InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fairytale Princess ❯ In the Well ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND CO.

This is my first fan fiction so it would really help me out if you could review.

Enjoy.

Chapter One: In the Well

Once upon a time, in the lush and peaceful Eastern Kingdom, the king and queen wished desperately for a child. However, when the aging Light Youkai queen fell ill she could not conceive and her mortal husband feared for her life.

The royal Healer prescribed a rare herb that grew only in the Bone Eater's Forest where wild youkai stalked the deep shadows. Brave men and youkai refused to enter the forest calling the ancient place cursed. The king would not allow his beloved to die so in the early hours of each day he journeyed into the forest to gather the fresh herbs and brewed them into a healing tea hoping to save the ailing queen.

One morning as the king was setting off for the forest a wailing cry reverberated through the castle's smallest courtyard. The king paused and looked around but found he was alone in the predawn light, but again the cry sounded, hollow and echoing. The king roamed the small, open stone circle peering into bushes and around dark corners. All the while the weak cry became more piercing and desperate. The king was frantic when an old, bordered up well caught his attention.

He pried away the rotting boards and listened. Sure enough the crying echoed up the stone well. He climbed carefully into the well and braced himself against the rough sides, lowering himself down inch by inch. As if the creature sensed his presents the crying took on a tone of starved pleading.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he whispered to the distressed noisemaker below him.

At last he reached the bottom and carefully placed his feet onto the dirt covered floor of the well. In the dim light he could just barely make out a tiny wriggling shape. He bent down and picked up the writhing bundle. Cradling it in his arms and gasped in awe.

Two glowing blue eyes blinked tearfully up at him as a pink mouth opened in surprise. The tears dripping from her eyes floated up into the air instead of down her pale cheeks. The king watched the little droplets spiral up the well. Gently he bounced the baby girl in his arms cooing softly.

"Your Majesty," someone called from above, "Are you hurt?"

"Yuki, is that you?"

"Yes, your Majesty. Do you require assistance," the ice demon asked.

"It would seem so."

"I am on my way down," Yuki warned, "Please stand back."

The king protected the child as the ice demon jumped down into the well dislodging a shower of crumbling stones. When the dust cleared the demon stared at the baby in the king's arms.

"Whose child is that, your Majesty?"

The king stared into the blue eyes of the little girl and came to an astonishingly marvelous conclusion.

"Mine, I think."