InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Protector of Her Heart ❯ Once Upon A Time ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1: Once Upon A Time…

 

“And they lived happily ever after,” The queen finished, smiling down at her daughter, Kagome. Her daughter was only seven years old, and the spitting image of the herself when she was younger, same raven black hair and stunning eyes, but that gleam of mirth that she saw in them so often was inherited from her father.

 

Her father…the king of the Human Lands. The Human Lands were the pride of all humanity, the court where any refined human being came to call. The east of the Great Continent was their domain, with the endless sea to the far east, and the Midlands to the west. The Midlands was a curious place, where humans and demons intermixed, and interbred, making a country that none could claim as their own. It had a ruler, once, but it was overthrown long ago, and now both the Human Lands and the Demon Lands claimed the throne. And the Demon Lands…they were a dark place were it was safe for no one human. A human could travel to the Midlands without fear of death, but once on the door of the Demon Lands, it was inevitable that you wouldn't make it out alive. The ruler of the Demon Lands was the Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru, the eldest and only son of the latter king, the Inu no Taishou.

 

That was why the queen loved every minute she spent with her daughter like this. The Demon Lands were known for their raids upon the Midlands, and occasionally, the Human Lands as well. It was too dangerous for the entire royal family to be together all the time, and that is why the king and queen lived in the main palace while their children, the elder Princess Kagome and the younger Prince Souta, lived in a small castle to the west, that few visited, to protect them.

 

“I liked that story, Mama.” Kagome turned to her mother, who was sitting beside the large and regal bed, smiling at her. “Did the prince really love her?”

 

The candlelight flickered across the dark stone bedchamber, reflecting off the jewels the queen wore and making her look softer and less regal than she did in public. “Yes, I'm sure the prince really loved her, Kagome. He married her, at the end.” She told her daughter, taking the book from the seven year old's hands.

 

Kagome's brows furrowed in thought, before glancing back at her mother, confused. “But she was only a peasant girl, Mama. No one at court marries anyone like that. Dukes marry duchesses, lords marry ladies, princes marry princesses.”

 

Sighing, the queen explained, tucking her daughter in her large, pink bed. “It's just a story, Kagome. Something like that might have happened long ago, but it never happens like that now.”

 

After another pause, the princess asked, “But why are all the stories about princes and peasant girls? Why are there no stories about princesses and peasant boys?”

 

“I don't know, Kagome.” the queen replied. “I suppose it is because while a prince will be king one day, and can do whatever he wants by the power bestowed upon him by birthright; princesses do not have such liberty. A prince could get away with marrying a peasant girl, but a princess is born to marry someone of high birth.”

 

“If there aren't any, then there should be,” Kagome told her. “It gets boring reading the same thing all the time!”

 

The queen laughed, “Your right, I suppose there should be, someday.”

 

“Can you think of one and tell me it tomorrow?” Kagome asked, looking hopeful.

 

Instead of agreeing like Kagome hoped she would, the queen's face fell. “Kagome…I have to return to the eastern palace tomorrow.”

 

“What?” Kagome asked, her face instantly morphing from happy to upset. “But Mama, why?”

 

“I cannot stay here forever, Kagome. I have to return to your father's side…As king, he's under a lot of stress all the time. He needs me at his side.”

 

“But why does he need you?” the girl cut in. “Why can't he handle things on his own?”

 

Her mother gave a small, sad smile. “When you're older, Kagome, you may understand. Sometimes people need people to help them go on with life. Your father needs me to help him through this stressful time, and, in a way, I need him,” her smile widened as she thought about her husband. “It makes me happy to be there, helping in and serving him, as his queen.”

 

Kagome looked away, “But what about me, Mama? I need you, too.”

 

The queen sighed sadly, “I know, Kagome. But you have to stay here, away from court when you're young. It's for your own safety…I know we both don't like it, but ever since the peace between the Human Lands and the Demon Lands were shattered, it's been this way. Besides, I promise I'll write to you every week, while we're apart.”

 

“When can I see you again?” the girl asked, hoping it would not be too long.

 

“Around Midwinter, I suppose,” her mother replied. “I'm sorry Kagome, but you know you can't be at the palace very long because of the danger in these times.”

 

Kagome pouted, “It's so unfair!”

 

The queen, kneeling next to her daughter's bed, scooped the little girl up into her arms. “I know Kagome…No one should be separated like this…But I'll tell you what,” she began, smiling, as the girl sat back in her bed. “Remember the story we talked about? About the princess and the common boy? Why don't you spend the time we're apart thinking about it; using all your time to making it just right. And then when we're together again, you can tell me the story, okay?”

 

The girl nodded, “Okay, Mama.”

 

The queen tucked the little girl into her pink bed once more, placing a small kiss on her daughter's forehead. “I love you Kagome, and I'll miss you…Remember that I'll always be thinking of you, even when we're apart.”

 

“I love you too, Mama,” Kagome replied, watching her mother blow out the candle, leaving them both in darkness. The queen walked to the door, and upon opening it, a trail of light fell across the bedchamber floor, lit by the torches in the hall. Kagome watched as her mother took one last look at her, giving a small smile, before turning away and shutting the heavy wooden door, leaving her alone.

 

The cool, drafty air of the castle descended on her as Kagome pulled the blankets up over her head, like she always did at night, before closing her eyes, trying not to cry at knowing the separation she would feel tomorrow. Mama said to think of a story between a princess and a peasant boy, and tell it to her when I see her again…

 

I wonder what kind of story it will be?

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

Ten years had passed when the king of the Demon Lands, glanced out of the window in his study to look upon the foggy night. Great dark clouds floated over the landscape, identical to the ones in the sky, shrouding the moon in darkness.

 

Though many nights in the Demon Lands were the same, there was something peculiar in the air of this night that it caused even him to get up from his seat and take a better look. The breeze fluttered through open shutters and ripped the demon's silver hair, sparking in the light of night, while his equally stunning amber eyes gazed across the endless expanse of moor. His face was much unlike a humans; carrying the crescent moon and stripe markings of his lineage, letting everyone who came across him know exactly who he was.

 

He was Sesshoumaru, firstborn and, as far as anyone in the Human Lands knew, only son of the last king, the Inu no Taishou. The Inu no Taishou had been a mighty king, securing peace between the Demon and Human Lands very early on after he claimed the throne. He lived long, and through many lifetimes of Human men, so when he had died, no one really know how to deal with a new king of the throne. But Sesshoumaru, who had been raised from birth to succeed his father, took up the job with all the grace and dignity the Inu no Taishou had shown in life.

 

But the peace that had been enjoyed during his father's reign would not last. As soon as renegade demons heard that the king they had all feared was dead, they attacked the Midlands, bringing down the monarchy and trying to make it a part of their country. But the Human Lands would not give it up so easily, and so they fought back. Now, two centuries since the Inu no Taishou had died, peace had still not been achieved between the two kingdoms.

 

Which was why anything that could possibly be a threat to his country was examined thoroughly by Sesshoumaru himself.

 

Sesshoumaru suddenly sniffed the crisp air, before turning sharply back into his dark study. “Jaken,” he called for his servant.

 

“Y-yes, Your Majesty?” the green demon asked, appearing in the beam left by the moonlight. Unlike the dignity and respect that Sesshoumaru commanded with his very presence, this demon seemed to shrink back, appearing vulgar and vile to all who looked upon him. His green skin was like a toad's, with huge, protruding eyes appearing within the sockets of the flesh. Even his master glared at him like something that had crawled out of the depths of a lake.

 

The king motioned towards the window with his right arm; the left sleeve of his elegant white shirt pinned up just under the elbow. “Tell me, Jaken, do you sense anything unusual?”

 

His servant fumbled around for a moment, before trotting up to the window and squinting outside, eyes straining. Jaken scanned the landscape, but turned back to the king and replied, “Erm…nothing but heavy fog, Your Majesty…or is that what you were referring to?”

 

Sesshoumaru gave a soft grunt of disgust. “You fool, can you not sense it? Someone—who should not be doing so—” he added, “Is using a great deal of demonic power.”

 

“B-but Y-Your Majesty, are you sure?” Jaken asked, scuttling back as if he was afraid he would receive some form of abuse from the king. “A-after all…no one would dare do such a thing without permission and risk angering you, would they?”

 

Luckily, the king was not listening as he glanced through the window, taking a soft sniff of the air one more time. “And that power is headed…” he trailed off, glancing towards the East.

 

Suddenly, the king of the Demon Lands turned and ordered his servant, “Go and bring that worthless spymaster here, this instant!”

 

Jaken bowed furiously before running out, “Yes, right away Your Majesty!”

 

Glancing back out the window, now unable to let the situation rest, Sesshoumaru muttered to himself, “I shall know the meaning of this…

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

The night air was as just as chilling and mysterious hundreds of miles away, at the western court of the Human Lands. It was a smaller, and older castle than the palace to the east, and it mainly served as a house for the young royal children until they were old enough to stay at court permanently. But it had been many years since the prince and princess had been required to live there full time, and now it consisted mainly as a military outpost and some courtiers who had been reluctant to go move back to the east as the court moved back, since their homes were nearby, and would wait until court moved back again.

 

Many, like the silver haired man and his not so friendly companion preferred it that way; it was less crowded, less noisy and smelly, and those who saw them on a daily basis had long gotten tired of sending spiteful looks behind their backs. After all, life as a demon in the Human Lands was not pleasant, but in those two cases, it was something that could not be helped.

 

Only those who lived in the west knew of the new institution that had been put in, in hopes of securing peace between the Demon and Human Lands. Before, any demons on the border had been killed, but now they were pressed into military service, under the choice of that or death. There were only a few who were captured nowadays and choose this; and those who did made up the special force of knights, focused on negotiation and sometimes forceful action to try to remain at peace with the Demon Lands.

 

Even if they were the royal crest—green ivy encircling a white rose, the colors of the royal family—on their breast and swore an oath to serve the crown in blood, it wasn't like they were treated any better than renegade demons who had been caught on rampage. Some, like the black haired wolf demon, were angry at this treatment, having been the leader of his tribe and treated with respect all his life, but the other demon, with silky silver hair, fierce amber eyes, and curiously placed dog-like ears on his head, didn't care in the least. He had been treated this way all his life, why should he care about it now?

 

And so, the wolf demon and the dog demon walked through the bowels of the western castle, arguing about another injustice in which the newly arrived wolf found offensive. “That human should have known his place!” the wolf snapped. “How dare he question my authority, when I have a higher rank them him!” He pointed to the royal crest stitched on his tunic.

 

Amber eyes rolled. “Don't you get it, mangy wolf? You should have been here long enough to realize this ain't the Demon Lands anymore. You get as much respect as a pack mule.”

 

“If only my ancestors could see this,” the wolf snarled. “Me, Kouga, leader of the northern wolf tribe, in slavery to the Human Lands! Every day I've deal with this is an insult to our tribe!”

 

“And I'm Inuyasha, but don't you get it that no one gives a damn?” Inuyasha exclaimed, “You've been here for months, so when the Hell is that going to get through your thick skull?”

 

Kouga growled and folded his arms, turning away with a huff. “At least I still have my pride that I'm not a hanyou.”

 

They were close to the door leading to the gardens when Inuyasha growled back, cracking his knuckles in a threatening glare. “You want to fight wolf?”

 

“Anytime, puppy! You know I could take you!”

 

“Keh! You wish! You'll be begging for mercy by the time I'm done with you—” While Inuyasha had planned on ending his threat, his sensitive nose caught of whiff of something odd. He turned towards the slightly open door. “Hey wolf…you smell that?”

 

Their fight was instantly halted when Kouga turned towards the door as well, taking a brief sniff. “Yeah…It's not something from around here.”

 

Deciding to investigate, the hanyou pushed the door open fully, with Kouga following him, out into the cool night air. The door led to the well kept gardens, complete with blooming trees, fountains and neatly trimmed hedges. The weird smell they sensed was even stronger outside, making Inuyasha recognize that smell. It's from the Demon Lands, he thought, his eyes narrowing.

 

“You feel that, mutt?” Kouga asked, scanning the area with his blue eyes.

 

“Yeah,” Inuyasha replied. “It's demonic energy all right.” But what the Hell is it doing here?

 

They crept along, hugging the ancient stone wall, before falling into the shadows underneath an archway near the elaborate doors leading into the entrance hall of the castle. From there, they would be able to see more of the gardens and find out what this disturbance was.

 

Just as they both saw a shape moving through the hedges, a voice broke through their thoughts. “What are you two demons doing out here?” Both Inuyasha and Kouga rolled their eyes at the intrusion and turned; a human guardsman had come upon them.

 

“Shut it, human,” Kouga growled, “We've got business here.”

 

“You demons shouldn't be out at night!” the man continued, “It looks suspicious…I told the captain of the guard that allowing demons into the crown service was a mistake, yet no one wants to listen to me—”

 

Inuyasha gave a growl in annoyance. While the idiotic human kept complaining about how unfair he felt it was that demons had been getting more pay than himself of late, the figure they had been watching caught on to the sound and started moving away, afraid to be heard. They would never find out what this person was up to at this rate.

 

“Hey, wolf,” the hanyou told Kouga, glancing at the human behind them. “Shut him up, I'll go see what this guy's doing.”

 

“Right,” Kouga agreed at once. Inuyasha wasn't surprised; Kouga was already pissed at the humans for what they did to him, there was no way he was going to pass an opportunity like this up.

 

“Hey, where are you going, you just can't—” the human began, before Kouga grabbed him by the scruff of his collar and pinned him against the rough stone wall.

 

“Listen you moron,” the wolf snapped, “You'll shut up if you know what's good for you.”

 

“You cannot manhandle me like this, demon! You don't have the authority to—”

 

“Actually, I do,” He pointed to the crest of the crown on his tunic. “Demon or not, I outrank you. Now shut up before I make you!” he growled, flexing his claws in an undeniable warning.

 

At the very least, the human had a sense of self preservation.

 

Inuyasha saw the figure relax a little bit more once he heard the noise stop, and Inuyasha was glad that Kouga had taken the job up so readily. Then again, he thought, That wolf's been itching to yell at a human for quite some time.

 

A slight breeze blew through the garden as Inuyasha crept swiftly closer, his leather boots making the softest of sounds against the grass. He tried to stay downwind, but he soon caught the scent of a human, so it didn't matter. He did, however, make sure he was hidden well by any cover he could get.

 

The figure in the garden stopped suddenly, at the very center, which was spacious and barren of anything to hide behind. Inuyasha stayed put, hidden behind a hedge, relying on his keen eyesight. They were far away, but not too far away that they couldn't be seen clearly by a hanyou.

 

Inuyasha recognized who it was at once; he had seen them far too many times in the castle. It was Lord Onigumo, a wealthy man with estates in the south. The hanyou felt a growl come on, he never liked the man, and he had a feeling that hardly anyone did. The human was sneaky, always walking around the palace with his glaring red eyes, smirking as if he knew a dirty secret. And more than that, he liked to stand and watch people; follow them without their knowledge, and when they would turn, all they would see was the smirk in his eyes.

 

And, of course, there was a particular person that Lord Onigumo had been doing just that to, and ever since Inuyasha had heard about it, he had been restraining himself to rip the man up whenever he saw him.

 

But the hanyou was fairly certain that Lord Onigumo was doing no such thing now; he didn't have that lusty or sneaky look in his eyes, in fact, his eyes looked rather…blank. As if he was in another place. The whole situation was odd; Lord Onigumo was always pale, and the hanyou suspected that he hadn't been outside in years, he had never seen him leave the safety of the castle. Yet here he was, outside in the moonlight, his long dark hair swaying in the wind, his fancy doublet looking a bit disheveled, like he had torn it open because of the heat. Had he been drinking?

 

But there was no scent of alcohol on the wind. And when Inuyasha sniffed, he smelled more of that reek of the Demon Lands…and felt the demonic energy as well. He stiffened as it hit him, He's possessed.

 

And that led to more questions; who would possess Lord Onigumo? He knew several people in the Human Lands disliked him, but he was fairly unimportant. No spy to the Demon Lands would even mention him. So what was going on? Why would anyone, especially a demon, bother to possess him?

 

But just as Inuyasha racked his brain trying to think, there was a bright light lit in the sky. He glanced up at it, following the orange beam of light down, until shot for the ground, and landed right on Lord Onigumo. He didn't realize until too late that that light had been a jet of flame.

 

The lord seemed to come to himself as he screamed in horror, and Inuyasha jumped up, yelling, “Son of a bitch!” as he pulled a rusty, old sword out of the scabbard at his waist by habit. The fire died down quickly as Lord Onigumo's cries became silent.

 

By the time he reached Lord Onigumo, the fire had died, leaving only glowing embers. Inuyasha stared at the sight. The grass had been burned away, leaving charred ground. The smell of burning human flesh and hair assaulted his nose, making him step back a bit. But he soon realized something odd; there was no sign of a body. He kept glancing at the burn on the ground, but there was nothing. Were the flames so hot it burned him completely instantly? He wondered, stepping back even more, to stare at the spot in horror.

“This sure as hell was a demon attack,” he muttered, looking upon the spider shaped burn mark in the ground.

 

 

* * * * * * * *

 

 

“It's obvious there was some demonic magic going on,” Inuyasha told Kouga, as they walked down the worn steps of the castle the next morning, sunlight streaming in through the small slits in the thick walls. The interior was pretty, but the castle was old, built as a fortress hundreds of years ago when the Human Lands were at constant war with the Demon Lands. Everyone in the castle squinted, since hallways were dark, lit by torches even in day.

 

“Yeah, but there was no scent to let us know who did it.” Kouga added, “We're lucky we didn't get accused. But considering that Lord Onigumo owed the general a lot of money in gambling debts, I doubt he cared who did it as long as it was done,” he chuckled.

 

“Keh, no one really cares about his death anyway, it's just the mystery that's exciting them.” Inuyasha had noticed that those who knew about it first were more interested in how he died than mourning the loss of the man.

 

As they walked through Tapestry Hall, as it was named for its many ancient tapestries depicting the history of the Human Lands, women in sweeping skirts made of heavy fabric and men beside them, showing no modesty in their clothing as well, openly turned and stared at them. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Not that he really cared, but he knew that a demon in the aptly named Human Lands was an interesting sight. Some sneered and turned away, knowing that he and Kouga, and the other demons in the service of the knighthood were there on pain of death, and not of their own free will.

 

Kouga folded his arms over his brown shirt. Since they weren't on duty today, they were free to wear what they wished; Inuyasha had chosen his favorite color, red. “The fact that is interesting remains, though. I know no one liked him, but who would dislike him enough to want to kill him?”

 

“I can think of a few people,” Inuyasha muttered looking away. But as he did, he saw a familiar person standing in the hall, talking with other women. His eyes widened as he looked upon her—Kikyou.

 

Technically, she was Lady Kikyou, wellborn daughter of a duke. Her father had been just a lord, but since he was cousin to the queen, their family rose in title and wealth as she was married to the late king of the Higurashi house. She was related to royalty, and she left no one in suspicion of that fact. That was what made Inuyasha first attracted to her—not her money or her rank, he never cared about that, but the way she held herself and acted.

 

She seemed so regal, holding herself like she was sure of what she wanted in her life, so differently than the way Inuyasha acted. Kikyou, in her beautiful silk gowns and rubies in her long black tresses, had fascinated him, and he had never been fascinated by a woman in his life. But as he watched her in public, he noticed that she always seemed to be holding herself back, and he soon realized that though she had many friends and seemed adored by many, she was lonely.

 

Lonely for what he couldn't imagine, but when he first approached her that day, many months ago, in the gardens when he caught her crying on a stone bench, he realized what was wrong. She had been putting on too many appearances to everyone, and she just wanted to be herself. Kikyou had been crying because her father was trying to arrange and advantageous marriage for her, and she didn't want it. Though she could see he was a demon, she let him listen to her as she explained that she could not, marry a man twenty years older than her, despite his fortune.

 

Inuyasha felt sorry for her, wishing he knew some way to make this all right. In the end the marriage didn't go through, as they often did, but he and Kikyou soon became good friends. They would walk through the gardens, and talk about various things, and he learned more about her with time, and knew how different she really was from him—she wanted stability and security all her life, afraid to marry because it would mean handing her life over to a man, while Inuyasha was more inclined to throw himself into the thick of things, determined to make his own way if it killed him.

 

He could see she abhorred the idea of marriage, though it was required of women in her society. And after he caught Lord Onigumo following her, watching her with lust filled eyes and scaring her half to death when she noticed him there, Inuyasha knew why.

 

Inuyasha was pulled out of his thoughts as they began to be painful, when one of Kikyou's friends nudged her and pointed to him. Her eyes became wide as well when she noticed him, and now he wished she hadn't noticed him at all. Things had been tough between them ever since…

 

Kikyou seemed to feel the same way, turning away for a moment, contemplating on whether or not she should speak to him. Some of the women walked away, but one remained. The hanyou glared at the dark haired girl who remained, whom he hadn't liked ever since that either—Lady Tsubaki.

 

“Kikyou, are you sure you want to speak to him?” Lady Tsubaki asked, folding her arms over her deep blue dress, while her navy blue colored eyes seemed to mock him. “After all you know, it is indecent—”

 

Kikyou glared at her for a moment, “I will speak to him Tsubaki, if you would be kind enough to please leave us.”

 

Tsubaki obliged in a huff, which is what Inuyasha expected; she had never liked him. Kouga also took that as a hint to leave as well, when he said, “I'll be at the training yards if you want a good fight, dog breath,” and walked off.

 

That left him and Kikyou together, both trying to avoid each other's gaze. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the deep red and white colored gown she was wearing, outlined in peals—it was the same gown she wore when they first met…all those months ago.

 

He glanced back at her, deciding to start the conversation. “Lady Kikyou.”

 

“Sir Inuyasha,” Kikyou nodded, daring to look back at him. Even so, the formality was about to kill him.

 

“Kikyou,” he asked, not caring about formality with the seriousness of the question. “Did you…did you hear the news?”

 

She shook her head, after all, she wasn't one for new gossip. “No, is there something wrong?”

 

“Well, you see…” Inuyasha kept his amber gaze on her, wanting to see her reaction. “Lord Onigumo's dead.”

 

Kikyou gave a small gasp, though it was a gasp of surprise. “Lord Onigumo…dead?”

 

Nodding, Inuyasha explained, “Last night…it looked like it might have been a demon attack. It was definitely not natural.”

 

“Poor man,” she whispered, but her eyes looked more relieved than anything. With the way Lord Onigumo had stalked her, and she had looked over her shoulder for weeks, as if afraid he would get to her when she was alone, he couldn't imagine her reaction being anything else. “And let us hope that this was only against him and not a signal for a war.”

 

“Keh, I doubt it,” Inuyasha assured her. “Sesshoumaru wouldn't dare; he likes keeping his country peaceful. If anything, it was a small scale attack on one man by some pissed off demon.”

 

“I pray you are right,” Kikyou told him, glancing at the end of Tapestry Hall and seeing Tsubaki there, watching them both with a smirk on her face. “Excuse me, Sir Inuyasha…I must leave. Good day.” She walked past him without stopping, to go back to the circle of her friends.

 

“Good day, Lady Kikyou,” he replied, watching her as she left, feeling the pain open afresh in his heart.

 

Keh, what was I expecting? Inuyasha wondered, turning back and heading for the training yards, very much in the mood for a good fight. She was afraid of the man, so she's more relieved than anything…

 

Though…he thought with a twinge of regret, Even if he scared her…with his station, he was the very sort of man that would have been “acceptable”…

 

He sighed. It was true that behind his rough exterior he had once held a secret desire to find a woman he loved and start a family and live simply. But as a hanyou in a country that hated demons, he wondered how he could have ever been so foolish to think such a thought.