A/N: New Story! It is based off of the movie "Ever After: A Cinderella Story." I hope you like it. Enjoy.
Chapter 1: The Step-family.
Sesshomaru stared outside the carriage, looking as it pulled up to an immaculate castle. He looked at his partner, Jaken, who had also been staring outside, much more excited than him. As they got closer to the front gates, the carriage came to stop and they both got out. Following the servant to the dining room, they looked around the castle which was just as beautiful inside, as it was outside.
The servant went up to the Queen and said, "The Brothers Grimm, your Majesty." he bowed and walked away, standing in the corner, leaving to two gentleman and the Queen in the dining room. There were plates set for tea and cookies, and the Queen was seated at the head of the table. She gestured towards the empty chairs and said, "Good day, gentleman. Please, sit down."
The gentleman sat down, thanking the servant as he poured tea into their cups. As they drank, the Queen spoke. "Thank you so much for coming. I suppose you're wondering why anyone my age would request an audience with the authors of children's stories." she said, also drinking her tea.
Sesshomaru cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the napkin in his lap. "Your letter was most intriguing, Madam." he said, nodding at her.
"I find your collection of folk tales quite brilliant, actually." The Queen gestured towards her library full of all the famous folk tales the Brothers Grimm had written.
"Thank you." Jaken said, smiling as he reached for another cookie.
The Queen eyed them suspiciously and said, "But I must say, I was terribly disturbed when I read your version of, The Little Cinder Girl."
Jaken coughed, choking on his cookie and took a big gulp of tea, hoping to relieve the itching in the back of his throat. The heat from the tea only made things worse and he had to hold back his gasps for air. Sesshomaru turned to him and hit him hard on the back making the coughing stop. "Thank you, Sir." Jaken said, taking another gulp of tea.
Sesshomaru glared at him and turned back to the Queen. "There are those who swear that the telling with it's fairy godmother and magic pumpkins would be closer to the truth." he said, fiddling with his napkin.
Jaken cut in, finishing Sesshomaru's thoughts. "Some claim the shoe was made of fur, others insist it was glass. Well, I guess we'll never know." he said, scratching his chin in thought.
The Queen gestured towards her servant and he walked over to a silver box and opened it, pulling out a slipper.
Jaken gasped and Sesshomaru scooted up in his chair, aiming for a better look at the magnificent slipper the Queen was holding in her hand, when he saw a painting of a woman behind her. "Forgive me, your Majesty, Might I inquire about the painting? She's quite really well, extraordinary." he said, staring at it.
The Queen turned around and gazed at the painting also, admiring it's texture. She traced her fingers along it, the painting although many years old, still looking and feeling brand new. The smell of the paint still faint as if the artist had just finished the masterpiece. The Queen turned back to the men and smiled. She still had the slipper in her hand and she put it in her lap and closed her eyes. "Her name was Kagome Higurashi and this," she held up the slipper again. "Was her glass slipper." she looked at Jaken and smirked. "Perhaps you will allow me to set the record straight?" she asked.
Jaken's eyes widened. "Then it's true. . . the story?" he asked.
"Yes. Quite. Now, then. What is that phrase you use? Oh, yes. Once upon a time, there lived a young girl, who loved her father very much." The Queen began.
A young Kagome bounced up and down as the servant, an old woman, tried to tie the back of her dress.
"Oh, Kaede, it feels just like Christmas! I get a mother and sisters all in one day!" she said excitedly, looking around at her surrounding and sighing blissfully.
"Yes, it's going to be very exciting. What, with the Baroness and all." Kaeded was about to tie the final string on Kagome's dress, when Kagome pulled free and all the strings came loose, making her dress look awfully big on her.
"Oh, hold still!" Kaede grabbed Kagome by the arm and dragged her back, beginning to tie the loose strings again.
Ayame, another servant, came into the room holding a stack of clothes that she had just taken down from outside. "The master deserves some happiness after bringing up the child on his own." She put the clothes on the bed, beginning to fold them. "She must be lovely." she said, talking about the Baroness.
"I hope she likes me!" Kagome said, crossing her fingers.
"She'll love you!" Ayame said, walking up to Kagome and pinching her nose. "Just be the little angel I know is in there somewhere." she smiled as Kagome laughed and pushed her hand away.
"And don't chew on the bones at dinner and give yourself away!" Kaede joked, but gave Kagome a serious look. There was a loud sound, as if something was hitting the window and Kagome jumped over her bed and ran to see what it was.
"Child, you father arrives any moment!" Kaede said, sighing and walking out of the room. She had given up on trying to fix Kagome's dress. If Kagome wanted to look silly for her new step-mother, then Kaede was not going to stand in the way. She chuckled as she followed Ayame out of the room to prepare for the master to arrive.
Kagome looked out of the window and saw Miroku, her best guy friend with a rock in his hand. Miroku was very scrawny and short, and Kagome would always hit him and make him cry.
"Miroku! I told you, not today!" she said, very seriously.
Miroku's jaw dropped open as he looked at Kagome. "You look like a girl!" he yelled.
Kagome's face turned red and she fumed. "That's what I am, halfwit!" she screamed.
"Yes, but today you look it!" he yelled back, smirking.
"Boy or girl, I could still whip you!" Kagome threatened.
Miroku chuckled. "I'd like to see you try!" he teased her from outside of the window.
Kagome gave him a few seconds before she bolted down the stairs and out the door. "I'll get you Miroku!" she yelled, running through the mud and after her best friend.
Kaede stood outside with Ayame and her husband Kouga, along with the rest of the servants in the household. "Look lively, it's the master." she said to all of them, as she held her head high and smiled.
Monsieur Higurashi got off of his horse and smiled, glad to be home.
"Welcome home, Monsieur Higurashi. I see you have brought us a Baroness." Kouga said, bowing.
"I have brought you a whole household, Kouga," Monsieur Higurashi said. He looked at everyone that was waiting outside the house and his smile faded a bit when he noticed a certain face was missing. "But I seem to be missing a daughter." he said, shaking his head.
The door to the carriage opened and out came two young girls. One, blonde and wearing orange and the other, a brunette and wearing green. The third body to come out, came out slowly and gracefully, also with the help of a servant. The woman looked around as she stepped down from the carriage. "Oh, Shin. It's absolutely charming, really." she said, smiling at him.
A high pitched voice came from across the way. "Papa!" Kagome yelled, running up to him, her dress and face covered in mud. She ran to Shin and he held out his arms for her to jump into.
"Oh, ho, ho, look at you. Just as I left. I'll wager your friend Miroku is around here." he said, looking around and laughing.
"No, sir! I slaughtered him!" Kagome said. Miroku came from around the corner, covered from head to toe in mud. You couldn't even tell his hair from his clothes they were so muddy.
Shin laughed at the sight of Miroku. The Baroness rolled her eyes. "Well, so you did. I had hoped to present a little lady. I suppose you'll have to do." he smiled, putting her down and wrapping his arm around her shoulder, hugging her close. "Kagome, may I present, the Baroness Megumi de Ghent and her daughters, Kikyo and Sango.
The Baroness smiled at Kagome. "Hello, Kagome. At last we meet. Your father speaks of nothing else," she turned to her daughters. "Ladies, say hello to your new stepsister." she turned back to Kagome and gave her a look.
Kikyo and Sango both curtsied and smiled. "Mademoiselle." they said.
Kagome lay on her bed and held the book in her hand. "Utopia." she read.
Her father sat down on her bed, next to her. "It means paradise. This may be a bit thick for an eight-year-old, but we can add it to our library." he nodded and pointed to the hallway that lead to the room full of shelves of books and books.
"Will you read some?" Kagome asked, leafing through the first few pages.
Shin smiled and shook his head. "It's been a very long day, Kagome." he said.
"And you're a husband now." Kagome reminded him.
"Yes, I'm a husband now, but a father first and forever. We've been two peas in a pod, you and I, for a long time. I suppose this will take some getting used to." he said pulling the blanket over Kagome as she put her head on her pillow.
"Did you see the way they ate their supper? It was perfect! Like a dance." She smiled, excited to have a new family.
"Do you like them?" her father asked, smiling and running his fingers through his hair.
Kagome nodded. "Very much!" she said, putting the book to her side.
"Good, good," her father said. "Because I have to go to Kyoto in a fortnight."
Kagome sat up from her bed and looked at him sadly. "But you just got back!" she exclaimed.
"I know." Shin said, looking at her and smiling.
"For how long?" Kagome asked him, as she scooted closer to where he was.
"Hmm, only three weeks." he said, holding three fingers up.
"One." Kagome pouted.
"Two." Shin said, eyeing her.
"One!" Kagome yelled.
"Two!" Shin said in the tone of voice that said, that's final.
Kagome looked at him and held her hand out as they played rock, paper, scissors. "One, Two, Three." Kagome ended up with scissors and her father paper.
Shin laughed. "Alright, fine. One," he said. "Come on, go to sleep. Kiss," Kagome kissed him on the cheek and he walked towards the door. "Sleep tight." he said, before closing it.
The next morning, Shin put on his gloves as he made his way outside to his horse and to bid everyone farewell. He laughed as he saw the distraught faces of his daughter, wife, and step-daughters. "I've never seen so many gloomy faces around here! I shall be back in a week." he said, wrapping his arms around the Baroness.
"Then go," she said. "The sooner you leave, the sooner we can celebrate your return." he kissed her and looked at his new daughters.
"Perhaps by then, the three of you will know each other better." he smiled and kneeled by Kagome. "I'm counting on you to teach them the ropes around here. The Baroness isn't used to getting her hands dirty." he kissed Kagome on the cheek and hugged her. He went to his horse and got on as Kouga handed him the reins. "Thank you, Kouga."
"Safe journey, master." Kouga bowed and back away, as Shin trotted off slowly towards the gates.
The Baroness watched after him and then turned to the girls. "Come along, ladies. Back to your lessons." she said, making her way inside.
"Wait!" Kagome called after her, "It's tradition. He always waves at the gate."
The Baroness glared at Kagome and went inside anyhow, pulling her two daughters along with her.
Kagome stomped her foot and ran after her father so she could watch him. She smiled as she saw him approaching the gate up ahead, but he didn't turn to wave. Suddenly, she saw her father fall off of his horse and the horse ran off in the other direction. "Papa!" Kagome screamed, running towards where her father lay.
The servants watched from the house and also ran out to their master. The Baroness from inside had heard Kagome's cry and came out to see what all the fuss was about. When she saw Kagome kneeling next to a fallen body, she gasped and ran towards the gate also.
"Papa! Papa!" Kagome shook him lightly.
The Baroness came and kneeled next to him, on the opposite side of Kagome. "Shin..." she said, tears brimming her eyes. Kagome was already crying.
Shin looked at the Baroness and then at Kagome. "I..I love you." he said, stroking her cheek. "I love you." he repeated. Kagome burst into more tears, if possible. Shin closed his eyes, and stopped breathing.
The Baroness shook her head. "No!" she cried. "Shin, you cannot leave me here! You cannot leave me here!" she started sobbing uncontrollably and Kouga, Ayame, and Kaede ran up. The Baroness stood up and hugged Kouga who comforted her. Ayame and Kaede tried to comfort Kagome, but she pushed them off. "Leave me!" she cried, hugging her father. "Papa! Please come back!" she cried.
The Brothers Grimm sat in complete shock as the Queen told them the story. "It would be another ten years before another man would enter her life. A man who was still a boy in many, many ways.
That's the end of chapter 1! Please read and review! D I'll love you forever!