouldn't have anything to do with that human girl that made an appearance at the last feast? Everyone in the castle is wondering if she will return tonight. Apparently, Prince Inuyasha has taken an interest in her," he murmured.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
He narrowed his eyes as he hopped onto her hands. "Oh, so the castle grapevine has failed you this time? How strange. It's never failed to inform you of all matters before," he said with a serious frown.
"I guess it has this time," she replied.
"Kagome!" he snapped. "I know what you did!"
She straightened her shoulders and glared down at him. "Fine. So it was me."
Myoga fisted his little hands. "You're supposed to be hiding! Not dancing with the prince while everyone is watching!"
A few servants were beginning to stare at the odd pair as their angry scents permeated the room. "Shut up!" she spat. "Do you want everyone to know? Then keep yelling at me! Please!"
"I would have thought you would have at least trusted me enough to tell me what you were up to that night," he replied with a cold stare. "Just washing off the soot for the heck of it, were you? You didn't have to lie to me, Kagome. What right do you have? You hang out with Sango all the time, but you're not really like her. You're royalty! I am the only one that knows that, the only one that can protect you and you don't trust me?"
Kagome set her jaw and looked away for a moment, feeling the tear of loyalty between her old life and her new one. "That's just it," she said harshly. "I am a princess in a servant's cloak. You don't know what it's like! You wouldn't understand!"
"Since when did that ever stop you from telling me about your problems in Nakao?" he snapped.
"Well, this wasn't any of your business," she hissed. Her friend turned his head away and her face softened, realizing in a moment that he was only hurt because he had been her confidante since she was two years old. "Look, I know it was dangerous. But I had to do it. I had to feel like myself again."
The flea's anger radiated off of his tiny body. "Selfishness! You put one night of revelry above your life. Above mine! I have never known you to be so irresponsible!"
Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears. "Then you will be displeased to know that I'm going again tonight," she said.
"No," he said, sounding uncertain at the sight of her tears. He stood straight and wagged a finger at her. "No. I forbid it. You are not my master anymore, Kagome. If anything, I am your keeper."
Taking a breath she looked at him steadily through her watery gaze. "What are you going to do, Myoga? Tell Naraku who I am? Tell the king? I can do what I wish in this matter."
"It's a stupid move," said the flea. "It will get us both killed."
She lowered her eyes. "You can hide. Run if you want. But I have to go tonight. It's worth my life to do this."
"And if Inuyasha-sama learns of your identity?" he asked softly.
"Then he knows. I desperately want him to know. I would hope that he would promise to protect me," she replied. "But I can't ask that of him or of anyone else. It's worth my life to go to the festival tonight, but not theirs." She smiled and dropped her head into her filthy hands. "I know I'm not making a lot of sense. I want to be myself again, and I want everyone to know, but I want you and the others to be safe."
The flea shook his head. "Your sense of honor is highly skewed," he muttered. "And this is still a fool of an idea."
"It's not an idea," she said. "It's my quest for sanity."
Myoga sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think that may be a futile quest." He moved to leave and then turned back to look at the red faced princess. "If you must do this, for whatever reasons, keep your wits about you. I don't want the last thing I see in this life to be one of your father's sadistic henchmen crushing me with his foot."
Kagome wished that she could hug him to her without injuring the little demon. "I would never want anything to happen to you," she said. "You really are the only one that knows the true me. I won't forget that. You're my dearest friend."
"And you're mine," he muttered grudgingly before hopping away.
Feeling infinitely better now that she was no longer lying to Myoga, Kagome worked hard for another three hours. Naraku had gone to oversee the preparations of the banquet table because the castle servants had supposedly done a poor job at the king's birthday, so the princess's enjoyment of her work was not exclusive and the kitchen settled into a fast, but merry, pace. As the sunset came and went, however, Kagome began to worry about how she would manage to escape her work once again. Faking illness or weakness again would be suspicious twice in a row, especially when Kagura had been telling her just a few days before how impressed she was with the princess's growing strength. She could ask to be given a task outside of the kitchen that would take a good amount of time, but then they would come looking for her eventually. In the end, Kagome decided that she would be honest for the second time that day.
Kagura was admonishing a servant for his sloppy work station when the princess approached. "Yes, Kagome?" the wind demoness said.
The girl didn't take notice of Kagura's short tone, being more than used to it. "Things seem to be going well, Kagura-san," she commented, following the elder female back to her corner of the kitchen.
The youkai sighed and looked at the work. It was going well. They were ahead of schedule and the castle servants had already been sent for to start taking the food into the banquet hall. "Naraku isn't here breathing down our necks. That helps." She turned to her list and marked off another dish that had been completed.
"Well, I was remembering that I've never seen a New Year's celebration before."
Kagura looked at her and chill went down Kagome's spine. "Neither have most of these guys," she said softly, nodding at the other servants but not moving her eyes from the princess's face.
Sensing danger, Kagome swallowed hard. "Well, I haven't seen any youkai feast before," she said, abandoning her promise to be honest.
"I suppose that's true," said the demoness slowly, narrowing her eyes.
"All my work is done," added the princess. "Every pot is clean and I made sure that they wouldn't need any more. I would come back and scrub every one again before I went to sleep and clear out all the ashes and sweep the floor and wash the tables."
Kagura frowned deeply and looked again at the work being done. Many of the lower level servants were slacking off now. The remaining work was left to the chefs who were the only ones able to manipulate the remaining food properly. "You left early last time too," she said. "If the others realize what you're doing, this won't be a pleasant workplace for you any longer." She mentioned this with an ironic little twist in her lips and they both knew that Naraku nullified any ideas of a workplace being 'pleasant'.
"Then I will say that I went to help the bakers," Kagome suggested. Everyone hated the sweltering kilns so much that she would get no questions about it.
The wind witch sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I must be developing a soft spot for humans. I'm so disgusted with myself," she said flatly. "Fine, you can go but be back in time to make the prince's bread soup. Or had you forgotten?"
She had forgotten, but she gave a little curtsey. "I'll do it as soon as I return."
"And if you see Naraku in the hallways, do yourself a favor and run the other way," warned the witch. She turned back to her papers and waved Kagome away. "Go. I can't have you taking up all my time tonight."
"Thank you," she said with another curtsey. The princess turned and began to walk out when the sight of Sango sneaking out made her pause. "Where are you going?" she asked softly.
The other girl froze for a moment and then relaxed so quickly that Kagome thought she had imagined it. "I was going for more water," she said, holding up the empty pail. "And to check on some supplies in the cellar." She added the last part hastily as Kagome cast a quick glance towards the tureens full to the brim with water.
They regarded one another for a moment. Sango was lying, but since she was in the middle of a lie herself, Kagome could hardly be justified in calling the bluff. "Alright," she said simply.
"Where are you going?" asked the demon slayer lightly as they stepped out into the cold night.
"I'm helping in the kilns," said the princess.
Sango didn't flinch. "I'm sorry," she replied automatically. There was no sympathy in her voice and Kagome knew she had caught onto the game of covering for the other if anything should go wrong. This wordless support sealed, they parted when the path split and went their own ways.
The princess's cheeks flushed as she entered the warm servants' quarters – the others had kept the fire alive for once. She could hear the footsteps of a few youkai on the floorboards upstairs. The groundskeepers must have completed their duties for the day, so she would have to take extra care to not be seen. She kept her eyes and ears open as she washed the ashes from her face, neck and arms, but the others remained in their rooms.
Shedding the fur cloak and her yukata in her tiny cupboard, she shivered violently as she searched through her bag. She remembered Inuyasha's flagrantly incorrect guess at her true name – Gin – and brought out the silver kimono. Now he can call me Gin, she mused with a smile. I'll be his silver princess.
She couldn't copy the finely coifed women of the last feast, but she did her best, tying up her hair in a simple twist and pinning it in place with the same pins she used to hold her hair back from her kitchen work. Hoping desperately that she didn't smell of cooked vegetables, she tried to slip out of her room, immediately recoiling when she heard footsteps on the stairs above her. Voices murmured lazily and she damned them for loitering. Whoever it was had decided to raid the closet with the bits of bread and water and lounge by the fire.
After listening to them whine about Naraku's interference in their grounds work for five minutes, Kagome drew the fur cloak back over her shoulders and prayed that her silver kimono wasn't shining through before opening her door. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and lowered her face to look at the floor.
"Kami! You scared the shit out of us, Thousandfurs," growled one of the males. "Why are you in here? Shouldn't you be working?"
"Horrible headache," she said simply. "Kagura said I wasn't any use to her like this, but I feel better now." She moved towards the door, trying not to be too hasty.
"Be careful out there," said one of the females, a voice Kagome recognized as one of the few youkai servants that bid her good day on occasion. She was a 'mothering' type. "They say a strange man is wandering around the grounds. The guards are looking for him."
Remembering Myoga's warnings, Kagome nodded. "Thank you," she replied as she slipped out the door. She paused for a moment and listened, confidence welling within her as the youkai resumed their conversation. She stowed her cloak away in one of the broken barrels lined along the outside wall of the servants' quarters. They had been waiting for the cooper to repair them since before she had arrived and she hoped her furs would not smell of wet, rotten wood when she retrieved them at the end of her night.
Once inside, she was able to brush aside the servants' stares with a haughty lift of her chin, wordlessly declaring that she had nothing to explain by her presence in the back of the castle. She saw a few of the servants who had been entailed to bring in the feast and she knew that she was arriving later in the evening than she had last time. She wondered, with a thunderous thump in her chest, if Inuyasha was looking for her.
She moved through the corridors with the familiar ease of a servant and with the determined gaze of a noble. When she came close to the doors of the throne room however, she faltered. There, in the grasp of several guards, was a silently sobbing Sango.
"Sango," one of the guards was saying gently. "We can't let you near the feast. You know that. Servants aren't allowed, especially ones as low as you." He wore a pained expression as he said the words to the distraught girl.
"Please," she said simply.
The one word tore through Kagome's heart. She had a clear idea of what Sango was doing here, so close to humiliation and danger, especially if Naraku found out. She never would have guessed that her friend's soul was so damaged that she would have taken this risk.
The other guards were exchanging worried glances. All the guests were inside already, save Kagome herself, who had not been noticed yet, but they could not let this slide easily. "We won't tell Naraku about this," the one that spoke earlier finally said. "You have to leave though. Right now."
Kagome stepped forward. "Why not let her take a look in at the feast?" said the princess clearly, drawing the group's immediate attention. She was taking a risk here, she knew, but if Inuyasha hadn't guessed her identity, why should Sango?
"Your Highness," murmured the guards, all bowing.
She smirked. So the gossip of Inuyasha's new interest being a princess had been accepted as a truth, even without substantiation. She should have known. Well, she might as well milk her newfound position, she thought dryly. "Let the girl take a peek. It's darker in the corridor than in the ballroom. No one will see her provided that she doesn't linger." She caught Sango's look, which was a mix of confusion and admiration. She swallowed and decided to dispel any possibility that the girl link the Princess Kagome with the servant Thousandfurs. "If she gets caught, of course, she will pay as she should, but you may as well let a girl like her enjoy a few moments of happiness."
Sango's face fell a bit, hurting Kagome to the core, but securing her disguise. The servant bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said softly.
Kagome gave her a cold look and moved slowly towards the doors as Sango rushed forward. The guards fell back to their positions and the princess entered the room with the demon slayer peeking around the corner with her glittering brown eyes.
Unlike last time, when she had slipped in with a minimal amount attention, this entrance caused almost the entire room to stop and stare at the latecomer. She half expected the musicians to pause in middle of their gentle tunes and she blushed prettily as a few of them turned their heads to look at her as well.
She tried to ignore the staring and looked at the fantastic costumes of the youkai. They were even more sumptuous this time and several of the demons who did not belong to the bird or dog clans had dressed to complement the honorees. Several of the females sported fabulously elaborate feathered crowns and even more wore the beautiful deep blue color of the Taisho dog clan. But she stared more at the actual bird youkai, who unlike their canine cousins, could not hide their heritage as completely. They were winged and pale, moving through the crowd and bowing to the youkai who congratulated them on an excellent year. They seemed to be awkward on their feet, like ducklings, but Kagome could imagine them floating in the air without any stretch of her imagination. She had the wicked urge to clap her hands, to see if they would take flight.
As the youkai got back to their own conversations and dances, Kagome espied Inuyasha. He was hovering by the door to the banquet room, looking rather pale and weary. Clothed in his customary apple red, he was vivid against the predominantly blue background. He spotted her in another instant and gave her a little smirk, crossing the room to greet her.
"You came back." He sounded confident that he had known of this result, but his eyes spoke of a genuine pleasure that she had turned up.
She smiled at him and bowed. "You sound surprised about that, but I did promise you that I would. Did you forget?"
He shrugged. "People have a way of disappointing me."
Kagome wanted to declare that she never would, that she would rather suffer a thousand tortures than disappoint him, but she couldn't. At the back of her mind, she could only think that disappointment would be the least of his reaction to her true identity. She just gave him a sympathetic gaze. "Have you been waiting for me then?" she asked.
Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. Despite the fact that he had had more than a month to get accustomed the idea that perhaps this girl was actually interested in him romantically and that he actually might be interested in return, Kikyo's betrayal still lingered at the edges of his mind. Not to mention the fact that he was a prince and heir to a powerful throne. One had to be careful about the sort of company kept in these situations. And obviously, his track record wasn't that impressive. Nor a very lengthy list, when it came to that. "Feh," he said with another shrug. "I just was going to say 'hi'."
"You're a bad liar," she said, smiling broadly.
The apples of his cheeks burned red for a brief moment as he scowled. "Are you going to tell me your name?" he demanded.
Kagome pretended to think for a moment. "So I can't tease you unless I do?" Her face grew very serious as she let her arms hang stiffly at her sides. "Then I won't do it. I'll be proper and good, like anyone should be around a prince of your stature, Your Highness." She gave him a deep curtsey. "My prince, may I express how much I have enjoyed your feast so far? I must wish you all the luck in the world for the New Year, Inuyasha-sama."
He grabbed her elbow and dragged her back into a standing position. "Stop that," he snapped. "You can humiliate me in front of the entire court, just don't do that."
She pulled her arm through his grip until her hand settled into his. "I'll be myself, Your Highness. I will be your amusement for this evening, but I still cannot tell you my name."
"Of course you can't," growled Inuyasha.
"You seem to be less enchanted with me tonight and more, well, like yourself," she said with a smile. "Based on what I hear from others, I mean."
"Who said I was 'enchanted' with you last time?" he said, his eyes widening a bit.
Kagome smiled and gently pulled him towards the other dancers. "A woman's intuition. I found it flattering. Why are you so embarrassed?" She arranged the dumbstruck prince's hands and he automatically began to move in time with the music. "If it helps, I was equally impressed by you." She blushed at her forwardness but kept a steady gaze on the prince's face.
They danced in silence for a few moments, holding each other closer than most of the others on the floor. Inuyasha swallowed hard and looked up at her, but before he could speak, a dashing figure in white brushed past his arm. "Ah, little brother," said the imposing taiyoukai. "Is this the small human who captured your attention?"
Inuyasha growled at his elder sibling. "She's just a girl I know."
"But not a girl whose name you know," Sesshoumaru observed. He halted in his steps and let his arms drop from his mate's waist. "I shall cut in," he declared, moving towards the prince and princess.
"The hell you are," snapped Inuyasha. "Did Father tell you to do this? Report back to him about her and what she's like? Well, go back under the rock you came from."
His brother scowled and brushed his hair back over his shoulder. "Really, Inuyasha, I would think so many years of sibling rivalry would have produced a few insults that actually insulted me. I simply wished to acquaint myself with this new conquest of yours."
"She's not a conquest," the prince muttered, averting his eyes. His ears twitched as he turned to Kagome. "Would you mind dancing with this asshole?"
She smiled softly. "No, not really, if you promise me another dance."
Inuyasha made a sound that sounded vaguely like an agreement and then went to Yuki, who had been patiently waiting in her midnight blue kimono. He kept his eyes on his brother, however, as he took his sister-in-law in his arms and began to move across the floor. Sesshoumaru effortlessly ignored his younger sibling's antics and bowed formally to the princess. "A dance, Your Highness?" he murmured.
Kagome curtsied and they moved together. It was difficult for a moment, considering the massive height difference – she barely came to his chest – but they adjusted and began to dance to the ethereal tune the orchestra was playing. "So, how has another human captured my moronic little brother's heart?" he asked, his deep voice making her body vibrate. "Or have I answered my own question?"
"I am not Kikyo, Your Majesty," she said, as gently as possible. She was speaking to a powerful king after all, and one much less likely to take pity on her than his father.
"I can smell that," he replied. He looked down at her along his aristocratic nose. "All humans are the same."
Kagome frowned, deeply reminded of her father and his prejudices. She hoped that Sesshoumaru was not his counterpart. "No, we aren't. I'm surprised that a king would hold such a biased, close-minded idea. That is not the way to rule properly."
"Are you questioning my methods?" he asked, dangerously soft.
"Only if you draw them from the false idea that all humans are like Kikyo, or like the Nakao king, for instance," she said sharply. His golden eyes bored into hers, but she couldn't blink. "Not all of us are power hungry and immoral."
He looked up, over the top of her head. "This is coming from a female who seeks my brother's bed."
She took a hard intake of breath. How dare he? Well, at least she knew that violently rude behavior made the two males true brothers. "I do not seek his bed," she said, clenching her jaw. "I do not seek anything. If your brother offers his heart to me, then I will gladly give him mine in return. And if that happens, you must learn to live with me, Your Majesty. I promise you that if you open your eyes at all, you will see that you are wrong about humans. And while we're on the subjects of racial stereotypes, I have discovered that not all youkai are bloodthirsty and savage. I have accepted that, despite my years of education saying different. So why do you – a king that is famed for his intelligence – refuse the same enlightenment, that humans are not all consumed by greed and deception?"
Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment and then guided her back to Inuyasha and Yuki. Kagome looked at the prince, afraid that she had mortally offended his brother, but the taiyoukai released her with no real haste. "I have examined your choice in mate," he said, making his younger sibling flush to match his clothes. "She is difficult and stubborn, but she is unerringly tender-hearted. I view it as a personality flaw, but you do have a human mother after all." He took his own mate's hand and pulled her towards him. Yuki could only mouth an apology to her brother-in-law.
Inuyasha, still red in the face, looked at Kagome. "Did he insult you?" he asked sulkily.
She shook her head. "He insulted all humans, but not really me." She sighed at looked at the taiyoukai who was now dancing with his mate. Yuki was talking – probably lecturing him – but she was smiling softly and he held her close. "I don't think I changed his mind about humans or anything, but I hope I impressed him with just myself."
The prince stepped up to her and they began to dance once again. "He's just a jerk. He's been making my life hell since I was a kid," he said, his ears drooping against his skull.
"He's your brother. I think that's pretty much his job," she replied, thinking of her childhood fights with Sota. "I think he cares about you though."
Inuyasha scoffed. "Feh! The only reason he cares about whether I live or die is because that would change the political structure around here."
Kagome watched the dog demon and his mate move fluidly through the crowd. "He hates what you are, because he hates humans," she said softly. "But he doesn't hate you."
The prince fell silent for awhile, but when the music came to a stop and his grip on her waist and hand tightened. "It's time for the ceremony. It's going to be short, so I want to see you again afterwards. Stay right here, alright?" He spoke in the demanding tone that she heard so often as Thousandfurs.
"I'll be right here," she said, giving his hand a squeeze as he stepped away and towards the dais at the end of the room.
The entire body of guests became still as the impressive youkai king rose from his throne with his mate at his right hand. Inuyasha stood with Miroku to the monarch's left, his golden eyes fixed upon Kagome, as if she might disappear in a cloud of glitter. Kagome blushed again, flattered by the attention, but uneasy that his staring got her the attention of several other youkai as well. She was saved after a moment. "Welcome to the Taisho kingdom," said the king, his voice booming out across the room. "It's been twelve years since we gathered here last, and I am glad to see you all in my home once again."
The audience politely clapped, allowing a male to move towards Kagome unheard. When he spoke into her ear, she jumped. "So, still dancing with that mutt-face?"
Kagome turned sharply and frowned at the wolf prince. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I fail to see what business of that is yours."
"Well, considering you're my woman, it is my business," Koga said, puffing out his chest. "You'll be my mate."
The princess paled and looked back up at the dais. Inuyasha was still watching her and, even at this distance, she could see that his face had tensed and grown angry. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken," she told the wolf, keeping her eyes on her chosen mate. "I have already chosen another male."
"Mutt-face?" he snapped. "What could he possibly offer you that I don't have? All he has is his past humiliation and dirty blood."
"Dirty blood?" she repeated. "Dirty blood like that of any child we would produce together, Prince Koga? You forget what I am."
He set his jaw. "Our pup wouldn't be a weakling."
She gave him a sharp look. "Neither is Inuyasha," she said, walking away from the wolf prince. Strong emotions produced stronger scents and she would not have Koga being the first that recognized her as the little servant girl. She lifted her head and looked at Inuyasha again. He had visibly relaxed, although he still appeared irritated. She gave him a warm smile that seemed to ease his ire.
The king was standing alongside one of the bird youkai, a male with a dignified stature, although he appeared insignificant beside the powerful dog demon. They were speaking about the importance of clan relations and the crowd was getting a bit restless. Even Kagome, who had once been accustomed to her fair share of speeches, was quickly losing focus. Inuyasha was shifting from foot to foot and Miroku was smiling at the young women closest to the front.
As the two monarchs shook hands and embraced as Kagome turned her head to see Sango's pale, smudged face in the doorway. The girl was staring ardently at Miroku, tears wetting her cheeks. As the princess watched, Sango disappeared from sight. Without running to see if she was all right, Kagome could only hope her friend hadn't simply collapsed behind the doors.
The music began again and the princess realized that she had essentially missed the ceremony that had captured her imagination just earlier in the day. She found that she didn't mind terribly though, as Inuyasha stepped off the dais and came straight towards her. He wasn't smiling, but she stretched her arms out to him and drew him close. "That was very nice," she said.
"You weren't listening," he said, narrowing his eyes at a point over her shoulder.
Kagome turned to see the wolf prince standing twenty feet away with a scowl. "He was telling me that he was going to become my mate," she replied. Her eyes widened as she heard a tremendous growl rise in his throat. "Are you being protective? Because it isn't necessary. I would never become his mate."
"I'm more powerful," Inuyasha said, looking away from her and crossing his arms.
"Yes, you are," she said. She laughed as his eyes widened. "Did you expect me to lie to you? To say that I didn't realize that?"
The prince hesitated for a moment and then offered her his arm roughly. "I guess if you aren't with Koga, then you can come with me?" he asked quietly. "I have to get out of here."
"This could be scandalous," she warned him as she took his elbow. "I have heard that people have already been talking about us, and we only danced last time."
"Fuck them," he said as they entered the corridor.
Kagome shook her head. Never had she heard such vulgarity from a noble, much less a prince. But then, Inuyasha never did conform to any standards she recognized.
She turned to study the male beside her, the prince who had degraded her as a servant and had exalted her as a princess. She knew his character well enough to realize that Inuyasha had a low opinion of himself. All of his posturing, all of his bluster was created to hide that fact. To her, this attempted disguise only made that fact that much more apparent.
"Why are you staring at me?" he asked her.
"I was wondering what part of you is real. I said earlier that tonight you seem more like yourself, but I don't really know. You are coarse and rude to others, I hear, but you're kind to me. People say that you don't like anyone, but you seem to like me." She smiled at him. "At least, I think you do."
He scowled at her. "What do you know? We've only met twice." He slid open a door Kagome had never gone through to display an inner courtyard that opened into the sky. It was a multi-layered rock garden, decorated sparsely with tiny, hardy shrubs and worn, ancient statuary.
"And here we are," she said, "alone in a courtyard, lit by just a few little oil lamps." She smiled at him again and escaped his hold, walking into the garden and sitting down on the wooden bench in the middle. Inuyasha stood at the top of the one stair, staring at her.
"You're certainly honest."
She shrugged. "I thought that was one of the things you liked about me."
He crossed his arms and stepped into the courtyard, the moonlight making his silver hair glow to match her kimono. "There you go again, assuming that I like you. You're just less boring than the rest of them."
"I told you already that you're a bad liar," she said softly.
"I'm not actually," he replied. "You're catching me on a bad night."
She smiled at him and stood up again. "Or maybe, you're not doing so well because you really do like me."
He stepped back, his eyes widening. "N-no. No, I don't think so."
"I thought you were supposed to be brave," she said.
Inuyasha growled and straightened his back as he paused in his backpedaling. "I am. Are you always this aggressive?"
She shook her head and looked up at the sky, where the moon was disappearing behind the roof. She had been here for too long. Even Kagura would begin to get angry at her extended absence, but Kagome couldn't bear to leave. Not yet. "No, I am normally the demure girl that you think I should be. But we have a limited amount of time together, Inuyasha. I think that our embarrassment should be secondary. I don't even know when your next festival will take place and I don't want to go home without some sense of whether I should return." She lowered her head and looked at him under hooded eyes. "Surely you aren't afraid of a human girl in a constricting kimono?"
"No, never." He said it automatically, his eyes wide from her words.
"Now you're telling the truth," she murmured. "You know, if you like me, it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean that you're bound to me for life. It doesn't mean I expect anything even as much as a smile after I leave tonight. It does mean that you have a friend though, if you want one." She grinned and shrugged. "I mean, I know you have Lord Miroku…"
"Yeah, but that lecher doesn't look nearly as good in a kimono," the prince said.
She laughed and the tense mood was broken as she stepped forward to touch his shoulder. "Was that a joke? That wasn't downright malicious and rather complimentary to me? Hmm." She lowered her eyes and became serious. "See what I meant? How do I know which Inuyasha is the real one?"
He stared at her for a moment and fell as her sparkling eyes met his. Suddenly, the small girl in front of him was enough to warm him for his eternal life. The sensible part of his mind fought his heart though and he could still not fend off the image of Kikyo that arose in his mind. He put his hands on her hips, hoping that he wasn't holding her too hard.
"Please tell me if I should come back," she said. Please tell me that you want me to come back, she pled silently.
He couldn't answer her question – he knew that immediately. He didn't know the answer. But as she looked at him with her liquid brown eyes, he had to say something. "Kami, I hate you." He saw her flinch and he swore under his breath. Perhaps he didn't pick the best thing to say. He tried again. "Do you know how hard I've worked on my reputation, so that people would leave me the hell alone? Then you come in and just make me want to hug kittens. Damn it, woman! Where the hell did you come from?"
Breathing easier, Kagome slid her hands up his arms. "I didn't come too far, so don't worry about thanking me."
Their foreheads touched and their breath mingled. "What is your name? You have to tell me."
"No, I don't," she replied, smiling.
"Bitch," he whispered as their lips touched.
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A/N: Ah! They kissed! Those of you who have read my other stories should be very suspicious right about now though. Haha. Truthfully, this chapter was going to stop much earlier than that, but I didn't have the heart to be so slow in my updates lately and not give you what you've all been begging for. Don't think that their problems are over though! Inuyasha and Kagome have a lot more drama heading their way, so stick around. Please? Alright, well at least review! And again, I'm sorry to those that expected a review reply for the last chapter. Read the author's note at the top if you're confused. Thanks!