InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destinies Collide ❯ Teaser ( Chapter 1 )

Super special thank you to my editor: Silverwingedangel

Destinies Collide

Chapter 1: Teaser

He sat alone huddled in the corner of his dark and dreary room. He gathered his knees to his chest and hugged them for dear life. Today was the day that he dreaded. The day that made him wish that he hadn't been born at all. One would say that he should be happy, for today was his birthday, but happiness was far from his mind. He sighed, and banged his head against the wall hoping against all odds that the simple gesture would knock him out. He had no such luck and sighed again.

He let his eyes drift closed. Why did today have to come? Why did he have such a big responsibility looming over his head? Over the past couple of months, he had gone on countless dates with demon women. He hardly remembered each lady; expect that each one seemed to be self absorbed and only interested in becoming a queen to gain all of the respect and money that the position was promised to hold. He wasn't interested in any of them. His heart ached at the thought of having to marry any one of them.

His father insisted that this was his right of passage. He had claimed that this ritual was what separated the children from the adults. Years before, his father had claimed that he was the soul heir to the western lands and upon his father's death he would be king. He shuddered at that thought. He didn't want the throne, a point that he had made public on more then one occasion, only to get hauled into a serious talk with his dad. His older brother wanted the throne, to the point that he had tried to kill his younger brother on more than one occasion.

"Let him have the throne. It doesn't mean anything to me. The people of this land will not listen to a half-breed. Why do you insist on handing the title over to me?" He had asked his dad this more times then he could count on one hand.

His answer was always the same. "You are the right man for the job. Your brother wouldn't make a good king. He would make a mess of my people and lands. His heart is full of hatred. Your heart is full of love. That is the one requirement that I considered upon my decision to make you the crowned prince."

The will had been drawn up. Rumors of the soon to be crowned prince flew throughout the land. He had heard the rumors. The people were saying that a half-breed was unfit to rule. That it would cause chaos and upheaval in the land. That he might go soft on the human slaves that they had worked for years to tame.

Then came the day that dear old dad announced that his youngest son was looking for a mate. Women seemed to come out of the woodwork as they lined up to be interviewed by the king. The king then chose fifty of the most eligible ladies, who then had the honor and privilege of dating the young prince. He stretched out his legs and groaned as he remembered all the dates he had been on. It seemed like half a million to him. He was just glad that phase of the process was over. The whole thing reminded him of a stupid reality television show that he'd come across while channel surfing one day, Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire.

His thoughts were interrupted when a soft knock was heard at the door. He didn't answer. He already knew who it was. He didn't feel like having another one-sided conversation with someone who didn't care about his feelings. The knock came again. This time the door slowly creaked open and a dark shadowy figure entered the room. Not daring to turn the light on in favor of his youngest sons disposition, he quickly and quietly closed the door. He walked across the room and sat on the edge of his son's bed. He stared at the dark figure in the corner and waited a few moments before he broke the silence.

"I see that you've narrowed down the list to twenty wonderful women."

InuYasha remained silent and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Have you made up your mind as to which young lady you will choose?" Again silence greeted him. "You really don't want to go through with this do you?"

"Feh!"

"Do you not want to please your old man?"

InuYasha lifted his head up and glanced at his father. "Why are you making me do this? None of those women want me for who I am. They want me for my money and the promise of being a queen. That's not the kind of person that I want to marry."

"I told you to find a mate for this day. You have not done so. Thus, I was forced to make arrangements for you. Be mad at me all you wish. However, you will be a married man today, even if I have to pick the woman myself."

"You don't listen do you? I don't want to do this. None of those women are right for me. They all hate the fact that I'm a stinking half-breed." His speech was cut off when his father leapt from the bed and slapped him across the face.

"Don't ever talk that way about your origins again. Your mother and I love you very much."

"You sure don't act like it."

He kneeled down in front of his son. "We only want what's best for you. When I drew up my will, didn't I state that you would get the throne only if you had a mate?"

"You did. However, I don't recall that you had put a time limit on me. You can't rush love. You should know that dad."

His father repositioned himself so that he was sitting Indian style in front of InuYasha. "I was forced to marry your brother's mother when I was your age. I grew to love her, but over time that love fell apart as my desires began to grow. I do know what you mean about wanting to be in love. But in this day and age, one can't wait for such things to happen. They must make it happen on their own. That is why you need to take a mate today. This day is a very important day for you."

"I know. Dad, I don't want the throne. Let Sesshomaru have it. He wants it bad enough. I would just be a disgrace."

"The day…."

"I've heard the speech before. Why aren't you pushing the mate issue on Sesshomaru then? He still doesn't have a mate and its way past his eighteenth birthday."

"He is not the heir I chose. Therefore, he can take his time finding a mate. Besides, we both know how stubborn he is." He giggled at that. "You are just as stubborn as he is."

"We got it from you."

"Ha ha, so you did." He stood up. While walking toward the door he said, "Look son, I know you will do the right thing. If you truly don't want to go through with the ceremony today, then I won't force you. However, I want you to make a conscience effort to find a mate." He turned around and faced his son again. "Do this for me and your mother, please. We will both respect your decision and welcome her into the family with open arms."

"Thanks dad."

His father turned around, opened the door, and walked out of the room. He closed the door and then opened it far enough to stick his head through. "I almost forgot. Your mother wanted me to tell you that she will be taking you shopping for a slave tomorrow. Its about time you had your own personal slave." With that he left, closing the door softly.

"My own personal slave?" he thought. He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. "At least dad listened to me this time. I don't have to go through with that stupid ceremony. I really was dreading my first night with a wife whom I didn't love. At least I can relax now." He spoke aloud to himself, sensing that no one was in the vicinity.

"I wouldn't take it easy just yet, my lord."

"Myoga, where have you been? I've been looking for you for days."

Myoga jumped on InuYasha's shoulder, and took a bow. "I didn't know that you required my services."

"I really needed some advice. But now it seems like dad is finally getting off my back, at least for the moment."

"As I've said before, I wouldn't take it easy just yet."

"Nani? Why?"

"I assume you have heard the legends about a human that will come to our land and have the power to right all wrongs in the world."

"Yeah, that's just a fairy tale."

"I wouldn't be so quick to pass it off as just a fairy tale. I've heard rumors of such a person. It is said that she is currently being held in a human hellhole. It is rumored that she has killed four of her previous five masters. The fifth isn't being blamed on her, because it was found that he died as a direct result of his mate."

"What's all this got to do with me?"

"You may not believe this, but your soul is linked with hers."

InuYasha picked the flea up and flung him across the room. "You're right, I don't believe you."

Myoga sailed across the room, hit the wall opposite InuYasha, and floated to the floor. After a minute he jumped up and hopped over to InuYasha, landing on his masters right knee. "You must save her. She is the only one you're supposed to be with. It is a good thing that your father isn't making you go through with the ceremony today. The moment you do anything with someone other than this particular woman, all time will stop."

InuYasha looked at Myoga with disbelieving eyes. "What makes you think I believe this stupid story of yours? It's just a fairy tale. Besides, even if the rumors were true and I wanted to help this woman, I can't. I don't have the power to help someone who has killed four of her masters."

"Oh but you do. You are the crowned prince of the western lands. She is rumored to be in your territory. You can help whom ever you wish, if they are in your lands."

"I'm not the crowned prince. Dad won't let me have the crown till I'm happily married, at least in his eyes. Its not going to happen any time soon. Therefore, I have no pull with the local authorities."

"That does present a problem."

InuYasha stood up. Myoga fell to the floor. As InuYasha walked toward the door he stepped on Myoga and ground him into the floorboard with his heel. "Look flea, get the idea out of your head. These rumors aren't true. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go work out some of my anger. I have a feeling that dad won't give up so easily."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~

It was cold, so very cold. A slight breeze entered the enclosed room and ran rampant, chilling anything in its path. A lone figure sat huddled against the back wall. The breeze crept around her mostly naked body, chilling her to the bone. The wind circled around her face and lifted her hair up, blowing it wildly about for a few moments before moving on to other sections of the slightly cramped cell.

As her hair moved about, signs of wear and abuse could be seen on her face. Her eyes were blood shot and puffy. A long deep gash was visible stretching from just under her right eye and disappeared below her shirt. Her shirt was torn and barely provided any protection from the elements. Her skirt had been removed long ago, as her captors had stated, it was a luxury that she was not entitled to.

Shackles adorned her wrists. Chains ran from the shackles and attached to the back wall. The chains were not long, but they were long enough to allow her to wrap her arms around her legs. A huge spiked collar was wrapped around her neck. Spikes protruded into her skin, and the slightest movements caused her great pain. The collar also surrounded her with a magical binding spell. It kept her from using any magical incantations or any other powers that she might have. She knew that it served to protect her demon captors against her Miko powers.

She wished for one thing above all others, to die and end her miserable life. It was bad enough being accused of murdering four of her former masters, but what she was enduring now placed her into a pit of despair. According to the laws of the land, she should have been killed the instant she was born. How she escaped certain death and made it to become a teenager, evaded her.

She closed her eyes as a wave of pain coursed through her body. She fought against reason to place a healing spell upon herself. The first time she had tried that trick, her captures rewarded her with the collar. If she tried to heal herself, her skin would heal around the spikes in the collar, making it permanent. The sound of the locks of her prison door cranking open jolted her out of her thoughts.