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For all of you who have ever been confused about what happened when, how, or why, here is the chapter guide originally outlined by ~dolphingirl0113 when she started writing "The King's Mistress". But please be aware of the fact that if you haven't yet read the story, there are spoilers galore below...so consider yourself warned.
--:THE KING'S MISTRESS:--
Official Chapter Guide by dolphingirl0113
Prelude --> Where we are first introduced to Kagome, in her own words. It is meant to be something akin to a journal entry, as she is starting to record her memoirs and stories.
1. Announced Engagement --> Sixteen year old Kagome is summoned, with the rest of her family, to the court of King Inuyasha in order to celebrate his engagement to her older sister, Kikyou. But Kagome has reservations and is bitter due to the fact that she has been unceremoniously betrothed (without her permission) to Lord Kouga, who is a King in his own right in the North, but who also still has to answer to King Inuyasha and act as a courtier in his court. She seeks solace in the gardens, and there, unexpectedly, she runs into Inuyasha, though she does not know who he is at the time, and as such says some rather embarrassing things which she later regrets when, to her utter horror, she is told he is none other then the King she is so upset with.
2. Court Debut --> Quickly recovering from her humiliation involving the King, Kagome finds herself stealing the spotlight from her sister Kikyou at her first royal banquet, catching the eyes of many of the men. She is also reunited with her old friend, Sango, and is introduced to her fiancé, Kouga, who she finds, surprisingly, is someone she likes very much. But the highlight of the evening is when she asks Inuyasha to dance in order to get to know her soon to be brother-in-law better, shocking the court, for a woman never asks the King to dance.
3. The Hunt --> While out on a hunt with the court, Kagome proves her worth as someone to be respected when it comes to her skills with the bow and arrow, shocking everyone when she is the one who kills the deer that will be dinner for the banquet. She and Inuyasha have a semi-fluffy, semi-dramatic few moments alone in the woods, but are then interrupted by the rest of the court, including Kikyou, who is now watching her sister very carefully.
4. Musical Communication --> After a frustrating day with his councilors, Inuyasha stumbles into the hallways of the palace only to hear the sounds of beautiful violin music, which he follows up the stairs and into a room to find none other then Kagome pulling the strings. They have a few moments together with hinted romance, but then it all changes when Inuyasha asks Kagome to play for the court, and she refuses, saying it is too painful because it reminds her of her father. He gets angry, and she accuses him of being spoiled and selfish, to which he responds by leaping into a rage that frightens her. That is the first moment when their relationship begins to change.
5. A Watery Interlude --> On a hot day, Kagome and her friends decide to go for an impromptu swim in the lake, only to be pulled out when Kagome’s sister, Kikyou, and the King arrive. Kikyou and Kagome exchange a few curt words, in which time Kagome reveals she is still hurt by the way Kikyou has been treating her, and Kikyou is shown, for the first time, with a vulnerable side. Kagome then declares she will go for a ride, and would like some company, only to have Inuyasha and Kouga fight over who will be her escort. In the end Kagome chooses Kouga, only to spite Inuyasha, and is surprised when he seems genuinely disappointed.
6. Whispers of Darkness --> While sitting in the monastery library one afternoon after a church service, Kagome learns that the King will be releasing several convicts from the prison, known as the Tower, in the city where they live. But what intrigues her is that she is told by Kouga one of the men to be released is the one who caused all the scandal that surrounded Kikyou three years earlier. Kagome has never heard of this before, and so tries to find out more, only to be rejected by everyone either because they do not know or because they do not wish to tell her the truth. Nevertheless, the seed has been planted, and Kagome becomes determined to find out what happened to her sister.
7. The Dance Begins --> Because Naraku has been released from prison, Kikyou has retreated into a fearful shell, not appearing for any of the public gatherings, thrusting Kagome somewhat more into the spotlight. She and Inuyasha share a dance at a banquet, and suddenly find themselves extremely attracted to one another, which causes a certain amount of fear to spring up between them. In the meantime, Naraku journeys to the western lands to try and make a deal with Inuyasha's older half-brother, Sesshoumaru.
8. Bitterness of the Heart --> Naraku arrives at the castle of Sesshoumaru, seeking help in destroying Inuyasha and Kikyou. In the meantime, Inuyasha is faced with the problem of choosing a Summer Maiden for their summer progress since his fiancée, Kikyou, refuses to come out in public for fear of the now free Naraku. In the end, he chooses none other than Kagome.
9. The Summer Maiden --> As the Summer Maiden, Kagome is given all the rights and privileges of a Queen, riding beside Inuyasha when they travel, and planning everything down to seating charts at dinner for all the special events. As a result, she and Inuyasha have a serious heart-to-heart talk on one of the traveling days, and as such they become even more aware of one another as their budding friendship grows. In the meantime, Naraku proposes his plan to Sesshoumaru.
10. The Familiar Stranger --> Kikyou suddenly decides to come out of her state of semi-hiding when the court arrives at Miroku’s home, and once more dazzles the eyes of the court, casting Kagome somewhat out of the spotlight. Feeling her old sense of jealously returning, Kagome follows suit and it becomes very clear that the sisters will be rivals to the end when it comes to the attentions of the court. However, later in the evening the sisters have a heart-to-heart talk, where it becomes apparent that they are at war within themselves…battling between love and hate for one another. It is a conversation that Inuyasha overhears as well.
11. Ancient Rivalry --> Naraku is furious when he is rejected by Sesshoumaru, and storms away, back in the direction of Inuyasha’s home as the older demon lord watches from afar, commenting to himself about how he needs to warn his brother of the new threat they face. Meanwhile, the court continues its progress, stopping at the home of the Eastern King, Bankotsu, and his brothers, for two weeks. Here, Kagome and Kikyou become fiercely competitive with one another, vying for the attentions of the court, and Inuyasha grows more jealous of Kouga even as he feels himself once more drawn to Kikyou now that she is once again charming and kind, as she used to be.
12. The Joust --> In honor of Inuyasha and his soon to be bride, Bankotsu and his brothers organize a joust. When the ladies are told to pick which knights will receive their favors, Kagome discovers she is expected to favor the King, and suddenly feels pressured to do so, even though she knows it would be wrong because it would be offensive to Kikyou. In the end, she puts her favor on Kouga, and Inuyasha is hurt by this gesture. The jousting goes well enough in the beginning, with the only casualty being Miroku. Sango worries for him, and it is discovered that he was wearing her favor, leading Kagome to think something is going on between them. All the players are defeated, save for Kouga and Inuyasha, but while Inuyasha is the victor, both are injured, and Kagome feels herself once again torn between who she should care for. She finds herself running first to Inuyasha, but then when she sees Kikyou coming to his aid she backs away and goes to tend to Kouga instead and Kikyou sends her a grateful look.
13. Musical Prayer --> The court makes its next stop at the famous monastery of the kingdom, large enough to house the entire court, where it is Kagome’s job to organize a concert following a large Sunday morning Mass. She pulls off the fete brilliantly, and Inuyasha feels himself become more conflicted as he watches her play her violin, for the first time since her father’s death, in public. He is mesmerized by her beauty, her ability with the instrument, and with her surprisingly angelic voice, and finds himself growling with recognizable jealously as she and Kouga perform a duet; a song from the North, in honor of their future union. It is clear she has won over the hearts of everyone at court, and even Kikyou has a hard time being cold towards her while in public. But it is Inuyasha who Kagome finds, surprisingly, that she desperately wants approval from, and thus the bud of romance between them begins to slowly bloom.
14. Harsh Realities --> The court continues to move, making its next stop at the home of Queen Kagura, ruler of the South. But upon reaching their destination, Kikyou, Kagome, and Inuyasha are greeted with a horrible surprise: the fact that Naraku has been permitted to join them, thanks to his manipulating of Kagura to allow him to stay in her home. Kikyou becomes very frightened, and Kagome watches in pain as Inuyasha runs to comfort her. And as for the poor King, he has never felt so torn in his entire life, suddenly wanting to assure Kagome that she has a special place in his heart, but unable to because he is engaged to her sister. And as this all occurs, Naraku observes from afar, burning into his memory what he is seeing, including the obvious attraction between Inuyasha and Kagome, and Kikyou’s own insecurity as he remembers when he first met her.
15. Memories of Happier Times --> As Naraku continually appears in order to harass Kikyou, Kagome finds herself stepping up and defending her sister from his cruel words, shocking everyone and inspiring awe in Inuyasha as he watches her swallow her own pride to help advance Kikyou. Then, when they are alone, Kagome asks Kikyou to tell her what happened between herself and Naraku, and Kikyou reluctantly explains their tumultuous past. Afterwords, when the future Queen is in tears, Kagome embraces her in comfort and calms her, and the two remember times when they were younger, and Kikyou tells Kagome she needs her support now more then ever, and that their rivalry must come to an end. Kagome, thinking of Inuyasha, swallows the lump in her throat and promises to help Kikyou in whatever way she can.
16. Masquerade --> It is a night of the new moon, and Inuyasha is no where to be seen. Kagome does her best to ignore this fact as she plans for the huge masquerade that will take place, assigning everyone roles, as the theme is the battle of good versus evil. The masquerade itself goes off without a hitch, with Kikyou and Kagome playing the parts of the angels of light as they fend off the evil devils of Hell, earning applause as the play-acting ends and the dancing begins. Kagome finds herself dancing with a strangely familiar, yet strange black-haired, violet-eyed man wearing a silver mask. She at last realizes that her partner is Inuyasha, which surprises him, and he quickly leads her away to reveal himself in human form, explaining how he changes once a month on the new moon, and making Kagome swear not to tell a soul. She swears without question, however, and Inuyasha finds himself smiling at her as strange, yet pleasant feelings continue to invade his heart in ways that Kikyou never managed to do. But all smiles disappear when Inuyasha suddenly kisses Kagome, before rushing off in horror over what he did, leaving Kagome to realize that she's fallen in love with him.
17. Lessons In Foreign Policy --> Inuyasha receives letters from both England and Spain asking for the support of his country in the potential war brewing between the two superpowers. Frustrated and wanting to avoid conflict, in the end the hanyou turns to Kagome for advice, which she gladly gives, showing him how to avoid a war while also placating both of his powerful allies. Their conversation inevitably turns back to the kiss they shared, as they both painfully recognize that they cannot have what their hearts crave most.
18. Forbidden Passion --> Exhausted from fending off the hordes of cruel people for nearly a month of travel as they attack Kikyou for her past affair with Naraku, and knowing that the day is drawing ever closer when Kikyou will marry Inuyasha and Kagome will lose him forever, she finally snaps, throwing her precious violin at the wall and watching, in horror, as it shatters. Now both her heart and her spirit are broken, and as she falls to her knees, she finds Inuyasha there to comfort her, having heard the crash from his room next door. They fight, inevitably, because Kagome is tired of having to put on a brave face all the time, and Inuyasha fights back because he is feeling trapped and unsure of himself and his overpowering emotions when it comes to Kagome. In the end, however, they wind up in a passionate embrace, and for one night Inuyasha’s obligation to Kikyou is completely forgotten.
19. Resistance --> Waking up in Inuyasha’s arms, Kagome is happy only for a short moment before she realizes what she has done, and she and Inuyasha share an emotion-packed conversation where Inuyasha admits that, while he doesn’t understand his feelings for Kagome, he’d be willing to postpone his marriage to Kikyou in order to find out what would happen between them, and Kagome tearfully refuses his offer, saying he has made a promise to her sister, that she will not steal him away from Kikyou, and that while it will break her heart to do so, Kagome swears that she will carry her sister’s train down the isle on her wedding day. In the meantime, Kikyou has her first private run-in with Naraku, and his intentions become clear very quickly as he tries to seduce her. For a moment she seems to lose the will to resist him, but then Kagome arrives and, with a bitter exchange, sends Naraku on his way. When Kikyou thanks her for what she did, however, Kagome only bitterly replies that she did it merely because she’s sacrificed too much now for Kikyou to throw away her marriage on some old love affair.
20. Into the Arms of the Enemy --> Kagome and Inuyasha struggle to avoid one another, for their own sakes and for the sake of Kikyou, though it clearly kills them to do so, and Inuyasha grows more certain every day that perhaps he never loved Kikyou at all, even though he does care for her, and that perhaps in fact the one he loves is Kagome. Kagome continues to know that she loves Inuyasha, even as Kouga continues to court her, and every day she feels her heart break a little more when she is forced to help defend Kikyou, and it becomes obvious that she is beginning to lose control of herself under the strain of keeping up so many facades and lies. In the meantime, after over a month of insults and harsh treatment from the court, Kikyou finally gives in to her old passions and does the unthinkable: she sleeps with Naraku.
21. False Peace --> The court arrives, at last, at the home of Sesshoumaru, and everyone is initially surprised to find that the demon lord took a wife (Rin) without any sort of large ceremony. But Kagome pays little attention because she has been noticing how flighty and secretive Kikyou has been acting for the past two weeks, and is worried about her sister. With just two weeks left before she is to marry Inuyasha, Kagome confronts Kikyou and demands to know what is going on. To her surprise, Kikyou collapses at her feet in tears and confesses what she has done with Naraku, and reveals that she fears she may now be pregnant. Kagome, shocked, backs away in horror, reminding her sister that the penalty for doing such a thing while engaged to the King is death, but Kikyou begs Kagome to help her keep it a secret, reminding her of the pact they made to help one another. Though she has her doubts Kagome does, in the end, relent, and promises to help in whatever way she can, once more putting her own needs and desires aside for the love she has for Kikyou.
22. Gods Among Men --> As the wedding day draws closer, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru discuss the problem of Naraku, and during their conversation Sesshoumaru discerns that his younger brother is no longer as eager as he once was to marry Kikyou. Asking if someone else has stolen his heart, Inuyasha clams up and remains silent as he walks out of the room, leaving Sesshoumaru to figure out on his own what is going on, though Rin helps him thanks to her observations of Kagome and Inuyasha together. In the meantime, rumors are circulating that Kikyou and Naraku are having an affair, and Kagome does her best to stamp on the rumors, though Kouga warns her it is not wise to become involved in such things.
23/24. Unrequited Love (Pts. I and II) --> The day of the wedding arrives, and Kagome and Inuyasha find themselves alone for the last time. Inuyasha asks if there is any truth to the rumors about Kikyou and Naraku, and Kagome, though she desperately wants to reveal the truth because it would mean Inuyasha would not marry Kikyou, lies and swears there is no truth to them. They share a tender moment when he presents Kagome with a new violin as a way of saying thanks for all she's done for him, and then part, knowing things will never be the same between them again. Then, later, as Kikyou prepares to walk down the aisle, Kagome assures her, through grit teeth, that she looks beautiful, and wishes her sister every happiness in her new marriage before carrying her train as they walk down the isle.
25. A Bargain Sealed --> The court moves on once more, to its final destination: the North. Here, Kagome knows she will soon be forced to say tearful goodbyes to all her friends and family, since she will now be staying behind. She officially accepts Kouga’s proposal of marriage, which means she no longer has the option of refusing him as a husband, and Inuyasha and Kikyou sign their approval as witnesses, though Inuyasha does with a harsh expression and a shaking hand.
26. Farewell, Life of Old --> In private, Kikyou thanks Kagome for everything she has done to help her, and Kagome replies that she would do it again, if it meant Kikyou would be happy. Kikyou then replies that she regrets having made the betrothal in the first place, because she will miss Kagome, and Kagome replies by saying that it is better this way, because Kikyou no longer needs her now that she is Queen. Then, following a banquet in her honor, Kagome shares one final moment alone with Inuyasha where she tearfully wishes him well. He embraces her, and then leaves.
27. The Water's Edge --> Kouga does his best to show Kagome his kingdom, introducing her to everyone, and she charms all who meet her…as always. But then Kagome meets a young woman named Ayame who is bitter and heartbroken that Kouga is to marry Kagome, revealing that she has been in love with the wolf prince her entire life. Kagome, in a moment of weakness, falls to her knees and weeps, declaring that she is not in love with him, even though she should be, and that, if she had the power to do so, she would retire to the country and live alone since the man she loves is no longer within her reach. Ayame, pitying her, pulls her into an embrace and together they promise to bear their sorrows together, no matter how painful it is. Unfortunately for Kagome, things are only made worse as she receives letters from her brother and from Sango, telling her of the goings on at court.
28. The Winds of Change --> After a month of living in the north, Kouga leaves on a diplomatic mission with only three weeks remaining before his and Kagome’s wedding. In the meantime, Kagome receives two letters in the same day, each bearing the royal seal. Assuming they are both from Kikyou, she opens them immediately, to find, to her surprise, that one is actually from Inuyasha, telling her that things are going all wrong with his marriage, that Kikyou’s pregnancy is believed to have been conceived with one other then himself, and that he commanded her to stay in the north and protect herself from the dangerous tides of scandal sweeping the city surrounding his home. The second letter, however, is from Kikyou. While short, it tells Kagome, in code, that she has been betrayed, though she knows not by who, and that, at that very moment, she is fighting for her life and the life of her unborn child. She begs Kagome to come and help her and Kagome finds herself once again torn between obeying the man that she loves and obeying her sister. In the end, however, she makes her final decision, and leaves an extensive note for Kouga explaining where she has gone and that she must be honest and say she cannot marry him, thus she won’t be coming back, even if that means she will live in a small home all alone for the rest of her life. She even throws in a small recommendation that Ayame loves him and he should look to her for a wife, before calling for her horse and riding back into the fray once more.
29. Treason --> Kagome arrives at court unannounced, and Miroku is shocked to see her, demanding why she has returned when Inuyasha clearly told her to stay in the North. Kagome defends herself by saying she had to help her sister, and then demands to know what is going on. To her horror, Miroku informs her that Kikyou has been arrested for treason and taken to the Tower, where she will live until her trial. But even more horrible is the fact that, if found guilty, Kikyou will be beheaded. At this point Inuyasha walks into the room and is stunned to see Kagome, though his shock quickly turns to rage in order to mask his concern for her well-being. He demands to know why she has disobeyed him, and she explains, calmly, that as always she must put her sister’s love above that of her lover’s. She then asks him if it is true that Kikyou is to stand trial, and he says that it is, looking very tired as he speaks. Kagome looks away in pain and mutters to herself about not doing enough, to which Inuyasha explodes when he realizes she knew about what Kikyou had done even before the wedding. Kagome defends herself by saying she did it for Kikyou, though it brought her no personal joy to do so, and this levels Inuyasha somewhat as, in the end, they fall into each others arms and comfort one another, both victims of the trap Naraku has laid.
30. The Tower --> After spending the night (chastely) with Inuyasha, Kagome demands to see Kikyou, and thus is taken to the Tower, where her sister is being held. Kikyou, now very obviously pregnant, looks surprisingly calm, and simply explains to Kagome that it was Naraku who betrayed her, confessing to what they had done out of a ‘guilty conscience’. Kagome boils over with rage, and swears to do all she can to help Kikyou, only to find, to her surprise, that Kikyou no longer wants her help, saying she deserves the punishment she will receive. She then sends Kagome away, and the younger Higurashi sister is left wandering and feeling helpless.
31. Standing Trial --> The first day of Kikyou’s trial arrives, and since Inuyasha does not attend since he cannot preside over his own wife’s hearing, Kagome stays with him, despite her need to be with her sister in silent support. Miroku and Sango come to them at the end of the day and tell them what happened, explaining how, when asked, Kikyou denied anyone else knowing about her affair with Naraku, and that it is her fault alone. Kagome stands up and starts pacing the room, desperate to defend her sister, and Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango all practically jump on her to keep her still, reminding her that if she were to admit her involvement she could be tried and put to death as well.
32. Rescue from Purgatory --> As the trial progresses and Naraku has his turn on the stand, spouting every last detail about his affair with Kikyou, Kagome can stand it no longer and, disobeying Inuyasha’s direct command, she goes to the trial to speak on behalf of her sister. Miroku and Sango try to stop her, but Kagome remains firm, and steps forward to make known her part in the story, demanding that the judges not be too harsh with Kikyou, for everyone is guilty of some kind of sin that could be called treason in their lives. She continues by relating many stories from her childhood with Kikyou, trying to tell them how kind and honest her sister really is, and that this is just the result of a moment of weakness and the workings of a cruel, broken man. Then, in the end, Kagome bows low to the court, surprising everyone, asks for their forgiveness, and leaves without a backward glance, hoping she did some good.
33. Verdict --> Inuyasha rails against Kagome for going to the trial against his wishes, but Kagome calmly defends herself and says that she is prepared for whatever punishment may come of it. Inuyasha, on the other hand, only becomes more enraged and, grabbing her arms between his fingers, he shakes her as he tells her he is not ready for her to make such an ultimate sacrifice because he loves her. Kagome stares at him in shocked disbelief, and Inuyasha cannot believe what he just said either. Unfortunately, the moment is ruined when Sango appears and tells them that the verdict is to be read, and both Kagome and Inuyasha go to the court room to hear the result. Both Kikyou and Naraku are found guilty, however only Naraku will face the scaffold, while Kikyou’s sentence is reduced to banishment, and her marriage to Inuyasha is declared null and void. Kagome is overjoyed, but is shocked when she sees that Kikyou does not look well, and rushes to her side instantly, demanding to know what is wrong. Kikyou merely replies that it is as though Naraku’s child is a seed of poison in her body, and then she faints.
34. The Ultimate Price --> Kikyou is rushed back to the palace, where the surgeons and doctors immediately look her over and declare that she is deathly ill, clearing having caught a virus while in the Tower. Kagome rails on everyone, blaming them for putting her there in the first place, and for once she does not turn to Inuyasha for comfort, in her rage blaming even him for Kikyou’s suffering. As Kikyou lies on her deathbed, Naraku is executed, and Kagome tells her sister the good news only to see Kikyou smirk mirthfully, saying it is only fitting that they should both leave the world on the same day. Kagome refuses to hear such nonsense, but Kikyou grabs her hand and holds it tightly while she apologizes for all the wrongs she did her, and for making her sacrifice her love for Inuyasha. Kagome looks surprised, but Kikyou only smiles, saying she had known all along about their love affair, but had let it go since her own conscience was not clear. Then, with one final word of love to Kagome, she dies.
35. Darkness and Light --> Kagome stays with Kikyou’s body until it is taken away to be buried, and insists that she be given the burial of a proper Queen, since she had been noble and true in life, despite her fatal mistake in loving Onigumo. Inuyasha, too shaken by everything that has happened to argue, grants Kagome’s request, and Kikyou is buried in the tomb of Inuyasha’s father and mother, where he will one day be buried as well. Kagome looks at Inuyasha and apologizes for having been so angry with him, and he forgives her by pulling her into his arms and saying that it would seem Kikyou’s last gift to him was allowing him to be with the woman he loves most in the world. Kagome leans against his chest and cries silently, and Inuyasha just holds her.
36. Finding Happily Ever After --> Kagome receives a letter from Kouga which, while sorrowful, is understanding, in which the wolf prince tells her she is released from her promise to him (as is evident by the torn up betrothal papers he has sent with the letter), that he grieves for the loss of her sister, and that he hopes she will be happy with her choice. He assures her that he will always love her, but that he will try and heed her advice and give Ayame a chance. Kagome shows the letter to Inuyasha, who simply shrugs and says that the wolf did something right for once, which earns him a smack upside the head for being so rude. In the meantime, Miroku and Sango come running into the room, and Sango excitedly announces that she and Miroku are engaged. Shippou adds that now Inuyasha needs to propose to Kagome to make everything complete, to which the hanyou just blushes and looks away, though not before smiling with meaning back at Kagome.
Journey's End --> Kagome finishes her memoir, recounting the rest of the story up to the moment when she sat down to write the story.
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