InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ No Such Thing As Fate ❯ Fate Really Bites ( Chapter 21 )

Hello *peeks from behind a rock*

I'm back. It's been a while and I truly apologize for the wait. I started finals when I put that last chapter up then (because my school is weird) we started a second set of intense classes for three weeks along with another set of finals. I immediately jumped into summer school when the semester at my school ended soooo I have a little time to type and this is what I got. It's been kinda edited by my good friend silver_twilight but we did with a severe lack of sleep. There's not much happening in this chapter but I'm hoping you all enjoy it. Thank you to all those people who emailed me to convince me to update…not that I wasn't going to update. I loved the support.

Chapter 20: Royal Pains: Fate Really Bites

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“Milady?”

Kagome groaned tiredly as her eyes rolled open. The first thing she became aware of was a brown and cream checkered ceiling.

The next thing she realized was that she was no longer in the forest and she couldn't remember how she had ended up in a room.

“Milady?”

Kagome's gaze drifted toward the voice, wondering who in their right mind would call her such a title.

A sharp pain in her neck caused her to abandon the mission of seeing who was by her bedside. The worried faces of familiar servants appeared in her line of sight a few moments later. Prepared to turn over and wipe such a horrible nightmare from her mind, Kagome closed her eyes again and reached for her bed sheets. She imagined herself in a big comfortable bed in her own room, back in the 21st century, bright pink sheets and all. Sighing blissfully, she began to drift off to sleep again, when there was a hesitant shifting and the sound of cloth rustling.

Kagome pressed her eyes shut tighter and frowned, wondering where that sound was coming from. Surely, the servants and the room had all been a bad dream. She told herself this for at least three minutes until someone got up the balls to poke her. Kagome's eyes flew open. Shock and horror rushed in along with disgustingly strong denial, when she realized just where she was.

Kagome shot up into a sitting position as the servants jumped back for fear of having their heads split open. A loud crack made everyone cringe as Kagome gave a suffering sob and touched a healing hand to her neck. As she worked on easing the pain in her neck and back, she glanced up through her hair at the servants.

“Damn” she rasped mournfully. The servants clung to each other like little school girls caught in a horror movie. Kagome glanced at each of the servants and wasn't surprised to find they were her personal servants.

Glancing around the room once more she couldn't help but ask the stupidly obvious question her mind didn't think was so obvious, maybe it was the lack of sleep…

“Where am I?” She asked in a low voice

“Home,” a servant responded immediately.

Kagome gave a groan and glanced around the room where she had lived the last year of her life as a wife to Lord Taishi, the room where she had given birth to Hitomu and where he had died. Kagome let her gaze linger on the area where Hitomu's crib had once been. Someone had been smart enough to remove the crib from her room. Her chest ached seeing the dusty outline where the crib had been, but it wasn't so bad now, it was bare able.

She didn't know if she should be ashamed of her finding's or grateful.

Her eyes flickered to her bag over in a corner.

“Where are Shippou and Kuro,” she asked a bit disoriented by the revelation she was again trapped in Taishi's castle.

“The kit is asleep in the next room over. We knew milady would be enraged should anything happen to the little demon. The infant is being tended to by another servant.”

Kagome nodded approvingly and sat a moment gathering her thoughts.

With shaky hands, she ran both hands through her hair. “Is milady well?” the servant to her right asked timidly.

Kagome didn't answer choosing to stare at her lap.

“Of course milady is not well, to be kidnapped by those horrid youkai,” cried one of the two servants on her left.

Kagome flinched.

`Who the hell told them that,' she thought in disbelief. She turned to look at a servant when her hand touched Kagome's back as if to console her, “It's okay milady you will be protected here.”

That was it!

Pushing the servants away, she scrambled to her feet with a frustrated hiss.

“They did not kidnap me, I fled this retched castle!” Kagome snarled. The servants cowered under their mistress' rage.

Turning to glare at the guards who had rushed in hearing her scream she moved to give them a piece of her mind when one of the servants whimpered, “B-but you vanished when the youkai were set free!”

“That doesn't mean I didn't get up on my own and run. I hate Taishi, why would I stay in his home when I have a chance to escape?” Kagome sneered flipping hair out of her face in frustration.

This concept was obviously beyond the comprehension of Taishi's loyal servants.

“Taishi-sama made you his lady. You have everything a lady could want. Is that not every woman's desire? To have a handsome husband to provide everything she could need. What do you mean, you escaped?”

Kagome's eye twitched as she stared at her servants in anger. It was obviously difficult for them to understand not everything revolved around having a rich husband and kissing said husband's ass. She bit at her lip to keep her tongue; she knew she would curse at the girls for desiring what every woman in this era could only dream of.

She took a deep cleansing breath, “Not everyone wishes to have a lord for a husband. I am perfectly fine being on my own and seeing to the needs of the children in my care and myself. It is a hard life for everyone and it was difficult for me at times too but I loathe men like Taishi. Keep that in mind.”

“But Milady, Why would you say you escaped, what could-”

“He threatened to kill me!” Kagome snapped. The servants jerked and wobbled as if they'd been slapped and were trying to stay upright. “My Husband treated me like a toy, he spoke of my baby like a toy, Taishi allowed Shippou to stay here so he could use my kit's power for his son! I hate that man and I hate this place. Of course, I ran away! Did you think I would sit and let that man kill me and my son because he was having a petty little temper tantrum.” Kagome shot the guards a pointed glance and they shifted nervously. She turned away from them all and took a deep breath to calm herself. For a moment, her vision had been tinted pink. It wouldn't have gone over well if she went and slaughtered the innocent little servants in a youki haze.

“Now how did I get here?” she demanded.

“Milady, you arrived early this morning. The samurai said you demanded that they move on or a youkai would come and slaughter all of you.” The servants were clinging to each other shivering in fear. They obviously weren't scared enough because they were still giving information.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder at them. She vaguely remembered forcing everyone to get up and walk as a guard carried Kuro and the others tended the prisoners. They all refused to carry Shippou while they traveled and Kagome had been too high strung to fight with them about it.

She also vaguely remembered sexually harassing the lord of the west then running away…

`What kind of crack was I on when I did that, I'm surprised he didn't slice my head off” she touched a finger to her lips in horror even as a blush dusted her cheeks.

“So I did,” she murmured thoughtfully. She was trying desperately to wrap her mind around the fact she had pissed off a very powerful youkai lord.

She dropped her hand and let it hang licking her front teeth thoughtfully. She spun in place and looked to the guards. They stood looking rather stupid with lost gazes and a hand to the hilts of their blades.

“I want to leave.”

The servants could only nod for fear of the obviously much stronger girl hurting them. The samurai, however, were not so submissive to her demands.

“We cannot allow that milady.”

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and sent them nasty glares.

“Lady Kagome, you swore you would stay and be a proper lady and ruler of the land.”

Kagome rubbed her temple `Me and my big mouth.'

Placing her hands on her hips, she eyed the occupants of the room distastefully.

“Okay so what do you want me to do?”

There was a long awkward silence.

A glance at the guards, then the servants who wiggled uncomfortably, told her all she needed to know. Kagome pressed her lips together and nodded to herself. “You all have no idea do you?”

There was silence for a long moment and Kagome tapped her foot impatiently. “Milady if I may…” Kagome glanced warily to the speaking guard.

Seeing he had her attention, he continued, “I can go inform the advisors you wish to meet them,” He announced hastily. Kagome thought a moment trying to remember who the advisors were. She vaguely remembered a group of older men staring down at her after she had been introduced to Taishi's closest associates. Finally, she nodded and he walked swiftly from the room.

Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes as she took a few deep breaths. Something caught her attention and she couldn't help but ask, “I sense a youkai aura in the castle. Is that female still in the dungeons?”

She opened her eyes and gazed at the remaining guard. He frowned in thought but it wasn't long before recognition sparked in his eyes.

“The demon is still in the dungeons, it has been screaming for days now,” Kagome frowned in displeasure.

“While I'm waiting to hear about these advisors, I'm going to bother one stupid little demoness.” Kagome announced walking confidently for the door. She paused and scowled at the samurai who stood looking rather stupid. “Ahem, can I get past,” he stepped aside without further prompting and bowed graciously.

Kagome nodded absently before continuing on her way.

The castle was in an uproar as if making up for the chaos that should have taken place the night of Taishi's demise. Kagome walked through the halls trying to stay out of everyone's way as servants scampered about and Samurai walked the halls quickly. Each of them paid a bow of respect to her and she struggled to ignore the attention.

For some reason she felt disgust at what she had indirectly caused. These people had to change their lives or find another master because she had killed a few guards and their lord. Her stomach bubbled in displeasure silently wondering what the families of those most affected by her selfish behavior would have to go through. Kagome paused and stepped aside as a frantic servant rushed past, her face stricken and panicked, streaked with dry tears. The girl continued down the hall obviously having not seen her. Kagome closed her eyes to push the image back before she continued on her way.

The dungeons were simple enough to find and there were no guards this time. She walked down into the tunnels ignoring the lingering smell of bodily waste and suffering. Careful to avoid the blood splatter on the cave walls and floor she walked slowly toward the prison cells.

`Why hasn't someone cleaned up down here? I'm going to have nightmares because of this,' she thought sourly.

When she reached her destination, she immediately spotted the object of her search in the first cell.

The demoness jumped at the bars with a shriek. The wards reacted instantly and shocked the female trapped inside. As Kagome approached, her face twisted against her will as the smell that reached her nose.

The demoness refused to move away from the bars that were burning her flesh.

Kagome noted with disgust the female's burnt skin smelled like something she had caught a whiff of from a demon vendor. Wrinkling her brow in confusion and repulsion at the idea her meals may have come from a demoness like this girl, she stepped closer to the cell.

“You human filth, how dare you play with me. Because of you I am locked in this damnable cell again!” she screamed shaking the cell bars. The bars didn't so much as budge and her flesh continued to burn.

“You are a stupid female. I thought humanoids like yourself had more intelligence than the average youkai.” Kagome said quietly her eyes narrow in anger

“Instead you coax me into a fight that I should have damn well ignored. What demoness would do what you did and then have the nerve to blame me for your `damnable' fate?” Kagome's voice picked up volume through her little speech.

“I find it funny that I got away for a while and yet you got dragged back to the dungeons.” Kagome shook her head even as the demoness jumped and kicked at the bars like a caged monkey.

“It's the fault of you disgusting humans that I was even in this cell to begin with. Of course I would despise you after what your human mate caused.”

“Mate?” Kagome purred her eyes flashing violently, the demoness paused a moment noticing the flash of Miko energy in the dimly lit caves.

Kagome reached through the bars like lightening and grasped the females hair, “Only in name was he my husband, he's dead and I'm leaving as soon as I can. You, my retarded little friend, are coming with me.”

The demoness gave an outraged cry, “I'll eat your face you stupid Miko slut, don't underestimate m-” Kagome yanked the demoness toward the bars and she shrieked in pain when her face met with the metal instilled with wards to contain her.

Despite what everyone believed Kagome was known to take a firm, sometimes violent, stand against people who so thoroughly disrespected her.

This was such to a point where she would quickly fight another girl to protect her pride and beliefs. She had never gotten hands on before. It had always been shouting matches with other girls and only in the beginning years of middle school. That was at the time when girls had needed to bully someone, and she had always seemed that overly nice girl everyone thought they could walk all over.

This was not fighting with a little human bimbo or a bully. This was fighting an annoyingly stupid demon who been dragged back to the very place Kagome had fought and killed to help her escape from. Not only had she destroyed lives in her venture, this little idiot seemed to think it was all Kagome's fault she had been locked up again. Those guards had died in vain because this demoness was back in the cells with nothing to show for it. She had also been lingering on the edge of sanity for a few days now and she would be damned if she let this little slip of a demon push her those last few steps without dragging someone down with her.

“I have never been this pissed off at anybody and I'm so tempted to purify you but you have more common sense than most or you would be long dead. Be damn happy I'm so nice.”

The demoness dug claws into Kagome's arm. With a grunt, Kagome yanked the resistant demoness close to the bars again as she tried to convince the female to remove her claws.

“That hurts! Haven't you learned your lesson?” Kagome sneered planting her feet firmly on the ground and yanking.

The demoness screamed putting her feet to the bars. She was more than willing to give up her feet instead of her head or better yet her beautiful little face. “After I pull you clean through these bars I'll be more than happy to let you drag your mangled body from this place, should be interesting,” Kagome sneered.

The demoness was sobbing now as her face slowly neared the bars, “I'm sorry, please stop!” she cried. Kagome gave one final yank but didn't let her face touch the bars again. She let the demoness collapse back onto the floor.

Kagome fell to her knees panting as the demoness continued to sob.

She glanced at the female demons peeling and burnt feet and instantly felt bad. She shuddered in shock of what she had just done to the demoness.

“I'm sorry,” Kagome said weakly.

`Where did that come from, I've never had the nerve to put my hands on someone else. If it's that demon food lingering in my system from like months ago I swear-`

The demoness shot up and reached through the bars “I'll kill you disgusting human wench. I'll destroy the rest of your kind I swear it. You all deserve to be eaten like the livestock you are. I swear I'll go eat all the other miko whores like you. You stupid slut?” she roared.

Kagome merely sat there. She didn't feel any anger at the comments nor did she feel the urge to respond. The rage, previously aimed at the poor demoness, left in a rush. Kagome briefly wondered if that rage was the result of her tipping over that edge she had been telling herself she wouldn't fall over.

“I'm sorry but you made me so angry and everything else that's happened to me just came rushing to the surface.”

Kagome sniffled a bit using her sleeve to wipe the dribble of liquid that ran from her nose. “You're right I'm a lowly human wench,” Kagome said with a watery chuckle. “But I can't help it. I'm human and I've always lived by my emotions. You're not the first person I've gotten into a fight with. But how can I protect myself from people like you and people like Inuyasha?” She didn't cry, she was tired of crying over what people did to her. She was out of tears and she didn't know if she should be happy or saddened by the fact.

“I'm not much better than Inuyasha now, picking on someone who can't really fight back. I'm so… disappointed in myself.” She sighed heavily and stared at the female's feet a long while.

The demoness' rants and cries had quieted to sniffles as she watched Kagome from the safety of her cage.

Glancing up weakly she eyed the frightened demoness who actually listened to her blubbering, albeit against her will. “Will you let me get you out of this castle for good? Or are you going to cause more problems for me?”

The female didn't answer but merely glanced at the lock. Kagome stood pulling out the feather she had used to pick the locks the last time she had visited the dungeons. The cage door swung open with a creak that made Kagome and the demoness cringe.

She stepped into the cage a bit and held out a hand. The demoness smacked the offered appendage aside and stood on her own. Her face twisted in agony as she limped past Kagome and started toward the dungeon exit.

Kagome put her feather away and walked numbly to catch up with the demoness.

The moment she came to walk at the female's side, she turned so fast Kagome was left defenseless. Her hand met with Kagome's face and she flew into the wall violently. Kagome staggered to her feet. She blinked owlishly at the female ignoring her own bloody nose and mouth. Kagome understood that was punishment for her actions but that didn't make her any less pissed.

“You started it, that's not fair.” Kagome rasped weakly cringing at how much of a child she sounded like. On the other hand she was 20 now, she was allowed to get a few more childish comments in before her twenty first birthday.

The demoness sneered but kept walking.

Kagome watched her hobble through the tunnel a moment and she felt something had just happened between the two of them. She wiped her lip and stood in silent contemplation a good five seconds before continuing forward.

She quickly caught up with the female and walked at her side again. Kagome reached out and took the demoness' hand in her own. The female glanced at her with narrow eyes but didn't pull away.

They walked in silence. It was surreal and Kagome shook her head a few times trying to sort through her thoughts. She pressed a hand to her cheek to heal the bruising.

Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined herself in even a remotely similar situation 2 years ago or even 5 years ago. Still, this was who she was now.

She was stuck between the youkai world and the human world and she would remain so for the rest of her existence. You couldn't attach yourself to youkai like she did and expect not to come away with weird relationships and acquaintances.

The first thing she needed to do is learn about demon mannerisms and laws or she was going to keep ending up with black eyes, swollen body parts and weird relationships like she had found herself in now.

Kagome stared at the floor in shame. She had just taken her anger out on this demoness despite the circumstances but... “Is this how demoness' make friends or something?”

A grunt was her only answer as the clawed hand tightened around her own for a brief second.

Kagome was pretty sure at that point that violence usually got demoness their close friends. She looked dryly at the female beside her and rolled her eyes.

`What the hell have I gotten into?' she thought in shocked disbelief.

They reached the exit to the dungeons and as they stepped through the door they were met with silence. A shiver of foreboding ran down her spine. Her new…companion glanced at her with a cold stiff expression. What that expression meant Kagome couldn't quite decide. They walked the eerily quiet halls glancing about uncertainly. Kagome had never imagined a castle to be so quiet but now she could hear a pin drop and roll.

Reaching her room, she peeked in to see if anybody remained. Nobody was there so she move on to the next room. She slid the door open to see Shippou on a futon sleeping soundly. Eyeing the room for anything that might be out of place, she stepped in dragging the demoness inside with her. Closing the door, she made her way over to Shippou's bed as the demoness took a seat.

“Why do you have a fox kit?” the grave voice of the female demoness startled Kagome.

“Shippou needs me for a bit until he can care for himself. What he really needs is a male fox to teach him but I do what I can for him,” Kagome responded in a quiet voice as she kissed the sleeping kit's cheek. He grumbled but otherwise remained fast asleep.

Kagome took a seat, slouched exhaustedly, and stared at the wall. “At least you are a respectable human.” Kagome glanced at the female surprised to hear her voice again so soon. “I can tolerate my defeat at your hands.”

Kagome squinted a bit. “I wouldn't call that a defeat it was more like me being a bully, you couldn't even figh-“

“It was a defeat!”

“Okay, okay.” Kagome waved a hand to pacify the irritable female.

“I can always defend myself that is no excuse,” she snapped.

Kagome raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

“....Kagome”

The demoness glanced at her, “Kazi” she grunted.

Kagome nodded. “How is your skin?”

Kazi flexed the burnt skin of her hand experimentally and shrugged “My body will heal in time.”

A grim expression crossed Kagome's face. “Are you able to leave? Now would be the best time to leave. Everybody seems to have hidden somewhere?”

Kazi sniffed a bit. “I can escape this accursed castle but I will need to stop soon and tend to my feet.”

“I can heal you.”

“No way in hell,” Kazi growled quietly.

“I promise I won't hurt you, I've done it before.”

“I said no.”

Kagome pouted but turned away to pull her bag over her shoulders and gather Shippou's sleeping form into her arms. “Where did they take Kuro?” she wondered aloud.

She closed her eyes to search out his aura just in time for the door to snap open. Both females looked up, turning to the door.

Two guards rushed in and held weapons at Kazi's neck. Another two guards came in after the first followed closely by the three servants that tended her needs. They all stared at her with grim expressions on their faces. Kazi looked as if she would pop a blood vessel if she gritted her teeth anymore in her rage.

“Is there any reason you are holding her at knife point?” Kagome asked coldly.

“Milady you must go to see the advisors,” one of the servants announced as if that answered Kagome's question.

“And if I don't?”

“We were told to use other methods to convince you. While we didn't plan on that demoness being here she serves her purpose,” one of the guards explained while another pressed his spear a little more to Kazi's throat. Kazi didn't look the least bit worried, that didn't stop the nervous burning that lit in Kagome's stomach. She scowled. “You hurt her or Shippou I will slit your throat,” she warned lowering the kit back to his futon.

“No harm will come to your demon friends,” one of the guards sneered glaring at Kazi and Shippou.

“I promised I would see the Advisors. Why are you threatening us?” Kagome huffed angrily.

“We are following orders milady” somebody responded quietly as if that were the answer to life's problems. Kagome rubbed her temple in frustration. “Okay, where is Kuro?”

“The infant is in the care of servants,” was the immediate response.

Kagome stood stiffly taking deep calming breaths “I'm going to tell you this once and only once,” there were wary glances as Kagome paused to gather her thoughts before continuing. “If you hurt any of them I will do horrible things to all of you,” she hissed.

She couldn't even think of anything bad enough to tell them just to get her point across but they all understood if their fearful glances were any clue.

“Okay. Take me to them.”

A bewildered expression crossed the servant's faces before one of them cracked a wary smile, “Milady cannot go before the advisors as she is.”

“Why not,” She bit out. She knew why, you can't live as a nobility like she had and not pick up the rules. That didn't mean she wasn't going to try to bend those rules. She despised how hot some of the kimonos made her.

“It is not proper, milady must be bathed and dressed in robes proper for such a meeting,” the servants looked distressed as they explained to her as if she were a five year old. Surely their lady hadn't forgotten all her manners and common knowledge on the behavior of Royalty and Nobles.

Kagome rubbed her forehead in irritation, “This is so annoying, fine!” She walked toward the servants who motioned for her to leave the room. Kagome glared at them. “If you don't want me to send this castle to hell then you need to make sure my kit and Kazi are well taken care of, Kuro too. Kuro will piss on you if you mistreat him, I promise.” Kagome flashed an amused grin.

The servants looked at her blankly before nodding. Kagome sent one glance to everyone in the room memorizing the faces of those to beat to a pulp should anything happen. She sent a nod to Kazi before walking from the room with the servants in toe.

After a bit of fussing Kagome let the servants bathe her. Afterward, they proceeded to drag her back to her `room' for dressing. They put oils on her skin that smelled of flowers and put beautiful golden clips in her hair to hold it back out of her face.

They tried to put make up on her face to add to the look and cover the strange dot on her forehead. She had nearly bitten fingers off when they tried to put the makeup on her cheeks and lips and Kagome suddenly developed a horrid itch when they put it over her mark.

Funny they had never tried to put make-up on her before, what made them think it was a good idea now was beyond her.

Thankfully, the servants put her in her favorite brown and cream kimono decorated with cranes. Kagome smiled a bit as a servant put a pair of tabi on her feet. She wiggled her toes in the two-toed socks experimentally. She watched half amused as they slid a pair of geta on her and quickly moved away.

Finished they helped her stand seeing she couldn't do so on her own. Kagome glanced down at the brown silks of her outer robe then spun in an attempt to see her clothing. “Milady is beautiful,” they sighed longingly. Kagome blushed feeling a bit warm in the chest at the comments of gleeful servants. She had almost forgotten how nice it was to wear beautiful silks and be praised for her beauty and having the status as lady of the castle. She liked it but she would give it up in a heartbeat if she had to deal with Taishi again.

She shook her head to get rid of the feeling and dropped her hands in front of her. “Take me to this meeting,” she demanded still blushing lightly. The servants giggled but motioned for her to leave the room first.

Kagome obeyed shuffling from the room. The servant closed the door behind her and motioned for her to continue down the hall as they followed at a respectful distance. Kagome walked with purpose and confidence down the halls. She knew where the meeting was to take place; she knew there was a certain level of finesse and grace expected of her at all times. Of course, this wasn't a conscious thought. She did it effortlessly as if being placed in a kimono made her a different person.

In a way it did, her mother had always been a strict teacher when showing her daughter the ways of a lady. She had learned to move and sit properly in a layered kimono at a young age. Entertaining the temple guest as a miko and the temple heir had refined her skills as a lady of class. Of course, that all meant nothing once her kimonos were gone and she was running around with her friends. Better yet romping around the feudal era in an indecent mini skirt school uniform.

Living as the hime of the castle had refined her skills even more and taught her more she hadn't known. Of course, this hadn't helped her case early on when she had tried to convince the servants and Taishi she wasn't some princess run away from home that had convinced someone to train her.

Kagome sighed when the meeting room came into site. She paused before the doors and scowled.

The massive doors were decorated with pictures of a battle. Kagome tilted her head a bit observing the picture curiously. A servant moved a little closer but never in front of her and knelt at the door. She knocked on the door quietly and after a moment, slid it open announcing Kagome's presence. Kagome stepped in at the servants quiet instructions and glanced at the men in the room. They sat at a low table on pillows but all of them had turned on their pillows to face the door and bowed humbly on the floor.

Kagome eyed the men a bit frightened and glanced back at the servant who had already closed the door quietly and was long gone. She wasn't quite sure what to do so she knelt on the ground and bowed in return. While her behavior was sometimes crude, she wasn't going to make these men mad. She had no idea who these people were and she had learned firsthand pissing off the wrong people meant suffering.

While she had met them before as Taishi's wife she didn't `know' them. They had met her once and never again and Kagome hadn't thought to seek them out.

When she looked up again, the men were looking at her and she felt her eye jump from stress. She rose and shuffled to the seat at the head of the table that was obviously for her. “I am Kagome, you wished an audience with me?” she said quietly.

The men glanced at one another. The servants and guards made a big fuss about this girl and her behavior, but right now, she seemed the proper young lady.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Kagome,” said the man directly to her right.

Kagome nodded to him then turned her gaze back to the table as her mind raced trying to think of a lie that would convince these men she wasn't the proper person for the job of ruler.

“Lady Kagome we are Taishi-sama's most trusted advisors,” said the same man as earlier. “I am Takahito,” he murmured before proceeding to introduce the other men at the table. Starting with the other man who sat his side, “This is Minawo, Otsuki, and Koji,” Kagome nodded to each of them as they were introduced. She eyed them to memorize their faces. They were all at least thirty but none of them were over forty-five; young enough to relate to Taishi, but old enough that the young lord would listen to their advice.

“Lady Kagome we know this must be a trying time for you-” Kagome snorted squinting a bit at the men. Takahito cleared his throat trying to hold back a glare. The other men felt she were in denial and sent her sympathetic glances.

Kagome rolled her eyes and another man continued in Takahito's stead seeing the advisor about to tell her off.

“Perhaps we should skip the formalities and get to the point. You were Taishi's wife-”

Kagome's eyes narrowed, “I am not of royal birth, so I am not his proper wife.”

A tense silence fell over the room. One of the men on the other side of the room reached into his sleeve and pulled out a scroll, which they proceeded to pass down to Takahito.

“This scroll says otherwise, would milady like me to read it?”

Kagome's scowled and held out a hand. Takahito smirked a bit and passed her the scroll. With a glare toward the arrogant advisor, she rolled open the scroll and began to read. As her eyes raced over each line, she felt the color draining from her face.

`That bastard forged a fake family record' she thought in mind numbing horror. She glanced at the advisors who seemed quite proud they had caught her `lie.'

“Taishi-sama made sure your `family'-”

Kagome's gaze darted up “-got a fair dowry for you.”

The gleams in their eyes told of their parts in this scheme.

Kagome set the scroll down looking at the innocent looking scroll in disbelief. That expression quickly became one of rage.

“How was he allowed to just sign this document and say that I am his. I am a miko. My place is not in the court. Doesn't he have to go through somebody else to have this marriage legalized?”

The men frowned a bit. “He was a lord Lady Kagome, he has that right to take anyone he should wish. For your children to be allowed to take the throne you needed to be his wife,” Otsuki said quietly.

“I had no intention of giving him anything, I would have killed myself first,” she responded immediately.

“And leave your fox child to fend for himself I think not,” Koji shot back in an even tone.

Kagome swallowed nervously, “Well Taishi is dead and I'm the one who set the youkai free who ate him. So are you going to execute me or run me from the castle? I'll gladly leave,” she said quickly.

“No, you are the lady of this land, you have duties to handle because your husband is no longer alive and had no living relatives,” the color drained from her face.

“What are you saying?” she said her voice quivering.

“You are now ruler of Taishi-sama's domain lady Kagome.”

“I'm not royalty, I can't be a ruler,” she shouted.

The advisors waited a moment for Kagome to calm down before continuing.

“We have spoken to a seer you are to be our new lady,” Kagome looked dumbfounded. `What does that have to do with anything?'

“Taishi-sama was warned that he should not underestimate you or treat you disrespectfully. He did and now he has been slain. We did not know that he would be killed should he disobey the seers word but she could not tell him your reactions to his behavior,” Takahito explained.

“Wait isn't there some powerful lord that is supposed to decide the ruler given these circumstances?” Kagome asked quickly.

“That doesn't matter you are our lady until you are married again.”

Silence fell over the room as Kagome struggled to comprehend the severity of the mess she had gotten into. “I-I'm too young, I'm only nineteen I can't be a ruler,” she whimpered.

“A fine age to marry and bare healthy heirs,” Minawo replied smiling brightly.

Kagome had such a dark look in her eye that Minawo broke into a cold sweat when she leveled him with an angry glare.

“I will not!”

The men glanced at her shocked by her outburst but they cringed seeing tears in her eyes. “I'm supposed to be collecting jewel shards,” she said almost pleadingly.

“Taishi forced me to do what he wanted, I never wanted to meet any lord. I was fine just wandering with Shippou. I'm taking care of a youkai kit and now I have an orpan baby, I haven't seen my mother in months, I don't know how to act like a ruler. In fact I'm a ditz at times, I still climb trees for kami's sake,” she explained in a tight voice.

“We have no choice Kagome-sama we need you to be our lady.”

“No you need a miko.”

Silence once again fell over the group. “You didn't think I noticed Taishi's subtle little comments? Or yours for that matter?” Kagome sneered. “You need a miko. Why me? Why can't you find another miko?”

“You're throwing things out of proportion, Taishi-sama simply wanted someone to give him heirs with spiritual powers,” Minawo sighed.

“I ask again, why me?”

“Because you are who he found!” Takahito snapped obviously forgetting his place.

Kagome sniffled angrily, “So I'm only here because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Did he kidnap Shippou just to have leverage against me or something?”

“The kit was wandering our lord's land and was captured. We had no idea he was tied to you.”

The gleam in their eyes told her a different story and she suddenly didn't feel nearly as bad about her husband's death as she had before.

“Now if you would please speak to your new subjects. The castle is in chaos because the servants and guards believe they have no ruler,” Kagome bit her lip.

“I'm not royalty!” She snapped outraged. “You can't make me something I'm not!”

“We will teach you everything you need to know, you know how to read so that will make your lessons that much simpler.”

“Of course I know how to read and I have an education. I just can't study when I'm wandering the way I've been,” She sneered.

“That's wonderful you will make a fine lady.” Kagome smacked her head in dismay. The advisors flinched wondering if the girl was mentally stable, she was after all, smacking herself.

“Of course that doesn't mean I'm going to do anything. I can't get a few people to like me, let alone the couple thousand who live on the land.”

“They need not like you, they simply must obey. They are beneath you milady.”

“I don't operate like that!” Kagome hissed. “Oh and let's not forget I am not royalty!”

Why were they so thick headed!

“Nonsense milady, the seer told us of your massive home and the large amount of land your family owns. Milady is of noble birth you've just married into a higher station, no need to be so humble,” Minawo chuckled.

Kagome stared at them in disbelief, “Y-You know about my home?” she whispered a chill of fear running down her spine. If these idiots knew about her home, what was stopping random demons from finding it, or even worse Naraku. Of course she didn't see the brightening smiles of the advisors.

“Only the seer does, she merely told us of your status.”

That did NOT make her feel better.

She took a few calming breaths, “Who is this seer”

This caused the men to frown.

“She was very old and passed on to the next life after making Taishi-sama's cells,” Takahito responded without missing a beat. Kagome nodded quickly and sat quietly collecting her thoughts.

“Don't worry lady Kagome, we'll find a fine husband for you, it won't be hard, and you are quiet lovely with your exotic eyes.”

Her eye jumped in irritation.

“I will kill you if you try to marry me off to anyone I don't like, and I refuse to do this!”

The advisors shivered as the room's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

“Lady Kagome please think of the many people who will die without a ruler. Without a ruler, other lords will come in and there will be wars over the territory. People will die needlessly because you are being selfish.”

Kagome flinched at the comment and the advisors were silently patting themselves on the back.

“Think of how much good you can do as a ruler rather than a wandering miko who has no power.”

Swallowing thickly, she looked away.

“What about Shippou and Kuro?” she asked weakly.

“The fox kit can be accommodated.” Koji said quickly.

“The babe will be treated as if he were your own,” came the gentle reassurance of Minawo.

The others nodded eagerly in agreement. “He'll be treated as a prince and have fine things befitting of a prince, the both of them” Kagome chewed at her lip thoughtfully.

`I'll be responsible for wars and the deaths of a lot of people, more so than I already am, if I refuse and leave. On the other hand it'll be a bit easier to take care of Shippou and Kuro if I just accept, it's not like I have to deal with fighting my husband anymore.'

“The jewel shards…” Kagome pulled the tiny bead of evil from her top.

The advisors watched her warily as she stroked the glass bead a moment in thought. “I'm the Shikon Miko I can't just stop searching for the jewel shards.”

“The Shikon Miko…” the advisors glanced at one another. “Y-You have an army of loyal samurai to do your bidding you can have them search in your stead. When they have found a piece of your jewel you can go retrieve it.”

Kagome poked her lip out bitterly and bowed her head, “What do I need to do?” she whispered.

The advisors fought to remain seated as they looked at her eagerly, nearly bouncing in their joy. “Milady must simply announce your intentions to the castle. We will handle everything else.” Kagome nodded tiredly.

The advisors bowed to her again. Takahito gave a few loud claps to summon a servant. The door slid open to reveal a guard who knelt in the hall “Take our lady to her quarters to wait while preparations are made.”

Kagome stood slowly, bowed, and then shuffled from the room numbly.

The advisors smiled at each other. “She can save lord Taishi's land,” Koji murmured approvingly. “Yes but lord Taishi's blood line is gone completely now, she merely gets the bad karma that comes with being tied to lord Taishi as his spouse.”

The men fell silent again.

“She is a Miko, surely she can survive where Taishi-samas family could not.” Minawo laughed nervously.

“Let us hope.”

“…Do you think she'll ever find out about the seer?

Nobody answered.

XXXX

Kagome shuffled into Shippou's room followed by her three servants. The servants went and sat against a wall waiting for orders of some kind from their lady.

The guards that had been stationed in the room looked to her warily. Seeing the look on her face they knew instantly what had happened. She paused as they bowed humbly to show their respect. Kagome bit her lip staring at them warily. After a considerate pause, she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, She knew from experience that the servants wouldn't be leaving her be for a while and so she turned and forgot they were there. As the guards left the room, Kagome looked to Kazi then to Shippou who was sitting awake on his futon.

“Kaa-san?” he called rushing to her. Kagome slid to her knees and looked down at Shippou.

“Kaa-san what's wrong?” he asked worriedly. Kagome shook her head in disbelief, “They want me to take Taishi's place, I was sure I could convince them I wasn't the proper material for the position but that backfired,” she whispered. Kazi's eyebrows shot up into her short maroon colored hair.

Shippou's jaw dropped, “What, b-but that night…”

She nodded, “I told them that I set the youkai free, I forgot to mention the guards but I'm sure they know what I did. They are so determined because I am…was Taishi's wife.”

Disbelief and fascination flashed through her eyes.

“Wow, what do you say to that?” Shippou wondered aloud.

“I know!” he cried then turned to his mother with a stern expression

“Kaa-san you have really weird luck,” he huffed.

“Luck…” Kagome laughed in disbelief. “ I call this a curse but does that mean you don't mind?”

Shippou scratched his stomach like an old man, frowning in thought. “Well not really, but you have to make time to play with me or I'll be sad,” he said with a pout. “And make your servants bathe everyday so it doesn't hurt my nose.”

Kagome laughed so hard she found herself tearing up. She wiped her eye and hugged Shippou tightly, “Of course kit, I thought you would be upset by this.”

Shippou kissed Kagome's cheek fondly.

“`Course not kaa-san, besides if we're going to be here I can't be mad all the time. I'm going to make sure these idiots take care of you right. I don't think Kuro will mind either.” Kagome burst into laughter again.

“Speaking of my little monkey, where is he? I'm sure he's starved” Kagome glanced at the servants. “Bring Kuro to me,” she ordered. The girl closest to the door bowed, “He will be waiting for you when you return milady,” she announced and ran to obey. Kagome looked to the remaining servants and they shifted looking to her pleadingly. Kagome waved them away and they scrambled from the room to `help' fetch Kuro. Kazi obviously scared the crap out of them.

A growl made Shippou and Kagome look up startled. They looked to Kazi who was staring out the window intently rubbing her stomach.

“I'm hungry,” she murmured.

Kazi stood and strode toward the balcony.

“Kazi, your feet, are you sure you want to leave so soon?”

“I'm not eating human food if that's what you're thinking of telling me to do,” she said quietly.

Kagome thought about it, “I don't have any demons food on me, I'm actually really hungry myself.”

“Eyan”

Kagome blinked owlishly. “Excuse me?”

“The food of demons is called Eyan. It's much more practical than calling it demon's food. A meal made of humans is called Enan but nobody uses that term we simply say human.”

Kagome smiled brightly. “I didn't know that, thank you.”

“Kaa-san we eat Eyan then?” Kagome nodded thoughtfully.

“You eat demons food?” Kazi asked in fascination.

“Yeah I was horribly sick for a while when Jiji firsrt fed it to me, but now it gives me crazy stamina and I heal a bit faster. I can even stay awake a few days now…I mean if I've eaten Eyan recently.”

Kazi smiled savagely, “I like you human.”

Kagome raised an eyebrow. “Should I consider you a friend then?” Kazi shrugged and Kagome shrugged too.

“What other things have happened to you, you are a miko after all I never imagined you would eat such `tainted' food.” Kagome looked thoughtful, “I'm not sure what else happened besides the weird …dare I say `instincts'” she shrugged.

“I have heard of cruel youkai who will capture humans and feed them our food. It is poison to a human. There have been tales of human's faces expanding grotesquely or them becoming hanyou and rampaging because of the pure youki mixing with their human bodies. I have even heard of them turning strange colors before they die,” Kazi cackled amused.

“Jiji wouldn't do that, he was very careful,” Shippou squeaked.

“Jiji is a strange demon but he wouldn't do something like that. I'm fine.” She said with a wary grin. “I bet those youkai who tortured those humans gave them poisonous Eyan”

Kazi seemed to think about it a moment before shrugging. “You spoil my fun,” she grumbled.

“Can you eat poisonous Eyan now? It's exquisite,” she purred licking her lips.

“No but Jiji said I should be able to eat it soon.”

“Amazing to meet such a human,” Kazi pondered aloud. “You should try to catch a meal on your own the blood is just as delicious as the flesh.”

Kagome stiffened and Shippou looked at Kagome in question. Kagome looked pale, this wasn't a good way to get her mind off her current circumstances but she was stuck.

“Go and hunt down a lesser youkai and prepare your meal…” Kazi licked her lips and Kagome cringed a bit.

“Lesser youkai?” Shippou murmured.

“Yes, they aren't very intelligent, they are the same as your mortal cows and livestock. The same as you finding a demonic fish instead of a mortal fish, though some youkai eat the higher status youkai,” Kazi shrugged a bit.

“Talk of hunting and meals makes me hungry. Maybe I will bring you poisonous Eyan one day,” she said with an evil grin “I want to watch you eat it, to see if you are bluffing”

Kagome scowled. “You're going to kill me, I can't eat poisonous eyan”

Kazi shrugged and lifted herself up onto the second floor railing just outside the door. She paused but didn't look back at Kagome. “You're a stupid girl just like I thought” Kagome's gaze darted to Kazi. She prepared to shoot a insult at the demoness but Kazi continued, “That bloodline is cursed, if any of those demons truly thought anything of you they would have killed you to spare you the suffering.”

Kagome paused feeling there was a hole in this conversation. Before she could ask Kazi what she was talking about Kagome realized that Kazi had taken off out the window without a sound. Kagome and Shippou sat in silence a moment.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously at his mother, “How do you keep making such strange friends?”

Kagome merely shrugged staring dazed at the railing where Kazi had just stood. There was something she was missing and it was making her nervous.

Shippou looked up at Kagome and grinned slyly, “My Kaa-san is a princess” Kagome raised an eyebrow at the kit. “The servants dressed you up really pretty, it's nice to see your face again Kaa-san,” he chirped.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak when a soft rapping at the door made her pause. “Milady it is time for you to speak to the castle.”

Kagome glanced grimly at Shippou and he only smiled reassuringly. Standing slowly Kagome walked to the door. Pausing, she glanced back at Shippou, “You're coming with me right?” Shippou blinked before nodding quickly and scrambling from the room after her.

The walk was uneventful but tense. The servant led her around the back to the audience hall. The advisors were waiting for her at the back door. She sent them hard glares but they merely bowed and motioned for her to enter the room.

She could hear the loud murmur of lots of people and cringed. The servant opened the door for her. Kagome frowned and glanced at Shippou who suddenly looked as worried as she was. He held onto the hem of her robes a little tighter. With a deep breath, she stepped into the room and Kagome stared in awe at the frightened men and women packed into the room.

They quieted and Kagome watched as they all got down and bowed to her. It was one of the most surreal sights to have a wave of different shades of blue roll across the room as everyone bowed. She was up on a raised platform with a very short stairway. There was a screen that was currently rolled up and hanging from the ceiling but Kagome paid it no heed. She stopped in the middle of the platform and the advisors took positions behind her.

Kagome looked at all the people who were now going to be serving under her, fearfully. How was she suppose to control this many people and get along with them so they wouldn't try to stab her while she slept. Everyone had always been focused on Taishi and she had always been an afterthought for everyone but her three personal servants. Now that wasn't the case and Kagome was terrified. This wasn't even a formal ceremony to announce her status, and she highly doubted there would be one.

“It has been decided…” she began uncertainly, “that I will now be your mistress until I am married or an heir is found to take over, I will rule over lord Taishi's lands now.” Kagome swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. “I don't expect any of you to like me and I'll have to deal with it but please take care of me, Shippou-kun and Kuro-kun” she said debating if she should turn and go hide under a rock for a few years. “I will take care of everyone under my command so please ask for help if you need it and don't disrespect me if you want me to respect you in return.”

Kagome bowed a bit and walked to the door Shippou trailing after her. The moment she and the advisors left the room, the castle residents began to talk loudly amongst themselves. “Well done milady, I've never heard of someone giving a speech in that manner but it got the point across. In two days we will usher you in as the new ruler of these lands.”

`This all sounds so suspicious, I've never heard of anything like this' she thought frowning at the advisors. `But what can I do?' she thought warily.

XXXX

OH MY GOD, it's done. I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I hope to update more often but please don't hold your breath. Life works in mysterious ways.