InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Snow ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, or anything else for that matter.. Okay, so I own some stuff, just not InuYasha... If I did it would probably suck! lol


I've been thinking of this story for over two years now, I didn't think I'd ever start it, and yet here it is! lol My gratitude goes to my bottle of REDRUM and Rootbeer, Jennifer Lopez and yes I mean the singer, and all of today's stress that had me pulling out my hair and itching for a drink. I think I have a thing for prologues...


See spelling and grammar mistakes? Yes, I probably would to if sobriety was on my 'to-do' list.


SECRETS OF THE SNOW


By Miztikal-Dragon


Prologue


The evening dinner had been prepared earlier than normal for the small village in the middle of nowhere. The children that played and screamed underneath the bright rays of the warm sun were being tucked into their beds, soft kisses and sweet whispers of love sending them off to a dream world where anything and everything was possible and if it had been like any other night parents and other adults the like would have been turning in for the night not long after as well. Winter would be flowing in from the north in days, maybe weeks and a lot of hard work had been done to be sure that the small village would endure if the snow had been worse than the year before, the elders had been precautious this time.


Old and withered hands wrapped around a stick to stoke the burning fire, the slender digits aching with the tease of the cold breeze trying to retain some of the heat that seemed fleeting. The heat, like everything else she noticed, never stayed long enough and sighing heavily sighed allowing her aching joints to settle on her knees. It would be a miracle if she could get up without help later, but all the same it was alright because it wouldn’t be much longer.


She had lived a long, and all though not perfect life, at the end of the day she didn’t regret anything but one thing. That wasn’t saying that she wasn’t grateful for what she did have, because she wouldn’t trade what life had given her for anything (okay maybe that one thing, but then again if wishes were horses…) in the world. The nights would grow colder and the village where she lived would rejoice and celebrate the first snow fall and the thought brought a soft smile to the wrinkled face.


They all knew the tales, all the old fairytales that passed on from mother to child, each tale a little different, but hers never altered. Then again, she had only ever told her story once; however hearing the tales from younger generations brought warmth and pain to her old heart. The winter seasons always came with the memories of the past and if she had been anyone else they would have been bitter memories and at first they had been, yet now they were a reminder of a time when innocence, her innocence had been something she cherished and it helped her grow into the woman she was now.


A soft knock brought her from old thoughts and she called out for entry and the attentive hazel eyes that greeted her brought a pang of love and hurt to her heart but it only made her smile wider. Long hair was twisted into a loose bun and though the color could fool one to thinking it was black she knew the true color of dark ash that glittered in the sunlight. Her daughter, she mentally sighed as the young woman reached out to hold her hand with a gentle touch. She was a beautiful creature, as beautiful as her father and another jolt of pain pinched her.


“How are you doing Mama?” Her daughter was bright and she thanked her child as a warm wool blanket was draped over her shoulders.


“I’m coping,” She replied noticing the way her daughter’s hand rubbed her stomach subconsciously. “It was a beautiful ceremony.”


And she wasn’t lying about that. It had become a tradition the village decided was necessary and every year for the last six years the memory of her late husband was celebrated and each year that passed he was remembered as the great man he had been. Old age had stolen many people over the years, most that she had grown up around and the few that held out waited for the day they would be welcomed into the warmth of death. However she hoped that death was not as warm as they claimed, she wished that it was as cold as a violent blizzard and just as dangerous.


“Yes, father would have been proud,” her eldest child eyes glazed over as the past took over, albeit it was short lived as more knocks stole away the precious moment between mother and daughter.


Three more entered the small house, all tall and attractive men and the old woman smiled at their greetings. They too resembled their father, soft chins, messy ebony hair and deep warm chocolate colored eyes. Slowly she motioned for them to be seated and she silently waited until they were all settled around the fire, their curious eyes watching her waiting for her to begin. The air was thick with emotions, confusion, curiosity, grief and love and they tugged at her. But at the same time it helped clear her mind and gave her the strength to tell them what she needed them to know, the truth.


“I regret to inform you that my time here is about over and I will be departing soon,” she spoke evenly and clearly allowing no emotion to come through her voice and she frowned as angry voices interrupted her.


“Mama,” her youngest son exclaimed, his young eyes furious, the freckles dusting across the bridge of his nose disrupting the seriousness of his expression. “You’re as healthy as a horse, you’re not dying.”


That made her laugh and her hand flew to her chest to quiet down her mirth. “No, my son I am not dying; however I must ask a favor from you all.”


“Mama,” her daughter whispered, her smooth hand touching her shoulder.


“Oh hush,” the old woman snapped glaring at each of her children like she had when they were younger. “It has been six years since your father has left this world and my time has come. All people die and cross over, and I’m no different. I have a few things to tell you before I am taking from this realm and I expect no more interruptions. I may be old but I will not hesitate to put you all over my knee.”


Nervous laughter was strangled by the seriousness of her tone and when she was certain that her children were paying attention she sighed heavily, her chest expanding and sinking with the breath. This would be hard for them to understand, she knew that from first hand experience, but all she asked was that they listened to her until she finished. They didn’t have to believe her, only one or two had and that was okay, they’d believe her in the end and if they didn’t, well then she guessed that she had raised fools after all.


She closed her eyes as a cold breeze brushed over her flesh like a lost lover, the chill bringing gooseflesh crawling over her skin and she nervously smoothed out the invisible wrinkles from her lap. Clearing her throat she opened her eyes and gazed intently into the burning fire in front of her and lost herself in the memories she refused to forget.


“It is true that your father, my beloved husband, rest his soul had been my first love,” she spoke to them yet at the same to herself and the muscles in her shoulders and back relaxed. “But he was not my only love, there had been another during the years your father and I had been separated, before our marriage and it was one of the best and worst thing that had ever happened to me…”




E/N: that's all I got for now. I'm going to try and update as much as possible, but for now the Police Academy saga is calling my name and so is my bed since it's the warmest place in a house that doesn't have a heater or properly working furnace. And as ALWAYS, please review. It's all the warmth I need besides a heating pad! lol