Yeah, I know, it's been forever right? Well aren't you glad you waited this long?...Okay, probably not. But I had writer's block and I had troublo with the earlier fight scene. I had originally intended to actually play out the girls's fight scene, but it was really long and poorly written, so there isn't much about the actual moves they make. But as a bonus for skippin over that, I have added a scene that will most definitely make up for that. To know what that scene is, you'll have to read. I won't tell you, it's a secret...until you get to it that is. Anyway, sorry for the long wait and I know this isn't really long, but I already updated another one of my stories today so my fingers are hurting and my back is aching. This is a lot of writing and I believe I'm going to have some serious problems with my hands in the future since I write so fricken' much! Hope you like the update and rememer to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH/INU


Come at Me

Chapter 6

Now everyone who knew Sir Kurama, and not many did besides his closest friends and allies, knew that the man was one of few words. He was a man of even less emotion normally, seeing as how knights were trained to put their emotions on hold in order to focus on the fight at hand, but no one, not even his best friend, could have predicted the looks that crossed the knights face as he watched the two women battle it out like it was nothing. His intense green eyes were trained intently upon the two dueling women, mouth looking as if about to unhinge itself. Those same fathomless orbs were glowing with something akin to lust as he watched the princess's muscles bunch and move under her sweat-soaked armor. Her movements were so graceful, yet powerful and deadly, as she and her friend moved against each other time and time again as if they were doing nothing but dancing.

Only the telltale female cries of 'ha' and 'take that' gave way to the knowledge that this was a serious spar...and of course the fact that both women were wearing armor instead of dresses, and carrying swords instead of fans. Honestly, this was probably one of the best matches Kurama had seen...at least between two women. He'd been in battles before and he seen some females pick up a sword, but known of them were anywhere near the level of skill these to were amplifying.

"This-this is fantastic," Yusuke whispered from his stance beside the older male. His younger body was practically vibrating with excitement and his fingers automatically itched to pick up a sword and join his adopted sister in order to see what she could really do. From his vantage point he could tell that the younger girl was holding out just a pinch for her friend, though no one who wasn't very adept at studying that kind of thing or had as much experience and training as Kurama or Yusuke would have known that.

"She's really something," Kurama murmured, eyes still locked upon the fiery princess. "I had no idea her moves would be this flawless."

Yusuke chuckled and grinned something fierce, the wind sweeping by and ruffling his boyish hair, causing some locks to fall into his pretty, brown eyes. "You're telling me. When we were younger she could kick my ass whenever we sparred, but now I fear she would kill me if I tried it nowadays. I wonder who trained her when she was away, it's obvious someone was giving her lessons." Yusuke's eyes darted slyly to the right to where the red-headed knight stood patiently observing the match. "I wonder why someone would bother training a girl, let alone a princess without wanting something in return." Yusuke didn't miss the way his friend's hands suddenly flexed and his eyes flashed with a trait akin to jealousy. "Oh come on, Kurama, I'm sure it's nothing like that," the youth taunted, clapping a hand to the taller male's shoulder and beginning to stride towards the two panting females in order to congratulate his 'sister' on her 'victory'. They had stopped when Kagome's sword pointed directly at Sango's jugular. "Besides, perhaps you are the perfect person to continue her training. You know, both you and Kagome, alone and sweaty. Who knows what might come of it."

Kurama closed his eyes, watching as the brash youth continued walking away, and chose not to draw his sword and strike the man where he stood, aware that there were other men around who had heard the stupid knave's comments. He didn't need any questions concerning the princess, as Kagome was his business and no one else's. His eyes flashed possessively before he restrained himself from doing something totally out of character and destroying all the men surrounding him simply for daring to look at her. Although it looked like he wasn't going to get his wish as some of the men gathered around him and started asking him way too many questions for him to be comfortable with. Only one man, a black haired knight, chose to ignore all comments and simply let out a huff, turning away and appearing quite bored.

"Is she for real?" one of Kurama's men asked.

"How does Yusuke know her?" another one added.

"Who's that other girl?" yet another male chirped (guess who), one Kurama knew personally to be a world class pervert. "I'd certainly like to get to know her better."

Kurama quickly silenced them all by 'accidentally' dropping the flat side of his sword on the young man's head and began walking away, intent on making it to Kagome's side and reassuring himself that none of those wounds were life-threatening. At least that's what he told himself anyway.

"-and the way you moved your sword and blocked that blow, it was totally awesome, Kagome, I'm amazed you're still standing after blocking such a fierce attack," Yusuke was saying, while Sango stood back and pouted at having lost. Even after all this time, she still couldn't beat Kagome and even though the princess was her friend, it still ticked her off that she hadn't ever been able to defeat the princess. And to make matters worse, she knew her friend had been holding out, not using everything she had, and it made Sango's pride sting a little to know that. But nevertheless, she let it slide. After all she and Kagome had been friends for a long time and she knew Kagome's training had began a lot longer than her's had. It was an honor just to be able to train with the princess on a normal daily basis. Besides, perhaps living here for a time would improve her own skills. During school, the girls rarely got enough time to really test their limits. Who knows what could happen should they take their training to a new level.

"You did well, Lady Sango," Kurama told her and Sango brightened immediately, surprised that the young knight had acknowledged her as well. Kagome was right. He really was very sweet, no wonder she was so taken with the guy. Sango watched, tongue in cheek, as those apple green eyes moved onto her friend. Sango was awed at how much emotion was in that one glance, glad that her friend had finally found someone who was really interested in the woman beneath the future ruler. "And you as well, Lady Kagome, I congratulate you on your well earned victory," Kurama continued, smirking inwardly when Kagome blushed a brilliant shade of red.

Kagome herself probably would have swooned at such a compliment, if naught for the next words out of the knight's mouth. "However," his eyes turned deadly, yet playful. "One has to wonder how you'd fair against a real opponent."

Sango's mouth dropped open at the insult, not sure what to make of it until she realized what the man was doing. He was trying to get under Kagome's skin. He was...trying to make her angry? She and Yusuke locked slightly confused eyes, each wondering if such a territory was a safe place to approach, especially knowing how angered Kagome could become. And unlike most ladies of this era, this one had a terrible time keeping her mouth restrained. Her mother must have sent her to a thousand tutors to have that little 'glitch' corrected, but each time Kagome returned home without having learned a thing. Smothering their idiotic grins, both watch as the princess's back muscles clenched when Kurama continued speaking.

"Against an opponent whom you haven't fought before and one who you haven't studied enough to know all her moves in order to counteract them."

"Why...you-." Kagome's face was a brilliant red color, her blushing having turned into a raging inferno of anger and her eyes were now flaming with denial as the arrogant knight merely grinned at her roguishly. And all she wanted to do in that moment was to clobber him viciously and to wipe off that stupid, come-hit-me grin and to do it quickly; perhaps something such as lobbing off his pretty head with her equally pretty sword. Yes, that sounded good to her...even if that arrogant grin made her want to punish him in other wicked ways. Kagome went to bring up her sword and was startled when Kurama seemed to sense her movements, bringing out his own sword to block the attack, smirking even more at her confused countenance.

Kurama tipped up his nose, brushing a stray lock of hair away from his face and boldly staring her down, as if challenging her into losing her anger and taking it out on him full force.

The red haired knight waited for her to figure out what she wanted to do before the girl was instantly upon him, attacking him and erupting with a flurry of fluid, mechanical movements, each blocked just as quickly as they were thrown. A thrust here, a block there, another parry and a block and Kagome and Kurama quickly found themselves lost in their own world, heedless to Kurama's men who were now cheering for their commander and Sango and Yusuke who were cheering for Kagome.

To Kagome, the battle was both frustrating, as well as exhilarating. It had been such a long time since she'd been able to go all out and it was sort of liberating in a way to have an opponent who didn't know her and her moves. She was actually surprised at how much power Kurama possessed, darting backwards when his sword came a bit too close to her hair for her liking, especially since his body didn't appear to be as muscular as it was slender. But her ignorance was something she could overlook this time, as the gorgeous man certainly proved to be more male than anyone else she had ever fought before. He fought with determination and skill and after years of mastering the sword. He was obviously a natural, someone who had picked up a sword from day one and was meant to do great things, someone like her father. She had been searching for a man like her father for a very long time. Perhaps she really had found the one she was meant to give her heart to. "Ready to give up yet?" Kagome taunted, tongue between her teeth. Oh how he was going to eat his words. She was going to defeat him if it killed her.

Kurama chuckled and twisted around her, his fast reflexes allowing him to bring a hand up in order to brush against her cheek before he drew back and thrust his sword directly at the spot where his fingers just touched...a spot that could have resulted in serious injury had Kagome not moved a scant few inches to the right.

On Kurama's end, he was both surprised and awed over how skilled she truly was. She was blocking everything he threw at her, twisting her body and countering his attacks with a combination of her own. He wondered if she fought with a staff as well. Using a staff required you to be a bit more flexible and this girl was definitely able to bend her body in ways he'd never seen before. He had seen it earlier while she was sparring with Sango, but wasn't able to process it all since she'd been holding back. But now that she was using everything she had to defeat him, she wasn't able to hold anything back, lest she slip and allow his sword to eat into her flesh. She was such a fierce opponent that he almost believed she was an enemy and not the woman he was slowly, but surely, beginning to fall for. With her blue eyes dancing wildly and such deadly grace in her step, it was obvious she wasn't someone you wanted to cross swords with on a battle field. A woman like this would kill you and probably enjoy it too. Strangely enough, Kurama became slightly aroused at the image which formed in his mind's eye.

The battle soon ended after Kurama pulled out all the stops to defeat her and finally succeeded when he had his sword pointed directly towards her heart, her only defensive weapon the clothes she was wearing, her sword lying several yards away at Kurama's feet.

"Do you yield?" Kurama asked the fallen, heavily panting princess, his mind altering the scene a bit so she looked exactly as she did now...and breathing heavily for an entirely different reason. But god, she was beautiful, the sweat starting to drip down her glowing, alabaster skin and her eyes big and round and beautiful as they gazed up at him with innocent excitement. And in that moment, the kind, red-headed knight wanted to do nothing but whisk her away to some undisclosed location and become lost in the pleasures of her succulent body. But despite all the racy thoughts running rampant through his brain, Kurama was born a gentleman and to take her innocence before she was married or even ready for something like that was something only a scoundrel would do. In this day and age, ladies waited faithfully until marriage to give that aspect of themselves away. Of course, this didn't count the scandalous few who occasionally crept into his own bed, seeking either power or wealth. But no more of that. Kurama was through with petty women, searching for the perfect soul mate. And at long last, it looked as if his dreams were starting to become true.

Kagome found herself on her back, lifted slightly on her elbows, as she sat staring up at the elegant male in front of her, scared stiff at the emotions that were suddenly welling inside her young body. Good god, he wasn't even breathing hard and she was panting as if she'd run several miles in the heat. If she was giving it her all in order to beat him, what else must this man be capable of? His red hair shown like a glistening beacon in the sun and she had to cover her eyes in order to get a better look. The green eyes that she was beginning to love so much were boring into her with enough fervor to heat a thousand suns. It almost looked as if he were trying to see into her soul. She wondered if he ached to understand her the way she wanted him to, the way she wanted to know him in return; every aspect of him, not just the physical part. Was he just as beautiful on the inside as he was on the out? Lord, he did looked incredible against the setting sun. She didn't even hear him ask his question, but she nodded anyway, afraid her body would take over and show him exactly how he made her feel. She relaxed and slumped on the ground, relieved when Sango stepped up and held out a hand.

Kagome grinned, taking hold of the helping hand. "Thanks, Sango."

Her best mate grinned back and helped the poor girl off the ground, helping to pat the dust off her uniform before hugging her with a squeal. "Kagome, that was fantastic! You and Kurama were awesome and most of us could barely see you when you moved. You were moving so fast that it almost appeared as if time was standing still and the rest of us were simply watching it pass us by."

Kagome glanced around in amazement, realizing that the sun was beginning to set on the horizon and that indeed a lot of time had passed since she and Sango had first arrived at the training grounds. "Woah, Sango, I didn't even realize the time," Kagome sputtered in amazement. Her mouth closed with an audible snap as something else sunk into her brain. "Sango, the ball is tonight!" she gasped in dismay. "Mother will kill me if we aren't on time."

"A ball?" Sango asked, looking quite disgusted. She hated those things, dressing up and trying to dance in god-awful heels was not her idea of fun. But this, sparring till all hours of the day, was enough to keep herself entertained for a lifetime.

Kagome pouted and fluttered her eyelashes at her female best friend. "Come on, Sango," she pleaded. "You have to come. It won't be any fun without you." Her eyes flashed mischievously. "Besides who else will keep me away from all those perverts, besides my one and only boy protector?"

Sango sighed, knowing she could not refuse, and her shoulders slumped helplessly. "Oh, all right, I suppose," she mumbled, kicking at the sand under her feet. Why could she never tell her friend no? She really had to learn some resistance.

"Hn." Sango heard the soft dismissal, raising her eyes to spot a man, curiously dressed head to toe in black and bearing the insignia of Kagome's crest. She gazed at the solemn man who must have realized he'd caught her attention when he looked up and spotted her.

Why is he staring at me? Sango wondered, watching as the man's dark brown, almost red, eyes narrowed as he began staring back at her with equal intensity. Actually...it appeared as if he was glaring at her. Sango's own eyes narrowed as she returned the gesture, both warriors staring each other down before turning away simultaneously, both huffing in clear dislike of the other.

"Ahem," a cough alerted both girls to the presence of both Yusuke and Kurama, who had stayed behind after dismissing Kurama's men for the rest of the evening. Kurama stepped towards Kagome with a searching look in his stunning eyes. "I apologize for listening in on your private conversation but I couldn't help overhearing about your plans for the evening." He looked directly at Kagome, taking her hand in his own and kissing the knuckles delicately, drawing her forth into his arms though not allowing their bodies to touch since other people were around. "I was hoping that you would allow me to escort you to the ball tonight, Lady Kagome...provided you don't already have someone else who wishes to gaze upon your enchanting beauty for himself."

"Oh...uh, well, sure, I-I mean I don't have anyone w-who wishes t-t-t-o-."

"She would love to," Sango finished for her and Kagome blushed over how stupid she was being, aching to bash her skull against a rock or perhaps find a nice hole to crawl in. For God's sake she was a princess for crying out loud! Why the hell couldn't she handle one single, teeny-weeny little, insignificant crush. Oh, if only it were so. And if only Kurama was a normal boy. She would have been able to turn him down without question. After all, she had put Prince Kouga quite in his place the last time he'd come around. Imagine, daring to call her his wife in front of his royal parents and her own queen mother. She had yelled at him quite loudly, smacking the much-too-arrogant male right across his face. Thank God for Prince Sesshomaru coming to her rescue or the Prince Koga may have taken her gesture the wrong way, thinking she was playing hard to get or something. The arrogant royal really knew how to make someone feel unworthy in his presence. Prince Kouga had been sweating in no time and had rushed away as if hell on wheels was chasing him.

So why now, of all times, could she not get it right and simply speak to the one boy she really, really liked. She could so foolish sometimes. It was different when they'd been battling. When Kagome was fighting she felt as if she could take on the world. It didn't matter what her opponent looked like, it only mattered how he fought. And this particular knight was very good, so good he was almost be on par with her great father. Of course there was no way to tell how good he was since he'd probably been holding out on her a little. She would have to see him in the heat of battle tp decide his rank, perhaps during the next tournament which was scheduled in some two months time.

"So, you will accompany me then?"

Kagome blinked innocently as her mind returned to the present. Currently, Kurama was standing before her, now clutching both of her hands in his as he gazed into her eyes softly. She smiled in return, stepping forward until her head rested next to his right ear. "I would be honored."

Kurama shivered as the princess's breath whispered across the shell of his ear, wishing this damn armor didn't feel so cramped all of a sudden. Kagome smirked before backing away, gently tugging her hands away before turning to her friend. She promptly blushed when the older girl shot her a teasing smirk, folding her arms in front of her chest and succeeding in making her look like a spoiled little girl who didn't get her cookie. Kagome promptly huffed when Sango continued to look amused, turning on her heel and shoving Yusuke away when he began to follow after her, making gushing faces and girlish squealing sounds towards her back.

She finally lost it when he began making kissing noises, pursing his lips and smacking them together a few times..

"Oh, shut up you idiot!" She promptly turned back and bonked him on the head before stalking away and dragging an impish-looking Sango behind her.

Kurama continued to watch her until she was out of sight, determined to fetch his most elegant clothes for the night's activities.

"Hn, foolish chit."

Kurama glanced at Hiei, one of the other trainers on the castle grounds, a man who was certainly on par with himself when it came down to skill level.

"What bothers you more, Hiei? The fact that a woman can possess such skills...or the fact that I'm beginning to fall in love with one of those women."

Hiei's eyes narrowed in distaste of the word. "Love? A knight such as us has no use for love on the battle field."

Kurama's eyes grew saddened, wondering why after all these years, Hiei still had not learned to accept emotions or to let go of the past. Kurama smiled softly, thinking back to the way his little friend had responded to Lady Sango. His friend hadn't looked it, but Hiei had been impressed by her skills. And above all, Hiei respected power above anything else. Perhaps she could be his redemption...if they could only get past their egos and their pride. Kurama feared Lady Sango could be just as prideful as Hiei, a fact that could either draw them together or push them far apart.

Kurama shook his head to clear his thoughts, nodding once to his long time friend. "Have a pleasant night, Hiei." Kurama turned without another word, long hair streaming behind him in his wake, already forgetting about his conversation with Hiei when his thoughts once again concentrated onto his princess. His princess...he really liked the sound of that. No, not his princess. His queen.


Yeah, I know. You're all a bit sad that it's not really that long, but I'm sorry to say I couldn't think of anything else. I had actually intended on starting the ball scene just after this part and leading up into the next chapter, but that would be too long and so I came up with this little scene between Hiei and Kurama. Mind you, I haven't completely figured out Hiei's story yet or anything, I just wanted to add him in. For awhile there, I actually thought about changing the pairing to Yusuke/Sango, but since I did indeed add Hiei in and that little 'thing' between then, I figured I'd go ahead and keep the original pairing. Well I thnk that's all for now. Thank you for being so patient. Hope it's been worth the wait. Please remember to read and review.

P.S. This is also dedicated to my little sister (you know who you are) since I love you and I miss you. Plus, this is one of your favorites so here it is. Hopefully, your present to me will be the story you promised me months ago and have yet to release (gives evil eye and then grins). Hope you liked it, girl.

Ja ne

Kura