Of all the creatures she'd encountered in Meikyuu, the king had been the most intimidating—and the most aggravating. His dashing good looks did nothing to cover up his condescending tone, often leading to Kagome going out of her way to spite him.
Again, she hadn't known that boasting was against fae rules, but the self-proclaimed king had it coming.
And sure, all his subjects, her allies included, referred to him as 'king', but he'd never acted like one in front of her, so she'd taken great pride in never calling him as such—another rule she'd apparently broken. Kagome was surprised she'd made it out of there alive.
And looking around now, maybe it wasn't the best thing she'd returned.
After being dragged through the mirror, they'd landed inside the main foyer of the castle, and Kagome was immediately assaulted with memories of storming the stronghold. The walls were the same, the stairs were the same—the scent was the same. Her vision spun, and she grasped for purchase, Shippou scrambling for her hands to keep her from slumping to the floor.
"I'm sorry!" he squeaked, eyes frantic. "I should've warned you about the trip. The magic is—"
"It's not that," she said, waving him off. "It's just a lot to take in all at once." Fantasies—memories—had been made real. The vines creeping up the outside walls belied the glamour from within, marble lining the floor while chandeliers hung from the ceiling. It had seemed so dank the last time, but that was probably because she'd been focused on escaping—and rescuing Souta.
And she should feel the magic. It thrummed under her feet, buzzing on the outskirts of her senses with every step she took. Was she just more sensitive to it now? Had all of Gramps' training actually worked? He'd always called her a prodigy, someone more in tune with the elements than just the holy power running through her veins.
Kagome had scoffed, as most teenagers do, content to ignore his teachings in favour of going out with her friends, but as she'd gotten older, the pull of even the slightest breeze had been too much for her to ignore. The constant drone of the city grated on her ears, and she ended up spending more time at the shrine than when she'd actually lived there.
Her work as a freelance artist allowed her the freedom to wander between gigs, often leading her into the mountains or along rivers. She'd had to replace her hiking boots more frequently than her art supplies. And while the scenery had been incredible, it had never inspired her like this place had. There was so much depth, so much wonder, and in the back of her mind, Kagome had always wanted to explore it further.
How had she thought this had all been a dream?
Shippou tugged on her hand, motioning her towards the elaborate staircase, and Kagome felt her blood run cold. There was only one room up there, and it had been one she'd managed to avoid during her last adventure.
Where was a king more powerful than his throne room?
She stopped at the base of the stairs, stalling, and Shippou started to shuffle his feet. "Why do we need to go up there?" she asked.
The kit mumbled something, then flashed her a guilty smile. "I have to bring you there. If I don't, they'll get mad."
Fed up, Kagome pulled her hand out of his. "Who's they, Shippou? I know you're a kitsune, but all these riddles are getting old. If your king wanted to see me so bad, why isn't he the one dragging me around?"
Shippou gave her a panicked look, eyes shifting to the doorways on either side of the room. "He wants to see you. I know he does." She crossed her arms, tapping her foot as she waited for a more concrete answer, but he grabbed her hand again, suddenly stronger than before, and dragged her up the stairs.
"This isn't funny, Shippou. What happened to your honour from before? His honour? He barely talked about anything else while I was here."
Shippou shook his head. "It's different now. You'll see. You'll see, and you'll fix it."
"Fix what? You haven't told me anything since—" The doors at the top of the stairs opened, and she half expected to be thrown in front of a bustling crowd of his underlings, but the room was mostly empty.
The throne itself was extravagant, decorated in ivory and gold and covered in lush furs. The king had always been over the top, in both arrogance and extravagance, so she shouldn't have been surprised, but somehow it struck her off. It was fit for a king, just not the one she remembered.
But maybe that was the point. The creatures in this world aged differently than humans, so perhaps his tastes had changed since she'd last seen him. Kagome wasn't given much time to think about it, Shippou's claws digging into her palm as he led her toward the front of the room. Questions burned under her tongue, but she kept her mouth shut.
There would be time for that later.
The few people in the room stood beside the throne as if it were their right to do so, which was all fine and good, but a deep sense of foreboding had begun to creep up her spine after entering the room, and none of them were helping matters.
They looked like they were ready to start requesting her limbs be cut off, slitted pupils judging her with every step she took. Shippou hesitated momentarily when he got to the end of the room, then whispered an apology before shoving her to the floor.
"I found another one," he said.
A pair of white-haired twins looked at each other before down at her, and Kagome would've sworn they were related to the king if not for the lack of markings and rounded ears. The female cocked her head, bare feet not making a sound as she stepped toward her, mirror clasped in her hands.
Kagome glanced over her shoulder, but Shippou refused to meet her gaze, his stance more confident than it had been a moment ago, so she got to her feet, trying to remain undeterred as she brushed herself off.
"She is not one of ours," the female stated, the mirror rotating in her hands.
The male twin pursed his lips. "One of his, then? We've barely been able to control them lately."
The female shook her head, tendrils of power snaking out of her mirror and wrapping around Kagome's wrists. "She is not from here." The bonds felt like ice, but Kagome refused to react, keeping her gaze level and power subdued.
"Another runaway, then?" the male asked. He twisted his spear around, then pointed it at her. "Do we send her back or dispose of her?"
"Shouldn't you let the king decide that?" Shippou asked, inspecting his nails. "Or did he die and put you in charge while I was gone?" The spear was quickly turned on the kit, and he couldn't stop himself from jumping back from the tip.
The male smirked before returning the weapon to his side. "I think the only one forgetting their place here is you."
Emerald eyes blazed, but Shippou remained silent. The imp standing on the other side of the throne cleared his throat as he tapped his staff against the floor. "All prisoners are to be inspected by his majesty. Regardless of where they are found."
The male opened his mouth to argue, but the female stepped closer to Kagome, cutting him off. "She has power."
"Which is why the king should—"
"Silence, whelp," the imp said. "You have done well in bringing her to our attention, but the king has better things to do than inspect every manifestation that enters his realm. And I will not bother him with—"
Power crackled through the room, lights flickering as those in the room let out a collective gasp. The binds around her wrists dissipated, the female returning to her place beside her twin, both falling to one knee as he appeared in a swirl of white silk and fur.
Even Shippou fell in line, bowing low as the king allowed his presence to be known. Only Kagome remained standing.
And it didn't go unnoticed.
"Is there a reason a gathering has been called without my knowledge?"
The imp stuttered but didn't raise his head. "We didn't want to disturb you with trivial matters, my lord."
A pale eyebrow rose as he looked at her. "I fail to see how an intruder is a trivial matter."
Intruder? She may not have been born in Meikyuu, but it wasn't like she'd come here out of choice. "Guess you should put better locks on your doors then," she said, crossing her arms.
The imp finally got to his feet, squawking in indignation. "Vile wench! How dare you speak that way to his majesty!" Usually, his tirades would be met with well-placed pebbles—she had Shippou had used him for target practice the last time—but the king appeared to not even hear him, descending from his throne to stand in front of her, finally giving Kagome a good look.
She didn't like what she saw.
There was nothing left of the creature she'd known before. There hadn't been warmth, but there'd been life. He'd enjoyed their games, especially when she'd defied him and given him a reason to change the rules. Her brow furrowed as she continued to stare. There was something wrong with his eyes. No sort of amusement was left in his amber gaze. It almost looked blank as he sneered at her.
Cold.
Calculating.
Kagome raised her chin defiantly. She hadn't cowered before, she certainly wasn't going to start now. He slowly looked her over, the edges of his eyes crinkling as he met her gaze, but there was no recognition, no 'ah-ha' moment that proved they'd met before—that she'd bested him.
The king turned with a shrug. "If you admit to trespassing, then you will be dealt with accordingly." He motioned to the male wielding the spear, his smirk returning as he twirled his weapon around.
"I haven't admitted to anything," she countered. "And I haven't trespassed either. I was brought here against my will."
"That is what they all say after they realize their words have power," he replied, settling down on the throne. "Tell me, what has been stolen from you? A child? Sibling? Lover perhaps? You should be more careful with your wishes, human. They will get you in trouble."
"I didn't wish away anyone! I told you, I was brought here." She made a shooing motion with her hand. "Why don't you ask your little entourage? Unless you're holding a job fair, I'm the only new occupant."
He rested his chin on one hand, tapping a clawed finger against his chin. "Jaken."
The imp jumped, then scrambled to his side. "Yes, my lord?"
"Has this woman's wish been granted?"
Jaken shook his head. "Of course not, my lord. You would've been informed if it had."
"And yet she stands in front of me."
"Something we were in the middle of dealing with," the male twin said. "Please allow me to dispatch her for you."
He tapped his chin again. "Perhaps next time, Hakudoushi. I feel a lesson needs to be learned here."
Hakudoushi and Jaken exchanged looks, and Kagome just scoffed. "A lesson? I hope you're talking about them. They could certainly use some manners."
The king smirked, though his eyes never changed. "On the contrary. Though I hope it takes you some time to learn it. The more time you spend in the dungeon, the more enticing your apology will be."
Kagome bristled. "I'm not apologizing to anyone! Least of all, a pompous, glitter-covered sloth like you!" There. That should jog his memory. She'd called him the same thing the last time he'd tried to intimidate her.
There wasn't so much as a flicker.
The king merely waved her off, uncaring that the butt of Hakudoushi's spear left her bruised as he shoved her toward the exit. She thought she heard Shippou apologize again, but it was lost under Jaken's squawks about insubordination.
And as she was led away, Kagome came to a horrifying thought: she'd just insulted the fae king, and he didn't remember her at all.
