InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Cinderella Stroy ❯ Going to a Ball ( Chapter 6 )

The days blurred together for Kagome. She worked as she always did, still managing to find time to teach and play with Shippou even with her constant round of chores. Her seventeenth birthday came and went, and the only people in the manor who noticed were the servants. It was the day after this auspicious date that a youkai messenger appeared that the gates. Soon the manor was abuzz with gossip. Ayame and Yuka were absolutely certain that they had somehow managed to catch the attentions of the taiyoukai or his brother. Kagome refrained from stating how unlikely that was and let them have their little fantasies. It was almost noon when Yoshi called for all three of them in his study. Kagome sat back, almost halfway out the door as he addressed his daughters.

“Sesshomaru-sama is hosting a ball. It is in one week's time and you are to attend.” His eyes locked on her and she fought a cringe at the level of hate and rage she found there. “All of you.”

Ayame frowned. “All of us?”

“Yes, he invited Tokuji's granddaughter.” He consulted the message. “He states that as he was unable to meet the young lady during his stay since she was obviously in transit to her grandfather's home, he would like to meet her at the ball.”

Again the hateful eyes locked on her and she bowed her head. “Forgive this one, but I have no fine kimonos and no great jewelry, I cannot attend, even if I went to the house of my grandfather. He knows that I shun such things and so would not be surprised if I declined to come.”

He nodded, glad that he had refused to give her even one nice article of clothing. They took their leave and Ayame and Yuka rushed back to their rooms, trying to decide what to wear, how to do their hair, what jewelry to use, and whether or not they could win the hand of a taiyoukai. The next four days was a flurry of work for Kagome. Deep down she did want to go. She ached to see the courts of the taiyoukai, to eat in his halls and speak with those who understood the burdens and the joys of ruling. It was on the fifth day that Ayame did something that Kagome had never thought she would. They were trying on kimonos when she removed the deep scarlet one she was wearing and handed it to Kagome.

“It would look better on you.”

Yuka seemed to freeze. She stared at her sister in shock. “What are you doing? She said she didn't want to go.”

“She said she didn't have a kimono fit to wear. We have plenty, she can borrow one.”

Yuka gaped. “But…but…”

“The Western Lord will feel slighted if she does not come. I will speak to father. The jet necklace will go well with that. See to it that it is cleaned in time for you to go.”

Slipping into a green yukata she let herself out. Kagome stood there, staring in shock at the kimono in her hands. Yuka rummaged through her sister's boxes until she came up with the necklace and handed it to her.

“You had better keep them here or in my room. Don't want them to get dirty.”

Kagome hugged the gifts to her chest, tears slipping silently down her face. She had never expected them to ever show her such kindness, even if these were their cast offs. The day of the ball rolled around and Kagome spent the entire time helping her sisters. She herself only had a few minutes to change. Tsume helped her into the kimono and clasped the necklace for her. They twisted her long dark hair up into a bun and secured with several pins. She slipped her feet into a pair of slippers Kaede had managed to get for her and rushed out front to where her sisters waited. Yoshi examined them silently, his mouth twisted with disgust as he looked at her. The carriage pulled by youkai stood waiting for them. The driver climbed down and opened the door. Yoshi stepped behind them and Ayame and Yuka walked toward the open door. Kagome moved to take a step when she felt him push her. She fell heavily on the hard stone courtyard. He stepped on her back, grinding her breasts painfully into the dirt before moving toward the carriage. She saw the driver stare at her wide eyed as she slowly pushed herself to her knees. The kimono was ruined. She knew she did not imagine the looks of triumph on Yoshi and Ayame's face. Yuka looked slightly ill, but she would not meet Kagome's eye. Yoshi signaled for them to go and the driver closed the door. With them sealed in by a silencing spell he rushed over to her and helped her to her feet.

“My Lady?”

“No, go. You'll get in trouble if they're late.”

“I can return for you…I do not know why the Lord did this, but Sesshomaru-sama's instructions were quite specific. I was to bear all four of you to his palace.”

Her smile was strained. “What do you think would happen if I climbed into that carriage?”

His face twisted in rage before he carefully buried it. He released her hands and moved toward the carriage. He gave her one last sympathetic look before taking the reins and steering the carriage away.

Kagome muscles seized with fury. They had planned it all along. It was just another chance to humiliate and hurt her. She clenched her fists. Damn them. She would go. She would have to borrow Kirara from Sango and steal a kimono from Ayame but she would go, if only to see the looks on their faces when she showed up. A soft chuckle drew her attention and she whirled. Standing in the courtyard behind her was the neko youkai who had given her the jewel, but she was different, transparent, a ghost. She chuckled again.

“I told you she had spirit.”

Another apparition joined her, this one a human woman in battle armor. “I can see that. This is important to you, child? Showing them up like that?”

Kagome let out a deep breath, releasing her temper with it. “Not so much showing them up, as showing them that I am just as good as they think they are.”

“Well worded.” The two ghosts looked at each other. “We can provide you with certain things, you do need to go to this ball, child, if only to let them know that the Shikon no tama is not a figment of some child's story. It is a power in the world, just as you are.”

Kagome nodded. “Fine, so let me go get changed.”

The woman held up her hand. “There is no need. We can use the jewel to provide you with everything you require. You must remember though, never to do this yourself. The jewel is easily corrupted. A single desire without a pure motivation is enough to turn it, and it will turn you with it.”

Kagome shuddered and touched the place under the kimono fabric where the jewel rested. “Do what you must.”

She closed her eyes as she felt the jewel grow warm against her skin. Power slipped over her, washing away the kimono, the necklace, the dirt and grime. Her hair fell out of the bun to dance around her face for a moment before resting behind her shoulders. She opened her eyes when it was over and found the two specters staring at her in bemusement. The youkai nodded.

“You were right, she looks good in that style dress.”

Kagome looked down and gasped. She was not wearing a kimono anymore. The dress was a frosty shade of purple with a long flowing skirt that brushed at the top of silver slippers. A white sash was wrapped around her torso from just under her breasts all the way down to where her hips made the skirt flare outward. The neckline dipped low enough to show the curves of her breasts without revealing any cleavage and the sleeves were long bell sleeves that brushed at her knuckles rather than stopping at her wrists. The over all effect made her look alluring as well as ethereal. She reached up and touched her hair to find that it was confined by a net. She looked at them in confusion and the youkai waved a hand, making a mirror appear. The net was silver, picked with diamonds that made her hair look like the star-studded night sky. Around her neck was a silver collar with the Shikon no tama firmly set just over the hollow of her throat. Near tears she turned to them to thank them.

“We're not done yet, child, you still have to get there.” The youkai grinned. “I love doing this sort of thing.”

A flash of light behind her made Kagome whirl. She gasped at the dragon that stood waiting for her. He was a long sinuous creature with silver scales and bright green eyes. She stepped toward him, running her fingers through his soft mane.

“What is your name you beautiful creature?”

She felt more than heard the name, whispered in her mind. Moondancer. She had a sudden vision of moon beams, playing off a black ocean, dancing along waves and rushing at star light, engulfing worlds in moments then releasing them to continue to play on the star dappled sea. She turned to them and bowed her head, unable to voice her gratitude. The woman stepped forward.

“Now listen to me. You are as deserving of being in that place as anyone. You are a Lady of the Blood, more than that, you are the Guardian of the Shikon no tama. We are a sacred and ancient order of warrior mages. No one there who recognizes that jewel would dare claim you do not belong.” She touched Kagome's chin, forcing her to look her in the eye. “We do not choose those unworthy, Kagome.”

“Thank you.”

She turned and climbed astride the dragon. He was about to leap skyward when the woman held up her hand. “None shall recognize you until you want them to, even that taiyoukai you are so fond of.”

Kagome blushed. “I didn't know you could read my mind.”

“We can't but we can see into your heart. You care for him though you hardly know him. I only hope he proves himself worthy of your love.”

They watched as she took off, heading toward the Western Palace. “Well, sister, out of the frying pan and into the fire.”

The miko nodded. “I only hope he helps her. There is too much at stake for this to go wrong.”