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 Fourteen;

I hurriedly rushed into the sewing room, feeling my hair fall into my face.

"Lookin' for Mei?"

Peering around, I noticed the same girl from my first visit here.

"Yeah."

The girl nodded and walked away, gesturing to the same room I had used the previous visit. Taking this as my cue, I walked on and entered the door.

'Alright, we just have to get through here as quick as we can, then I can leave and head out to the marketplace.' I nodded to myself as I paced the room. Suddenly it was so easy to see how Nida got stressed so easily. Just in my one week, I had worked more than probably my entire time at this intellectual boot camp.

'And I'm not even hormonal.' I thought, then cringed. Thankfully as this thought came through my head, Mei walked in with the clothing draped over her arms, allowing my thoughts to drift off.

"Stand up, strip down, and put these on." She said all in one quick breath, while throwing the garments at me and turning around to give me some privacy. I hurriedly obeyed, knowing that Mei wasn't a woman to mess with.

"Done." I stated. Mei turned back around and pushed me up onto the pedestal again so survey the clothing. After a second she sniffed, annoyed.

"Boy, don't you even know how to fix up a kimono top?" She said, then reached forward, un-knotting my shirt. She began to reorganize the layers before being interrupted by a knock on the door.

"What is it?" she called out, still distracted by my shirt. The door cracked open, and the small girl peeped in.

"You have a visitor asking for you."

"Well I'm busy with important stuff at the moment, can't ya tell 'em to wait?" under her breath, Mei muttered about how much she was worked as a slave.

"It's the Queen." The girl stated simply.

Mei sighed, as if this news didn't phase her in the least and replied, "Fine, send her in."

Mei quickly dropped her arms from my shirt, giving up on the knot, and checking to make sure the somewhat flowy dress pants fit.

The door opened again, and while I wasn't surprised to see Kagome, she was clearly surprised to see me as her cheeks flushed and she quickly averted her eyes. Of course, I didn't have a chance to ask anything before Mei started in.

"What'cha need?" She asked, a needle in your mouth.

Kagome flitted over towards Mei, her eyes completely averted from me. I couldn't help but wonder what had caused this reaction, that thought being followed quickly by why I even cared what her reaction to me was in the first place.

"I apologize for the intrusion Mei. Sango was too busy to come speak with you, and I knew we had little time to meet anytime soon."

Mei made a sound that might have passed for acknowledgment.

"Anyways," Kagome said, unraveled "I just wanted to ask when our next meeting would be to discuss the dress ware for..." She trailed off. I briefly caught her gaze flicker towards me in the mirror.

"Well, you know." She said, finishing lamely.

Mei nodded.

"If it is possible, your majesty, we can squeeze it in tomorrow afternoon. Come see me just after lunch." She said, without taking her eyes off her work at hemming my pants.

"Thank you Mei."

She waved off the Queen, who walked away without a second look back. I felt a tension that I didn't know I had unclench in my chest. I took a sigh, not sure what had just happened.

After a few passing minutes in silence, my other clothes were thrown at my face.

"Did you hear me? Your finished. Now change and find me again outside in the workroom."

I gasped as I took a deep breath of cloth, before pulling the fabric off my face in time to see the door shut. I glared at the door for a minute before changing in a mechanical fashion.

After I was through, I moved into the workroom, looking around for Mei. I saw her in the corner, talking to a circle of young women who looked out of sorts.

I walked up to her, and she calmly took the clothing from my hands and stating for me to come back the following week before returning to her group of girls. I left quickly, moving back into 'rush' mode, moving towards the kitchens for the umpteenth time this week.

'Alright, I just have to get the list of materials that are needed to pick up in the marketplace, then I can be on my way...' I thought as I entered the doors. I picked up the list and left as swiftly as I had come.

'Man, it's been awhile since I came through here.' I thought numbly, as I traced my way back towards Kaede's hut. 'I haven't seen Shippou in a long time either...' Despite the fact that I knew Kaede would have taken care of the runt, I felt out of sorts not knowing anything about what was going on outside the castle.

After picking through a few merchant's stands, I spotted Kaede sitting off in the shade of her stand. It wasn't till I walked up that she looked up at me, her hand shading her eyes.

"Inuyasha?" She said, her voice clearly expressing surprise.

"The one and only." I crossed my arms. "Shippou around?"

She just smiled, and stood up. "Inside. C'mon."

Inside, her house was orderly, the front room ready for any emergency healing that might need to happen. I followed her to the back room where Shippou sat in the floor, papers all over and a pack of coloring... things in his hand.

"Shippou, you have a visitor." Kaede said softly.

He looked up, past Kaede, and towards me. His eyes grew wide, before he jumped up and hugged my leg.

"Inuyasha!!" He cried out, and I felt a small smile force itself onto my face. Kaede subtly left us alone there, backing out of the doorway.

I crouched down and Shippou looked up at me.

"What're you doin' here?" He asked, his higher due to his obvious excitement.

"Got sent here for an assignment."

"An assignment for the competition?" He jumped in.

I sat and crossed my legs, feeling more at home than I had in forever.

"No, not for the competition. I'm just helping out a friend by picking some stuff up at the marketplace."

"Oh." Shippou said, continuing to watch me.

"How have things been here?" I asked, getting comfortable. If Shippou got talking, he would talk forever.

"Well, at first it was really weird, but Kaede's really nice, and knows how to make really good food, and she also has a lot of visitors so I've made a lot of friends,.." and on he went, just as I had thought he would.

After awhile he quieted down.

"What's it like at the castle?" He asked.

I sat pondering how to answer for a minute before I opened my mouth.

"It's different for sure." I started. "I wake up to a big breakfast every morning. It took a long time to get used to having people around to do everything for you though. Like serving you your meals and stuff. I still don't really like it. And our lessons are a pain, especially under Sango. Sango's the one who's sort've in charge of the men. She can be a real bitch though." I noticed Shippou was watching me agonizingly so. "But she cares more than she lets on. Nida, the woman who's place I'm taking at the moment is really nice. She's pregnant with her first child, so I've been helping her out in the kitchen a lot."

"What about the Queen? Have you met the queen?" He asked, not looking like he could possibly contain more excitement.

"Yeah, I've met the queen." I felt a smile tug my lips. "She's not like what you would think a queen would be like. She really cares for the people, but hates the pressure of ruling."

I sighed. "She doesn't judge without reason..." I trailed off. Where was I going with this conversation?

"Sounds like you like her."

I nearly choked on air.

"What?!" I gasped, one hand on my throat.

"You heard me." Shippou said, his voice turning sly.

"Do not!" I managed to choke out.

"Yeah, you do." He said, nonchalantly.

I just shook my head. "Look, I've got to go pick up these items in the marketplace. If you want, you can come along with me."

Shippou nodded enthusiastically, but I thumped him on the head for good measure.

"Alright, now lets go." I said, not wanting to dwell on the conversation at hand.

The day went by without another incident. I dug around for the best of the materials I could find on Nida's list and caught up with Shippou about anything and everything, being sure to keep the conversation on him, and away from me.

When the afternoon began to turn to dusk, I whisked Shippou home.

"Don't worry runt, I'll be home before you know it." I said ruffling his hair. Maybe it was cause we had been away, but I felt a little more caring towards the kit.

"Unless you win the competition." He said.

I shook my head. "I doubt that'll ever happen. I'm not king material."

"I think you could do it." Shippou said sleepily.

I didn't bother to argue the point, but pushed him into Kaede's hut, offered my thanks to Kaede, then set off on my way back towards the castle feeling lighter despite the extra baggage of the goods.

R&R, please.