NEW CHAPPIE

Oh. My. Gosh! I got over a 100 reviews!!! I'm so happy!! And as a reward, I'm going to make this chapter extra special. Of course all the chapters are special to me. Okay, I have been thinking about this story for the past couple days and I think and I hope, there's about three or four chapters left. I think that's about it. So, Please R&R.

Disclaimer: I am only going to say this once, I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA!!

Summary: Kagome Higurashi is the princess of her kingdom Shikon. Inuyasha is a commoner and also a orphan. He meets Kagome after he saves her life. Can these two find love in each other when he's protecting her from thieves that want to steal her life and kingdom.

On wiss ze extra special chapter……………(Dotzz)…….

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The Castle -Chapter 23

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They were so close to it. Only less than a days journey away when they ran into trouble.

When Sango, Miroku, Kirara and Kagome were resting for a bit at a stream, getting some water to drink, a man in brown fur clothing suddenly showed up and wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist. And for a split second, Kagome thought those arms belong to Inuyasha but then she remembered he was probably at the castle by then and she noticed there were brown furry wristband on the man's wrist.

Sango and Miroku were busy filling flasks up with water to notice the strange man appear.

"How are you, Kagome?" The man whispered in her ear. Kagome gasped as she quickly got out of his hold and pushed him back.

"Stay away from me, Kouga!" Kagome told him. That got Sango and Miroku's attention.

"Don't be like that, Kagome." Kouga said to her, attempting to get her in his arms again but Kagome quickly backed up.

"Who are you?" Miroku asked Kouga while going in front of Kagome with Sango next to him.

"I'm Kouga." Kouga told them. "Who are you pathetic mortals?"

"My name is Miroku and this is Sango, friends of Kagome." Miroku told Kouga. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see my woman." Kouga said to them, making Miroku and Sango gasp in surprise.

"Your woman?" Sango asked skeptically, her eyes flicking from Kouga to Kagome.

"Yes my woman." Kouga told them then looked around him. Something about what he saw…err…didn't see, surprised him. "Hey, wait a second, where's that mutt?'

Kagome suddenly found interest in the ground and Sango and Miroku looked every where but at Kouga.

"What happened to him?" Kouga asked, looking from Kagome to Sango and then to Miroku. "Don't tell me, he got himself killed?"

"He got…captured by the Palace guards." Kagome told him, a hurtful pang in her chest.

Kouga erupted in laughs.

"What did he do?" Kouga asked in between laughs. "Dig up their garden?"

"No. He-he almost murdered the Princess." Kagome told him. And immediately Kouga erupted in more laughs. Kagome turned on him and gave him a glare and he immediately shut up. "But that's not possible."

Kouga almost laughed again but Kagome still had her dagger glare on him.

"And, um, why's that, Kagome?" Kouga asked.

"Because, I'm the Princess." Kagome flat out told him.

For a minute, Kouga didn't believe Kagome. But when he saws the seriousness in her eyes and face, he believed her.

"Your…not serious, are you?" Kouga asked skeptically while looking her over. Now that he thought of it, she did kind of look like the princess. They both had long jet black hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. And when he held her hands in his, they were smooth and soft, not like the village women's, who's were rough and blistered from working in the fields and taking care of a household. Her skin glowed , too.

"No, I'm not." Kagome told him, closing her eyes and sighing. And so she began to tell him what happened. "About half a month ago, Inuyasha and I were sleeping in the garden, underneath a tree, and then, when we woke up, we were in a meadow. We didn't know how we got there." Kagome took a deep breath before continuing again. "And then less than two weeks ago, we ran into trouble." Kagome continued to tell him the adventures with Naraku and up until three days ago, including that her and Inuyasha were mates (only telling him that they were mates!! Not what happened afterwards!!).

"Wow." Kouga exclaimed, sitting on the ground, holding his head with his hand.

They sat in silence for a while, letting Kouga process the information to his (Tiny, walnut sized) brain.

Kagome kneeled in front of Kouga and took his strong hands into her delicate hands and looked him in the eye.

"I -we- need your help, Kouga." Kagome said to him. "We need help saving Inuyasha from getting hanged. We need to prove he didn't hurt me. Please? For me?"

Kouga sighed as he held her hands tightly in his.

"I'm not sure if I should help you when your mated to that half breed," Kouga looked into her chocolate eyes, "but for you, I will."

Kagome smiled, for what seemed like the first time in days, and hugged Kouga.

"Thank you." Kagome said before she was hit with a sharp pain in her back and whimpered.

Kouga looked at Sango and Miroku who were coming to Kagome's aid. "What's wrong with her?"

"Inuyasha is probably being whipped again." Sango told him, laying Kagome's head on her lap. "Don't you know mates can feel each other's pain?" Sango told Kouga when he looked confused.

Kouga thought about it and then it him like a bag of rocks.

"Oh yeah." Kouga said in a quiet voice and scratching his head. "I forgot."

"Imbecile." Sango mumbled un her breath. She looked at Kagome who was beginning to whimper and break out in a cold sweat. Sango looked at Miroku, who was deep thinking. "Miroku, do you think we should keep moving while Kagome is like this?"

Miroku seemed to think for a minute and then.

"Yes. I think we should." He finally said. "We need to save Inuyasha, Sango. I've been thinking the past few days, and, I think Inuyasha's execution is today or maybe even tomorrow."

"And how do you figure that?" Kouga asked, tearing his eyes away form Kagome to Miroku for a brief second.

"Well," Miroku started. "From what Kagome has told us, he got captured the morning of the day that we, Sango and I, found her, which was about three days ago. Assuming the guards left for the castle immediately after they apprehended Inuyasha, and were three days from the castle, I'd say they've got there yesterday. And I'm assuming Hojo wanted to teach a "lesson" to Inuyasha and that's why Kagome's been having sharp pains in her back."

Kouga was about to say something when he got cut off by Sango.

"We really don't have that much time left." Sango told the boys while propping Kagome up, who was holding on to consciousness for dear life. Sango looked at Kagome, "Kagome, are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Kagome said weakly.

"Kouga, can you carry her?" Sango asked Kouga. Kouga nodded and picked Kagome up bridal style.

Sango and Miroku got on Kirara, who transformed, and they were off.

(At the Palace)

Inuyasha yelled as he felt another sharp whip hit his back. Hodo been whipping him ever since he got back to the castle yesterday. After he arrived, he was immediately taken to the dungeons where he was tied up, by a long metal, unbreakable chains with cuffs at the bottom. It was hanging down from the ceiling that was a circular cell with a iron door and no window.

Almost immediately after Inuyasha was locked up, Hodo came in with a whip and with a evil grin on his face.

"Hello, Inuyasha." Hodo had said to him, the same grin on his face. "How nice to see you again." Hodo's tone changed from semi-angry to really-angry in a instant. "HOW COULD YOU ALMOST KILL KAGOME?!" Hodo slashed the whip on Inuyasha's back and Inuyasha screamed in pain. "HOW COULD YOU?!" Hodo slashed the whip again.

"I-I didn't!" Inuyasha yelled in between slashes and screams of pain. "Y-you got to l-listen to m-me. I-I would never h-hurt Kagome! H-honest!"

"WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU, A HALF BREED?!" Hodo snarled, slashing Inuyasha more furiously.

Inuyasha didn't bother to say anything more. Only when Hodo had stopped slashing him when he was close to fainting, he whispered:

"I love her." Inuyasha told Hodo, more to himself though. He wasn't quite sure Hodo hand heard him or not because he fainted then.

When Inuyasha woke up again, it was because there was another sharp pain in his back, which he recognized immediately as the whip Hodo was using on him.

"WHY DID YOU DO IT?!" Hodo's voice rang in Inuyasha's sensitive ears before he felt another slash on his back. "WHY DID YOU DO IT, HALF BREED?!"

"I DIDN'T!" Inuyasha yelled to him. "I would rather die than hurt Kagome!"

"Oh how noble of you!" Hodo growled then slashed Inuyasha again. "Dieing for the person that YOU protected! I guess you got tired of protecting her so you decided to kill her off, thinking you would never be found. But no! You were found!! And you will die for the crime you've committed!"

"You got to listen to me!" Inuyasha yelled, spitting the blood that some how got in his mouth. "I would never hurt her!"

Hodo paused for a minute.

"Why should I listen to you, half breed?" Hodo snarled.

Inuyasha debated in his head for a split second. Should he tell Hodo the truth? Would he even believe him? Should he risk it even more? He was all ready on death row.

He was opening his mouth to speak when all of a sudden a guard burst through the door.

"Sir!" The guard said to Hodo, panting slightly.

"Yes, what is it, James?" Hodo asked the man, dropping his hand that held the whip to his side.

"It's all ready, You Highness." James said. A twisted evil grin appeared on Hodo's face.

"Excellent."

(With Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Kouga)

"How much farther is it?" Kouga yelled over to Sango and Miroku.

"Were almost there. Look!" Sango yelled, pointing in the distance where a high castle tower was visible.

"Really?" Kagome asked a little weakly in Kouga's arms.

"Yep." Sango replied, looking at Kagome in concern. Her skin was still pale and there was a bit of sweat on her brow.

"I hope we save him." They all thought together, except Kouga.

(I was thinking about stopping it here, but since you guys are so awesome, I'm continuing. So, on with the chapter…)

For five minutes, no one spoke. They were all hoping they would get to Inuyasha in time. A minute and a half later, they spotted the rest of the castle. What was in front of them made them gasp in surprise.

In front of the castle was looked like the whole entire country was surrounded around a wooden stage. On that wooden stage was a lynch mob (It's the thing you play hang man with). By the noose was a man with long dark silver hair wearing tattered clothing. There was dark red stains on the front of the tunic and a lot on the back.

When they got closer, as much close as they can get without being seen by anyone, -Kouga jumped on a tree branch with Kagome in his arms still, Sango and Miroku next to them on Kirara-, to the stage, they saw it was Inuyasha. His hair was slightly crimson in some places and his tunic was covered in the rips and tears, the whole back of it was covered in what looked like dried blood. His pants were in the same shape as his tunic.

(Inuyasha's POV)

After the guard, James, left with Prince Hojo, three more guards entered my dungeon and tied my wrist together really tightly with a white silk cloth. I suspected it was unbreakable. After they made sure the cloth was on my wrists tight, one of them unlocked the lock on the cuffs, and led me out the steel door.

I winced against the bright sunlight. It was so bright to me. I haven't seen it for a day.

My whole body was sore, my back especially. Sure I could heal fast but I still have the pains as humans do.

Humans. Kagome.

I wonder how's she doing. I know she must be feeling the pains that I've been feeling. I hope she's okay.

The guards snapped me out of my thoughts by hitting me hard on my head. I growled at them.

Soon, we were at a giant wooden stage with a lynch mob near the center of it.

I gulped. I knew who it was for.

Me.

The guards placed me underneath the noose and put it around my neck. I closed my eyes and thought about all the wonderful times I've had during my life. Now that I think of it, I've been having a great life since I met Kagome.

Kagome.

I remembered the nights we slept under the stars, kissed, and the night we mated. I shook my head to clear away those thoughts. I couldn't think about all my happy memories when I was about to…to….die.

I sighed as Prince Hojo stepped to the front of the stage. Maybe Kagome was better off with him than me. And then we wouldn't be like this. Kami, why did I persuade to be with me?

(Author's POV)

"My good people of Shikon!" Hodo bellowed to the crowd. "Today we execute the person who almost took our dear Princess Kagome away from us." The crowd cheered loudly. Only when Hodo put his hand up for silence did they stop. Hodo chuckled. "Before we execute the half demon, please help me bring out Princess Kagome." The crowd erupted in cheers again. A second later, a woman with long flowing jet black hair and pale skin appeared on the stage.

Inuyasha gasped. The woman looked exactly like Kagome. Except that woman smelled like a graveyard. Hodo's voice brought him back to the present.

"Now, is there anything you want to say, half breed, before we execute you?' Hodo sneered. The wind ruffled everyone's hair and clothes.

Inuyasha had only one thing to say.

"That is not Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, peering at the crowd, his eyes drawn to the middle of it. "She's an imposter!" Immediately, loud whispered erupted throughout the crowd.

Hodo busted out laughing.

"What do you mean she's an imposter?" Hodo asked, in between fits of laughter. "There is no way Kagome could be an imposter. I would've noticed it. I'm her fiancé."

"But she is!" Inuyasha outraged, trying to break the cloth that bound his hands, but it was no use. It would not break. "The real Kagome has been with me the past month!"

Hodo laughed halfheartedly. As did the rest of the crowd.

"Enough!" Hodo commanded and the whole crowd went silent. "It's time for business." He motioned to guards to Inuyasha, who made sure the noose was around his neck and his bounds were still bounded. Just before going to a lever, the guards each hit Inuyasha in the face.

Just before the guard pulled the lever, two voices called out.

"Hojo, stop!"

To Be Continued……..(Dots)……

*Whistles* Hehe. Sorry for the long wait. Things have been crazy for me. But that all ends tomorrow (June 5th) because I get out of school and I'll have more time to write. So yeah. Wow, this chapter was 8 pages long. I think its my longest yet. If this chapter is jumpy in some places, let me know. I've been working on it off and on for the past couple weeks. So yeah, I'm going to go now.

Please make me happy and R&R please!!!!

Drama Kagome