Time for Redemption by Reilyn

Prologue

9-year-old Kagome sighed blissfully as her sister combed through her long, raven tresses.

"Kikyo?"

Kikyo murmured a quiet 'mhmm', the stroke of the brush never ceasing. Kagome pouted, inclining her head towards her sister. She seemed to be unusually silent today. As Kagome looked over at her, she seemed deep in thought.

"Kik? Is everything okay?" Little Kagome asked. Being the younger of the two, with her sister being 10, she idolized her sister, in a way.

Kikyo smiled down reassuringly at Kagome, cocking her head to one side.

"Has father told you yet?"

"Told me about what?" Kagome asked, her eyes widening in childish curiosity.

"About how the Tashio Royals are paying us a visit today."

"WHAT?!!!" Kagome practically leapt 5 feet into the air, her fists clenching at her sides. Kikyo smiled as she watched her little sister's antics, amused.

"Why, don't you want to see Sango?" Kikyo teased. She, of course, knew the real reason behind Kagome's distress.

"Yes, I would love to see Sango, but as much as I love her, I assure you that I hate Mr. Holier-Than-Thou far more than I love her!" Kagome wailed, pacing in front of Kikyo like a caged animal. Sesshoumaru wasn't that bad. She voiced this out loud, causing Kagome to whirl around, her hands on her hips.

"To you!"

It was true. While Sesshoumaru seemed to enjoy tormenting Kagome, he mostly ignored Kikyo. Therefore Kikyo didn't really have Kagome's passionate hatred for the Crown Prince of Davinshire. At this point, Kagome had begun wringing he hands.

"Why didn't father tell me?" She cried out, her large blue eyes flashing. Kikyo got up, patting her sister comfortingly.

"It won't be that bad, Kags. If Sesshoumaru is mean to you, Inu Yasha would beat him up without a second thought."

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"I HATE YOU!!!"

Sesshoumaru calmly gazed at the enraged child in front of him, his amber eyes watching in amusement as Kagome continued to throw her tantrum. It was fun making her mad.

"Just because you're thirteen, you think you can do anything you want!" She whirled around, jabbing a finger at Sesshoumaru's chest. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sango and Kikyo looking tiredly at the two. His idiot brother was probably out tormenting the cook in the kitchens somewhere.

Sesshoumaru quietly took Kagome's hand and removed it from his person, and, looking up at her, muttered something incoherently. She was so annoying!

"EXCUSE ME? ME? ANNOYING?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. She was just setting herself up, wasn't she?

"You're annoying, yes, among many, many other not endearing traits." He said calmly, satisfied as the princess got even more riled.

"OHHH!!" She cried out in outrage. Just then, a flash of silver hair caught her attention.

"INU YASHA!!" She squealed as she threw herself into the surprised prince's arms.

"Sesshoumaru, you jerk, quit being mean to Kagome!" Inu Yasha growled, pulling a sniffling Kagome towards him protectively. Kagome was like a sister to him, and the fact that Sesshoumaru could be so insensitive to her really pissed him off.

Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"She started it."