The Fake Princess by Yoru-101

Inconvenient

Family Tree

Prompt: Inconvenient

Word Count: 800

The coarse ground beneath her was not inviting. It wasn’t like the grass she was on just moments ago. The sweet smell of green grass and dirt was gone too.

And I’m not wearing my shoes. Well, this sucks.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. While she knew from the feel of the ground beneath her she was not back where she wanted to be, she at least hoped she was somewhere close. Sadly, no luck.

All around her was a village. A busy village full of people, stalls, all running around in a panic.

No really, a panic.

People were running around frantically, grabbing their things left and right, stuffing them into bags where they probably would fit. Bodies jostled and bumped into her painfully, some even stepping on her toes.

One particularly violent girl shoved her aside so hard she fell hard on her rump. Grumbling to herself as she tried to stand, she heard a loud gasp.

The next thing she knew, she was being grabbed by the very girl that had so very rudely shoved her down, and dragged in the opposite direction of where everyone else was going.

Kagome struggled but to no avail. Either the girl was ridiculously strong or time traveling by herself left her extremely exhausted.

Looking in the direction of where they were going, Kagome noticed a great castle looming over them. Why hadn’t she noticed that before, again? It seemed they were heading straight for it. This caused more panic in Kagome’s brain.

“Hey. Hey! Where are we going? Let go of me! What do you want?”

The girl said nothing. Her lips were pursed into a thin line and she didn’t utter as much as a sound. The look of dread was clearly apparent on her features. Kagome’s gut dropped. This can’t be good.

With an enormous gate coming into view, Kagome say two guards lined at the entrance. With a sigh of relief, she tried to explain her predicament. Surely the girl would have to stop to gain entry to the castle?

Much to Kagome’s chagrin, the guards took one look at her captor, Kagome’s face, and let them inside without a word. Kagome fought the urge to stick her tongue out at them.

The same expressions were met with every person that came upon them. Kagome couldn’t even get a word out.

The large gates of the castle were soon met by the equally large doors of the entrance. The castle corridors flew by her in a blur, they were moving so fast she couldn’t admire the many tapestries that adorned the walls. If it wasn’t for the fact the her kidnapper’s ears were very much rounded, she could have sworn the girl was a demon judging by the speed at which she was pulled.

Finally they slowed. The girl, showing no sign of fatigue stopped in a lavish room with a three sided mirror and a step stool. Four women in elaborate kimonos stood in strategic corners around the room. The walls covered in lavish tapestries of princesses and lords, colours clashed and blended and Kagome was left dizzy from its beauty. Or maybe that was just the running.

Before Kagome could even get to her senses, she was rushed onto the platform and stripped of all her clothing. Kagome protested loudly, but the women had such looks of anguish on their faces that Kagome shut her mouth. Left as naked as the day she was born, Kagome was prodded and stretched and angled and measured within every inch of her body. Various pieces of fabric were held up to her skin to be compared. Each looked as if it cost a fortune. Looking in the mirror, Kagome saw an expression wave through each of the women’s faces. A look of sadness and fear.

After what felt like an eternity in hell, the women brought forth a magnificent violet kimono with white bamboo blossoms entwining their branches around the midnight sky. A gold and silver obi was tied tightly around her waist, and numerous layers were placed underneath.

Her hair was done up in knots of mysterious kinds, and before she could react she was forced from the room and run down the halls once again.

It was a lot harder to run in a long kimono.

They came across a large door, and Kagome was shoved inside without a word. She was shoved so roughly she lost her balance and was forced to her knees by gravity. She cursed under her breath and lifted her head.

She was met with an elderly woman’s teary gaze.

Kagome was about to speak when she was silenced.

A voice like an old willow tree in the wind spoke the words that would lead to Kagome’s undoing.

“Please.” Begged the woman. “You must save us.”

 

INUYASHA © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan • Yomiuri TV • Sunrise 2000
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