InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Promises Promises ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

"Promises Promises"

By Pixie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Inu-Yasha. It's on my to-do list though (right there below world domination)

Author's Commentary (sorry, I think that sounds way cooler than 'author's note'.) The original plan for this story had been to really show the whole Kikyo/Inu-Yasha/Kagome love triangle, with Miroku/Sango on the side and a very little bit of Sessh/Rin. However, upon reading your reviews, I had a change of heart, and decided, despite the fact it will make the fic longer, I'm going to focus on each romance individually! But you guys gotta keep me inspired! I do write this fic with your suggestions in mind after all. And here is the chapter you've all been waiting for…We finally get to meet Inu-Yasha…And I apoligize for the lateness of this chapter, I was having computer trouble. But its all fixed, so back to daily updates!

Chapter 4:

The white-haired Prince flicked strange dog-ears, hating when the water from his bath got it them. He shook his ears once again, but they still felt like they had water in them. He'd only been trying to wash his hair, his mother's request and now he was wet, with water in his ears. Not too mention, those girls would be arriving soon. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back into the bath water.

"Inu-Yasha are you sulking in there?" The light musical voice of Inu-Yasha's older half-brother floated into the room. Inu-Yasha folded his ears down and sunk deeper into the indoor hot spring. Sesshomaru was the very last person he wanted to see now. Sesshomaru stared down at his little brother, which was obviously sulking in the water. He had sunk down so low in the water that the water was up to his nose.

"So, you are here sulking…I was hoping to take a bath myself, but now that you've been in the water, it has a rather human stench to it. Perhaps I'll use the other bath until this one's been cleaned." Inu-Yasha leapt out of the water and tried to slash at his brother. Sesshomaru gracefully sidestepped him. Inu-Yasha not so gracefully landed on a bar of soap that Sesshomaru had "accidentally" left there. He slipped and fell, landing rather painfully on a rock. A soft white cotton landed on the half-demon's face. Sesshomaru had taken off the towel and thrown it to him.

"Since you seem to be done with your bath, I will take one then." Sesshomaru climbed into the hot spring. Inu-Yasha snorted and wrapped Sesshomaru's towel around his waist, stalking off. He dried off, leaving the towel as soaked as he could, in case Sesshomaru needed it. He changed back into the firerat robes and stalked off downstairs to the palace's shrine.

Inu-Yasha always visited the shrine when he felt angry. Not because his faith in region was very strong. No, his reason was much different.

Kikyo turned, sensing somehow that Inu-Yasha had come to visit her. There he was, pretending to be saying a prayer. This was their game, they played it every time Inu-Yasha wanted to see Kikyo. The dark-haired priestess slipped out back behind the shrine. Sure enough, soon Inu-Yasha joined her. The half-demon's face broke into smile as he saw her, his normally cold heart melted at the sight of her. He grabbed her, holding her close briefly. Kikyo mimicked his actions, faking a smile to make the Prince happy.

As priestess of the palace, love between her and Inu-Yasha was forbidden, making it all the more sweet to them both. However, when it came to love between the too, Inu-Yasha's feelings were far more strong than Kikyo's. Inu-Yasha loved her and only her. Kikyo sometimes met with other men behind the shrine. She always felt horrible afterwards, even when Inu-Yasha never caught her, and she always swore to herself to be true to Inu-Yasha, but that never seemed to stop her from meeting with other guys.

"I don't know what we're going to do Kikyo…Those other girls…because of Sesshomaru not picking a bride when it was his time, I have to pick a bride, I have no choice…." He nuzzled his face into her raven locks, breathing in her scent.

"Don't worry my pet…I told you, we will take care of it…" Inside, Kikyo's words we're different. "When did Inu-Yasha become such a whiner? " Oh well. Kikyo could put up with his whining, his stupidity until she was Queen.

Inu-Yasha pulled away from Kikyo, his golden eyes still washed with worry.

"All right. We'll take care of it!" He gave her his usual arrogant grin and walked off. After all, the girl's would be arriving soon.

Kikyo felt odd. She was…feeling guilty? The half-demon loved her, and she was just using him. He actually was, rather endearing once you got to know him. Kikyo shook off the feeling and returned to her work. With her plan this close to being completed, she could not afford for her feelings to get in the way.

At the girl's arrival, Kagome realized she stuck out a bit. Most girls seemed to be wearing short loose kimono's that showed off more than they should. Miroku seemed to like this a great deal, but Kagome wondered if the Prince would. Even more than Kagome, Sango stood out, dressed in her rather flattering tight armor. Kagome studied the girls further, in her small town upbringing, she'd never seen girl's dress in such outfits. Some girls, like Kagome, were wearing traditional layers and seemed disgusted by the other girls. The other layered girls moved over to stand by Kagome, so they didn't seem to stick out so much.

Rin noticed a few girls staring at her, reminding Rin of a pack of wolves. She backed up slowly, recognizing one of the girls as a girl she'd stolen from recently. Obviously the girl had recognized Rin's face. The circled her, like wolves closing in for the kill. A word from one of the other girls and they attacked. Kagome and Sango tried to get the girls off of Rin, and Miroku had disappeared at the sight of all the girls. Suddenly, the entire flock of girls went flying, leaving only Rin standing there.

"Are you ok?" Rin looked up and saw the most beautiful face she had ever seen. A hush fell over the crowd in the presence of Sesshomaru, the elder Prince. Even Miroku stopped flirting. His long silver hair fell over his shoulder as he leaned down to help Rin to her feet. He reached down and took Rin by the hand raising her to her feet.

"If you're all done being a hero, I'd like to get started." Every head in the crowd turned to see Inu-Yasha and his advisors, the Priestess Kikyo, and the Monk Miroku. Kikyo tugged on Inu-Yasha's sleeve again whisper his ear. Kagome watched with girlish interest. The two appeared to be arguing. She turned to Sango just in time to see Sango smack Miroku across the face. He gasped outloud.

"I am a Guard of the Prince! You don't smack a Guard of the Prince." Sango yawned outloud, right in Miroku's face.

Kagome turned back to Kikyo and Inu-Yasha. She then noticed that the Prince was staring right at her. She felt her heart quicken, but she didn't understand why.

"Kikyo, I don't like it."

"You don't have a choice Inu-Yasha. You will girl there! Why, she could my double! Then you will kill her, give out word that I died, then I will cut my hair and live Queen Whatever her name is.."

Inu-Yasha fidgeted, nodding finally. There was nothing else he could do now. Right now, he was supposed to be choosing a group of girls that he thought he'd want to get to know better, not arguing with Kikyo.

An indigent Miroku came over and grabbed Inu-Yasha by the robe, dragging him over to a girl. Inu-Yasha stared at the girl for a moment, for one she was standing next to the girl whom Kikyo had called her "double", and she was dressed in fighting clothes.

"She hit me!" Miroku assumed, as he and Inu-Yasha had been best friend forever, this meant he would not pick her. Inu-Yasha ginned and pointed over to Kikyo.

"Go over there. You're going to stay here." Sango had been the first girl picked as a possible candidate for Inu-Yasha's wife.

"You too wench," He remarked to Kagome. Kagome was surprised to note she wasn't as disappointed as she thought she would be. Miroku stared at Inu-Yasha, Sango looked furious.

The rest of the girls Inu-Yasha pretended to show interest in where the ones who dressed modestly, for the most part.

Sesshomaru approached the crowd of girls and took Rin's arm. He led her over to the crowd of girls who were supposed to stay at the palace. He dared Inu-Yasha to defy his decision. Inu-Yasha let it slide. He already knew what he had to do, thanks to Kikyo.

Nearby, a young guard who'd been late sat perfectly still with wide blue eyes. He stared at the girl known as Kagome, oblivious to all the danger she was in. He wolf tail bristled behind, Kouga of the wolf youkai never allowed a damsel to stay in distress. He would have to save Kagome himself!

Author's Commentary: That…was long! Of course Kouga is here. What kind of comedy would this be if I didn't make things hopelessly complicated. Inu-Yasha may seem a bit OOC here. But don't forget he's with Kikyo. I imagine he must have acted pretty nice when he was with her, otherwise, why would she like him? When he meets up with Kagome, I promise, he'll be his old self again. OK?