InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Feudal Fairytale ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
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A great many years ago in ancient Japan there came a time when the lands were united under one rule, and the many kingdoms of the island lived in peace and prosperity. On the outskirts of one such kingdom, far from the everyday bustle of the crowded cities, rested a quaint and tranquil farmstead. The inhabitants of this farmstead, though any observer would find their companionship bizarre (for one was human while the other was clearly youkai), were perfectly content living solitary lives in the peaceful countryside. Both were quite young, but they were hardworking and honest beings who took pride in living off of the land they cultivated. And, despite their unusual circumstances, the pair was also quite content being with only each other for company.
In fact, the inhabitants of the quaint farmstead were unaware of the strangeness of their companionship. It was what they had known for their entire lives, and they had lived in blissful ignorance for a great many years.
When the feminine half of the pair had been very young, and her parents still amongst the living, they came across a young youkai child who knew nothing of his origins, except for his name, Sesshomaru. Ignoring all taboos regarding human-youkai relations, the human family took pity upon the abandoned boy and allowed him to live with them. They raised and cared for him as if he was their own child and taught him how to work the land and tend to the needs of the farm. Both he and his female companion were grief stricken when her parents were taken away by the plague, and from then on Sesshomaru vowed he would always take care of the needs of their daughter, Kagome.
Kagome was a remarkably fair young woman, despite her common heritage. Her sole joy in life was and had always been ordering about her youkai companion. Every chance she was able, she would fill his life with menial tasks and chores, but he would set about them happily for her with one reply, ‘As you wish’. She had always found it astonishingly delightful that a creature such as the youkai she resided with would allow himself to be subject to her whims. After the death of her parents, she slowly came to realize that every time he spoke the words, ‘As you wish’ to her, what he really meant was, ‘I love you’. And what was even more astonishing to the human female was the day she realize she truly loved him in return.
Unfortunately for the young lovers, Sesshomaru was nothing more than a poor farm youkai. Even though their love for each other were great, he had no money to provide for a wedding. The youkai resolved to sail across the sea to make his fortune. He would return to Kagome when he was worthy of her affection.
“I am afraid I shall never see you again,” whispered a tearful Kagome as they stood, saying their goodbyes. Her chocolate eyes reflected the worry she felt at their parting. Sesshomaru brushed a clawed hand tenderly across a flushed cheek, reveling in the feel of her skin as he wiped away a tear and brought his other hand to her waist. Despite her common clothing and her mussed raven locks, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. In his eyes, she was the embodiment of perfection itself.
“Hear this now; I will always come for you,” he stated firmly, resolve mirrored in his golden eyes. Kagome reached a hand up to his perfectly flawless, pale cheek, as she fought back the tears that were still welling in her eyes.
“But how can you be sure?”
“This is true love. Do you think it happens every day?” he inquired rhetorically, a reassuring half smile playing upon his lips. Kagome’s fingers tangled themselves in his shoulder-length, silver hair as she embraced him tightly and buried her face in his solid chest to hid her tears.
After a moment a clawed finger found its way under her chin, and gently, Kagome’s face was lifted so that Sesshomaru could gaze into her eyes once more. He studied her a moment, memorizing everything about her, from her scent to the way certain strands of her raven tresses frolicked in the slight breeze. Then his lips met hers in one final farewell kiss, and Kagome found herself sobbing as she watched his lone form trudge determinedly off into the sunset.
Nearly a month later, Kagome received news that the ship on which her beloved Sesshomaru had been attacked by privateers under the command the Youkai Lord of the Western Lands. There were no survivors.
For days she neither slept nor ate as she mourned the loss of her dearest love. By the time exhaustion threatened her, her eyes were no longer red and swollen from weeping. Her tears had been depleted, and in their place was a hardness in her eyes that can only be found in the expression of those who have experienced true loss. As she was overcome by weariness, she vowed never to love again.
Years passed, and Kagome found herself unwillingly betrothed to the son of the Emperor Onigumo. The laws of the land had given Prince Naraku the right to choose his bride, but Kagome did not love him. However, the citizens of Japan adored her.
“Citizens of my father’s empire,” Kagome could still hear his pompous voice ringing in her ears as he addressed the crowd at their engagement ceremony, “I would like to introduce my bride to be. She was once a commoner, like yourselves, but perhaps you will not find her so common now.”
She had stood before the entire kingdom that day feeling utterly ridiculous as they cheered for her. The fancy dresses and intricate jewelry might have been enough for any other woman, but Kagome longed for the days of joyful simplicity she had spent with Sesshomaru. While she was sure she appeared royal and beautiful, she missed the days of dusty frocks and wreathes of daisies terribly. She felt nostalgia building deep within her as she fondly remembered the days of laboring on her family’s small farmstead with the man she had so dearly loved. She found being paraded around like some lovely trinket completely humiliating, and, if her spirit had not died with her love, she would’ve ran far from Naraku long ago.
There was little in which the princess found joy, but her daily rides throughout the countryside always brought her comfort. Her horse was the only possession she had that reminded her of the simple life she led before becoming betrothed to Prince Naraku. It would not be until many months later that she would realize that it was also the possession that would allow her to return to the life that she had been forced to leave behind.
It was a bright spring morning and Kagome found herself enjoying the warm rays that filtered through the lush verdure around the palace. Birds chittered and frolicked merrily as a cool breeze drifted through quickly greening leaves. Her steed seemed to gallop tirelessly as it carried her farther away from the stuffy palace and closer to the sea that separated the island of Japan from the large country of China. As she neared the ocean, she came upon an odd group of demons in the middle of a clearing.
Although her ignorance of the taboo that prevented humankind from associating with youkai had been removed after leaving the country-side, she remembered her feelings for a certain inuyoukai and brought her horse to a halt. The trio was as different and as strange as could possibly be. The smallest among them was a green, toad-like imp that carried a strange staff with two heads upon it. The largest was an odd, ugly youkai whose body was covered in scars. Despite his hideousness, the eyes on his horse-like face were kind and gentle. The third was a devilishly handsome wolf youkai with smug expression on his face. He looked so human that he reminded her aching heart of Sesshomaru.
“Excuse me, my lady,” the smallest of the youkai spoke, his voice annoyingly grating. “We are a lost acting troupe looking to find a nearby city. Can you point us in the right direction?”
“There is nothing nearby,” Kagome replied apologetically. “Not for miles, at least.”
“Excellent,” the imp exclaimed cracking a malevolent grin. “Then there will be no one to come to your aid.”
Kagome felt a scream rising in her throat, but after a quick blow to the back of her head, everything disappeared into hazy blackness.
In fact, the inhabitants of the quaint farmstead were unaware of the strangeness of their companionship. It was what they had known for their entire lives, and they had lived in blissful ignorance for a great many years.
When the feminine half of the pair had been very young, and her parents still amongst the living, they came across a young youkai child who knew nothing of his origins, except for his name, Sesshomaru. Ignoring all taboos regarding human-youkai relations, the human family took pity upon the abandoned boy and allowed him to live with them. They raised and cared for him as if he was their own child and taught him how to work the land and tend to the needs of the farm. Both he and his female companion were grief stricken when her parents were taken away by the plague, and from then on Sesshomaru vowed he would always take care of the needs of their daughter, Kagome.
Kagome was a remarkably fair young woman, despite her common heritage. Her sole joy in life was and had always been ordering about her youkai companion. Every chance she was able, she would fill his life with menial tasks and chores, but he would set about them happily for her with one reply, ‘As you wish’. She had always found it astonishingly delightful that a creature such as the youkai she resided with would allow himself to be subject to her whims. After the death of her parents, she slowly came to realize that every time he spoke the words, ‘As you wish’ to her, what he really meant was, ‘I love you’. And what was even more astonishing to the human female was the day she realize she truly loved him in return.
Unfortunately for the young lovers, Sesshomaru was nothing more than a poor farm youkai. Even though their love for each other were great, he had no money to provide for a wedding. The youkai resolved to sail across the sea to make his fortune. He would return to Kagome when he was worthy of her affection.
“I am afraid I shall never see you again,” whispered a tearful Kagome as they stood, saying their goodbyes. Her chocolate eyes reflected the worry she felt at their parting. Sesshomaru brushed a clawed hand tenderly across a flushed cheek, reveling in the feel of her skin as he wiped away a tear and brought his other hand to her waist. Despite her common clothing and her mussed raven locks, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. In his eyes, she was the embodiment of perfection itself.
“Hear this now; I will always come for you,” he stated firmly, resolve mirrored in his golden eyes. Kagome reached a hand up to his perfectly flawless, pale cheek, as she fought back the tears that were still welling in her eyes.
“But how can you be sure?”
“This is true love. Do you think it happens every day?” he inquired rhetorically, a reassuring half smile playing upon his lips. Kagome’s fingers tangled themselves in his shoulder-length, silver hair as she embraced him tightly and buried her face in his solid chest to hid her tears.
After a moment a clawed finger found its way under her chin, and gently, Kagome’s face was lifted so that Sesshomaru could gaze into her eyes once more. He studied her a moment, memorizing everything about her, from her scent to the way certain strands of her raven tresses frolicked in the slight breeze. Then his lips met hers in one final farewell kiss, and Kagome found herself sobbing as she watched his lone form trudge determinedly off into the sunset.
Nearly a month later, Kagome received news that the ship on which her beloved Sesshomaru had been attacked by privateers under the command the Youkai Lord of the Western Lands. There were no survivors.
For days she neither slept nor ate as she mourned the loss of her dearest love. By the time exhaustion threatened her, her eyes were no longer red and swollen from weeping. Her tears had been depleted, and in their place was a hardness in her eyes that can only be found in the expression of those who have experienced true loss. As she was overcome by weariness, she vowed never to love again.
Years passed, and Kagome found herself unwillingly betrothed to the son of the Emperor Onigumo. The laws of the land had given Prince Naraku the right to choose his bride, but Kagome did not love him. However, the citizens of Japan adored her.
“Citizens of my father’s empire,” Kagome could still hear his pompous voice ringing in her ears as he addressed the crowd at their engagement ceremony, “I would like to introduce my bride to be. She was once a commoner, like yourselves, but perhaps you will not find her so common now.”
She had stood before the entire kingdom that day feeling utterly ridiculous as they cheered for her. The fancy dresses and intricate jewelry might have been enough for any other woman, but Kagome longed for the days of joyful simplicity she had spent with Sesshomaru. While she was sure she appeared royal and beautiful, she missed the days of dusty frocks and wreathes of daisies terribly. She felt nostalgia building deep within her as she fondly remembered the days of laboring on her family’s small farmstead with the man she had so dearly loved. She found being paraded around like some lovely trinket completely humiliating, and, if her spirit had not died with her love, she would’ve ran far from Naraku long ago.
There was little in which the princess found joy, but her daily rides throughout the countryside always brought her comfort. Her horse was the only possession she had that reminded her of the simple life she led before becoming betrothed to Prince Naraku. It would not be until many months later that she would realize that it was also the possession that would allow her to return to the life that she had been forced to leave behind.
It was a bright spring morning and Kagome found herself enjoying the warm rays that filtered through the lush verdure around the palace. Birds chittered and frolicked merrily as a cool breeze drifted through quickly greening leaves. Her steed seemed to gallop tirelessly as it carried her farther away from the stuffy palace and closer to the sea that separated the island of Japan from the large country of China. As she neared the ocean, she came upon an odd group of demons in the middle of a clearing.
Although her ignorance of the taboo that prevented humankind from associating with youkai had been removed after leaving the country-side, she remembered her feelings for a certain inuyoukai and brought her horse to a halt. The trio was as different and as strange as could possibly be. The smallest among them was a green, toad-like imp that carried a strange staff with two heads upon it. The largest was an odd, ugly youkai whose body was covered in scars. Despite his hideousness, the eyes on his horse-like face were kind and gentle. The third was a devilishly handsome wolf youkai with smug expression on his face. He looked so human that he reminded her aching heart of Sesshomaru.
“Excuse me, my lady,” the smallest of the youkai spoke, his voice annoyingly grating. “We are a lost acting troupe looking to find a nearby city. Can you point us in the right direction?”
“There is nothing nearby,” Kagome replied apologetically. “Not for miles, at least.”
“Excellent,” the imp exclaimed cracking a malevolent grin. “Then there will be no one to come to your aid.”
Kagome felt a scream rising in her throat, but after a quick blow to the back of her head, everything disappeared into hazy blackness.