Royal Dangers by shiningstar*
First Encounters
The young princess sat quietly, listening carefully as her older brothers discussed an on-going treaty. Her bright blue eyes watched the scene intently, not missing the aggravated sighs from the eldest prince, nor the persistent arguments from the other. Only a quarter of an hour had passed since she had slipped into the elegant conference room, drawn by the growing voices. She sighed. It seemed her brothers never could arrange to meet without disagreeing.
"After all, they are demons, youkai. Demons do not deserve to live, not after what they did to our father. Besides, how can you honestly believe they will stick to the treaty? I believe they are untrustworthy. How can we be sure they will not turn on us at the last minute? That is just the sort of thing I had expect from a youkai." Sota said angrily, slamming his hand against the table. Kagome jumped at the sudden noise, but remained silent as her elder brother began pacing the room. "Why should we join forces with them when their kind were the ones who are responsible for all that has happened lately?"
Hojo sighed and tried to explain. "The demons from the Western Kingdom will prove to be great allies when the time comes. Talk of war is already brewing in the Southern regions, and if the threat proves adequate, we will need all the help we can get. You know Father would have wanted for this to be done. Now is our chance to make him proud."
The princess interrupted. "But Hojo, demons were the ones who murdered Daddy, weren't they? How can you forget that? No living creature should be allowed to get away with murder."
The eldest prince glanced in her direction, shaking his head slightly, and she quieted down once more, turning her watchful eye on him once more. Young though as the man was, Kagome could see the events over the past few months were taking their toll on her brother. Slight lines were gathering under his eyes, giving the usually energetic youth a tired look, defined further by the definite sag in his shoulders. Still, his spirit remained undaunted, as was shown as he brought forth the plan to make allies in the West. Like their father, she thought. Hojo had inherited such spirit from the once great King Higurashi, as well as his handsome features. Just as Kagome was the mirror image of their mother, Hojo could easily have been mistaken for the late ruler.
Seeing she was finished, Hojo started to speak, but was cut off from stating anything when Sota agreed, voicing his opinion loudly once more. "I will bet every one of those demons are exactly like Father's killers. Vicious, uncaring, selfish creatures, that's what they are. The whole lot of them. I think we should not bother with a treaty. How do you know they will follow it anyway? Do you honestly want to make a treaty with the demons, when two of them killed Father, and almost killed Kagome as well? Do you really want that?" His eyes flashed angrily as he pushed away from the table and paused once more, brushing his dark locks out of his view. Had the situation not been so serious, Kagome would have smiled at the intensity of his arguments, knowing his temper better than most. Just like when he was younger.
Hojo looked at his brother. "Sota, I understand where you are coming from. I want to catch Father's killers as much as anyone, perhaps even more, but he wanted this treaty signed and dealt with. We must respect his wishes, and we have to go ahead with the treaty. Having the Western Kingdom as our enemies is unwise, so it is best to get on with it and hope they agree to help us in this time of war. And Kagome," he said, turning to his younger sister. "I agree with you, no creature, man nor demon, should get away with murder. But just because demons killed our father, we should not condemn the whole youkai race. The demons you have seen were from a bad lot. I have met some bad as well, but there are many still who are good. Would you wish for innocent lives, even for those of demons, to be wasted?"
The princess shook her head slowly, understanding his point. Hojo rubbed his fingers wearily through his brown locks. "Now, you should get on with you lessons, Kagome. This is no place for a lady to get involved in, and I daresay we have kept you long enough with all this talk."
Kagome rose angrily. "This 'lady' can get involved if she wants. He was my father too, and I know what his wishes were. This involves me as well, not just you boys!" She placed her hands on her h ips and gave her older brother a defiant glare.
The Chief Prince interrupted. "Kagome, please do as I say. Sota and I need to finish this treaty, and I do not want you to get in the way. Run along now and go to your lessons." The young woman tried to object but Hojo held out his hand, motioning that the issue was closed.
Kagome sighed in defeat and went outside the conference room, wandering around the corridors. Sometimes her brother made her so angry, with all his talk. He was only five years her senior, but he used it to his advantage when he wished her to leave. "You are too young... This is no place for a lady." It was enough to make anyone's blood boil.
The sun shone down brightly, revealing a beautiful day outside. Kagome noticed this as she passed the garden doors, and she wished she could go pick flowers. It was a pastime that would calm her down, that was certain. However, the young princess had to finish her studies. She sighed slightly. She had no desire to sew or do arithmetic. There was simply no fun in any of that. Kagome stopped outside her tutor's room, fingering her locket as she paused. For a moment she stared at the door, wondering what would happen if she did not go to her lessons.
Her fingers fell still. She had never skipped her tutoring before, and she was not about to start now. Pushing open the door, she quietly walked into her teacher's room. The room was quite large and well furnished, so it did not feel like it was a classroom. On the contrary, the room made her feel warm and cheery. That was one reason she enjoyed her lessons so much. Closing the door gently, the young woman made her way to the smooth oak table, gazing down at the piles of books that were neatly stacked upon it. Her fingers trailed over the leather bound cover, hiding its crisp pages inside.
"Kagome."
The princess snapped out of her daze and turned as her teacher entered the room. Smiling warmly, she nodded in greeting. "Lady Kikyou." Her tutor was the other reason she looked forward to her lessons so. Rather than an old, stuffy teacher, Kikyou was a younger woman, barely nineteen. In fact, she had just turned nineteen only a few weeks ago, right before the princess herself, who had turned seventeen the following week. The closeness of their ages only served to strengthen the bond between them, as the two maidens became fast friends as well as tutor and pupil.
Brushing the dark hair off her face, the teacher smiled back and motioned over to a chair beside the table. "Sit, Kagome. We have a lot to catch up on. And please, call me Kikyou, all right? Using titles like that make me feel old." She wrinkled her nose and Kagome smiled again. She liked the woman because she was the only person, besides her brothers and father of course, to call her by her first name and not her title. Hojo had appointed Kikyou to be Kagome's tutor because of the acclamation of her own excellent education. Kagome sometimes suspected there was another reason, though. Her brother seemed to have a special interest in the young woman, though she often denied it. Kikyou, though roughly the same age as Sota, would spend most mornings talking with the elder Prince. Sometimes Kagome caught the two exchanging little glances, or walking alone together. Every time she would mention these meetings the young woman would blush violently and quickly change the subject.
The young heiress sat, smoothing her emerald dress as she did. Meanwhile, Kikyou selected two books and handed one to the princess. Frowning briefly, Kagome then took a deep breath and opened her book to the page as her tutor directed. "Now, read the first chapter." The woman instructed, flipping open her own book. Kagome did as she was told and read aloud. Kikyou watched her progress with an amused face. The younger maiden used to read with much enthusiasm, but now her voice held very little emotion at all. About three pages into the story, Kikyou stopped the princess. "Kagome."
She looked up from the page with a confused look on her face. "Yes, Kikyou?" She asked in her innocent voice. Her tutor gave her a funny look.
"Kagome, is there something bothering you? You seem to be slightly off today." Kikyou looked at the princess, slightly concerned.
The princess opened her mouth in surprise. Then she sighed and nodded her head. "Yes. It's just that..." Kagome paused, then continued with a fierce look in her eye. "I hate being a princess. It's so boring! With all the pointless lessons, and stupid conferences, and... Oh, I just hate it all!"
Kikyou looked as though she was trying to hold back a giggle. "I'm not that dull, am I?" She asked, a twinkle in her eye. Kagome assured her it was not so. "Then what is troubling you? Why do you hate being a princess so much?"
Kagome hesitated. If she could trust anyone, it was Kikyou. "It's just... I don't get to do anything exciting. Whenever such a thing occurs, it is either not a place for a young woman to be or I am getting in the way. My brothers get to go on adventures and such, but whenever I ask to go I am told no, you're a lady, you stay here." The princess paused to take a breath, then continued.
"I never get to do anything I want. I always have to be a lady, the perfect princess, who sits around sewing and other little things like that. I am supposed to be beautiful and helpless and such, but I don't want to! I want to see the world. I want to go on adventures with my brothers. And all I can do is sew, read, wear long dresses, and look perfect, like a lady is 'supposed to'. It's just not fair." Kagome finished, crossing her arms.
Her friend was silent for a moment, then she smiled. Setting her closed book on the table, Kikyou folded her hands in her lap. "Well, maybe we can change our lesson plans for a moment." Kagome looked confused, so she continued, her soft brown eyes shining. "How about we stop reading for today. Would a walk in the village be all right with you? I can tell the Royal Prince that it is... a field trip. You can come see where I used to live before I came here. You can see how your life in the palace differs from the villagers by observing them for a day. What do you say?"
Kagome nodded enthusiastically and jumped to her feet, hugging her tutor hard. "Oh thank you! That would be wonderful!" The princess let go and twirled excitedly, letting her dress skirts follow in a smooth circle. Her teacher laughed as she rose, gathering the abandoned books to return them to the shelf. "This will be my first time outside these walls. Oh, how exciting! I wonder what it will be like." She thought dreamily, her imagination falling into play.
Kikyou was so shocked, she almost dropped the books. "You mean, you've never been outside the castle walls?"
Kagome shook her head. "No. Well, I have gone out with Father a few times on important business with other kingdoms, or when the Royal family went out on procession, but that's all. So, it is my first time outside on my own. Well, with you of course, but without a bodyguard or something to make sure I behave." She made a face. Shaking her head, Kikyou only laughed and followed the princess as she ran through the hallways, her green dress flowing around her.
Thanks to Kikyou, the two maidens managed to get permission from Prince Hojo to leave for a few hours. Kagome would have commented on how easily Hojo gave in to the tutor's charm, but she was too excited. It was after lunch that they actually left the castle. The princess, distracted with her thoughts of the outside grounds, barely touched her food.
Finally, after what seemed like eternity to the princess, the young women went outside the gates and walked along the path to the neighboring town. Kikyou, who had lived in that village growing up, showed the princess all of the little shops and quaint buildings that housed the many villagers. Kagome was pleased to see all types of things she herself had never seen. Her parents had been a little choosy about what Kagome received as a child. If it was not good enough for them, she could not have it.
After visiting Kaede, one of Kikyou's former teachers, the elder woman had to stop. "We had better go back. I have a lesson with the advisor's son, and his father gets really upset if I don't get there in time."
Kagome pouted a little. "Oh please, can't I stay a little longer? I promise I will be careful and I will return to the castle before they ever miss me." She made a sad little face. "I would hate to have to return so soon. Please, let me stay?"
Kikyou thought this over, and made a face of her own. "I am probably going against my better judgment, but all right. Only for another hour, you understand? And you must stay here in the village. Do not wander off. Promise me you will do as I said." Kagome nodded happily and ran off, laughing all the way. The young woman shook her head, smiling. "That girl."
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The young woman walked along one of the village's many beaten paths, picking flowers as she went. She stopped when she saw a large group of trees towering before her. Never before had the Eastern Princess seen such a forest, at least not one so large and dark. Peering through the trees, Kagome thought she saw something move. She jumped back, then smiled. "Look at me, jumping at a shadow." After chiding herself, saying there was nothing that could harm her, Kagome took a deep breath, smoothed her green dress once again, and stepped in among the trees. She reminded herself constantly that she was being silly as she picked all sorts of interesting flowers that she had never seen before.
After a while, Kagome began to feel uneasy. The forest seemed to close on her, and she had a feeling she was lost. She could no longer see the village through the thick trees that surrounded her, nor could she find any sign of the path that had led her inside the dense forest. Her bag was full of delicate flowers that she had found, but for now they were forgotten as she tried to remember how to return home.
Kagome saw light through the branches ahead and, hopeful, the princess pushed her way into a clearing. Immediately the maiden's hopes fell, seeing she was surrounded on all sides by more trees. "Oh dear. How will I get home now?" She said softly to no one in particular, fingering her locket nervously.
A twig snapped behind her and she whirled around, her heart skipping a beat. Nothing was there. Her fears began to rise as she looked around. "Hello? Is anyone there?" No answer. Clearing her throat nervously, Kagome turned back around and let out a little cry of surprise. There, in front of her, was a tall, slender man.
Man? He looked a little like a man, sharing most human features, but there were just as many differences as well. Kagome noticed his ears, instead of rounding off like her own, ended in points, much like pictures of elves in her books. Two magenta stripes lay smoothly on each cheek, a small blue crescent moon adorned his forehead. He also had long silky hair brushing almost to his knees, which was impressive as he was very tall. The unusual color surprised her. Although the figure appeared not much older than her brothers, his hair was the same color as the elders in the village, not the wise gray so much as an unusual silver. What light managed to penetrate the canopy above glistened off his locks, making it hard not to focus entirely on the silken tresses.
His clothes also caught her eye. The figure wore very royal looking attire, what seemed to be the softest white silk adorned with an intricate crimson pattern of sakura blossoms on the sleeves. On his shoulder curled a thick ivory pelt, and the princess could not help but wonder at how soft it must be. A long yellow sash, divided with dark lavender stripes, remained tied at his waist, holding two menacing yet ornate swords carefully at his side. He also wore protective armor, a sharply spiked shoulder piece and a smooth breastplate, both equally polished so they gleamed in the faint light. He must be a warrior, Kagome thought warily, or a soldier. Though, he looked nothing like any soldier she had ever seen. Perhaps a mercenary? Whatever profession he claimed, it was evident he was well versed in the art of war. Compared with his regal outfit, her own dress looked more like that of a rich commoner's.
But his eyes were what captured her attention. They were a deliciously golden hue, set perfectly even on his aristocratic face, and very defined. The pair seemed to hold a certain coldness as he stared at her, but even so she could not turn her gaze away. Who is this man? Kagome thought as she let herself calm down. "Y-you startled me." She said finally, her unease strong. He did not answer, so she spoke up again. "I-I'm Kagome. Who are you?"
After a moment, he said, "I am Lord Sesshoumaru." His quiet voice was smooth and calm, unlike her own nervous tongue. She began mentally berating herself for this when she realized he had answered.
Kagome smiled, pleased that he had not disregarded her. Pushing her fears aside for the moment, she looked around carefully, then back at his face. "I seem to be lost. Could you help me find the village?"
The stranger, Lord Sesshoumaru, merely looked at her curiously and ignored her question. "You are trespassing on demon grounds." The man said coolly, his golden gaze focused on her face.
Kagome laughed innocently, watching his indifferent expression. Why she laughed, she did not know, but she could not help it. With a smile upon her face, she spoke. "Well, I suppose I should be glad you're not a demon then, huh?" Her eyes shone merrily as she giggled. The figure did not speak, but his eyes narrowed. Kagome stopped laughing when she saw the cold anger on his face.
"You think I am a lowly human, do you?" Kagome's eyes went wide as she realized what he was implying. "Then you-you're a...." Fear flashed over her eyes and she bolted from the tall figure, trying to find her way out of the dark woods. The princess barely took three steps when he stopped her.
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Sesshoumaru walked silently through the woods. Something was out of place, and he wanted to fix that problem right away. He paused as he heard noises coming from up ahead. A young woman's voice, he thought. His nose provided another detail. She was no youkai. An elegant eyebrow rose questionably. A human? What is a human doing in my forest, and at this time of day, too? Sesshoumaru shook his head in slight irritation. Humans. Always troublesome creatures.
He sighed and continued to head closer to the sounds, marveling at how a human could make so much noise. Once he was very close by, the demon prince jumped up to a high branch as a young maiden stepped into the clearing. From his perch he observed the girl carefully, watching her gaze around hesitantly, concern written on her features. Sesshoumaru sensed she was starting to worry, and he did not need to rely on his senses to tell she was lost, from the way she continued to glance around. He leaned against the bark of the tree, a stoic expression on his face as he watched the young creature pause beneath him.
The maiden was very pretty, he noticed, for human standards. She had curves in all the right places and was very appealing to the eye. Her dress was form fitting until it reached her waist, where the fabric flowed smoothly around slender legs, unlike the usual kimonos he had seen village women wear. The dark green fabric enhanced her pale complexion, giving her fair skin a delicate look. Long ebony hair tumbled in slightly wavy locks a few inches above her waist. Both hands were clutching a small bag, which contained the sweet scent of lilacs and violets. The prince wondered where she came from, and if all the humans were like her. A peasant girl, perhaps, Sesshoumaru thought. What he found unusual was the youthfulness of the girl. She was about seventeen, maybe younger, he thought. Why would a young woman walk into the forest when it was growing dark, and alone at that? Did she know nothing about bandits or demons?
Sesshoumaru straightened up and jumped down elegantly, landing silently right behind the maiden. After a moment, she turned around and let out a soft cry in surprise. "Y-you startled me." The girl said in a quiet voice. Sesshoumaru remained silent as he continued to observe the human. She had a sweet, innocent face, rounded enough to give the impression of a child just growing up. Her slender neck was accented by a simple chain of silver, holding up a tiny locket just above her dress line. Soft rose-colored lips completed the picture as he lifted his gaze once more, noting their slight parting as the young woman calmed herself. Her eyes were a rare shade of blue for a Japanese woman, and perfectly aligned on her face. He noticed a flicker of fear in the bright orbs, and he fought the urge to smile.
She broke the silence and he broke out of his slight daze. "I-I'm Kagome. Who are you?" Unsure whether he should answer, Sesshoumaru simply stared at the girl. Finally, he spoke.
"I am Lord Sesshoumaru."
The maiden smiled, though he could still sense her unease. "I seem to be lost. Could you help me find the village?" She asked, looking somewhat hopeful. Sesshoumaru could only continue to stare. She was not like other humans. Other humans would be terrified at being alone with a demon, but she, she was different. Then again, he countered, she must not have realized that I am a demon. Deciding to ignore her question, he went on speaking as if she had never even asked.
"You are trespassing on demon grounds." The lord spoke in a cool voice, his stoic mask on. He was surprised that she did not look frightened, but he could sense her unease rising. Sesshoumaru smirked a little, which went unnoticed by the maiden.
She laughed quietly. It was a sweet sound, like bells, but Sesshoumaru was distracted by her next words. "Well, I suppose I should be glad you're not a demon then, huh?" All hint of a smile fell as the demon prince narrowed his eyes. Did she mistake me for a human? Well, she would not make that mistake ever again.
"You think I am a lowly human, do you?" Sesshoumaru challenged, looking at the young woman. To his satisfaction, her eyes widened as if she understood and she stepped back.
The young woman, or 'Kagome' as she called herself, was connecting everything in her head, and he watched, almost amused, as she comprehended what was happening. "Then you-you're a...." She gasped out, not even attempting to mask her fears any longer. The maiden did not faint or scream, like others would. Instead, she ran. Or, tried to run. How foolish, Sesshoumaru thought.
In an instant he was gone. Kagome, not caring where he was, ran back to the cover of the trees when she collided into his still figure. "Going somewhere?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly, grasping her upper arms firmly before she could wheel away. She struggled, much to his entertainment, squirming in his hold. Her eyes shone defiantly, and she fought harder to slip free.
"Let me go!" Kagome screamed, hitting him with her fist. The demon did not flinch, instead looking quite amused. In an instant, he backed her against a tree, her arms trapped by his upper torso. Panicking, Kagome gave a desperate kick. The Western Prince shot her a warning look, but she was not paying attention. "Release me! Someone, help-" she started, but Sesshoumaru cut off her cries with his free hand.
"Silence," he growled, and Kagome froze.
The princess looked up at her captor, her sapphire eyes wide in her pale face. She tried once more to get away, but the demon had a firm grip on her and she saw it was useless. Amber eyes sized her up, and Kagome whimpered as a memory hit her. A pair of red eyes replacing the current gold... the clawed hands holding her tight... It was just like before, but Kagome had a feeling this time she would not be saved by her brothers.
Sesshoumaru studied the maiden in front of him. She had stopped moving, as if she realized struggling was futile. Her eyes lost their defiant look, and it was replaced with a pleading, fearful countenance. After seeing this sign of submission, the Western Prince felt something twist inside him. Damn her, making me feel pity for a human, he thought, disgusted. He eased away slowly, maintaining his grip. "Trust me and no harm will come to you." He spoke softly in her ear. "Understand?"
Kagome nodded her head slowly as she started to gather her dignity. After a moment, the demon removed his hand from her mouth, his fingers barely brushing against her skin as they departed. She remained silent, though she was trembling slightly, and he felt relieved that she complied. He pulled the girl away from the tree, keeping a firm hold on her arm. He relied on his demon senses for guidance, and then turned East. Sesshoumaru began to pull the young woman that direction.
When Sesshoumaru did not let her go, the young princess began to panic. This was not good, not good at all. "Wait! Please, let me go!" When he made no move to do as she said, Kagome tried once more to escape, but she could not. He was too strong for her. Her head hurt, she was tired, and she wanted nothing more than to wake up in her bed, to find that this was all a bad dream. Kagome continued to struggle and she cried out, "I am not going to let you kidnap me!" She felt him pause, and the princess looked up, surprised at his change of mood.
"What would possess you to think I would kidnap you?" Sesshoumaru stated quietly, turning upon the maiden. She seemed so small compared to his towering six-foot-nine frame; seemed so fragile, like a delicate flower.
Kagome looked momentarily confused. "You are a demon. That is what you do, isn't it?" Her voice trembled as she struggled to free her arm.
The lord was slightly startled at her words. 'That is what you do.' Is that what she thought? It would explain why she was fighting him so. The young woman seemed genuinely frightened, he noted. She tried to hide it, but those brilliant blue eyes betrayed her emotions. Glancing down at the struggling girl, Sesshoumaru paused. "I have no wish to kidnap you, woman."
The princess looked at him with pleading eyes. "Then let me go! I cannot be much use to you, so leave me alone!" She tried once more to free herself from his steel grasp, failing miserably once more. The demon lord sighed.
Pulling her close to his chest, he touched the nape of her neck carefully and applied a small amount of pressure. "Sleep," He murmured. Kagome slowly ceased her struggle as a dizzying sensation overpowered her. Sesshoumaru loosened his grip, supporting the maiden around her waist. Kagome blinked as everything began to blur before her eyes, and before she could let another cry escape her lips she fell limp into the prince's arms. Then, everything went dark.
*************
"Eek! Miroku, stop that!" A woman's angry voice pierced the air, and a young man's chuckle soon followed.
"My dear Sango, you know I cannot resist. You have and always will tempt me." The couple walked along, teasing each other along the way. The young man looked lovingly at his wife. "Besides, I believe you actually look forward to-"
The woman by his side quickly cut him off. "Miroku, look at that." She broke away from him and ran forward. A small figure lay by the forest's edge. As Miroku came closer, he saw it was a young maiden. "Who is it, Sango?"
Sango looked up at him, shock written in her face. "It's the Princess!"
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Star: So this is my first chapter, I hope you all liked it!
Sesshoumaru: No one in their right mind would enjoy this story, wench.
Star: *glares* I can still write you out of it, you know.
Kagome: But then your story cannot continue! It is a Sess/Kag website, right?
Star: *...* right. Fine then.
Sesshoumaru: *smirks* Shall you close then?
Star: Okay... thanks for reading, please stay with me, I promise it gets better. Review, boost my self-esteem! But please, not too many flames... it's my first story, don't make me regret finally posting.