Disclaimer; I do not own Inuyasha, nor the story of Esther.
Summary; There once was a peasant named Inuyasha, who was pulled into the competition for a new King unwillingly. As the competition continues, something happens that neither Inuyasha nor Her Majesty, Kagome expected. How will the two fair, as the rush and search for a new king becomes the only life they know?
The Story of a Peasant
Chapter Twelve;
This week in class I learned two things.
Dancing sucks.
And, dancing sucks worse when your teaching men, who also suck. Especially when your male.
I internally screamed as the person I was currently trying to teach the lead of a simple waltz to, stepped on my foot for the fourth time since we had begun.
'I will never help Sango out again, so long as I live.' I thought to myself, trying hard to not sound frustrated as I advised my partner on his, quite frankly, horrid foot placement. When the music was over, I absentmindedly wiped my hands on my pants then threw an annoyed look over at Sango. She made a face that mirrored mine and mouthed 'sorry'. I just rolled my eyes.
Sorry didn't cut it anymore. This was torture.
'At least someone seems to be enjoying himself.' Miroku stood up with gusto as his name was called by Sango for his turn to dance. Over the past week he had made remarkable progress in his skills, and seemingly reveled in the praise Sango placed on his meager abilities.
I watched for a minute as his hands strayed just a bit further from the small of her back to a bit lower. Sango fixed his hand, and gave him a hard glare, while he just smiled that cheeky Miroku smile. Shaking my head, I turned to my next stomper-of-feet. Starting a bit, the demon in the human form, Naraku, came up, taking lead position.
Most of the demons of the group, what few there were of us, had picked up the simple waltz effortlessly, but by protocol had to dance it at least once during practice.
So I gritted my teeth, and danced rigidly with Naraku. Neither of us spoke, adding to the tension between us. I could never put my finger on it, but I just instictively dislike this guy. He walked with an air of disdainful pride, picking on those of lower status than him. It made me sick to look at him, but never completely convinced me that this was as bad as he got.
The dance felt like it had lasted an eternity when we finally split up, giving a slight bow to each other as a sign of respect.
I spun around when I heard a soft applause from behind us, to see the Queen standing there watching.
"Bravo men." She stated, all of us fumbling to bow quickly.
Sango called us to attention before giving a very brief dismissal, before walking over to Kagome. Soon their conversation was a mess of giggles and girl talk. I rolled my eyes, smiling at their antics, before going to stand next to Miroku who was loading up a few of his things, a smile plastered on his face.
I leaned on a wall next to him, smirking. He noticed my expression and asked an innocent "what?"
"Getting a little cozy with Miss Sango the dictator are we?"
Miroku laughed. "I have no clue what your referring to, Inuyasha." He replied mildly.
"Sure you don't. I bet-"
"Miroku!" Sango called out, standing at the doorway. "Mind helping me out?" She asked.
Miroku, who's face lit up like the sun, immediately left without speaking another word to me as he dashed off towards Sango exclaiming how he would 'love to be able to help such a beautiful woman out with whatever it could be that she needed.'
It wasn't till Kagome's laughter touched my ears that I realized she was still in the room. I laughed with her, quietly.
She turned her head towards me and began striding over, her smile still in place on her lips.
"Good afternoon, M'lady." I said with a bow as she came closer.
"Afternoon." Still smiling, "It seems our friends might be getting closer after all."
Nodding I replied, "Possibly."
Silence followed. Fixing to make an excuse to run off (after all, I had told Nida I would help her out today), Kagome cut me off.
"Sango told me one of you had exceptional talents in dancing. I hope your not insulted that I was shocked it was you." She shyly looked up through her lashes up at me, and I thought for a second I felt my cheeks flush a bit.
'Great, now Sango's talking about my dancing outside of this stupid class. As if I want the world to know.'
"I'm not insulted. In fact, I'd rather it not be known about my erg- lightness of foot."
"But you dance so well!" She exclaimed, surprised.
This time I knew my face had turned a little pinker, but I still held strong. "Please, it is nothing. I am simply helping out others to learn."
Her face held an almost wicked smile.
"Then show me what you can really do." Without waiting for my reply- of course I didn't even know what to say at the moment -she turned towards the musicians and called out for music.
I felt myself gasp.
"M'lady, do you think it--" but I was cut off by Kagome simply stating, "Live a little, Inuyasha."
I gulped and nervously placed one hand on her back and took up her other, keeping fair distance between us. After a few shaky first steps, Kagome clicked her tongue.
"Don't be so tense." She smiled up at me, and I felt something almost foreign in my chest, an irregular heartbeat. "Relax."
I took a deep breath and tried to relax. After a minute, the steps came easily as we flowed across the ballroom floor.
"See? You're a wonderful dancer." She praised me. An unusual urge to turn my head towards the side to avoid eye contact swept over me, but a smile still tugged at my mouth.
We continued for a few moments in silence when I thought of something.
"Is it another time yet?" I said, apropos of nothing. She raised a brow.
"I remember you saying something about Sango teaching you how to fight, but that it was a story for another time." I reminded her softly. "Not that I want to pry or anything."
"Oh. Yes, I suppose it is another time." I spun her into a twirl before pulling her back towards me, a little closer than she had been before. "Lets see...Where to begin?" She asked absentmindedly.
"How did Sango come to the castle?" I asked, hoping to give her a start.
"Ah, yes. Sango comes from a family of very well-known demon hunters. Her father was hired by mine, when he was still alive to train our soldiers at a time when war seemed immanent."
I nodded, as we continued to swirl over the dance floor.
"When my father found out his new trainer was using Sango, a young girl, to help teach the soldiers, he began to doubt the man's sanity. My father was very strict about women not being included in violent acts." She shrugged. "Anyways, having no other real friends, I was excited for Sango to be here. We quickly became best friends. I had asked her many times to teach me some things in combat, but she always said 'no', afraid of what my father would do to her and her family if we be caught."
The music slowed, and Kagome's voice lowered.
"But one day, we left the palace to visit the marketplace. It was crowded that day, and we accidentally got separated among the people. I tried calling for Sango, but it was just too loud. So I moved towards the edge of the crowd, hoping I'd be able to see better. I saw a few boxes in an alleyway, and my young mind thought maybe I'd be able to see Sango better if I stood on top of them." Kagome's voice was hushed now."Three men caught me in the alley. Started making crude remarks and gestures. I had never been so frightened, being held by such a strong grip. I began screaming, kicking. The leader, I assume, slapped me." Her hand gripped mine just a little bit tighter. I didn't know what to say.
But then her eyes looked up at mine, so warm and shining. "But then Sango came in, her dagger already drawn. She sliced the leg of the man who had slapped me, beat the others to the ground, and still carried me out to a different part of the crowd. She asked me multiple times if I was alright, and it took all I had to keep her from going back to kill those men."
She pursed her lips, thinking. "That day she finally decided that I needed to be able to at least take care of myself. The next morning she took me out to a private training room, and began teaching me the basics." Laughing she stated, "I think she was scared by the attack. She was harsh that I know everything she tried to teach me. And after awhile, I did finally learn basic hand to hand." A pause. "Even though it's been years, she still won't let me leave the palace without her."
"She's a loyal friend." I remarked. Kagome nodded in agreement.
"I couldn't ask for a better one." She replied.
The music ended, one note hanging poignant in the air.
My hands hesitated just a breath's time, before I finally pulled them off her, taking a step back.
She curtsied dramatically, her voice just as dramatic as she said "Well, thank you Sir Inuyasha for this invigorating dance."
I bowed, rolling my eyes. "It was my pleasure, m'lady. Thank you for the stimulating conversation." I dragged out, acting the part of a rich man.
She laughed and batted at my arm then sighed.
"I probably should be going now, though." She admitted. "Have preparations to be working on, a kingdom to run."
Suddenly remembered that I was supposed to meet up with Nida to help out.
"Shoot." I muttered. "I do to."
"In that case, I bid thee farewell."
I hesitated a moment.
"What is it?" she asked, "Go on!"
"Thank you." I said.
Before she could ask what for, I walked out of the room then sprinted down the hallways, till I stood right in front of the kitchen doors.
Smells permeated the air, and were strong to my sensitive nose, but I still hung around, leaning against the walls. Thoughts flitted through my head so fast that I couldn't begin to understand them.
'What was... that feeling?'
Nida came up to me, and smacked the table next to my hands with a spoon, causing me to jump. When I gave her the crazy-woman-what-are-you-doing look, I noticed her expression was almost a mirror to my own.
"What'dya want woman?" I complained. My ears still rang from the sound of the crash of wood meeting metal.
"What's with you today?" She asked, ignoring my question.
I gave her another one of my looks. "What'dya mean?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't be coy with me. You've been distracted all day, barely talking." She pointed the spoon to the dough I was kneading. "And you've been kneading the same dough for almost an hour. Something's up." She surmised.
"So, it's tough dough." I claimed, trying to get her to leave it alone.
"Don't try that with me, dog." She said. I glared out of the side of my eyes, but she was unapologetic. "Something's on yer mind."
I rolled my eyes and began pulling the dough apart for bread rolls.
"Don't go ignorning me!" She yelled, tossing her hands in the air while also managing to send the spoon across the room, hitting a bowl and crashing to the floor. I cringed from the noise, my ears rolling up on themselves.
"Maybe if you'd quiet down woman!" I yelled back.
She put her hands on her hips, defiant.
"It's nothing." I said quietly. I stood up and placed the bread on the hearth to bake.
"Nothing my foot." She grumbled. I cursed myself for letting it show that something was bothering me.
She sat beside me, pulling my new dough out of my hands and split it in half. Giving me my piece, she said "Talk to me Inuyasha."
"I've just got some thoughts on my mind. That's all." I stated, hoping that would be enough.
"Are you worried about the competition?" She asked.
I shook my head. 'No, it's not that exactly...' I thought to myself.
"Homelife?"
"Nah." To be honest, I hadn't thought about being home much. I felt a little guilty that I had left Shippou hanging. 'But at least he's being taken care of by Kaede.'
"A woman?"
I looked up at her, incredulous.
"Ah, so it is a woman." She smirked.
"No. It's not." I tried to make my voice sound truthful, but it came out more like a grumble.
"Uh-huh." She said, then sighed. "Ah, young love."
I shook my head at her fantasies.
"So, who's the lady?"
Like I would own up to that.
"Your no fun." She said, giving up.
Triumphantly, I asked "What about you, who's your special someone?"
Her stoic face, turned into a much more optimistic one.
"His name is Naozumi. We've been married for three years."
"Ah, so there is a man who can actually put up with your bossy attitude." She hit me on the back of the head. "I'm kidding. I knew you must've been married."
This seemed to puzzle her.
"You knew?"
"Your pregnant." I stated, not thinking anything about it.
Her face grew more surprised, and for a second I thought I might've been the first to inform her.
"How did you know?" She asked in awe, her work stopped.
I was quiet for a minute before I answered. "I can hear the heartbeat."
She looked at me, then up at my ears, absentmindedly laying a hand on her stomach.
"Really?" She asked.
I nodded.
She smiled. "I haven't told anyone yet. Only Naozumi. It's so early on that we didn't want to excite anyone, what with everything that's going on."
I smiled.
"Well, let me be the first to congratulate you. Is it your first?"
She nodded, and warmly rubbed her still flat stomach.
I rolled out my dough into rolls and placed them next to the others baking. I was almost out of the room to get other ingredients when Nida stopped me by calling my name.
She stood up and came over to me, hesitating, before suddenly leaning forwards and giving me a hug.
"I hope things work out for you." She said, then let me go.
My face flushed as she turned her back and brought her attention back to her dough.
"Erm, thanks." I said, then left the room.
I figured I should make it obvious that nothing will happen between Inuyasha and Nida. They are simply friends.
Review, review, review, review, review PLEASE.
,Souzousei