Chapter Text
Inuyasha ignored the calls behind him, taking a sharp turn through the tree line to disappear within the foliage, dodging low-sitting branches and thick roots that decorated the forest floor. Even from a distance, he could still catch the faint wheezing of his aide trying to catch up to him, to stop him from running off yet again. As fun as it was to escape his role in the kingdom, even just for an hour, he'd happily admit that the real joy came from the torment Miroku was clearly put through whenever he wandered off.
He'd been in the forest neighboring the country and his castle time and time again, but for the sake of adventure, this afternoon he chose to venture further. It wasn't like he'd been sheltered all his life; there have been many occasions where he and his squad were sent out on missions or what have you, traveling through plenty of greenery and distant jurisdictions, but that was in the line of duty. When it came down to it, he took his responsibilities as prince very seriously, always sure to keep himself in check so that his team followed suit. He was well-trained and well-respected as such, and Inuyasha was sure to let that show so that whomever worked under his name would put forth the same amount of effort. That didn't mean his wanting free spirit was muddled in the process, though. Whenever he had a moment to spare, or found it suitable to borrow a moment, he'd disappear into the woods, ready to explore a world that wasn't made up in glam, wasn't tended to by servants, wasn't shiny and new and made beautiful - but was natural and aged and magnificent all on its own.
The prince slowed his pace, knowing he was in a territory he hadn't had the pleasure of roaming through recently. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of the large river that ran through the land his family ruled, birds in the trees calling their mates, bugs fluttering along, small animals creeping through the grounds around him. It was liberating. Nature didn't know who he was, didn't care of his status. It carried on without so much as a bow, and it lifted the dense weight he carried from his shoulders.
Not too far off, catching his attention, he heard someone crunching through the drying leaves and giving small, breathy huffs all the while. He'd left his attendants back in the dust, so there was no way they were seemingly struggling with something up ahead, the mystery serving to peek his curiosity. As he slowly sauntered closer, his ember eyes caught the brief glance of a long, dark blue dress through a thin part in the trees.
It was like his feet moved on their own accord then, just the glimpse of flowing thread dragging him forward, boots quiet along the floor as he worked to catch up. Waving, black hair landed at her mid-back, and the girl worked to flip it with the flick of her head, as if to keep it from cascading over the front of her shoulders. In her arms, from the angle he could see, she'd stacked an assortment of moderately-sized pieces of wood, the pile itself a little too large for her to comfortably carry; she had to continuously peek around the arm-full to see the path before her. The girl stopped and he immediately halted at the curve of a tree, almost stumbling against the root he'd aimed to carefully step over, her attention gathered at the patch of plants to the right of her feet. There was nothing special about the weeds that he could see. Not even a flower poked from the head of any of them, but there she was, angling herself to squat down to get a better look, almost losing her pile along the way.
From where he stood, he still couldn't catch her features, the passing seconds increasing his thundering interest. The end of her long, cream-colored, bell sleeve grazed the dirt as she attempted to reach out to touch the plant, supporting what she carried with her legs while her balance somewhat wobbled. She was going to fall. Inuyasha was practically counting down until she did. As the girl went to rise, her once-removed arm now trying to weave back under the large stack, she swayed on the balls of her feet, concentrating more on not letting her armful fall than her body.
It was impossible to stifle his chuckle, even behind his hand or with a clenched throat, so he laughed freely, the young woman shocked as she directed a look at him over her shoulder, her butt now planted uncomfortably along the dirt path.
"Were you just watching me?" She asked skeptically, brows furrowed.
"Sorry," He smiled, laughter subsiding. "I couldn't have caught you before you fell even if I'd wanted to."
"Well, thanks for trying." Big, brown eyes rolled sarcastically as the girl pushed the remaining kindling off of her, rolling over to stand on her knees, her back once again facing him.
"What was so interesting about that weed, anyway? You were doing so well until you stopped to look at it." The prince's grin never faded as he walked forward. He kneeled beside her, nonchalantly trying to study the face slightly hidden behind long, dark hair while he helped scoop up the broken wood. Those round eyes he'd glimpsed before shot at him then, plush lips curving disapprovingly.
"That weed is also an herb that could be used for pain management."
"Fascinating. So pick it."
"My hands are full."
"Your hands are empty now."
"My hands will be - stop helping - will be full. I'll come back for it." The girl swooped away his neat pile, dirt dragging with the edges of the wood, slightly dirtying the cloth of the chemise along her arms.
"Oh, so now you don't want my help." Inuyasha chuckled, observing while she attempted to stack it all in her grasp once more.
"I never knew you were there to want it in the first place." She answered plainly, not looking at him.
He couldn't help the intrigue he felt at the audacious woman. There was initial surprise in her expression when she first noticed him, but not the kind he was used to; he could tell it was because she was snuck up on and nothing more. The way she spoke was as if he were any average person interrupting her solitude, almost holding an impertinent tone. The eye contact was what got him, though. No one but those he was closest to, his aides included, held stable eye contact with the prince, yet here she was staring him down when she saw it suitable. Others would respectfully meet his glance, but swiftly look off to the side or just below, almost as if he, himself, were the intimidating factor - not his royal title. It drove him crazy if he thought about it too much, so he didn't, it being something he'd grown up with and something he was reasonably-adjusted to.
Who the hell was this woman? He was almost inclined to ask why she failed to show the esteem he'd grown to expect from people at just the mere sight of him, but was too entertained to see how far she'd boldly go.
Her fair cheeks were brushed pink by the brisk air of autumn, her lips a little brighter, like she'd just been eating berries and the juices had painted them beautifully. He was almost disposed to believe they were naturally that color. As she straightened her hunched-over form, preparing to stand, she wobbled again, his hand instinctively catching her wrist.
"Let me carry some of that."
"No, thanks." She brusquely declined, peeking around the edge of her stack to give a cheap smile. A little taken aback by her refusal, Inuyasha inadvertently couldn't help but wonder what her real smile looked like.
"You're going to fall again."
"I'm sure you're out here on business, so I'll mind mine while you mind yours."
"Why are you so opposed to me helping you?" The prince laughed, supporting her arm as she rose to her feet.
"I've done much worse on my own. I think I can handle some fire kindling."
"But why so much? You've got tiny arms."
"My arms are not tiny, sir."
"They're pretty tiny."
"Well, not everything can be as big as your ego."
Inuyasha nearly choked, an actual, shocking jolt causing his body to freeze as the insult shot him through. His jaw dropped, words caught in his throat, his smile only growing wider as she continued on her way, leaving him where he stood.
He jogged to catch up, sidestepping to look at her as he held pace at her side. "Have I offended you?"
"Not at all."
"Then, may I ask why I'm receiving... this from you?" Inuyasha motioned to her entire form with his hands, not quite able to put a word to the sort of attitude he was receiving. It wasn't cold, but couldn't be described as welcoming either.
"What?"
"You're sassy, you're stubborn, you wont take my help, and you won't stop - would you stop walking?"
The girl halted, her head slightly rolling back as she huffed, directing the puff of air upward, causing her bangs to flutter out slightly. She didn't speak, didn't even look at him. He could see her shoulders begin to fidget, though, her lips pressing into a thin line.
"Getting kind of heavy?"
She hummed a yes.
"Want me to take some now?"
She hummed another yes, a little more high-pitched that time.
Inuyasha chuckled again, crossing to the front of her as he swiftly scooped a little more than half of the pile into his arms. Finally, he received his first, full view of the girl, his breath catching in his lungs. Her wavy hair sat perfectly behind her shoulders, unable to hinder his view. Her brown eyes were no longer sharp as daggers, but held a hint of wonder. Enough of her was visible now that he could see the blue overdress laced up her torso, holding her waist snuggly. The long chemise beneath was modest, perfectly curving over her chest, only revealing what refused to be hidden.
Kagome gazed at the man before her, his lips slightly parted, almost seeming to take her in as she was him. He was handsome. Almost too handsome to be fair. The rays of light that filtered through the thick treetops caught his short, tousled, silver locks, bringing them to glimmer like the sun caught water. His eyes resembled a glowing fire, burning away her resolve as quickly as she expected the wood in her hands to char to nothing tonight. He was tall, chiseled, and a little more tan than the tint her own fair skin sat at.
"Thank you." She meagerly whispered.
"That wasn't so hard now was it?"
"Alright, give it back." The girl deadpanned, rolling her eyes again, the deepened pink in her cheeks almost dwindling away before his eyes.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Lead the way. Are you in town?"
"Mhm. Not too far from here." She conceded, trudging forward, Inuyasha falling by her side as if it was as natural as their surroundings. "I'm the assistant to the herbalist at her shop."
"Ah. Explains the interest in the plant back there. So, you make medicine?"
"No, I mostly just help out. I haven't quite gotten all the recipes down yet, but I know a lot of the herbs she uses, and I study as much as I can in my downtime. Kaede does the intricate work, I do the running around."
"Oh, Kaede. Yeah, I know her. That sounds…" Inuyasha struggled to find the proper word, not quite sure how to label her duties. To him, it seemed painfully dull. "...fun?
"Oh, it is. I really enjoy it all." The girl perked, nodding his way. Her smile grew, and while it wasn't as bright as the potential he knew it held, it still somehow caught his undivided attention. He wanted to see more. He didn't understand, he'd never felt so intrigued about a single person. It was always the outside world that grasped at him. He'd seen women smile, he'd seen beautiful bodies, and cute faces, and wavy hair, and the color was so common it'd be impossible to claim he'd never noticed it before. What about her held him so captive?
The unspoken question was answered immediately. Her demeanor. She treated him like he was normal; just another person. She wasn't afraid to give him attitude, there was no guard about her. It was inexplicably and unexpectedly more refreshing than he'd ever imagined. More over, it was peculiar and he had to experience more.
"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked, dumbfounded.
"My name's Kagome." The girl replied, watching her feet as she stepped over a protruding tree root and out into a small field. The other end of it harbored a small cottage, one he'd seen while passing through the village plenty of times, and one the castle's messengers were often sent to. They had a practitioner of their own living on castle grounds, but he was mainly kept there out of courtesy, too old to maintain his work; he'd been with the royal family for years, since before Inuyasha's older brother was even born, and deserved the comfortable life he'd been bequeathed. In emergency situations, he jumped at the occasion without complaint, but in most circumstances, Kaede was called for. It was important she was accessible considering her relationship with the princess, and Inuyasha distinctly remembers the king offering her living quarters within the gates. The proposal was declined, though, the elderly woman choosing to be available to the public and not just the royal family.
Her decision was respected so long as she tended to the princess's health regularly.
The prince tensed as they neared closer to the shop, suddenly finding himself nervous their casual conversation was about to end. No doubt, once they saw the apothecary, he'd receive questions of his family's well-being, and he just didn't want to dance around the formalities.
"Is - uh -" He stammered, trying to get his question out. "Is-is Kaede here?"
"No, I don't think she's back yet." Kagome shook her head, glancing over her shoulder at him as she neared two stacks of wood at the side of the cottage, one made up of larger chunks of firewood and another lesser pile for kindling. "I'm pretty sure she's still on the castle grounds. One of the guards fell and hurt his ankle."
"For Christ's - which one?" Inuyasha groaned, rolling his ember eyes.
She eyed him questioningly, brows furrowing skeptically as she dropped her wood in the respective pile. "I don't know." She admitted, swiping her hands of any dirt. "I don't think they mentioned who. Speaking of, neither have you."
"What?"
"You see, I've introduced myself. Isn't this about the time where you return the courtesy?"
He wasn't sure how to respond, his stomach leadening but staying put in his abdomen. A warm rush soared through his veins, causing tingles to poke at his flesh from beneath as it passed. She didn't know who he was. That explained everything. His eyes followed her as she skirted around him towards the entrance to the shop, the dark blue hem of her dress sliding along his brown pant leg, practically dragging him to follow after just as he placed down his own armful.
She didn't know who he was. This was a first. He'd never once had to introduce himself within his own kingdom. Only outside their borders did he get the benefit of anonymity. The moment he gave her a name, it was all over. She'd be overly polite, she'd curtsey, she'd apologize for the jab at his ego, and he immediately found himself wanting none of it from her. Still, the question stood: how was she unaware?
"I'm sorry," Inuyasha shut the door as he stepped inside behind her, the air smelling strongly of the wood they'd most likely burned this morning. "You don't know who I am?"
"Sort of why I'm asking." Kagome answered simply, stepping behind a small counter where rows of labeled drawers organized their collection of herbs.
"You haven't seen me around? Town, I mean."
She glanced up at him, brown eyes slowly looking him over before she gave a shake of her head, a small smile beginning to grow. There was a gleam of amusement in the expression. "It's a large town. And even if I had, I still don't know your name."
"You don't know my name." He smiled, more of astonishment.
"You're being weird." She slightly grimaced. "I think I'd definitely recognize a face like yours."
"Right, because it's the face that gives me away." Inuyasha sarcastically mentioned.
Kagome peeked at the ears on top of his head, her attention drifting back down when he cocked a brow. Demons were common, and she knew he had some of that blood the moment they met. Those details, she didn't like to pay attention to. A being was a being to her.
His look was challenging, but the grin on his lips was subtly charming, bringing her to laugh and shy her glance away.
There was a flurry in his chest as she smiled, the giggle being the absolute undoing of the eruption. He'd been waiting, curious to see that, and it was worth every second.
"My manners are horrible," He smiled, trying to speak as smoothly as possible as he fumbled over his thoughts, racking his brain for a name. Any name. Any name other than his. "I'm -" He sat on that word for a small moment, dragging out the hum. "K-Koga. I'm Koga."
"Are you a guard?"
"What makes you think that?" He quickly asked, a little edgy.
"Your reaction earlier made it seem like you knew them. And the way you're dressed could pass off as one." Kagome gestured toward the sword at his hip. "Am I wrong?"
Inuyasha looked down, his off-white, long-sleeved Bastian shirt a little dirty from the wood he'd carried, tucked loosely into his pants. He was glad he went out casual today - for a prince's standards. "You're not. I'm a guard."
She gave a pleasant smile, shifting her eyes downward as she pulled a loaf of bread out from beneath a towel. "Well, Koga," She emphasized his alias, causing him to slightly stiffen. "Can I offer you some bread? It's fresh; I just made it a few hours ago."
"You'd offer food to a stranger?" He cocked a brow again, watching as she carved a few slices out with a knife.
"You aren't a stranger anymore. And it's the least I could do after you insisted on helping me."
Inuyasha inched his chin upward, an inquisitive expression twisting his features. "No, thanks. Could be poison. I'm a thrill seeker, but I'm not a big fan of the taste."
Without missing a beat, Kagome picked up a slice of bread and took a bite out of it, amusement once again shining in her eyes. "Suit yourself."
He looked at her with bewilderment, mouth unintentionally hanging agape as she casually went about her business. The more he stood in her presence, the more he needed to know about her. He couldn't explain it, and maybe the lack of explanation was what provided the excitement behind it all. Surprisingly, where it should matter to him, it didn't. There was something about this woman, something that he needed to discover himself.
"You are very interesting."
"I know how to bake bread, sir, and poison isn't measured once in the recipe."
"Fair enough." Inuyasha steadily nodded, inwardly appreciating her wit. He stepped toward the counter, snagging a slice for himself. "Since you haven't keeled over, I -"
He tensed, catching the nearing sound of his aides calling for him. Miroku's pleas drew out dramatically, croaking, music to Inuyasha's ears but also the bright signal that this meeting had to end.
"I have to go."
She swallowed, her brows furrowing minutely, the question as clear as if she'd said it aloud.
"I'm so sorry, but I do. I have to go." Inuyasha smiled, trying to stifle his laugh as Miroku continued to beg for him to appear. He had to stop him before he got too close and blew his cover.
"Are you alright?"
He took a bite of the bread, hopping closer to the door, hand outstretched for the knob. "This is good, really good. Greatest bread I've ever had. Bye."
Kagome's face twisted perplexedly, observing the man as he danced out the door, giving a final wave and shutting it behind him. It was hard to ignore the abrupt shift in his attitude, and even harder not to follow after, especially when she heard someone shouting incoherently and approaching quickly.
Inuyasha ran towards them, shushing Miroku's whines while Sango pierced him with a dangerous glare, his hands held out in front of them to get them to stop.
"Why do you always do this to me?" Miroku wheezed, doubling over with his hands propped on his knees.
He shushed him again, a bit more aggressively this time.
"You couldn't have stuck just a little closer?" Sango asked, almost as winded as her partner but always holding better composure. "It's one thing to wander off, it's another to completely disappear."
"Wait, why were you at Kaede's shop? Did something happen? Are you alright, Your Highn-"
Inuyasha omitted a series of strained sounds, cutting his dramatically-frantic aide off midway. Miroku and Sango both flinched back, justifiably confused.
"I'm fine! We can talk about this later!"
"Um – " Kagome's voice rang from behind them and Inuyasha couldn't ease the sudden rigidness of his muscles. His stomach felt uneasy as he turned around to see the girl leaning against the doorframe, looking at them puzzlingly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"If you give me two minutes of total cooperation, I'll answer any question you have after." He murmured quietly to the two at his side.
"Koga?" Kagome tried again.
Miroku snorted, strangling back the laugh that immediately swelled. The prince shot him a look of warning, shoving the remainder of the slice of bread into the guard's mouth. "Here. Eat."
"Hi, sorry." Sango walked over, greeting the girl with a friendly smile, appearing perfectly nonchalant. "Hope our friend wasn't too much trouble for you."
"I'm never trouble." Inuyasha defended.
Kagome shrugged, bobbing her head from side-to-side, a small grimace on her lips. "He was decent."
"Excuse me, I came to your rescue."
"Yes, from the heavy stack of kindling. My hero."
Miroku snorted again, patting his chest to pass it off as him trying to swallow correctly. "Wow, I don't think we've met." He smiled, reaching for the girl's hand. "My name's Miroku, a knight serving the crown." He bowed down slightly, bringing the back of her fingers up to meet his lips.
She slid them out of his grasp just in time, giving him a cheap grin. "I'm Kagome, and my hands are dirty."
"Just as well, so is his mouth." Sango sneered.
"Disregard Sango."
"I don't know, seems like sound advice." Kagome shrugged again, giggling.
Inuyasha felt that flutter again, watching her interact with his aides. Her smile was strangely addicting, and in the back of his mind he felt himself steadily growing envious of any person that got to see it daily.
"Anyway," Miroku nudged the prince, bringing him out of his reverie. "It's been lovely, but we're running late. Ready, Koga?"
Her brown eyes met his ember, lingering longer than she'd originally planned, catching herself stuck in the color and pulling herself free by blinking away.
"Yeah." Inuyasha replied gently, not yet looking from the girl before them.
"Hope to see you again." Sango smiled. Walking back towards the path they came in. Miroku followed close behind, turning to wait for the prince to join them.
"Hope to see you again." He softly echoed, smiling as he walked backwards away from her. Finally, at Miroku's side he turned around, forcing himself to keep his attention on the route before him.
—
It'd been two days. Two days of staring out the windows of the castle, mindlessly trying to see if he could pinpoint the apothecary's cottage from any vantage point. The answer was no. The forest was dense, and curved inward and around the left portion of the country, where homes and whatnot grew further apart and more livestock was kept. Kaede's shop was stuck somewhere in that thick heap, and therefore impossible for him to see. He didn't know why. At moments, he'd just catch himself staring out the large windows of his study while he was supposed to be doing paperwork. Then he'd go back to it. Then his mind would wander to that herb she'd dropped her wood for, and as he'd ask himself if she ever went back for it, his eyes would drift back out the windows, once again searching for the distant cottage.
Very soon, his study wasn't good enough, so he excused himself for a quick break from his workload and ventured to the library. Obviously, he had no business there, but it was a floor higher and the princess often complimented the view from her favorite reading window. When he realized that was the wrong angle to be searching from, he crossed to the opposite wing of the castle. Then gave himself an excuse to go up another flight. When that didn't work either, he stomped back down to his study and stared at the stack of paper pertaining to one of the forts under his personal jurisdiction - one he'd stared at for forty minutes straight before his break. It was pathetic how he couldn't get through the first two lines before he told himself to try two floors up once more, a different room this time around.
Shockingly, he didn't receive as much teasing from Miroku as he'd expected. No matter how many times he walked off and returned ten minutes later, his aide only served him knowing side-glances and entertained smirks. He wasn't even laughed at the entire way home from the shop for his choice in fake names. Small jabs were all he received before the subject was lost and replaced with a scolding for his running off.
When he stared off into the distance from the roof of the high tower, it was typically for the momentary peace it brought him. He took his role as the prince seriously. He served his kingdom to the best of his abilities. He showed face when necessary, led his troops proudly, stayed up to date on current affairs, reported back to the king as requested, and even eventually got the tedious paperwork completed. The trees, the woods, they didn't expect anything from him, though. Now, he was staring out, waiting for something to jump at him. After twenty-four hours, the wanting became frustrating. He couldn't even begin to explain why he was doing this, because he didn't understand, himself. He just couldn't stop looking, searching, wondering.
Just before the sun began to set on the second day, Inuyasha gave in. He needed air. Air that couldn't be provided within the gates of the castle. He feigned a stomach bug so Sango and Miroku would leave him be for the remainder of the evening, and used the opportunity to sneak out, keeping close to the walls in the courtyard before he was at his usual spot to climb and hop over, safely landing in the woods he'd trail through. Allowing his feet to blindly lead the way, the prince took in a deep breath, allowing the fresh, untainted, responsibility-less oxygen to fill his lungs.
The river was close, rushing, water gliding over smoothed-even rocks, the sound hitting his ears more beautifully than the wind hitting a chime. It wasn't until then that he realized where he'd wandered. As if exasperated with his own self, Inuyasha rolled his head back defeatedly. What was wrong with him? Was there an herb that cured needless infatuation with fleeting curiosity?
As much a he knew he shouldn't have been in the area, so far from the castle without his aides, it wasn't all that surprising he'd ended up there. As he passed by the princess's quarters after hightailing from his own, he could hear Kaede giving her her weekly checkup. In the back of his mind, he knew Kagome was alone. In the back of his mind, he knew it was safe to come all this way.
He planned to satisfy whatever this sensation in his chest was by locating the spot they'd met. He'd asked himself countless times if she'd gone back for the plant, so he may as well see. Afterward, he'd turn back. That should be enough for now. As he searched for any landmark he may remember to lead him toward the path, he heard a distant, heavy sigh. It was rough and short, holding a hint of aggravation. Like he had the attention span of a three year-old, Inuyasha followed the pull toward the heaved breath, treading carefully over the dirt and twigs beneath his boots.
Kagome dropped the axe on the ground, her fingers admittedly too unsteady to properly hold the wooden handle. If she kept going, kept attempting to chop the wood before her, she was afraid the axe would fly right out of her hands. She tried to shake the words she'd heard out of her head, but no matter how many times she pushed the new memory from her mind, it came back full force, too fresh to be forgotten so soon. There was a man she'd encountered on her way back from a delivery not even an hour ago, one who was capable of smiling through clearly unwelcome and unsettling comments. He made subtle insinuations and followed her down the road toward the shop, which she forced herself to walk passed, roaming through the busy part of town until he casually promised to see her later like any old friend would. He wasn't entirely overbearing, if she were being honest with herself. His "compliments" were nothing she hadn't heard before, nor any other woman for that matter. What tipped her off and had her concerned was the feeling she immediately got from him. Like he wasn't just a flirt. Like there was more hidden beneath his skin.
That was what caused his words to linger around, flinging back to disturb whatever peace she'd momentarily gained by walking the empty woods or daringly chopping wood in her state. With the sharp object now lying on the leaf-covered floor, Kagome shook out her hands, hoping her irrational anxiety would fly out from the tips of her fingers and leave her alone. It sort of worked, and she sighed out, plopping her butt down in front of a nearby tree and leaning back against it, brown eyes traveling upward to stare at the shifting colors of the sky.
A loud crack caught her attention, and her head whipped to the side, searching around to spot what had made the noise.
"It's only me." Inuyasha cautiously stepped out from the hefty trunk he'd hidden behind. "Sorry."
The tension visibly left her chest and the prince couldn't help but wonder if he had legitimately scared her, guilt beginning to pool in his abdomen. There was an air about her that was different than the other day. It wasn't like he could claim to know her well enough to pinpoint it exactly, but it was washing over him almost as easily as the moment he'd become stricken by her wit. This was thick, blue, and unnerving, the brief curve in her brow increasing the weight sitting in his gut.
Before he could speak, Kagome shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "What are you, the guardian of the forest?"
"What are you, a forest nymph?" He chuckled.
Her laugh was breathy, no voice trailing behind it as she once again shook her head, black hair spilling over her shoulders to curve around the sides of her cheeks.
"What are you doing out here?" Inuyasha asked, stepping forward to be in the small clearing she'd claimed.
"I could ask you the same thing. You're far from the castle grounds."
"I'm off duty."
"I'm chopping wood."
He looked at the few, uneven pieces she'd managed to cut, strewn about the ground. "It's a little late for that, don't you think? It'll be dark soon."
"But it isn't dark yet." Kagome shrugged. "It's fine, I don't mind."
Inuyasha observed her, taking in the features of her face. Their eye contact was short-lived as hers fluttered away, downward. It only served to bring him in more, choosing a tree of his own to lean against as he removed the sheath of his sword from his side and sat to the left of her.
"Is something wrong?" He carefully asked. He knew the answer he would receive, but still, as she responded with a semi-convincing denial, a knot began to form in his chest. Somehow, he could tell she was lying. But who was he to push her for the truth?
Kagome glanced back towards the sky, the hues on the few clouds a mesh of ferocious orange and temped pink. "This is my favorite time of day. It isn't always worth looking at, but sometimes you get to see something even brighter than this and you're glad you remembered to look up for a moment."
Inuyasha, tearing his focus from her, followed her line of sight, absorbing himself in the warmth of the colors. "What about the sunrise?"
"That's pretty, too. Not as much potential for purple to appear, though."
"Is that your favorite color?"
He caught her nod in his peripherals, eyes swiftly landing back on her. Kagome's smile was a centimeter bigger, lips sealed but still just as bewitching.
"That and teal. Do you enjoy watching the sunrise?"
"Not necessarily. It means I'm up too early." He laughed. "Though, if I had to choose between dawn and dusk, I think I'd say dawn since I don't see it nearly as often. When that happens, you learn to appreciate its beauty a little more."
"I wouldn't say that. You can always appreciate the beauty in everything no matter how often you stare at it, because if you look a little closer each time, you can find something you didn't notice before."
"Says the person who just said the sunset isn't always worth looking at."
Kagome laughed, her cheeks growing pink as she brought her knees in closer to her chest, the sides of her dark overdress following gravity and folding along the floor while her cream chemise kept her legs shielded from the chill of the air. "Sometimes it's overcast!"
Inuyasha would never admit out loud how lost he found himself in admiration of her, especially as more color flushed back to her face. He liked it. She didn't look so frightened anymore, her eyes no longer lacking their glimmer. They were deep in shade, but when the light hit just right, he could see a ring of feverish gold within them.
He looked back up to the sky, the sun lower than before and the colors now richer. "That's not to say I don't enjoy this just as much. On good days, it resembles the world on fire, burning away the weight of any burden with the promise of something new in a few hours."
She grew quiet, and after a moment of the deepening silence, the prince turned back toward the girl, finding her gaze on him. There was something to her expression, something soft and tender. He couldn't put a name to it, nor could he think straight enough to find one.
"Too bleak?" He asked.
"Not at all." Kagome answered, their eyes meeting. "There's plenty of beauty in embers."
A thud in his chest, a swelling in his diaphragm. He could feel the thin skin of his lips slowly part as he let her statement hang in the air. The stillness between them was comfortable, as was her stare, and he allowed himself a small moment to stop thinking, to stop trying to figure out what was happening and just relish in the peace he'd found. As the sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in the West, shadows filling the woods, Inuyasha pushed himself to stand.
"Come on, It's late. I'll walk you back."
Kagome stood, dusting off her dress and moving to collect her axe. "Oh, that's okay. It's not far from-"
His hand landed on the sleeve of her arm, stopping her mid stride. Though the darkness was setting in, she could still make out the glowing hue of his eyes, the shape sharpening."I know I didn't really take no for an answer the other day, but this time there's absolutely no chance that I will. I'd like to make sure you're safe."
"But, you don't have to." She hesitantly said, a little taken aback by his insistence.
"It's not about obligation, Kagome." He stated, bending down to scoop up the few pieces of chopped wood. "It's about what's right, and capability."
"What if I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself?" She challenged, grabbing her axe from the floor and holding it safely. Inuyasha looked at her, a smile growing.
"Well, then I guess you've got two safe havens to rely on now." He nodded his head in a gesture for her to lead the way, Kagome smiling in return as she stepped out onto the unmarked path, the half demon following close behind.