Disclaimer: don't own it…as usual.

Authoress' Note: Bum bum bum…what does Inuyasha want to talk to Kagome about??? Who knows?! I do! Well…read and review pleaseeeeeeeeeeee!

PS. Happy Thanksgiving!

Set Me Free
Chapter Twelve

"All right. Come with me to my chambers. But I must warn you that I do not have much time Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded, "I know Miss Kagome. It will not be long, I promise you."

Kagome walked towards her bedroom, Inuyasha following slowly behind her while giving Sango and Miroku one backwards glance; hoping that they could give him something that would make what he was going to say easier. They reached her room and Kagome let Inuyasha walk in first and then closed the door behind them. She then walked past him and sat down on the edge of her large four-poster bed. She patted the bed beside her and motioned for him to sit down next to her. He looked at her and the bed and shook his head.

"No thank you Miss Kagome. It's not my place."

"I'm making it your place Inuyasha. Please sit down next to me."

Inuyasha reluctantly walked to the bed and sat down beside Kagome and began to fidget uneasily.

"Now what did you have to talk to me about Inuyasha?" she asked with a smile; trying to put him at ease.

"I think that you should send me back to the slave plantation. It's not good to keep me here." He said, looking at the ground so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye.

"What do you mean Inuyasha? I thought we were all going to be happy here together. Are you not happy? Why would you want to go back to that terrible place?" she asked, not understanding what he was telling her.

"No Miss Kagome. I am very happy here. That is not the problem."

"Then what could possibly want you to go back to that?"

"It's not appropriate Miss Kagome. Just know that it warrants me leaving."

"Inuyasha, please tell me" she pleaded, "Look at me and tell me what is wrong. I don't want to lose you to a place like that."

Inuyasha lifted his head slowly up and looked Kagome in the eye. They held each other's gaze for a minute before Inuyasha took a deep breath and spoke. "It's because I love you Miss Kagome. And I can't be around you if I'm going to feel that way. It's inappropriate and uncalled for. I assume you can understand why I can't stay here anymore now."

Kagome looked at him, slowly taking in everything he had said. "Inuyasha…" she started but didn't know what else she could possibly say to him. She didn't want to lose him; she enjoyed his presence in her household greatly and valued his friendship. But the more she thought about what he said; she hated to admit that he was right. It was against the law for a slave to love, let alone love their master. She thought frantically, searching her mind for something she could do to convince him that his feelings were nothing to worry about and that he would be able to stay with her. Unfortunately she couldn't think of anything. Her chocolate eyes made contact with his amber ones, pleading with him to stay without saying a word.

"I'm sorry Miss Kagome. I don't want to upset you. But I need to know my place and my place is back where slaves belong. I'm sorry to make you upset before dinner with Prince Hojo."

Kagome shook her head, "Don't go Inuyasha. I order you to stay." She said, while beginning to sob softly. "I order you…"

Inuyasha reached his hand out to comfort her but withdrew it when he realized what he was doing. His instincts ordered him to hold her close to him and calm her down but his brain told him it wasn't his place. Kagome moved closer to him on the bed as the sobbing became louder and more desperate. She was soon sitting close to him and laid her head upon his shoulder. Inuyasha sat rigid on the bed, telling himself that it was okay as long as he didn't touch her. They sat like that for what seemed like forever – Kagome crying on his shoulder and Inuyasha letting her. After a few minutes Inuyasha couldn't stand the sound of her tears any longer and lifted his arms and put them around her, drawing her close.

"Inuyasha. Please don't leave. I can't do this if you're not here." She whispered into his chest.

"Miss Kagome, you can do anything. You don't need me here for you to do this. You'll have Sango and Miroku to help you too. You'll be fine. You'll have a wonderful wedding to a wonderful prince and live happily ever after as king and queen. You don't need me for any of that."

"I need you here." She insisted, pulling away from him and wiping her eyes.

"You won't be alone Miss Kagome."

"Yes I will be. You can't leave me alone Inuyasha."

"You'll have Sango and Miroku Miss Kagome."

"BUT I DON'T LOVE SANGO AND MIROKU INUYASHA!" she exclaimed at him. "But I love you. And you can't leave me to do this on my own."

At that moment Kagome's bedroom door swung open to reveal a very shocked looking Prince Hojo. He looked at Kagome with a look she didn't think he could muster. His eyes bored through her very soul and she knew that nothing good could come from the situation.

"So you love your slave Lady Higurashi? Is that it? Is that why you pleaded with me to bring them with you? You had me fooled Lady Higurashi, you came before me dressed as a servant and spoke so passionately I actually believed you only wanted your slaves here so you wouldn't be alone. Lo and behold, you are in love with one of them. You realize that is against the law don't you? Especially since we are betrothed."

Kagome began to cry and nodded her head, looking at the floor. "Please, please prince Hojo. Have mercy. It's me; it has nothing to do with him. Don't punish him for my foolishness. Please." She pleaded.

Hojo looked at her, but in his heart he couldn't believe what she was saying. He looked at her and waited until her tear-filled eyes met his own before telling her his decision. "We will be married tomorrow morning Kagome. And your slave will be thrown in the dungeon until the next slave auction, where he will then be sold to the highest bidder."

Kagome threw herself off of the bed to Hojo's feet, crying hysterically and grasping his feet. "Please, please don't do this. Spare him! He doesn't deserve it! I do! I'm at fault! Punish me! Have mercy!" she begged, tears streaming down her face.

Hojo pulled himself out of Kagome's grip and looked down on her shaking and crying form. "There is nothing I could do to you Kagome that would punish you more than this. He is a slave, and you are a future queen; the fault will never rest on you. My guards will be here momentarily to take him to the dungeon, so I would say my good-byes if I were you" he said coldly before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

Inuyasha, who has sat silent and unmoving throughout the whole ordeal, moved from the couch to the floor where Kagome lay. He put his arms around her and pulled her up to the sitting position. He reached into one of her boxes and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes with it.

"You can't go Inuyasha. You…can't…" she sobbed.

"Shhh. Just calm down Miss Kagome. Just breathe." He soothed, rubbing her back softly until she stopped shaking. "Miss Kagome, this is what has to be done. You could lose your station for this."

"I don't care. I don't care about my station or about being a queen. I don't care!"

"It doesn't matter Miss Kagome. Both of us have had our fates decided for us. There's nothing left to do but wait."

"Time's up" the guards in the doorway said. They entered the room and pulled Inuyasha away from Kagome, causing her to fall to the ground once more. They pulled him to his feet and shackled his wrists and ankles in front of a hysterical Kagome.

"Don't look at me Miss Kagome" Inuyasha said softly as she began to turn her head towards him. "Move forward."

They dragged him out of the room and to the dungeon; Kagome could be heard crying out for most of the walk to the dungeon. A cell was opened and Inuyasha was thrown in, with the door locked behind him. The guards left the cell, imitating Kagome's cries as they ascended the stairs. Inuyasha boiled with rage at the disrespect Kagome was being shown, but he knew there was no use in getting angry now. He was stuck and soon he would be sold off to whoever wanted him. He thought of Kagome, crying in her bedroom, at this point being comforted by Miroku and Sango – and he hated himself at that moment. He hated that he had told her, he hated that she loved him back and he hated that Hojo had heard what he did. But he didn't hate anyone. He didn't hate Hojo, or Kagome, or even himself – he knew that hating someone wouldn't change the situation. So he moved to the corner of his cell and drew his knees up to his chin and waited.

Authoress' Note: Wow, that was intense wasn't it? I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think!!! and i'm not gonna lie, but i think this is one of the best chapters i've written. let me know if you agree!!