Thy Thralldom Come

by The Monday Child

Two sisters of royal blood are captured by the enemy. Their kingdom is no more. A cruel prince has taken them both for his own, tempting them into depths unexplored by good girls. Their choice is clear: lose themselves or lose their lives.

3. Cage of Golden Gloom

Note: One big ole chapter before Spring Break! Have fun, everyone. I'm super busy now, but I'll try and have the next chapter up within the month. Also, WHY ARE ALL THESE RANDOS FAVORITING DOG GOD? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? THANK YOU, THO. Did someone rec that old fic or what, like for real. I have no idea what's going on. Are any of you new people even reading this? Can you please enlighten me?

Remember, kids, reviewing makes all these things possible:

Gain the ability to fly

Your pets will never die

I'll bake you a pecan pie

I will personally boil anyone you even slightly dislike in a giant cauldron filled to the brim with their tears of pain until their flesh falls from the bone, at which point your immortal pets will feast like the kings they will soon be once phase seven of the plan is complete

And more…

Three: Cage of Golden Gloom

Waking before sunrise was yet another new thing Kagome was begrudgingly introduced to. Were she a few years younger, she'd be kicking and screaming and crying trying to get her way. Though she was no longer a child, she envied that small power they had. Sighing as she trod along beside Kikyo, she mused on how nice it would be to be carried, her feet stinging and aching though they'd not even walked a mile. Never in her life had she been a morning person, usually preferring to sleep until noon, and it always took her a while to wake up fully. Sleeping on the hard, cold earth had left her bruised and hurting. The cold she'd begun to experience last night had worsened and she was constantly sucking in snot. Not at all ladylike. She had been too scared to sleep much, so on top of all that she was also painfully tired.

And that was just the start of the day.

Groggily, stiffly, reluctantly, she attempted to keep pace with Kikyo. Not wanting to be a burden, she kept all her negative thoughts and complaints inside. But then they reached the first river crossing and her resolve was tested.

While the water of Higurashi's sole river was not flowing too fast, it came up to her chest, and it felt colder than the shaved ice she'd enjoyed on occasion, extravagant gifts from Hojo that had almost made her see possible benefits in being his bride. Since it was early spring, the mountain snows were melting and flowing right into the very river that was freezing her lower limbs off.

And she was naked.

Kikyo insisted it was better not to wear clothes in the cold water because it would impede their movement, slow them down, possibly lead to them drowning, and once they got out of the water it would only make them sicker. The former Queen seemed energized, like it was just a quick morning swim, but Kagome wondered if drowning was really so bad in comparison to the life she was living now. All of her belongings were stacked above her head, towering, tied with twine. It was heavy, and the water was now almost up to her chin. Kikyo still moved forward without it even coming to her shoulders. Meanwhile her mouth filled with water and she spat it out, releasing a surprised cry. A splash sounded to her right and she looked over only to see her sole pair of shoes swept away by the current.

There was nothing she could do, and so she looked away, focusing on the other side of the river. It took a while for her to reach it, but with Kikyo's help she finally arrived, too cold and shivering to dress herself. Sighing, her older sister did it for her.

"Where are your shoes, Kagome?"

"F-f-f-fell. I-in water."

"Here." Without even a chiding word, Kikyo placed her own shoes on Kagome's feet, leaving herself barefoot. Kagome wanted to protest, but she knew Kikyo would ignore her, and her feet were already so hurt that she just gratefully accepted them. Gods, she really was useless.

Every step they took, Kagome flinched. Even though Kikyo seemed fine, she still felt horrifically guilty. The forest floor was densely littered with sticks and stones and crunchy leaves and perhaps even animal bones. She'd seen a couple dead birds. And what about dirt and insects? She shuddered, this time not from the ever present cold.

When she told Kikyo she needed a chamber pot and not to make water this time and all her older sister did was tell her to dig a hole, it finally set in that this was the way things were going to be for the foreseeable future.

"I saw some fresh tracks nearby. I'll go hunt while you finish up."

Kagome was left with her thoughts and a hole. All of the princesses in every story she'd ever heard had faced trials and tribulations, but this!? She'd much rather be kidnapped by some crazy wizard and forced to act as his serving maid until a prince she'd never met liberated her and made her his bride and the co-ruler of his kingdom. But nature called, and eventually she could do nothing else but answer.

In much less time than had taken to track and kill the deer, Kikyo returned with the meat of a wild boar, thankfully cleaned and cut into portions. Kagome was grateful, but when it occurred to her that she had only done it due to her previous reaction, she was back to feeling like a burden. The Queen of Higurashi squatted barefoot in the dirt rubbing sticks together with her rough hands until they sparked. Kagome shivered and stared into the growing flames. Even if they did return to being royalty, she would never be the same way. She would never see Kikyo the same way. When the meat was cooked, she ate it all without complaint, even though it did taste like what she imagined the forest floor did.

The night brought terrors with it. Even though she was thoroughly exhausted, she could not fall asleep. It seemed pointless to her for Kikyo to take watch under such circumstances, but her older sister merely waved her hand at her, shooing her off to bed like she was still a little girl giving her nurse a hard time. Finally, after many hours, she managed to drift off. She didn't know how long she remained sleeping, but suddenly she felt very cold and came back to consciousness, blinking in the dark. With only the dying embers of the fire to light the immediate area, she could barely see. It took a while, but she eventually realized that Kikyo was no longer next to her.

Kikyo was gone.

Darting to her feet, she began to scream her sister's name. "Kikyo!?" Nothing. Gods, she had abandoned her, left her all alone, she was never coming back. Kagome knew it like she knew her own name. "I'm sorry, Kikyo, I'm so sorry! You can have your shoes back, I won't complain anymore, I'll do everything you say, I swear it on all the Queens! Kikyo, I—"

A hard pinch to her arm woke her and she looked around frantically, not fully comprehending what was going on.

"Gods, Kagome, you were screaming like someone was gutting you with a carving knife. You're fine, it was just a nightmare."

The tears were unavoidable and Kagome wept, clinging to her only remaining family. Loud, vocal, hiccupping sobs wracked her body. A small bit of comfort came from Kikyo's hand rhythmically stroking her back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—"

Kikyo shushed her. "It's all right. Everything will be well. Keep in mind that we are still hiding, so you need to keep quiet. But I promise, Kagome, I vow to you on all our ancestors and in front of all the gods that I will protect you with my very life."

She nodded, drawing away and drying her tears. "And I promise to be more useful. I'm not smart like you are, but I'm going to learn."

Unbeknownst to her, her chin took on an almost childishly stubborn look and Kikyo smiled, for the first time really believing her own words that things would be okay. They slept side by side, hand in hand, sharing as much warmth as they could.

O\o/O

This time, Kagome willingly arose before the sun, even before Kikyo. It was short-lived as she accidentally jostled her awake as she rose.

"This is a surprise. I was prepared to get used to dragging you to your feet every morning."

Kagome just smirked. "Here. I wore the shoes yesterday, so it's only fair you wear them today. Take them."

It seemed for a moment like she was going to refuse, but something in Kagome's face convinced her and she simply nodded and accepted them with a soft thanks.

Her intentions were honorable, but they were nearing the mountains, and it was a very rugged area, especially hard to maneuver without proper footwear. Almost as soon as they set out, Kagome began to regret her magnanimity. As she'd feared, the ground was littered with all sorts of hard things. It seemed like there was a burr lurking under every leaf and all the rocks were jagged-edged. What was worse than the prickly things were the soft and squishy things. In the dim early morning light, a tiny spot of white was seen where her foot was to go next, and before her mind could piece together what it was her eyes were seeing, she had stepped on the corpse of a small mouse. Somehow, she managed to keep her scream from sounding. After that, she stopped looking down, as stupid as that may seem. Kagome would rather her feet be further bloodied and bruised by mysteries than by known horrors. Every small cut burned, but she kept quiet, her eyes on Kikyo's strong and sure back. For her, for her Queen, for her sister, she would perform these small heroics.

Hours later, just when Kagome was about to drop, they stopped for a rest. Exhausted but pretending to be fully energized, Kagome sat down on a wide, flat rock. More and more rocks and less trees were appearing the further they walked. A now noticeable incline made her feel even more tired than she should be.

"How long have you had those?" Kikyo's voice was sharp and fierce, her eyes on her sister's wounded bare feet.

Kagome winced and drew her feet up, covering them with the hem of her dress. She didn't want to look at her once soft skin, her formerly smooth, rosy heels. Not yet. She wasn't ready for that yet.

"I-I don't know."

"The dogs could track us down easily once they got a whiff of your blood! And if these get infected, you could die, even from a small wound. Sometimes the only way to save a person is to amputate the infected flesh, and where would we be then? We have no doctor, Kagome! No doctor! We—have—no—doctor!" What started out as a snippy speech turned into angry screams. Her face was a mottled red, scaring Kagome.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, shrinking into herself.

Kikyo turned her back to her and began shuffling through her pack. Though she was quiet now, Kagome could tell by the set of her shoulders that she wasn't going to get over this easily. Without a care for the garment, she ripped the hem off her dress all the way around and then tore it into several strips. Before Kagome could react, Kikyo roughly pulled her feet out from under her, surprising her with her strength. She'd always known her sister was strong, but had assumed since she was a woman they'd be more like equals than they were. If they were ever forced to fight, Kagome knew she wouldn't stand a chance, not in strength or in cleverness.

Some of their precious canteen water was sprinkled onto her injured feet and with patient hands, Kikyo cleaned her wounds. Once the blood and grime was washed away, it was revealed that her wounds were mostly shallow, a few deeper ones here and there. All had since stopped bleeding. Carefully, Kikyo bandaged her up. Once she was satisfied the makeshift bandages would stay put, she tore again at her hem, taking off her shoes and wrapping her own feet. Confused, Kagome just watched silently.

"Here," Kikyo said, handing her the shoes. "You need them more than I do. We can't have you slowing us down."

Biting her trembling lip, Kagome meekly accepted them. After a few more minutes of rest, they went back to walking, making much less progress than Kikyo had projected, due entirely to Kagome. She cried silent tears on their hike, wondering why every time she thought she was doing the right thing, she just made everything a hundred times worse. There was dried leftover boar's meat for their meals, and she chewed her small portion over and over again like a cow with cud, barely able to bring herself to swallow it. Long after darkness fell, they set up camp again. While Kikyo had never been particularly chatty, she was now cold and completely silent, and Kagome spent the night drifting in and out of a restless sleep, crying to herself, holding herself.

It was just like her dream. She was alone.

Fire and itching of her feet woke her. In the early gray light, she pushed aside some of the bandages, just trying to get a peek. Swollen red streaks and a sick yellow color made her feel like retching. When Kagome saw Kikyo coming close to bring her morning rations, she quickly covered them back up, not wanting her to see how even her own body was failing at their new life. Getting to her feet was difficult enough with how stiff she was all over, but now walking was almost impossible. Making her way slowly, Kagome's pain came to nearly unbearable heights before fading to numbness. Soon, she didn't feel anything at all. Sweat covered her body and she alternated between feeling very hot and very cold.

A weight was lifted off her shoulders and she nearly fell over. Kikyo was now holding both their packs, marching ahead with her barely covered feet. Kagome noticed a few now dry tiny bloodstains on the cloth. Stumbling, she tried to catch up with her, normally an impossible task even when she was at her best. Thoroughly ashamed of herself and her weakness, she limped on, ignoring her symptoms until everything went black.

Kagome awoke in a bright place, right on the grassy side of a stream. Her feet tingled and she looked down, noticing more of Kikyo's dress had gone towards bandaging her, only this time there seemed to be a kind of poultice spread beneath. Her sister was a few feet away, collecting water for their canteens. Crawling, she kneeled next to Kikyo, bowing her head.

"I'm sorry." She'd lost track of the number of times she'd said that so far on their journey.

Covered in dirt, her bearing was still entirely regal, and she was every inch a Queen. "No, I'm sorry. You are no soldier. I have been trained for this life, for this hardship. Ever since Mother died, a week out of every month was spent in the forest living like this. Yet you have never even really left the east wing of the castle."

Kagome looked around, feeling reinvigorated by her environment. "We have a good opportunity for a bath here. Look, a hot spring!"

Kikyo snorted. "We have no time for bathing and other luxuries."

Appalled by her sister referring to something as necessary as bathing as a "luxury", Kagome responded, "But you're hurt! And so am I. The springs would relax our muscles and ease our pain. Look, we can't outrun the demons. If they are truly tracking us by scent, then we'll be giving our location away because we both stink to the heavens!"

For a moment, the older woman just stared at her companion, but a quick sniff to her underarm convinced her. Nodding, she went to put their canteens back in their packs. Overjoyed, Kagome hobbled as fast as she could to the springs, nearly ripping her dress off. Just before she jumped in, she remembered to unwrap her bandages, and did so carefully, impressed by how much better her feet looked after being treated with the herbs. Sinking into the best thing that had happened to her in days, Kagome stayed underwater for as long as she was able before coming up for air, careful to keep one hand on a rock she'd use as a seat since the spring seemed frighteningly deep. To her surprise, she was still alone in the water. A quick glance showed that Kikyo was now wringing out some laundry.

"You can do all that later!" she called out.

"Before I can enjoy myself, I must do all that needs to be done."

Feeling guilty, Kagome summoned up an amount of will she didn't know she had and began to climb out of the spring. "I'll help you, and then we can both—" Her hand slipped on the mud and she came crashing down, hitting her head on a rock so hard her teeth rattled. And then she was back in the water, but she couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down. Her lungs burned. She hadn't been able to take a breath before being submerged. Confused and hurt with her consciousness quickly fading, she kicked towards the place she thought was up. The murky water gave her no hints, and her body betrayed her once again, taking in a lungful of spring water.

When Kikyo heard the splash cutting off Kagome's voice, she was on her feet and running before she could even confirm what her mind had jumped to. Shirking her coarse dress until she was left in just the pitifully shapeless smallclothes, she dove into the spring right where the turbulent churning of Kagome's attempts at swimming were occurring. Or at least where they had been. It seemed the moment she touched the water, all action beneath the surface stopped. Knowing that could only mean one thing, she extended her arms as far as they could go, opening her eyes as wide as she could. Where was she? Where was Kagome? Her reaching fingers searched and searched, and soon she felt something soft and smooth brush against her knee.

Skin.

Quickly running out of air herself, Kikyo blindly grabbed at what she knew was her sister and with powerful, sure kicks made her way to the surface. Gasping for breath, she continued without stop and soon had Kagome laid out beside the spring. She was completely still, not taking in air. Kikyo didn't allow herself to give in to the desire to cry and curse the gods. First Suikotsu, now her precious sister? She was trained to resuscitate the drowned, as long as their souls had not been called away by one of the Soul Pipers. Many had reached the point of no return in her experience, but since Kagome had not been down there long, there was still hope.

Placing her lips on Kagome's, Kikyo breathed into her while her hands pumped the prone girl's chest, willing her to live, to be all right. To open her eyes.

There wasn't a way for her to measure how long she tried to call the girl back from the realm of the departed. To Kikyo, it was an eternity. Not stopping in her task, her mind wandered to practical things, unable to help herself from falling back into duty. Like what to do with Kagome's body. There was no way for her to be buried in their homeland, not without risking her capture, and she would never allow those dogs the satisfaction of that. No. She supposed she could tie several of Kagome's long waving raven tendrils of hair to her wrists and jump in the deceptively deep hot springs. If only she had put away the laundry and joined her, this never would have—

A rush of sour water hit Kikyo's face. She blinked and her dark eyes met Kagome's dazed blue ones. Not fully comprehending what was happening, she continued to pump her chest, her lips almost making contact with her sister's again.

"Gods, I'm a mess," Kagome said hoarsely, coughing some more, hard enough that tears leaked from her eyes.

Kikyo's entire body was shaking. She wanted to hold Kagome, to slap her, to knock some sense into her, to scream at her, to lay down beside her and rest.

Sensing her older sister's turbulent emotions and the coming explosion, Kagome unconsciously attempted to manipulate her away from that and meekly laid her head in her lap. Sighing, the weary woman stroked Kagome's wet waves all the way down her neck and shoulders, fingertips lingering on the edges of the lacerated little bump just above her hairline. Alive. The only one in the world she had left to love was alive.

"Suikotsu…" she whispered, her voice faint even though she meant to speak normally. "Suikotsu is dead." Tears burned behind her eyes but she would not let them fall. If she could not be the strong Queen he thought she was and save him, then she would at least mourn him as though she was.

Kagome didn't say a thing, just sat up and put her arms around her. The girl had seen little of Suikotsu and had not guessed at the forbidden depth of feeling that ran between the royal physician and the Queen. Even so, she knew they were very close, best friends, and that he had been so much more than a simple doctor.

"He was a good man," Kagome murmured.

The Queen bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. "There's a change of clothes in the pack. I'll build a fire. Don't want you getting sick."

Visibly wilting at the thought that they were risking exposure to their enemies once again because of her, Kagome obediently dressed, face heating when she realized she'd been naked all that time. Oh well, they were sisters in dire circumstances. In all likelihood, her modesty was going to take a few more blows yet. Glancing at Kikyo, she noticed just how beaten down she looked. Her very soul ached for her. To lose a kingdom, their father, her comrades, her only friend… She looked much older than her years.

In an attempt at cheering her up, Kagome sat beside her and smiled, making sure to put an extra sparkle in her eyes.

"I always thought my first kiss would come from a handsome prince—or Hojo—but I guess I'm okay with it being a beautiful Queen."

Though she didn't look at her, one side of her mouth turned up in a tense but genuine smile, and Kagome was satisfied.

O\o/O

Another day dawned and the bloody sun woke Kagome. She ached less than she had the other mornings, despite her increased sufferings. Maybe she was finally getting used to it? Kikyo had bathed alone some time during the night, and while Kagome did not think a quick dunk had done much to help her own situation, she was not eager to return to the place that had almost been her grave. Without speaking to each other, they set out again, walking up the ever steepening incline. Kikyo had not said why they were headed to the mountains, but Kagome figured that there were many caves they could take shelter in and the paths were few and cramped, some only one person wide, so they would not be confronted by an overwhelming force of Inu. The game would be sparse, though, and the air thin. The soil was rocky, so they would have to forage rather than farm. She hadn't a single idea how to do either.

The quiet seemed almost oppressive. Most of the birds were dead or had flown somewhere warm. Only the occasional whistling of the wind sounded in her ears. It was horrible. Her sister had never been this thoroughly silent before. It made her anxious and upset. Her face was entirely blank, devoid of the small, barely there, beautiful smile she had always sported in the past when they were together. This sister was a stranger. She, Kagome, had done this to her. Made things unnecessarily difficult. For a moment, she tried to tell herself that things would go back to normal once they ceased traveling and found shelter. Kikyo had suffered terribly in that last battle. She hadn't said out loud that Suikotsu had been killed in the war, but Kagome knew it. She had a feeling Kikyo avoided sleeping much because she was tormented by nightmares. When they set out in the morning, her face was covered in tear tracks, and she touched them, surprised.

Kagome squared her shoulders in an attempt at confidence. She was the one who had to be strong, to protect Kikyo in the only way she was currently able. No more whining and protesting against fate. Though she had been torn from the only home she'd ever known and thrust into a nightmare, it must have been so much worse for Kikyo. She would make sure their new life was as smooth as possible. She repeated the words inside her head, her very soul quaking in fear and steadily losing hope. Her brain whispered at her to be strong, but everything else shouted she was weak, would always be weak, and she was dragging Kikyo down with her. Everything was her fault. If they were captured, that would surely be because of her, too.

Meanwhile, Kikyo was feeling deeply disturbed. Kagome was being so quiet. The sister she knew and loved was an unstoppable little chatterbox. Glancing back at the girl, she noticed for perhaps the first time that she was no longer a tiny ball of energy and sunshine. Guilt tore through her. This was her doing. She had failed to protect their kingdom, and now Kagome was suffering for it.

The next day was hell.

Much like the previous day, they were silent and caught up in their own worlds of misery and self-recrimination. They spoke little, smiled not at all. Again, they came to the river. Kikyo's plan had been to zig zag across the river at several sites she knew, making it as difficult as possible for the Inu hunters to find them. This portion of the river wasn't as deep as the ones further down the mountain, coming up only to her thighs (which meant it would be up to Kagome's hips), but it was much, much stronger. The current was hard and fast, almost violent. They'd have to be careful.

Kikyo assumed Kagome would be able to see at first glance what she had observed, not wanting to waste words when they had been traveling slowly and were still so far away from where they had a chance at safety. Stripping, she tied her clothes about her neck and shoulders and proceeded to venture across the river, cautiously and firmly stepping, looking behind to confirm that Kagome was stepping exactly where she had.

The former princess' foot hadn't even made contact with the stones beneath the surface before she was knocked down and carried away by the raging current.

Without a thought, Kikyo tossed her heavy pack somewhere to her side and swam with the current to where she could just make out Kagome's dark head bobbing here and there.

"Go to land!" Kikyo shrieked, not sure if she could even be heard over the sound of the water.

She kicked harder and pushed her way, trying to catch up to Kagome, but she had been given just enough of a head start, her much smaller and lighter frame being dragged away so fast she was like a blur. If she didn't try and grab on to a chunk of grass or a branch or something along the riverside, then Kikyo may very well not catch her in time to avoid her being bashed against the jagged rocks she could just make out far down the river. Urged on by the sight, she doubled her efforts, relief flooding her when Kagome's pale, almost blueish hand thrust out of the water and clutched onto a small root.

The girl didn't have the strength to pull herself out of the water, didn't even have the strength to keep her body still, instead letting herself be pushed by the current while her arm was painfully stretched, anchoring her. Kikyo was by her side in a blink, lifting and shoving her onto land, following in a minute. Kagome didn't seem to have swallowed any water this time, but she did look a little dazed and Kikyo wondered if she'd hit her head again or never quite recovered from the first time. The clothes around her neck and Kagome's were soaked, their change and most of their supplies washed away. Sighing, Kikyo began to wring out her own clothes. At least they were across the river, closer to their goal than before.

"Stay here," Kikyo ordered as she rose to her feet. "I'm going to see if I can salvage any of our things."

Though she searched for over an hour, she returned with almost nothing. Like she had feared would happen to Kagome, their bags had been bashed against the rocks. Caught in a crevice of said rocks she found the distinctive cloth that wrapped her bow and arrows, all intact, her quiver looking a little worse for wear and with a small hole in it just beside them. Other than that, everything was lost or ruined.

Kagome was still lying on her back when she returned, the blue tinge to her skin having only increased. It appeared she had done nothing to try and warm herself, had not even removed the freezing cold and sopping wet clothes from her neck.

"I'm sorry," she whispered without looking at her. There was no emotion in her voice. Kagome was crushed.

Shock made Kikyo fall to her knees. Putting a hand on her sister's shoulder, she attempted a smile. "This wasn't your fault, Kagome. And it may not even end up being that much of a bad thing. The Inu could find our supplies and think we drowned, too. That would get them off our tail for good." When that had no effect on her, she continued, "As long as my precious little sister is safe, I have everything I need."

Kagome let out a sob and nearly knocked Kikyo over with the force of her embrace. The two sisters comforted each other and shared their warmth, glad to at least have love in a world that had gone so suddenly insane.

They were all they needed.

O\o/O

The past week infuriated Inuyasha more than the past six fucking months.

Fucking humans!

Higurashi was far from the first kingdom he had conquered in the quest of Inu going from kingdom to eternal empire. They were strong and so they took. This was their destiny, their duty, and he was its bringer. Ever since Sesshomaru had decided to stay at home like a bitch, it fell to Inuyasha to be the warrior prince his people revered. Though he was a fighter, considered vicious, he had a heart. He truly believed it was for the best of the people of Inu and the people they conquered. They needed protection and technology, which Inu provided in return for military help and taxes. Each kingdom they absorbed was necessary and valued. Even so, in all his years of war and peace, Higurashi was the first kingdom he wanted to wipe from the fucking map.

Even after their king or general or whatever the fuck he was killed himself, even after the queen and the princess abandoned them, even after their fortified pitiful run-down castle was blown to smithereens, even after their military was entirely decimated, the fucking peasants were defying him.

Briefly, it occurred to him that he was dealing with an entire kingdom of fuckers exactly like himself.

Upon recognizing that their country was no more and there was no chance to escape and their only chance of peace was to submit, the peasants, people he had never had to be wary of in any other land, sneaked to the new and larger military headquarters some time during the night and set fire to their storehouses and warehouses. Just like the fucking bitch queen did to the castle. He was still pissed off about losing the statues. They would have made the perfect gift. Now all their food, equipment, and gear was torched and could not be recovered. The minute he had the bright idea of just forcing some of the peasants and wounded to farm instead, his nose twitched, picking up the scent of the fields burning to nothing.

Most of their armor had been stolen and a good number of weapons, melted in forges, reduced to slag. The peasants even burned their own fucking shops to the ground. Any growing land outside the castle walls had been thoroughly salted. He lost several men before he realized the wells were poisoned. The priestesses he had intended to capture, study, and enslave killed themselves, taking the secret of their powers with them. Every single person who had been in a position of authority committed suicide or were killed in attempts to kill an Inu soldier. Every prisoner they somehow managed to take had to be thoroughly and tightly bound or else they'd kill every man he had watching them and free the rest of the prisoners. It happened twice before he just said fuck it and had their entire bodies covered in rope the minute they were captured.

And the fucking peasants. The goddamn fucking peasants had organized themselves into militias and were fighting them using guerilla warfare, taking down elite trained warriors with fucking modified farming tools and improvised weapons. One of his men, a full demon of noble blood, trained from birth to fight and kill, had been murdered by a tiny grizzled old man with a tree branch, right in front of his eyes. Secretly, Inuyasha wished he had soldiers with half the dedication to the empire that Higurashi peasants had to their fallen patch of ruined dirt.

Though every building in the small town seemed abandoned, he knew from experience that, even in burned and crumbling structures, there was someone behind a broken window with a bow just waiting to let loose a slew of arrows, praying Inu soldiers would pass. Every dark alley hid a suicidal psycho with a weapon or barrels that would roll right into a person and explode on impact. Even the fucking kids had made a game of killing or being killed.

All of this was helpful to Sango's anthropological efforts to understand the people of Higurashi, whom no one knew much about. She would go on and on with theories as to their history and gods, blah blah blah. But Inuyasha could sum it up in two statements: These people were obsessed with burning things. Also, these people were batshit fucking crazy.

He began to respect them, which made him wish it was his brother dealing with them instead of himself. That bastard had no emotions and would have had no qualms about killing everyone in the entire kingdom, thus ridding them and the world of the problem for good.

Inuyasha had reached a point where he was seriously tempted to begin having bloody public executions on the regular, but they'd never resorted to that before, which had made post-war life with their newly conquered kingdoms much more peaceful. It might even make the peasants more difficult to deal with. After all, he didn't want to give them martyrs to cling to.

Every last citizen of Higurashi was just as stubborn and just as big of a pain in the ass as their fucking queen, hellions defiant to the end.

After being given another day's worth of depressing reports, Inuyasha sighed and left the briefing, needing to go back to his tent to think, Sango in tow. What the hell was he gonna do? The prisoners they'd taken were now refusing to eat even though they should be grateful they were even being given food when some of his own men went hungry because the fucking peasants burned the fucking food. Even more maddening than leaving the food untouched, they were smashing it into the dirt, ruining it, and making hungry men watch. Their stubbornness had reached unreasonable levels. They wouldn't cooperate even for their most basic benefit.

The rest of the morning and afternoon were spent deep in thought. Sango actually started when her prince rose, exiting the tent without even putting on his armor, wearing only his regular clothes and fire rat cape. She followed after him, Kirara still in recovery perched on her shoulder. After the time they'd been having, she knew it was better that she not say anything. Her excitement about actually interacting with the Higurashi people only annoyed him, so she always tried to conceal it. By the set of his shoulders, she could see he was tense and angry. Back at the palace, she was used to calming him down when he got angry (usually because of his brother), but out here it was different. Inuyasha didn't respond to words, only actions, and she was forbidden to touch him the way she needed to. Something about his demeanor now seemed different, anyway. New.

Leaving the huddled tents of the Inu base, they walked into the walled city, passing grumbling soldiers. Inuyasha ignored them all. His target destination: the area where the soldiers who had fallen in the last battle were buried.

It was tradition that Inu soldiers who died in the fight to take a city were buried within that city's walls. They gave their lives for its capture; that land became their land forever. Instead of taking the easy route and dumping them all in one mass grave like many kingdoms did with soldiers fallen far from their homeland, they were each honored with individual graves and markers.

Inuyasha was burying his frustrations with his fallen soldiers.

For as long as Sango had known her prince (had it really been thirteen years?), he was never good at handling stress without a readily available outlet. Usually, that outlet had been her or the scores of women he kept. Often, it had been fighting. Now, it was grave digging. Taking a shovel, Inuyasha began to dig with a king of phlegmatic dedication. She could see the calm wash over him. Wanting to be with him at all times, Sango grabbed a shovel and began to dig as well. Many had fallen, and they needed all the men they could to stand guard and patrol, so many bodies had gone unburied and were starting to stink. Even Kirara helped, transforming into her larger appearance and digging with her paws.

Sango only had eyes for her prince. The flexing muscles under his golden skin made her stomach clench, the very same reaction she'd had when she first saw him as a girl of fifteen. Inuyasha's brow was no longer furrowed and he seemed at peace thanks to the temporary distraction. The two of them worked late into the night and into the morning, hardly stopping to rest until the last soldier was buried. Being a warrior and raised among her tribe as well as the Inu, Sango was far more capable than a normal human woman of such a task.

Both exhausted, they returned to his tent. Sango was grateful for being so worn out. This way, she would not struggle to sleep, plagued with desire for the man she could never really have.

To the soldier guarding the tent, Inuyasha said, "None of the prisoners are to be given any food until I say otherwise." Maybe that would make them more cooperative. Or at least too weak to give anyone any trouble.

After a long and deserved rest, Inuyasha woke to see Sango on the bed beside him, curled on her side. Cursing softly, he picked her up, carrying her to her own cot. After everything, he wasn't going to get them caught just because he decided it would be a good idea to tire them out digging the graves of people he probably wouldn't even recognize were he to be confronted with their faces. She woke as he set her down and he realized she had probably been awake for a while, since she always woke before him, as though she was so attuned to him and his body that her own body anticipated it.

"The sun has not yet risen, but it shouldn't be too long now," she murmured. "A few people came seeking an audience with you, but I sent them away. The prison guards are waiting on your orders concerning feeding the prisoners. They're wondering why we went through the trouble of capturing them at all if we're just going to let them starve instead of torturing them for information."

Inuyasha was only half-listening. His eyes were on her lips, and then her throat where it was partially hidden in her leather suit. Reaching out to peel it off of her, he was brought back to reality when she slapped his hand away.

"We cannot risk that kind of activity until we are back in the capital," she said coldly. Her face colored. "And I won't be with you like that when you haven't even bathed in two days."

He snorted. "Not like you've been smelling of roses, either."

Sango glared and he sighed, rolling his eyes as he marched off to get clean.

When he was finished and dressed in his best, he went to the command tent and waited for the unit commanders and others to gather. When they walked in, bitter expressions on their faces, he attacked before they could even start.

"Oshira, Kita, Mori, Sasaki, you and your men will be repairing everything worth repairing in town. Find the largest building and get it up and running. That will be our new base, a proper base. Ishikawa, Hisakawa, you take your men and make a map of Higurashi and the surrounding areas. Mark any usable resources, intact buildings, roads. You know." When they just stared at him, he bared his fangs at them and snarled, "Now!"

They jumped to obey.

"Morozawa, you and Hachimitsu take Junko with you back into town and try and weed out the fuckers that keep fighting us. Make sure it's safe, check the buildings one by one. Every floor, every room, every fucking crawlspace, you will check them all."

They bowed and left.

"The rest of you," he said, getting to his feet and pacing before the men, "will be split into four groups. Group one," he said, pointing to several exhausted dog-demons, "you will go to the forest and start cutting down trees. We need timber if we're going to rebuild. Group two, transport the prisoners to the building we secured in town yesterday. Make sure you watch them closely and carefully so they don't fuck shit up. Group three, take down camp and set it up again within the city walls. Those fuckers need to know we're here for good and it's all ours." He took a deep breath and stood before the small cluster of men left. "Your job is the most important, group four. Go out into the forest and hunt. As a reward for the successful capture of Higurashi, we will have a feast. Triple salary goes to whoever brings back the most meat. You have two days. Get goin'."

Motioning to a little man by the tent flaps, obviously unsure of why he was there, Inuyasha said, "Write a letter to my brother and take it to him. We need workers to get Higurashi up and running again. Supplies, too. The stupid fucking barbarians destroyed their own fucking fields and we won't be able to last another month on what we have left."

A small amount of relief making his tense muscles relaxed now that all that was taken care of, Inuyasha left the tent without another word, heading for the old barn where the prisoners were being kept. As always, Sango shadowed him, posture alert, on the lookout for even the slightest sign that someone was intent on harming her prince.

"The city's pretty much ours," Inuyasha said to her, feeling a little exasperated. "There's no need to keep following me. If I can't take care of myself at this point, then I don't deserve my station."

"It is my duty to remain at your side guarding your person always and forever, my prince," Sango answered, formally enough that he knew she was upset at his trying to dismiss her.

He snorted and glanced at her teasingly. "You just don't want to do any of the real work around here."

She smirked. "Nothing would please this one more than to assist the mighty Inu empire in rebuilding their new territory. Ah me, if only I were free to haul loads of timber and stone, carrying crates of supplies on my back for a mile and more to help keep this steaming mess going. But no, my prince, I am sworn to keep you safe, and your safety means more to the Inu empire than a restored bakery in the backwater of the modern world."

Not liking her acting like he was helpless, Inuyasha glared at her. Things always started to go downhill when they hadn't fucked in a while. "Well then, you—"

"It is also my personal duty to not give you the chance to pick one of the more comely female prisoners and take her for 'questioning'. If I'm suffering, so are you."

Of course she'd seen through his plan. The barn he was heading towards was where the female prisoners were kept. There were more of them than of the men. Most of the men were dead or still fighting, leaving the women who hadn't also taken up arms at the mercy of their enemies. The male prisoners, few though they were, were kept in the cellar of the house by the barn. Their punishments were far more severe and Inuyasha preferred not to be involved with them. Battle was one thing, a thing he relished in, but torturing an already subdued enemy? Pointless and lacking in satisfaction.

"I do have a real reason to come here, you know," he said once on the path leading directly to their destination. At her questioning look, he continued, "Those statues. In the fortress. They were so perfect. And since as far as I can tell the men do little around here but for politics and war and farming, I figured maybe a woman made them."

Sango nodded, eyes lit with an intellectual excitement. "Yes, I was wondering about those too. They seemed almost at odds with the rest of the culture. Everything is so plain and functional and boring, so any imaginative art would seem striking, but those statues were so realistic they'd be sought after even back in Inu."

Realistic wasn't exactly the word he'd use. They were far too perfect to be found in anything human. Beautiful, untouchable women… He felt his breeches tighten.

"Women," he sneered. "Never saw a kingdom with its head so far up pussy."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Well, they seem to be a matriarchy."

"They've got a king, though!"

"The people speak of him not as a king, but as a general. It is their queen who rules, and she does it alone."

He'd called them a matriarchy before as a joke and hadn't seriously thought they really were. Snorting at the very thought of a woman ruling a country by herself, Inuyasha marched past the guards without even sparing them a glance. Once the doors closed behind him, it was dark in the barn, with only a few rays of light coming in from the weathered boards that made up the ceiling. His eyes adjusted right away, and he coolly observed the state of the prisoners. Bound in chains once used for farm work, they lay on filthy, soiled piles of hay. Dirty women. Ragged women. Hopeless women. None of them at all like the statues. To their credit, none of them shrieked or cried or pleaded. There were a few muttered insults, but those he'd let slide.

With a grin reserved only for his enemies, he said, "You're going to tell me what I want to know, or I will march all of you naked to the capital, on foot the entire way, and sell you to the lowest bidder at the slave markets."

Of course he wouldn't do that. They wouldn't be worth the cost of feeding them along the journey. Only healthy slaves were ever bought. But they didn't know that, and now they were all at attention, the thought of public shame more frightening than the thought of a horrible death.

"Good. Now, I'm looking for whoever made those statues. The giant ones of the women in the fortress, lining that hallway."

The women seemed upset that the information he sought was so trivial, and the fear he'd inspired evaporated. Grumbling to themselves, some even went so far as turning their backs or lying down on the sodden hay.

"Look," he growled, "you're a conquered people. It's done. It's over. Your army is dead and scattered, your queen abandoned you to save her own selfish ass. Whoever gives me the information will be rewarded with baths and an extra meal per day, while the person who made the statues, if verified to be legitimate, will then serve the royal family of Inu and live out the rest of their lives in luxury."

A hush settled over the group.

"You're fresh out of luck, dog. The priestesses were the sculptors and the artists, and you've slaughtered them all."

Inuyasha refused to accept that. "You're not protecting anyone. The artisan will be treated kindly. Remember that it is my word alone that stops the lot of you from being picked over by my soldiers. If you're attractive, you can warm a dog demon's bed until he gets tired of you. If you're not, you will be sold as slaves to any brothel we come across on our journey homeward." He paced, hands behind his back, in front of the women, glaring at each of them. "They may use you for cleaning and cooking. But some of them are creative. I wouldn't want to know of what they think up for your fate."

The brothels of the Western world were notoriously fearsome. True, they turned out the best whores, but that was only because they traveled the world and every pretty little girl they spied was taken the instant she was left unsupervised. For years, they were trained to please, and once they reached maturity (though there were more than a few cases of impatient customers offering amounts of coin that could not be refused), night after night they were taken by any man who could afford their time and skill.

The women didn't know that in the past ten years measures had been taken to combat this and were quite effective. Wherever the Inu empire went, they brought their laws and own version of morality. Despite the death and destruction war brought, they did their best to make their absorbed lands a better place.

"We've told you the truth," another woman said. "The craft was kept secret and taught only to priestesses."

A woman—more of a girl, really—in the far corner caught his eye. Wringing her bound hands, she was attempting (unsuccessfully) to secretly glance around the room. The women in her immediate vicinity were very concentrated on not looking at her. With her matted hair that still managed to show some signs of poofy curls, dirt-covered skin that was smudged enough in some places to reveal her natural sallowness, and awkward shape that had her looking like she somehow was still going through puberty when her face showed more years, she wasn't much to look at.

"You," Inuyasha directed at her, knowing he had not made a mistake when she jumped and let loose a small scream. The faces of the women around her changed from defiant to worried. "Name, age, occupation."

"A-A-Ayumi. Twenty-two. Um, nothing."

"Nothing?" he asked, almost amused. He'd questioned enough prisoners in Higurashi to know that, much like in the tradition of Sango's people, unmarried women were expected to work alongside men as equals. Unlike in Sango's traditions, women were forced into marriage at twenty-five. If a husband could not be found, they were matched with a man who agreed to breed them, even if he was already married to another. If after five years of trying (with a new partner each year) they could not conceive, she was unsexed, meaning forced to live life as a man, which was somehow a great dishonor. Usually, those women turned to farming in isolation or suicide.

Now the women around Ayumi were glaring at her, trying to silence her.

Obviously feeling ganged up on, she frantically looked around her, eyes wide and frightened. "Nothing! I'm being honest!"

Grabbing her by the hair, Inuyasha brought her off her feet, making her look him in the eye. "Are you a priestess? A coward priestess like your queen?" he growled, bringing her in close. "Tell me the truth or you'll service the entire Inu army in one night."

"I'm not a priestess!" she gasped, tears running down her face. "Gods above, I'm not a priestess, but I was supposed to be!"

Now that was interesting. He set her down on her feet but still kept hold of her. Head cocked to one side, he asked, "Supposed to be?"

"Don't say a word, Ayumi!" a woman who had been sitting near her shouted, murder in her eyes. "Betraying the Queen calls for stoning and we will not hesitate to make right your wrong in the eyes of the gods."

Giving them a tight smile, Inuyasha broke in on what would no doubt be a very long, angry rant. "Guess what, Ayumi, you've just been claimed." Hauling her over her shoulder, he flinched at her shriek. "Hope you know how to clean and shit, because you're stinking up my clothes." Striding out the door, he held one hand up, middle finger on display.

Sango, who had remained silent even though he knew it must have been incredibly hard on her, hissed in his ear the moment they were out of the guards' earshot.

"What in all the hells were you thinking?! You can't just claim a woman right now! It's too soon. The soldiers will be angry."

Inuyasha shrugged, the action made only a fraction more difficult by the weight of the girl on his shoulder. "It's not like she's for sex, Sango. I doubt any of them would have chosen her, anyway. This bitch knows something and I'm gonna find out. Also, I need a maid, because you're a shitty fuckin' housekeeper."

While his shadow did that thing where she inhaled for ten, exhaled for ten, Inuyasha said to his slave, "After a bath, you'll be given a new set of clothes. Then you'll dine with me and tell me everything you know."

"Please don't rape me please don't rape me please don't rape me—" she chanted hysterically.

The half-demon almost laughed. "I've never wanted or hated a woman bad enough to rape her, and I certainly don't want to fuck a weak scarecrow like you. I told ya, just tell me what I need to know and be my maid."

The poor girl probably didn't hear him through her sobs, so he sighed and continued to the tent in silence.

Immediately upon entering camp, he hailed one of the soldiers left behind to guard and handed Ayumi over to him, warning him not to harm her and giving him instructions to see her bathed and clothed, as well as sending a message to the chef to make him the best meal he could manage, for two. Sighing, he retreated to his tent with Sango.

"You didn't have to take that girl, you know," she said, mild jealousy infecting her tone. He rolled his eyes. "Now she can never go back to her people and remain alive. She probably doesn't even know anything."

"She knows something, all right. And those women she was with would have killed her the minute we left, just 'cause I noticed her. They wouldn't be able to stone her, sure, but they could easily have strangled her or beaten her."

"You're such a mama's boy," she said, suddenly teasing. "Going to all this trouble just to get the queen a present."

Inuyasha scowled. "I am not! This is important for historical and artistic and anthropological reasons. It is my duty as a conqueror to document the conquered—"

Sango snorted. "You pissed on the sacred salt statues of the Southern tribes just two years ago."

He shrugged. "I don't like modern art."

"They were over five thousand years old!"

"Keh, whatever. These statues would have been from the most difficult conquest so far in my career. They were important."

Her face softened. "Was this for the queen or the emperor?"

He turned his back to her and began organizing messages. "They were for me."

"You know there's a way to get time with your father, Inuyasha. All you have to do is—"

He threw the papers down, not noticing or caring when some fell to the floor, disorganized. "I'm not letting him run my life like that!"

Sango sighed and watched him write out some message to whoever. This was a conversation they'd been having ever since she first became his sworn protector. In the Inu empire, males were boys until they took a woman to wife. Men and children seldom interacted. Until a boy proved himself and became a man, his father would have very little to do with him. At twenty-eight, Inuyasha was well past the marrying age for most males. His brother, the Crown Prince Sesshomaru, had married at nineteen for the sole reason of becoming a man, and was now thirty. He and his father shared a very close relationship, but Sango could tell it was all political business, with no real depth. In her opinion, the king sought a relationship with his younger son who did nothing but rebuff him. By the standards of their country, Inuyasha and Toga were very close, seeing that they communicated by letter once a week and had special audiences every other week when both were in the palace. The fact that he had been allowed to lead conquests in the first place, him being both only half-demon and still technically a boy, was a testament to his father's affection.

There was truth to her statement that he was a mama's boy, though. Izayoi was…an unusual woman, but Inuyasha adored her and she him. Not being able to remember her mother, Sango envied him that closeness, but still liked to tease him about it.

They spent the next hour in silence, her polishing her weapons and Inuyasha grumbling to himself over paperwork. Sango tried hard not to let her heart warm at how very domestic the scene felt to her. Those womanly feelings had to be banished if she were to be a proper warrior.

"My lord, your slave is here. Dinner will arrive shortly." The soldier that had been ordered to see to Ayumi's needs took off quickly, eager to stop babysitting.

Inuyasha rose to his feet and inspected the girl closely. Now that she was cleaned up, she finally looked more human than rat. Her hair was fully in poofy curls and the plain dress she wore enhanced her malnourished body. Gesturing to his dining table, he watched her carefully seat herself, warily glancing all around the tent as though an ambush of soldiers was waiting to tear her apart. Though the bath had calmed her, she was still fragile. He just hoped she'd answer his questions. Sitting down across from her, he was grateful when a slave came bearing two trays. It was always so much less annoying to talk to people when he had food in front of him.

"So," he began, digging into the scrawny chicken that was better than he'd hoped for, "what do you know about the statues?"

Ayumi was too busy stuffing her mouth with food to respond immediately. Once she'd crammed a few more bites into her mouth and was well on her way to being finished, she seemed to recover herself, and actually blushed. In her nervousness, she downed an entire glass of undiluted wine. He filled her goblet up again.

"Um… I don't?"

Calmly, he tore the chicken into small pieces. "Remember what I said about servicing the entire army?"

She sighed. "I'm really not going to be able to go back home, am I?"

"None of you are. Higurashi is a town, no longer a kingdom. Your homes have been destroyed." At the despairing look on her face, he said, "But when I go, I'll take you with me to the palace. There are a ton of servants there, so there won't be much for you to do, but it's better than this shithole."

Slowly, she began to eat again, taking a big gulp of the strong drink. "I'm not a priestess. All the priestesses are dead. Including my mother and my sisters." Her eyes began to tear. Obviously this girl hadn't inherited the stoicism of her people.

"But I thought all women from priestess bloodlines are automatically priestesses?"

"Usually, but sometimes… Sometimes, there are girls like me. It's seen as a curse from the gods. But there are rumors the princess is like me, so maybe it's not? Or maybe the gods wanted this to happen to Higurashi…"

"Stay on topic. What about the statues?" Acting disinterested, he filed away the tidbit about the young princess. Maybe if he acted like he believed the queen and princess were dead and therefore didn't matter, she'd let more information slip.

"My mother hated me and kept me from learning a trade, saying the gods had made me worthless and worthless I should remain. But my sisters took pity on me and they taught me."

"Taught you what?" he was irritated by the dreamy expression on her face and her airhead tendencies.

She smiled. "Sculpting."

"Can you make the statues like I saw in the palace?"

"The Hall of Princesses?" she asked. Suddenly, she looked nervous. "Um, well, I was barely taught, and um, usually we're not allowed to really sculpt big things until we're twenty-five, and the Hall of Princesses was started hundreds of years ago and there's a great lot of skill needed—"

"Hall of Princesses?" Nose wrinkling in confusion, he said, "I thought they were goddesses."

Ayumi giggled and finished the rest of her wine. "No, goddesses don't have corporeal forms," she told him like he was an idiot. "But the princesses are beautiful. I only saw the Hall a few times, but my oldest sister told me only the most beautiful and heroic princesses of Higurashi were memorialized there. The Queen wanted her sister's statue to go there once she was married and she asked my sister to begin sketching." She swelled with pride. "I even got to sit in on one of the sketches once!"

Everything inside him went still and it was all he could do to continue to eat his meal nonchalantly. "So you saw the princess? Did you get to see the queen?"

Ayumi shrugged. "Kinda. We all get to see her from far away during parades, but only her closest advisors and servants—and the princess—get to see her up close and without her armor. Can I have more potatoes?"

Inuyasha dumped the rest of his food onto her plate, watching her tear into it. Mildly grossed out, he refilled her glass.

"History is important to the Inu. With every conquest, especially the difficult ones, we put down everything we've learned of the conquered people into a book." This was true, though he didn't really care. The idea came to him suddenly. "We don't know what any of the royal family looked like, and we prefer to have portraits for our records. Now that the queen and princess and, um, general are dead—"

The silverware clattered to the plate with a loud noise, making him flinch. "The Queen is dead!?" Ayumi wailed, face ashen. "And the princess!? Oh gods, but she was so sweet and kind—"

Before she devolved into hysterics, Inuyasha broke in, "Do you think you could sketch me a picture of the princess?"

Ayumi continued to try. "I-I-I'm not good at draaawiiing!" she sobbed.

Inuyasha grit his teeth in annoyance. "Do you think that you could perhaps describe her to an artist?"

"I'm bad at wooooords!"

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Could you possibly sculpt her, maybe?"

"M-m-maybe." Ayumi sniffled and attempted to compose herself. "My sister would want me to. And the princess deserves to have her own Hall of Princesses statue." She nodded, drying the last of her tears. "If I have enough time to practice, I can definitely do it."

"Do you think you can make it realistic?" Inuyasha asked, trying not to appear too eager. "I know some artists prefer idealism, but this is for history and must be naturalistic."

"Oh, I doubt the princess's looks could be improved upon. She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. And so nice." A tear leaked out the corner of her eye and she blew her nose on the cloth napkin.

Inuyasha fought the urge to roll his eyes. He'd seen what passed for beauty in Higurashi. "I'll provide you with all the tools and materials you'll need, then. But until we get to the palace, you're to continue being my maid. Can't exactly let you stay here for free."

Sango came over to the party, arms loaded with laundry, both hers and his. Dumping it in the lap of the slightly tipsy girl, she said, "Please have these washed, dried, and folded by morning."

In a daze, Ayumi rose to her feet, clutching the haphazard pile of laundry. Nodding at both of them, she hiccupped, swayed, and left the room. They could hear her asking directions to the washing area.

Inuyasha sighed. "Just had to show her her place, didn't ya? I was planning on letting her sleep it off."

Sango shrugged. "It's better she learns now."

Already not listening, the half-demon grabbed a pen and paper from his desk, writing excitedly. "Father's going to lose his shit! We're one step closer to finding those bitches. Gods, I wish I could see the look on Sesshomaru's stupid fucking face…"

Smiling at him indulgently, Sango readied his bed, knowing it would be a while before he wound down enough to sleep.

O\o/O

Kagome tried not to think about it, but she couldn't help but sigh at the thought that it had been three weeks since she'd last slept in a bed. Three weeks since she'd last been warm. Three weeks since she'd last had a proper bath, eaten a proper meal, worn proper clothes. She was beginning to feel so depressed that she wished Hojo would come and find her. Ever since they were kids he'd seemed to have some sort of built-in Kagome tracker, finding her even in her best hiding places when she attempted to ditch him on one of his visits. Kikyo had said they couldn't inconvenience Hekigan with their presence, but she knew Hojo would protect her. The Alliance of Free Human Kingdoms was the only force that could go up against the Inu empire, and Hekigan was one of the main powers behind it. Her weeks of misery making her forget how much contempt she'd felt for the boy, Kagome began to long for him the way she'd once longed for some faceless Prince Charming to save her from him.

Every night, she slept entwined with Kikyo, for both emotional reasons and warmth. They were making their way down the other side of the mountain, having found out that most of the caves were homes to animals they'd rather not have to fight. They were both hopeful that they'd been assumed dead and the suffering and exhaustion and near-starvation had convinced them that it was the truth. Who would have been able to survive the explosion, the forest, the river, and the mountains? Certainly not two royal women all by themselves.

For the past couple days, Kagome's hopes had been pinned on the small town she could see at the base of the mountain. It wasn't as small as a village, but not as large as a city (or what she'd assumed cities looked like), just a trading town by the river. As they got closer, she realized what she had taken for a tiny settlement was even bigger than Higurashi. The world was so much larger than she'd ever thought. Once again lamenting her stupidity at rejecting Hojo, she wondered how large his kingdom was and if she'd ever see it. She'd never seen the ocean, and Kaede had told her that where Hojo lived was surrounded by ocean. Rich in timber, precious metals, and culture, Hekigan had unfortunately chosen for the royal family to marry their cousins for generations. While Hojo was passably handsome, she realized in retrospect, he was weak and foolish. That was why she had been chosen as his bride. Higurashi was known for its strong and hearty people. Their warriors were feared far and wide, and with her marriage, Hekigan would have received troops, which they no doubt would have bred with their own women, forcing their children to train night and day until they were machines. But all Kagome cared about was wearing pretty dresses and dancing at balls again, no matter the cost.

Carefully, she decided to broach the subject. "Um, Kikyo, what do you think about that town down there?"

"I don't," Kikyo grunted, swatting away a low-hanging branch, carefully holding it back for Kagome.

"But we need supplies! We don't have anything anymore, and relying on nature to feed us hasn't been going so well." Her stomach growled, backing her up. "And we don't have shoes. These leaves don't really protect us."

Kikyo sighed. "Kagome, it's not like Higurashi everywhere else. Even places ruled by humans are demon-inhabited."

"But there are humans there, too, aren't there? That means we won't stand out. We'll be safe."

Her face began to show signs of giving in, or at least thinking about it. "I don't know if I can mute my energy enough to appear normal and still have enough left over should we get in trouble…"

"You have coin sewn into the lining of your dress, right? For emergencies? Well, this is an emergency. We can't go on like this! Not without a few things to help our way."

Brow creased in thought, Kikyo said, "We'll see," and continued walking down the mountain.

Outwardly, she remained calm, but on the inside Kagome was rejoicing over the prospect of being in a town around actual people again. Haggling over their much needed supplies might take a while, maybe she could convince Kikyo to get them a room at an inn? She almost squealed out loud in excitement, reminding herself that nothing was certain, that they might not even go at all.

Meanwhile, Kikyo was pondering all the possible ways this trip could go wrong, and there were many. She'd had no contact with the world since she'd taken Kagome and run. There was no way for her to know if they were being hunted. The Inu empire did not like surviving independent royalty. Unless complete and total submission was shown, usually by giving one's children as ambassadors, meaning hostages, to the Inu capitol until they came of age and were married to an empire-approved individual. Since Kikyo had no children, that left Kagome to be led like a lamb to the slaughter straight to the heart of the Inu empire. But she doubted they'd give her that option. She'd resisted. She'd gone to war with them. Usually, the Inu gave their intended conquests the choice of whether to pay them tribute and the aforementioned hostage deal, but the only communication she'd received was to surrender and lay her crown down at the foot of the army. That, of course, was unacceptable. So she'd fought, knowing she could never win, but knowing her people wouldn't accept any other course of action.

The sleepy little town may look safe, but what if there were already Inu soldiers there, on the lookout for two young women traveling together? She'd done her best to collect a variety of gold and silver coins from countries other than Higurashi, but what if she'd messed up and took one by accident and some merchant connected the dots and reported them? But then there was Kagome to consider. She was right, they did need supplies. She was not confident in her ability to find a steady supply of game at this time of year, and the roots she'd dug up several days ago weren't going to last them for long and there didn't seem to be any other edible ones in these parts, not ones she recognized, anyway. And Kagome wanted to go. She'd seen her little sister wilt these past few weeks. She was someone who needed to be around people. It hurt her heart to see it.

She decided to take a chance.

"We will travel to the town in the morning," she announced, her eyes judging the distance and time it would take them to get there. It was nearing sunset now and she figured they might as well rest. "But you need to understand some rules first." Sitting down at the base of a large tree, she patted the ground next to her, smiling softly when Kagome eagerly snuggled next to her. "I would rather you wait outside the town while I went in to purchase what we need, but I don't want to leave you alone. I love you dearly, Kagome, and you know that, but let's be honest: you're not built for the outdoors."

Kagome snorted. "That's an understatement."

Idly toying with the girl's hair, Kikyo said, "We could disguise ourselves. Just in case. Perhaps I could tie a strip of cloth around your eyes, pretend you're blind… But the blind are usually beggars, and people may wonder where a couple of beggars found so much coin."

"I don't think we need to go that far," Kagome chirped. "We're dressed like poor peasants, and we've obviously been through some hard times. We could use fake names and pretend we're running from arranged marriages. Maybe we took our dowry with us."

"That's a good idea." Kikyo was pleased that the light was coming back to her sister's eyes.

"I'll be Kaede," Kagome said quietly, already drifting off to sleep.

She kissed her forehead. "I'll be Hana." It was the name she always used when she went out in disguise among her people. "One more thing. Never lie in a demon's presence. Just be vague. Many, though not all, kinds of demons can smell lies. If, for example, a demon asks where we're from, say the East. If they ask why we left, just say you couldn't bear it there any longer and so you ran away. If they ask your name, you can tell them you are 'Kaede'. That is to be your name from now on, so it is no lie. Names are not facts, they are gifts."

Kagome nodded against her shoulder, drifting into slumber. Kikyo sighed, hoping she'd remember. Oh well, they'd have time to go over it again in the morning. The younger girl slept on, peaceful and having happy dreams. Meanwhile, the older sister slept fitfully, stomach in knots. She'd have to be careful, be beyond careful, to protect Kagome. Or else what was all her hard work for?

In the morning, after a rinse of their faces with leaves wet with morning dew, they set out hand in hand for the town. Kikyo coached her, sometimes pretending to be a human, sometimes a demon. Kagome answered her in a chipper voice, practically skipping to their destination. She messed up a few times, nothing too serious. Kikyo could see that she was just out-of-her-mind excited at the idea of the little town.

Finally, they reached the gates of the town. Kikyo's pride hurt at the sight. They were bigger than the ones of Higurashi. She'd had big plans for her kingdom, but now they would never come to fruition. It would forever remain a backwater stronghold, soon lost to memory. Two demons guarded the gate.

"What business have you here?"

Kikyo held up the handful of coins she'd removed from her dress the night before. "A night's lodging and a day's shopping."

Kagome stared, mouth open, at the guards. All thoughts of Hojo having been handsome were knocked out of her head. These men were, well, wow. Tall and muscled, skin that glowed, hair that shone, eyes unnatural colors… If she had begun to drool, it wouldn't have surprised her. It was her first time really seeing a demon. The ones attacking Higurashi had been wearing helmets, so it was a mystery if all of them were as attractive as these two.

"What're ya staring at, human?" the one on the right sneered, looking at her like she was an ugly little bug.

She flinched back. "N-nothing. Sorry."

"You may pass," the other one said, following it up with a yawn.

The gates opened for them and Kikyo's hold on Kagome's arm was almost hard enough to bruise.

"Ow!" she whined as soon as the gates closed behind them.

"You need to be careful," the former Queen whispered, glancing around her. "Most places have humans and demons living together side by side. Only Higurashi and a few demon settlements aren't integrated. You can't just gape at them like you've never seen a demon before."

"I'm sorry!" she murmured. "It was my first time. I didn't think they'd be so…beautiful." Her attention was captured by the town, in particular a young woman walking leisurely through the town square playing a lovely melody on a flute. The tune was infectious, and soon Kagome's hips began to sway. Her feet moved in dance steps as Kikyo pulled her along, barely glancing at the musician.

The older woman noticed that there was something off about the song, something a little too bewitching. It made her stomach turn and her skin crawl. The woman playing the flute paid them no mind, simply continuing with her melody. Her concentration was broken by the sound of Kagome's delighted laughter. She hadn't heard it so genuine since the start of the war. Reminded of what she was here for, she led her sister to where she could see the market stalls, ushering her away from the melody.

The market was busy, much more crowded than the one at Higurashi, with items neither sister had seen before. Demons and humans all crowded around hoping for a good deal. There were carts and horses and a variety of smells both pleasant and unpleasant. Kagome's head was turning around every which way, lips parted in awe as she tried to take in all the new things. On the corner were a group of women wearing hardly anything. Kikyo tried to direct Kagome's attention to more polite goings-on, but the girl kept glancing back.

"Fashion is so different outside Higurashi!" she whispered in fascination.

"Um, those women are… Never mind." Now was not the time to explain prostitution to her innocent sister.

After surveying the market, Kikyo walked down the main street to a building that prominently advertised its function as an inn. Three coins, all copper, bought them a room until morning, a gross overcharge in Kikyo's opinion, but it made Kagome happy. Taking the key, they walked up the stairs, Kikyo glaring at the men who were staring at her little sister, who didn't even notice them. Locking the door to their room behind them, she could only hope it was secure. Kikyo leaned against it and released the breath she hadn't been aware she was holding.

Kagome released a happy little scream and jumped on the bed, hugging the pillows and rolling on the blankets.

"I don't even care that the blankets are itchy and the mattress feels like a rock! I'm so happy!" she squealed in delight.

Kikyo smiled. "At least bathe before getting in bed."

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "Oh no, I'm stinking everything up!"

It broke her heart to see how happy her sister was when in just one day they'd go back to sleeping outdoors. Following the girl to the bathroom, she watched Kagome strip and kneel in the hip tub. Acting as servant without complaint, Kikyo poured the room temperature water over Kagome's head, handing her a hard yellowish bar of soap.

"One day, we'll get everything back, Kagome," she promised. "When enough time has passed, I can go back to our people and lead a resistance. And maybe the Alliance will help us."

Kagome sighed and scrubbed at her scalp. "They'll definitely help as soon as I marry Hojo."

Kikyo wondered whether she should tell Kagome that she'd have very little value as a woman without a home or title or dowry. It was true Hojo was obsessed with her, but she was not sure that would be enough to allow a marriage between the two. The best she could hope for was being his official mistress, and that might be enough to have him contribute soldiers to her cause.

"Kikyo?" Kagome suddenly asked, turning to her with wide eyes. "Do you think Hojo and Kaede are okay?"

The girl had asked the same question nearly every day. Privately, Kikyo thought Kaede to certainly be dead. Hojo had about a fifteen percent chance of survival. His guards were dedicated, since they were bound not only by oath but by blood since they were also distant relatives, however she was not sure they could have fought their way through the Inu chaos.

"Hojo must be okay," she said with all the confidence she did not feel. "If he wasn't, don't you think the Alliance would have launched a full scale war against the Inu? And yet we haven't heard anything about war since we came here. And Kaede's too tough to die. She'd fight her way back from the netherworld just to get one more punch in."

Kagome giggled and Kikyo spent the next hour doting on her, trying to make her feel like a princess again. When she was clean and sparkling, Kikyo went downstairs and requested a fresh dress, paying a whole silver coin for it. It wasn't anything even remotely like what Kagome was used to, but it was leagues better than what she'd been wearing. Making due with her same old dress, Kikyo bathed herself and allowed Kagome to take a little nap. Their dinner came to their room, rough dark bread with a thick stew that was filling but not enjoyable. They fell to ravenously, the warm meal reviving them and making them feel human again. Even though it was early, the two sisters went to sleep, exhausted and happy to be warm.

In the morning, Kikyo rose a little after the sun, something which had become a luxury. Kagome stirred and mumbled something, rubbing her eyes and watching Kikyo rise and dress.

"I'm going out to get some supplies," the older girl said calmly, trying to avoid a tantrum. "You'll need to stay here in the room until I come back, then we will go out together should you want to."

Kagome pouted and Kikyo almost wanted to cover her ears, remembering the terrible temper she'd had as a small child.

"Why can't I come with you?"

"It's not safe."

"But why? No one knows us here!"

"Stay. In. The room," Kikyo said in a low voice, making herself appear angrier than she actually felt.

It worked and the girl went back under the blanket, face screwed up in childish anger. "When will you be back?"

"As soon as I can."

Kagome sighed when the door closed. Even though they'd left the castle and suffered in the forest, how was life almost the same for her? She still wasn't allowed outside. She'd never been able to see Higurashi unless she was carried in a palanquin, and then she could only see the main street they paraded her down. Was she going to spend her entire life shut behind doors? Bored, she moved to the window. The sellers were already set up, attempting to hawk their wares. Not having anything better to do, she attempted to track who was the most successful of them. For untold hours, she attempted to amuse herself with this, and only gave up on it working around midday.

Then thoughts of Kikyo entered her head, anxiety creeping up on her. What if there was a secret reason she had told her to stay in the room? What if she'd realized someone was following them and had led them away? Or, even worse, what if Kikyo had left her here, all alone, because she was so hopeless at surviving that she figured the kinder thing would be to abandon her in a town and leave her at the mercy of strangers?

That beautifully bewitching melody she'd heard before was drifting past her, somewhere outside her room. Rushing to the window, she saw the woman from before gliding through the streets, playing her flute like it was the only thing in the world that mattered. It melted all her fears away and she sighed, letting it warm her soul and soothe her. But the tune began to drift away again and the bad feelings came back. Even knowing that she had been told to stay in the room and how angry her sister would be should she return and find her gone could not prevent her from stealing away and going outside, drawn to the song like a moth to a flame.

The woman was seated on the edge of a marble fountain in what Kagome took to be the middle of the town square. Feeling shy, she watched from a distance. She had no coin to give the performer, but she still wanted to hear. To her surprise, the woman stopped playing for a second and smiled at her.

"Come sit with me, child. I'll play you a special song."

Blushing, Kagome did as told, her pride second to her desire to hear the music. Once she was seated, the woman began to play again, this time a tune that was slower, gradually increasing in tempo. It was passionate and heartbreaking and it wound its way around her body and entered her heart through her ears, making her feel warm. It was completely addictive and she sat there until the square emptied, leaving just the two of them together under the light of the setting sun.

"What is your name, my child?"

"Kaede," she replied a bit too enthusiastically. Biting her lip, she reminded herself to act natural.

"And how did you come to be here? You have the look of a foreign land."

Remembering their cover story, she looked at the ground, a part of her hating to lie to the woman who had given her so much pleasure.

"I am from the East. I ran away from an arranged marriage and now here I am."

Concern came over her beautiful face. "And are you here all by yourself?"

She shook her head. "My sister ran away, too."

Nodding, she smiled. "Do you intend to settle here?"

Biting her lip again, she looked away again. She wanted to, she really, really did. Kagome could easily see this place becoming her new home, for a while, anyway. Until Hojo came and restored her to her rightful place in the world.

As though her face said it all, the woman put one soft, comforting hand on her shoulder. "I own an inn and I could use some extra help. This has been a very busy season for us. Would you and your sister like to work for me?"

Heart beating fast in excitement, Kagome could not restrain herself from laughing exuberantly and bouncing up and down in her seat.

"I would love to!" Remembering Kikyo, she realized she could not commit herself just yet. But once she told her, she'd be so proud of her and would never think her worthless again! "I'll need to ask my sister, though. I'll tell her tonight."

The woman nodded and smiled gently down at her. "I will meet you in the morning right in this very spot, then."

Running faster than she had ever been allowed to before, Kagome made it back to the inn just as Kikyo was approaching the door. The look on her face was filled with an exasperated kind of anger and when she saw how few bags her sister carried, Kagome realized this must be the cherry on top to what seemed like a terrible day. Giving her the sweetest smile in her repertoire, she grabbed her by the arm and practically bounced up the stairs and into their room.

"I have some wonderful news!" she trilled, twirling in the small space and nearly knocking into the wall.

Struggling to keep the smile from her face, Kikyo responded, "Oh?"

"You remember that flute woman? Well, she passed by the window today and I couldn't not go to her, Kikyo, not after I heard such beautiful music! Well, we sat together and she played me a song that went on for hours but I didn't even notice because it was so enchanting! And then she asked me where I was from and what I was doing here and so I told her our cover story and she offered us a job at her inn! Hey, you know what? This is probably the inn!"

Seeing how happy the girl was, Kikyo refrained from sharing her suspicions. "Thank you, Kagome," she said sincerely, kissing her cheek. She wasn't good with affection, but she knew how badly Kagome needed it. Even after such little contact, she seemed to glow from within. "We'll go talk to her in the morning."

"How did your day go? Did you get our supplies?"

Kikyo sighed. "The people here think every traveler to be an idiot, especially one without shoes. I had to pay three times the amount our new shoes were worth. It just went downhill from there. There are still some things I need, but I will see to them tomorrow. I've already paid for another night."

The meal was the same as the one before, and it was harder for them to go to sleep this time, both thinking of what tomorrow would bring.

Kagome was woken up by the flute. The gray light outside told it must be just before dawn. Excitedly she washed her face and combed her hair before dressing. Kikyo never did those kinds of things unless absolutely necessary, so she indulged in staying in the warm bed for a few minutes more. Dodging the people in the streets, they went to the fountain, where the woman was playing her flute, largely ignored by the townsfolk.

Smiling warmly, the woman greeted Kagome with a nod. "Good morning, child. You're looking extra pretty in this light."

Kikyo eyed the woman up and down. That song she'd been playing was beautiful, true, but it was a haunting kind that made her want to turn away.

"I am Hana. I heard you spoke to my sister yesterday?"

Barely flicking a glance at her, the woman responded. "Yes, good to meet you. My name is Sara. I'm guessing Kaede told you of my offer?"

Kikyo nodded, still suspicious. If she needed help at her inn, why was she not working there and instead outside at all hours playing her damn flute? If she was the mistress and there was work to be done, then she should be the first to do it.

Sighing, Sara said, "I only recently acquired the inn. I haven't the foggiest idea on how to run it. Normally, I just take care of the books and make sure the numbers add up."

"And why did you not seek help earlier here in town? It seems to be a busy place with more than enough people to lend you a hand."

"Indeed. But people in this town are crafty and word travels fast. Once it was known I was not as in control of the inn as I'd made myself seem, people were taking advantage of me." Her face filled with sorrow before brightening. "I'm so glad I met the two of you. You have honest, sweet faces. You won't cheat me."

Still uncertain, Kikyo only nodded.

"So, Miss Hana, would you and your sister be willing to work for me? I'm sorry that the pay isn't anything grand, but it's honest work and you'd also have room and board thrown in."

This was an opportunity she was sure they would not come across again. Despite the odd feeling the woman gave her, there were just too many reasons to accept. Even if they stayed in the forests and the wilderness, how long before they were found? Or died of starvation, dehydration, exposure, an animal attack? She couldn't protect Kagome from everything. And the girl so wanted to stay here. To build a new life here. A life where they both could be free…

Kikyo shook her hand. "It's a deal."

Sara seemed to smirk. "Rough hands. Strong grip. Not at all like your sister's. You must be the one that does all the work."

"I help!" Kagome piped up, slightly offended.

"Oh, don't worry, sweet child. Soon your hands will be just like your sisters. I'm known to be quite the slave driver."

With a merry laugh, she led them both back to the inn, playing her flute in a triumphant melody as they went along. They entered through the back this time, through a door they hadn't noticed before. The big room was surprisingly nice, much nicer than their room or the common area.

"Have a seat, my dears. We can have a celebratory cup of tea and you can tell me a little more about yourselves."

Sara left the room and went to what sounded like the kitchen. The sisters sat down across from each other. Kagome's smile was so wide it was infectious. She was so happy that she had finally done something only she could do and proved that she was a capable person.

"Thank you, Kagome," Kikyo said sincerely before her forehead wrinkled. "But you really should not have gone out of your room. Who knows what could have happened to you?"

"Don't worry so much!" she said dismissively, in too good a mood to be upset. "Things only got better because I left the room, remember?"

A young woman in plain work clothes came in followed by Sara. She poured them the tea, ignoring their thanks, and scurried back into the kitchen.

"Don't take it personally, my dear ones," Sara said, taking a seat. "My workers are very busy and we are understaffed, like I told you." She placed a small coin purse in front of each girl. "Open them. That's your first week's pay."

Kagome did so first, more eager than her sister. Her mouth fell open in excitement. She'd never had money before! Everything she wanted was brought to her. The idea of earning pay seemed like an adventure. Inside her bag was two gold coins, five silver, and twenty copper. She wasn't sure if that was a lot or a little, but she was grateful.

The older sister was speechless. Regular people had copper and silver coins only, gold was for the wealthy and the titled. What was going on here? Perhaps the customs were different, but everywhere else she'd gone had been the same. In her own bag was a single gold coin, three silver, and ten copper. Before they could thank their new employer, the same woman came back, head bowed, with a tray of food. Placing a plate before each of them, she went back the way she'd come as though dogs were snapping at her heels. The food was better than any they'd had since leaving the castle, something exotic neither of them could name.

"I inherited this inn from my own older sister, you know," Sara said softly, looking at Kagome fondly. "She was the strongest demon in these lands."

Kikyo nearly dropped her fork. "Demon?" she asked, attempting to keep her voice polite.

Sara nodded. "Oh yes. I am a half-demon, in case you couldn't tell."

"Wow!" Kagome said. "But you look so human! It must be nice being a part of two communities."

Their employer's expression became blank. "It's the opposite, I'm afraid." She didn't elaborate, instead sipping some of her wine, obviously not caring for the tea she had brought for the two of them. "My sister is full demon, though."

Kikyo relaxed a little. A half-demon was half-human, after all, and that made her feel safe. And the fact that Sara had been close to her older sister was comforting also. It almost had her trusting the woman.

"My goodness, it's getting quite late! I'm going to go ahead and close up. The two of you lambs finish your tea and I'll be back soon." The door closed behind her with a soft click and then they were alone.

"It sounds like being a half-demon is really difficult," Kagome said, eyes full of compassion. "Poor Sara. And she doesn't even have her sister to protect her anymore."

Kikyo's heart filled with fondness for her little sister. "Yes. In some places, half-demons are hunted for sport. In others, they are treated as second-class citizens. It varies all over, but it's usually bad."

"But why? It makes no sense!"

The older woman kept silent. To her, it made plenty of sense. The very idea of a human and a demon breeding filled her with nausea. The two species were so different. Too different. It would be like laying with an animal. And she couldn't tell Kagome that half-demons always had something wrong with them, a sign from the gods that there should be no mixing. Either mental or physical or spiritual, there was always some sort of deformity. It was better that humans and demons never come into contact than for something like that to exist. That was the belief of her ancestors, and so it was hers as well.

Suddenly, Kagome slumped over, passed out. Kikyo vaguely realized this was not normal and moved to stand, only to fall to the floor without even getting to her feet. A thought came to her just before everything went dark.

The tea.

That's all, folks! For now. If you have the time, please check out the Guest review on this story from March 4th. I'd like your opinion on it. Thanks so much for reading! I love you and your pets.