A/N I DON'T OWN INUYASHA OR EVER AFTER
With Kagura and her daughter's as they are and the crowd of people are leaving church, the knight that the Baroness had braided before, comes up to her with news of the prince "Excuse me, Baroness… I have news of the Prince'' Kagura nods for him to continue. " Apparently he left early this morning and no-one seems to know where he went…but fear not…I have something that will brighten your day" The knight reaches into one of his pockets and takes out a very nice gold necklace with rubies on it. He then gives it to Kagura. He leans over to whisper something in Kagura ear. Once he is finished Kagura gives him a sexy smile "Oh, you vicious, vicious man!"
"I do what I can, my lady" he says with a smile and walks off. Kagura then gives Kikyo the necklace and tells her to give it to the Queen and tell her that she dropped it.
Kikyo sees the Queen, The King and a couple of the King and Queen friends in a carriage. Kagura gives Kikyo a slight nod so she would move forward to the Queen.
"Forgive me… Your majesty… but I think you dropped this on your way out" she said to the Queen as she gets out the necklace and gives it to the Queen. The Queen gasps at the sight of one of necklaces and takes the necklace back "My goodness! I do not even remember putting it on. Thank you child" the Queen turns to her husband and friends and says "It is so rare that there are people would return something like this" as she smiles at Kikyo, Kikyo curtsies and smiles and says "You are too magnanimous, Your Majesty" as she slowly backs away still facing the Queen.
The Queen turns to her friend and asks her what the woman's name is "It is Kikyo Your Majesty" The Queen turns to Kikyo and calls out to her. "Kikyo… for your kindness I would love to have a chat with you tomorrow… and bring your mother as well"
Kikyo smiles at this and says "As you wish" the Queen, the King and the rest head back to the palace as Kikyo, Sango and Kagura all head back to their house as well.
WITH KOUGA AND KAGOME WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING
Both Kagome and Kouga are enjoying the quiet and all the books. They can hear monks in the background as they are praying. Kagome closes her eyes as she enjoys this. She opens her eyes and looks over to Kouga with a smile "It makes me want to cry, just look at all these books" Kouga returns the smile "Pick one"
"Oh, I could no sooner choose a favourite star in the heavens" she said looking at the different books "Why do you like books so much?" asked Kouga
"I guess it's because… my father used to read to me each night before he… died… He was addicted to the written word. I loved falling asleep to voice when he read to me at night…" she said with a sad look on her face.
"What sort of books?"
"Everything, I suppose reading books just reminds me of him, I would rather hear his voice again than anything else in the world"
Kouga smiles at this but he remembers that he has not experienced this himself. So, he starts to walk out the building "Is something wrong?" Kagome asks as she goes after him. Kouga turns to Kagome "In all my years of study…not one tutor ever demonstrated… such passion as you… You have more conviction in one memory… that I have in my entire being" he says slightly cross at this, Kagome goes over to Kouga "Your highness, please if I have said…."
"Please, don't it is not you; I need to think of this new development…. Shall we head back?"
Kouga reaches for Kagome's hand with a smile and they start to walk back to the carriage and head off towards Kagome's house. On the way back one of the wheels came off, and they had no way of getting home without a carriage. As Kouga and Kagome were thinking of how to get home. "Well, this is terribly embarrassing" one of the attendants said "Shall we had back to the monastery at once sire"
Kagome knew that if she stayed there it would be trouble for her, so she started to walk into the forest "And we shall continue on foot" Kouga watched Kagome and said "But it's a half day's walk!" Kagome turned back to Kouga with a big smile on her face "Honestly, Your Highness… where is your sense of adventure?" Kouga smiles at Kagome and runs up to her and they both start to walk in the woods…
Back with Kagura, Sango and Kikyo. They just got back from church. The three women come out of the carriage with Kaede and Kanna waiting at the door for them.
"We have come this far ladies, but we must not be too confident. Prince Kouga was not at church and we must find out why" said Kagura to her girls as they started to walk to the door to their home. Sango was upset with her mother about not being able to do anything, so she voices this…. "Kikyo gets to do everything"
"Don't be a Baka, Sango no one even knows you exist" said Kikyo as they walk into the house. Before they enter Kagura grabs Sango and Kikyo's arms "What Kikyo does is for all of us. We need you Sango to help her get ready" she said. Sango gets angry at this "Lovely, I shall soon be cleaning the fireplace with Kagome!" she said. She then storms off into the house, Kagura looks around for Kagome who would normally be there as well… "Where is that girl?" Kagura asks. Kikyo couldn't help but to put her down. "Probably off catching rabbits with her teeth" she said as she walked into the house. Before Kagura walks in the house as well Kanna stops to ask her a question "Pardon me my lady…but that mirror in your bedchamber…did you move it?"
"Of course, not…. Why?" Kagura asks "It's also missing" Kagura almost stormed off before she did. She said "Then it too shall come out of your pay" she then leaves…Kanna and Kaede then go to shut the door. Kaede then turns to Kanna "Either we stop telling her things when things go missing or we will be paying her to work"
"Yes, let's not mention the tapestries" said Kanna as they shut the day and go about their day.
Back with Kagome and Kouga. They are still lost in the woods, Kouga is wandering around trying to let off some steam…
"You would think I would know the way to my own castle!" he yells as he walks back and forth. He stops when he hears Kagome's voice from above him "Why is it that men never stop for directions? Ah there it is… its back that way!"
"And I still can't believe I'm down here, while you are up there!" and looks down to see Kagome's dress on the ground. As he looks up he can see Kagome at the top of a hill that is covered in bush and trees.. "And in your undergarments, no less!" Kagome looks down with a smile "Well I could not climb in that dress and if you were to do it and you fall where would we be?"
"Is there anything that you don't do!?" asked Kouga. Kagome spreads out her arms and looks to the sky and says "Fly" in a joking way. They both share a small laugh.
"Now turn around so I may come down" said Kagome. When she sees Kouga turn she starts to go down the hill…
As Kouga turns he hears an evil laugh then BAM gets punched in the face so hard that he gets knocked down. As he gets up, he remembers that the man who punched him…. It was the robber from before and he had backup about ten or so men with him… "Oh, no it's you again," Kouga says to the man. He looks slightly to where Kagome is and says "Be careful, there are games afoot" said Kouga as he gets out his sword to fight the man… Clang, clang go the swords as the two men start to fight..
Bam! The unknown man hits Kouga in the face again. Kouga stumbles back but he quickly recovers and runs to the man and takes him down and punches him in the face. The man then rolls both him and Kouga around…
While this was going on one of the robbers sees the nice dress on the ground and calls out to Kagome "My wife will thank me greatly for this dress"
Kagome looks down and sees that Kouga is in the fight and her dress was about to be stolen. She calls down "You will give back that dress!" As the man turns away from her to look at the fight, Kagome was now low enough to jump and land onto the man. As she gets up to pick up a sword two robbers grab her hands and take the swords out of her hands and place a dagger near her neck.
Kouga sees this. Even though he is slightly wounded and out of breath, he turns his attention to the men holding Kagome "Let her go, your fight is with me." The man that Kouga was fighting, who is the leader, nods to his men to let her go.
Kagome walks closer to the leader and starts making demands… "I insist you return my things at once… and seeing as you are fighting my escort, I demand you give me a horse as well" Both Kouga and the leader looked shocked at what had been said. The leader thinks for a moment "My lady you may have anything you can carry"
Kagome looks over to Kouga then back to the leader "May I have your word on that sir?"
The man looks to his men with a smile and then back to Kagome "On my honour as a Gypsy, whatever you can carry is yours"
Kagome goes towards Kouga and thanks to all those years of hard labour she is quite strong. She bends down and manages to drape Kouga across her back. She then turns to the leader and gives him a small smile and a bow and starts to walk away…. As they walk away the group of Gypsies start to laugh at this. They don't get far as they hear "Please come back, I'll give you a horse!" said the leader. Kagome stops and places Kouga down and they turn to the leader. One of the Gypsies gave them a horse but before they left the leader invited them both for dinner and drinks at a cave where they have been staying. Both Kagome and Kouga, not wanting the day to end, agree.
When Kouga and Kagome reached the cave everyone was getting ready for dinner by starting fires, and getting food and wine ready for the night. Kouga and Kagome found a nice fire pit to sit by. While waiting for dinner one of the Gypsy's gave Kagome a jacket to wear… Kouga and Kagome start to drink and talk and play a game of rock, paper, scissors and whoever loses has to tell a secret that they have not told anyone. They are both giggling at the game and both are enjoying the game "My next hand will be… paper.." said Kouga. They both move their hands up and down three times and then show their hands and Kouga has indeed played paper and Kagome played scissors. She cuts Kouga's hand with her fingers and then drinks some more wine "It is your go, and it better be good" she said as she finishes her drink…Kouga thinks for a moment and gets a sad look on his face "I have no desire to be King" he then looks to Kagome to see her reaction.
Kagome puts down her drink "But think of all the wonderful things you could do…for your country and for the world"
"Yes but to be defined by your position, to only be seen as what you are, you don't know how insufferable that is!"
Kagome looks shocked at this and says "You might be surprised" Kouga gives her a questioning look so she continues " A Gypsy, for example, is rarely painted as anything as else. They are defined by status just as you. Yet it is not who they are and it is not who you are either… yes you were born into privilege, but with that it does come with obligations." Kagome looks towards Kouga and she knows she might have said too much. "I'm sorry my mouth has run off with me"
Kouga looks at Kagome's mouth and starts to lean forward "No, my lady…It is your mouth…. That has me hypnotised.." Kouga then learns forward even more and presses his lips onto Kagome's and they share a very tender and sweet kiss… Both forgetting everything even if it's just for one moment…
They both hear the Gypsies in the background making fun of them kissing so they break apart and start laughing as well…
Both Kouga and Kagome knew it was time to head home so they get the horse the Gypsy promised them and made it to Kagome's house. As they get closer Kagome asks Kouga to stop. Kouga gets off the horse first and then helps Kagome down by placing his hands on each side of Kagome's body. They both share a look as she comes down. Not wanting Kagome to go yet Kouga holds her hands "You saved my life, you know… back there, in the woods" Kagome smiles at this "A girl does what she can, sire"
"Kouga" said Kouga "Kouga" said Kagome as they shared another kiss… Kagome then goes to walk away. "Rumiko" Kouga calls out as he gets on his horse, Kagome turns to him again.. "do you know the ruins near the water full"
"Yes"
"I often go there to….be alone. Will you come tomorrow?" asks Kouga
"I shall try" "Then I shall wait all day" said Kouga, Kagome nods and walks towards the house and Kouga leaves on his horse.