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Disclaimer: Trust me, if I owned either Inuyasha or Doctor Who, you would know.
—Jailbreak—
The Doctor looked up, his eyes dark and his expression open and vulnerable. "That sounds so… easy," he said, his voice a weak whisper. "Too easy."
Kagome shrugged. "That's life. You live. You make regrets. You learn from them and try your hardest not to repeat them. Sometimes you succeed. Sometimes, you fail. You'll grieve and have regrets, but you can't let them tie you down and hold you back forever." She peered up at him, right into his eyes, her voice softening. "You… you have to move on."
The Doctor let out a long breath. "Okay."
Kagome blinked and her head gave a tilt. "Okay?" she repeated, slow and a tad suspicious. "Just like that?"
The brunet nodded, lips twitching up into a grin. "Okay. Just like that." At Kagome's skeptical look, he chuckled. "Well, I'll try, how about that?"
The miko snorted, her own lips curling into a small smile. "I guess that's all I can ask."
The Doctor gave a decisive nod. "Just like you'll try as well to not take on all the blame for the destruction that followed the Shikon being shattered, yes?"
Kagome stiffened and opened her mouth to argue but the Doctor held up a finger and cheekily wagged it in front of her face. Her mouth clicked shut as she glared at the offending digit.
"See, if I know my history, and oh, I do," he said smugly, pointedly ignoring the way Kagome's eyes rolled at him, "You were dragged down the well by a demon—you, an unsuspecting human with no prior knowledge or experience with demons—into another time, where the jewel was rather violently torn from your side, correct?"
Crossing her arms, Kagome grudgingly nodded.
The Doctor allowed himself a satisfied smile. "And when a demon tried to fly off with the whole Shikon, you tried to shoot an arrow to spot it from wreaking who knows what kind of havoc. Since I doubt you were an expert markswoman, I'm betting you not only hitting the jewel but doing so in the right spot to send it shattering was a complete accident." He paused to send her a stern look. "Now, I don't know where you got the idea that the jewel shattering and therefore the deaths that followed are for you to blame, but it's not."
Kagome shook her head. "I still have to make it right, though," she argued softly. "I want to make it right, because I just know I can help."
"And that's fine," the Doctor replied, his tone softer and kinder now. "But the deaths that other people, bad people, caused with the shards of that jewel aren't your fault. Just like you said that my companions' misfortunes are not mine," he reminded her.
Kagome's pursed her lips at him using her words against her. "That's just low," she said under her breath.
"Hey," the Doctor said, his tone warning, yet teasing. "I'll try if you try?" he suggested with a hopeful expression.
Kagome sent him a look through squinted eyes, but in the end, she gave a soft nod. "Yeah, okay."
The Doctor beamed. "Okay then!"
Snorting, Kagome rolled her eyes as she peered up at him. "We still need to figure a way out, you know."
The Doctor pouted at the reminder. Taking a moment to think of something, he scratched his cheek and grimaced sheepishly. "You said something about taking out the guards?"
o.O.o
The plan was to try an escape late next night, when the guards on shift were least expecting it and the dark outside would help slipping away when, or rather if, they made it out. Considering she was only ever given one escort instead of two like the Doctor, Kagome would call out and ask for a break, and the moment she would be released she would knock her escort out, take the key, and break them out.
From then on out, they would just wing it and see how it went.
However, an unexpected visitor an hour before they were to try it threw those plans out the window.
They were back to back against the cell bars when the pair heard the creak, and they both tensed and looked up to see a portion of the wall swing inwards.
Through the flickering light of the electrical lanterns fixed on either side of the room, silver glinted as someone darted through the room, the wall swinging shut from behind.
The Doctor's eyes widened in recognition. "Farana?" he asked, shocked as Farana, in attire not typical of someone of her position—dark jeans and a form-fitting black overcoat—silently jogged in. "What-?"
Farana hushed him as she hurried to the cells. "Shh, please, the guards—they're right outside and I'm not supposed to be here," she said quietly as she rummaged inside her coat pockets.
Both their eyebrows kicked up in surprise when she pulled out a couple of lock picks and started on the lock to Kagome's door.
"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked when the surprise finally passed.
Farana paused just long enough to give a sheepish cringe. "Well, when you asked those questions…" she trailed off, and she shrugged. "For all our kingdom's boons, there's plenty of room for improvement—especially outside the walls of Seriza. That's where Tarala wants to focus—she wants to improve the education for our children throughout the kingdom; she wants to minimalize the societal gap between classes. We're self-sufficient and productive and there should not be children in our kingdom that are poor, starving, and homeless. Yet, there are," she told them, lips thin and eyes flashing as each word that she spoke grew in quiet intensity. "We're in peace, have been for over a decade, so it's past the time to focus on improving more on our infrastructure rather than maintain our armies and our borders."
Farana heaved out a frustrated sigh, the flare of the fire burning behind her eyes calming. "Your questions aroused some suspicions of my own. My sister—she has plenty of supporters and very few opposers. Truly, my Uncle is one, especially at her idea of talking about a treaty with Tesipia, our neighboring kingdom with whom we had warred with long ago. She would take the King's younger brother as a husband, work out a trade agreement, and ensure an open border and peace for years to come."
She shook her head and began working on the lock once again. "I heard some guards talk about a couple of prisoners, and that they were to be 'dealt with' after my coronation. We haven't had a public execution in years, and now we have one in secret? After my coronation?" Farana gave a scoff, shaking her head. "Something wasn't right and the only one who could order such a thing is my uncle. I connected the dots."
Farana's lips pursed, eyes crinkling wryly as she worked. "I've lived in this palace since birth, and I used to be a curious child—used to get in trouble a lot, actually. Uncle isn't the only one who knows about the secrets halls and rooms throughout this palace. I explored and picked up a few tricks that would make mother proud."
She grinned lightly as the lock clicked and the cell door swung opened. In a smooth, graceful movement, she straightened and smoothed out her coat. "Picking locks is one of them, courtesy of a very good friend of mine."
"Well," the Doctor said, grinning as she moved to unlock his cell next. "They certainly sound like a keeper.
To their amusement, Farana blushed. "He really is," she murmured softly as the lock clicked. Straightening, she stepped back as his cell door swung open as well.
As the pair shared an amused look, and Farana made a noise of realization. "Oh, I managed to grab this," she mumbled, digging into the inside of her overcoat and pulling out the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. "It looked important and the guards were making a bit of a commotion about it earlier, wondering what it was."
"It is," the Doctor told her, gratitude coloring his tone. He took the screwdriver, tucking into his coat pocket before taking Farana's hands. "You were wrong," he told her gently. "You would have made a great, wise Queen. And so very kind."
Farana smiled softly. "Maybe so, but not nearly as great as my sister. That is her destiny. Mine has yet to be seen."
"Oh," the Doctor murmured, a little grin playing at his lips. "Maybe not, but your destiny will be just as great as your sisters, if not more."
o.O.o
Looks like it's wrapping up guys :/ Only two more chapters to go I believe.
Well, what did you guys think? Hope you all enjoyed it!
Till next time,
RainLily^^
A big huge honking thanks to these awesome reviewers!
ArmyWife22079, MiniRoonie, krikanalo, fierynightangel, Lorelei evans, Purplediamon, Tigerluver13, Lady Laran, Tenshi Kagome1312, Bunny.W.K, Guest