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 Fifteen;

"Again, Inuyasha, thank you so much!" Nida said for the umpteenth time as I cleaned up from my last day of running the kitchens. "I really don't know what I would've done if you hadn't of been here."

I waved her off, continuing to say that it was nothing, while Nida took the dishes out of my hands to dry.

"I'm serious Inuyasha! Now take a compliment, dammit." She indignantly cried, yanking the next dish away from me. I just laughed and splashed some water on her for good measure.

When through, I left and quickly ran off to the dinner table where Miroku had saved me a seat.

"Nice of you to join us." He said through a mouth full of food. I rolled my eyes.

"Here we are, in the castle of castles as guests to royalty, and your pigging out, letting everyone see your food. What were you, raised in a sty?"

"Might as well have been." Said Sango from across the table, peering at a letter of some sort from in front of her. Miroku swallowed his food before raising a hand to his chest.

"Sango, you wound me so!" He said, eyes fluttering. She rolled her eyes, still not looking up. "Obviously I didn't wound you fatally enough."

"Your words, like arrows to my soul!" He brought both hands up over his heart, really playing it up.

"If only, if only." She said, unamused. Miroku deadpanned, dropping his head with a thunk to the table, while I roared in laughter. Clapping a hand on his shoulder I managed to state, "Face it man, she's just not into you."

Sango scoffed, stood up and left, taking the letter with her, but not before I noticed the tinge of pink staining her face.

"Why must she torment me so?"

I crossed my arms, still smiling. "'Cause she's got an image to uphold?"

Miroku looked at me hopefully. "Is that really all it could be?"

I rolled my eyes. "Like I would know."

"Perhaps you would." he said, waggeling his eye brows. "You and Lady Kagome seem to have hit it off fair."

I hung my head at the comment that seemed to be becoming a topic more and more lately.

"Your insane."

"And you like her." Said a voice behind me.

"Nida!" I yelled, whirling around. She just smirked, and took the plate from in front of me before flouncing off. I glared daggers at her, feeling my face heat up in frustration. There was no way in heaven, hell, or here on Earth that I was going to start having a feelings for a certain raven-haired, giggly, thoughtful, compassiona--

"Alright guys, time to go!" Sango called out. I shook my head profusely, attempting to rid my mind of their current thought process.

I stood up, fumbling a bit, and heared Miroku laughing beside me.

"Shove it." I stated, before crossing my arms over my chest and following Sango as she waltzed out the room.

"Flustered are we, Inuyasha?" He said, easily catching up, walking jauntily with his arms behind his back.

I cursed him mentally with every step I took, as Sango led us into the large dancing hall. Upon arrival she calmly stated that this was our last practice before the festival so we better make it count before pairing us off. I groaned audibly as I was placed with a certain flea-bag demon who didn't seem any happier to be paired with me.

"Kouga." I stated calmly as I took lead position in the dance. He grumbled something of a reply, and made no eye contact as we were forced to dance together.

"Inuyasha, you know lead by heart. Switch so Kouga can practice." Sango said as she observed us in passing. I almost gagged at having to touch him, and cursed Sango to the depths of hell for putting me with a partner she knew I detested.

It was a minute of silence before I heard Kouga snicker softly.

"What is it wolf?" I asked, on impulse. If he was laughing at me, I swore, my knee would find a lovely match with a place where it hurt.

"Oh, nothing." He quipped. The silence following only lasted a second. "I was just thinking about how lovely it'll be to dance with a real woman. Not a mangy-halfbreed like you."

I shoved a nail into the skin of his hand, but he paid no mind.

"You know, a real beautiful woman, like Kagome." His voice got steadily louder. "The one who'll appreciate the skills I have in delivering a dance so gracefully upon just learning it."

"Don't flatter yourself." I grumbled, but Kouga didn't appear to hear.

"Ah yes, Kagome, a fair woman like herself would surely love to have a man of my caliber appearing next to her as king." His eyes peered suddenly into mine.

"Unlike you, filthy dog. Why your still in this competition, I couldn't possibly comprehend."

I felt a growl build up in my chest, but I just clenched his hand roughly in warning.

"Yes, you must be the one pity case that they allow to keep in just long enough for charity and all." He went on. My growl slipped through, low and menacing.

"Hey, Kouga, leave him be." I heard Miroku call out from behind Kouga.

"But I assure you this, you'll never have a chance with Kagome." His eyes glinted. "She's mine."

Kouga wasn't ready for the sudden shove I granted him, falling back onto the floor. I felt my blood running through my extremeties, my heart loud in my ears, and my breathe ragged and catching as I tried to control my temper.

"What's going on over here?" I heard Sango say, her voice tight and unwavering. In control.

I backed off from my position, taking a step back, shaking my head, trying to figure out what had even happened.

"He pushed him!" I heard someone in the crowd around us yell out.

Sango placed her hands across her chest, pointing her eyes towards me.

"Inuyasha, is this true?"

I sighed, trembeling from anger.

"Hell yeah its true! He shoved me, and I didn't do noth-" Kouga started, immediately standing up, yelling but Sango raised a hand up.

"I was speaking to Inuyasha, Kouga." She glared at him, before taking a few steps to stand in front of me.

"What happened?" She asked me.

"I pushed him." I barely whispiered.

"So I gathered." She murmured, gently. "Why?" She stated, quieter than before.

I turned my head.

"He provoked me. Half-breed and all that shit." I scratched my head. "I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously." She said, but shook her head. She turned back around towards the men.

"Alright, nothing to see here. Get back to practicing." To Kouga she directed to go sit out on the side lines till further notice.

"Now, c'mon, follow me." She said. She led me out the doors, and down a hallway or two before turning around and facing me again.

"Now, what was this really about?" She crossed her arms and stared heavily. I blinked.

"What do you mean, I told you--"

"There's something more. You've been putting up with being called names all your life. What else did Kouga say?"

I flushed and shuffled my feet.

"He didn't say anything."

"Look, I'm trying to save your ass here. What did he say?" She started tapping her foot.

Exasperated I looked up to the ceiling.

"He was just saying stuff about how I couldn't win, because I'm only half-demon. Half-human." I rolled my eyes. "A charity case, is what he called it."

"And you decided that lashing out would help prove him wrong?" She asked sarcastically.

"Har-har." I shrugged. "Like I said, I wasn't thinking. He just kept talking about the competition, and how he would make a better mate for Kagome-"

"Kagome?" Sango raised a brow, calculating. "What exactly did Kouga say about Kagome?"

And so I told her.

"I mean, gah. Why does everyone have to treat her like she's some sort of piece of meat? It's dumb." I crossed my arms and leaned my back against the wall beside us.

"Why do you care so much?" Sango said. I looked at her out of the corner of my eyes to see a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Oh no, don't you start in on me also."

"Also?" She asked mischievously.

I grumbled something unintelligable. She sighed.

"Look, as your teacher, I can't condone your behavior tonight. I'll do what I can to alleviate tensions, but your gonna have to work hard to allow yourself stay in this competition from here on out. We can't let people thinking you've got a temper like a waiting volcano."

She paused. "But as your friend, I say you should've at least broken his leg."

I looked over at Sango, staring a minute before finally smiling.

"As my friend, eh?"

"You seem to be making a lot of those lately." She stated, before falling back into trainer mode.

"Now get back to the dorms. Get to bed. And forget whatever issue you have with Kouga." She placed a finger on my chest. "And fight to prove him wrong. Prove that your worth this competition."

And away she walked.

"So, did Sango blow up at you?" Miroku whispered the second the men were brought back to the dorms.

"Can't you tell when someone's trying to sleep?" I whispered back, growling slightly.

"This is important. Are you still in the competition?" Miroku's voice started to get a little bit louder than I would've liked. I raised an arm out of my protection of blankets and put a hand over his mouth.

"Yes." I answered simply. I felt the air leave him, hot against my hand, as he breathed in relief.

"Thank god. I was scared you wouldn't be." His voice was quieter.

I rolled over and saw him squatting close to my bed.

"You were scared?" I asked dubiously.

"Well, how else am I going to win Sango's heart if I don't have you for advice?"

Whether Miroku could see it or not in the dark, I smiled.

"I'd have to hide out in the bushes and give you advice from a'far I suppose."

"What if you were caught?" He asked.

I smirked.

"They can't catch me. I'm Inuyasha."

"There's a dose of egotism for you."

I rolled my eyes.

"Night Inuyasha."

"Night Miroku."

BAH, it's been forever. May 7, APUSH EXAM. I'm ready for it to be over.

Read & Review, please...?