Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…but I can dream.

Authoress' Note: I'm pumped about all the reviews I have gotten, 11 so far on chapter one. That makes me very happy. So, in exchange for the reviews I will give a rapid update in hopes that I can get more reviews! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

My Samurai
A Cinderella Story
Part Two

"Miroku! Sango!" Inutaisho said as warmly as he could muster as he greeted his nephew and wife as they entered the castle.

Inuyasha stood back behind his father as Miroku and Sango were ushered into the main hall of the castle. After Inutaisho was finished greeting them and had excused himself to his study until dinner, Miroku and Sango were finally able to greet their cousin properly.

"Inuyasha! It's good to see you" Miroku said, giving his cousin an uncustomary hug.

"It's good to see you to Miroku. It's been almost a year, hasn't it?"

"Yes, not since the wedding. We've been keeping to ourselves since then. And you remember Sango?" he asked, turning back to his wife who had been standing behind him.

"Oh course. It's nice to see you" he said, giving Sango a hug.

"I'll show you to your room, its right this way." Inuyasha said pleasantly, although not pleased to be playing host; it wasn't that he didn't enjoy the company of his cousin, but he didn't feel that it was his job to entertain the guests in his home. They got their bags and followed him through the maze of hallways until they reached the room that had been made for them.

Inuyasha paused outside of the door, hoping to hear the girl's voice coming from the room. When he heard nothing he opened the door, lighting the two lamps over the bed as Miroku and Sango put their belongings down.

"I hope this is suitable for you" Inuyasha said, although he didn't care whether his cousins were satisfied or not, in truth he wanted nothing more than to go and be alone in his chambers but he knew that doing so was not a possibility.

"Oh it's perfect, thank you" Sango said with a smile and Inuyasha painfully returned.

"Well, then I'll leave you to get settled in. dinner is going to be served in an hour in the main dining room and I will see you then" he said and he didn't wait for their response before leaving the room, closing the door tightly behind him. He took a deep breath as he leaned against the wall, stopping just to think.

He couldn't get the words of his father and the song of the servant girl out of his head. He knew that he had a duty to marry Princess Kikyo, after his brother ran off and married without their father's approval, Inuyasha knew that it was his duty to make his father proud and make a good match. The most he hoped for in his arranged marriage was to eventually grow to like his wife, he didn't think to feel anything stronger than mild attraction to a girl he had met only for a moment; without thinking of the fact that she was a servant.

I don't believe in love. He told himself as he walked back to his room to hide away before dinner. Let alone love at first sight. I'm royalty; I don't have the opportunity to fall in love. Love tears apart royal marriages… his thoughts trailed off as he unlocked the door to his chambers, walked in and then locked the door behind him.

As soon as he made it to his bed and sat down there was a pounding on his door, accompanied by the ever present sound of his father's voice.

"Inuyasha! My study, now!" he shouted, pounding on the door one last time before Inuyasha knew that his father had left, expecting him to arrive in his study quickly. Inuyasha sighed heavily and left his room, not remembering to lock it after he left.

When he arrived at his father's study he found Inutaisho sitting behind his desk looking as if he had been waiting for hours.

"You should have hurried" he said as Inuyasha sat down on the other side of the desk, the place he normally say while being scolded by his father.

"And you should have waited for me to open the door and we could have had this conversation in my bedchambers."

"I do not need you backtalk Inuyasha. You know better than to make me angry."

"Of course father, I apologize."

Inutaisho smiled, finding an odd sense of enjoyment in breaking the attitude of his younger son. "Don't you want to know why I called you here?" he asked.

Inuyasha remained looking at the ground, too intimidated by his father to look at him, "Yes father."

"I have heard from the parents of Princess Kikyo today."

Hearing the name of his bride-to-be forced Inuyasha to look at his father. He leaned forward in his chair, leaning slightly on the desk, waiting for his father to tell him more.

"She will be coming for a visit this week, to acquaint herself with our kingdom before the wedding next month. I will expect you to show her the kingdom while she is here, while still being hospitable to your cousin and Sango."

"Yes, father."

"So you understand what I'm asking of you? No disappearing and returning with stories about servant girls?"

"Yes, father. I understand."

"Good. You can go now. I will see you at dinner."

"Yes father" he stood and quietly left the study. As he closed the door behind him he was angry. Not angry at his father, or angry at Princess Kikyo, but he was angry at himself. He hated who he was when his father was there, and he hated being meek and not having the nerve to stand against his father's will. And although he felt this way he knew it was the way it had to happen; he was a hanyou, Sesshoumaru had an unfair advantage over him, but once he broke his father's law and married without the king's permission, Inuyasha rose to the place of favored son. Remaining the favored son was all Inuyasha strived for, he needed to make up for his human half and doing everything his father commanded was how he did it.

He began his walk back to his room when he decided that it wasn't worth the walk. Wanting to escape nobility he walked to the only place where he had ever felt himself; the kitchen.

He stood outside of the kitchen doors and was pleasantly surprised to hear the familiar voice of the servant girl cascading out of the kitchen.

"Once a lass, met a lad. "You're a gentle one" said she. In my heart I'd be glad, if you'd love me for me" her voice sang. The sound of her voice comforted him and melted away the way is father made him feel. He pushed open the door and snuck in unnoticed, still listening to her singing as she washed the floor while the other servants prepared dinner.

"You say your love is true and I'll hope that it will be. I'd be sure if I knew that you loved me for me." Her song continued and Inuyasha saw how comforted the kitchen staff was by her song, which gave him comfort as well.

He cleared his throat and suddenly the song stopped and the whole kitchen was aware of his presence there. As most servants bowed and mumbled welcomes to him, he walked over to the woman who had watched him as he grew and he gave her a warm smile.

"Ah, Prince Inuyasha. It has been a while since I've seen ye in the kitchens. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about us." Kaede said as she continued stirring the large pot of soup.

"No Kaede, things have just been…busier than usual."

"Ah yes, the wedding. How soon is it now?" Kaede asked, regarding him not as a prince but as a fellow person. Kagome turned around so she was scrubbing the floor while watching Kaede talk to the prince, the way in which they talked shocked her. She had never seen anyone talk to the prince in the way Kaede did.

"The wedding is next month. Princess Kikyo is coming for a visit this week though. Which means I play host to her while still entertaining Miroku and Sango."

"Breathe Inuyasha; stress will be what sends you to a premature grave."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and then turned to see Kagome kneeling closely behind him. He looked down at her and she looked up and blushed.

"I'm so your majesty." She mumbled softly.

Inuyasha looked at her more closely, hoping that staring at her would help him remember her name. He knew that she had told him, after two failed attempts and yet his brain would not pull the information forward.

"We've met, haven't we?" he asked after looking at her for a while, "You were the one who was singing?"

"Yes your majesty. My name is Kagome."

Kagome, that's right! Of course now I remember after she tells me. I feel like such a fool. But wait…why do I worry about feeling foolish in front of a servant girl? Snap out of it Inuyasha!

"Your…majesty?" Kagome asked, as Inuyasha seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts and looked back down to the girl, "I'm sorry, my mind ran off with me again."

Kagome smiled and put the scrub brush in the bucket and stood up so she was face to face with Inuyasha. "Don't worry your majesty, sometimes it's best to let your mind run, and then you just have to follow it."

"I'll…remember that"

She smiled again and walked away to the sink to empty out the bucket. As he looked back to Kaede, she was ladling soup into bowls.

"Dinner is ready Inuyasha, ye best be making your way to the dining hall."

Inuyasha nodded, "You're right. Thanks for letting me hide out in here."

"Ye always are welcome here Inuyasha. Now go, you don't want your father to be angry with ye."

He walked to the kitchen door and looked back into the kitchen, hoping to catch Kagome's eye, but he didn't. She was focused on cleaning the bucket out and didn't notice him standing in the doorway before he left.

She walked back over to Kaede, "Did I make a fool of myself Kaede?"

Kaede smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, "No child, ye did not make a fool of yourself. Inuyasha is just very troubled, his mind be not in the right place. And I have told you once before Kagome; do not get too invested in the prince. It's a road that only leads to disappointment."

"I know Kaede…but there's something in me that's still…"

"Still what child?"

"…hoping"

Authoress' Note: a little bit longer this time around to make up for the shortness of the first one. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Review Responses:

Pure Shikon: Inutaisho scares me too. He's supposed to be scary and I'm glad you feel the same way.

TokyoBabe and moonlightshadow123: I love that song too and I'm glad that other people love it as well!