Disclaimer:

I do not own InuYasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. I do not in any way, profit from the story and that all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator.

Chapter One The First Meeting

Kagome found herself stopping her work to admire the linen. Her hand creased it. Despite being wet she could still feel the exquisiteness and softness of the fabric. It is to be expected of the palace linen. She was sent to hang it out so it can dry. She worked in the back garden of the castle hanging the linen upon the clotheslines.

The back garden is only seen by the servants. It is even spectacular as well as the rest of the castle. It had one fountain. The fountain is grand. A cherub spilled water from its mouth. It looked as if it just got done dancing then struck a pose. Its stone was cracked the only sign of aging. Vines wrapped around it. The cool water filled the basin from its mouth. The sound of running water had a calming effect upon Kagome.

The king and queen permitted this garden for the servants as long as they attended to it. It contained the herbs and vegetables that are used by the servants. The royal palace received their vegetables from their subjects. The garden even had pretty flowers growing in it for the servants own personal use. The royal palaces flowers came from a local florist shop.

This area she is in is closed off. It is rather large with stone walls on every side. Three of the walls were just stone walls used for the sole purpose to close off this area from the eyes of the visitors to the castle. The palace wall had the door she had entered are on one side. It led down to the working areas of the servants. The walls to the castle had vine growing upon it.

The only way for those in the castle to view this spot is a terrace. The servants said that none of the royal family used the terrace despite how beautiful it would be looking over the grounds. It was safe to work inside this area.

Kagome hummed a little tune as she worked. The warm sun beat down upon her. It prickled her pale skin. The sun gave this area enough light to dry the clothes. The walls didn't stop the breezes just gave them less force.

A breeze whipped around the back garden. It fluttered Kagome's long silky black hair. It didn't get out of place for she wore a maid's hat. Her maid outfit swished slightly. The black dress is covered by a white apron that is dawned with lace. Kagome raised her head allowing herself to feel the breeze better. The cool wind felt good on this hot day.

She heard a noise behind her. She stopped her humming. Someone had come out on the terrace. It startled her. She turned her head slightly. This section of the back grounds usually had no visitors expect for servants. She could see a little bit of long silky silver hair.

Kagome quickly bowed her head in fear. As a person in her social status she isn't allowed to view the royal family. Her heart beat quickly against its cage. Her breathing quickened. She feared that he saw her look at him. It would mean death. Droplets appeared across her forehead.

"Did you see anything?" A gruff angry voice spat out.

Kagome is startled. By the sound of his voice it is the prince, InuYasha. She had only heard it twice before.

"Ah…" She choked out in fear.

"Did you see anything?" He said more forcefully now.

"Ah…" Kagome began scared out of her wits. She wasn't at the social status to speak to the prince either. She isn't sure what to do. To not answer a direct command from a prince meant death. To speak to a prince meant death for her social status.

"I will not say it again. Did you see anything?" His voice grew with anger.

She had to speak up her life depended on it. "Sire…" She began. Tears fell from her eyes due to her fear.

"Well?" InuYasha said and growled afterwards. His patience is growing thin with this idiotic servant.

"I am sorry, Sire," Kagome choked out. "It is not of my station to speak to you, Sire." She bowed her body more. She is so close to the ground she almost touched it.

"Doesn't following a direct command from a PRINCE mean death?"

"Yes, sire…" Kagome said. "But speaking to one in my social status means death also."

"Heh," InuYasha said. The girl wasn't as idiotic as she first seemed. "Never mind that for now. Go on."

"Sire…I did not see anything," Kagome finally said. She sobbed and the tears burned her eyes as they fell.

"Why do you cry?" InuYasha asked his voice less angry now. She hadn't seen him. She wouldn't have to be put to death. "Why were humans such idiotic cowardly creatures?" He privately thought.

"Sire…" Kagome began. She hiccupped. It was hard to speak to the prince because of her fear. She couldn't stop talking to him due to a direct order.

InuYasha raised an eyebrow. The girl didn't want to talk but she struggled to say words anyway. He had to admit it intrigued him a bit. His patience is growing thin with her none the less. His brother, Sesshomaru, would have put her to death by now. Sessomaru would use any reason for a human's death just because he could. InuYasha growled internally. He is nothing like his brother. He didn't like killing people even on a whim. His eyes became dark with rage.

"Sire…I cry…for I am afraid," Kagome finally said after she collected herself.

"Do you fear me?" InuYasha asked forcefully. She had every reason to fear him. It would be the first time someone openly said that to him. It angered him. He could always see it in their eyes. He is a half demon. His mother told him they feared what they did not understand.

"No, Sire. I fear death." Her tears slowed down.

"Isn't not my whim that would cause your death? So in turn you do fear me?"

"No, Sire. I fear not you. For if it is the Kingdoms will, I accept my death, Sire." Her words choked out of her. The context displayed her fear although with every word the fear slowly departed. She found a resolve within dying for the Kingdom.

InuYasha stared at the girl. He could only see the back of her head. It is pointless to work for most of it is covered by the ridiculous maid bonnet. He sniffed the air. He smelled a slight hint of salt water. Her voice no longer held the trembles of her crying. A slight breeze came and whipped his hair around. It calmed him. So did her. She had a strange effect upon him.

"Then why do you still cry?" He asked her. He couldn't understand her. If she accepted death then she should no longer cry.

"I cry, Sire, for I fear I do not know what happens after death, Sire."

"Do you not accept God?" InuYasha asked forcefully. "If you did you would have nothing to fear." The girl calmed him and angered him so that it made no sense. She is a peculiar human. He didn't like it one bit.

"I accept God, your Highness. I fear death for no one knows what comes after, Sire."

He took a moment to think. It is all he needed. He remembered how humans viewed their God. It made it easier for the demons to rule over them.

"Doesn't God bring those who are not wicked to heaven? You are not wicked so you have nothing to fear," InuYasha said.

"Thank you, Sire," Kagome said to him. She thanked him for calling her not wicked for it is an honor from that of a noble blood.

"I do not need to be thanked. I wish to understand you."

Kagome's face flushed. Her tears had long dried after talking to the Prince for so long. "I am but a servant…" Her voice quivered.

InuYasha interrupted her, "And yet you make no sense."

"I am sorry, Sire. My schooling is poor, Sire. I will speak the best to my ability, Sire."

"Then tell me why you accept God and yet still fear death? You are not wicked. Heaven has a place for you," InuYasha said with anger in his voice.

"Is God not great, your Highness?"

"Yes." It was obvious that the Human God is to be believed as great.

"Then how could I a mere servant be accepted by one such as great, Sire?"

"Hmm…" InuYasha thought. It was true. Human's God made no sense. He took a moment. It was the second time anyone had puzzled him and made him think more. Not even his teachers could do this. He understood things beyond their teaching.

"Teaching says that God accepts all humans and even forgives the wicked," he finally said after thinking about the matter.

"Yes, Highness. I am a servant, a lowly one at that, Sire. I still have a life and I fear not living, your Highness."

He expected that she had also taken the time while he did to rethink her answer so that he could understand. It angered him. Yet it helped enlighten him. It frustrated him more than anything.

"So…you fear not death but not living?" InuYasha said. It is a different way to look at it. God did bring the wicked to Heaven but he did take their life.

"Yes, Sire. I fear not living with my lowly life that I have, your Highness," Kagome said. She finally got out what she meant to say. It is hard to explain her feelings. It is even harder to explain them to a prince. She didn't know how much more stress she could take.

"You are very peculiar," InuYasha noted to her. She had calmed his anger once again.

"I am sorry that is something I cannot change, your Highness."

"Heh." She is also amusing. InuYasha found himself wanting to know her name. "I have not seen you around the castle."

"That is because I just started not the long ago, your Highness."

"Yet, you know your place well."

"I am taught very well, Sire."

"Heh. What is your name?"

Kagome's face flushed. "Why did a prince want to know the name of a mere servant?" She thought. She didn't understand this man. She had heard rumors of him being cold, cruel, and heartless. He had shown none of that today. She had to admit he had a temper. She did not fear that he would take her life. She believed that he would more than likely do things in his power to save those who are supposed to be put to death.

"My name is not that important to someone such as great as you, your Highness," she finally told him.

"According to you it's still a life. A life is worth living. So in turn if a life is worth living then a name should be known. What is your name?" It annoyed him that she wouldn't tell him her name.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi, your Highness," the girl about his appearance age said.

"Kagome means woven basket," InuYasha stated. "Your knowledge and ability for depth is far greater than my teachers. A woven basket in that way would appear to fit. Higurashi is that of sunset. Does it mean beauty or something else?"

Kagome coughed. He complimented her so much. It is too much for a mere servant. Her head swayed filled with unknown thoughts.

"Your Highness, I do not deserve such flattery," Kagome told him. "I doubt that I am consider beautiful, your Highness."

"Heh, I will be the judge of that," InuYasha said to her.

Kagome froze. She wasn't allowed to look upon the prince. It isn't a place for him to look at her.

"Heh, resume your work. I want to keep your company still," InuYasha said to her. She amused him so. He liked how her body openly reacted upon his whims.

Kagome stood up on shaky legs. Her hand reached into her woven basket and pulled out a silk sheet. She dropped it.

"Hmmm…" InuYasha said watching her. He smiled amused with her actions.

She blushed and picked it back up checking to see if is still clean. Luckily it is. There is no spot on it. She worked putting it on the line.

A/N This story had the habit of growing on its own. If you have read please review. I take into account all reviews good or bad. I cannot become a better writer if I don't have nothing to work with.