InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Exchange ❯ Fanning Flames ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

AN: Wow... you all seem to think Urami is a spy...

Anyway, unfortunately Shippo won't be making an appearance in this story, only because I can't seem to find the right place to stick him in, so he'll just have to sit on the benches for this one.

Though Miroku will eventually turn up... I hope...

















Soul Exchange

Fanning Flames













It was definitely a strange sensation, waking up in a strange bed... with no familiar or comforting smell... other than the slightly musty smell of feathers beneath her. Kagome yawned as she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. After a while she got bored of that stimulating activity and roamed her gaze down to look at the opposite wall. On the other side was Inuyasha's room, where presumably, Inuyasha would be. With or without his spiffy new maid was beyond Kagome.

She hated to admit it, but Kagome was getting jealous of the attention Urami was receiving already. Last night after she'd come back from Sango's quarters she had tried to speak with Inuyasha again, mainly about Kouga... but he hadn't been interested and had brushed her off rather indifferently.

Kagome rolled back onto her stomach and pressed her face into the pillow. She was so confused... she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what she was feeling inside anymore... other than the imminent feeling of doom that she'd fail in oh so many ways. One mistake and she was dead...

Suddenly someone singing from outside pulled her from her brooding. "She's my ray of shine... My only inspiration... And even though she's mine... I can't resist temptation..."

"Kouga..." Kagome whispered into her pillow before slipping out of bed and heading towards the window. She pushed it open and stepped out onto the balcony outside, that stretched all the way around the palace like an outdoor corridor. She stepped up to the rail and leaned over to look down. She grinned when she saw him. "Kouga!"

"Someone strangle the bleeding cat!" Came a grumpy yell from the next room over.

"Mornin' Princess." He threw up the bouquet of flowers he'd been holding for Kagome to catch. She didn't need to fake her smile or blush when she raised it to her nose to inhale the sweet smells.

"Thank you, Kouga." She called back down. She plucked one of the flowers from the bunch, kissed it, and sent it back floating down to Kouga who caught it deftly.

A flowerpot suddenly pitched from nowhere, sailing towards Kouga, but he saw it coming and dodged aside before it could hit him. It harmlessly smashed against the ground at his feet and both Kouga and Kagome shot accusing looks at Inuyasha who was leaning against the balcony rail a little further up from Kagome outside his room. He saw both their glares and shrugged. "What? My hand slipped."

"Kagome - say you'll come down to the camp today." Kouga asked, ignoring Inuyasha.

Kagome faltered slightly. "I... uh... I dunno Kouga... I'm a bit busy."

"Please - I miss you."

Ok, now he was sounding needy. "I'll see, Kouga." She said allusively, not committing herself to any promises. She saw him trade a narrowed glare with Inuyasha before looking back at her. "Ok then... I'll see you later then."

"Bye Kouga!" she waved slightly as he shot away at whiplash speed.

"Young love..." Inuyasha sighed with a cheerful smile, glancing across at Kagome. "It just... makes me want to grab a bucket and lose my breakfast."

Kagome rolled her eyes discreetly. He still had no idea. She'd just obviously avoided a meeting with Kouga, and he still didn't get that she wasn't interested in the wolf anymore. "You're just jealous because you don't have anyone special like that."

"Of course I have someone special who brings me flowers on a regular basis." Inuyasha said casually, leaning on the balcony and looking away from her.

"Who?" Kagome asked quickly, maybe a little too quickly.

Inuyasha grinned. "My gardener."

"Oh of course..." Kagome almost sighed in relief. For a minute there she was almost expecting him to say Urami.

"And Urami." Inuyasha got a slightly distant look in his eyes. "Do you know how good my room smells now that she cleans it up and puts smelly stuff in there?"

Kagome's fingers clenched the rail tightly. "I have to go." She turned quickly and headed inside, not before she heard the distinctive call of Urami's voice from inside Inuyasha's room.

"Lord Inuyasha! Do you need any new clothes - I've just brought some from the seamstress!"

Kagome frowned deeply as she slammed her window shut and moved swiftly through her new room to exit into the corridor. She wanted to go speak to Sango... or Lady Inu... and the chances were that they were in the throne room. Kagome headed down there, eager to get away from both Inuyasha and Urami. Even though she wasn't particularly sure she could trust them alone.





^_^





"Well this changes things..." Lady Inu murmured against her hand as she stared off into space.

Sango carried on cleaning with her dusting cloth... it was unbelievable the amount of dust that could settle around the throne room overnight. "I heard her with my own ears... she doesn't want to mate with Kouga anymore - she never was mated in the first place I believe."

"So she's still a maiden and available..." The Queen shifted to rest her chin in her upturned palm. "Well... seems I was a bit hasty in assigning Urami..."

"Urami would still make a nice bride though." Sango stopped her work to look back at the queen. "She's beautiful and kind... pit about the voice."

"That's what I thought..."

"Perhaps she'll grow out of it in time." Sango shrugged and continued dusting. "But there is also the small matter of her being a peasant girl from the villages..."

"But she's of pure Inu Youkai blood." Lady Inu sighed. "If they can accept little old me as a queen then I am sure they'll accept one of their own, no matter where she was born - barn or bedchamber."

"I suppose..." Sango said evenly. "But Kagome doesn't want to go with Kouga... if we take Urami then Kagome will have to go with him. If we take Kagome then we'll have to send Urami back to her village... and that's just plain mean."

"So the main question is... Kagome or Urami?" Lady Inu frowned in thought. Personally, she had tendencies towards Kagome - but she realised that she could just be biased because she was human. "Hmm..."

They both looked up suddenly as the doors to the throne room opened and they saw Kagome entering, using her back to push the door since her arms were full with holding Sango's son. "Sango... I think you just lost another babysitter."

"What?" Sango blinked at her.

"The matron who was taking care of her left as I arrived in your room... she said something about demon children crying with less volume than this one..." Kagome bounced the child slightly, smiling at him. "I think he was hungry so I fed him."

It seemed to have worked because now Fushi was quiet, but alert and awake. Sango smiled at them both while Lady Inu quickly began to scribble a score chart on a scrap of paper. One point to Kagome for being good with children. She waved the paper at Sango, discreetly so Kagome wouldn't see, and smiled slightly when the servant girl rolled her eyes.

Kagome glanced up at Sango. "Do you want him back now?"

"Uh - no. You keep him, he seems happy where he is." Sango said, quickly getting back to work.

"So Kagome..." Lady Inu hid the paper in her robes. "Sango tells me that you're having doubts about Lord Kouga?"

Kagome glanced at Sango who was suddenly very engrossed in her dusting. "Maybe..."

"It's just that..." Lady Inu shifted uncomfortably. "If you don't want to leave with Kouga next new moon when the bridge opens... then we don't want to force you."

"Thank you..."

"And since Kouga will most likely attack us anyway if we all survive the battle with he North, then you don't have to go with him to hold the agreement between our people. Don't feel pressured to remain with him."

"Thank you..." Kagome said again, stroking Fushi's head.

"But..." Lady Inu took a deep breath. "Don't feel pressured to stay with Inuyasha either."

"Pressured?" Kagome blinked. "I wouldn't feel pressured at all! I'd love to stay and..."

It occurred to her that she might have said too much... come over as a little too eager... but Lady Inu smiled nonetheless. "Good. Then you can remain here for as long as you like... just don't tell Kouga that until after any battles with the North."

"Ok." Kagome sighed with a small smile of relief. She was being invited to stay for longer than she'd originally thought... but that would probably make no difference in the long run. She had a feeling she would have to leave the kingdom at some point, either to hide from Naraku or of because some other complicated matter involving Kouga, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.

Then another girl entered - Urami to be precise, she was smiling (as usual) and was holding a tray. "Morning milady, morning Sango, Lady Kagome." She nodded in greeting to all of them before setting the tray down on the table beside the Queen's throne. "I made you some treats."

"Oh, Urami, you didn't have to!" Lady Inu cooed.

"But you've been so hospitable and kind - I have to repay you in any way I can!" Urami giggled. "Please, help yourself."

Sango came over to take a biscuit and hummed her appreciation as she chewed. "Wow... this is good..."

"You're quite the little cook, Urami." Lady Inu complimented the girl who blushed and bowed. "Thank you, your highness."

Kagome stroked Fushi's back a little faster as her eyes narrowed slightly. Eventually she had to force herself to look away or give her feelings away.



"Where did you learn?" Lady Inu asked conversationally, secretly adding a little point to Urami on her score card for her ability to cook.

"Oh you know... when my mother died and left me in charge of the family, I had to cook for them every night since I was six." Urami sighed sadly, but still smiled. "And if I didn't my father would beat me... But now that he's remarried I can work in the palace for money to support them while my stepmother looks after the family. Though I do worry while I'm gone... she isn't the kindest mother in creation."

She was obviously playing for the sympathy vote and Kagome could only grit her teeth with irritation, as Lady Inu added another point to Urami out of sympathy. Besides... that was nothing compared to what Kagome had endured in her village.

"Anyway, must be going, I have to find Lord Inuyasha and tell him the blacksmith has restored Tessaiga as best he can, milady. Bye now!" Urami chortled as she trotted out of the throne room.

"What a nice girl..." Sango smiled as she chewed her biscuit, but suddenly caught the dark look Kagome was giving her. "I mean... what a bitch."

Kagome's terse expression dissipated as she realised she was being silly. She sighed and handed Fushi gently back to his mother. "I'm off to see Kouga... see ya..."

Sango and Lady Inu waited with patient quiet until Kagome was out of the room. Then they burst into conversation. "Did you see that?" Sango gasped at the queen. "The look on her face?!"

"She's jealous!" Lady Inu clapped her hands with delight. "This is perfect!"

"How can this be perfect?" Sango suddenly frowned. "Inuyasha's attracted to the wrong girl."

The queen just laughed. "If you think he's attracted to Urami then you don't know Inuyasha as well as you think you know him."

"How so?" Sango stared at her.

"Inuyasha's always had his problem with contradicting emotions and actions." She shrugged. "He snaps and jerks around the people he cares most about and is mostly just polite to people he doesn't know, or feels indifferent about."

"Polite? Are you sure?"

Lady Inu sat in silence for a moment. "Well... about as polite and nice as he can get."

"So..." Sango was hooking on. "You're saying he doesn't like Urami as much as we think he does...?"

"Precisely. What I'm hoping is that he's just being nice to her to get back at Kagome for being with Kouga." Lady Inu rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Yes... I think that's the case."

"Well... wither that or he's head over heels in love with Urami and doesn't give a fig about Kagome and Kouga."

"We'll see." Lady Inu stood and walked to the window. "But for now... make sure you fan the flames of jealousy. That always brings out people's true feelings for one another, may they be love or indifference, it will show."





^_^





When Kagome went down to the tree later on that day... she saw it was already occupied by Inuyasha and Urami. They weren't doing anything to make her jealous except talking... but the fact that Urami was now infringing upon her and Inuyasha's personal tree made the anger and jealousy sear through her.

This girl had come from nowhere and was somehow managing to win over Inuyasha faster than Kagome had. Much faster. If Kagome had actually been planning to seduce Inuyasha then she would be up the creep and screwed completely.

Something inside her told her that this girl had to be evil. She was either a minion of the devil himself (aka. Naraku) or a spy of Sesshomaru's. She had to be a spy... there was no other explanation for her sudden intrusiveness. But there was only one way to be sure that she was right.

"Hey Urami..." Kagome announced cheerfully as she arrived.

"Oh, Hi Lady Kagome." Urami bounced to her feet, leaving Inuyasha's side as she faced the other girl. "How are you today?"

"I'm... fine... thank you..." Why couldn't this girl be scathing to at least one person. Kagome wouldn't have minded if that person had been her.

"This is nice, I was hoping to talk to you some time." Urami clasped her hands behind her back. "You seem so nice and pretty... and human women seem to be the most interesting people I've met. I'd really like to get to know you better."

Well... now Kagome felt a little evil, but she still didn't like the happy- go-lucky girl any more than she had done. "Thank you..." She glanced past Urami to see Inuyasha watching them both with a neutral expression, but she could have sworn she saw amusement dance in his eyes before he turned away.

"You have such beautiful hair too... can I touch it?" Urami asked bluntly.

Kagome stared at her... "Uh..." she hated people touching her hair. "Oh - you seem to have a dirt smudge on your cheek!"

"Oh!" Urami's hands flew to her cheeks. "Where?"

Inuyasha glanced back up at the girls suspiciously, knowing that there was no smudge on anyone's cheek.

"Here - let me." Kagome licked the sleeve of her kimono like a mother would do, and used it to scrub Urami's cheek as the girl tilted her head to the side to give her access.

No stripes were showing... no makeup covered her skin... so Kagome scrubbed harder, furiously trying to find some proof that the girl was evil.

"Has it gone yet?" Urami asked as the scrubbing continued for a little longer than necessary, making her cheek slightly pink.

Kagome scrubbed a few more times before stepping back and forcing a smile. "All gone."

"Thank you Lady Kagome." Urami smiled and touched her cheek delicately. "You know, at first I thought you'd dislike me, but you're really a very nice girl. All human girls must be nice."

"Ok..." Kagome said slowly. "Um... Lady Inu summoned you back to the palace."

"Really? What does she want me to do?"

"Uh... clean Inuyasha's room." Kagome hazarded an excuse and saw that Urami accepted this without question. She was so trusting.

"Ok, see you later, Inuyasha. Goodbye Lady Kagome."

Kagome waited until she was sure the girl was from ear shot, taking into account that the girl probably had better hearing than the average human. Then she slowly sat down next to Inuyasha and looked out over the lake, her body language making it clear to him that she was annoyed. "I see you're both on a first name basis."

"Yeah... we are aren't we..." he smirked slightly, but Kagome didn't notice.

But it was clear to Inuyasha that she was jealous. He may be a little slow in some areas of understanding, but he recognised jealousy when he saw it. He'd experience enough dealings with jealousy around Kikyo and Naraku. He leaned back against the old willow tree with a smug smile and a cross of the arms. Good. She was jealous. He liked that.

Kagome glanced sideways at Inuyasha and frowned at his cocky pose. "What's the matter with you?"

Inuyasha grabbed a random excuse. "Any guy who just scored would be this happy."

Kagome's fists clenched with anger. "Great... at least one of us is."

"Meaning?" Inuyasha snapped his head around to look at her sharply.

"Meaning I'm not." Kagome said seriously, looking down at her knees. "It's over... I don't love Kouga anymore. When this is all over I don't plan to go with him... but... I'm glad to see that you won't be alone when this is all done and dusted."

Inuyasha watched her sceptically. For some reason he felt even happier than a few moments ago. He'd thought there had been something fishy with Kagome's attitude towards Kouga that morning. "You seemed to like him well enough earlier. You blushed."

"Well... I still like him... but I don't love him."

"Do you lust after him?"

"No!" Kagome pulled a disgusted expression.

"Did you ever lust after him?"

"Well..." She stopped herself short. "What's with the questions? Why're you so interested?"

"I'm not!" Inuyasha jumped back defensively. He just couldn't believe his luck. Kouga didn't own Kagome. That fact alone made him happy. "Weren't you supposed to go see him today?"

"Well yeah... but then I changed my mind and went for a walk along the beach again..." Kagome glanced at him. "That's what I came here to talk to you about."

"About your walk on the beach?" Must have been some walk.

Kagome reached into her kimono and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She handed it to Inuyasha who opened it silently and looked at what was on it. After a moment he looked up at Kagome, with a blank expression. "You drew me a seagull?"

"No!" Kagome gasped in annoyance. "It's a Koyoshikin."

Inuyasha looked at the picture again. "But it's a bird right?"

"Yeah, a little one."

"Hey - when you turn it upside down it looks like a harvest mouse!"

"Gimme that!" Kagome snatched it back and turned it the right way up. "It was the bird on the emblem of the samurai I saw."

Inuyasha blinked and snatched the paper back. "You sure?"

"I walked down the beach and had another flash - I saw the emblem clearer this time... but it was shorter than the last flash and I didn't see where they went. But their emblem was round... and it had a little sewn picture of a little bird perched on a stick - and by the markings I swear it was a Koyoshikin."

"A Koyoshikin on a stick was the emblem?" Inuyasha watched her carefully. "Are you certain you're sure?"

Kagome nodded. "Does it mean anything to you? Do you know which warlord it is now?"

Inuyasha didn't say anything as he folded the paper and slipped it inside his sleeve. Kagome watched him with curiosity as he tucked her picture away before smiling gently at her. "What would I do without you?" he squeezed her shoulder and leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead.

Kagome was still in stiff shock and blushing like a mad thing, as he stood up and began walking back towards the palace. She finally managed to snap out of her shock as she scrambled to her feet. "Where are you going?!" she called after him.

"I know where to find him now!" he called as he walked backwards and waved to her. "Thanks Kagome!"

"You're leaving?!" Kagome gaped at him.

"I'll be back!"

Famous last words. Kagome watched him with disbelief as he walked through the palace gates and out of sight. When he was gone she bit her lip and grasped the tree for support. Lady Inu was not going to like this...













AN: Ok, Next Chapter - 'Father's Son'