A/N: Okay! A new story, and as I haven't written a thing for fanfiction in years I'm hoping that my writing skills have gotten a little bit better since my old stories :D. I'm going to try a kind of Cinderella inspired Inuyasha fic. Oh, and there's no ultimatum making you guys review a certain number of times before I post again! Hope you enjoy, and I won't rush this one as I did the others, I think I may delete them....

InuYasha

Once Upon A Time

Chapter 1

The cock's crow woke Kagome from her peaceful sleep with a jolting start. Groaning, Kagome rolled off her sleeping pallet and stumbled upright, bracing herself against the windowsill in her fourth floor closet.

Sliding the window up and keeping it ajar with a stick, she breathes in deeply, filling her lungs with fresh air, and the sound of birds.

"Good morning world." She mutters sarcastically. Turning away from the window she lifts her dress and apron from a peg on the wall, pulling the itchy fabric over her aching body to rest in place for another grueling day of work.

Slipping on her shoes, Kagome totters down the servant stairs to prepare water for the days washing. Standing outside pinning the laundry up, a loud bell can be heard ringing from the kitchens. The rude sound announces the awakening of her 'family' a term she uses loosely.

Preparing tea quickly, she precariously balances tea sets to bring upstairs.

'About fucking time!' shouts Kagura while slamming down her novel. "Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting forever!"

"Sorry Kagura "

Kagome turned to leave, but before leaving the room, Kagura said all too sweetly. "Kagome, can you make sure to wash all the curtains dust this place? It's starting to really irritate me..."

"B-But I did them just two days ago!" sputtered Kagome.

"Well their dusty again!" argued Kagura shrilly, giving Kagome her most grotesque warning glare. "Now what do you have to do for me today Kagome?"

"Wash your curtains and dust your room I got it I got it..."

"Wait, here's a ha-penny! Don't spend it all at once!" laughed Kagura.

"Don't worry I won't." ground out Kagome bitterly whilst promptly leaving the room.

Turning the corner, Kagome slipped into her other sisters bedroom, luckily, Kikyo was asleep, so Kagome quietly left her tea on the nightstand for when she wakes. Kikyo slept a lot these days, not that that was a bad thing, if anything, Kikyo was more cruel than Kagura. Swiftly leaving Kikyo's room, Kagome headed for her fathers room with breakfast tea.

Lowering her eyes while entering his room, Kagome avoided contact with Naraku as long as possible.

"Good morning Kagome, how are things this morning? A beautiful day isn't it?"

"Yes father, things are fine, and a beautiful day indeed."

Depositing the tray, Kagome left the room, thankful that her step-father had been in a good mood, and she had avoided his wrath.

Creeping back down the stairs, Kagome slumped against the wall for a moment of peace while her family were busy, and she had a quiet moment to herself.

While tidying the rooms, and rewashing the curtains in her step sisters room, Kagome saw the kings carriage make its way down the narrow street.

"Now I wonder, why would the kings carriage be down here for?"

A/N: OK, I apologize for the extremely short chapter, the whole thing together is only like 3 pages, but it seemed longer written down. I'd write more, but my kitten insist on crawling up my leg with claws out. Well I hope that's alright for a first chapter, I'll probably work more on it later today. I don't think that Sango and Miroku will be in this fic, or Kaede for that matter, but she's not in many. Oh, and if anybody is looking for an editor, just send me an email with the subject as "Editor" I like editing others work!! Ciao for now!