InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Man in Black ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Kagome sat up in her bed and wiped the sweat from her face. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes that were previously glued shut. Her room was pitch black and she looked to the shadows. She had had the same nightmare ever since she was young. She is below the castle in a tunnel and something is following her. She never knew what to make of the nightmare though.

 

She pulled the heavy blankets off of her body and stepped out of her bed. She tip toed the French doors that lead to her balcony. She tip toed as if there was someone in her room. When she reached the doors she unlocked them and stepped out into the cold, night air. It felt so refreshing to her and she spread her arms, looked up, and closed her eyes. She then spun around and laughed at her silliness. If her mother saw her now she would be scolded for not acting like a “princess.”

 

Kagome was the princess of a vast territory of land that was called the East. Since she was little she was taught how to act and think like a lady, and since she was little she wished to be free.

 

She opened her eyes and looked at the stars. Suddenly she sprinted inside and returned outside with a blanket and pillow, which she laid on the ground. She then laid down on them with her arms crossed under her head, looking up at the stars.

 

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Hanging onto a windowsill, not too far above the princess, hung a man dressed entirely in black. He had his bare feet against the castle wall and was well balanced.

 

He gazed down at the princess and sighed. She was an angel in his eyes, but it's not like she even know that he existed. He watched her gaze up at the stars and not even notice him there. He pulled himself on top of the windowsill and jumped in the window. He ran down the hall not making a sound.

 

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The next morning, Kagome woke up on her balcony bathed in sunlight. Squinting her eyes she stood up and returned to her room, blanket and pillow in her arms. Her maid would be there to dress her soon.

 

As if on cue, a knock sounded against the oak door. The maid was here. Kagome opened the door and smiled at the maid. Behind the maid was her cousin, Sango.

 

“Kagome, guess what?” Sango said, smiling.

 

“What?” Kagome said closing the door once the two girls were inside the room. Yuka, the maid, went over to Kagome's closet and rummaged through the many day dressed in it.

 

“Your mother has invited a prince to stay here at the castle for a few months!” Sango exclaimed.

 

“Really? I couldn't see mother doing that without having a reason for it.” Kagome wondered.

 

“Which dress would you like to wear today, miss,” Yuka said, trying not to interrupt.

 

Kagome and Sango stepped in front of the closet and both looked at the many dresses. Sango had chosen a pale blue dress with short sleeves and a v neck. Kagome pointed to a pale, low cut, orange dress with elbow length sleeves.

 

After the princess was dressed, both Sango and Kagome were summoned to the throne room to greet the visitor.

 

As they entered the room, they heard the king saying, “…welcomed by all of us.” Sango and Kagome tried to enter without making a sound or interrupting the conversation. Kagome bowed her head when she entered and finally looked up to see the visitor. He was tall, with chocolate brown hair and dark brown eyes. Behind the prince stood his servant. His servant had black hair styled in a small ponytail at the base of his neck. He also had dark eyes.

 

“Look at the servant!” Sango whispered so only Kagome could hear.

 

“You're a princess, Sango,” Kagome whispered.

 

King Higurashi, Kagome's father, called, “And here is my lovely daughter, Kagome, and my niece, Sango.”

 

At the mention of their names, Sango and Kagome looked up and smiled. The prince stepped over to where the princesses were, kneeled and kissed each ones hand separately.

 

“My name is Prince Hojo. It is wonderful to meet both of you,” the prince said.

 

“Yes, it is nice to make you acquaintance,” Sango said, curtseying. Kagome followed her example and put her hands behind her back.

 

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Holding on to one of the pillars, stood the man in black. He hung onto both the ceiling and the pillar. Already, he despised the young man who flirted with the princess he wanted. He looked down at her smile and closed his eyes. If only…

 

Without a sound he jumped into a removable pane in the ceiling.

 

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That night, after dinner, Kagome returned to her room and sighed. Prince Hojo had sat next to her at dinner and wouldn't stop glancing at her from the side. He was cute but she felt that something was missing.

 

She changed into a white, lacy gown with a low neckline. On top of that she wore a lace rope-like jacket. It went past her feet and she loved the feeling of the ends being dragged on the floor. The sleeves were tight at the top but got wider.

 

Kagome walked over to her love seat and gazed at the painting on her wall. It was a landscape. She had always loved it because it reminded her of how free she wished that she could be. She started to hum a song and laid on the love seat.

 

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The man in black gazed at the princess through the painting. The painting was like those mirrors that you could see through one way but on the other side it looks like a painting. As the princess drifted off into sleep, he opened the painting and knelt next to her. He placed his hand on hers and her eyes drifted open. Before she could say anything, the man said, “Don't say anything. I want to show you something.”

 

Kagome didn't know what to say but deep down inside, something told her to go with him and to follow. He was dressed all in black and even had a black mask on. Because of the poor light she couldn't see much else besides the fact that the mask covered his eyes. He also had a black hat on.

 

He took her hand with leather gloves and helped her up. He led her threw the painting and down a hall lined with torches. The torches seemed to move but Kagome was to busy gazing at the man leading her. He was so mysterious but she found herself wanting to know him and wanting to feel him presence because it comforted her. She felt as if she had known this man all her life.

 

Every so often he would look back at her. She just looked as him and trusted him. Before she knew it they were going down a winding staircase. If she hadn't been mesmerized by the mysterious person before her, then she might have noticed that she had never seen this part of the castle before in her entire life. Once they were down the stair case he helped her onto a gondola and stepped on himself. He rowed them down a canal while she sat in front of him. Even though they were far underground in vaults under the castle, the canal was pretty long.

 

Finally they came to the end of their short journey. The man rowed to a ledge and climbed out. He then offered his hand to her and helped her out of the boat. When she was out of the boat, he stood beside her, one hand on her waist and the other hand grasping hers. He had brought her to where he lived.

 

“Who are you?” Kagome whispered, breaking the silence and putting her other hand on her chest.

 

“I am one who has been here for a long time,” the man answered.

 

“What is your name?” Kagome asked as he led her to a futon. She sat and stared at him.

 

He waited a while to answer her question. It was like he didn't want her to know his name. “I never tell anyone my name,” was what he finally said.

 

His voice was gentle at first. She liked the sound of it. “You can tell me. I wont laugh,” she said, hoping that he would see how serious she was.

 

“My name is,” he paused, “Inuyasha.”