Part I

What a beautiful night...Chocolate brown eyes gaze up at the full moon and the millions of lit stars that decorated the beautiful night sky. A small smile graced her ivory lips as she let out a content sigh. This was the only time in her busy life that she had to herself and she was determined to keep it.

"Lady Kagome! Lady Kagome, where are you?" a shrill voice sounded throughout the hills and the young woman sighed. She knew her short-lived peace of mind was now forever ruined. She turns around looks up at the owner of the voice. She was a short little lady with silky chestnut hair that was held beck with a scrunchie. Her brown doe eyes sparkled in the light and lit up her pale complexion. She bore the ancient kimonos of Japan from years ago. The girl smiled at the sight of her amah.

"Oh, hello Ms. Rin," the girl named Kagome replied.

"Lady Kagome, where have you been? The King and Queen have been worried sick about you," the woman named Rin spoke with such urgency.

"I am truly sorry, Ms. Rin, but I just came to this hill to gaze at the stars, is all. There was no wrong committed." the young woman said with a slight bow. The small lady named Rin seem panicked stricken and quickly replied,

"Oh Lady Kagome! You are to never bow to the Help! What would your mother and father say if they were to see you do such a thing?"

"Oh Rin, I do not care what they have to say. If I am to become Queen one day, I want to be a pleasant queen that bows to anyone and thinks of none lower than herself," she said with a wave of her hand.

"But Lady Kagome-"

"No buts Rin. I want you to stop this foolish thinking that you are lower than I. Treat yourself like a woman should be treated-like a queen."

"But Lady Kagome, I am no queen. Iwill never become a queen, so please stop filling my head with those ridiculous thoughts and follow me back to the castle," she said demandingly. She grabbed the princess's wrist and pulled her back to the castle, where was was certain that she would receive a scolding for her wandering away from the castle at night.

0o0

"Kagome, what did I tell you about wandering away from the castle at night? Do you not know how dangerous it is for a princess of your status?"

She rolled her brown eyes mentally and replied, "But Father, I never have any alone time for me during the day and the only time I do have always seem to be at night-"

"So why can't you just stay in your room and write in that book of yours?"

Mother, it's called a diary and no, that gets boring after a while. I want to be able to walk around away from the castle."

"Well, if you want to go walk around, why don't you just travel around the castle or go visit your friends?"

"What are you talking about Mother? I have no friends."

"Well, go make some. Now be gone from my sight."

"Yes Father." she bowed and left to go to her room.

0o0

"Oooh! They get on my nerves so much!: the darl eyed girl muttered as she slammed her bedroom door and stomped over to her patio window. She rest her arms across the railing and leaned forward to gaze upon the moonlit garden. She sighed in defeat as she watched her parents stroll out of the castle hand in hand. She sighed again as she watched them share a brief but sweet kiss and continued on their way.

She wished her parents would understand that she didn't want to live like this. She wanted to live like a normal 17-year-old. she wanted to be able to go to the malls with friends and buy clothes and take stupid pictures of themselves and say that they were hot. Oh how much she wanted that sweet and savoring taste, but she knew that she would never be granted such sweet freedom like that. Now with how strict and close-minded her parents were, that is.

She perked her head up and looked towards the door when she heard a gently knock against its mahogany wood. "Lady Kagome?"

A perplexed look came to her face as she moved away from the windowsill and walked gracefully over to the door. she grasped the knob and snatched it open. Her ivory lips curved into a smile as she gazed at the young servant who stood timidly on the other side. She watched in amusement as the servant moved back and forth on her feet, her green eyes never leaving her eyes.

What pretty eyes, Kagome thought. Now becoming self-conscious with her intense stare, she moved her eyes away and asked authoritatively, "Yes? How may I help you?"

The young servant snapped out of her daze and a faint blush came to her cheeks. "Oh...uh...I was sent here by the King and Queen to start my chores." she said softly as she lowered her head, her honey brown bangs blocking her eyes.

Kagome nodded her understanding and moved back to her original spot by the window. She listened as the girl took a step inside and closed the door silently. Kagome glanced back over to where the servant had begun sweeping the floor and let her brown eyes linger on her face.

She had a heart shaped face with hypnotizing spring garden green eyes. Her long honey brown locks were held up in a high ponytail. Her full rosy lips were set in a small frown as she concentrated on her duties. She smiled a bit before returning her eyes to the garden that sat below her. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes.

"Lady Kagome?" She opened her eyes and turned around to the maid.

"Yes?"

"If you do not mind my asking, but is there something the matter?"

"Oh, 'tis nothing that you would like to hear, is all."

"But I do, Lady Kagome. Can I be of any assistance?" the green eyed girl moved closer to Kagome as she spoke each word.

Kagome smiled and replied, "Okay, if you really want to know. It's just...my parents do not understand me, at all."

"What do you mean they do not understand you, My Lady?"

"Well, they don't understand that I do not want this type of lifestyle. I mean, sure I get to go to extravagant parties and go to grand openings and everything, but I don't get to do normal things." She sighed and looked back out the window.

"Well, Lady Kagome, I share your pain. You see, I am nothing but a lowly servant and I do not get the chance to hang out and be normal either. I don't even have friends to talk to when I have a day off, so I understand your predicament."

"Well, would you like me to be your first friend then?" Kagome asked as she looked back to the girl that stood before her. The girl's eyes grew wide as she dropped the wooden broom to the floor.

"Oh no Lady Kagome! I couldn't!" she cried. She bent back down to grab the forgotten broom, but stopped when slender pale fingers circled around her wrist and kept a firm grip. She looked up into choclate eyes and blushed. Her eyes...they're so beautiful...

"Yes you can. Now tell me your name, please?" Kagome whispered as she kept her wrist in her hand.

"Um...it's Sango..." she replied softly, her cheeks flushing a light pink. She watched as a small smile come to Kagome's lips.

"Well Sango...I don't want you to call me Lady Kagome anymore. I would like it if you would call me just Kagome."

"But Lady Kagome, if your mother or father were to hear me refer to you by your name, they would have me thrown into the dungeon." she cried.

"You don't have to worry about my parents Sango. they wouldn't do anything to my friend."

Sango stared at her as thoughts jumbled around in her mind. Her heart raced at the thought of having a friend for once, but it also raced at the thought of the King and Queen finding out and throwing her into the dungeon to be beaten until she was dead. She couldn't take all the thoughts that was processing in her mind so she snatched her wrist out of Kagome's hand and stood to her feet.

"I must make my leave, your Highness. Obviously, you are not well and is hallucinating such horrid things that pertain to such a lowly maid and servant. Good day to you, Lady Kagome," she said quickly as she bowed and went to leave the room.

Before she was able to open the door, Kagome called out to her.

"Wait! Sango, don't leave," she cried as she grabbed the maid's wrist and spun her around to face her. "Stop thinking you are lower than I. You need to treat yourself with respect."

"Lady Kagome, please listen to me. Stop with your ridiculous way of thinking, okay? I do not want my hopes to crash down on me."

"Listen Sango, you are going to stop your ridiculous way of thinking, okay? You are my friend and you are going to accept that you will forever be part of royalty."

Thoughts ran through her mind once more as she went over the information. Can I actually be part of royalty with my friendship with Lady Kagome? "Lady Kagome...I mean, Kagome," a smiled came across Kagome's lips when she realized her new friend took such a huge leap, "do you actually want to be my friend? Do you really think that your parents would accept me as your friend?"

"Yes they would. And if they don't. then oh well, because you will stay my friend forever."

Tears brimmed her green eyes as she wrapped her arms around Kagome. "Thank you Kagome."