The day had taken an interesting turn, Kagome's heavenly bath followed by the humiliation of being left alone after breakfast, to the princeling's abrasive attitude at the lotus pond and finally, her absolute domination over him at the archery fields. Exuberance rolled off her in nearly palpable waves, and her smiling eyes turned to her lord's. With a cheeky smile she quipped, "Wasn't that fun, Inuyasha-sama?" Looking out over the range, she saw their arrows jutting from numerous targets.

"Heck no! Where'd you learn to shoot like that anyway?" His grumbles met with her bubbling laughter.

"A priestess taught me, but I learned in forests and on mountains. This is totally different," she said, gesturing to the wide grassy fields. She kept gazing out, oblivious to his eyes on her. "Come on, lets go grab our arrows and maybe go eat something? You must be hungry after skipping breakfast," she chirped, jumping to her feet. Though he wanted to protest, he let her drag him out to the targets to collect their spent arrows. Her quiver bounced in between them, rhythmic thumping accenting every step she took. Their path wound out to the furthest reaches of the range before they stopped at a small target on the ridgeline. Reaching up, Kagome wrapped one hand around the arrow and braced her other against the target. Pulling sharply, the arrow fell into her hands. She repeated the process quickly, and the pair moved on to the next target. She moved towards the next target, Inuyasha following in her wake. Arrow after arrow fell back into her quiver.

"Oi, why are you even bothering with this stuff anyway? Why won't you just let the servants deal with it?"

"Because… well, I don't know," she admitted, pausing to think about why she was doing this task herself. Slowly, she said, "I've always retrieved my own arrows. I guess if I don't retrieve my own arrows, I won't know how to improve, ne?" Purpose gave way to vexation as Kagome struggled to pull out one of the last arrows- Inuyasha's from the look of it. Her own had slipped out from the center of the target with little exertion, yet his had burrowed so deep that she could barely grasp it. Her hands slid roughly down the shaft of the arrow as her attempt failed and she gasped sharply. Looking at her palms, the arrow's rough shaft had left large red welts on her palms.

"Hey, what'd ya do that for?" care edged Inuyasha's rude tone as her took her hands in his. Holding her palms up, he inspected them for injury. Though the rough action grated her palms, the skin remained unbroken. She marveled at his concern, eyes taking in every inch of his face.

Lifting her palms from his, she gently thanked him. Looking back at the arrow embedded in the target, she asked, "Ano, Inuyasha-sama, would you mind retrieving your arrow?"

"What makes you think it's mine?"

"It struck the upper left of the target- like a few others you shot today. I could never hope to bury an arrow this deep into a target from such a distance. It was a good shot," she explained, adding in teasingly, "and I already removed mine from the center of this target." Her

"Keh, whatever. Everyone knows short-bows are easier to aim than longbows."

"Hai, Inuyasha-sama, but only those with great strength can wield the longbow. While I can merely strike a target, you can demolish one, and that skill should not be dismissed."

"Don't patronize me! I bet you couldn't even pull back the string of a longbow, let alone actually hit something!"

"Did I not just prove to you that I could hit anything you could?" Kagome's voice rose in indignation. "Women can be just as powerful and graceful as men, given training. I'd think that after this demonstration, you could understand a simple concept like that!" Huffing, she marched back to the hut, throwing the retrieved arrows inside and hanging her bow. Red caught the corner of her eye, and she purposefully turned away from the silver-haired menace. Head high, she slowly started back to the palace, pointedly ignoring the red-clad hanyou stalking beside her.

Gradually they returned to the rear entrance of the palace. Neither had said a word since leaving the archery field, and Kagome's legs ached from the morning's activities. Wordlessly they entered the broad hallways and Kagome paused, not knowing which direction to go to return to her room. Awkwardly looking to Inuyasha, her resolve to not acknowledge him wavered.

"Inuyasha-sama," she faltered, "would you please escort me to my room?" Her cheeks burning, she volunteered, "I don't know how to get back." The prince said nothing but began walking down the hallway to his right. Kagome followed him through the corridors, eyes trained on the bright red haori in front of her. He moved stiffly and then paused before a shoji screen, one of the many in this hall. Peering around his shoulder, she realized, of course he won't know which room's mine.

"Your room's in this hallway, but I don't know which one it is. Didn't your maid show you the door or something?"

"I'm not sure, everything has been happening so quickly since I met Koga-kun," she said.

He snorted and muttered, "stupid wolf," before he stepped toward the young woman and promptly stuck his face in her hair. Breathing in deeply he caught her true scent, underneath the fragrant oils and herbs she had used in the bath house. Beneath the fresh lavender and earthy bamboo, Inuyasha's nose caught her unique essence- a bright, fresh scent like that of a mountain stream, swirled with a warm spice he couldn't identify. It floated into his nose, contrasting with itself beautifully, and he inhaled for a second time, eyes closing in ecstasy.

Kagome stilled at his sudden intrusion, not sure what to do. Her breath caught in her throat, the noise startling Inuyasha. He moved back from her, spinning away. His golden eyes danced at her disorienting smell, and he sniffed the hallway for traces of her. Moving quickly, he led Kagome down the hallway and into another, confident strides leading him to yet another shoji screen door. He pushed it open and saw one of the simpler rooms his family had arranged for the many young women inhabiting the palace. The furs covering the futon were arranged nicely, and her scent wafted to meet him. Nothing else sat in the room except a table with a forgotten mirror.

Kagome stumbled in behind him and cried, "Arigatou-gozaimasu, Inuyasha-sama!" Bowing deeply, she righted herself and smiled at the gruff prince. His dancing gold met her smiling blue, and he nodded to her before stepping out. Kagome collapsed on the futon, eyes closing out the world. Sleep had almost claimed her when Inuyasha's head popped back into her room.

"Oi, you gunna be eating with us today?" His question came as a surprise, and she blinked back at him. His ears perked up in hope.

"Hai, Inuyasha-sama, if I can find my way," the joke popped out before she could restrain herself, and Inuyasha's fangs glinted in satisfaction before he disappeared for good. She smiled, before jolting up again, exclaiming, "Oh! I forgot to grab Atsuko's flowers!" Her present lost to the archery fields, she settled once more on the futon and closed her eyes once more.


Atsuko found her not long after, quietly entering her mistress' room. The young woman lay dozing on the futon, kimono crumpling underneath her form. Her hair fanned out beneath her head, dark waves absorbing the light. Looking to the closet and table, she noticed the cast-aside mirror laying flat on the desk. Atop it sat a crumpled bunch of flowers. Moving closer, Atsuko lifted the flowers, and she gasped when she realized that they formed a tight chain. Looking to Kagome, she wondered briefly if the flowers had been gifted to her and why they were so strangely presented.

Setting them down, she moved to the side of the futon and gently spoke, "Kagome-sama, you must wake." The woman groaned and cracked her eyelids, taking in the girl before her. She rose from the futon, scratching the back of her head softly. Her hair cascaded down, a loose curtain surrounding her. Her obi sat askew from her foray into the soft futon, and Atsuko giggled lightly as she helped adjust it. Her kimono also betrayed her, kinks and wrinkles set into the fabric. Well, I hope no one is looking to closely at me. I'll just have to change before dinner, she promised herself. She walked to the table intent on examining herself in the mirror, only to stop midstride as she saw the flowers she had braided for Atsuko. Her footsteps slowing, she thought, how did these get here? I remember leaving them at the archery fields… Could it be that Inuyasha heard me, and went back for them? She lifted the flowers gently, beautiful blooms drooping after being in the sun for so long.

"Is that a gift from someone, Kagome-san?" Atsuko asked.

"Hai, er, ie, it is not a gift for me, but it is, you see," Kagome's jumbled words caused Atsuko's eyebrows to rise in question. "What I mean to say is, I made it to be a gift and left it behind, so it is a gift to me that I can actually give it to… someone." A thought struck her that perhaps Inuyasha was right, that Atsuko wouldn't like the pitiful gift, especially when compared with all the extravagances she was exposed to from living in the palace.

"For someone, Kagome-san?" Atsuko inquired.

"Hai, actually," a light pink spread over her face, "I made it for you, Atsuko-chan, to thank you for how kind you've been to me." She looked down, hands extending the flower crown meekly in Atsuko's direction. It was lifted as Atsuko held the flowers up gingerly, dark eyes wide.

"For me, Kagome-san?" disbelief colored her voice as she lifted the crown.

"Hai, for you."

Eyes shining, Atsuko held the flowers to her chest. "Arigatou, Kagome-san, they are beautiful!"

"You like them?" Kagome asked shyly. The girl nodded emphatically, still clutching the blooms to her chest. "Good," Kagome said in relief. Mirrored smiles adorned their faces, and Atsuko held the flowers up once more to admire them. Kagome guided the flowers to rest on Atsuko's head, finally fulfilling their purpose as a crown. The colorful bulbs stood out against Atsuko's short brown hair, and the girl bowed deeply, careful to not the flowers slip off her head.


The pair left Kagome's room soon after they decided it would be inappropriate to don the flowers in such a formal setting; Atsuko left them beautifully arranged on Kagome's small desk until she could retrieve them that night. Atsuko led Kagome back to the same dining hall from breakfast. Unlike this morning, all the places around the table were filled, most notably the head of the table were Inu no Taisho and Izayoi sat. Next to his gentle mother, Inuyasha's red haori screamed for attention. The girls seated closest to him tried to engage the young prince in conversation, only to be rebuffed by his rude manners. Kagome saw Izayoi look disapprovingly at her son. Uncertainly, Kagome followed Atsuko towards the Imperial family. One place remained unfilled, directly across from Inuyasha. At her maid's gesture, Kagome sat near the head of the table, much to the outright envy and disdain of the other women present. Her favorable placement dd not escape her awareness, and she wisely kept her eyes down on the table before her. Servants stepped forward to place bowls of steaming food at her place, soups and cooked vegetables adoring plain rice tempting her eyes and stomach. She began picking at her food, self-conscious of how little the other ladies seemed to be eating.

"Ah, Higurashi, how was your morning? Inuyasha has shown you the palace grounds by now I trust?" Izayoi's question lilted through the air, and Kagome looked to the prince. His golden eyes remained fixed on his meal, but silver ears perked up and focused on her response, betraying his interest. The buzz of conversation between the other ladies and courtiers at the table decreased briefly upon hearing the Empress' voice before returning to its usual level.

"Hai, Izayoi-sama. Inuyasha-sama has been a most gracious host," she smiled shyly.

Izayoi smiled and looked to her son. "I am glad he's being civil to at least one of the girls we've called to the palace." Inuyasha snorted, not looking up from his lunch. His father chuckled as well, unperturbed by his son's less-than-admirable behavior.

"Did he show you to the archery fields?" The Empress asked looking over her cup of tea.

"Hai, and Inuyasha-sama even indulged me with a mid-morning practice," Kagome smirked.

"Oh, and how did my son compare?" Inu no Taisho's penetrating voice filled the room, the deep timbre like the crash of thunder. Kagome flushed and looked down, though she turned her face to the Emperor's.

"Inu no Taisho-sama, your son is very skilled with the bow. His draw is powerful and his arrows would obliterate any enemies," she said, choosing her words carefully to not disgrace the prince before his father.

"Indeed? And we had heard from his sensei that his force overpowers his aim– do you agree?" The Emperor's suave voice

The question was perilous, no matter how she answered. If she confirmed Inu no Taisho's statement, she made the prince look bad and risked his anger. If she contradicted his sensei's evaluation, she did so in defiance of the Emperor. Balancing her options, her next words came out slowly, mouth forming deliberately around each syllable.

"I believe that Inuyasha-sama's aim is consistent and his power surpasses that of any normal soldier. He may need improvement in the art but I do not believe he is as inept as his sensei would have you believe." Daring to glance at the Emperor's face, she saw his approval of her assessment. Her eyes slid to Inuyasha's and saw a blush overtake his cheeks at her praise. Kagome lifted her bowl again, hoping she could eat without further interruption. The lady sitting beside Inuyasha caught the lull in conversation and attempted once more to engage the prince, and Kagome watched the scene the young woman made as she modeled her exquisite jewelry to him. Apparently, she hailed from a region known for its gems, and she proudly pointed to the stones that came from the villages her father ruled over. Kagome observed them and hid a smile as Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched.

The remainder of the meal passed quickly and the Emperor and his wife left the dining hall. Shortly thereafter, other young ladies left as well, escorted by their maids. Kagome almost stood to leave but Inuyasha's eyes kept her fixed in her place. After the other women were gone, Kagome tilted her head in question at Inuyasha. The prince merely stood and walked to the door, tossing back over his shoulder, "Are you coming or what? Your tour ain't done yet."

Kagome swiftly rose to follow him as her led her out of the dining hall to see the rest of the palace.


Inuyasha led Kagome through the grand halls of the palace, past intricately painted shoji screens into sections of the palace dedicated to weaponry, books, cartography, and living. He said very little, seeming more content to just walk in front of her with his shoulders hunched and his ears relaxed. They left the main keep of the palace and Inuyasha took her through another section of gardens that separated the keep from the training dojos. Here soldiers worked and practiced various martial arts and with assorted weaponry. Younger boys worked with wooden bokken, their wobbly limbs lacking the striking strength of their elders. The soldiers and samurai moved with efficient grace through the many dojos and Kagome watched in awe as the art of combat was taught and learned. He was about to lead her out of the dojo towards the stables when Kagome caught sight of Koga, the first she'd seen of him since the previous night. Leaving Inuyasha's side in a flash, she bounded over to him, exuberance spilling from every pore.

"Koga-kun!" she cried happily, and the youkai pivoted to meet her. A smile stole his lips, and Koga bowed deeply to conceal it. When he looked at her, she seemed much happier than when he had met her, a scared slip of a girl looking at monsters in the woods. Her kimono held signs of thorough wear, and her obi had begun slipping to one side. A human would have overlooked such minor flaws, but his eyesight caught each one and he couldn't help but think that none in the palace deserved such an authentic woman, least of all the prince she currently dragged behind her.

Inuyasha growled lowly, his lip curling to reveal a sharp, short fang. Kagome didn't hear it over the din of clashing swords and moving men, but the youkai in the dojo paused to look at the prince briefly before returning to their exercises. Koga's dark blue eyes stared down Inuyasha's bright gold and he quirked an eyebrow in challenge.

"Kagome-san, is this royal pain annoying you?" Koga asked, glancing at the woman before him. Her hair swayed as she shook her head.

"Ie, Inuyasha-sama has been showing me around the palace today. I didn't know there could be so many amazing things in one place! Did you know that at least one wing of the main keep is devoted to books and libraries and archives? There are scrolls from so long ago I can't even guess what will be on them! And the gardens to get here are so beautiful, though not like the one with the lotus pond- I visited that one earlier this morning and I made a flower crown– not for myself you see, but for my maid because she is so kind and I wanted to thank her– and I went to the archery range –"

Inuyasha stalked over to where Kagome happily narrated her palace tour to question, "Oi, wench, you know him?" His somewhat relaxed demeanor through other parts of the palace was lost– his ears lay flat and his eyes glinted ferociously.

"Hai, Inuyasha-sama, Koga-kun brought me to the palace after my carriage broke on the mountain roads. And my name is not wench!" she said harshly, anger marring her gentle features.

"Hey dogbreath, don't insult the lady," Koga said, subtly stepping between Kagome and Inuyasha. The captain's eyes met the prince's, lips curling to reveal glinting canines.

"Keh, who you callin' dogbreath, fleabag?" Inuyasha snapped.

"An insolent puppy who doesn't know how to treat a woman properly," Koga replied smoothly. Inuyasha's anger grew while Koga muzzled his, face only showing a smug grim as he turned from the princeling. "Kagome-sama, I would be most privileged to escort you around the remainder of the palace and grounds," Koga said, offering his arm to her. Glancing between him and Inuyasha, her decision was made when she saw the prince's angry face. I think I'll stick with Koga for a while. Give Inuyasha-sama a chance to calm down, she thought, grinning to herself as Koga led her out of the dojo and into another section of the surrounding gardens.


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