Disclaimer
I do not, nor do I claim the ownership of any of the characters seen throughout the pages of this tale.
Updating and Chapter Sizes
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This tale was written purely for inspiration purposes, it was written so that I would have something to do in the case of boredom or have been unable to write anything decent for either my other InuYasha piece "Fire and Brimstone" – not yet available for reading - or for my own personal tale. As a result chapters will likely be short and drabble-sized and I cannot promise regular updates. I will attempt to update once a week with a new chapter, but I will make no promises. This also means the following chapters may or may not be of good quality writing, as I will not spend half as much time editing and revising chapters before posting them.
Basic Idea
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I got this idea after finding a number of InuYasha twists to the popular Walt Disney film; "The Little Mermaid", and I felt like also making one similar, though I promise you that this tale is very vaguely based off of any mermaid tales, of either the original "Little Mermaid" or Walt Disney's version. The almost only similarities being the main character having to be the Sea King's 15-16 year old daughter who goes ashore. Most of the similarities will cease there.
Main Coupling
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Unlike most of my tales, this one was written with the express idea of not having a predetermined coupling, this tale will have a little bit of Sess x Kag, Inu x Kag, Koga x Kag, and maybe even a snippet or two of Toga x Kag, though I will not spoil with whom she will eventually end up marrying, but I will assure you that it will not be the Inu no Taisho.
Fan Names
Solely for the purposes of this tale I have given a number of the InuYasha cast that were not given names, names. I am a firm believer that "Inu no Taisho" is a title rather than a name, and though I tend to try and give him the dignity of referring to him as such, for this tale, I have elected to use his fan-given name; Touga. As for Kagome's mother, her importance in this tale has yet to be determined, though I still saw it fit to give her a name, unfortunately however, I was unable to find a common fan-given name for her and as such, elected to give her one of my own; Hoshiki.
Rating
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I am sure some of you are wondering why I rated this tale so highly; I rate all of my tales at the highest possible rating just in case. Does this mean there will be some mature content included in this tale? Not necessarily. Does this mean there is a high probability of some mature scenes? Absolutely. I will give advanced warning upon any chapters that contain content not advisable to the eyes of younger readers.
Roles
Kagome: youngest sea princess, guardian of the Sacred Jewel
Kikyo: Kagome's older sister, she is adventurous but still has a strong sense of duty, sea's Crown Princess
Sota: Kagome and Kikyo's younger brother
Grandpa: Father to Kagome, Kikyo, and Souta's father
Hosiki {Mrs. Higarashi}: Kagome and Sota's mother
Sango: Kagome's lady-in-waiting as well as her protector
Kohaku: Sango's little brother
Kirara: Sango's companion
Sango's Father: Captain of the Sea Guard
Eri, Yuka, Ayumi: Kagome's friends, completely supportive of Kagome marrying Hojo
Hojo: Kagome's main suitor
Akitoki: Hojo's father, another high ranking Sea Lord
Naraku: main antagonist, seeking the sacred jewel to use its powers to become the most powerful being both on land and in the sea
Touga {Inu no Taisho}: most powerful land-dwelling lord
InuYasha: Touga's youngest son
Sesshomaru: Touga's eldest son, the Crown Prince
Kouga: InuYasha and Sesshomaru's cousin
Ginta and Hakkaku: Kouga's younger twin brothers
Ayame: Kouga's fiancé
Kouga's Father: married Touga's younger sister, another high ranking lord
Shippo: Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's cousin, though no one is quite sure how they are related
Miroku: InuYasha's closest friend
Jaken: Sesshomaru's retainer
Myouga: Touga's personal advisor, and InuYasha's retainer
Kaede: elderly maid/servant in Touga's court
Rin: - currently, Rin has neither standing nor any appearances in this tale, though she might come in during later chapters.
And without further ado, I thank you for your attention during the afore stated information above, and as a reward, give you the first chapter as well as a promise not to clutter any more chapters up with such a lengthy "Author's Notes" -
Chapter One
Under the Sea
Life beneath the waves was pleasing to Kagome. Life as the Sea King's youngest daughter? Not so pleasing. When the younger princess was not being compared to her older half-sister, she was usually being told she was too reckless, or being told that she needed to start thinking about marriage.
Her sister, Kikyo had all but taken over the duties of running the palace after their father had fallen ill shortly after their little brother had come into the world, and her mother was always busy with the new baby. "It's not fair." Kagome grumbled as she slumped over the railing of the coral balcony overlooking the Drop-off so far below. She had never really understood why it was built, considering one could swim right out across the open waters.
"Don't worry too much, Kagome, it'll get better." Kikyo soothed, as she settled upon the ledge next to her sister, gently running her fingers through her little sister's hair.
"How? Kikyo, how could it possibly get better? Everyone expects me to marry that Hojo."
"I thought you liked Hojo." Kikyo responded with a bit of skepticism.
"I do like him; I just don't want to marry him." Kagome retorted, spinning around to face her sister. "By the way, how did you get out of all the marriage proposals?" She inquired, curiously.
"I didn't. I didn't even get a choice." Kikyo sighed.
"What do you mean? You're not married."
"Not yet, but the only choice I have is when I marry. And that is only because Father had fallen ill before the final steps for my marriage were set in motion. At least you get to choose who you marry."
"Only from a list of men that have Father's approval to ask for my hand." Kagome grumbled, as she turned her attention back across the balcony. Briefly, her coffee brown eyes flickered up to the shimmering surface even farther above them than the drop-off was beneath. "Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi are all but begging me to marry him."
"And what about Sango? Does Sango think you should accept Hojo's offer and become a lady to the young lord?" Kikyo inquired, knowing her sister highly valued the opinion of her lady-in-waiting.
"You know Sango, no guy is ever going to be good enough for me in her eyes." Kagome let out a short, nearly dry laugh.
"She cares about you deeply. Now come along, you have lessons if I am not mistaken." Kikyo stated as she rose from the ledge, dragging a reluctant Kagome with her.
"And there's the truth of why you're here." Kagome sigh dejectedly.
"Only because you have been neglecting your lessons since Father named you the guardian of the Jewel." Kikyo responded, nodding towards the slightly glowing orb dangling from a green necklace around her little sister's throat."You are, after all, the most suited to the trials it will bring. Other than myself that is. But then, I can't be both the Guardian of the Jewel and our father's heir, now can I?" The elder sister chuckled playfully, before musing the younger's hair and darting away before Kagome could react. The younger princess grumbled incoherently for a moment as she readjusted her locks, watching her sister's red fins disappear around a corner, probably headed for her own lessons.
That was how life usually was for Kagome, simple and boring, the only excitement she ever saw was when her and Kikyo's teachers decided to give them a lesson on their inborn ability to manipulate the waters to their command. Of course, said lessons usually only occurred once a month for the younger princess as she would not be following in her father and sisters' path in taking over the control of the seas. She was only taught the basics of manipulating the waters because she wasn't supposed to have any use for said abilities. She was expected to marry some lesser lord's son, be his arm ordinate at public gatherings, and mother any number of his offspring.
The way Kagome saw it, the second she married, she would cease to live. She would become a moveable object for her husband's pleasure and would cease to be herself any longer. Her opinions would no longer matter, she would speak only when spoken to, and would feel like some prize trophy as her husband paraded her around.
It was no question as to why the younger princess refused to want to marry. She might not have been as adventurous as her elder sibling, but she had always thought she was born for some other fate. The Gods couldn't seriously have put her upon their earth just so she could be hung from some lord's arm like a wall decoration.
When Kikyo was younger, she had run away a number of times in hopes of escaping this very same fate, most of those times she had gone ashore. Kagome had never felt obligated to rise above the waves, but she was ever curious about the human creatures that dwelled there. Had she any delusion that escape was possible, she probably would have gone ashore herself, but Kagome had no such ideas of escape. All she could hope for was a husband that actually cared about what she thought.
With a final mutter of annoyance, the younger princess flicked her own gold-colored scales and set out after her sister at a far slower pace.
On Sun Warmed Sands
InuYasha cursed under his breath as his brother's strike sent him flailing across the loose sand, though he fought to keep his footing, his brother did not give him the chance to retaliate, striking again and again with the wooden practice sword. InuYasha could do little more than block each strike; it was all he could do to keep from being beaten to a bloody pulp against his brother's continuous blows. Occasionally, he could get a good parry in, but Sesshomaru was swinging again before his brother had a chance to claim the momentary advantage.
Above the two, on a stone outcropping, their father watched the duel, occasionally giving out helpful tips, but more often than not he was criticizing his sons. As his sons battled, the lord of the land's bronze colored eyes cut away from the clack and splintering of wooden play swords, striking out across the ocean waves. According to the missive that he had discarded upon his desk before coming out to supervise his sons' lesson, they would soon be having company, and he wanted to be sure his sons' aggravations had been well-spent before the arrival.
It had been many years since the Sea King had last visited, he wasn't even sure InuYasha could remember the last time, and after all of these years, the Sea King's daughters would be mature young women. He knew Kikyo could fend off his sons if they ever got the impulse to harass her, but he couldn't be sure about the younger princess. After all, he had only seen her once, and she had still been tucked against her mother's breast at that time.
He had elected not to inform his sons of the origin of their company, and had instead only told them that they would have company soon and that they were expected to be on their very best behavior. He couldn't have his sons offending the Sea King. The consequences of such an act would be far too dire and he could not afford for that. As a result, he had to take the utmost precautions. He had even delayed a visit from his deceased sister's husband and their sons. InuYasha and Kouga had never gotten along, and Sesshomaru barely tolerated his cousin's presence, it would not do to have the three of them together in the Sea King's company.
"All right, you two, that's enough." The lord commanded, as the sound of shattering wood ripped him from his reverie, and his gaze snapped back to the two below him. They had parried each other's attack and the combined momentum had broken both of their wooden swords. If he did not intervene, they would likely revert to using their fists instead, or try to impale the other with the shattered wooden shaft of their broken play pieces.
It took a moment in which Touga was fearful he would have to step between his sons to keep them from battling it out any more, but eventually the hard gleam in either of his sons' gazes softened. Almost in unison, the two turned in separate directions. Sesshomaru wandered over to the pile of clothing and jerked a shirt over his sweat slicked skin before continuing up the slope headed back for the palace.
InuYasha scoffed in annoyance, and instead just stood looking out at the ocean, his own shirt had been haplessly cast aside. Retrieving the seemingly forgotten piece of clothing, Touga trudged up next to his youngest son until he stood at his side.
"One day," He began, holding the cloth out toward his son, as they both stared out into the roiling and crashing waves, "Sesshomaru is going to get too cocky and you'll have the upper hand."
"Keh, I know that."
"If that is not what ails you, what is, my son?" Touga inquired, genuinely curious, as he turned his attention to his progeny.
"Who says anything is bothering me?"
"I'm not a fool. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, okay? Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking." InuYasha growled, spinning around and tearing his shirt out of his father's grasp before trudging after his brother. Touga merely blinked after his son in confusion, "Teach me for worrying about my son." He grumbled, running his fingers through his hair. "Izayoi, what evil could I have done to you to condone such a horrible fate as to raise those two without the aid of a female presence?" He sighed in resignation, as his gaze flickered towards the heavens, before he too turned back and began up the trail back to the palace.