AN: Heya. I'm really, really, really, really, really, really, sorry I haven't updated lately. I got piled under all this work and I haven't even been able to breath in weeks. (I know, I'm a horrible evil geek who hasn't found time to update her stuff in two months.) Anyway this may be the last chapter I write for a while so I'll try not to leave to much of a cliffhanger (You guys are lucky I'm feeling guilty about not updating in so long) Here's the reviews.

Inuyashas lover alway- I know, I'm sorry it takes so long for me to update sometimes. I'll try really, really hard to update sooner next time, ok?

Psycobookcollector- Thank you. I liked the idea to (otherwise I wouldn't be writing this.)

Kamari1313- Thank you! And I'm really sorry about the long wait, I haven't had a lot of free time lately.

Amanda Trinh- Glad to hear it finally worked. Hope you somewhat enjoyed the story (and if you didn't, you now know why I wrote this.) And I hope this update was worth the wait.

Devils-only-one- I'm so sorry if I didn't update fast enough, I just got hit with a lot of work at once.

I'mxAxSexyxGhost- Thanks, and sorry I took so long to update, and sorry for the long wait your going to get after I post this. Because unless I'm in a weird mood I'm going to post Snow White next and who knows when that will be.

I'mxAxSexyxGhostx- Thanks, but what confused you about the end?

I'mxAxSexyxGhost– Thanks, I'm glad someone through it was funny.

Amariko- Thank you, sorry I took so long.

Makaya-Loe- Thanks, hope this chapter is as good as the last one.

Kurimusonchishio- Thanks, I came up with a few ideas while I was writing (Lucky me)

ILOVEInuyasha07- Thanks, and I know it was. I really didn't mean to make it that long it just...happened. Oh, and I know I said I wasn't going to kill Hojo, but I'm starting to change my mind about that.

Mediaminer- Wow, gee what a shock NO ONE REVIEWED ON MEDIAMINER.

Oh yeah, there should only be one more part to this story (hopefully) and I can start a new fairy tale. If anyone wants to see a fairy tale done, or has suggestions on a idea feel free to tell me because I have no idea what I'm doing yet (I'm not kidding, tell me).

Disclaimer- I don't own Inuyasha and I don't own Donkey Skin. Seriously, I don't own the story or a actual donkey skin. (You think I should go buy one?)

NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE- I might have made a few bad remarks about rich people, sorry if I offend anyone who's rich, I don't feel this way, I just needed the cook to be bitter about something. Thank you.

Kagome

I glared down at the turkey as it started to peck at my donkey ears and kicked at, not actually touching but threatening to. The turkey squawked and moved out of my foot's range.

"Dumb bird." I muttered under my breath. I stood up and kicked at the dirt field. Seeing it was nearly sunset I led the turkeys back into their cages and trudged off toward the main house to help the cook start dinner. Well...more like help the cook vent out her anger on rich people by boxing my ears or letting the other servants make fun of me. Seriously, if she hits my ears one more time they're going to fall off.

I walked around the back of the main house, keeping away from the entrance so the rich guests wouldn't be offended by my donkey skin. I stepped through the back door into the kitchen, wishing I could run out when I saw the two people at the servants table.

Wakana and Satsuki were the two servants that enjoyed tormenting me the most, along with the cook Kikyo. I tried to creep in quietly so I would only have to deal with Kikyo, but Satsuki has the ears of a old gossiping villager, she hears and knows everything.

"Say Wakana, can you tell me why Kami decided to turn a jackass into a human? The result is rather ugly." They laughed loudly, knowing I hear them but I just walked by, wishing my miko powers effected humans as much as demons.

I walked deeper into the kitchen and moaned to myself when I heard the cook bang her pots and pans around, knowing she was in a bad mode.

"Donkey!" Kikyo screeched and threw a rotted turnip at my head. I ducked and winched when I saw the fat, old cook glaring holes in me. "You should have been here 5 minutes ago you filthy rat!" She screamed and slapped me along the ears. I hissed and held my ear, knowing if I hid my pain like pride told me to do it would only get worst.

"Clean the dishes before I take away your dinner!" She pointed a fat finger at the sink filled with dirty dishes and stated to chop up vegetables, muttering under her breath, "Damn rich people, they expect me to make dinner for eighty people with that donkey ass as a helper." She snorted and wiped her nose with the back of her hand and went back to chopping.

I turned away from her and filled the sink with using a bucket of water already laid out for me. Kikyo was a unpleasant, old, fat bitter woman who enjoyed to torment most of the servants, the only people ignored by her wrath was Wakana and Satsuki, because they always sucked up to her and would give her the dirt on the other servants. Rumor was that she was so bitter and hated rich people so much because as a girl she had a rich lover who ruined her, and left her for a richer woman.

I was thankful she didn't know who I really was or my life would be worst then it already was. I started to scrub the dishes and wondered how long it would be until Sango came to get me. I'd been on the road...a week or so? And I've been here for about a week, so that's almost two weeks and I haven't heard anything from Sango.

I scowled and placed the clean dish on the counter and started the next one. Sango better not have left for Europe to watch men tan naked without me.

Sango

"You pervert! NO I DO NOT WANT TO TAN NAKED WITH YOU!"

Miroku pouted as he lied on the grassy hill. "But Sango look at how sunny the day is, don't you want to take advantage of the precious sunlight Kami gives us? And what better way then enjoying the way the sun caresses our bare bodies?" He sat up and breathed lightly on Sango's ear. "While I caress yours."

Sango bit her lip and whimpered a little when he started to press soft kisses to her neck and chin. Her eyes flashed when he pressed his hand against her ass and raised her hand to slap him across the face. He backed away and rubbed his sore face.

"Sango. My intentions were honorable."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Yeah, groping me is really honorable."

His eyes turned dark and a slow grin spread on his face. "I was talking about my honorable intention to fuck you so hard you can't walk for days." he purred and leaped on her.

Kagome

I placed the next clean dish on the counter, while I wondered what could possibly be keeping Sango from getting me. Whatever it is, it better be good.

I cleaned the last plate and started to put them all away, and tried not to get in Kikyo's way as she muttered under her breath spells to curse the food and spat on it just in case.

"Jackass!" The old woman yelled her favorite pet name at me. "Go feed this slop to the pigs." She commanded and handed me a bucket of leftover pig guts that the butcher hadn't found any purpose for it. I'm actually surprised Kikyo didn't sneak the pig parts in the rich guests food. ...Oh wait she stuck the pig's brain in the soup, never mind.

I walked out of the kitchen, grateful Wakana and Satsuki weren't around to ask me if I was eating my dinner out with the other ass's tonight. I walked outside, my bucket swinging and I dropped the pig slop in the pig pen. They happily ate it, and I wondered if they knew they were eating their brother or not.

I slowly walked back to the house, arms wrapped tight across my chest under the donkey skin. I looked up at the stars, felt the cold night air bite my face and was so glad not to be Hojo's wife right now. No matter how hard the journey was, no matter how much I wanted to tear Wakana's and Satsuki's lips off, no matter how hard or boring servant work was I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, expect here right now.

Inuyasha

Inuyasha moaned and rubbed his head when Shippo started to beg again to go back and see Donkey. "Inuyasha! When can we go back and visit Donkey? I miss her!" Inuyasha growled and tried to finish writing his letter to his older brother Sesshomaru, King of the West.

"We just left her a week ago."

"But I miss her!" Shippo whinnied.

"I heard you the first 39,574,030 times runt." Inuyasha growled, but Shippo went on like he hadn't said anything.

"Because I really miss her. Don't you miss her?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha got a faraway look on his face and was shocked when he almost told Shippo yes.

He scowled and didn't look up at Shippo. "Feh, of course I don't miss that wench. Why would I? It's not like I'm in love with her." Shippo cocked his head to the side, something he saw Sesshomaru do once when dealing with stupid people.

"When did I ask you if you loved her?" Inuyasha growled at him and left the room, thinking if he could find something to distract him he could get Donkey out of his head.

Kagome

I walked back in, glad to hear Kikyo had stopped hitting her pots and pans around so it should be safe for me now. Kikyo only glared at me when I walked in and pointed towards the dirty dishes she had used to cook dinner with. I washed them, dried them, and quietly crept pass Kikyo when she feel asleep on her stood and began to snore.

I walked down the servant's quarters into the small, dark room I had been given and laid down on the thin futon, wrapping my cloak around me for extra warmth and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Inuyasha (Night)

The woman under Inuyasha moaned as he pounded into her. When her moans and gasps started to get louder, he slipped out of her quickly to flip her over unto her back, watching her breasts jump when he gave a extra hard thrust. Her eyes had been closed tight, but when she opened them as she neared her orgasm Inuyasha felt himself go soft.

Donkey's sapphire eyes stared into his instead of the woman's plain brown ones. Shaken he jerked out of the woman and stood up, gasping. "My lord, what's wrong?" She asked, hoping she would still get her orgasm.

"It's nothing, something's come up." Inuyasha said vaguely and started to pull his clothes back on. He stopped when he heard the woman whimper softly and looked over at her, and realized she hadn't reached her climax. He sat back down on the bed and grinned charmingly at her.

"Sorry." he said and plunged his fingers roughly inside her, pumping her until she came. She laid panting on the bed and Inuyasha pulled the rest of his clothes on and left, knowing what he had to do.

Inuyasha (Morning)

Inuyasha walked slowly into the great hall for breakfast and sat across from Shippo. He was silent for a few minutes and Shippo stared at him, his checks stuffed full of eggs. Finally he sighed.

"Do you want to go see Donkey this afternoon?" Shippo's eyes widened and he flung his arms around Inuyasha's neck and nodded his head violently. Inuyasha pried his hands lose. "Will you calm down? If you choke me to death you won't see Donkey for a long time." Inuyasha warned.

He shook his head when Shippo started to do a strange dance on the table and left, not wanting to know what was wrong with his brother. And Shippo stared at his turned back and grinned evilly as he started to plot how to get Inuyasha and Donkey married together.

Next Morning

I walked beside the lamb I was leading to the pasture, and wished I had a better walking stick. The dumb animals kept wandering all over the place and it was hard to get them in the pen where they could eat their grass and stay in one place.

I mumbled curses under my breath when one of the damn animals stepped on my toe, not afraid of me at all even when I waved the stick around, and just looked at me like I was crazy. I glared back at them, "Stop staring at me you stupid animals!" I hissed under my breath.

Half a hour later I finally got them in the dumb pen and went out to a nearby lake. I looked at my face in the water, and shuddered when I saw how ugly the skin had become, and how dirty my face was. I don't consider myself vain but when I saw my face...ew.

I looked around to make sure anyone wasn't looking and pushed my hood down, and started to wash my face, thinking no one would see it anyway under my hood. After a few minutes my face was the pale cream it had always been and I was tempted to wash the donkey skin to. Instead I slid my donkey skin and simple kimono off, slipping into the lake and washed all the dirt and sweat off my body. When I was done, I climbed out of the lake and washed my kimono. I looked down at the donkey skin and it looked dirtier then it ever had before. I cursed under my breath and stomped my foot on the ground like a spoiled child, I don't want to-

My thoughts stopped when one of the kimono's Hojo had made for me was starting to come up from the ground. It was the kimono of the sky and I stared at it while it laid on the ground in front of me, waiting for me to put it on. Hesitatingly I stomped my foot again on the ground and watched as the kimono of sunlight pushed itself off up from the ground and sat next to the kimono of the sky. I stomped my other foot and instead of seeing the kimono of moonlight come up I saw the jewels that went with each kimono come up from the ground also.

I bit my lip and told myself not to put it on but I never said I had a lot of will power. I gently picked up the kimono of the sky and slid it on, and sighed as I felt the clean cool silk against my body. I picked up a jeweled comb and using that brushed my hair free of all it's tangles and knots. Just for fun, I put the necklace around my neck that went with the kimono also. I stared at the other dress and jewels on the ground and wondered how to put them back. And then I wondered how I even had my kimono and jewels.

Well, Sango had tried to tell me something before she was sucked into that vortex thing, maybe how to get my kimono and jewels was it. Telling me how to put them back would have been nice to through. So I just stared at them and wondered if there was a way to unstomp your feet and watched as the kimono's and jewels just sank back down into the ground. "Well that answers that." I muttered to myself.

My head shot up when I heard voices coming from over the hill and I struggled to undo the kimono and put on the donkey skin again but the kimono wouldn't have enough time to sink into the earth and the kimono's ties were so big you would be able to see them if I wrapped the skin around me.

I looked frantically around, but the voices were getting closer so I just pushed the donkey skin under my kimono and sat on my plain kimono near the lake, hoping to appear just as a woman who was enjoying the day. I clasped my hands together and looked across the water's surface, praying the people coming by would just go somewhere else and pass me by.

I felt my face turn red when I heard Inuyasha's and Shippo's voice auguring as they reached over the hill.

"Let's ask that lady right there if she's seen Donkey, please Inuyasha?"

"Fine, only because it will get you to shut up." Inuyasha muttered and I felt something tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and stared into Shippo's green eyes. His eyes widened and was about to say something when I put my finger over my mouth.

"Shippo! Please, don't tell Inuyasha it's me!" I begged him and noticed that Shippo must have run ahead of Inuyasha because he was still back on the hill.

"But Donkey..." He started to say.

"Shippo please, don't tell him! Pretend you don't know me, promise me you won't say anything!" I demanded and saw he was started to weaken. "My life depends on it." I said further, even through all the searches for my 'killer' had probably been over back at Hojo's palace, but better safe then sorry.

Shippo nodded, his green eyes wide, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Shippo." I said quietly so Inuyasha wouldn't hear us.

"Shippo! Did you ask her yet?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes I did, you interrupted her!" Shippo accused Inuyasha.

"Whatever. Hey wench, you gonna turn around and face me or are you gonna hide your face?" Inuyasha asked rudely.

I gritted my teeth and snapped my head around to face him. "Excuse me? I was not hiding my face, why would I? I have no reason to hide it!" I taunted, daring him to insult me back. But his eyes were glued on my face, and he looked like he was about to start drooling.

I rolled my eyes and waved my hand in front of his face. "Hello? Are you going to rejoin the world of the living anytime soon?" I asked.

He blinked and scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Feh. Whatever wench. Did you see a girl wearing a donkey skin by any chance?"

I nodded. "Yes, I saw her toward the main house a few minutes ago, maybe you could try to catch up with her." I suggested.

He looked at me and then Shippo. "What are you two hiding?" he asked and Shippo squirmed under his intense glare.

I raised a eyebrow, playing the haughty heiress role. "I'm not hiding anything. I answered your question, now go find your friend and leave me in peace." I ordered and turned my back on them.

I heard a thump on the ground next to me and I saw Inuyasha so close he almost crawled into my lap. He started to sniff along my neck and I prayed he wouldn't recognize my scent without the donkey smell, because I sure as hell couldn't mask my scent with him this close.

"What are you doing?" I asked blushing when his nose slightly tickled the soft part of my chin.

"You smell like someone I knew." he said and turned my head to look into my eyes. "Your eyes are so familiar to." He said almost to himself and lightly stroked the skin under my eye. I felt it wasn't even possible to get any redder.

He put his mouth close to my ear and asked, "What's your name?" He pulled back and looked at me with his melting gold eyes.

"Kagome." I said without even thinking.

He smiled slowly. "Well Kagome, I have to go catch up with my friend, I don't suppose I'll see you here later?"

I swallowed and nodded without thinking first. "Good, same time and place tomorrow." He purred and walked away, scooping Shippo up on his back.

I stared after him for a minute, still in shock. I gasped and struggled to get out of my kimono and back into my donkey skin before Inuyasha could come back, because Donkey was not at the main house and he was going to be pissed at walking all the way back here.

I threw the kimono off finally, laid it on the ground and put the necklace down next to it. With a quick snap my plain kimono was free of any dirt that might have got on it and I put it on, throwing the donkey skin over me. I made sure the kimono was sinking back into the ground before I pulled the hood up and ran over to the sleep pen, knowing that would be where Inuyasha showed up.

I barely had time to make sure the hood covered most of my face and to calm myself down so it didn't look like I was running before I heard Inuyasha grumbling loudly with Shippo coming towards me.

"Hey wench! Where the hell were you?" Inuyasha yelled at me when he got close enough. Shippo ran ahead of him and leapt into my arms, shouting over and over again, "Donkey, Donkey! I missed you so much!"

"Hey Shippo! I missed you to!" Quietly so Inuyasha wouldn't hear us I whispered, "Thanks for not telling Inuyasha who I was Shippo."

Shippo nodded at me solemnly and I didn't get the chance to say anything else to him before Inuyasha got to us. "Hey wench, I through you were at the main house?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know I had to walk here, walk back and walk all the way here again when I didn't see you there?" he scowled at me.

I scowled back. "Oh poor baby, did little doggy get tired of all that walking?"

"Shut it wench. I didn't have to come here you know."

"So then why are you gracing me with your presence oh almighty dog God?"

Inuyasha jerked his thumb in Shippo's direction. "The runt wanted to see you again for some reason."

"So you made Inuyasha take you all the way over here? That's so sweet Shippo." I cooed and hugged him again.

"Hey! He didn't make me do anything! I did it because I wanted to come- um I mean-" Inuyasha started to stammer.

"Are you saying you wanted to come see me?" I asked, a evil smile spreading across my face.

"No! I mean, who would want to see you? Kikyo just makes really good soup." Inuyasha defended. Out of politeness I didn't tell him Kikyo had probably mixed her saliva in it.

"Oh, that's all? Then why didn't you let Shippo come over himself? After all, you got so tired just walking back here." I mocked lightly. "You could be at the ranch eating as much of Kikyo's soup as you could stuff in your mouth right now. Why bother coming here?"

"Well sorry for wanting to make sure my little brother got over here ok without him falling into a... a ditch or something." I stared back at him (I don't know why I do that since he can't see my face in the hood's shadows but whatever).

"Sheep graze here, do you think the owners are really going to risk one of them falling in a hole and breaking something?"

"Well um what if a demon tried to attack him?"

"This whole place is blocked with barriers to keep wild demons out. I doubt the owners want a demon to eat their animals."

"I needed the exercise?"

"Wasn't it you who said demons are so much powerful then us weak little humans? Why would you need exercise then?"

"...because I felt like it damn it! Why the hell are you interrogating me? I felt like walking with my little brother, alright? I barely ever get to spend a lot of time with him and though if we came here we could hang out a little. Is that a problem for you?"

"Ummm Inuyasha? Didn't you just say that if I talked to you, you would kill me?" Shippo asked hesitatingly.

"That was only if we saw that hot bitch again. Any other time you can talk to me." Inuyasha said, patting him on the head a little roughly.

"What?" I yelled, blushing a little that Inuyasha through I was hot, and wondering if I should feel that way. "It's alright to want to spend time with him when he's with me, but if you see this so called 'hot bitch' he has to stay away from you"? I asked angrily.

"Well if you didn't cover yourself in that damn skin I might feel the same way about you." Inuyasha shot back before he could stop himself. I gritted my teeth together and set Shippo down.

"You stupid...dog!" I shouted lamely. "I hope one of these stupid sheep step on your toe!" I said and spun around sharply.

"Hey wench, they can't touch me if they're in that pen!" Inuyasha taunted. I put a hand on the pen's gate and slowly started to open it.

"Wanna bet?"

Inuyasha (Later)

Inuyasha grumbled and complained under his breath as he and Shippo made their way back to the ranch. Those damn sheep had not only stepped on one toe but all ten of them. "Damn sheep, damn stupid wench." He muttered under his breath and stepped through the ranch doors. He ignored the people who started bowing at his arrival and stalked towards the dining room, Shippo jogging to keep up with him.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Will you slow down for a minute?" a high pitched and queer voice caused Inuyasha to groan and stop walking.

"What do you want now, Jaken?" Inuyasha growled at his brother's short, green advisor.

The toad cleared his throat and tried to look important, "The Great Lord Sesshomaru has commanded you to attend the ball he will host here tomorrow night from eight pm, to two am."

"What?" Inuyasha growled.

"The great lord-"

"I heard that part you stupid toad!" he snapped. "I don't suppose the 'Great Lord Sesshomaru' will be coming?"

Jaken looked shocked. "Of course he won't come! The Great and Wise Lord Sesshomaru has more important things to do then attend some silly ball."

Inuyasha growled again. "Then why do I have to go?"

"Because the Great, Wise, Powerful Lord Sesshomaru commands you to."

"That's to fucking bad. I don't want to go to some damn party that keeps me away from my bed and stand next to the ugliest and smelliest wenches around." He growled.

"The Great, Wise, Powerful and Strong Sesshomaru says if you do not go he will get rid of all your Ramen, and not order any for six months." Inuyasha whimpered and hung his head.

Sango

Sango was laying flat on her bare back, looking up at the blue sky, panting for breath while Miroku's head was on her breasts and trailing a flower up and down her stomach. Kirara was keeping watch a few yards behind them, and making sure no one would come near them in their...defenseless state.

"Miroku, we really need to stop doing this out in the open, any demon could attack us right now and we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves."

Miroku brushed the flower a bit lower and Sango felt him smile. "We have nothing to worry about, Kirara's keeping watch. And besides, I think we should do this as much as possible." he said and lazily placed a kiss on the breast he was laying on. He rolled over to his side and propped his head on his hand, looking down at Sango solemnly. "Sango I want to talk to you about something."

Sango swallowed and hoped he wasn't about to tell her he wanted a long term relationship.

"Sango, I want this to be more then a one night, or two night stand." Well at least he didn't come out and say 'long term relationship'.

She forced a smile on her face, "So how about a three night stand?"

Miroku sighed. "Sango I'm serious. Just let me talk." he said when she opened her mouth to protest. He sat up and crossed his legs under him and because Sango didn't want to be at a disadvantage she sat up across from him. "Why do you think I care so much about you?"

"Because I'm strong enough to handle rough sex?" Sango asked, half jokingly.

"That's some of it, yes. You're a battle hardened warrior, yet you're so kind and warm at times I can't help but think about what you would look like round with child. You're as brave as the lioness protecting people you don't even know and you're even fiercer when it's people you care about." He smiled and reached over to brush some grass out of her hair. "And you're more beautiful then Kami's angels."

Sango blushed and fought the urge to duck her head and tried to think of something to respond to that. "And I know the last thing you want is a man in your life right now but I just want a chance Sango. I promise I will never purposely hurt you and I won't try to get anyone pregnant but you while we're together. Somehow Sango I fell in love with and can't seem to stop. Please, give me a chance to make you love me back unless you want me to spend the rest of my life alone and seeking one night stands."

Sango scowled at him. "You would still sleep with other women even if you were in love with me?"

"Of course, I would miss you so much I would have to look for someone else. The only problem is that I don't think anyone even comes close to you. Sango, I love you."

Sango was speechless and stared at the grass for a few moments thinking deeply. "Miroku I don't know what to say, you know how dangerous the life of a slayer is and it's worst for a fairy slayer like me. It's almost impossible for one of us to have a normal life with a spouse and children, no matter how much we try to make it work. It might just be better for to try and love someone else Miroku, because I won't give up being a slayer for anyone, not even you." Sango said, staring fiercely at him.

Miroku picked up her hand and twisted their fingers together and touched the side of her cheek with the other hand. "Sango, just give me a chance. Maybe I'll find your to much to handle, or maybe you'll fall in love with me. We'll never know until we try. And do you really want to be alone the rest of your life without even having the chance to have a husband?"

Sango bit her lip and wondered if she could just get up and run away right now. The handcuffs flared up at her thoughts and Miroku shook his head at her sighed.

"Ah Sango, how is it you can face down evil demons that can flick you aside like a bug without even a fear, but when I'm done pouring my soul out to you on how I feel then you want to run away." He muttered a few words under his breath and the chain started to drag Sango towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. "Promise me you'll think about it at least." he asked softly.

Sango hesitated but felt him grin when she nodded. She gasped when he flipped her over suddenly and laid her back against his lap and her head touching the grass, forcing her breasts to thrust out at him. He plucked another daisy out of the ground and grinned wickedly when she groaned as he teased her nipples with it.

"While you're thinking I might as well have something to do to keep me occupied right?" his grin grew wider when he drew the daisy down over her stomach and just barely brushing it across her clit. "Or maybe I should say someone to do."

Kagome (about sunset)

I groaned when my overworked muscles cracked after I got the last of the animals fed and started to make my way back to the main house. Supposedly some prince or whatever was here and every servant here was needed to make sure his every need could be met without him lifting a single finger. I rolled my eyes at the through and hoped I had never been that lazy or spoiled when I was a princess.

I walked into the kitchen and luckily Kikyo, Satsuki, and Wakana were gathered around the kitchen table, gossiping with a young man. Kikyo used to go to other villages and get food that was rare here from him.

"So Sayo, what news is there from Hojo's kingdom?" Wakana asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Oh yes Sayo, you must tell us what's happening over there." Satsuki pressed, holding his gaze a little longer then needed. The young man grinned and sat back in his seat, enjoying the attention.

I rolled my eyes and started to peel the apples Kikyo had left out for me, far away enough from the group they wouldn't notice me unless I said something, but close enough I could hear everything that was being said.

"Well Hojo finally found himself a girl to marry." I looked up a bit to see Kikyo's face had turned red and she looked like she was keeping herself from hitting Sayo.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Wakana asked as she got up to put a glass of tea at his elbow, making sure to press her breasts lightly against his arm.

"His daughter."

Wakana's and Satsuki's eyes widened. "You mean..."

"Oh no! It's not like that. She's adopted."

"Oh, well when's the wedding date?" Wakana asked with little interest.

"There may not be one. Her bloody clothes were found in the woods." I mentally sighed with relief. Good, at least he had found those.

"You mean she's dead?" Kikyo asked, looking a little happy. Sayo leaned forward and looked at the women there intently.

"See, here's the thing... no one knows. Only her clothes were found, but there was no body, just some blood and a trail, but there really wasn't enough of it to actually say of she had died or not. Hojo had search party's for days combing the woods to try and find her body or at least the animal who killed her but nothing was found. So he brought this really powerful miko in to see if she was really dead or not."

By now I hadn't even bothered to try and make it look like I was working since everyone else was paying attention to Sayo. I licked my dry lips and prayed to Kami the miko had told Hojo I was dead.

"So the miko did her thing and she came back and told Hojo his bride was still alive. Worse yet, she and another person set the whole thing up, and she left him willingly." I felt my heart stop for a moment and prayed harder that Hojo had given up on me.

"So is he going to search for her?" Satsuki asked breathlessly.

Sayo looked to the side as if to make sure no one was listening and leaned even closer to them. "Well, what he publicly said is that he wants to find her and talk to her, and if she really doesn't want to marry him he'll let her go. But what I've heard is that he's sending out these people out to find her, and there's a reward for whoever finds her first. He says she cost him a lot of money so once he marries her and gets a heir or two, he's going to kill her."

I gasped and the knife slipped, cutting deeply into my palm. Kikyo spun around to glare at me. "You clumsy jackass! Get yourself over to the sink before you get any of your damn blood on the apples." She shouted at me.

I nodded numbly and stumbled over to the sink. I found a few bandages and when I made sure no one was looking, cleaned my cut with a quick purification swipe over it. I walked back over to the apples I had to peel, barely feeling the throb my cut was making. I sat down and forced myself to peel and ignore the strange looks the rest of the group was sending towards me.

Finally Wakana broke the silence by snorting. "Well, good then, the rest of the world doesn't need a little fool like her who would ran away from one of the most powerful kings in Japan. Who does she think she is anyway that she can turn down the attentions of a lord anyway? Did she have a more powerful suitor?"

"No one courted her, Hojo was her first one ever and no one challenged his claim to her." I gritted my teeth but just kept on peeling apples.

"Has there been any signs of her?" Kikyo asked with a greedy gleam in her eye.

"Hojo thinks she might have gone South, one of the search parties found a piece of silk kimono hanging of a tree branch on a road heading that way." Mentally I thanked Sango for thinking to do that before we had left.

"Enough about that baka, what about this prince who's staying here?" Sayo asked. Wakana and Satsuki looked at each other before bursting out in giggles.

"Oh my Kami, you should see him he's so handsome." Wakana moaned.

"I know, those gold eyes make me feel like melting into a little puddle." Satsuki said dreamily.

I almost cut myself again. Gold eyes?

"Oh what about that long silver hair? It's so much prettier then my own." Wakana said, running a hand through one of her short bangs.

Silver hair?

"You can't forget about the cutest part of him Wakana!" Satsuki lightly scolded and they both looked at each other before squealing "His puppy ears!"

...Puppy ears?

Sayo rolled his eyes. "Prince Inuyasha is staying here then?" he asked annoyed that the girls attention had been taken of him.

Inuyasha? ...THAT FREAKING MORON LIED TO ME! Angrily I threw the knife at the wall, imaging his head was on it.

Sayo gasped and ducked before the knife could go through his head, and the knife buried itself hilt deep in the wall where it should have been his head.

"JACKASS! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Kikyo shouted at me, her hands clenching and unclenching. I stood in shock, trying to come up with something to say.

"Ummm, I saw a bee and I was worried it would string him." I offered.

"WHAT? SO YOU THREW A KNIFE AT IT? THAT'S THE STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER-"

"Well thank you!" Sayo said brightly. "If that bee had stung me I would be dead in under five minutes."

"Well...your welcome." I said weakly.

Kikyo glared at me and pulled the knife out of the wall examining it closely. "I don't see any bee guts on here." She said, the fat on her arms jigging as she waved the knife around.

"Oh calm down Kikyo, it's probably lodged in the wall somewhere." He said lightly and hopped off his chair. "Thanks again." he said cheerfully and walked out the door.

Kikyo kept glaring at me when the door slammed shut behind him. "I don't know what the hell's a matter with you, but I'll let it go this time." she said and pointed a fat finger to her eye. "But know that I've got my eye on you." she glared at me a bit longer before throwing the knife so it landed on the floor in front of me. "Now pick that up and get back to work! If those apples aren't done in half an hour, I'll make your ears turn black and blue." she said and I lowered my head submissively.

I bent to pick up the knife and sat back down in front of the apples and she grunted and turned her attention back to Wakana and Satsuki.

"Hey Kikyo? Are you alright, you looked kinda upset earlier when Sayo was talking about Hojo." Wakana asked, fake concern written all over her face.

Kikyo growled under her breath. "I just hate rich people, but I really hate Hojo's father."

Satsuki looked confused. "But isn't he dead?"

"Of course he's dead you moron, I knew him when he was alive. Stupid cheating worthless bastard."

"What happened between you two?"

"He's the scum who ruined me! I was the most beautiful girl in our village and I still remember the day he rode through, coming back from a hunting trip." Her voice turned light and for the first time since I had came here she almost sounded happy. "Our eyes met and something passed between us, and I don't know about him but I couldn't stop thinking about him. A few days later he came back to take me to his palace and he promised me he was going to marry me.

"I was so happy, I had beautiful clothes to wear, rare jewels to display on my body, and the nights we spent together are some of my best memories." she sighed wistfully but then started to scowl. "But after a few months some princess from the mainland showed up and I was sent back to the village, ruined, poor, I was even forced to come back in the clothes I had left in! I was shunned by my home until I finally left and found a job here instead. All because of that stupid bastard who wanted someone rich." she hissed and spat on one of the apples I had peeled. She sighed wearily and stood up. "Go start setting the tables you two, I need to start cooking."

Wakana and Satsuki obeyed and sent looks to each other behind Kikyo's back that said they couldn't wait to start spreading this around. They left and Kikyo passed me, giving me a halfhearted swipe across the head.

"Work faster." she said gruffly and started cooking a boar over the fire, spitting on it every so often.

Later

I screamed when two burly guards started to drag me towards a shrine, with two people waiting at the head of it. I tried to fight the guards off but I could even shake them lose. They walked me closer and closer and I started to drag when I saw a priest and Hojo standing there. He grinned at me and pressed a small kiss on my cheek.

"Hello wife." he said and held up the bloody knife that had been used to kill the donkey, still dripping its blood, slowly down towards my neck.

I gasped and shot up in on my futon, my heart pounding and sweat covering my body.

Damn it, I hate nightmares. My head spun around to where the door was when I heard it slam open. "Donkey? Are you alright?" I gasped and threw the covers over my head so Inuyasha wouldn't see my face since I didn't have the donkey skin on me.

"Inuyasha." I hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard someone whimpering, and will you take that damn blanket off your head, it's to dark to see anything." he snapped.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You're a demon, you can see in the dark better than most humans." I snapped back.

He sighed and I heard the door shut. "Happy? It's totally dark, and even demons can't see a whole lot without a little light."

I slowly started to pull the covers down. "Why are you still here anyway?" I asked, hoping he wasn't lying and he really couldn't see me. I heard him walk over and sat down close to me on the futon. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He explained, and I waited for several moments from him to add on to that.

"Aren't you going to add you wanted to make sure I was fine for Shippo's sake?"

He chuckled softly. "Would you feel better if I did wench?" He reached out and I softly gasped when his clawed fingertips met my sweat covered face. "What happened? You're sweating for some reason." he asked and lightly stroked my skin. I swallowed, trying to ignore how good his fingers felt.

"I had a bad dream."

"Poor baby." he said and I got the feeling he was serious. His fingers moved lightly over my hair. "Wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head and his fingers moved back over my face. "I can't feel a single scar or imperfection that would cause you to hide under a donkey's hide. So why do you?" he asked and his fingers moved gently over my lips.

"I have my reasons." I muttered and slowly reached up to where I hoped his ears were. I started to rub them and almost laughed when he started to purr. "Are you a cat or a dog demon?" I teased him.

He just mumbled something and dug his face against my neck, and drawing my scent deep into his lungs. "You smell so good without that damn skin." he sniffed harder. "You kinda smell like-" I rubbed harder on his ears and he stopped talking and started to moan. "Ohhh Donkey-"

The damn rooster woke me up, and I shot up straight in bed, one hand clutched the edge of my blanket and the other hand stroking my neck. I scowled and shoved the blankets aside to stand up and throw on my donkey skin. "Damn dreams." I muttered and stalked out of my room.

Later (afternoon)

I was still in a bad mood over that dream I had and didn't feel as guilty as usual when I pushed the sheep roughly into their pens. I was just about to go down to the lake when I saw a red blob coming near me. I grinned evilly and sat down on a rock, waiting for Inuyasha to get his royal little butt over here.

"Hey Donkey, I wanted to ask-"

I got up and bowed low to the ground. "Good morning your Highness, is there anything I can get for you Prince Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stop speaking and stared at me. Finally he sighed. "Look I can explain."

"Well I hope you do because I want to know why you told me you were a simple hunter when you're really the freaking PRINCE OF THE WEST!" I shouted at him.

He hissed and grabbed his ears. "Look I'm sorry, alright? I liked someone not treating me special because I'm royal."

"You told me in the cave you were a hunter, we were on the road together by then almost a week, why didn't you did me then?"

"I...I...I don't know why! Why's it such a big deal anyway? So what if I'm a prince?"

"You lied to me! Look I wouldn't be so mad if I never asked you what you did, but I asked and you just...ugh! I can't even think of anything to say!"

He scowled at me. "Fine then don't say anything!" He started to walk away.

"Fine, I won't!"

"Fine!" I turned my back on him and started to walk to the lake. If he was going to meet me at the lake I had to be changed in less then 15 minutes.

I ran all the way down and stomped my foot twice and watched as the sunlight kimono came up from the ground and I stomped my other foot and my jewelry came up right next to it. I threw the skin and my plain kimono off and slipped the other one on, before clasping a yellow diamond and jade necklace around my throat. I sat down on my kimono and tried to hide the skin as best I could before Inuyasha could come.

Less then a minute later he showed up, still muttering under his breath and looking so angry he would kill anyone who looked at him funny. He dropped down beside me and stared at me for a few moments. I raised my eyebrow and tried to look bored. "What?"

He scowled and tucked his arms inside his sleeves and stared at the ground. "Nothing, I'm just pissed right now. I mean so what if I didn't tell her who I was? It's not like I know anything about her, and she complaining about me! Stupid wench."

With a pang of guilt I realized he was right and I really shouldn't complain but I had a reason to hide! And I haven't lied to him. Mislead and not tell things, yes, but lie? Never. It's just a shame I have to act like I don't know what he's talking about. Oh well, I'll yell at him again as Donkey later.

"Excuse me?" I asked, acting like I had no clue about what he was talking about.

He grunted and looked up. "Forget it, we usually can't go a day without fighting, only now she's never going to let me forget I lied to her." Damn right. "Anyway, back to more important things..." He smiled at me, and whipped a small scroll out of a pocket hidden somewhere in his sleeve. "My brother's forcing me to go to this ball tonight. I thought it might be less painful to go to if I had your beautiful face to stare at."

"Compliments will get you nowhere." I said and unrolled the scroll. I raised both eyebrows as I read it. "'The Great, Wise, Powerful, Wonderful, Strong Lord Sesshomaru of the Vast and Rich West-'"

"My brother's adviser wrote that, creepy frog man."

"'-invites all women of noble houses to attend a ball attended by his younger brother Inuyasha-'"

"Notice that he only called me 'younger brother Inuyasha. I didn't even get my title, stupid swamp breath."

"'-taking place tonight at the royal ranch of the west from sunset to sunrise. Let it be known Inuyasha is still searching for a wife-'"

"WHAT DID THAT TOAD WRITE?"

"'-and all the women who come have the chance of becoming his bride. Have a safe trip there.'"

"THAT DAMN FROG! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON HIM, HE'LL GO FROM GREEN TO BLACK AND BLUE!"

"Are you inviting me to this?" I asked shocked.

He stopped shouting and yelling threats to looking at me strangely. "Yeah, what? You don't want to go?"

I bit my lip. "Well, it's not that..."

"What?"

"I...hate parties?" I asked.

"Come on, go to it. You can protect me from all the women who want to snag a prince as their grooms." he gave me those puppy dog eyes. "Shippo will be there."

"Is it just guests from the West?"

"I'm pretty sure it is, why, does it matter?"

"Yeah see...I sort of have a few lovesick suitors after me. I'd like to avoid them if I can." I explained, hoping he would buy the lie.

He looked at me then shrugged, "Whatever, So you'll go?" I hesitated but nodded. He stood up and nodded, trying to hide it but I could still see the relief in his eyes. "Ok I guess I'll see you there then. Um, one more thing?" he slowly handed another scroll to me. "If you see Donkey...could you give this to her? I tried to earlier but she was mad at me and then I got mad at her and then...yeah."

I blinked and took the scroll without thinking. "I will." I said softly.

He nodded and turned away. "See you tonight then. Don't be late wench!"

Later (Half an Hour before the ball)

I was rushing around trying to finish my chores early and at the same time calculating in my head how much time I would need to change. I took a bath, washed my hair and tried to scrub the dead donkey smell out as much as possible about a hour or so ago so that wasn't a problem, I just had to change and do something with my hair. I looked at the sun and with a rush dumped the rest of the pigs food in their pens, trying to stay downwind of the stink.

I walked quickly over to the kitchen and prayed that Kikyo wouldn't be in a bad mood. I let out the breath I didn't know I hadn't been holding when Kikyo was calmly cutting vegetables for a soup, and spitting in it every so often. I cleared my throat and she looked up at me, scowling.

"What are you doing Jackass? You're supposed to be doing your chores!" she snarled at me.

"I finished early." I said and hoped she wouldn't throw the soup at me. She growled low under her breath.

"Fine, I can't trust you with the food since you got blood all over it! Honestly Jackass, you want to put stuff in there people won't notice, you know how many people noticed blood in their apple pies yesterday?" she shouted at me. Trust Kikyo to be mad I didn't mix my spit in the food instead. "You're free until midnight, you have to wash the dishes after all those rich pigs in kimono's finish stuffing their faces at dinner. Oh and if I find out you're really not done with your chores I'll box your ears so hard they fall off, and I'll stuff them in a soup or turkey or something. Got it?" she asked. I nodded rapidly and walked out the door. "I better see you here at midnight if you like walking without a limp!" she called out threateningly.

I was already out the door so I just ignored her and ran straight to the woods and hid behind a few trees, making sure no one was around before I slipped the donkey skin off me and into a shallow hole I dug before I took a bath. I stamped my foot three times against the earth and while I wait for the dress to come up, pulled my kimono off and placed it on top of the skin.

Shivering slightly in the cool air, I careful put a rock over the hole and pulled on the moonlight kimono after making sure my fingers were clean. I stamped my other foot three times and a sapphire and diamond necklace melted up, followed by matching bracelets and a few silver combs with sapphire flowers on it. I slipped the jewelry on and very carefully rolled my hair into a bun and slid the combs in to make it stay.

I wished I had a mirror to see if I did it right or if I ended up looking like a baka but I didn't have a mirror and the sun was about to set. I made sure no one was around, and that the scroll was in my hand before leaving the forest and walking around to the front of the ranch. I mentally groaned when I realized I didn't have a coach to arrive in and wondered how I was going to explain that to the footman at the door.

I smiled when I remembered a old trick I had used to escape from some of the most boring balls Hojo ever had and walked confidently forward, even through a little voice inside my headed screamed at me to turn back just incase there was guests who knew Hojo and would recognize me.

I ignored it and kept walking to the door, not even looking at the people who started to stare at me. The footman's eyes widened and bowed low when I walked up the steps.

"My lady, what can I do for you?" he asked respectfully.

I handed him the scroll. "I've been given a invitation to King Sesshomaru's ball and am here to attend. May I go in?" I asked, and gave a graceful gesture of my head towards the door that I had practiced with for the last five years in front of a mirror.

He stuttered, "but my Lady, where's your coach?" he asked still not sure if he should let me in.

I laughed like I had seen the airheaded women back at Hojo's court to and fluttered my eyelashes slightly. "I told my coach to drop me off at the front of the road, the night's just to be beautiful to be underneath the roof of a carriage don't you think?" I asked with a small smile I had seen on the same airheaded women's faces.

He tucked the scroll in a bag next to him that was overflowing with others and bowed towards the door. "You're right my Lady, please go in and enjoy the night." I nodded at him and walked by, and not letting myself chuckle until I left earshot.

Back when I was younger, I used the old walking excuse to get out of Hojo's palace for awhile and didn't come back for hours, it drove Hojo insane. Never though I would use it to crash a party. I made my way through the hallways to where I could hear music and where there were a few other couples ahead of me. I walked over to the entrance of the ball, still in the shadows getting ready to go down.

I took a deep breath, said a short prayer to Kami and walked into the room and started to go down the stairs. The ball room was huge, which was surprising considering this is only supposed to be a royal ranch. The entire room was either marble or some type of precious metal. The columns looked like they had been craved from ivory, and some kind of flower/vine had been twisted around it. Murals of the rulers of the west graced the ceiling and angels and other beings were flying around them. A buffet was set up in the corner and at the opposite end there was a huge symphony playing while couples danced on the floor next to it.

I was still walking down the stairs, very slowly because I didn't want to trip and rip something. The chatter I had heard from outside was quieter now, and I had to keep myself from staring back when people looked at me and whispered behind fans about me. I kept my gaze rotating around the room, or looking straight at the wall ahead of me. But I felt a pair of eyes almost burning into me so I looked down and met Inuyasha's gold eyes.

I swallowed when his gaze refused to leave mine despite the beautiful women around him begging for attention, and a weird little green thing next to him who tried to make him talk to them. He stared at me, so I stared back not looking where I was stepping. I lost my footing and groaned, waiting for my face to meet the steps.

So I was shocked when my face came about half way down to kiss the stairs and I stopped falling in midair. Gentle arms helped me regain my balance and set me on the step I had missed. I bowed when I met Inuyasha's eyes again. "Thank you my lord." I said respectfully.

The whole room had gone silent, even the band had stopped playing when Inuyasha used his demon speed to run up and catch me. I felt hundreds of eyes staring/glaring at me but I didn't take my eyes from Inuyasha's.

He opened his mouth to say something but then the band started playing and a high pitched whiney voice starting yelling at Inuyasha to dance with someone. He growled and rolled his eyes. He glared down at the green thing that I could see now was a frog and looked scared when he saw all the women fluttering their eyelashes and smiling seductively. He gulped and looked over at me. "Dance with me?" he lowed a voice to a whisper "Please?" he asked and gave me those puppy eyes.

I nodded and prayed I still remembered the few dance lessons I actually went to. He took my arm and we walked down the last few steps together, everyone's eyes were glued on my face and most of the women looked like they hoped I would trip again. He led me over to the dance floor and placed his hand on my waist, I put my hand on his shoulder. The band started to play again and people started to talk while Inuyasha guided me across the dance floor and I tried not to trip or step on his feet like I did with my dance teacher back at Hojo's palace.

"I didn't think you would show up tonight." Inuyasha said and lifted me up quickly and set me back down when that part of the dance came.

"I didn't either." I said, not thinking of anything else to say.

Inuyasha swallowed and looked around "Was Donkey still mad at me?" he asked, his voice down to a whisper. "I don't see her yet."

"She couldn't come, I gave her the invitation but she was needed in the kitchens. I guess you're stuck with me for the night."

"Feh."

"Where's Shippo? I through you said he was going to be here?" I asked looking around to see if he was stuffing his little face at the buffet table.

"He was here. Now he's gone."

I narrowed my eyes at him and he looked a little nervous. "What?"

"I didn't say he was going to be here the whole night did I? He does have to sleep you know, he can't stay up till dawn or whatever stupid time it is."

I glared at him but made myself stop when I heard people start to whisper. "You didn't mention that part." I hissed. "I wanted to see him again."

He looked at me. "Why do you like him so much anyway? You've meet him once."

Damn it, does he have to question everything? "He reminds me of my little brother...Souta." I said, coming up with a boy who's family worked in Hojo's palace for generations. Of course he was also cruel and hurt little animals but Inuyasha couldn't know that.

He shrugged, "Whatever, do you want to grab something to eat?" he asked, his eyes rolling longingly at the food table at the end of the room. I nodded and when the song finished Inuyasha took my elbow and started to weave around the crowds, avoiding the weird little green frog who was calling for him, I guess.

He drooled when we got to the table and took a plate and started shoving food on it. "To bad they don't have any Ramen right Inuyasha?" I asked without thinking.

He snapped his head towards me and narrowed his eyes. "How do you know I like Ramen?"

I shrugged and tried to look innocent, "Must of heard it somewhere. Probably from a servant. So why isn't there any? You probably threatened to kill the cooks if they didn't put it out knowing you...uh I mean from what I've heard about you." I added on lamely and made a mental note to start thinking before I speak unless I want Inuyasha to find out who I am.

He looked at me funny but he shrugged and raised the plate to his lips. He poured all the food on it down into his mouth, chewed for five seconds and swallowed.

"Master Inuyasha! Where are your manners? " a high pitched voice asked and I mentally agreed with him.

"Shut up toad." he said bored and picked up a apple, took a bite out of it and threw it at a frog's head.

"Master Inuyasha-"

"Oh so it's 'Master Inuyasha' now? In that damn invitation all I got was 'the brother of the great King Sesshomaru."

"-there are many beautiful girls who came all this way to meet you. Go dance with them!" The toad ordered him.

"Make me Jaken!" Inuyasha taunted and took a huge bite out of a ham.

"Dance with them or I'll tell the Great, Powerful, Wise and Handsome King Sesshomaru you were bad and to take your Ramen away."

Inuyasha paused in finishing off a turkey leg and narrowed his eyes at him. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"Fine, but I swear I'll make your life a living hell after this night is over." Inuyasha hissed at him. He turned to me and shrugged. "I'll be back, don't do anything stupid while I'm gone wench." I opened my mouth to say something (Like 'what did you say you stupid, moronic dog?') but he turned away and accidentally walked over Jaken.

I wandered around for a little bit while Inuyasha forced himself to dance with some of the most beautiful women in the West for the sake of his Ramen. I wasn't paying attention and almost ran into a man with brown eyes and plain black hair pulled back who had a hurt and angry expression on his face.

"Are you alright sir?" I asked when he didn't move out of the way.

"Give it back!"

"...give what back?"

"My heart." I rolled my eyes. "Go find someone else to bother." I said rudely and tried to move out of the way.

He blocked me and smiled charmingly. "I'm sorry my lady, but I really came over to ask you something serious."

"Yes?"

"Well I was wondering what it felt like to be the most beautiful girl here?"

I scowled at him. "Stop using pick up lines, that's one of the worst one's I've ever heard."

He smirked. "You think that one's bad? What about, 'You're a piece of eye candy and I've got a sweet tooth.'"

I laughed. "Kami please tell me that one never worked."

"Nah, but you can't blame me for trying it. My friend used 'Who took the stars out of the sky and put them in your eyes?' once and it actually worked."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're getting married in a few months now."

"What's the worst pick up line you've ever used on a girl?" I asked.

He thought about it for a moment "Do you have a raisin?"

"...no."

"Well how about a date?"

I laughed again. "Did it work?"

"You tell me."

"Didn't work."

He pouted. "You don't have to be so mean you know, I may not be the best looking guy but I'm the only one talking to you."

"Not anymore."

The man jumped and I turned around to see Inuyasha growling at him. He took my elbow and pulled me close. "I would go away if I was you before I got really angry." he suggested. The man nodded and bowed before almost running away.

I turned around to glare at Inuyasha. "Did you have to scare the poor guy like that?"

"Yes, do you even know anything about that guy? He hits on every woman he thinks as money. And you! I can't believe you, you were flirting with him! It was so disgusting and-"

"Flirting?" I interrupted. "You think I was flirting with him?"

"If the shoe fits..."

"Oh shut up, I doubt you even know what that saying means!"

"I know enough to know you were flirting!"

"I wasn't flirting you baka! That was talking!"

"Flirting!"

"Talking!"

"Flirting!"

"Talking!"

"Flirting!"

"How long were you even there to decide I was 'flirting?"

"I heard you from across the room! Me and every demon heard you!"

"Demons can't hear that far away unless they concentrating on something! ...Wait you were eavesdropping on me?"

"So what if I was? I don't trust the guys around here with you looking like you do." Inuyasha said.

"...wait so you were trying to protect me?" I asked, touched.

"Feh, call it what you want wench."

I looked away and blushed.

10 Minutes before Midnight

I was out on the balcony, waiting for Inuyasha to come back out. Jaken, had forced him to come dance with a few more girls and he promised he would come back with chocolate. He finally came back out, his clawed hands full of brightly colored wrapped things. I sat down on the railing before he handed them to me.

"You better not fall wench." I shrugged and tore the paper open.

"I've been on higher." I said, thinking of Sango's home.

He leaned on the railing next to me and popped a chocolate in his mouth. "Hey Kags?" he asked slowly.

"What?"

"I was wondering... and look don't take this the wrong way but um...well would you take my ring?" Inuyasha finally burst out with.

I looked at him. "What?" I asked again.

He pushed a hand through his silver mane, not looking at me. "Look it's not really a secret Sess wants to marry me off to someone so he doesn't have to deal with me anymore, and Jaken said if I don't find someone tonight to at least give a promise ring to, Sess is going to force me into a marriage. So I was wondering...if you would take it?" he asked, looking at me finally.

I opened my mouth but closed it again when I couldn't think of something to say. I really wanted to say yes...but would that be fair? I couldn't stay in Japan, not while Hojo was still here. It wouldn't be safe for me to spend any time here longer then I needed to. I could put Inuyasha in danger to if I'm not careful.

But...

I love him.

I felt my heart skip a beat. Oh Kami, when did this happen? I'm in love with Inuyasha. Knowing this was possibly one of the stupidest things I had ever done I smiled and nodded my head yes.

He looked so happy I couldn't take it back. He took my hand and carefully slipped a gold and ruby ring over my finger. He gently lifted my chin up to his and lowered his head, giving me all the time in the world to pull away. I refused to pull away as we inched closer, my head tilted up until our lips finally met in a sweet, gentle kiss.

We sat there for a short while, our lips locked. I wanted the heavenly kiss to last, but I knew I had to soon flee. I let my fingers interlock with his, butterflies in my stomach, and feeling my heart skip a beat, I swear I could've died right there and then. I really couldn't believe what was happening, but in a way, I knew it was true. We pulled back to breath and I had no idea what to say. I just stared in his melting gold eyes.

"Kagome...I-"

The clock struck twelve, the rings louder then what he was about to say.

"No!" I cried out.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Inuyasha asked.

I shook my head, damn it why did the night have to end? "I'm sorry, I have to go." I said and pulled out of his arms as fast as I could.

"What? Kagome, wait!"

I ran into the ballroom and ignored all the faces staring at me. I heard Inuyasha running behind me, but before he could touch me he tripped over Jaken. People crowded around him to help him up and I ran up the stair case and down the hall, my tears falling freely. As soon as I got outside I masked my scent and ran into the woods. I kept running and running until I came to the tree where I buried my donkey skin and fell to my knees, still crying. I forced myself to calm down and stood up, and took the kimono off, throwing it on the ground. I slid the combs out of my hair and unhooked the necklace and bracelets.

I thought I heard a gasp but after looking around I saw no one and carelessly dropped the jewelry on the ground. I stamped my foot again and again until a necklace with a chain came up. I ripped the pendant off and slipped Inuyasha's ring onto the gold chain and placed it around my neck, close to my heart. I threw on the kimono and donkey skin and walked quickly back to the kitchens, hoping Kikyo wouldn't notice I was late.

I walked in to hear Kikyo banging pots and pans all over the place and winched, knowing she would take her anger out on me soon enough. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN JACKASS?" She yelled as soon as I walked into her sight range.

"Sorry Kikyo, I didn't realize the time." I said, keeping my head down. I gasped when a large fist came out and hot me hard across the face, sending me down to the floor. I rubbed my eye and groaned, knowing there would be a bruise there for awhile.

"GET YOUR SLOW ASS OVER THERE TO THE SINK AND START WASHING THE DISHES!" Kikyo screamed at me. I got up and walked over to the sink, making sure to stay as far away as possible from Kikyo. I sighed and started to wash the mountains of dishes as quietly as possible, and whenever Kikyo wasn't looking, I gently touched Inuyasha's ring to make sure the whole night wasn't just a dream.

Kikyo (around the time of Kagome fleeing from Inuyasha)

Kikyo looked at the clock before spitting in tomorrow's breakfast and going outside to look for Donkey. "Where the hell is that jackass? I told her to be back by midnight." she grumbled, her old bones creaking with every step she took. She saw a flash of white in the woods. Thinking it was something valuable she stumbled forward, trying to stay away from the rocks but not quite keeping clear of them.

She walked into the woods, being careful to be quiet incase someone was there. She heard loud sobbing and tip toed forward, wanting to see who was there without them knowing she was watching them. She hide behind a tree when she came close to the person clearing. It was a beautiful women wearing a kimono that looked like it had come from the moon. The woman sat there crying for awhile before finally standing up. Kikyo gasped when she saw what was on the woman's neck. It was the very jewels Hojo's father had given her as a girl! Kikyo bit her lip so hard it bled. The bitch wearing her jewels must be Hojo's bride.

The woman roughly took off the kimono and jewels, throwing them to the ground like they were worthless. Kikyo had to keep from gasping when the clothes started to sink into the ground and kept her attention on the woman, wanting to see who she was. She bent down and unrolled a rock over a hole, and lifted a cape from it. Kikyo squinted her eyes. The cape looked like... donkey skin. ...Jackass was Hojo's daughter?

Kikyo gritted her teeth together and turned away from Donkey putting her clothes on, her hatred for Donkey growing even more then it already was. "I wonder if Sayo is willing to take a message to Hojo about where is bride is?" Kikyo muttered, smiling truly for the first time in years.

Sango (a few days later in a bar)

Sango waited for Miroku to pay for their sake before she lifted the cup up and poured half the contents of it down her throat. She still hadn't answered Miroku about giving him a chance and hoped getting drunk would keep him off her back for awhile.

"Sango don't drink so fast. I'm not buying enough sake for you to get drunk with, this is all you get." Miroku said calmly and took a sip of his.

"Oh, and I suppose I don't have money of my own?" she grumbled and took another big swing. They heard loud laughter coming from one corner of the bar and a man got up and sat down on the counter.

"Free drinks for everyone!" he cried out, drunk. People cheered and came up to pat him on the shoulder as Miroku and Sango watched on. The bartender came by to refill their cups and Sango nodded their thanks, but started to drink just a sip at a time, staring at the man who paid for their drinks.

"What is it?" Miroku asked when she kept staring. "...you don't think he's cuter then me do you?" he glared at the man.

Sango waved her hand like she was swiping a fly away. "Shut up Miroku, I'm just wondering where he got the money to buy everyone a drink. He doesn't look that rich." she explained, her eye's sweeping over his second hand clothes.

"That's it? Watch the master my sweet thing." he said and walked over to the man. Sango decided to wait till later to hit him and hopped off the stool, following him over.

"Thanks for the drinks my good man." Miroku said, patting the man on the shoulder. "May I ask how you are fortunate enough to be able to afford to buy everyone drinks?" Miroku asked, keeping his tone light and easy.

The man belched and took another swing from the sup of sake he had. "It's easy if you know the right people." He stammered out. He leaned forward like he was telling a secret. "You see, this lady I know in my village," Hiccup, "thinks she knows where the lost bride of Hojo's is." Hiccup! "So she sent me with a message, I gave it to Hojo himself! And the man gave me all this money!" Hiccup! He took another gulp of sake and spit it all over himself when he hiccupped again.

"What!" Sango yelled and grabbed him by the neck of his shirt. "What do you mean they gave you money?" she shouted right in the man's face.

"Hey lady, bring it outside, I don't want no fighting in my bar!" the bartender yelled.

She snarled at him and dragged the man outside and slammed him up against a wall. "What the hell did you mean by that?" she hissed in his face.

"What do you think lady? Kikyo must have really found the girl because Hojo threw me a sack of gold and ordered his men to get his horse ready!" Hiccup!

"Damn it!" Sango yelled at threw him aside. She whistled and Kirara appeared and turned into her big cat form. The chain around her wrist appeared and dragged her back to Miroku.

"Sango, what's gotten into you!" Miroku asked, trying to keep a struggling Sango in his arms.

"Damn it Miroku, let me go, I have to get to her!" Sango cried.

"Get to who? Sango will you calm down?"

"Kagome! The girl Hojo's looking for! It's my fault she's still in danger, I have to find her before Hojo can get to her!"

"Ok wait calm down and explain everything to me slowly."

"Kagome is my fairy godsister, ok? I'm the one who helped her escape Hojo but I couldn't stay with her, I have to find her and get her out of the country now. Kami I can't believe I stayed away so long." Sango groaned.

Miroku let her go and she rushed to Kirara, Miroku sliding in behind her. "Do you have any ideas where she is?"

"Only that she's in the West somewhere." Sango shouted once Kirara lifted and started to fly. Sango felt Miroku tighten his grip on her once she began to cry. 'Please Kagome, forgive me for staying away so long. I promise I'll find you before Hojo can touch a hair on your head.'

AN: And it's finally FINISHED! Really sorry about the long wait (and I'm really sorry about the cliffhanger hahaha) but I hope you guys still enjoyed it. I might take mercy on you and write the last part to this before I write Snow White but I'm probably not. Depends on HOW MANY REVIEWS I GET! (Hint hint) Hope you guys enjoy the rest of the holidays!