InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Feudal Fairy Tales ❯ Good Intentions ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other associated companies.

 

 

Chapter 12: Good Intentions

 

 

“Wait, Hime!”

 

“For what, Issun?” a gleeful, voice sang out from behind a folding, dressing screen. Through the thick paper on whose smooth panels, a flock of painted cranes waded, the vague silhouette of the princess shifted awkwardly as she fumbled with her newly chosen wardrobe. “Where does this piece go? Damn handmaidens. They're never around when they're needed,” she grumbled, tossing the fabric aside.

 

“You don't understand,” Kagome exclaimed, waving her hands in the air, “They're bandits. You know, thieves and murderers.”

 

“I fail to see your point,” the princess replied, peeking her head out from behind the screen to stare at the tiny figure standing on her vanity table with arms akimbo and whose mouth had since dropped open in astonishment. “I understand very well what bandits are. That's why we are going to speak with them.”

 

“Why don't we speak with your father instead? At least he's not likely to run us through with a sword or in my case, a bamboo skewer.”

 

“But you said my father wouldn't listen to you,” the hime replied absently as she set to work once more on her dress, perusing each strap intently, as if willing it to make sense or at the very least to disappear so that it may no longer trouble her. “If he chooses to do nothing, even after your glorious speech, then what choice do we have?”

 

“We have a lot of choices,” Kagome yelled in a wavering voice, her hands leaving her hips to entangle themselves in her hair in a fit of exasperation. “And definitely ones that don't involve telling a bunch of killers that they've made poor life choices.”

 

“Ah, Issun,” the princess giggled effervescently, “You're so funny.”

 

“I'm not being funny. This is serious. What makes you think that they'll listen to you?”

 

“I'm the hime. Everyone listens to me.”

 

“B-but—“

 

“We will go down to their quaint, little abode and order them to cease their deplorable activities. They will then stop and these pitiable farmers will sing their praises to us,” she said with a happy sigh. “It's all really very simple.”

 

“The real world doesn't work like it does in this castle,” the school girl exclaimed once again, stomping her foot on the polished wood of the table. “They won't stop just because you order them to. More than likely, they're going to kidnap you and do unspeakable things to you, before they either ransom you or kill you. Outside these walls, it's no fairy tale… or maybe it is, but not in the way you think.”

 

“That's why you're here, silly,” the princess laughed, pausing in her eternal struggle with her garment. “If you're there and they decide to be less than civil, you'll dispatch their vile selves with all due expediency. You really are too funny.”

 

“Do you not see how big, I am? A gang of murdering finches, I can do. Not a slew of six-foot, angry ex-samurai in need of serious attitude adjustment.”

 

“Really, Issun. I think if you weren't so suited for battle, my father should have appointed you for court entertainment. Your humorous pleasantries know no end.”

 

“I'm not being funny, dammit.”

 

“Where does this attach to?” the hime mumbled, her ears deaf to the thin ravings of the boy, now pacing angrily on her table.

 

“Ha, if you can't get dressed, then we can't go. And I'm not going to help you,” Kagome yelled triumphantly, crossing her arms proudly. If anything, that little notion bought her some time to figure out a plan to avoid the nasty mess she had gotten herself into. Really, who would have thought the princess would have wanted to go solve this personally? All she wanted was for her to go talk to her father and persuade him to send out his army to end the bandit problem, however he saw fit. She hunkered down, leaning against an elegant, porcelain bottle of perfume. Closing her eyes, she rubbed her temples soothingly, hoping to alleviate the budding headache forming behind her eyes. Why did things always end up this way?

 

“Is that where that goes?” the hime exclaimed suddenly, jerking the school girl from her brief reprieve. Kagome looked up at the motionless figure of the princess on the screen and then closed her eyes once more. Emptying her mind as best she could, she tried to think about how a certain youkai lord might meditate so that she could tune out the frustrating princess and her annoyingly bubbly voice.

 

“And that goes there?” the princess said with an airy gasp followed by a soft giggle.

 

“What are you doing?” the school girl called out, her confusion and curiosity knitting her brow.

 

“Ooh, be gentle with me, young man. Such boldness, if someone were to walk in and see your actions. I can only imagine what might become of you.”

 

“What are you talking about, hime?”

 

“Your ministrations, of course,” she said huskily, “But, hiding your form from me-ee- is particularly clever. Then, I can claim it was not you-ooh- and still not be lying. Preserving my-ahh- sensibilities while roaming through my clothing, you sly boy.

 

“B-but, I'm over here.”

 

“All done? Pity,” the hime pouted, looking over her dress approvingly, though she was seriously tempted to disrobe again, if only to be tickled by the tiny grip of hands and feet that a moment ago were so firmly touching her person.

 

“What the hell is going on?” But as the words left Kagome's mouth, her answer appeared as a small, silver figure alighted onto the top edge of the screen, walking casually with his ivory fur trailing behind. “You were dressing her?”

 

“I have removed garments of that sort many times,” the tai youkai replied with a slight shrug, “Doing the opposite seemed a simple concept.”

 

“Wh-what?”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment, debating on whether or not to elaborate, but as he reached his decision, the school girl blushed hot in realization.

 

“No-no, I-I get th-that part,” she sputtered, trying to drive out the illicit images of the youkai lord and activities that involved disrobing women that popped into her mind so freely. “Why were you helping her dress?”

 

“The story requires the hime to be present when we encounter the bandit. As she is obviously incompetent, I expedited the process.”

 

“I know that,” Kagome exclaimed, “But, the story also says one bandit, not a gang of them.” Sesshoumaru shrugged again and gracefully leapt off the screen, landing softly on the table.

 

“Your actions have changed the story,” he said nonchalantly, running his clawed hand through his hair to be sure of its orderliness after his foray in the thick silk of the princess' kimono.

 

“Uhh,” Kagome groaned, feeling her headache surge, “I know. I shouldn't have meddled.”

 

“You were warned. Such is the outcome of reckless compassion.”

 

“And now I have to take responsibility?”

 

“No. You always have a choice. You may choose to let the hime meet with the bandits without your assistance.”

 

“But, they'll kill her or maybe worse…”

 

“Perhaps, but know whatever her fate, it will be your fault.”

 

“Uhh,” she groaned again, cradling her head in her hands, “I'm so stupid.”

 

“That goes without question.”

 

“Thanks,” the school girl replied with an edge and looked up at the princess busily rifling through her collection of sandals, tossing the unsuitable ones over her shoulder, scattering them across the room. “This isn't a fairy tale, this is a nightmare.”

 

“There is a distinction?”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

The mid-afternoon sun shone brightly down on the slate courtyard, highlighting the stone bricks in shades of blue-gray. The delicate form of the princess appeared at the castle doorway, adorned in fine, pink silk whose hues faded to amber at the bottom edge of her dress. The warm tones accented the scene of a sun setting amongst elegant, entwining, sakura branches depicted upon its smooth folds. Holding her pale hand up to her brow, she surveyed the courtyard gleefully, a pearly grin gracing her lightly painted face.

 

“Can't we just go talk to your father?”

 

“No, Issun,” she replied adamantly, her brow furrowing at the words. She turned her head to look at the tiny boy seated on her shoulder. “This is our adventure. The people will sing praises of our triumph. Not his.”

 

Before Kagome could object further, the princess slipped forward and nimbly made her way down the steep steps. Smoothly, she descended the stairs and crossed the broad courtyard and into the dark tunnel leading to the gate. Flanking each side of the heavy, reinforced wooden door stood two guards, who despite their efforts could not hide their shock as the rather purposeful princess strode gracefully towards them.

 

“Open the gate, men,” she demanded, holding her head higher than usual as she attempted to look down on them from her comparatively short stature.

 

“Y-you are not permitted to leave without an escort, my lady,” one rather familiar guard stuttered, his voice low.

 

“My royal protector is present with me. Do not delay me further.”

 

“Royal protector?”

 

“Issun, stand and make yourself seen, so we may proceed past these obviously ill-mannered oafs.”

 

“Please don't allow her to pass,” Kagome yelled in her thin voice as she stood up on the hime's narrow shoulder. “Where she wishes to go is far too dangerous for me to handle on my own.”

 

“You?” the same guard remarked incredulously, his voice rising to a sharp pitch.

 

“Eh?” she said, her mouth quirking in confusion.

 

“Because of you, I was transferred to gate duty.”

 

“Ginta?”

 

“So you remember my name, eh?” he said, crossing his arms as he stared down at the tiny boy and then back at the haughty expression of the princess. A devious smile curled on his face. “I think if she were to encounter a hoard of demons, she should not have to worry for a hair on her head.”

 

“No, wait—“

 

“She has an escort, we must let her through.”

 

“Yes, sir,” the other guard replied, brushing his bewilderment aside as he stepped over to a wooden lever and wound the gear. The gate creaked open, revealing the sights and sounds of the city just ahead of them.

 

“Enjoy your excursion, my lady,” he said still smiling as he bowed low.

 

“We shall,” she replied and paused a moment in her step as she passed him, “Such courteousness. I will tell my father to restore your position.

 

“I am most honored by your consideration.”

 

“As you should be.”

 

The princess strode out confidently, leaving the castle behind her as she passed the various temples and government buildings. Kagome sat down in a huff, her hands cupping her chin in dissatisfaction. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Sesshoumaru who was like usual, meditating.

 

“I should have stabbed him through to the bone,” she grumbled under her breath.

 

“Hn,” the tai youkai replied, barely concealing his amusement behind a placid façade.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

“Where are these bandits you spoke of, Issun?”

 

“I don't know, my lady,” Kagome replied wearily, her hand seeking her temples once more as her headache surged at the princess' voice. “This is the road that the woman spoke of when she told me what happened to her husband. They must be around here somewhere.”

 

“I am not one to be left waiting,” the hime huffed, her hand slipping into a fold of her kimono, retrieving a finely crafted, folded fan.

 

“Not the fan again,” the school girl grumbled softly and gripped the silk beneath her and braced her legs against the princess' shoulder. The hime flicked the fan back and forth furiously, as she glanced up and down the road impatiently. The torrents of air buffeted against Kagome's body, each seemingly seeking to topple her off of her precarious perch. In fact, the first time the princess had deigned to cool herself had been quite successful to that end. The first wave knocked her completely off and she had only been saved by the soft, elaborate bow on the hime's back and the short fall onto the apples of the produce cart they had managed to hitch a ride on. This time, she would be less fortunate as she undoubtedly would fall to the hard ground below with an unceremonious splat.

 

“Bandits, I demand that you show yourselves!” the princess called out, tapping her foot as she fanned. A few moments passed emptily, filled sparingly with the chirping of birds flitting through the air.

 

“See, they're not here,” Kagome yelled into the gusts. “Let's go back and tell your father of their insult to your station by not presenting themselves.”

 

“Very well,” the hime grumbled, placing her fan in its fold. “We shall return to the castle.”

 

“Excellent decision, my lady.”

 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” a rough voice cackled from the woods that bordered along the well-worn dirt road. Melting out of the shadow of the trees, a burly man in tarnished armor appeared, holding a rusting sword against his shoulder and stroking his bristled chin, as his dark eyes looked over the fair princess appreciatively.

 

“Yes.”

 

“No.”

 

“Hn.”

 

“Where are the rest of you?” the hime demanded, raising her head as high as she could in her usual attempt to look intimidating. The smile faded from the bandit's smudged face, replaced with a frown and a quirked brow of confusion.

 

“The rest of us?” he asked hesitantly.

 

“Yes, I wish to speak with all of you. Your recent activities have been rather intolerable and I have come to order you to change your filthy ways.”

 

“Filthy?”

 

“Yes. Killing, stealing, raping and apparently not bathing are reprehensible habits to occupy one's time. I will not permit them any longer.”

 

“And you're going to order us to stop, little lady?” he swaggered, his face lighting up in a sort of deranged amusement.

 

“Of course, it's my duty as the hime.”

 

“You're the hime?”

 

“Who else would I be, you wretched oaf?”

 

“Where is your guard, my lady?

 

“He is right here,” she replied boldly, gesturing to the tiny figure sitting dejectedly upon her shoulder. “Issunboshi is a great warrior and lest you wish to feel the terror of his blade, I suggest you take me to your more than likely disgusting camp and allow me to meet with all of you.”

 

The man strode forward, much to the revulsion of the princess and squinted at the speck of boy staring up at him. His chapped lips quirked at the sight and he stepped back overtaken by a sudden fit of laughter. Several minutes passed before his hoarse guffaws began to wane.

 

“That's-your-guard?” he wheezed, gripping his aching stomach.

 

“I'll have you know he's defeated hoards of demons in the past. Your like would not even break a sweat on his brow.”

 

“Is that right?”

 

“Do not underestimate us, vile beast. Now take us to your camp.”

 

“As you wish, my lady,” he said politely, stifling another fit of laughter as he bowed low while raising an arm towards the woods. “This way.”

 

“Thank you,” she replied stepping onto the narrow path leading through the woods and flashed a smile at the frazzled figure sitting quietly on her shoulder. “As you see Issunboshi, a disobedient dog can be taught.”

 

And Kagome's headache spiked once more.

 

A/N: Wee, that was a lot of dialogue. Enjoy everyone :D