InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Protector of Her Heart ❯ Ignorance ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: Ignorance

 

Back in the Demon Lands, one very frustrated king sat at his desk, listening to new reports from his spymaster on the dealings of the Human Lands.

 

“You are sure of this?” King Sesshoumaru glared with his amber eyes, the tiny flea Myouga cowering in fear behind many large books.

 

“Y-y-y-yes, Your Majesty!” the flea squeaked, hoping that there would be a chance to run away if things got out of control. “I saw it with my own two eyes!”

 

Gripping the sword at his waist, Sesshoumaru yelled, “Impossible! How could that half-breed have managed to have the Tessaiga, the sword of the most powerful youkai in the land, choose him as the master?”

 

“I d-don't know, Your Majesty! I will tell you all I saw! Inuyasha walked alone into the forest and when he drew his weapon, it transformed into the steel fang for the first time in his hands! U-unless he got over the ward placed upon it, then it doesn't seem possible that—”

 

Snatching up the little flea from between his claws, the king demanded, “The ward keeps the Tessaiga from falling into the hands of other demons. And it also keeps humans from unlocking its full power. In his hands, the effect was the same as humans. How is it that a half-breed could unleash the power to slay a hundred demons in a single swing?”

 

“I…I don't know for sure, Your Majesty…but I did hear from your father before he died something about the sword was made to `protect' humans…does that mean—”

 

Flicking his spymaster away, Sesshoumaru muttered, “I see…” before glancing out the window. That is how the half-breed did it. With his promise to protect the human princess, the sword accepted him as its master.

 

“The sword of protection now, is it?” he spoke out loud, once again resting his hand upon the sword hilt. I do not understand, Father. Why would the Tessaiga, the sword of slaying demons choose Inuyasha, while the weaker Tenseiga, the sword of healing, choose me?

You thought me capable, you saw me defend this country, same as you, you left the throne, your reign of a thousand years to me, and now this Sesshoumaru is denied his birthright to inherit your power? In what way did I ever insult you, Father, so you would deny me this?

 

Narrowing his amber eyes, the king gently touched the stump of his left arm through his draping sleeve. This is yet another offense I can never forgive the half-breed for.

 

“Sesshoumaru!”

 

Gasping, Sesshoumaru turned, his sword slicing away at the enemy, its deep red blood splattering all over his face. Yet he did not see the demon sneak up behind him until it was too late. He whirled around, yet he was not fast enough.

 

His amber eyes widened in shock and gave a small cry of pain as the son of the great demon lord fell to his knees, grasping the bleeding stump of his left arm—

 

Remembering that day, nearly two hundred years ago, Sesshoumaru thought, I do not need this arm to be powerful, yet I cannot ever forget what you caused to happen that day, Inuyasha…

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

Sighing in boredom, Lord Bankotsu sat down in his chair at the head of the council chamber, and asked, “So, anything new today, Gentlemen?”

 

Lord Suikotsu, the advisor of foreign affairs, shook his head. “Nothing, unless you count some demon attack son the border. Nothing new.”

 

“And what about you, Jakotsu?” Lord Banktosu asked. “Anything new to report?”

 

Folding his arms, Jakotsu muttered, “Hmph. Well, if you want to deal with angry peasants, exports, imports, flood regulation, agriculture, etc, then be my guest. It seems that I'm the only one here who's ever working!”

 

Renkotsu sighed, “Jakotsu, we all have our work to do. You just like to complain about it more than us.”

 

Lord Jakotstu didn't hear him as he continued, “And I haven't even seen that demon knight yet. I heard he's cute!” he said with a slight squeal, causing all members of the council to roll their eyes.

 

“And you wonder why we like to keep you buried in work,” Suikotsu uttered.

 

While the councilmen continued their reports, Kagome, who had been listening at the door, turned away, and crept down the deserted corridor. Everyone else was at dinner, and she was thankful she had thrown Inuyasha off when she went back to her room to change. Though, as her heavy blue gown with its numerous petticoats swished at the slightest movement, she wished that Hannah had not insisted that she wear it.

 

The princess kept glancing back to make sure she would not be caught. Even though it was technically her castle and she could go where she liked, she knew that if she was caught, she would never know the truth. Ever since Lord Miroku had told her of his misfortunes, she wanted to know. Did the country that she held in so much esteem, the country that her father worked so hard to keep in peace really ignore the people that it was created to serve? Could the corruption of one man hurt thousands of others?

 

Kagome had lived in this castle for years—ever since she was ten years old. She had spent many of those early years exploring every nook and cranny of her new home, and now her knowledge had paid off when she came upon the door that led into Lord Renkotsu's office.

 

Glancing back one last time, Kagome quickly turned the handle and opened the door, shutting it quietly. She was met with a large, neat desk, and many cabinets full of papers. The office, to her surprise, was very neat and tidy, with everything in its proper place. Then I'll have to be careful about putting everything back, she thought, before heading over towards the first cabinet, carefully opening it.

 

A cloud of dust whirled around her as the drawer opened, and she gave a small sneeze. She shuffled through the papers, glancing at financial reports for building projects, annual tax collections, household pay, before finding what she was looking for.

 

Slowly, Kagome retrieved and old piece of parchment, signed with the official seal of the crown. At the bottom was her mother's signature, and her own from many years ago. I knew it. Here is the proof that compensation for lords under the crown was ordered five years ago…

 

She put the edict aside, and opened up another drawer, which was half-full, full of all papers pertaining to that year. The first document Kagome found was a listing of all tax revenue collected at the end of last year, which ended up being quite a sum. All of this money would go into the royal treasury, and then be divided up amongst the various financial projects.

 

A list of annual exports was next, and when looking at the total so far for the year, it was significantly lower than previous years before. Another document listed the losses in profits from the various fiefs, and that was a significant loss as well. Finally, after shuffling around papers for some time, she found something quite shocking.

 

It was a listing of all villages that had applied for aid. No less than twenty already, and the list was hardly up to date. All asked for food, shelter, and help getting back on their feet after disaster. All had suffered from the demon attacks by the renegade demons in the Midlands. Nothing at all could be found to show that money had been sent to any of them.

 

It makes no sense…why ignore the villages on the border when they provide much of what we use for imports? Why ignore the very people that make our country at all?

 

Now angry, feeling like a fool that she hadn't known of this before, Kagome drew open another drawer, pulling out the reports of the annual sums paid to the residents of the palace. To make up for the losses in profit from the villages, servant's wages were being cut, to make sure their superiors retained their allowance and didn't make a fuss. It seemed that with every year, Lord Renkotsu added just a bit of royal funds on to his pay…he now had in his possession triple times the amount he was supposed to have been paid annually.

 

Several checks were being sent to various men of the council for “duties toward the crown”. Sums like those could only be given to them by the ruler of the country, yet they were getting away with it because she was not of age yet. So that's why…they think they can take advantage of me just because I am not a queen yet!

 

Kagome heard the knob of the office turn, and glanced in that direction to see Lord Renkotsu walk in. She whirled around to face him, with a glare on her face. For a second, the financial advisor looked surprised, as he glanced from her, to the open drawers and the papers strewn all over the office floor. “Though everything in this castle may be yours, I don't believe that gives you the personal right to mess up my office, Your Highness,” Renkotsu narrowed his eyes.

 

By now, she had enough. “Lord Renkotsu!” she yelled furiously, stomping closer to him and holding out the reports she had found while snooping. “Can you explain this?”

 

He glanced at the piece of parchment she had shoved in his face. “This is an edict of compensation,” he read smoothly.

 

“Yes, one that my mother and I signed into law five years ago, granting any lord whose village had been decimated money from the crown to rebuild their village. Now why is it that there have been more than twenty such villages that have applied for aid and yet have received none?” she also showed him the list she had found earlier.

 

Glaring at her, Renkotsu explained, “You could say that there are greater priorities to be had then giving money to petty villages, Your Highness.”

 

Nearly giving an almost Inuyasha-like growl, Kagome bellowed, “Priorities such as making out checks to yourself from the royal treasury? Stealing from the crown under my name? There are people in this country starving and yet you have the nerve to take money out of the treasury for your own end!”

 

Renkotsu paused, then turned away from her to walk to the cabinet in which she had searched. Her glaring eyes followed him every step of the way. “Now look what you have done. It will take me at least a day to reorganize this.”

 

Kagome's fists clenched tight around the evidence in her hand. “We are not finished here!”

 

“Indeed we are not,” he said calmly, turning back to her. “So tell me, Your Highness, what shall you do about it? What punishment awaits for so…horrible a crime?”

 

Her teeth clenched as she spoke, “You are hereby ordered to pay back all the extra money you have been stealing, and to donate your own salary to the aid of these poor people.”

 

Instead of complying with her statement, Renkotsu threw back his head and laughed, making Kagome look in shock for a moment. No one before had ever thrown a royal order back in her face. “Economics are left to the advisors until you come of age, I am afraid, Your Highness,”

 

“Then I will assure you are disposed of when that happens!” she snarled back.

 

His grin widened. He had cornered her. “That will be the decision of your husband, the king. After all, what good is a woman but for making children, anyway? Women should remain quiet on these matters.”

 

“You will not get away with this,” Kagome warned, not even flinching at his carefully aimed insults. “I will make sure to do all within my power to see you led to prison for embezzling royal funds.”

 

“Like I said, it is only a king's choice whether or not to dispose of a council member, but…” Lord Renkotsu's eyes narrowed as he glanced back at her. “Perhaps that is something I will never have to fear at all. After all, it is very likely that you will never marry and be the first spinster queen in a millennia…I do wonder if it is this striking attitude of yours that drives men away—”

 

With his new, direct insult, Kagome lost what shred of control she had. Before she had time to stop herself she slapped Lord Renkotsu across the cheek, the papers she held in her hand flying all around the room. The lord did not chance his expression after her assault, but was met with her wild eyes as the hand she had struck him with slowly closed into a fist. With one last glare, she turned away and fled the room, leaving a smiling Renktosu behind.

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

Dinner had just finished as Kagome stormed back into the great hall, met with many lords and ladies she was familiar with. None came and approached her since they could all see the fury in her eyes. Watching her, whispers started behind her back. “What do you suppose happened?” “Did she have a fight with her knight again?”

 

The knight spoken of met her on the staircase. “Hey, princess, where they Hell were you—” He stopped as she marched past him, the chill around her seeping in. Out of all their fights, he had never seen her this mad…and he didn't even do it!

 

Every step she took was a loud stomp as she walked up to her room, Inuyasha following behind. What happened? Who could have gotten her this mad? Everyone else thinks she's so sweet, so who could have been brave enough to take on her foul temper?

 

When Kagome reached her rooms, she nearly tore the door off its hinges, startling Hannah, who was dusting up the couches. “Hannah, I'd like my meal brought here tonight!”

 

The maid who by seeing Inuyasha had come with Kagome, guessed that her mistress was in a bad mood once again. “Yes, My Lady,” she bowed and headed off to the kitchens.

 

With her absence in the room, Kagome plopped down on the couch, and seemed to just realize that Inuyasha was there. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

 

Inuyasha folded his arms and leaned against the wall, rolling his eyes. “I protect you, remember?”

 

Kagome gave a huff and turned away, not wanting to deal with him now. She had discovered the horrible truth of her land, and had been brought to humiliation by Lord Renkotsu. She could do nothing to correct this problem, though in the eyes of the law, she was granted power over him.

 

However, her knight just couldn't leave well enough alone. “So, princess, what's got you so upset?”

 

“Nothing,” she spoke at once.

 

“Right,” he snorted. “Don't think I haven't seen enough of you angry to know when something's got you ready to kill something. So out with it woman, what made you so mad?”

 

Whirling around, she glared. “It's none of your business!”

 

Deciding on another tactic, his mouth formed a smug grin. “Oh, I believe it is. After all, how can I protect you if I don't know everything?”

 

Clenching her fists, Kagome snarled, “You take great pleasure in this, don't you?”

 

“How ever did you guess?” Inuyasha asked, his grin widening.

After a moment of controlling her rage, Kagome sighed, and said calmly, “If you must know…it was because I snuck into Lord Renkotsu's office today.”

 

The hanyou raised an eyebrow before she continued, “I wanted to know if what Lord Miroku said was true…about the council not giving aid when it was due. And it is true…all of it. There's worse—it seems that no one is getting paid their aid at all, and even Lord Renkotsu himself is stealing money from the crown for his own end…And I suppose, if I know this, there is more that I don't know about.”

 

She was quiet for a moment, in a silent reflection of the truths she had just learned. Kagome expected the silence from Inuyasha was because he was shocked not having expected this either. But after a brief pause, the man beside her looked away and gave a cold chuckle, “You know nothing of life.”

 

Turning back sharply, Kagome asked, “What? What do you mean?”

 

“If this is such a shock to you, then you're more naive than I thought.” Kagome could only stay silent as he continued, “Just a spoiled, stuck up, rich, royal princess that knows nothing.”

 

Her anger rose sharply as she shot back, “That's not true!” while standing up in outrage.

 

Inuyasha shot up as well, continuing, “Oh, but it is, Your Highness! Bet you thought the world was nice and shiny, filled with laughter and rainbows, where it's just a horrible, piss splattered muck in real life.”

 

“Listen you—”

 

“The rich enjoy their parties, their dances, and their wealth, thinking of nothing else but what pleasure it is to have such luxury. While some people live in dirt, stealing and eating garbage to survive. Some people live by the sword, killing to live another day, even though they know it would be easier to die. You think that a little corruption among nobles is so horrible? Then you have seen nothing of the real world!”

 

Fighting back, Kagome roared, “I have too seen the real world! I know there are people out there suffering! I know that someone needs to help them—”

 

“And that is why you're so naive,” he cut her off, his amber eyes giving her a sharp glare Kagome had never seen before. “Real life is about learning to accept when no one will help those who need it, and understanding that everyone truly works for their own gain.”

 

She could only stand speechless as he finished, the glare in his eyes never fading as he turned away, finishing, “There are some out there who are of neither sort…Some who get spat on everywhere they go, everyone wishing they would die because they are a terrible abomination. They only family they knew is gone, and the place they call home won't accept them anymore…Knowing that they can trust no one but themselves…” Inuyasha turned back to her and repeated, “Your kind know nothing of what it is really like outside palace walls.”

 

Inuyasha turned away to leave, but Kagome spoke up, “Perhaps you are right…maybe I don't know about what its like to live in what you call “the real world” but…what if I want to learn?”

 

He stopped for a moment, surprised by her words, before turning back and asking, “Why would you want to learn?”

 

“Because if I don't learn, who will?” she spoke softly. “You say that my kind knows nothing…then shouldn't somebody know?”

 

“That is not a reason.”

 

Sighing, Kagome admitted, “Fine, if you must know…I want to know what a common girl feels…what her life is like. As a princess, people think I have everything, and yet…” she paused for a moment. “I truly have nothing. Material possessions, yes, but…besides that, what is there to call my own?”

 

Inuyasha watched her, completely fascinated with her as she continued, “I have no choice in my own friends, I cannot show my feelings to the public…I am not allowed to pick the man I am to marry…not allowed to love who I wish…” Her brown eyes met his golden ones. “Do I really have everything I could desire? Is this not also the truth of the real world?”

 

He didn't answer. “Sometimes, I do wish I wasn't born to be what you call a spoiled, selfish princess…at least then I'd have the greatest possession of all—the right to choose.”

 

Seeing her like this, looking away sadly as she mused on what right was denied her due to her position, Inuyasha felt his heart soften a little, and felt guilty for what he had said to her before. But he didn't know how to phrase it. “Perhaps, we are both ignorant of what life is like, in both circles?” Kagome asked, and he only turned away, yet agreed all the same.

 

It's true…before I thought she was as mainstream as any princess comes but now…I really know nothing about her…Though now he had a strong desire to learn.

 

Princess and knight glanced back at one another, and another small silenced passed, both wanting to say something. But just as Inuyasha had gathered his courage, Hannah burst in, carrying a tray. “My Lady, your dinner.”

 

Whatever it was had to be forgotten as Kagome looked back at her maid. “Thank you, Hannah,” she replied, setting down to eat, while Inuyasha pretended not to watch her from the corner of the room.

 

He couldn't figure this woman out at all…Trying to do so would require a lot of further study. And for some reason, that prospect seemed quite enjoyable.