The characters of Inuyasha do not belong to me. They are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.
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It’s All In the Details
A Dokuga Secret Valentine Exchange Gift for Wild Thicket
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An exasperated shout could be heard from an open upstairs window of the manor. “Kagome! Why aren’t you wearing your petticoat? Or your corset for that matter?”
Said female was currently hightailing it down the dirt road, her baby blue dress hiked up to keep her from tripping. “It’s uncomfortable, Mama!” she called back as she laughed, darting into the trees of the forest near her family’s property, Lancaster Hall. She wound her way around the trunks, hopping lithely over fallen logs as she headed towards Mornington Estate, owned by the Crown Prince Sesshoumaru Shiraga, Duke of Wellesley. She stopped by a stream with an old tree with a hole in the trunk along the way, pulling out a set of scruffy boys’ pants, shirt, and leather boots. A flat cap, hairpins, and a roll of bandage were also extracted. She swiftly stripped of her gown, binding her developing breasts and changing into the worn clothing. With ease, she pinned her hair flat against her head and hid it beneath the cap before placing her dress and heeled shoes inside the hole. Grinning in anticipation, she continued on her way towards the Duke’s property.
The heir to the throne owned an enormous expanse of land, of which a good percentage was reserved for breeding and raising pedigreed racehorses. He favored Arabians, renowned for their endurance, stamina, agility, and speed. Kagome loved the gentle creatures, enough to where she dressed like a boy so that she could work as a stable hand. It was where she was headed now. Her parents did not know of her activities as a stable boy, for she knew they would disapprove. The elder of two, fifteen-year-old Kagome Higurashi was a far sight from feminine. She was a tomboy who loved being outdoors and getting her hands dirty. Her eight-year-old brother Souta had more often than not been her partner in crime. Souta knew of her love for horses and her secret job in the stables, and had regularly made excuses for her to their parents for the past two years. In return, Kagome used her wages to buy her sibling a small amount of the expensive, Spanish-imported chocolate from the marketplace whenever she could afford it.
Kagome trotted into the stables, greeting the stable manager, Kouga Izumo. The brash manager gruffly replied, “Yo Kiyoshi. Bak, Ten, and Tess’s stables need to be mucked out.”
“Got it,” Kagome replied, purposely deepening her voice to sound more male. She walked towards Bakusaiga’s stall, grabbing a pitchfork and shovel, pocketing three apples along the way from the storage shed. Bakusaiga was a blood bay Arabian stallion with a spirited, mischievous disposition. He was also the Duke’s prized Triple Crown flat racing steed, having won numerous awards purses at Newmarket, Epson Downs, and Doncaster. Bakusaiga poked his head out of his stall at the sound of footsteps, whickering a greeting as she approached. She spotted a mouse scurrying into a hole in the wall, and made a mental note to inform Kouga that he needed to bring in the terriers again. The dogs so did love hunting rats in the stables.
As she made her way to her assigned horses, she pondered about the owner of the expansive stables. Sesshoumaru Shiraga, Crown Prince of England, was someone rumored to be cool, arrogant, and direct. He was not one to put on airs, and spoke rather infrequently. The words he deigned to use were generally brutal and unapologetic in their delivery of his perception of the truth. When paired with his agile wit and razor-edged intelligence, Sesshoumaru was a force to be reckoned with, and few had the ability to keep up with his repartee. Thus far, Kagome had seen the man oftentimes from a distance, usually in the company of the men and women of the royal court. The women fluttered around coquettishly, and the men laughed gaily, but none ever seemed to truly engage him. She had seen him up close a few times and even talked to him, each of which had been when he had come for a ride on one of his horses. The man she saw around his pride and joy was vastly different from the man she had painted in her mind based on the words of others.
“Hey there, old boy,” Kagome murmured, holding up an apple as she leaned the pitchfork against the wall. The stallion plucked the apple from her hand, crunching it contentedly and dribbling apple pulp and juice. Sliding into the stall, she slid a halter on the horse, latched on a lead, and guided the Arabian out to one of the multiple paddocks on the estate. After letting the horse loose, she returned to the stable to muck out the dirtied hay, replacing it with fresh straw and refilling the water trough.
She repeated the procedure for Tenseiga and Tessaiga, a chestnut Arabian filly with a blaze and stockings and a pure black Arabian gelding, respectively. The three horses were the Duke’s most cherished possessions, and Kagome was immensely honored that she could care for the equines. Kouga had seen how much Kiyoshi adored the animals and had let the young stable hand care for the Crown Prince’s prized horses, each of which were purse winners. The job was usually reserved for the more experienced hands. There were other horses that were housed in the stables, most of them used to drive carriages. Two in particular, Ah and Un, were both grey male Welsh ponies, even tempered yet spirited, and were doted upon by Rin, the Duke’s younger half-sister. The Duke also had a younger half-brother named Inuyasha, who was older than Rin. Inuyasha had no interest in horses, and so did not have any particular favorites.
Done with the dirtier aspects her job for the day, Kagome spent the rest of her afternoon brushing and currying the three horses before returning them to their stalls and riding some of the other horses to train and exercise them. Tossing her goodbyes to two of her fellow hands Ginta and Hakakku Morimoto, who were siblings and cousins of Kouga, she returned home, stopping by the stream and tree to rinse off the smell of sweat and manure and to change back into her dress. Combing her hair with her fingers, she pinned her black locks up in a more feminine style and returned home. Kagome had always preferred to spend her free time wandering around in the forests when not sequestered away in lessons of literature, languages, needlework, music, drawing, or etiquette, much to her mother Asako’s dismay and despair at ever finding her daughter a suitable husband. Her father, Baron Matsuo Higurashi, was indulgent towards his children, believing that they would mature in their own time and not a moment before.
“Ah, Kagome!” cried her mother as she walked through the door. “You’ve soiled your dress again!”
Kagome glanced down. Sure enough, the last four inches from the hem of her dress, as well as her shoes, were matted a grubby brown. “I went walking,” she said simply with a nonchalant shrug. “You know I love walking around.”
Asako tried to mask her grin with a frown. “Of course I do, love, but you really should start acting more like a lady. Otherwise—”
“—I won’t find a suitable husband. I know, Mama,” Kagome said with a roll of her eyes and a teasing smile. Toeing off her mud caked shoes she scampered up the stairs to wash and change, hearing her mother mutter, “At least she didn’t rip anything.” When she returned, she was called into the sitting room, where both her parents sat.
“Sit down, Kagome,” Matsuo said. Kagome sat, feeling her stomach twist into knots. “As you know, in a week’s time, you will turn sixteen. It is time I presented you to the court. There will be a ball in three weeks’ time, celebrating the Crown Prince’s birthday, and it is then that I will introduce you to the court.”
“Please understand, Kagome,” Asako implored, “Normally young ladies are introduced at fifteen. I believe we’ve given you a generous amount of time to remain a child instead of taking on the responsibilities of an adult.”
Kagome swallowed, her face pinching as though she had bitten into a lemon. She knew her parents had been particularly lax with her, and while she wanted to cling to her childhood freedom, she knew it was time. “All right, Mama, Papa,” she acquiesced after taking a deep, steadying breath. She made a note to inform Kouga of her imminent resignation, heaving a mental sigh. She was going to miss the horses. As the three weeks passed, Kagome worked at the stables, informed Kouga that she was leaving, and moped a little when she was home.
A week before the ball, she was in the process of brushing Bakusaiga when she noticed none other than the Crown Prince Sesshoumaru watching her. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, and she fumbled and dropped the brush in her nervousness even as her heart fluttered at his presence. “Y-your Highness,” she squeaked, bowing at the man before her.
Sesshoumaru Shiraga was a tall, lithe man of nineteen, almost twenty. He had unusual coloring that replicated that of his father’s, with distinctive long silver hair he kept tied in a low ponytail and burnished amber eyes. He was serious and quiet, his dignified demeanor frosty and demanding utmost respect. Up close, he was breathtakingly handsome, with fine, chiseled features set in an oval, porcelain face. “No need to be so formal, Kiyoshi,” he replied, his voice deep and smooth. They had met several times before, when he had needed to ride one of his horses as a means of temporarily escaping his duties to the crown. He approached the stallion, which nuzzled his hand in welcome. “Can you ready him for a ride?”
“O-of course, Your Highness,” Kagome stuttered, quickly tacking up Bakusaiga with an ease borne from repetition and experience despite her nervous fingers.
Sesshoumaru swung up onto his horse, guiding the steed out of the stables towards the largest paddock. Kagome watched as the Duke allowed the horse to warm up before breaking into a ground eating pace. The pair shot into the distance, a blur of color along the green and blue horizon. She returned to her work, combing and currying Tenseiga and Tessaiga before leading them out to another paddock to graze. Sesshoumaru returned a short time later, Bakusaiga blowing air noisily from his nose and sides lathered in a sheen of sweat. The Duke dismounted and handed the reins to Kagome, who promptly covered the animal with blankets and leg warmers and began the cooling down exercises for the horse. Sesshoumaru watched the young hand work.
“You like caring for the horses,” he said suddenly, his statement rising at the end to phrase it as a question.
Kagome momentarily tensed before relaxing. “I do. I love working with the animals,” she answered, inwardly wincing when she belatedly realized she had forgotten to deepen her voice. It was not the first time she had forgotten around the Crown Prince either. Idiot, she had berated herself a thousand times over.
“It shows.”
She smiled hesitantly at the future king. “Working with them has a way of calming me down,” she chatted as she led the horse back into his cleaned stable. “It’s soothing, as long as you don’t mind the smell.”
Sesshoumaru followed, watching the routine she went through.
She staggered a bit as the stallion playfully butted his head against her, squeezing a giggle out of her as she petted his velveteen nose.
“I hope you stay around. Bakusaiga seems to like you a lot,” he remarked, watching the behavior of his steed.
Kagome sighed miserably. “I will be leaving soon. My father wishes for me to learn more about the family business,” she fibbed. She felt horrible for the partial truth, to the Crown Prince no less! Although it was not technically a lie—she would indeed be learning about the family business: for her as a female, it was to find a suitable husband and produce a litter of progeny to perpetuate her husband’s line.
“Hn.” Sesshoumaru studied the youth. “I hope your studies go well,” he said at length. “Good day, Kiyoshi.” He turned and briskly began the walk back to his mansion.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” she replied quietly, her heart feeling leaden with guilt. Kagome returned home, bathed, and dove into the works of Aristotle to mask her remorse, but her mind constantly wandered to the Crown Prince. She often daydreamed about the Duke, for what red-blooded woman would not? He was handsome, achingly so, and so terribly out of her reach. Not only was he the heir to the throne, but he was also engaged to the sixteen-year-old Countess of Forstershire, Kikyo Tsukishiro. Kagome had seen the Countess when she worked at the stables, and Kikyo could not have been more different from Kagome. Kikyo was very much a well-bred, cultured lady, with genteel mannerisms and a soft, delicate voice. She was a beauty, with rich loamy eyes and ebony hair offset by snow white skin. Kagome could never compare to a woman such as she.
As Kagome settled down for bed, her mind once again drifted to the Crown Prince. She tossed and turned, sleep evading her. With a harrumph, she got up and stole out of the house, pausing to change into her boy clothes before she sneaked into the stables on Mornington Estate. Tenseiga and Tessaiga were soundly sleeping, but Bakusaiga stirred at her passage. He whinnied softly, and Kagome approached. “Hello,” she cooed softly, fingers stroking his fuzzy nose after letting herself into the stall. She sighed, heart heavy with the fact that she had told Kouga earlier that day that she—as Kiyoshi—could no longer work at the stables. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered, pursing her lips together in an effort not to cry. Bakusaiga nibbled her shirt gently before tossing his head. He pawed the straw in his stable, ears pricked as he gazed steadily at the race track.
After several seconds of his staring, he head butted her again, directing her towards his racing equipment. She laughed forlornly and said, “No one’s riding now. It’s too late.” The horse nudged her again, and insistently nickered. The girl shook her head and headed towards the latched door, only to be blocked by Bakusaiga. Kagome eyed the equine. “You aren’t going to let me out, are you?” she muttered rhetorically. The horse pawed the straw again and tossed his head. Her eyes slid to his saddle and bridle. Dare she ride him?
It’s your last chance to work with him, her conscience whispered. What have you to lose?
Ignoring her sense of reason, which was warning her that it was dangerous to do what she was about to do, she took off his blankets and saddled up Bakusaiga, leading him out onto the track. The horse was hyper-attentive to everything she did, and when she at last swung herself into the saddle, the award-winning stallion was fairly quivering with excitement. She eased the horse into a warm up trot twice around the track, becoming accustomed to the way her body weight rose and fell with the horse’s gait, before pausing at the “starting line”. Bakusaiga was utterly still, waiting for the silent signal from his rider to begin running. The moon and stars shone in a clear sky, lighting up the track easily. The pair stood stock still, and it seemed as though the very earth held its breath, awaiting the moment they would begin.
Kagome bent over, standing but crouched over the neck of the stallion, weight settled on the balls of her feet as she balanced on the stirrups. Her hands lightly clasped the reins, allowing Baku to have his head while he ran. She exhaled deeply, and a slight tensing of her leg muscles was all the horse needed to know she was ready before he shot into the night, the dirt track flying under his ground eating strides. The wind whistled by as the shadowed silhouettes of the surrounding trees blurred into a mass of blackness. Elation coursed through Kagome’s body, and she laughed aloud at the sensation of the absolute freedom she felt aloft the pounding hooves of the Crown Prince’s prized racer. She fervently wished, as horse and rider streaked down the track, that she could work as a jockey. They flew around the quarter mile track multiple times, the horse slowing when he grew tired. Sweat lathered his sides, and foam coated the corners of his lips as his breath heaved in and out from his wide nostrils.
Kagome walked the equine, cooling him off before covering him with blankets and tending to his needs. After finishing his rub down, she petted his nose a few more times and whispered her farewells. The stallion nuzzled her gently in return. Kagome stowed her stable boy clothing in the tree before rinsing off and changing back into her nightgown and returning home. She slid into her bed and was asleep in moments, a soft smile on her face.
The day of the ball dawned, and Kagome was thrown into the bathtub and scrubbed pink by both the maids and her mother. Her hair was pulled into an elegant coif and pinned with jeweled combs, and she was outfitted in a stunning silk turquoise gown. A carriage was called for and arranged; Souta was too young for the court and so he stayed behind with the maids while Kagome left for Mornington Estate with her father and mother. They arrived as the sun was beginning to set. A line of carriages awaited to deposit the guests, the ladies helped down by a veritable army of footmen. Kagome stepped off the carriage, feeling immensely uncomfortable being here and dressed as she was. She was much too used to her disguise as a boy.
“Come along, Kagome,” Matsuo said, guiding her inside by the elbow, Asako following close behind. The entry was a grand space with mirrored staircases that arced along the sides of the room to the second story. A crystal chandelier sparkled, the candlelight reflecting gaily off the many polished surfaces of white and black marble. The crowd pressed inward, sweeping father, mother, and daughter into the ornate ballroom. Multiple chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the gold gilded mirrors that lined the room. A small orchestra played while the partygoers chattered. At the far end of the room, a raised dais housed an ornately carved chair, where the Crown Prince sat. Off to his side in a smaller chair, sat his fiancée, the Countess of Forstershire. Sesshoumaru’s parents, Toga and Izayoi Shiraga, the King and Queen, were in attendance, as were his younger siblings, Prince Inuyasha and Princess Rin. Servants wove around the room, delivering hors d’oeurvres and wine.
King Toga reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru, having the same coloring and build. Queen Izayoi was the King’s second wife, after Queen Yumiko had dissolved her marriage with the King on grounds of adultery. Queen Izayoi was the mother of Inuyasha and Rin. Inuyasha took after his mother, as did Rin; both possessed her silken black locks and hazel eyes.
Sesshoumaru stood, and both the music and murmur died down, with the partygoers clearing space before the dais. His face was solemn, his posture proud and unyielding. “Welcome, honored guests,” he intoned, eyes sweeping over the colorfully dressed people. “Father, Mother, Brother, Sister. Fiancée.” He nodded to each of the respectively, and received answering nods of recognition. “Today marks another passing year for me. But that is not the reason I have assembled us all here today. Today we welcome to our ranks several more members to the court.”
The crowd politely clapped, and Kagome felt her hands begin to perspire. “Just remember that one line and you’ll be fine,” her mother coaxed, to which she nodded mechanically.
“Let the young men and women be presented to the court. Jaken.” Sesshoumaru sat, and a short, dumpy courier appeared at the edge of the dais with a scroll.
“Lords and Ladies of the Royal Court,” the courier, Jaken, began, “Please be introduced to the newest members of your ranks. Please welcome Shippou Nagashima, son of the Count and Countess of Dunfort, Hideo and Sakura Nagashima.”
A youth with bright auburn hair separated from the crowd and knelt before the dais. “Shippou Nagashima, at your service, Your Highness.”
“Welcome,” Sesshoumaru said.
Shippou rose and melted back into the crowd.
Jaken continued. “Please welcome Kagome Higurashi, daughter of the Baron and Baroness of Altshire, Matsuo and Asako Higurashi.”
Kagome stepped forwards, keeping her eyes down and stopping before the raised dais. She curtsied deeply, all her concentration on keeping her balance. “Kagome Higurashi, at your service, Your Highness,” she stated, hoping her voice was not wobbling as much as she feared. She felt his heavy gaze on her, and she forced herself not to return it by staring down at the floor—manners dictated that she not look up at him until he permitted it.
His smooth baritone slid over her. “Welcome.”
She rose, shakily making her way back to her smiling mother and father, her spine stiff and head high. “You did fine, Kagome,” her father comforted.
Kagome smiled faintly and watched as Jaken continued to introduce a few more people before concluding the presentations. She was simply glad she had not tripped and fallen on her face. The orchestra started up and people once again began to fill the floor after first King Toga and Queen Izayoi, followed by Prince Sesshoumaru and Countess Kikyo, who took their places for the traditional dances. Kagome watched as her father lead her mother out onto the floor, lining up with the other pairs to dance.
Kagome hovered by the refreshments table, watching the swirling jewel tone dresses flutter as the men led the women through the steps.
“You’re Kagome Higurashi, right? You were introduced late.”
Kagome turned to address the speaker. A young woman with warm brown eyes gazed back, dressed in a resplendent fuchsia gown. Kagome curtsied shallowly, the action mirrored by the young woman. “My name is Sango Uemura. My father’s a Count in the court.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Kagome replied with a timid smile. She felt so out of her depth.
Sango must have caught her discomfort, for she grinned and said, “The court’s not so scary. Just remember to—” She broke off suddenly, face flushing nearly instantaneously, and delivered a resounding slap on the face to a young, dark haired man that had paused behind her. “Miroku!” she scolded.
“Your derriere was simply too beautiful to resist, my love,” the aforementioned Miroku stated while gingerly rubbing his rapidly reddening cheek.
Kagome blinked.
“Keh! Idiot never learns he shouldn’t grope females,” muttered another voice that belonged to none other than the younger prince.
“Prince Inuyasha!” Kagome exclaimed in surprise, curtsying deeply.
“No need for all the formality,” he grumbled. Kagome rose, eying the man with touchy-feely hands with curiosity.
“Oh, where are my manners? Forgive me! I am Miroku Yamata. My father is a Duke and a cousin of the Queen.” He accepted her proffered hand and kissed her knuckles, lasting a touch longer than was considered polite gallantry. Kagome blushed under his attentions. “You are a gorgeous woman, Miss Higurashi. Would you bear the honor of having my child? OW!”
Kagome blinked once more, dumbfounded.
“My dear Sango, there was no need for that! It was just a harmless question!” Miroku pouted, rubbing the back of his head.
Said woman was watching him with a twitch under her eye. As the two began rowing—one throwing names and one apologizing profusely—Kagome inched over to the prince’s side. “Is this a frequent occurrence?”
Inuyasha snorted. “I’ve seen this routine too many times to count,” he replied blandly. “They are affianced, and in love with each other.”
Kagome eyed the couple. “They sure don’t act like a couple in love,” she murmured.
The prince snorted again, folding his arms across his chest. “Could’ve fooled me.” His eyes drifted back towards the dais, where his half-brother stood conversing quietly with the Countess.
Kagome watched as his gaze softened, displaying a naked longing for the woman. He’s in love with her, she realized in wonder and wistfulness. How painful it must be to love someone, only to watch as they are married off to someone else.
“Dance with me, my Prince?” she asked softly, tearing Inuyasha’s attention away from Kikyo.
“Huh?”
Her smile was touched with some unnamable sadness. “It’ll keep your mind off other things for a little while,” she offered.
Realizing that her offer was genuine and not meant to ensnare him into a marriage, Inuyasha gratefully led her out to the dance floor, where they participated in several dances. After two in a row, she thanked him, saying she needed a break to rest her feet. They ached terribly, and she looked forwards to resting. She tottered to a small bench that rested against the wall, sinking onto the cushion with a relieved groan. She noticed that Inuyasha was now dancing with Kikyo, and her heart went out to the younger prince and the circumstances he found himself in. She noticed that Kikyo also had a despairing tint to her eyes when she gazed upon the younger prince, and Kagome realized that Inuyasha’s feelings were mutual.
Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru was also out on the floor, each dance in the company of a different female. She watched him for several dances, marveling at his fluid grace and wondering how the ladies he danced with never seemed to stop talking. He was unfailingly polite, and seemed to respond to their questions with monosyllabic answers, much to the women’s dismay and her secret amusement. Eventually she bored of watching him, and snagged a glass of mulled wine from a passing servant. Her eyes lingered on her parents, who were dancing with each other, glowing smiles on their faces and in their eyes.
“May I have this dance?”
Her gaze snapped to the hand held before her, and she followed it up to the face of the owner—the Crown Prince Sesshoumaru. She felt her heart drop somewhere in the vicinity of her feet. “You may, Your Highness,” she whispered, her mouth as dry as a windblown desert despite the wine. She set her glass on a side table, was helped to her feet, and led to the floor. They acknowledged on another, he with a graceful bow and she with an elegant curtsy, and the dance began. She followed Sesshoumaru’s flawless lead easily. The difference in the two princes were like night and day. The elder prince was light and agile on his feet; the younger, while trained, still retained a roughness that she believed would never be completely trained out of him.
As they stepped face to face, his hands securely around her waist, Sesshoumaru leaned forwards and whispered low enough for only her to hear, “How long were you planning to hide the fact that you dressed like a boy to work in my stables, Kiyoshi?”
Kagome gasped and jerked her head back, eyes wide as she froze in shock. The dance continued around them, the two standing as if arrested in time, eyes locked in a silent impasse. She could not have run even if she had wanted to, not with her bewilderment and his hands firmly grasping her waist. “How did you know?” she breathed with a shudder.
Sesshoumaru smirked. “I’m not blind and deaf, you know. I’ve had three years to determine whether or not you were male.”
The young woman blushed. “I had hoped to remain invisible,” she muttered.
The Crown Prince snorted softly as he quit the dance and led her off the floor to a corner, considering they were not dancing and simply impeding the others. “That seems a rather optimistic goal for you,” he remarked once they stopped, ignoring the scowling women who had been clustered about the edge of the dancing area and waiting for their turn to partner with him.
Kagome bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her temper overriding her manners as she planted one hand on her hip and poked Sesshoumaru in the chest with the other.
“You act much too differently to ever pass as a man,” Sesshoumaru said simply, easily snatching the finger that was currently assaulting his person. “It probably did not help when over the span of three years I noticed your voice failed to deepen. I had begun to wonder if you were either a female in disguise or a male who was not attracted to the fairer sex.”
Her eyes widened in incredulity as the prince released her finger. “You—you thought that I might have been… homosexual?” she whispered before she laughed raucously, clutching her sides. The guests in their immediate vicinity gazed in horrified fascination at the young woman so boldly laughing at the Crown Prince. The unlucky individuals who had done so before had been subsequently blistered by the tongue lashing they received for their audacity. Whispers erupted and spread across the ballroom when the Duke merely crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the woman in question. Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly, watching as the girl before him laughed until tears squeezed out from between her eyelids. She dabbed them away with a handkerchief Sesshoumaru had proffered, taking several moments to tamp down on her outward sign of merriment.
Sesshoumaru observed her with a raised eyebrow and a slight frown. “Are you quite done?” he asked peevishly.
She tittered for a few moments more before composing herself with great effort. “If I must, Your Highness,” she replied cheekily. She held out his handkerchief, suddenly overcome by sheepishness. “Yours,” she murmured.
The corners of his mouth twitched, but his expression remained as unruffled as a windless sea. “Keep it. Another dance—a complete one, if you please—due to the interruption,” he commanded, holding his hand out.
Kagome rolled her eyes with a grin and gamely stepped back out onto the floor with him after tucking the square of fine linen in her sash, instigating another flurry of whispering. Sesshoumaru and Kagome danced their single requisite dance before she begged off, claiming a need to powder her nose. He bid her a good evening with a kiss on the knuckles with soft, warm lips that lingered a hair longer than common courtesy dictated as he watched her intently through his lashes. She fairly fled afterwards and spent the rest of the ball hiding in the bathroom suppressing her panic, trying to reconcile the fact that she had indeed danced with the Crown Prince, and even had the temerity to laugh at him after he had found out her secret. Kagome had never so keenly wished that she would just die from utter mortification. She had even ducked behind the other exiting guests to escape a sighting from the future king, slinking through the throng of people and escaping into the night with her parents.
“Did you enjoy yourself, Kagome?” Asako asked after they were all settled in their carriage.
Hiding her unease, Kagome smiled and replied affirmatively and remained quiet for the rest of the ride home, her parents’ soft-spoken conversation lulling her to sleep. She was grateful that her parents had foregone questioning her about laughing at the Crown Prince, for she was sure her mother, at least, had heard about it. They prodded her awake when they arrived at Lancaster Hall, where she barely remembered changing into her nightgown and tucking herself in bed.
The next several weeks rolled lazily by, and slowly Kagome forgot her embarrassment at the ball. It was a sluggish process, for she had nothing to occupy her time now that she no longer worked at the stables. Matsuo had been arranging and receiving potential suitors for Kagome. The various young men would drop by Lancaster Hall to spend the afternoon with Kagome. Thus far she had summarily rejected every suitor that had come to call. Asako’s exasperated exclamation of, “Kagome!” could be heard repeatedly throughout the home, usually accompanied by Souta’s snickers, Matsuo’s hearty laughter, and Kagome’s vexed rebuttals for why each suitor was so very obviously unsuitable.
One afternoon one of the maids answered a knock on the door, which was shortly followed by a thump. Matsuo, who had been in his study that was located closest to the front door, had poked his head out at the noise. He found the maid out cold on the foyer floor, with the Crown Prince Sesshoumaru hovering over her, apparently trying to decide if he ought to kneel down and check on her.
“Your Highness!” he greeted, stepping out and bowing. “Please forgive me. I had not realized you were coming! Let me get her settled, then I will see to you, if that is all right?”
Sesshoumaru nodded his acquiescence, and the Baron picked his maid up and left the foyer. He returned soon after with Asako, Kagome, and Souta in tow and invited the heir into his study.
The Crown Prince politely declined and asked, “Might I speak to Miss Higurashi alone?”
The family looked at each other with no small amount of bewilderment. “Certainly,” Matsuo said, indicating that the prince was welcome to use his study. Sesshoumaru stepped inside and Kagome reluctantly but quickly followed via a gleeful shove through the doorway, courtesy of Asako. The door closed decisively on her backside, to which she yelped in outrage, muttering dire threats to her mother under her breath as she rubbed her abused rump. Kagome gulped at seeing the prince watching her with narrowed gold eyes and his head cocked to one side as a scientist would with a strange new specimen. His fingers idly traced random designs on her father’s desk. She clasped her fidgety hands behind her and stared at the well-worn but polished slats of walnut flooring, her discomfiture from the ball rising to the forefront of her mind and accompanied by an embarrassed flush in her cheeks.
“Miss Higurashi,” he began, straightening up, “I’m quite sure you are confused as to the nature and purpose of my visit.”
She chanced a brief glance at him. “I am even now attempting to guess at it, yes.”
“I will be brief and to the point. Miss Higurashi, I wish to court you,” he stated bluntly.
Kagome’s eyes snapped up to his in bewilderment. “I-I’m sorry, but did you just as me if—you wanted to court me?” she asked in absolute disbelief.
Sesshoumaru raised a brow. “Indeed, that is what I said. Are you hard of hearing?” he jibed.
The young girl was too flustered to respond to his needling. “How could you possibly—you don’t even—but you are affianced!” she cried.
The Duke shook his head. “I am not. My fiancée and my younger half-brother have been emotionally vested in one another for some time now. I felt it best to break off the engagement when it was clear neither of us wanted to wed the other.”
“But—but why me?” she stuttered. “I’m no graceful feminine lady! I’m a tomboy with an impetuous streak a mile wide and absolutely no tact!”
A sly grin stole over his face. “That is precisely why you.”
“What?” she blurted aloud, beyond confused. “You couldn’t possibly know me that well!”
Sesshoumaru cocked his head. “Could I? I’ve met you multiple times out in the stables when you worked as a disguised hand. I’ve watched you care for my prized horses as if they were your own. You are kind, treat everyone with respect, and are willing to learn from mistakes and critiques. Most people are not comfortable enough with themselves to handle criticism well. There were a plethora of little details that differentiated you from the other males that, individually, were meaningless. However, the amalgamation of them all pointed to the fact that you were a female, and an exceptional one at that.”
Kagome dragged a hand over her face with a groan and morosely asked while peeking through her fingers, “I blew my cover before I even started, didn’t I?”
“Not at all,” he replied. “You covered your tracks rather well. But there were enough hints for me to figure it out. Thick-headed Kouga never once picked up on your secret identity. So… would you like to tell me why you felt you had to pursue that charade?”
A weak chuckle escaped her. “Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to work with the horses, ride one, race one even. As a woman it would have been frowned upon. No one would question a boy wanting to.” She paused, staring at the prince as he quietly convulsed with laughter. “It’s not funny!” she snapped before she slapped her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, Your Highness!” she immediately apologized with a deep curtsy even as she once again wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
He recovered with admirable aplomb and said, “I should be the one apologizing; I was not laughing at you. It was more the situation. And it has been a long time since anyone was willing to be so utterly candid with me. I find it refreshing.”
Kagome’s heart suddenly ached for him. She could not imagine the constant pressure of having to act as a ruler, to deal with all the people that tried to gain his favor at all times. “Do you not have anyone like that?”
Sesshoumaru studied the small metal replica of Paris’ famed Eiffel Tower that sat on her father’s desk. “My family,” he answered. “But outside of them, no one. I am hoping to remedy that situation.”
His eyes gleamed with a strange hope as he gazed upon her. It made her want to squirm uncomfortably, but she resisted the urge. “With me?” she asked softly, tentatively.
He nodded once. “Indeed.”
Flustered and flattered by his attention, she stared at the floor. “What do your parents think?” she whispered.
“My father and step-mother have no outstanding nuptial agreements with other countries at the moment concerning myself, although I’m sure Princess Sara Kinomoto of Spain wished otherwise—she has professed her undying love for me since we were both eight. They were somewhat shocked when I told them I would not marry Kikyo, but as she had expressed similar sentiments, both of our parents mutually allowed the arrangement to dissolve. Our marriage was arranged since her birth, and while we are both comfortable with each other, it would not have been an entirely happy marriage.” The slightly defeated inflection in his voice caused Kagome to look up at him, and he gazed steadily back at her. “I wish to find some happiness in my life, the last little bit that cannot be dictated by my crown.”
Kagome’s eyes crinkled with compassion and sympathy for his situation. “I hope you find it,” she said softly, honesty shining in her eyes.
Sesshoumaru exhaled and gazed out the window facing the front yard. “My time in the courts has allowed me to meet an assortment of women, all of whom use their charms to their fullest to entice powerful men. You are not like them: you are not deceitful, shallow, petty, and intolerant. You are passionate, adventurous, open-minded, and opinionated. You are unafraid of voicing your thoughts with me, though you tend to remember who I am after the fact.” His lips curved upwards into a small, amused grin. He turned his eyes to her, and she met them steadily, heart pounding furiously in her chest. “You are someone I can honestly say I wish to know better.” His gaze intensified. “Will you allow me the honor?”
Her heart leapt to her throat as her breath hitched in amazement. This person, this powerful, gorgeous man who she had believed so far out of her reach, was before her asking for her hand in courtship. Kagome could scarcely believe it. “You are serious?” she breathed, afraid that if she breathed too hard she would shatter this perfect illusion, this divine dream.
“I am perfectly serious, Miss Higurashi,” Sesshoumaru replied with gravity, his voice rumbling with richness and depth.
A shy smile graced her face and she replied timidly, “I would be honored to get to know you, Your Highness.”
A small but genuine smile curved his lips, and his eyes glittered with satisfaction as he stepped up to her and gently placed his hands on her waist. “I look forwards to getting to know you,” he said softly, leaning in for a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips.
He stepped away and swept her hand up for a kiss on the knuckles. “My name is Sesshoumaru Shiraga, Miss Higurashi,” he introduced himself with a playful glint in his eyes. Clearing his throat quietly, he daringly amended, “Kagome.”
Having the prince say my name must be a cardinal sin, Kagome thought, shivering slightly. Her eyes had fluttered shut of their own accord, and she opened them to take in the Duke. Kagome favored him with a challenging, playful look. Tit for tat, and all that rot, she thought. “My name is Kagome Higurashi… Sesshoumaru.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes glowed with pleasure at her audacity. “I believe,” he began with a grin, “That our courtship will be one of the most tumultuous in history.”
The young woman scoffed. “And that’s supposed to be a good thing? You sure know how to woo a woman,” she griped sarcastically.
He chuckled. “I’m sure your family has their ears pressed up against the door. I leave you to the wolves, milady,” he said with another kiss to her hand and a devilish smirk.
“You’re evil, milord,” she hissed with a glower as he opened the door, imperiously swept past her family, who were rapidly backpedaling in embarrassment, and out of the manor.
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Author’s Note to Wild Thicket: I have done my utmost best to tailor this story to your tastes, and I fervently hope I have succeeded. I freely admit I’m not much of a humor writer, and period pieces are generally not my forte. Nonetheless, I felt great pleasure stretching beyond my comfort zone to produce this, and had immense fun doing the research to make it as accurate as possible (particularly the horses). I drew most of my inspiration from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and a childhood favorite of mine, Deborah Savage’s To Race a Dream. I know that Sesshoumaru is rather out of character, but Kagome in this instance is trying her utmost best to be respectful of his position and bite her tongue, and so it falls to Sesshoumaru to initiate conversation between them. I hope you have enjoyed the fruit of my labor and that it met your expectations. Happy Valentine’s Day, Wild Thicket, with much love.