Knight in Shining Armor by Blue_Rose

A Prince and a Princess

After curtsying to Inutaishou, Kagome looked up the steps at the two princes; they looked almost exactly alike except for their height and manner. The smaller one was fidgeting and pulling at his clothes while the elder had an expression of complete boredom on his face.

"Kagome, meet Prince InuYasha and Prince Sesshoumaru, your betrothed" Inutaishou introduced them. She didn't know what betrothed meant, but she smiled up at them.

"Boys why don't you go play with Kagome in your room?" the queen suggested to her sons. Kagome skipped up to them and took both of their hands in her own, never noticing Sesshoumaru stiffen.

At their room InuYasha led her off to begin playing with his wooden blocks as Sesshoumaru started to read the rest of the book he had been reading. It wasn't long, though, before he felt something tug on his sleeve and looked down to see two pairs of puppy dog eyes staring back at him.

"Take us to the stables Sesshoumaru, please?" the young princess begged, "I want to see the horses." Sesshoumaru sighed and got up, Kagome squealed and an out the door with InuYasha in tow.

He walked after them tiredly, why was he stuck baby sitting these two? Sure she was his betrothed and a very sweet little princess, but couldn't they just let him sit down and finish his book?

He arrived just in time to see the sweet little princess clamoring up his father's warhorse. He gaped at her amazed, that horse bit anyone, other than the Taisho family, who tried to touch it. Yet here it was, nuzzling her as she fed him a carrot.

he felt a familiar tug on his sleeve, "I want to ride Tempest too!" InuYasha whined. Sesshoumaru lifted him onto the horse's back and led them out onto the nearby forest trail. The two seven year olds giggled and whispered two each other as he led them along.

Suddenly they came upon a slow creek and Kagome made an announcement, "I want to make mud pies."

"Me too, me too!" InuYasha squealed, almost falling off the horse in his excitement. Sesshoumaru smiled slightly as he imagined the picture the two would make with their fine clothes covered in mud.

"what's so funny?" Kagome demanded, Sesshoumaru chuckled at the cute little pout on her face as he told them that they couldn't because of their clothes. The two tried puppy dog eyes that usually never failed but he just shook his head, grinning, and led them back to the palace.

When it came time for the princess' visit to end she gave each boy a small kiss on the cheek, standing on tiptoes to reach Sesshoumaru. "See you!" she smiled as she called back to them, waving her arms like crazy. But the little princess did not see the two princes until fourteen years had passed.

*Fourteen years later*

Kagome was again before the steps of Inutaisho's throne. he had not changed much, only a few new lines around his eyes. However the two princes had grown up. Sesshoumaru wore a loose white shirt with a midnight blue tunic and blackish-brown pants; InuYasha wore almost the same except he had on a crimson tunic, both wore their long hair pulled back and tied. they bowed stiffly, but only InuYasha gave her a small grin.

"InuYasha, Sesshoumaru, why don't you show Kagome around the castle?'Inutaishou said. InuYasha offered her his arm and they exited the large chamber.

Once out of the throne room kagome asked, "Where to Sesshoumaru?"

He stared at her coldly and said, "Girl, you may call me Crown Prince Sesshoumaru."

InuYasha winced at the cruelty from his brother and was about to try and defend Kagome when she quickly did it herself, "And you may call me Crown Princess Kagome." InuYasha grinned, finally a girl who wasn't going to let herself be pushed around.

"Tell me princess, do you still like to make mud pies?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

"No, Crown Prince Sesshoumaru" she said sarcastically. "Now I like to wack people with a sword. Would you like to try?"

"No one can beat me at swordplay."

"That is an empty boast, " she said as she walked toward her rooms, "as you have yet to see me fight." With that she shut the door behind her.

Sesshoumaru turned to InuYasha, "I am going to the library. Go ahead and show her around, but do not forget your history and statescraft lessons at noon. InuYasha stood there a moment, but finally couldn't take it anymore and burst into his room to change.

When he returned in some old, comfortable clothes kagome had still not appeared. he knocked softly, "Princess, Sesshoumaru is gone. Do you want me to show you around?"

kagome popped out, she was dressed in clothes similar to InuYasha's. "You don't have to do that, call me Kagome. Do you think we could go on a ride?"

"Sure" he led her to the stables and took her out through the fields. they talked about things and joked with each other. The time seemed to fly and when InuYasha noticed that the sun was high in the sky he reluctantly told her he had to get back, and she asked him to take her to the library .

*Sesshoumaru in the library*

he saw the girl walk in from where he sat. He was hidden in a window seat, seeing but not seen. She wandered about staring. "This is amazing" she whispered to herself. She grabbed a bunch of books and sat down at the table, sighing happily as she began to read. Hours passed in quiet but Sesshoumaru could not keep his mind on his book. His thoughts kept drifting to his betrothed. She was annoying and stubborn, but he wondered at her claim of skill with the sword. He looked up to see the girl's maid whispering in her ear. she nodded to her and got up to leave. Once she was gone he walked over to examine her choice of literature. There were many legends and classics, but also a fair amount of history and warfare tactics. He pondered silently, there would be a ball the next night, he could ask her about her absurd claim then.