Inurella

Chapter 14: Patience is a virtue

A/N: I know the past few chapters haven't been that exciting, but I promise you the next one will be more "lively". Thanks for your 'patience' and support!

It was finally the day of the ball. The long awaited event had arrived. The kingdom of Musasha was bursting at the seams with people of all descents and social rankings. Even though many were not invited to the ball, the King and Queen made sure there were various events happening in the palace courtyard all day and night. It was a festival of sorts, music, dancing, food, contests, the whole works. The King and Queen wanted everyone to celebrate Prince Inuyasha's post-engagement party.

***The Palace***

Inuyasha and Miroku had picked out their suites for the evening. It had taken them a whole 5 minutes to do so. While all the ladies had taken the entire week to decide.

The Queen had been a frazzled mess throughout this whole entire week, the King on the other hand, had been nowhere to be seen. The King decided to take a back seat to this whole affair, which didn't both the Queen one bit. She knows her husband well and if he was around he'd be "taste" testing all of the food, snacks and wine.

Sango had locked herself in her quarters all day. She wanted to relax and pamper herself before the ball. She wanted to look radiant so she had to feel radiant. Miroku didn't like that he wouldn't get to see her till tonight. It made him feel uneasy and he missed her, yes even for just one day. Sango felt the same way, but she didn't want to see Miroku till she was all dolled up.

Inuyasha was a big furry mess. He was constantly pacing, tapping his fingers, or running his hands through his hair. At times he felt like he wanted to vomit, his stomach had been in knots all day. Miroku had tried to calm him down but Miroku's excessive teasing just made him more irritated.

***Sesshoumaru's Lair***

Sesshoumaru had promised Rin that they would go shopping today and pick out a gown for her to wear to the ball. Unfortunately Sesshoumaru did not take into the account that all the dresses that were being sold have been sold out. There had been nothing left in the shops anywhere!

Sesshoumaru surely couldn't let that stop him from getting Rin a dress. So he called in some favors from several out of town vendors that were far superior to any tailor in the land. He had ordered 20 dresses to arrive the same day. Rin would surely be pleased about this.

By mid-afternoon Rin was going mad with worry. Wondering when her dresses would arrive. She suddenly felt very spoilt. She clearly didn't need 20 dresses and she promised herself she would donate the rest of the dresses after choosing her favorite. She stood by the window for what seemed like forever. When the she could see the carriage coming just over the horizon. She stood there waiting impatiently for the carriage to get to the lair, but it was taking forever, her fingers started to tap, he eyes started to twitch. Where was Sesshoumaru when you needed him?

Just then Sesshoumaru flew out his window, ran across the field and down the road, lifted the carriage over his head and ran back to his lair. He then made sure the driver was still alive, and then proceeded to lift the contents out of the back of the wagon. He then jumped up to Rin's balcony and tossed the dresses on Rin's bed.

Breathing heavily Sesshoumaru walked towards Rin's door to leave and said: "We're gonna need a bigger carriage" and with that, Sesshoumaru stormed out of the room shutting the door behind him. It was as though Sesshoumaru had also been staring out the window impatiently.

Rin blinked her eyes in shock. Then turned her attention to the massive mound of gowns that was thrown upon her bed. She proceeded to go through them one by one, till she found one she liked.

***Naraku's Mansion***

Naraku and Kikyo were up at the crack of dawn getting ready, while Kagura and Kagome were upstairs quietly scheming to sneak out of the house right after Naraku and Kikyo left for the ball.

Kagura and Kagome were both ecstatic and both fantasizing about dancing with handsome men and gossiping like high society women. They practised their waltz, their curtsey, posture and also their manners. They had a good time laughing and joking around, but it was getting close to the time when Naraku and Kikyo's carriage came for them.

It was time…

Naraku had kept his promise of keeping the girls grounded. He refused to budge. This also gave him more of a chance to marry off Kikyo without the competition of Kagome and Kagura. Naraku prayed to the Gods Kikyo would soon leave the nest.

The both of them walked out the door. Neither girl saw them leave, but had heard the door slam and lock. They watched as Kikyo and Naraku stepped up on the carriage and watched the horses gallop down the road.

Kagome and Kagura both sprang into action they only had an hour. An hour late wasn't too bad, considering the ball lasted till midnight.

Kagura grabbed her dress out from the secret cupboard they had hidden their dresses in from Naraku and Kikyo. But to Kagura's surprise Kagome's dress was nowhere to be seen. Kagura called up to Kagome from downstairs and asked her if she had taken out her dress.

Kagome ran down the stairs in a flash. Her eyes were gaping wide and stared into the empty cupboard. Kagome looked at Kagura's dress and into the empty cupboard and noticed there was a little note in the back of the cupboard wall.

"Dear Kagome,

By the time you read this, I will be on the way to the ball to meet the prince….with your dress. It's quite lovely actually. You and Kagura must've worked really hard on it. I decided it would be the perfect gown to wear, to impress the prince. You must be wondering why I didn't take Kagura's dress. Well there is a couple reasons for that. One, she is not half as beautiful as me, so I will not be worried about her being competition. Secondly it humours me greatly that you will no doubt, force her to go to the ball without you, while you stay home and miss the ball! Hahahaha"

Yours Truly, "Future Queen Kikyo'

Kagome crumpled the letter in her hands and tried to hold back the tears. Kagura placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Don't worry Kagome I won't leave you tonight. We won't let Kikyo have her way!"

Kagome turned around to face Kagura "No! You're going. One of us has to go Kagura. We both worked hard all week to get to this point. I won't have us both miss out on a night like this!" Kagome grabbed Kagura's dress and her hand.

Kagome forced Kagura out of her own clothes with much protesting on Kagura's part. She begged and pleaded with Kagome, but she would not have it.

Kagome slipped the dress over Kagura. It was violet in colour, made of silk and had beautiful ribbons that intertwined all the way down the back of the dress. It was beautiful and fit Kagura perfectly. Kagome put Kagura's hair up with a pearl comb that imbedded into the back of Kagura's hair. Matching earrings as well as pearl colored shoes.

Kagome looked pleased with how Kagura looked and decided to put a little makeup on her as well. She didn't need a lot. Despite what Kikyo had said about her sister, Kagura was far lovelier than Kikyo. Kagura was sweet, kind and compassionate, and that radiated outwards and added to her natural beauty. Kikyo was indeed one of the most beautiful women in the land, but her cold nasty exterior reeked its way out destroying any beauty that she had.

Kagura was now ready for the ball. She looked lovelier than ever and Kagome was dumbfounded as she had never seen Kagura look this radiant.

"Wow" Kagome said. "You look stunning! There is no way the prince isn't going to notice you!" Kagome said smiling at her sister.

"Oh Kagome, How could I leave you, it's not fair!" Kagura said angrily.

Kagome pushed Kagura out the door. "You will go, you will have fun, and then you will come back and tell me all about it!" Kagome smiled sweetly.

Kagome then added. "I had the carriage come around this time, it should be here any moment, and I'll wait with you until it arrives." Kagome said as she walked out the door with Kagura, standing beside her sister.

Kagura sighed "What if Father or Kikyo see me? What should I do?" She asked.

"We talked about this remember? They can't do nothing to you at the ball. Kikyo is expecting you to come anyways. Father will probably be drunk by the time you get there. He won't notice anyone but himself." Kagome said reassuring Kagura.

Kagura took a deep breath and nodded.

The carriage pulled up to meet Kagura at the mansion gate.

Kagura waved goodbye with a sad look on her face. Kagome held her smile until she turned around and walked back into the house and let all her feelings come at her at once. She screamed, cried, yelled and broke a few vases. She then went upstairs and flung herself on her bed of hay. All the forest creatures came in through the window and knelt down beside Kagome. The animals always reacted to her feelings and they had felt a great sadness within her. Shippou was patting Kagome on the head gently as he himself shed tears of sadness for his friend.

***At the Ball***

8:20pm

It was twenty past eight and Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango made their way to the giant dining hall where the ball was being held. All three of them made their appearance at once, as Inuyasha was quite anti-social and didn't want all of the attention all on him at once.

Everyone in the hall gawked at the stunning threesome. All three of them were dressed exquisitely.

8:40pm

Sango wore a sassy emerald green strapless dress made out of silk, that hugged and kissed her curves, It cascaded all the way down to her feet with a large slit on the outside of her thigh. Miroku had dropped his jaw the moment she stepped out of her room. I daresay what happened next. Let's just say it was another 30 minutes before they came back out.

Inuyasha was also surprised at how beautiful Sango looked, Miroku was a lucky man. Inuyasha however had his sights set on another girl who was still nowhere to be seen. However Miroku kept reminding him it was now only forty past eight.

Inuyasha had reluctantly meeted and greeted many people at the request of his mother and father. He shook hands, faked his smiles and made small talk with dull socialites. He had done this for the past two hours, while his mother and father constantly introduced him to many different women. Inuyasha ignored them all.

10:45pm

Inuyasha finally went off to the balcony to get some fresh hair. Miroku and Sango were dancing the night away, laughing and giggling as the new happy couple they were.

Just then Kagura came bustling through the balcony doors. She hadn't seen Inuyasha just yet. She sat herself down on the bench and was adjusting her shoe as she wasn't used to wearing such high heels.

Inuyasha turned to look at the girl in purple. "Excuse me Miss, is there something wrong?"

Kagura turned to face the stranger who had spoken. "Oh, I am sorry Sir, I didn't see you there."

She looked a little closer at his suite. She noticed it had the royal family crest on the breast pocket and realized no one but the royals wore that crest.

Kagura threw herself on the balcony floor "Forgive me your highness"

Inuyasha looked around awkwardly. "Uh lady, it's alright, you can stand" Inuyasha leaned forward and offered his hand out to her.

Kagura looked up at him nervously.

Inuyasha nodded and reassured her it was alright.

Kagura hesitantly grabbed his hand and slowly came to her feet.

She wiped her dress off and thanked Inuyasha.

"Please, call me Inuyasha. Are you alright?" Inuyasha continued.

Kagura put a hand to her hair making sure it was in place and replied breathlessly. "Yes, I'm alright….Inu….Inuyasha. I am just a bit sad as my sister couldn't make it tonight" Kagura replied sadly.

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that. I also have someone I wanted to come tonight. I still don't know if she'll make it." Inuyasha looked down.

Kagura's heart sunk. "So you already have someone in mind to choose?"

Inuyasha turned back to face her. Not knowing what to say. "I have only met her once" Inuyasha admitted.

Kagura blinked. She noticed something familiar about him. That's right! The royal family were of demons and this Prince just happened to have Puppy dog ears, the same kind Kagome was describing to Kagura the other day.

Kagura put her hands over her mouth. "You're him! You're the one!"

Inuyasha was a little taken aback. "I'm sorry?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

Kagura grabbed Inuyasha's hands excitedly. "I know the girl who you met in the market. She is my sister. Kagome…..Kagome Higurashi"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped and his ears perked up. Inuyasha then grabbed Kagura's shoulders and started to shake them. "Are you serious? She's your sister? Why isn't she here? Where is she?"

Kagura shook her head. "No time to explain, you must go to her! We live at the mansion beside the Banana tree garden!"

Inuyasha had more questions but didn't have time. It was now eleven o'clock. He had to get to her soon before midnight.

Inuyasha gave Kagura a bear hug and kissed her on her forehead. He thanked her and ran off toward Sango.

11:00pm

Inuyasha whizzed past everyone towards Miroku and Sango, who were by the bar sipping on drinks.

He flew up to Sango and pushed Miroku aside. Miroku was drunk and wobbling around "H..hey now, t..thatz muh womanz *hic*"

Inuyasha stopped Miroku with his hand while talking to Sango.

He was out of breath "Sango I need Kilala, where is she?"

Miroku stumbled backwards towards the table of desserts and almost tipped it over. He fell forward again towards Inuyasha. "I sh-aid thatz muh whomanz" Miroku said swaying back and forth trying to grab a hold of Inuyasha.

Sango looked curiously at Inuyasha, seeing he was serious and in a hurry. "She's guarding the stables tonight". Inuyasha thanks her and turned to leave but came back and suggested to Sango she take him to bed.

Sango nodded and yelled good luck to him, having a feeling she knew what this was about.

A/N: Just wanted to mention a couple of people who have really helped me out. Their names are CatLover90 and Strawberry Grasshopper. Thank you both so much for your input, support and laughs!

Thanks for reading, chapter 15 shall be up in the next day or so. Please comment and fav!