InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not My Fairy Tale ❯ Sun, Moon, and Stars, Cont'd ( Chapter 4 )

Part four

Sun, moon, and stars, cont'd

__________________________

 

“Finally, the princess wore her gown that glittered like the millions of stars above and sneaked off to the ball. There she danced again with the handsome prince who begged to know her name, where she was from, anything that would lead him to her. But the princess only smiled and remained silent.” Kagome's eyes sparkled in romantic, daydreamy enthusiasm, her heart quickening and a blush rising to her cheeks as she neared the starry-eyed end of one of her favorite fairytales. The blush was probably a flicker of her remaining fever from yesterday and her excessive giddiness she blamed on being sick all day and still feeling it now. She had a stupid grin on her face as she described the dress and the ball and the handsomeness of the handsome, charming prince to Shippo and Sango.

 

Miroku had to keep himself from rolling his eyes at the girls and Shippo's innocent laughter though the cub's happiness came more from having a nearly healthy Kagome-mama back than the festivities of an imaginary ball. InuYasha had his head in his hand was doing all he could to keep from groaning- or chuckling- at the very energetic and bubbly Kagome. He sat cross-legged beside her, Miroku sharing suffering glances with him from across the campfire, Sango knelt between the monk and the miko, Shippo bounding between them all in his excitement.

 

“When the dance ended, the prince took great pains to keep ahold of the princess's hand so she wouldn't slip away as she had twice before. But the girl was clever and managed to ditch him in the crowd. She ran back to her room but she didn't have much time before the cook came to find her so she threw her cloak of fur over her fine dress and smudged soot over her face and hands to hide that she had ever been beautiful and returned to the kitchens. The cook yelled at her for being lazy and late and told her to make the prince's favorite soup. She did this but when the bowls were served out, she dropped her royal ring in the prince's bowl so he would be certain to find it.” Kagome grinned, her hands mimicking her words as she dropped an imaginary ring into an equally nonexistent bowl.

 

“When the prince finished his soup, he found the ring at the bottom, and he recognized it as the same one on the delicate hand of the mysterious princess. He gave a great shout and leapt from his seat and rushed off to the kitchens. The cook was flustered to see the prince himself in his lowly, dirty kitchens and was sure the prince was there to punish someone for a poorly made meal or worse, that one of the cloaked girl's hairs had fallen into his food. The prince demanded to know who had made the soup. The cook glared at the secret princess as she hid in the shadows by the chimney. `I made the soup, highness.' He said but the prince shook his head. `No, this was far better than the soup you make. Who made this soup.' He asked again. The princess stepped out of the darkness and knelt before the prince.”

 

Kagome clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling and pleading as she gazed up at her pretend prince. “ `It was I, my lord, who made the soup.' The prince gently took the girl's chin and lifted her face so that he might see her eyes. They were the same lovely eyes he'd fallen into earlier that night. He took a handkerchief and wiped the soot from her face and hands revealing smooth, pale skin and slender fingers. He made her stand and threw off the fur cloak unveiling the splendid gown she wore. Her shining beauty was revealed to everyone and she was no longer able to hide. The prince took her hand and led her back to the ball, announcing that he had at last found the girl he wished to marry. `You, my dear princess, are my beloved bride and we shall never part.' They were married soon after and lived happily ever after.” Kagome let out her held breath in a huge wistful, lovesick sigh.

 

“I love that story,” She confessed to Shippo who had sat attentively for that last half hour watching her captivating movements and expressions as she told this particular tale.

 

Sango mirrored her love-struck grin, eyes gleaming. “Me too. That was lovely, she suffered so much in vain, just to be unnoticed, to be less than normal . . .” A thoughtful, sad light crossed the demon slayer's face. “You're right, some of these sound so familiar.”

 

“I wish I had that kind of faith, that the one destined for me would keep looking till he found me.”

 

“Kagome-sama, don't forget, the lovely princess was also persistent in letting herself be found.” Miroku's sly eyes slid to Sango sitting a discreet distance from him.

 

She caught his low glance and glared at the monk, pink lips pursed in a scowl. “You won't find anything where YOU'RE looking, Houshi-sama.” He laughed nervously, one hand at the back of his head, trying to look apologetic and for the most part failing due to the huge, stupid grin on his face.

 

Kagome sighed again, not paying any mind to the flirtations of the couple beside her. “Even if I wasn't what he was expecting, or who he thought I was, I hope he'd love me any way.” Her hopeful eyes fell, a soft smile played in the corner of her mouth as she watched Sango and Miroku argue and plead. Her smile faded, her vibrant liveliness dying away with it. `Even if I'm not who he thought I was, who he wanted me to be . . . Just let him love me for being me. Not a cloned replacement.'

 

Shippo suddenly tugged on her limp wrist, trying to wake her from her solemn daze. She gasped, realizing she'd been lost in thought a little too long, and faking a yawn, looked around to see if anyone else had noticed her slip into her melancholy reverie. Sango and her perverted monk were still too wrapped up in themselves and Shippo was staring up at her like a little lost puppy, probably worried that her fever was coming back.

 

But she caught InuYasha watching her out of the corner of his eye. Both ears strained in her direction, his own sad smirk waning as he watched her without really watching her.

 

She shook off the strange thrill she got from being watched by him and yawned for real. “Sorry, Shippo, I'm still pretty tired. I should probably hit the sack early tonight. Did you want to stay up with the others or come to bed?”

 

Shippo met her gaze, one hand on his chin as he studied her rather critically. “I'll stay up. You go to sleep. You really need it.” Kagome snorted softly at his blatant honesty, wondering if she looked as bad as he seemed to think she felt. Did she have circles under her eyes or something? She shook her head and got to her feet and waved good night to the others before slipping into her bed, still protectively tucked away under the tree InuYasha slept in.

 

Despite her mostly genuine fatigue, Kagome lay for a long while unable to sleep. Her thoughts kept drifting to the soft, contrite expression on her Inu-chan's normally scowling face. He looked so different when he thought no one was looking, his innocence when he slept, his concern for his friends, his remorse . . . He'd stared at her with those eyes, those `I'm sorry' eyes, the entire time she'd been ill, but only when they were alone. As if it was his fault she'd caught a cold or fallen in the lake. Maybe it was just sympathy that she had to be sick at all, or maybe regret that he hadn't been able to heal her despite his efforts. His arms were warm carrying her back . . .

 

Just like before, she fell asleep memorizing the feel of his gentle, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and legs.