Princes and Peasants by Kinbari

Chapter One

She stepped outside of her damp hut, into the dusty street. The road was rather crowded for this time of day, full of peasants leading demon-drawn wagons back and forth. She looked up at the blazing noon sun, and then her gaze dropped to the village around her. It was full of life, and it was home. To the South was the Kurokawa River, which the inhabitants of the village were forbidden to cross. To the North, the great Citadel of the Western lands lay. Westward was the Shi forest, which led to the Sea. They were also forbidden to enter the woods without special permission from the King. In the Eastern direction, many fields. Though far off and hardly visible on the horizon, there were majestic mountains. Kagome sighed as her eyes drifted East. She had been told tales of the world that lay beyond those mountains. It was deadly beauty, for the mountains were littered with soldiers. Across the mountains, King Naraku's grassless lands. Those who had ever ventured into his kingdom and managed to escape told of nothing but death and devastation. All of a sudden, Kagome heard a large crack and looked to her left.

Suddenly, she jumped back as a horse demon-drawn cart paraded out of control down the dirty road. Peasants of all sizes and shapes jumped out of the way, some barely missing injury. Kagome coughed in the dustcloud that trailed behind the cart. After it had cleared, she saw that straw littered the path. The less wealthy people began scooping it up, salvaging some for their own use. Next, a small fight broke out between a rather husky drunk and a boy about her age. The drunk swung his fist at the other guy, who ducked not a second too late.

"THAT'S MINE, YA HEAR?!" the drunk exclaimed angrily. The boy Kagome's age dropped the straw he had been holding, and lost himself in the crowd. Kagome and her mother weren't exactly the most wealthy peasants in this village of humans and demons. They lived in a small hut that her father had built for her mother when she became pregnant. Sadly, Kagome's father had been hanged not two weeks later. He had been falsely accused (or so Kagome thought) of using witchcraft. Kagome and her mother had been barely managing ever since. They had a small horse demon that they used as a packhorse when needed, or sometimes to draw the old and busted wagon. The horse's name was Kizoku, and Kagome had had her for as long as she could remember.

"Kagome!" a voice called cheerfully in her direction. She immediately recognized the voice as her friend Sango's. Sure enough, a girl with long and dark brown hair came running in her direction. Sango was clothed in rags that almost matched Kagome's exactly. But when one is poor, there is no room for fashion. Kagome grinned at her friend, and waved. Sango reached her shortly. She was panting, and Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, Sango. Did you see that cart earlier?" she questioned as her friend's breathing returned to normal. Just as she had caught her breath, she lost it. Though this time it was not from motion, it was from laughter. Kagome just eyed her friend suspiciously, knowing that something was going on.

"Did I see it?! Of course I saw it! Who the hell on this road didn't see it?! Actually, don't answer that. What I came to ask you was did you see the fight?" Sango's eyes held an excited glint. Kagome nodded in response to the question. For a second, Kagome pondered on answering her friend's first question. Then she decided that she had missed the moment and waited for what Sango had to say next.

"That smaller guy was," she broke out in another fit of laughter. It took a few seconds before she had calmed down and regained her compsure."it was Miroku!" she exclaimed, bursting into a smaller and less violent fit of giggles. If this had taken place in the reader's time, Kagome would have asked Sango what she had been smoking. However, this did not take place in the reader's time, therefor Kagome did not ask Sango what she had been smoking.

"Miroku? I knew he was the sort to gather the extra straw, but I wonder why he was involved...Did he start it?" Kagome didn't find this as funny and exciting as Sango had. She was worried about her friend, where as Sango was probably thinking how she could relate some sort of punishment to his earlier antics. Sango shook her head in an annoyed way. Her eyelids lowered in boredom.

"Do you really see that lech as the type that would start a fight? He's going to get himself hanged one day. Wouldn't surprise me if he groped Queen Izayoi herself," Sango stated with a heavy sigh. Kagome just tsk tsked and turned away.

"I really have to get back to my beggings. My mother is ill, and I have to do the work for both of us. In fact, I have to do more in order to get a healthy meal that will restore her health. I'll see you later, Sango," Kagome strapped a false wooden leg to her leg and grabbed her bowl. Though Kagome severely disliked being dishonest, it was necessary to put food on in their empty stomachs. Suddenly, a trumpet sounded. It was soon followed by another, and more after that. Kagome sighed unhappily. Here comes more royalty she thought. She didn't like the royal family, because she held them one-hundred percent responsible for her father's death.

"Make way for Princes Sesshoumaru, and Inu-Yasha!" The trumpeteer called out. The crowd slowly parted a pathway, leading from the Castle's gates. Kagome's eyes narrowed in annoyance as many peasant girls stood on their tipi-toes to get a better look. They all thought the princes were rather dreamy, unlike Kagome. Why bother with something beyond your reach? Those two princes would grow up and marry princesses from far away kingdoms. Peasant girls such as themselves had absoloutely no buisness whatsoever getting involved with those two.

"Bow to their royal asses," Sango muttered sarcastically. She also disliked the royal family. Her own father had been imprisoned for several years after robbing a drunk of his bread. They should have let him off easy. Instead, they severed his right hand in warning. Next time, they told him it would be the left. They also said that if anyone from his line was ever caught stealing again, the subject would be burned at the stake. What was it with laws these days!?

"If we must," Kagome bowed her head as the Princes passed them. Sango did the same. As soon as they passed, Kagome turned to Sango.

"Look at them! Marching along arrogantly like they rule the world!" She hissed in disgust. Sango raised her left eyebrow.

"They do rule a portion of it," she said all-knowingly.

"Shut up," Kagome replied. The two girls did that two eachother rather often. Kagome was well-used to it by this time. They never got serious about anything, anyway. Kagome stared after the two princes as they walked along;rose petals were scattered before their feet. They were probably headed to some other important person's residence. She shook her head as the trumpeteers walked the required distance behind them. Then she turned and resumed her begging.