Inuyasha 1. Chapter 1: An Eastern Excursion

**Author's Note: **This is my first fanficiton; it's based off of a dream I had. Any reviews or criticisms you might post will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my story!

After many weeks at sea the Dutch trading ship Hollandsche Tuin finally spotted the coast of Japan, though all was not yet over. There were dark clouds brewing on the horizon, and the Captain, spying the danger, turned and yelled to his crew, pointing, "Bring her about and pull her into that cove, there's no way we'll make it to our post at Dejima in this weather! We can ride out the storm in there!"  
The crew quickly set to work at the rigging while the Captain worked the wheel, and after some skilled maneuvering and a couple close calls the ship was finally able to lay anchor in the cove.

"That'll do her, boys! Now load the as much of the cargo as ye can into the rowboats and bring it to shore, we can at least keep that much from going under if the ship doesn't fair well. Remember, if we lose this haul you all can forget about having the coin to pay those fine women you all like in Amsterdam!  
The sailors moved fast, running down into the hold and scrambling up again with crates to load into the rowboats. The sailors made quick work of it and the boats were loaded in just under an hour, every man among them wanting to save the cargo and make their cut of the profits as large as possible. When their business was done, the captain climbed aboard the boats with his men and ordered, "Lower us down, we're off to shore!"

With the rowboats in the water and a small crew left on board the main vessel, the rest of the men rowed nervously yet quickly towards the beach, the seas already choppy from storm.  
"Keep her steady boys!" the captain yelled as a large wave hit, the small boat rocking from the blow. _That was clos..._ the Captain sighed, though his relief was quickly cut short by screams suddenly erupting through the air. The Captain turned frantically looking for the source, finding it oh too quickly,  
"The fools in the next boat loaded it too heavy, that wave knocked them straight over!"  
"Shall we turn around to help them, sir?" asked a sailor.  
"No, the cargo is lost. We shall continue as we were." the Captain replied.  
"I mean the men, sir," said the sailor, interjecting once more.  
"No, If we take them onto the boat we would have to dump some of our cargo. Besides, they can swim. Keep the course."

Several tense minutes later the remaining boats reached the shore, closely followed by the surviving swimmers. The Captain, finding his first mate, ordered,  
"Send out a patrol, let's see if we can't find civilization on this god forsaken island." Then, raising his voice to a shout, he yelled,  
"As for the rest of you, unload the boats and assemble the collapsible carts, then load them up! Get a move on!" The sailors, though exhausted from their previous efforts, scrambled to follow orders. Their pace, though having slowed markedly, still showed similar enthusiasm to that they displayed while still on board the Hollandsche Tuin.

An hour later the patrol returned, arriving slightly after the carts were finished being loaded. One of the returning officers approached the Captain and, saluting, said,  
"Sir, there's a road beyond that hill over yonder," pointing at a rise a good distance away.  
"Where there's a road, there's a town at the end of it, we'll follow it and maybe find shelter, then see if we can't unload our goods and make some good coin," the Captain relied. Then, turning towards his crew, he ordered,  
"Pick up your carts lads, we'll follow the patrol to the road. Let's get a move on!"

The men, groaning all the while, picked up their carts and began pulling them towards the road, faithfully led by the patrol. Their labor was frequently broken by shouts from the captain, spouting such things as,  
"Pick up the pace men and we'll have a warm bed tonight!" all the way to, "You dirty sea dogs, get a move on before I have your hides!"  
The only relief the sailors received from their long string of exertions was reaching the road, which made pulling the carts a great deal easier. However, to the sailors despair, it soon began raining, and the dirt road began to turn into a muddy quagmire, making their jobs harder than ever before. Only after traveling an hour's distance along the road were the sailors given any sort of real respite.

"Halt!" the Captain yelled, and instantaneously every sailor dropped their loads with a sigh of relief, happy to finally have a moments rest.  
"Sailor, what is that coming down the road?" The captain continued, turning towards a nearby fellow whilst pointing at a figure far in the distance. Pulling out his spyglass and looking ahead, the sailor replied,  
"It looks like a villager, and he's coming on fast. Shall we arm the men?"  
"No, guns get a good price in the markets here, no need to make them look used and wet," the Captain retorted. Then, raising his voice, the Captain ordered,  
"I know it pains you men, but we can't stand here in the rain. Continue on!"  
With a great deal of complaining the men picked up their carts once more and continued down the road, and in minutes the villager was upon them. Yelling in Japanese as he ran past, he shouted, "  
Demon! A demon! I saw it in the manor up ahead! You must turn around! "  
"What has that man so riled up? Quickly, I know one of you speaks Japanese, what's he saying?" the Captain barked.  
"He's yelling about demons, sir." said the first mate, stepping forward.  
"Damned fool jap; pagans they are, the lot of em! Demons, hah! He probably saw an animal, or who knows what. Even so, we best be prepared anyways, even if it is just a bear or something of the like," the Captain replied, not wishing to risk more men's lives with his heart already heavy from having lost some men at the rowboats. Pausing, he yelled,  
"Each man grab a musket!"  
"I thought him to be mad, but now I know for sure! Hes afraid of demons." joked one sailor to another.  
Overhearing, the Captain barked, "That's enough! Now do as you're told!"

The sailors then crowded around the munitions carts, all the while chuckling at their fellow's joke or telling new ones at the Captain's expense. They then took to loading their guns, and, once finished, the group continued onwards down the road. Moments later as the party of sailors crossed over a hill, a silhouette of a nobleman's estate appeared in the distance. Remembering the villager's words a couple of the more superstitious men seemed visibly shaken, though most took no heed of the villager's words.

After an hour and a half of dragging their carts through the mud with muskets slung around their backs, the sailors finally approached the manor gates. There before them stood a splendid mansion upon a hill with a great lawn surrounding it, all ringed by a short wall. The Captain, ordering his men to halt, gazed at the manor a moment and wondered as to if he and his men could enter and wait out the storm inside. Just then the party spotted a figure appearing at the mansion's door. The sailors, most at least partially superstitious, seemed at least a little uneasy. The Captain, noticing the change in his men, took out his spyglass and surveyed the scene.  
"Demon, hah! It is only the master of the house coming out to greet us! Stand easy boys, we shall have warm beds tonight!"  
The men, calmed, looked on as the nobleman slowly approached the gates. When he was well within sight the Captain looked more closely at the man, thinking,  
_White hair, pointed ears, purple tattoos? That's Japanese gentry I suppose; hopefully he's civilized..._  
Reaching the gates, the nobleman paused, swung open the large iron doors, then spoke to them calmly but threateningly in Japanese. Translating, the first mate said,  
"He says his name is Inutaisho, the Lord of the Western Lands, and we're trespassing in his domain. He wants us to turn around and leave or suffer the consequences,"  
"After all these hours of trudging around in the rain I shall do no such thing, especially with some sort of civilization within reach, no sir! Let's see if we can't have him let us stay the night, go ahead, ask him! Tell him we have silver to pay!" the Captain urged.

The first mate began to translate, but, eager to get inside, the men began to crowd forward and inch their way towards the gate. Seeing this Inutaisho drew his sword, the blade being unsheathed from its scabbard in the blink of an eye.  
The men, startled, quickly fumbled for their muskets. The Captain, taken aback, said surprised "By God, does he truly mean to attack us?...Men, Present!" The sailors, rushing to obey, quickly raised their muskets. Inutaisho, feeling he's waited long enough, and, being tired of watching the human's sad display, lunged at their entire party with all intent to cut the sailors down with one fell swoop.  
"Fire!" the Captain yelled, and the sound of muskets firing rang out as their shots rippled through the air. It was over in an instant, with ten bullets hitting their marks just as Inutaisho reached the sailors ranks. Inutaisho, stopped cold, tumbled through the sailor's impromptu line. Getting up quickly as he could Inutaisho limped into the surrounding woods before the sailors could get up again and reload. Were it not for his great speed it is certain that a great many more bullets would have found their marks, with many sailors not turning their guns towards Inutaisho quickly enough to hit such a agile and fast moving target.

'What the hell was that!' was all that Inutaisho could think as he stumbled into the woods. Never before have humans been that bold before him, nor have they ever wielded such a devastating weapon again him. In great pain, Inutaisho limped towards a tree and collapsed onto the floor, sitting with his back against a mighty oak. Looking down, he saw his breastplate riddled with holes, blood spouting from each at a threatening rate.  
_How can humans truly be capable of this?_ He wondered with a look of both great pain and shock on his face. Feeling himself grow weaker, he struggled to remove his armor so he might get to his wounds and treat them. Hearing the humans supposedly congratulating each other in their strange tongue, he thought  
_I must hope they don't continue after me._ Then, surprised by what he was thinking, he continued,  
_brought to this, cowering from humans. Now that I know their trick I shall never allow this to happen again._ Then, grunting in pain, he removed his chest piece, which he saved for last. Coughing up blood, he saw his bare chest and the great severity of his wounds. His torso had no less than ten bullet wounds, blood still pouring from each. Wincing in pain he grabbed for his kimono and began to tear a long strip of cloth from its bottom as quickly as he could, hurrying as he felt himself growing ever weaker. Once finished he struggled to sit up, and, with great pain and effort, he finally managed to accomplish this feat. Still hurrying, he then wrapped the cloth around his wounds in his effort to stop the bleeding. Just as he finished tying the bandage he slipped into unconsciousness, his body going limp and falling back against the tree.

The sailors, now at the Mansion's heavy door with their carts safely stowed away in the estate's stables, were contemplating as to how they would get inside. Shoving his way to the front of the group the Captain approached the door, then turned around to look over his men's eager faces. He knew exactly what they wanted, and he planned to give it to them.  
"Pour some powder into the lock boys, we'll blow it open! We'll wait out the storm in the late noble's château here, and any loot brought to the ship from this place shall be distributed amongst the crew!"  
The sailors let out a great cheer, then brought a small powder barrel to the door. They emptied a good amount of gunpowder into the keyhole, then placed a fuse in after it. Lighting the fuse off, the men ran for cover, and in moments the door was blown wide open with a loud bang. Without a moment's hesitation the men leapt up and ran towards the door and into the castle, most either searching for the kitchens or the wine cellar.

Strolling in after his men, the Captain thought,  
_I might as well take a look around myself before the place is ransacked and looted to hell. God may damn these men but I'm not inclined!_  
Trying to look dignified in his stride as a captain should, he made a point to set himself apart from his rowdy men. Looking about the foyer the Captain decided to go down a small and unillustrious looking hallway to his left where none of his men had yet gone, hoping to be unbothered and perhaps get his own personal piece of loot. Walking halfway down the hall he nonchalantly looked into a small room. Shocked by what he saw, his eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat. Standing before him on the far end of the room was the very same nobleman from earlier, clutching a sword and staring straight at him. Looking down while fumbling for his pistol, the Captain wrenched it from its holster and fired a shot at the noble, landing the bullet square in Inutaisho's chest. The Captain then cringed, protecting his face with his hands whilst waiting for some sort of returning blow. A moment passed, and nothing came. Removing his hands from his face the Captain took a closer look at the scene. He fired his gun at a portrait  
_Life sized...perhaps the lads were right, I am going mad._  
Relieved, he chuckled to himself as he re-holstered his pistol. Just when he began to relax he heard a baby's cry ring out across the room. Intrigued, he began to look around for the source of the sound. He found it quickly; on a nearby table lay a basket with swaddling clothes inside. Approaching the table, he reached out pushed back some of the cloth, revealing a baby Sesshoumaru inside. He stared down it at the child, and it stared back up at him.

_This could prove to be interesting,_ The Captain surmised, though his thoughts were cut short by the sound of running in the hall, and shortly after his first mate and five other men burst into the room.  
"What happened, sir?" the first mate inquired.  
"Indeed, we heard a shot sir! Are you alright?" asked another man.  
"I'm fine! That's all you need to know." The captain replied, annoyed. Then beckoning for his first mate to come, he said,  
"Look what I've found here!"  
The first mate, eyeing the baby, replied, "My god, it's a child, a baby at that! He must be that Nobleman's son...they have the same white hair, and he's tattooed similarly as well! Almost in the same manner as his father I must say."  
The Captain, agreeing, said, "Indeed, the tattoos must be part of some strange pagan Japanese ritual, I mean one of them's a crescent moon of all things."  
As men began to crowd around, the Captain raised his voice and continued,  
"Don't be getting any ideas boys, I'll be taking the child!"  
_He'll be a novelty in Europe, people will pay good coin to see him! Rare child from the far east I'll say! _The captain thought to himself pleased as he left the room, basket in his hand, Sesshoumaru swaying gently about with the Captain's stride.

The party waited out the night in the manor, all but the captain indulging on the fine wines and cuisine in the noble's estate. Instead he found a few weeks worth of food for the child and ate simply himself, kept company by his own thoughts.  
_Strange child this one is, he seems bereft of emotion, and he does not cry out often, at least much less baby normally does,_ the Captain observed.  
The night did not last long in the manor, as the men fell to sleep quickly in their exhausted and drunken state. The next morning the Captain awoke his men and ordered them to set out down the road in order to find a town, which they did in short order. They traded their unused firearms and other goods to the villagers for whatever it was they saw that could not be found in Europe. They then set back towards the Inutaisho's manor, returning at midday to take whatever plunder they could still carry. Once finished they loaded up their carts and pulled them past the mansion gates and began down the road, back towards their ship.

It was then that Inutaisho awoke from his unconscious stupor. "Ugh, my head..." he complained to himself aloud. He had the most splitting headache he had ever had in his life, though it was nothing compared to the great agony from his chest that just began to hit him. Grunting in pain he put his hands to his chest, trying to alleviate his suffering, though it was of no use. He tried to remember how he got there and what happened to him, but he could hardly think straight after losing so much blood. It was then that he heard the creaking of carts and the sailor's strange tongued chatter, and then all of the events of the day before rushed back to him.

_Them..._ he lamented, thoughts of revenge quickly coming to his mind. Though in great pain, he struggled to hoist himself up, but it was no use, and he was forced down again, once again falling back against the tree.  
_I can't just sit here with those...people having inflicted so much distress upon me, and likely having ruined my estate,_ he resolved, coughing up blood from his latest exertion. Then, grabbing a nearby stick, Inutaisho threw his weight onto it and slowly managed to lift himself up. Proud of himself for having accomplished such a feat, he re-donned his blood stained kimono and limped towards the road and towards the sailors, unsure what his next move would be.

Hiding behind a tree at the road's side, Inutaisho watched as the sailors clambered past, carts in hand. Spying the Captain, he pledged to himself,  
_That bastard, I'll have his neck, he need only wait._  
It was then he saw the captain stumble over a rut in the road, and he heard a babe's voice cry out. Seeing his son's basket in the Captain's hand, it took all of his will to prevent himself from crying out in sheer anger.  
_If he thought he could escape my vengeance before...I promise I shall find your throat, human, and I shall never rest until you are slain and I have my son back in my arms._

Following the sailors as best he could, Inutaisho managed to trail behind the their party and track them back to the cove, and thus, their ship. The sailors were relieved to get their haul back to the Hollandsche Tuin without incident, and their spirits were raised high as they saw their vessel wasn't dashed against the rocks as they all feared. Unaware were they of their pursuer, though they needn't have been worried about him in his present state. They then set to work and loaded up their rowboats, and after began rowing part of their haul towards the ship. Once the sailors were well on their way and close to their trusty caravel Inutaisho discreetly walked onto the beach and stole away a barrel of sake. With great effort he rolled it as far from the beach as possible, then emptied its contents onto the ground. He then rolled the barrel back into position, lifted its lid, and climbed inside, waiting to be taken aboard.


	2. Chapter 2: Sealed in Tight

_Damn these humans, stealing my son away from me. As soon as my wounds heal I swear to any god that's listening I'll hunt these men until I draw my last breath,_ an enraged Inutaisho thought to himself, just as he has been thinking since these humans first appeared in his life.  
_Is there any crueler fate one can suffer? Reduced to hiding whilst his family is wrenched from him?_  
Then, trying to clear his head and calm his boiling blood, he reasoned,  
_Recounting my woes helps me little, it seems all I can do is wait and to be taken aboard...But what if I am found? I can't stop them, not like this, nor could I track a ship across the sea..._ Sighing, he continued, _thinking seems to be helping me little, and I am so tired..._

Right as he was about to drift into unconsciousness once more he heard Dutch voices speaking nearby. Shortly after Inutaisho felt his barrel being picked up by the humans. _All I can do is hope I 'm not found_ he resolved, though this revelation certainly did not stop him from worrying.  
"I remembering us filling all these barrels to the top with sake, why's this one so much lighter? and look at this!" a sailor exclaimed, speaking to his fellow holding the barrel's other end as he shook the barrel. "I don't hear any splashing either!"  
"Why don't we just open the damned thing? That'll set all this nonsense to rest," the other sailor suggested.  
_Damn their infernal tongue, if only they spoke in a civilized language, Japenese,_ Inutaisho lamented, cursing the shaking, which served to split open one of his wounds.  
"If the captain sees you two going through the cargo, he'll think you're stealin' and he'll keelhaul yah, or worse, leave you stranded on this rock called Japan." a third sailor chimed in.  
"Blast it, he's right! Looks like we won't know what's inside until we hit Amsterdam." the first sailor said, disheartened.

After an hours more work the sailors finally managed to finish loading the last bits of merchandise onto their rowboats, and shortly after Inutaisho felt the men push the boat off into the water then clamber aboard.  
_It's about time these damned humans got going. If what they have already done to me, the Lord of the Western Lands, isn't insufferable enough, to force me to wait another moment in this barrel is even more an insult._ an enraged Inutaisho told himself. To his despair this was only one of the first of his recent set of woes in the barrel, as the still choppy seas served to tilt the rowboat heavily with the waves. Thus Inutaisho was tossed about in his barrel, and it took all of his will not to cry out in pain over his wounds. To his luck he passed out halfway on his journey towards the ship, and he was spared the chance of being found out so soon in his quest to recover his newborn son.

Waking up hours later, Inutaisho noticed the barrel had been turned upright, and, most importantly, went still. After listening a moment, he thought,  
_It seems I'm alone, and thank the heavens for it._  
Extending his hand upward he tentatively began pushing the cork stopper slowly out of its place at the top of the barrel. With a light pop the cork was removed from its place, and, as Inutaisho hoped, no light entered his sake scented prison.  
_Perfect, they must have put me into the ship's hold. In but a few day's time I'll have healed, and not long after the sailors will probably pull into a port. I need only bide my time and when the moment is right these humans shall find their blood on my hands and my son will be back in my arms. Their weapons shall not surprise me again._ Inutaisho thought, eagerly anticipating the moment of his revenge.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Inutaisho quietly opened the barrel's lid and replaced the barrel's cork stopper. Just as he slipped inside his hiding place once more the hold's door opened, and he heard a large amount of men step inside.  
"Alright, let's begin securing the cargo." a sailor barked, and his fellows diligently began their task.  
_It seems I'll have to wait until things quiet down until I can leave this god forsaken barrel Inutaisho lamented, knowing his blood soaked bandages needed replacing. Having only his thoughts for company he waited, the loud noise of moving and tethering crates combined with the sailor's incessant chatter preventing Inutaisho from resting his heavily taxed body. After what seemed like six hours of waiting, the last of the sailors finished their work and left, leaving Inutaisho in long awaited loneliness. Pressing himself onto the top the barrel, Inutaisho thought to himself,__  
__Finally,__  
__and with one great push and a resounding grunt he managed to wrench the lid from the top of the barrel and pull himself outside into the ship's hold.___

_Damn these wounds, making something as simple as removing the top from a barrel into arduous task.__  
__Inutaisho thought to himself, frustrated. Taking a moment to look around the room Inutaisho began to feel hunger pains hit him, and he remembered he hadn't eaten for what he thought to be a little over a day. Sniffing the air, he managed to track down a crate full of salted beef. Wresting it's lid from its place with a great amount of effort, he removed a large piece of meat and ate it hungrily, with no regard to his typical lordly manners.__  
__One day before I wouldn't have even considered touching this human garbage, let alone eat it. It's hardly fit for one of their peasants. Well, maybe with some food in me at least I'll finally begin to heal, he thought to himself dejectedly whilst eating.__  
__Now just to re-dress my wounds,__he continued once finished.___

_After a great deal more of searching Inutaisho managed to find s crate full of Japanese silks.__  
__At least these will make a bandage befitting my rank Inutaisho thought to himself, pleased with his find.__  
__He quickly set to work creating a bandage, carefully ripping the silk into its desired form. Once finished he removed his kimono then his old bandages, and what he saw underneath surprised him.__  
__It doesn't even seem like I've begun healing, how is this possible?__  
__It was then that he noticed a strange metallic odor emanating from his wounds that was almost completely masked by the overwhelming smell of his blood. After thinking for a long moment he finally recognized the scent.__  
__Lead, damn it all, no wonder. I'll have to take it out somehow.___

_Inutaisho shuddered at the thought, knowing he would have to reopen his wounds and somehow remove the bullets lodged deep inside of him. He readied himself for this dreaded task, removing more silk from the crate and laying it on the floor as to soak up any more blood he would lose. He then dug his claws into the crate and pulled, eventually wresting two small pieces of wood from one of the boards. Using his claws once more he fashioned the wood into two chopstick sized sticks. With this done he was finally ready to begin this most painful piece of work. Propping himself up against the crate he laid down on the silks, holding the two wood pieces like chopsticks whilst he brought them towards his chest. Next he drove the two pieces of wood inside one of his wounds as carefully as he could, tearing open his gash once more. In an extreme show of willpower he barely made a sound as he forced the wood deep inside of him, and with only a soft grunt he grasped the bullet with his makeshift chopsticks and removed it along with a small chunk of his flesh. Greatly relieved his first effort in his long trial was over, he went limp, dropping his surgeon's tools and allowing himself a few minutes rest until his next exertion.___

_This went on for the next hour, with every few minutes Inutaisho paining himself to remove another bullet from himself. Once finished eight bloody and flesh covered bullets laid beside him, and the silks under him were covered in his precious life's blood.__  
__The rest of the lead must passed clear through me.__Inutaisho surmised when he failed to find a bullet in some of his wounds.__  
__Knowing he could not remain conscious much longer he rebadged his torso as best he could and then gathered up the bloodied silks on the floor, stuffing them inside their crate along with the bullets and his improvised surgical tools. To his relief his blood did not seep through the silks and onto the floorboards, and, pleased that at least that much afforded to him, he redonned his blood stained kimono climbed back into his barrel and replaced the lid. This time he welcomed the coming darkness as he slipped into unconsciousness, glad he would finally be free of the pain n his wounds and his heart that has followed him insistently ever since his first encounter with the Dutch sailors.___

_Waking up a week later, Inutaisho wondered where he was, though he was reminded all too quickly when he felt the rocking of the boat and his fiercely aching body from beinging cramped into the barrel for so long. Hearing that he was alone, he slipped out of the barrel and ate his fill of salted beef as he did before, aware he must have been asleep for a long time for his hunger to be so great. He then removed his bandages to redress his wounds, and he was glad to find they were well on their way to healing. Creating a new bandage he rebound his chest then climbed once more into his barrel and into hiding, now only needing to wait until the ship docked to make his move.___

_A similar routine carried on for almost a week, Inutaisho slipping out a few times a day when the hold was quiet to eat his fill and take care of his wounds then concealing himself once again within the sake barrel. Thanks to his superior demon healing ability his body fully recovered within a week, and to his immense pleasure there was not even a scar upon his once again perfect body.___

_Though he could still feel the ship rocking on the sea, he knew it wasn't often that Japanese ships left the sight of shore. Thus, after waiting a few days more, Inutaisho grew impatient and told himself,__  
__It's finally time to finish this ordeal, I'll find my son then swim to shore.__  
__Climbing out of his barrel he strode with purpose out of the hold and began marching upstairs towards the deck, murder in his eyes. While traveling up the stairs he glanced though a crack between two of the ships boards he saw the sea stretching out endlessly onto the horizon.__  
__Worried for only a moment, Inutaisho then reasoned,__  
__Land must be on the other side of the ship. I need not worry myself over nothing.___

_Despite his self assurances, Inutaisho knew that these humans were different than no other he's ever encountered, and he feared the worst. Thus left the stairway and strode to towards the other side of the ship, wanting to make sure he was near land before he did anything foolish, like kill the crew and strand himself in the middle of what he presumed to be the sea of Japan. Thankfully the sailors also used the middeck as a storage room, and he need not have worried about running into any of the Dutch there. Striding towards a gun port, Inutaisho pushed it open and looked outside. What he saw surprised him, and his worst fears were confirmed. Here too the sea stretched on endlessly. Just to make sure there was no chance of finding land, he stuck his head outside the gun port. He looked past the bow, and then aft of the ship, realizing there was no land in any direction.___

_How?__Inutaisho thought to himself, once again perplexed by this new breed of men. Darting back into the ship's hold, Inutaisho thought, dumbstruck,__  
__What could these damned humans be up to? Are they fools sailing this far from land? It seems once again I'm resigned to waiting; even if I free Sesshoumaru from their wretched hands, I'll never make it to shore.__With this thought he climbed dejectedly back into the sake barrel, that once murderous look on his eyes replaced with one of defeat. All he could do then was wonder where the ship was taking him and when he would finally be able to make his move.___

_For what seemed like an eternity a growingly depressed Inutaisho continued his daily routine week after week, with long periods of boredom broken only by the moments he stole out of is barrel to eat. When he was just about to give up hope, he heard a great deal of activity and shouts from up deck, and he noticed the boat stopped rocking about as it had before. With great flourish Inutaisho climbed out of the barrel for what he hoped to be the last time. Looking up, he saw that the entry to the hold was now barred by a normally open heavy oak door. Not about to be stopped, he walked up to the door, grabbed the handle, and pulled with all of his might. The door wouldn't budge, built sturdily and locked tight to keep out looters from the docks before the ship was allowed to unload.__  
__After all this they cannot think a door will stop me.__Inutaisho thought to himself just before he sent a flying kick at the door. To his surprise, the door held firm once. He tried again, throwing his entire weight against the door, but it was to no avail. The thick oak combined with Inutaisho's poor diet and months of inactivity have finally taken their toll.__  
__So close to ending all of this, and something so simple as a door is stopping me. How can it have come to this...__Inutaisho lamented as he climbed once again into his barrel and into hiding. Is there no crueler fate than this? Freedom and my son all within grasp, yet denied to me because of less than a foot of wood__an increasingly disheartened Inutaisho thought to himself.__  
__For three days he was forced to wait, until one morning he was finally awoken by the sound of keys rustling in a lock.___

_"About time we can unload, I think that damned dock master is taking bribes, even ships who came to port two days after us were allowed to use the unloading cranes!" a sailor exclaimed as he opened the door for his fellow crewmates.__  
__It seems now that after all this time I'm finally given my moment,__Inutaisho thought, relishing the moment as he sprung out of the barrel. Surprising the sailors as he jumped out, Inutaisho shoved past them with ease and made his way up deck. Any sailor unfortunate enough to get in Inutaisho's way up deck was sent tumbling down the stairs behind. When Inutaisho finally made it to the ship's deck and stepped outside every sailor on board was dumbstruck as soon as they recognized him. Unbelieving what they saw, many simply stood still and watched as Inutaisho ran across the ship towards the Captain's quarters, while others fled down the gangplank yelling, "Ghost!". Heading towards the back of the ship Inutaisho found the Captain's room quickly. Thankfully the door was unlocked, and Inutaisho opened the door with great relish and walked inside, finally ready to end his nightmare. Taking a quick survey of the room, a look of despair spread across Inutaisho's once vindictive countenance, and, in disbelief, he said aloud, "He's gone."___

_Hearing men coming after him, Inutaisho took a good whiff of the Captain's scent then ran outside. He was moving so fast that when he crossed his pursuers path he shoved them aside with such force that they tumbled to the floor before they could even begin to raise their muskets up, ready to fire. Upon reaching the deck once more he ran down the gangplank as fast as his legs would carry him, and, once at the bottom, he found himself at the end of a dock that led towards a crowded town square.___

_Damn it all, his scent is at least two days old, I can barely smell it it's so faint.__Inutaisho cursed to himself, walking down the dock whilst trying to follow the scent.__  
__The sailors, now all scrambling up onto the deck or running down the gangplank after him, weren't going to wait around for Inutaisho to carefully track the captain's faint scent. The sailors, driven by superstition and fear of the man who seemed to rise from the dead right in their midst, began firing haphazardly at Inutaisho with their muskets. Bullets whizzing all around him, Inutaisho fled, all the while damning the sailor's exploding sticks. Running down the length of dock he entered into the square and found himself at the edge of a rapidly forming crowd. The Captain's scent, lost amongst the mob, caused Inutaisho to panic. He looked up frantically, trying to find a way through the crowd, unsure he had the strength to force his way through such a great mass of humanity. Nothing looked even vaguely familiar, and in desperation he turned towards a nearby woman and asked whilst pointing at the Hollansnche, "The captain of that ship, where has he gone?" Startled, the woman's eyes widened when she saw such a blood soaked man addressing her. Running to get away from Inutaisho, she yelled loudly in Dutch alerting everyone in the crowd of Inutaisho's presence. In a moment all eyes were on Inutaisho. Those nearest to him tried to get as far as possible from him, and the crowd slowly inched backwards. Now everyone in the mob had an explanation for all of the shooting.___

_Confused as to where he was and scared for the fate of his child, Inutaisho knew he had to press on. Walking forward, the crowd began to part before him. It seemed all that was left then was to decide where to begin._


	3. Chapter 3: In the Streets of Amsterdam

Inutaisho stood there dumbstruck amidst a now rapidly dispersing crowd. A rumor that the Grenadier Guards were coming quickly put everyone in their place, scattering the commoners in every direction of the city. Even the sailors were no longer in sight.

_A more common sight, humans running while in my presence. Good thing for it; perhaps now I can finally continue my search. Now, where to begi._.. Inutaisho's thoughts were cut short when his ears picked up the distinct sound of many boots hitting hard against the cobbles.

_Why didn't I notice that before_? he wondered as the sound grew louder and louder, rising above the noise of the quickly lessening crowd. Intrigued, he stayed and listened, and within a few moments a full regiment of Dutch Grenadiers rounded a corner at double time and began filing into the square, ready to disperse whatever remained of the crowd.

Seeing the soldiers only carried spears, Inutaisho was in no hurry to leave right away, preferring to rather watch the human's display and size up their kind in this strange new land.

_Perhaps these humans aren't so different than the ones I know back home, they here also send their men armed to do battle against me._ Inutaisho reasoned as he watched in fascination as the men formed firing lines on the other side of the square, blissfully unaware that he was the quickly becoming the last man, that is to say demon, in the vicinity. When the Grenadiers finished forming Inutaisho was finally broken from his reverie when he took a closer look at the men's weapons.

_Damn, they also carry those same weapons the sailors had, only with knives attached_! Inutaisho realized as his heart skipped a beat. Before he had a chance to react, a voice rang out across the now almost empty square.

"You there, stay where you are!" the regiment's Colonel yelled in Dutch towards Intuaisho, towering above his men as he sat behind them astride his horse. "Are you the one responsible for all of this commotion? Answer me quick or we shall let loose a volley! Even though he did not understand the colonel's words, Inutaisho was not about to stick around.

_Running again from humans..._ Inutaisho disdained the thought, but he could not risk another injury and allow the soldiers to get in between him and him finding his son. Cursing his situation and remembering again his first encounter with the musket armed sailors, he sprinted across the square and into the nearest alley, running down it as fast as his legs would carry him. The Dutch colonel was taken aback by Inutaisho's incredible speed, and he had little time to react before Inutaisho was no longer in sight. Barking an order, he yelled,

"An innocent man would not run! After him men, comb the streets! I want him and any other rioter found, drawn, and quartered!" The grenadiers then rushed to form separate companies, and as each was completed it was led down a different street by it's own individual officer. The colonel joined the largest detachment of soldiers and led them down the very street that Inutaisho ran down not moments before.

"Well get that bastard boys! Men, at the double time!" the colonel yelled, at once quickening his pace with his men to match the beat of the drummer's rapid cadence.

_This should be far enough; it seems I've lost them_ Inutaisho concluded after running a fair distance through the city. Stopping, he found himself standing in the middle of a narrow cobbled street lined with tightly packed with tall and quaint Dutch houses. The local street goers were surprised at the appearance of the oddly dressed and blood stained newcomer, and all began to stare at the dangerous looking stranger in their midst. Quickly realizing he was becoming the center of attention, Inutaisho thought,

_I best find a place to get away from these peasant's prying eyes, besides, I can use a quiet place to think. Not to mention those soldiers are still probably after me. _Then, taking a moment to eye the houses around him, he continued, _One of these will do, perhaps I can find an empty one._

Walking down the street Inutaisho listened for an unoccupied house, and his work made was quite easy as since his arrival everyone on the street didn't dare make a sound or was busy making a point to get out of his way. After traveling down the street a short distance he believed he found what he was looking for. Walking with purpose towards an unlucky house he put his ear up to the door, and listened.

_Excellent_ Inutaisho thought after a moment. He reached for the handle, and, putting some weight behind his push, he forced the door open; the wooden door frame splintering with an audible crack. The people who were still curious enough to remain on the street and watch him lost their nerve when they saw such a feat of strength coming from someone as blood spattered as he.

Stepping inside, the smell was the first thing to hit him._'It smells of death in here_' he noticed as he wrinkled his nose, annoyed,_but at least I'm finally alone_.

Looking around he saw the house was poorly lit and run down, the furniture was dusty and there were cobwebs strewn about in the room's corners. Inutaisho found himself in what looked like a living room, with, among other things, a dusty worn out sofa along with an empty bookshelf and a dirty old fireplace.

_Deserted, good, the last thing I need is some human barging in on me_ Inutaisho thought. Curious as to what else he might find inside, Inutaisho advanced further into the house, and before him laid a long corridor with doors to either side.

_This could prove interesting, perhaps I can find the source of this death ridden odor_, Inutaisho wondered as he entered the hallway, letting himself into the first room he came across.

_A bedroom_, he concluded, seeing a bed and a chest of drawers. Losing interest as the source of the smell was clearly did not lay within the room, he turned to leave, but then a thought hit him.

_Perfect, a dresser, perhaps I can shed my kimono for something less...noticeable_. Though it pained him to lose such a treasured and long held piece clothing, Inutaisho dejectedly opened the dresser drawers.

Picking out the best clothing he could find, he pulled out a pair of wool blue pants and a gold buttoned wool blue tunic with a linen white undershirt.

_A tight fit, but these will have to do_, Inutaisho concluded as he finished donning his newly found apparel. Brushing the dust off a nearby mirror, he looked himself over.

"I look ridiculous, how can anyone think to wear these?" he wondered to himself aloud. Turning around to leave, he spotted a black tricorner hat on the edge of the bed and shoes on the floor nearby. To his relief the shoes fit well, and the hat, though large, fit snugly on his head when he hid his long hair underneath. Eyeing the mirror once more, he mused,

_With the hat hiding my ears I suppose I now look like a proper human_. Then, realizing the gravity of that though, he continued,_ How was I brought to this? Masquerading myself as a human whist amongst them, my son stolen from me and yet to be found_.

The thought of his son renewed the fire within Inutaisho, and, forgetting his curiosity about the house's strange smell; he walked towards the house's door then strode outside once more.

_Now where to begin…_ he asked himself as he paused for a moment outside. The street was still deserted from his previous display, and he was afforded a moment to think. After a short while, the answer came to him_. _

_The docks, his scent is sure to begin there_. Then, not wishing to draw attention to himself, he walked at a quickened pace back towards the docks. Thankfully when he found himself in a crowded street once more his new set of clothes worked like a charm and he didn't draw any unneeded attention.

_I couldn't have hoped this costume to work better_, he thought to himself, pleased. Unheeded, he continued on, and after passing a few blocks he heard a familiar sound.

_Boots..._ he realized after a moment, and undaunted he walked bravely towards them. Within a minute a company of grenadiers, the Colonel at it's head, was upon him. To Inutaisho's relief the soldiers continued right past him, not noticing they just missed their quarry.

The rest of Inutaisho's trip to the dock went without incident, and he managed to find the Captain's scent at a stables.

_He must have hired a horse, _Inutaisho concluded. Following the scent a short ways, he realized,

_the animal's scent buries that of the Captain. I must be careful._ After tracking the scent down a few streets he started to gather some undue attention from the townsfolk.

"It seems we have ourselves a town fool!" a peasant cried out from a quickly forming crowd, laughing at Inutaisho's methodical sniffing of the pavement.

_Damn these peasants! _ Inutaisho despaired, realizing that the crowd's own smell combined with their shuffling feet was masking the horse's scent. Many hours of hard tracking later the sun began to set, and Inutaisho himself at the edge of a road leading out of the city. Though most of the crowd dispersed as the sunlight grew scarce, tracking the Captain's horse's scent became impossible as a great many other horse's scents collided there. The scent lost, he cursed the Captain once more, setting down the road blindly with the memory of his son pulling at his heart strings and driving him ever forward into the unknown.


	4. Chapter 4: A Sideshow at Potsdam

**Authors's Note: **Any reviews or criticisms you might post will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!

There the Captain stood, at the outer gates of the Prussian Royal Palace at Potsdam, baby Sesshoumaru cradled in one of his arms. He, among many others, was waiting for the gates to open so they might gain entry into the palace grounds. It was not two weeks ago that the Captain was in Amsterdam when he heard word that the Queen of Prussia was about to give birth to a hopeful heir, and what better place to test the moneymaking potential of the child than amongst hordes of rich noblemen, he reasoned. Sure, he made some fine coin parading his marvel from the Far East in from of the masses at the Amsterdam market square, but surely nothing compared to the kind of wealth he expected to pour into his purse that day at the palace. Why, he already made twenty silver thalers entertaining bored lesser nobles waiting outside along with him. Thankfully his status as an officer in the Dutch East India Company would allow him access into the palace grounds, as that alone made him a gentleman despite his rough attitude and appearance. Thus it was with great anticipation that he watched as a guard exited the palace and approached the outer gate.

Unrolling a piece of parchment, the guard read aloud,

"Hail all comers, the King, in his grace, welcomes you. Not moments ago the Queen has given birth to a child, and all gentlemen and those of noble birth are invited inside to witness this historic moment, the crowning of a Prince and Royal Heir. Now, as I know you are all eager to enter the palace grounds, the King asks you step inside and present yourself before a clerk so we might take record of your presence here and make sure anyone not of the blood manages to make his way inside. Until the process is complete the newborn Prince shall await in the nursery, only to be revealed at the King's command sometime after all are present and accounted for. Now, with that said, I bid you all come inside. " Then, as the messenger retired, two guards stepped forward and opened the gates slowly and with great flourish. With that the crowd made its way forward, with those nearest to the front filing past clerks desks whilst giving them their information, and they in turn wrote down the details as fast as their pens would allow them.

_Prussians, sticklers for organization and detail they are, and most of it's a great waste of time and effort if you ask me. Loathe be the man at the back of the line, _the Captain thought annoyed as he waited for a clerk to allow him to go through. Though if the general slowness of the entire process wasn't enough, what the clerk said next was truly an insult.

"Sir, your child must be taken to the Royal Nursery, King's orders."

"King's orders? It is vital to me that I keep this babe in my company; now if you please, I shall be on my way," the Captain rebutted in perhaps too strong of voice. A guard, overhearing, approached, and just as the Captain turned to leave he placed his hand on the captain's shoulder, stopping the Captain in his tracks.

The clerk, pleased with the outcome of their encounter, continued,

"The King knows that too often a baby is known to cry out and interrupt occasions such as these, and guests were instructed to not bring very young children to the palace. Now please, with your permission I shall make an exception and have your child put into the nursery so you might be spared the embarrassment of being turned away. "

The Captain, knowing when he's beat, acquiesced and put Sesshoumaru into the guard's waiting hands, who then proceeded into the palace towards the nursery. The Captain, now empty handed and out of luck, strode into the palace grounds. He followed his nose until he found the feasting halls. Before him in a courtyard laid many long feasting tables with food piled high in the center of each.

_If the His Highness will do his damndest to make sure I can't make even a pfennig in this place, at least's I'll live like a King off of his own purs,. _The Captain resolved.

Finding a seat at the quickly filling tables proved to be a challenge, but eventually the Captain managed to find a place. He wasted no time, and as soon as he sat down he began eating his fill and drinking a great deal of the King's beer, his time as a sailor obviously catching up with him. The drunker the Captain became, the louder he too became. The lordly crowd, disgusted by the Captain's uncouth behavior, made sure he was dealt with properly; very soon two burly guards grabbed the Captain roughly and began dragging him towards the gates.

"Let go of me you bastards!" the Captain yelled as he thrashed about, slurring his words. To no one's surprise the guards continued on normally, unheeded by both the Captain's obscenities and his attempts to free himself. What chance does a drunk have against two large German soldiers anyhow? Luckily for the Captain, as he was thrown out the gates he regained enough of his wits to say,

"I had a child with me; they left him at the nursery. Well, don't just stand there, get him!"

With that, one of the guards turned and left, heading through the surrounding lawns and then into the palace.

Entering into the nursery, the guard yelled,

"Nurse, I'm looking for a man's child, will you get him for me?"

To the guard's annoyance there was no reply; little did he know the nurse was busy getting the new Prince's uniform ready for the coronation. Impatient and wishing for the business with the drunk to be finished, the guard grabbed the nearest of the two children in the room and hurried back outside to the palace gates. Once there he wrenched open the gate and walked up towards the Captain, who was then barely standing he was so drunk.

"Here," the Guard said with disgust as shoved the baby forcefully into the Captain's arms, causing the Captain to fall over backwards. As the guard walked away the Captain sat up then lifted the baby up into his vision. Something seemed wrong, but he couldn't seem to figure out exactly what in his drunken state. He sat there for a long moment, staring at the child, until finally he gathered his thoughts in his fuzzy head.

"This isn't my child!" he cried out hysterically in realization, but by then the guard was already long gone. Struggling to his feet, he wobbled towards a musketeer standing sentry at the gates. Collapsing onto the musketeer for support, he said drunkenly,

"My child, in the palace, help!"

The musketeer, having seen enough of the Captain's drunken behavior, shoved the Captain off of him, took his musket into his hands then rammed the weapon's butt as hard as he could into the Captain's stomach. The blow sent the Captain flying towards the floor, the child Crown Prince falling from his arms and onto the ground. His work done, the musketeer then dragged the Captain away from the Palace gates and placed the crying Prince on Captain's breast. Finished, the musketeer walked away then reassumed his position at the Palace gates.

An hour later the coronation was finally ready to begin, and with great pomp and circumstance the new heir to the house Hohenzollern, announced to all that he was to be named Friedrich, was brought before the awaiting crowd at the Palace footsteps. Trumpets blared as the new heir was presented before the crowd, and, the babe, dressed in full military uniform was held above the great mass of nobles for all to see. A crown was brought out, and with cannons roaring it was placed upon Sesshoumaru's head, and on January 24th, 1712 before god and all present a new Crown Prince was brought into the world.


	5. Chapter 5: The Mullendorf Dragoons

**Authors's Note:**Any reviews or criticisms you might post will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Kagome Higurashi awoke with a start as her alarm clock went off at a very early 5:00 o'clock in the morning.

_Today, why does it have to be today already? _She languished, dreading her math test that was coming up later that morning. She forced herself out of bed, loathe to leave the warmth of her covers. Yawning, she then got dressed and put her backpack on, careful to make as little noise as possible. Once finished she slowly left her room and crept silently towards the front door, not to wanting to wake anyone in the house. Reaching the door, she went outside, walked towards the well house, and then let herself inside.

_Maybe now I can finally get some peace_, she thought, remembering her troubles from the night before. She tried her best to study, but between her brother's constant interruptions and her grandfather's insistence on turning the TV's volume up too loud her work was made impossible. Thus, there she was that morning sitting against the well in it's small dimly lit house with her math textbook open, trying to get some last minute studying in. Despite her best efforts she couldn't seem to get even a scrap of information into her sleepy head, and, after half an hour of staring at the book with only having written some confused scribbles in her notebook she lamented,

_It was a good try, but this isn't getting me anywhere. I might as well just get some more sleep._

With that she picked up her things, put them in her backpack, and then got up to leave. She didn't notice the pencil she left on the floor in front her, and before she knew what was happening she slipped on it and fell backwards, with only a surprised yelp she went tumbling down the well.

For a moment during her fall Kagome was blinded by a bright light, and as soon as her vision returned she hit bottom of the well with a thud.

"Ow!" she moaned, getting up and rubbing her behind.

_How could I be so stupid, falling down here, _she thought as she climbed her way up the well's wall. After some hard climbing she finally managed to pull herself out of the well, and she was entirely unprepared for what she saw on the other side.

_What? Where am I? _She wondered as she looked all around; she seemed to be in the middle of a forest that looked as if it stretched on endlessly in all directions.

"Mom! Grandpa!" she called out, but unsurprisingly there was no response.

_I don't how I got here, but I can't just stand here and do nothing. When I find civilization I'll just have to borrow someone's phone and go from there,_ she reasoned as she began walking through the forest.

The day drew on slowly as Kagome traversed through the forest, and around what seemed to be noon she came upon a steam.

"I've never walked so much in my life!" She said to herself aloud as she sat down next to the creek, exhausted.

_I might as well rest for awhile, and I can use some water_ she thought to herself as she bent down to take a drink from the stream, only to stop herself when she remembered the kind of diseases which might lie within.

_I'll just lay down for a minute and rest my legs instead _she resolved, all too aware of the pain she felt coming from her aching legs. Just as she laid down in the grass beside the steam and started to close her eyes she heard a wolf's howl resonate through the woods. Startled, her eyes popped open and she sat upright with a jolt. Trying to calm herself down, she thought

_There's no need to worry Kagome, it's only a wolf. All you need to do is keep moving, and you'll be out of this forest and on your way home before that wolf or anything else can bother you. _

With that she grudgingly picked herself up, waded across the stream, and continued walking through the forest, determined to get out before nightfall.

Thus it was with great joy and relief that hours later, just as the sun was about to set, that Kagome saw a break in the forest.

_Finally, now I can start on my way home and put this all behind me_ she thought excitedly. Despite her exhaustion she ran towards the forest's end, and upon leaving the woods she found herself on a cobbled road surrounded by trees on both sides. Looking down the road she spotted a very large town on one end, with strangely none of the buildings seeming to be over a few stories tall.

_Well, that place is as good as anywhere else to start _she reasoned as she began walking down the road towards the town. After continuing for a short distance she came across a sign pointing down the road in the direction of the small city with letters engraved in bold across it. Studying the sign for a moment, she concluded,

_Those look like Latin letters from English class. Let's see…B E R L I N. That must be what the town is called, I wonder if I would recognize the name if I saw it Japanese. _

The sign having helped little, she continued towards the town, lost as ever, wanting only to reach a phone, get home, take a hot bath, and put this horrible and confusing day behind her.

It was pitch dark when Kagome finally reached the town's edge and what she found there did little to ease her anxiety. It was eerily still in the small city, with no one on the streets and not a light on in any window. Looking around, Kagome thought,

_Where am I now? This place looks like it comes straight out a fairy tale. Cobbled streets, old stone buildings; if it wasn't so dark, creepy, and deserted it could be in a Disney film._

Putting her fears beside her, she entered the city, looking for someone, anyone, who could help her find a phone and get her on her way home.

At the same time Sesshoumaru, that is to say Prince Friedrich, then seventeen years old, was in the Potsdam barracks getting himself ready for his nightly patrol of Berlin. He had been given command of a small regiment of cavalry by his father, six hundred soldiers, which styled themselves as the Mullendorf Dragoons. With these men under his command Sesshoumaru gained a reputation as a harsh (some say cruel) enforcer of the King's laws, certainly not one to be loved by the peasantry. Thus, once ready with his uniform on and his ammunition pouch securely fastened around his waist he walked outside and went out onto the parade ground, where a company of his men, two hundred strong, were just finishing suiting up and readying their horses.

"Where is my mount?" Sesshoumaru said loudly, and immediately an officer emerged from the stables leading a very fine steed approached him.

"Here he is, Colonel. Shall I have the bugler call everyone to the ready?" The officer inquired. Sesshoumaru nodded his approval, and the officer yelled,

"Sound Boots and Saddles, trumpeter!"

With that the crisp sound of a bugle's call rang out across the parade ground, and all of the cavalrymen mounted their steeds and formed a column, ready to begin the march to Berlin. Sesshoumaru in turn mounted his horse and then rode to the front of the column, and immediately after he was joined by his senior most officers. Raising his saber and pointing down the road, Sesshoumaru yelled,

"Column, march!" and with that the company of soldiers trotted briskly out of the parade ground and went off towards Berlin, all of them ready to deal the King's justice towards anyone folly enough to think themselves above the laws of the realm.

Kagome wandered around the city for what seemed like an hour, and she still had not yet seen anyone out and about on streets, not to mention the general lack of lighting throughout the city. Even almost all of the street lamps were unlit, and those that were, strangely enough, had only candles burning in them. Not even knocking on anyone's door helped; after trying twenty houses and getting no response from any of them she gave up on that effort.

_This place just gets creepier and creepier; I still can't believe I haven't seen anyone. I know it can't be deserted; those candles are proof enough of that. I might as well just find a bench and go to sleep; this wandering isn't helping me at all. Besides, I've walked enough today anyways. _She finally thought, giving up at last. She began retracing her steps towards a bench she remembered passing, and, as soon as it was within her sight, she heard the sound of many hooves hitting hard against the cobbles thundering towards her. She turned around and gasped; at the other end of the street were ten horsemen, many of them with torches, riding with great speed towards her. She knew she was too tired to run; how could she outrun a horse on a normal day, let alone after the day she had? Thus she stood there in the path of the charging horsemen, bravely awaiting her fate.

Kagome cringed just as the horsemen were about to collide with her, but when no impact came she looked up, noticing the men had stopped no more than two feet in front of her. During the peak of their charge Sesshoumaru wordlessly raised his hand, silently ordering his men to halt. They did so, skillfully stopping their mounts in a line two ranks deep before Kagome.

"What do we have here?" Sesshoumaru inquired, bidding his horse to step out of line and set himself apart from his men.

"One who doesn't respect the city curfew, no doubt," a young lieutenant replied just before he got smacked in the back of his head by a nearby captain.

"He knows that, you fool. Do you seek to insult the Crown Prince's intelligence?" the Captain scolded.

_What is that they're speaking, German? _Was all Kagome could think; that was until her eyes caught sight of Sesshoumaru, who was slowly making a half circle around her back. He looked down at her coldly, face bereft of emotion. She kept her head turned towards him, staring back at him, trying to show she was not afraid.

_What's he doing, inspecting me? _Kagome thought, unsure what was going to happen next.

_Look at that licentious clothing she wears. Not only that, but she is proud; how dare she stare back at me, her better. _Sesshoumaru thought in disgust as he stared at Kagome and her school uniform_._

_She must be some whore. A lawbreaking whore. No one will miss her. _Sesshoumaru concluded, saying aloud,

"It seems we catch more and more of these peasants breaking my father's duly ordered curfew. Captain Bülow."

"Yes sir?" the Captain responded.

"Take that peasant and put her against the wall, and form a firing line. We shall make an example of her this city shall not soon forget." Sesshoumaru commanded.

"Shot sir, is that not harsh?" Sesshoumaru's Lt. Colonel interceded.

"No, and do not seek to question my orders again, Lieutenant Colonel." Sesshoumaru reprimanded.

"Of course sir," the lt. col. replied almost sarcastically.

With that Captain Bülow dismounted and took Kagome roughly by the arm, with all intent of following the Prince's orders to the letter.

"Stop! Let go of me!" Kagome yelled in Japanese as she struggled to free herself from the Captain's grasp, but it was to no avail, and his hand held as firm as iron around her wrist.

Just then, without warning the door of a nearby house burst open, and out stepped a soldier, in full Prussian military uniform. The unknown officer ran towards Captain Bülow, and everyone around could only watch as the officer wrenched Kagome free from the Captain's grasp then shoved him onto the ground. Sesshoumaru, content to do nothing, watched the scene unfolded in front of him. The Captain, struggling to his feet, said angrily,

"How dare you sir, interfering with the Prince's own orders! I see by your uniform you are only a second lieutenant, you stuck a superior officer!"

"She is a woman and she needed protection," the unknown officer retorted, positioning himself protectively between Kagome and the cavalrymen.

"What is your name and listing?" Sesshoumaru interceded, looking down at the unknown officer.

"I am Second Lieutenant William Heidel, of the Berlin garrison."

"William Heidel?" The Captain interrupted, "The commoner that General Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau raised from the ranks? I never held with the practice of promoting those not of the blood, and now I have proof why. I am calling you out to a duel, and on that woman's life you best accept my challenge!"

"If that's what it takes to defend the lady's life and honor, then I gladly accept," William responded with steely resolve.

Sesshoumaru's Lt. Colonel, hearing William's declaration, dismounted and stood next to the Captain, cautioning,

"If I may intercede, Captain, you quite aware that this is the same William Heidel that shot three Swedish Dragoons out of the saddle and saved General Leopold's life in the last war?"

"No, n-no sir," the Captain replied, a slight twinge of fear obviously creeping into his voice.

"Indeed you are also aware that this is the same William Heidel that managed to capture ten enemy musketeers singlehanded?" the Lt. Col. continued.

"N-no, I…I was not aware, sir." The Captain responded, now stuttering.

"Then perhaps we shall say there was a misunderstanding and you made a damned bad mistake, Captain?" the Lt. Col. asked.

"Indeed; and to you, Mr. Heidel, I...I give my apologies." Captain Bülow groveled.

"I accept your apology, sir," William responded. Then, turning towards Kagome, he continued, "C'mon lass, let's get you inside." With that he gently took Kagome by the arm and led her inside his house just as Prince Sesshoumaru and his cavalry began riding away.


End file.
