Disclaimer:don't own inuyasha
*this first chapter is just an introduction into the story and it sets the rest of the story into motion
Chapter 1 - The Lord's daughter
There was a forest, a magnificently beautiful expanse of lush rolling green lands, that thrived with exotic life. The forest itself appeared magical; tall sturdy trees grew from the soft fruitful earth, with long limbs and spindly fingers that grasped up towards the heavens, sun light shone through the gaps between the leaves casting shadows upon the less regal inhabitants of the earth. A winding river cut through this forest, and then further past it-way into the lands of the west.
At the edge of this forest, far enough away to offer shelter and peace of mind, stood a village. This village was surrounded on all sides by a large wooden gate, manned at all times with guards, that stood patrol in each of the four watch towers on each side of the settlement. Each day these guards would spend long hours futilely straining their eyes towards the forest for any signs of danger, in this particular village, adapted from the stories of old, it was said that horrible things lived in that forest-monsters, of course this was all nonsense to the daughter of the Lord of the village, which is where, coincidentally, our story begins.
Midoriko sighed as she made her way through the village of Nisshutsu smiling politely at the villagers she passed, even though she was quite sure that once she passed by them, the villagers would not be able to speak of anything else but "the lord's strange daughter." Of course she was used to it by now, she had realized that the rumors had preceded her before she had even been born. In fact the rumors had sprung up when Lord Isamura had returned from one of his business ventures with a new bride-a beautiful woman with pale blue eyes, and inky black hair…so different from the women of the mainland, the strange woman had died in child birth, which only added to the rumors of the spiteful villagers.
"Midoriko-sama when you have time will you please stop by, I'm afraid my husband had a small cough this morning, be a dear and look at him for me?"
The young woman paused, pulled out of her deep thoughts, and froze outside of the vegetable stand, where a plump woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned brown skin stood dressed in a wool brown dress and apron. Midoriko blushed at her own appearance, with her neatly coifed hair, and pressed pink kimono and bowed.
"Why yes Satomi-san, I would love to be able to help, I'll stop by after my trek around the village, when the sun has passed just under the farther hills," Midoriko said gesturing towards the far hills in the distance.
The woman pursued her lips glancing up at the just risen sun, but nodded in resignation. "My deepest gratitude Midoriko-sama." She said bowing. With that Midoriko took her leave. Her father had invested much time in her skills, including healing and so the villagers frequently took to calling upon her to aid the sick or in Satomi's case, the barely ill.
The village of Nisshutsu, was a very close knit town, self governed, and with little to no interference from the world beyond its wooden gate. So Midoriko, who was very unlike the villagers, practiced very high discretion as she went about her tasks.
Now in the back of the village she glanced around inconspicuously as she kicked at the gate, quickly a loose section of the gate gave way, and she quickly ducked through the opening, before pulling the gate closed once more.
On the other side of the gate Midoriko heaved a huge sigh of relief, her beautiful pale blue eyes alight as she gazed at the lush forest in front of her. Glancing around once more, she ran towards the forest, shaded by a thicket of trees, and shaded from the weary and weak gazes of the lazy village watch men.
She giggled with abandon as her dainty feet flew across the soft earth, kicking up little clouds of dirt as she raced by. The forest seemed to thrum with the beat of her heart and the splattering of sunlight tickled her fair skin. She broke through a thicket of trees, chest heaving and her giggles now came out as harsh pants. She collapsed at the side of the spring on her hands and knees and peered over into the water at her reflection.
She smirked at her reflection and then twisted her face into one of her father's trademark expressions. "Who is that girl with twigs in her hair? And dirt on her feet?" She thundered, in an imitation of her father, shaking her fist at her reflection. She stood up and then hoisted her pert nose in the air, "No daughter of mine I dare say! Flopping about like a heifer on slaughter day, like a poor kitchen peasant!"
"What girl is that say I? But one more lovely then a warm summer's day, or the brisk breeze upon flushed skin." A deep voice intoned behind her, clearly amused.
Midoriko gasped and her hand flew over her heart as she turned to stare at the new comer.
He was gorgeous, with long glorious hair of the darkest black she had ever seen, and the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen as well. A far cry from her pale blue ones, his seemed to radiate with an inner light. If Midoriko had any less propriety then she already had, she would've dropped to her knees and worshipped at his feet like any besotted old fool.
"What girl is that say I?" He repeated, his eyes locked upon hers as he stepped ever closer until he was but an arms length from her, "What girl is that say I? But one more fairer than sunrise, and more abundantly beautiful then the brightest blue sea. One that if she so wish'd I would tear the pearly moon from the sky and give to thee. What girl is that say I? But one whose blush is more vivid then the ripest fruits, oh what a lucky man would be I, would she offer me one bite of her hidden delicacies."
If every one of her wishes would be granted, then the earth would surely open wide and swallow her whole.
"Oh y-you! Your such a man!" She finally groaned helplessly, turning from him in what appeared to be contempt. "I mean honestly! Offer you a bite of my hidden delicacies? You…misbegotten, old, rotten, foolish, pervert of a man!" She huffed indignantly…though secretly pleased by his words.
The man frowned and stepped closer slowly, encouraged when she did not move away. He stopped directly behind her, until she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. "Did what I say really be to your dislike my dear?" He asked, his breath like tiny fingers traveling across the sensitive skin of her neck.
She shook her head slightly and turned in his arms, smiling brightly up at him. "Oh Youko, my love, I do but surely jest." She said drinking in his beauty.
He smiled and looped his arms around her waist and brought her into his warmth. She rested her head upon his chest and wished with all her might that this moment could last for eternity.
He laid his chin upon her head drinking in the intoxicating scent of his little spitfire. "These few weeks with you my love have been the best moments in the entirety of my long life," at this he paused be for continuing, "tomorrow I must head back to my lands, my reason for being here, is settled and now I must go."
Midoriko knew that this day would come she just did not want to accept the truth, so she burrowed her nose deep into his silk shirt, escaping reality for just a moment by getting lost in his scent.
"I will come back for you one day, once my land is in order, but remember time passes quicker for me then for you," he said stroking her back in soothing circles.
Midoriko simply nodded not trusting her voice to speak, her eyes already swelling with unshed tears.
He pressed her closer to his chest and once she had raised her tear streaked face up he kissed away each glistening drop, made luminescent by the shining sun.
"My heart why is it that you weep?" he whispered. And as she whispered to him her insecurities the day passed by, and soon they sat side by side at the lake side, tight in the other's embrace as the sun made way for the moon in the expanse of the sky.
He held her by his side raining kisses down upon her and, lost in his love, the pain was forgotten as she made light of her life in the village.
Soon they grew quiet and the only sounds beside their quiet breaths were the crickets in the distance. In the silence of the night her fears arose once more.
"I am afraid," she finally admitted, "afraid you will go and never come back, that you will forget me all together."
He just held her tighter as she opened her mouth to speak once more.
"I love you, and I know deep in my heart, that I'm ready to share my life with you, I want to give you the last of myself."
No more questions needed to be asked as he looked into her pale eyes, he saw within their depths pure love.
He laid her gently back in the soft grass, mesmerized by the pearlescent hue of her skin under the moon light. He kissed her deeply as he deftly relieved her of cumbersome piece of her kimono. He chuckled as she attempted to hide herself from his gaze.
"Don't, your beautiful," he whispered raining kisses upon her flushed skin, then proceeded to love her long into the night.