PROLOGUE

This story is not original... Though it may seem to be he likes of such because of the twists in each incorporated fairytale. I was first given inspiration for this by Florence + the Machine when their song "Breath of Life" came out. It is placed at the end of the new movie Snow White and the Huntsman... And because of that, it is most likely the reason as to why I chose to do a fairytale mix. You will see the original Snow White's plot, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel. Twelve Dancing Princesses and Little Red Riding Hood in this fanfiction. There is also a bit of the Three Musketeers, some Lord of the Rings, and (for those Studio Ghibli fans out there) a touch of Princess Mononoke, as well as Nausicaä in this. The story does not require for you to have read, seen, or watched any of the mentioned stories. Although it is probably a wise idea to know a little bit about each so that you don't go away thinking I'm a complete lunatic. The love interest here is between Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha characters, Rin and Lord Sesshomaru (but it doesn't have much fluff, so if you want fluff… go find moe somewhere else… this is crazy insane shit that barely has any moe moments in it. ß yeah I was disappointed too…) If you haven't seen Inuyasha that's just fine- just look up the characters a bit so they're more than just names to you. And lastly, I want you to enjoy this. I was in an airplane when I found muse and picked up the only hint I had on hand- my new iPod. I have never typed so furiously nor have I ever had so much trouble with a touch screen in my life... Touch screens hate me. Having spent roughly a month writing out the basic plot, erasing it and then rewriting, editing and then revising it, I want you to appreciate it... By my main goal is to have you enjoy yourself as your eyes suck all this up. So settle yourself into the back of your seat and get comfortable- I'm hoping that you'll be glued to the screen throughout the whole story- if you do not find yourself interested, message me, email me, or give me a reply with your thoughts and critique on what you didn't like. Don't come complaining to me about the main couple though, or any of the shipping's or attitude changes that have taken place... Just go with it and see if you can deal with it long enough to finish the story- enough blabbering. I'm excited to hear comments... Fellow writers and manga lovers alike... I present to you my still-in progress, barely a month old piece (whose plot is still in the midst of being changed, edited, made and re-made).. "Thyme."

CHAPTER ONE

ENTER THE THREE KINGDOMS

In a time long ago… in lands long covered by the sands of time, there were multiple kingdoms run by many monarchs. Kingdoms with Kings and Queens and princes and princesses. These were times when great prosperity and wealth were spread throughout lands. Of course, there is no such thing as perfect, so it is safe to assume that there was poverty during this era as well. It was not just the King and or Queen who ran their lands. What land would make it without their serfs and underlings to help run it? With no farmers, there would be no crop to sustain the wealthy… and with no wealthy there would be no money to pay the food giving ones… kingdoms relied on everyone within them. One thing could not live without the other. There must be poverty for there to be wealth. Know that you are fully aware of that, I am prepared to tell you the tale which has been passed through generations of families throughout time. It is of two young children, who became all but unknown in their journeys… and when their fates became intertwined with each others, they became more than just two stars glittering in the night sky… They became the moon.

In a land of prosperity lay many great countries… and amongst all these kingdoms, we will be focusing in on three distinct ones. The kingdom belonging to the Great Dog Demon of the West, the Immortal Witch of the Southeast, and the Heavenly Queen of the North. Three different points of the compass rose, all colliding with one another. More literally than one would first think. Shall we begin? In the kingdom of the North, which was ruled by a widower… a Queen who had taken the title of Heavenly One in her past, gave birth to a child of charcoal hair and four years later adopted a wandering boy years later who was skilled with numerous weapons of choice. Her blood child was named Rin, and her adopted youngster kept his original name… Kohaku. The Queen's name was Kikyou.

Rin's birth was celebrated throughout the kingdom… that was eleven years before more important events took place… but one must know the two's childhood history before they can begin to understand why things are the way they are now. Rin was in the midst of her eleventh year of life, constantly wearing ragged and old clothes, running around causing havoc whenever she could get away from her mother… and taking on the look of a boy, even more so than her protective sibling, Kohaku. Ever since the two were little ones, they would run around wherever they wished… though it was Kohaku who was the one being dragged around by his younger sister because of her interminable hunger for adventure and freedom. The Queen was more than happy to allow this, for she believed that to be successful in their future, the two young ones must know how to take care of themselves, as well as understand just what the world was like outside the sheltered walls of their home, filled with many treasures that were considered as priceless vanities.

The boy and girl spent many hours together… and it would seem that they were never truly apart. They went everywhere together- for eleven years their bond only strengthened- it never tore itself apart like siblings are stereotyped for. They only fought about trivial matters and never kept a grudge against one another… does it need to be said again? Kohaku and Rin were basically made to be siblings. However, the day that Rin went too far was on a day that Kohaku was bed-ridden with a sickness that would nearly kill him over the next year. With his fever reaching more than 104 degrees and the shakes rippling through his torso, Kikyou was careful to keep Rin away from the room, attempting to keep her precious child out of the fray of misfortune.

The Great Dog Demon of the West was a King who had recently gone through a divorce with his first wife- and the mother of his first born son, Sesshomaru. He had remarried when Sesshomaru was but a child of three years… and Izayoi, the new Queen, bore him a son by the name of InuYasha. Both the brothers had their father's hair and eyes… long white locks and golden optics that mimicked the color of the horizon when the sun was just beginning to disappear over the edge of the world. It is needless to say that Sesshomaru did not like the fact that his new half-brother was even there at all… over the years, these feelings would dissipate into fading bad memories, but for a while… there was nothing Sesshomaru would like more than to just rid himself of the childish half-brother… as well as the Queen who had replaced his mother.

The Immortal Witch of the Southeast plays no huge part here… but she is (in short) Sesshomaru's mother and confidant. Without her wisdom, Sesshomaru would have failed his quest… We shall begin back in that room where sickness is prominent and tears are in order. This is where our story takes flight.