So, have you guys seen the movie Anastasia? I love that movie! So, I was listening to the song Once upon a December from it, and came up with the idea for this new Kagome/Sesshoumaru story. Enjoy...
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Chapter 1 - Once Upon a December
On this darkened night, the wind howled at the moon in the sky. It was a bright full moon, larger than ever before. The stars illuminated the sky, each glimmering at its own speed, unnoticed by most. Then, from the heavens, came gods greatest gift. A small snowflake floated down towards the ground like a light feather. It swayed back and forth in its own enchanting rhythm. Then, gracefully, it landed on the damp ground. It had a certain glow to it, for nothing in this dark night shone as it did. God's greatest gift, and his greatest wrong. This harmless thing did more damage than most thought it could. In the darkness of night, it swept through, covering the earth in its gentle blanket of ice. It killed anything unprotected in its path. Anything unaware of the great horrors it brought along with it.
A trail of her footsteps could be seen in the light snow behind her. She walked barefoot on this dark cold night. Wearing nothing but a grungy kimono, she continued walking, shivering. Around her in this unknown forest, life came to an end. Through her young eyes, she saw life just as it was. Frail and fragile... incomplete. The once bright green trees now held on to their last bit of life. As she looked up, she noticed one amber leaf. It was the last one left on this great tree. It swayed back and forth in the gentle chilly wind. Covered in white snow, it remained hidden from the world. As the wind blew harder, it floated down to the ground just as the snow once had. It landed in front of her bare feet. Stiff. Unmoving. She stopped in her tracks and stared down at the once sign of life. Picking it up, it withered away in her small hands. Now crumbled into little pieces, it flew away with the wind once again. Far, far away to lands unknown by man itself.
She came to a small stream as she walked through the foreign forest. It glistened a bright silver color as the rays of the moonlight came down upon it. As she stared at it, past memories came to mind. Lalala... lalala...lalalalalala, She began to hum a gentle melody. Walking over to the stream, she crouched down in front of it. In the stream, she stared at her reflection. Bright blue eyes, ebony black hair. With one gently movement, she swiped her hand through her reflection. It was now misshaped from the water ripples. Her once clear blue eyes were now in the wrong places. She cupped her hands and dipped them in the freezing water. The cold no longer did any harm to her. Her body was numb, only there for show. It was as if she was a part of the living dead. Through her eyes, she watched the world as it changed, yet she felt nothing. She was frozen in time as all around her, the world moved on.
She brought her hands up to her lips and drank the cool water. It felt so refreshing as it passed down through her throat into her dry body. And seconds after, she knew this refreshing feeling would disappear as it always had the previous times. Nothing seemed to taste or look as good as it once had...Once upon a time. She dipped her hands in the water and drank again, and again, hoping to keep this feeling as long as she could. Every now and then, the water escaped the grasps of her lips and slid down her throat onto her chest and to the material of her clothing. Tingling her numb skin as it did. She stared at her reflection once again. This person who looked back at her, she did not know. It was not the same girl that once used to be full of joy. That once, used to love life and all the gifts of the world. Once upon a time, this girl, was alive.
Unnoticed by her, she was being closely watched by the most unlikely being of them all. Golden eyes shimmered as the bright moonlight came down upon them. A blue crescent moon on his forehead and two maroon strips on both sides of his cheeks. He had long silver hair, almost as soft as silk. It went down past his lower back, almost reaching the floor. He was dressed all in white, a red flower design on the left shoulder of his outfit. Around his right shoulder, hung what seemed to be a furry scarf. Once fully extended, it was taller than he was. His eyes rested upon her small figure as she hummed a soft melody. It was soothing, yet at the same time had an eerie feel to it. He had never heard such a melody in all his years of living. For someone who had lived as long as he, she was a very strange sight. She seemed to be completely alone. All the more strange. This girl, she could not possibly be over seventeen years of age. 'Alone, at night in this dangerous forest, how foolish of her.' He thought.
She continued humming this strange melody. And then, to his surprise, her gentle voice reached his demon ears.
"Dancing bears,
Painted wings,
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December."
He listened closely to the words she sung. It must be the words which go along with the melody. She stood up from her crouching position and stepped into the ice cold water, splashing water all over her once dry clothes.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory..."
She spun around in a complete circle. Her hair danced in the gentle breeze. He watched as she closed her eyes and began to hum the melody once again. Her actions had deeply amused him, but surely he thought she was mad. This truly was a strange girl. She opened her eyes and stepped out from the water. She grasped onto her shoulders tightly.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory..."
She extended her hands out to her sides and spun around once again. Endlessly. A soft giggle escaped through her rose colored lips.
"Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart
Used to know,
Things it yearns to remember..."
The girl stopped all movement and stared up to the night sky. She stared straight at the full moon in the sky. The snowflakes came down upon her, forming a shield around her. Most he knew would have been shivering at this point, but not she. She stood stiff, staring.
"And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December..."
The demons usual grim face now seemed to be confused. Why had she sung such a sad song? Was it because she was alone? Humans were such a confusing species to him. For over nine hundred years, he had managed to keep at a safe distance away from them. Never did he want to get caught up in things the way his father had. It disgusted him to just think of it. To give up ones life, all positions of power, and dignity... for a girl, human non the less, how foolish. And on that same night which he had spoken to his father, he promised himself he would never walk the same path.
She sighed. This stream she stood at had brought back so many memories. Years ago during the winter time, her mother had taught her this same song. Every night before she slept, her mother would sing it to her, rocking her to sleep. Never had these words been able to escape her thoughts, or its precious melody. It's the one thing she still had to remember her mother with. In these dark and cold days, it was the only thing which ever brought joy to her. The only thing that brought a smile to her face. This song which had been sung... once upon a December.
On the other side of the stream, the sound of a cracking stick pierced through her thoughts. She jerked her head over in its direction, startled by the sudden noise. It was too dark for her too see anything. She stood still, unable to move. Afraid of whatever it was which stood on the other side of this cool spring. 'How Ironic.' Memories of that night drifted through her head. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, it was not best to be thinking of such things at this time.
He could sense a lower level demon approaching this odd girl quickly. He came from the other side of the stream. To him, it smelt like a bear demon. The most barbarian of them all.
"Hello?" The girl called out to whatever may be heading in her direction. If she were smart, she would take cover and hide. If she were smart, she would remain silent. Unfourtanetly, all she could do was stand and await whatever came for her.
Out from the forest on the other side, a large silhouette came into view. As it stepped into the rays of the moonlight, the girl gasped. Bright red eyes and fangs covered in blood. It's entire body was covered in fur. It looked greasy and murky. His claws, much like his fangs, covered in blood. Dry blood. Who knows how long it could have been there. And his bright red eyes, what she feared the most, looked full of hunger. And there she was, like a sitting duck. She would become its supper. It growled at her.
The demon watched from afar as the scent of fear filled the air. This foolish girl would not move. She stood still and awaited her demise as the bear approached. He'd sit back and watch, what more could he do? Surely, he would not sink so low as to save a human. No, he decided. No. His eyes did not stray from her figure. The melody from before was stuck in his mind like a virus spreading, malevolently. He grimaced in discontent. This pitiful bear-demon, it was so weak. It did not deserve the right to live. But, that would mean he would be saving this, dirty human's life. It did not matter to him, he needed to get rid of this pitiful excuse for a demon. He was the reason why demons were thought of so lowly these days. He and other lower level demons. Without another thought, he jumped down gracefully from the branch of the tree he stood on, watching.
The bear-demon walked through the water, coming closer and closer. Now, he was only a few feet away from her. She still stood, unable to move. Would this be the end? She detested demons like this one. These creatures had no heart. They had no mind, no ration of thought what so ever. All they ever thought of was death, blood, and power. Then again, she had to admit, there were some humans who were as heartless as these demons. They too, deserved the same names for they had tainted that which one could call... humanity. As the demon was about to attack, she did not close her eyes. She did not scream in fear. As scared as she was, she once promised herself she would meet death face on. For if she ever did die, she would want to know exactly what happened. If she did close her eyes, the next time they'd open, nothing would be the same. So many questions left unanswered. That is not what she wanted.
And then, a green light hit the bear-demon head on. It was sent flying backwards into the water, soon disintegrating into ashes and drifting away with the current. She stood still, eyes wide. What just happened? She had not closed her eyes, yet she still missed the world as it went by. Turning around, she found herself face to face to something she did not expect. Was it another human? No. He had markings on his face, it was a demon. He was not like the one that had just tried to attack her however. He did not seem as bloodthirsty.
He defeated the demon and now he stood staring at this strange girl. She looked normal enough on the outside, but from what he had seen, he knew better. Her eyes were a bright sky blue. It was as if day itself was trapped inside of her bright eyes. Her expression was a surprised one to his shock, and not one of fear as most got around him. His golden eyes did not stray from her blue ones. And there they stood, human and demon. Neither knew the others name, or who they truly were. And so he turned and began to walk away into the forest. Cloaked by the darkness of the night, he disappeared from her sight.
Saved by a demon. That, she did not expect most of all. She thought they were all foul and heartless, yet this one had spared her. She knew nothing of him and was sure she had never met him before. One of the same kind who had once slain her mother had saved her. Would that be enough payment for the death of her mother? A life for a life? No. It was not enough to steer away her hate for all demons. She did not often use the word hate for she thought it was rather strong, but this was the only exception. And now, she stood still by that same lonely stream.
Saved by a demon, once upon a December.
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alright! And this is the beginning of this story. Lemme know what you guys think
I would like to point out that I did not use their names for a reason. In the next chapter, they will meet and learn each others name. That is when I will start referring to them as Kagome and Sesshoumaru instead of She and He.
Also, I will further explain the story of what happened to her mother, and the song later on. And of course, why she is traveling all alone.
Love,
Fate's Princess.