Hello there !

It's me again for a new little chapter :)

Hope you will like it.

Thanks to the lady fairy for her corrections!

Disclaimer :

Still don't own InuYasha and I have absolutely no family link with the genius Rumiko Takahashi either. What a pity…

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Chapter 2 :

A night not so calm…

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The princess Kagome was still sleeping peacefully, totally unaware that the atmosphere around the castle had become dead silent, it was as if nature herself were holding her breath in anticipation for some calamity that was about to happen.

Suddenly, an enormous sound shattered the heavy silence around the castle, making the walls tremble from the great noise. The sleeping beauty woke up startled from her restful sleep.

She sat up and rubbed her sleepy eyes like a little girl, stretched her muscles as a kitten and watched around her with her half closed blue eyes.

She didn't seem to understand what had awakened her so suddenly. The noise hadn't permeated through her foggy mind, making her nervous about being awoken so abruptly.

She looked towards the window and saw that it was still dark. What could have woken her in the middle of the night? That's when she started to hear screaming and the sound of people running in the halls. Something had happened.

Anxiety started to course through her body, her mind needing to know what could have broken the peace of the castle in the middle of the night. Kagome slipped her legs out from under her warm sheets and cautiously put her feet on the floor slowly, due to the fact that the floor was always freezing to her bare feet, even despite the warm summer nights. She hissed softly in discomfort, finally standing up, her curiosity got the better of her and she walked towards the window.

She peered down to see what was going on, but what was awaiting her outside was more than she was prepared for. The scene shocked her so much that it was as if the time itself had frozen around her.

One of the walls protecting the castle from intrusions had been brought down by some unseen force; parts of the castle were on fire, and people were running everywhere screaming at the chaos that had been brought upon them. Realization finally set in her mind that that they were under attack. What is happening? She thought fearfully. Why are we under attack?

At that moment the door to her bedroom burst open, breaking her concentration away from the carnage happening outside.

"My Lady" said the servant yelled urgently.

Kagome looked away from the window and towards the servant, who was a total mess.

"The castle is under an attack."

"Wh…"

"No one knows who they are but they came in great numbers."

The servant rushed around the room gathering items and putting out some clothes on the bed.

"You have to get away my Lady, before it is too late" The panicking servant said, as she was folding everything in a bag.

Kagome couldn't keep her increasing fear and more predominately anger from seeping into her voice. She was angry that her servant could think of her as someone able to run away with her tail between her legs, thinking only for her own security and leave everyone behind.

"What are you talking about ? I will not run away like a coward, leaving my father and everyone else behind…"

She stopped her angry speech, when she saw her servant flinch.

"What is it, Saya?" she asked quietly, trying to not let her voice quivering.

Saya looked at her young mistress with so much sorrow in her eyes that her breath caught in Kagome's throat.

"You have to run for your life my Lady. You are the most important treasure of our Lord and all of us, please princess. "

"You speak of me as if I was some kind of an object," Said Kagome in a sigh. "Now, explain to me, what's going on Saya? There is something you are not telling me, "She finished, with an air of authority.

"I…" But the words stayed trapped in her throat as tears started to gather in her eyes.

"Saya…? "

The servant pondered if she should tell what she knew to the young princess. But when she locked her eyes with the pleading ones of Kagome, she feels like she didn't have the choice. She sighed and sat down on the bed, looking at the floor to avoid the troubled blues eyes which was following her every move. So she started in a whisper

"They went directly towards our Lord's bedroom, my Lady, so many of them… and they will be there in a short time to come for you." She then turned to look at her mistress to plead her with her eyes to do as she asked. "You have to flee my Lady."

"M-my f-father…?" A lump formed in her throat at the horrific things that could have happened to the Lord, the King of the South, her father and only family.

Saya got up and answered in a sigh, as her heart went out to her mistress:

"I don't know my Lady"

Kagome felt like the world had crashed down on her. She started to have some difficulties even breathing. Her eyes became unfocused and tears started to fall from her eyes.

"We don't have a lot of time. Please my Lady, you must run. We don't know if they want to kill you or worse, we cannot take any chances. Princess, please, stop crying and run. "

The servant couldn't help it and started to cry too. She had known the princess for years. She had started to work at the palace shortly after the queen and the younger child unsuspecting death. She was seeing the young princess more like a little sister to protect than a mistress. Her heart was breaking just at the thought of the suffering the young princess had already live though in her still short life. Seeing the distress of the servant, Kagome took a deep breath and gather Saya in a hug. It wasn't the time for crying.

"Ok, Saya, I will do what you said…but where should I go?"She asked softly at the distressed older woman.

"I don't know my Lady but out of the Southern Lands, that's for sure. We don't know who they are and they could have contacts all over the South. You have to go where people wouldn't recognize you at first glance and it's impossible in the Southern Lands. We have to hurry up now. "She said with a new determination in her voice.

The servant handed Kagome a coat.

"Put this on, Princess, over your nightgown. We may be in summer but the woods are still chilly."

"Ok " Said Kagome, doing what her servant told her.

During this time, Saya opened the jewel box and put everything she could in a small bag that she buried in the larger bag that already held spare clothes.

"Perhaps you should go where no humans would think to look for you…" Saya said absently, tried to find a place where her mistress could go in hiding.

"Like the West?" Kagome said half-joking.

Saya stopped and thought about it seriously before answering. "Hai, maybe you should go towards the West my Lady, it is probably the safest place for you despite the youkai"

"But I was just joking, a silly idea. Saya, in the West there is almost just youkai, like their Lord and they…" she was cut off when the door opened again.

"Hurry, they are making their way towards here" Screamed another servant while walking in.

"Alright, My Lady, remember, you have the necklace with the symbol of the South, it can help too, and I don't think that the West is such a bad idea. Outside of some nobles, no one knows of you there you should be safe. "

"Right, but... "

"Don't forget to active your necklace, travelling towards the West is the best idea, Princess, like Saya said. Plus, if they try to found you they won't start by this part of the country so you will be « safe » for at least a moment. "

"All right, Yumi" Kagome said conceding to their wishes.

The princess followed the two servants in the halls, and received many hopeful glances from the others servants and guards on their way, that her heart clenched in her chest.

They finally came to a stop, to regain their breathing.

"One of the guards will show you a safe way out, my Lady. We have to go back. "

Kagome hug the two of them and just when she pulled away, a guard arrived.

"Are you ready, Princess, we must depart immediately."

"Hai"

She turned around with tears in her eyes

"Thank you, Saya, Yumi and all of you. Please if my Father…"

"Hai, we will"

The two servants were crying now.

"It was an honor to have served you my Lady, and we hope to see you back safe and sound soon."

They bowed at her to the waist and ran back inside from where they just came to hide the disappearance of the heiress of the South.

The guard, after seeing the two servants disappearing back inside, turned towards the princess "Follow me, my Lady, please, we must hurry"

"Hai"

They ran. They didn't have any warning in advance from the unknown attackers, so they had to act as quickly as possible.

They finally stopped, out of breath, facing what looked like, at first sight, as a dead end. They were now at the opposite side of the castle ground, next o the farthest building, which was an old traditional tea house. The guard then moved the tapestries away from the wall, revealing a secret door which had been hidden for this purpose specifically. The guard then turned to Kagome.

"This secret passage will lead you in the woods, just outside of the castle ground, at the bottom of the hill. Run now, my Lady. And be careful, for you are the only salvation for the South. "

"What do you mean, Kairo?" asked the puzzled young woman, cocking her head to the side in inquiry.

The guard looked at the princess in her beautiful eyes and explained softly; trying to make her understand the dire situation she was now in, "If they have your Father, then the only way to have the Southern Lands is though one last assassination or taking your hand in marriage. You know our law, princess. Only a member of the royal family has the right to ascend the throne legally, if any member is still part of the living. This means that you are the only obstacle between them and the throne. They cannot have a real control on the South while you are still breathing, my Lady. "

Kagome looked at him with wide open eyes in shock and terror. Seeing that, the guard tried to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fright you, my Lady, but I thought that you had the right to know the truth. The reason why we are all trying so desperately to send you away. That way, may be some day, in the future, you will be able to come back to your lands and save us all. "

" I-I...H-how can all of you have so much faith in me? I mean I am only a princess, I don't know a thing about how to lead and all. I…" She spoke rapidly

He smiled down at her and took one of her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Because we know you, Kagome-sama, we know that you've the kindest heart and think about the well being of your people. I can really well remember that one day, when you went against your father about something that involved just that. You don't even back down in front of your own father. "

He looked at her, his green eyes shining with so much soft and faith in her. She felt her heart beat even more rapidly with the intensity and sincerity of his gaze. He gave her another little smile and let go of her hand and added,

"You are the heir of the South, the beloved daughter of our Lord, never forget that. We know that you will help us like you always have. When you will be able to come back and take what is rightfully yours. Until then, we will wait your return" he ended in a whisper

Kagome looked at him in the eyes, tears running on each cheek. She surprised him by taking him in a bear hug.

"Thank you" she whispered softly against his chest.

He tried to compose himself and returned the hug as tight, while a blush stained on his cheeks. He cleared his throat lightly and answered back as softly after taking a deep breath in her beautiful scent.

"You are welcome, my Lady. You just have to stay alive and hide away from there for some time."

She pulled out with a slight blush on her cheeks too. He brushed her tears tenderly and smiled gently down at her. Her blush deepen a little, not used to have that kind of close contact, she then nodded "H-hai."

With a last look, she started to walk into the secret passage, but stopped and turned around to face the person who was as close of a best friend as someone in her position could have.

"I know it's quite impossible but…but if my father is still alive tell him that I love him and always will. I will survive whatever the cost. I have to. "

The guard looked at her with even more respect shining in his eyes.

"I promise, my Lady. I'm sorry to not be able to come with you but I must stay behind and hide this entryway again to give you some extra time ahead. "

"Hai, it's alright. All I have to do is to stay alive for a while, ne? "She said like if it was a little joke to try to hide that she felt so much fear at the infinite possibilities of what could go wrong, but failed miserably.

The guard smiled a little at her attempt to reassure him

"Yes, princess"

"But you have to promise something too Kairo"

The guard was a little taken aback with her sudden serious voice

"Of course, my Lady, Anything"

The corner of her lips quirk up a little at his answer but it disappeared again behind her serious mask.

"You must to stay alive too. If you can, even if you have to serve the monster who k-kill my father, you have to do it…I…Stay alive for me, and if you can find others that can do it too, it could help may be one day. I will try to hide in the Western Lands, like Saya and Yumi advised me to. We must think of the future in our next every action. It could be vital for the future of the South, itself. "

He gazed at her with his shining green eyes, and trying to ease the thing which seems to tight his throat. He was really touched by her concern.

"I promise, I will try to stay alive and find others who will do it for you too. If you are in the Western Lands, maybe we could try to send a messenger, without saying that you are in their Lands, to tell of what happens here. The messenger won't know of you being alive or not either"

"Hai, the other Major Lords will have to know. I'm sure that it is not any of them who would do this treacherous act. Also, if you can warn all the minors Lords of the Southern Lands when you find out who did this. Please try to keep them calm and hopeful without telling about me. Don't tell to anyone about me, not even your messenger. Make sure of that. I know a lot of the Lords will not accept anyone who k-kill my Father. I will have to keep a low profile for the time being. Staying alive and installing a resistance is our top priority of the momen-… "

An explosion in the castle interrupted them. That and terror-filled screams. Kagome's head snapped toward the castle and froze.

"that was my room…" she whispered in horror

"They must know that you are not in your room already, you have to go, now!!" Shot the guard, panic winning over his usual calm composition.

"Hai. Take care, Kai. "

She said urgently and she ran.

"Please take care, Princess. You are our only hope. "He whispered before hiding the passage the heiress of the South had just used.

A smile played gently on his face to the nickname she used to use when he was her personal guard during her travels.

Her father was a little uncomfortable with the growing affection that seemed to have grown between his only daughter and her guard. He was afraid that Kairo had became too close to her, far too attached … but it was too late…and Kairo didn't care. He knew that she only see a friend or a brother in him, but he was content to have at least that.

His top priority was the safety and happiness of the young lady of the South and that's all, it's the goal of his life, the meaning of his life itself.

The young guard looked one last time towards the hiding passage and finally turned and ran toward the castle with newly hope and faith. He will survive for her, what even will be the cost too. He will not deceive her.

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End of the chapter 2 !!

Ja ne!

Sweetest Angel.