After All This Time

Ch.18 The Secret of the Cave

As the guards or the maids passed by finishing up there chores for the night a the young princess peaked her head around the corner. She looked back and forth for anyone. The maids passed her carrying baskets of clothes. The coast was clear. She slowly stepped into view and being cautious of more people.

"Come." She whispers holding the hand of a red haired boy.

He expression was indifferent but he felt a sort of warmth holding her hand. She pulled him along running to her little spot.

"Who's there!"

Moroha heart sank. She looked back to see three guards there weapon in hand. 

"Wait! It's me!" She revealed herself to them.

"Princess." They bowed there heads. They acknowledged her but behind her was a boy who was too ominous. He didn't seem normal.

What the princess might have seen as a boy in the guards eyes looked like deceitful monster. They couldn't see anything inherently wrong with him but the aura around him. To them it looked like he was luring their princess away.

They ran to her and separated her from the boy. Two of them held the princess back and the other took a defensive stance against the red haired boy.

"What are you doing!?" She demanded to know. She panicked seeing the boy in danger.

"Princess he's dangerous!" They said keeping her at bay. "He has an ominous aura! We can't let you get near him. It is our job to protect you! You must stay behind us!" The one in front told her.

The boy watched.

He didn't move or say a word.

"No! No, he's not dangerous!" She protested. "He's my friend! I demand you put your weapons away and stand down!" Moroha tried commanding them.

The guard on the side shook their head. "No can do Princess Moroha. We can not put you in danger."

The boy heart skipped a beat. 'Friend...'
The boy couldn't just leave his friend like that. He began to take a couple steps closer to the guard.

Moroha's eyes widened and so did the other guards.

She wanted to protect him but she couldn't. She felt like she was going to cry. She was so powerless in this situation, she couldn't use her strength, she couldn't hurt her people, but she also couldn't watch the boy get hurt and she didn't want the boy to hurt them.

The guard panicked. He wasn't just a boy. He was shrouded in a black misty aura. He could feel his hands trembling as he tried to hold onto his sword. He took a hard swallow. The ominous boy took another step closer to him. The guard was just about to get ready to attack.

"Wait-,"

"Put your weapons down!"

Everyone stopped and looked over to familiar voice.

"My lord!" They quickly put there weapons down.

Moroha freed herself from the guards. "Father!" She yelled running to his side.

Inuyasha's face softened seeing his daughter. Kouga behind him staring the guards down. Behind them both Masami came running down the hall, but for now his presence was ignored.

Inuyasha went down on one knee and put his hand against her face. With a concerned expression he asked. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

Moroha felt so relieved with her father here now. She quickly expressed her worries. "I'm fine, but I was just trying to spend time with Hijiri and they stopped us. I told them he's not dangerous but they wouldn't listen."