I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to reading this story of mine. Further information will come with the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters belonging to Rumiko. I do however own parts of this storyline and any original characters appearing in the story.

Hearts Condemn Us

Prologue

Things had changed. And there was nothing he could do but go with the currents of time. Letting the flow take him away and have him ride the indisputable current which was never ending, always circling round and round without the beginning meeting its end. The smells, the sounds, everything was as it never was, and so was he. Where had once donned his armour and worn his trusted swords at his side, was now no more than thin cloth that shielded him from the cold he did not feel. And yet he welcomed the warmth it offered, if only for the memories it stirred within him.

He had been a lord once, ruling over lands and people. Now, he was a man like any other, hiding behind a carefully build facade. At one point he fought with demons, his eyes blazing red and gold, his hands glowing green. But today was not that day, his eyes were a light hazel instead of their rich amber and gold, his hands not emitting the glow which told of deadly poison.

He didn't dare say he missed it, the time were he could roam free without any restraints. Where his kind walked the earth without much worry about any resistance. And yet here he was, binding himself to his self placed restraints as he worried about the resistance they had all come upon over a century ago. But they survived, he had survived. Together with time's never ending flow they had changed, shifted, and survived. Against all odds they lived, albeit less arrogantly about their presumed strength and untouchability. Ask him two hundred years back and he would've sliced anyone in half for even mentioning him being in such a state. But now, he was at peace with this. For it enabled him one thing, the one thing he wanted most.

And there she was, once again. Unchanged within this ever changing world. Her hair, her eyes and even her face, height and soft tiny hands remained the same as they had ever been. But most of all her scent, which came to him from the other side of the room, even when dampened with the smell of another on her, was untainted. As pure and ever glowing as he remembered. He shivered as the glow surged trough the room and hit him full front, and he revelled in the power that edged around his own. Oh how he missed her. He was sure she didn't know what she just did, she never did. And in that instant he felt anger, anger at those who didn't feel the warmth she emitted and continued along their way without staring at the marvellous creature that she was. Absolute imperfect perfection.

He remembered that at one point, she had worn a kimono in his colours. She had danced together with his ward, made flower crowns and told stories of a time far from now. The form she had when pulling back the string of her bow, the holy power encasing the arrow as it hit its mark. Deadly and powerful. Another time she had worn strange clothing from a time to come, talking about walking on the moon and visiting the stars. She was strong then, too. Easily picking up the bow again to stand at his side during the fight against a hanyou that had threatened the peace of Japan once upon a time, long ago. Memories of her came easy to him, but now he wanted not the past, but the future that lay ahead. A day when he would have her at his side again.

He continued to marvel at her from a distance, he didn't dare get any closer. He feared, but didn't dare admit for what it was he feared. It wasn't time yet, not yet. Focusing on something other than her, he looked at the walls and ceilings of the large ballroom he was in. He would've marvelled at the structure of the building were it not for the stench surrounding every inch of it. Centuries ago, when he was still young, he would've never imagined that humans would ever got this far. Last he checked, they were uneducated if not for the spare few, living in structures of wood and sometimes of rough stone. But this, this attention to detail and effort that went into these buildings they now build was astounding. Perhaps this was humans greatest trait, the strength to grow from nothing to something within the span of merely two or three decades. Whereas they had taken years, and then done nothing. Humans had grown and adapted quickly, new knowledge spread faster than wildfire and with the blink of an eye one world was gone and another appeared.

People danced in his vision, the overpowering stench that was undeniably human. Even with the spells in place, they did nothing to his sharp senses. She too danced, presumably with her partner and most likely husband of fiancée. If not then the ring on her thin finger surely told its tale in rich gold and diamonds. His eyes followed her movement in the beautiful dress that she wore which clung to her frame. But even without the figure hugging fabric he saw everything that was her. After knowing those shapes and curves by the back of his hand without ever actually having laid a hand on her. He knew that she wanted out, her smile was sweet but it didn't reach her eyes. Behind a carefully constructed facade he could see her, temper rising and biting back comments a woman this day and age shouldn't say. No matter what life she led, it wasn't yet the time where woman were free to do as they pleased. For all the advancements and knowledge, women were still lower than men, uneducated and with lesser rights. Even from the back he could see her muscles near her shoulders tense as the hand of her partner slid to the tantalizing bit of skin showing from the top of her dress. Her posture was rigid, and he knew why.

And it was then, that the world came to a halt. Their eyes met. Though not in his usual appearance, he knew she recognized him, even just a little. If not so much for recognizing him, there was always a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a pull that would always bring her back to him. What felt like hours were just mere seconds, and he watched her as she excused herself, probably saying something about feeling faint and in need of fresh air. Though her partner wouldn't be far behind, he just couldn't let this chance slip between his fingers. He inched closer to her as she weaved her way through the crowd of dancers. So much grace, so much restrained power and allurement lay in those soft sways of her hips, bouncing of her hair and slight arching of her back. His hands itched to feel her, to rip the barriers of fabric off and hold her close to his being. And before he closed in on her, she vanished. Somewhere she slipped through out of his sight. But no matter, her scent permeated the air around him and would lead him to where she was.

He was alone then, weaving through an unknown crowd, and yet he was so completely surrounded by all things like her. All things unlike him. Humans, they were. He as inhuman as possible, but appeared as such. And she, so human as inhumanly possible, was another thing altogether. Even after more than two hundred years he had still to see the depth of her being, figure out what she really was, who she really was. He knew plenty, of course, but not enough. Just like her he always wanted more. He often wondered when this obsession started. When had she become the sole reason he stayed sane, the only thing keeping him grounded to the earth? And there she was again, out on a small balcony.

Then he knew, all over again, why it was her that kept him here. Breathless he looked at her as the night sky paled in comparison to her beauty. The stars created a halo around her head, and the light of the moon lightened up her features. Almost afraid to disturb her, he inched closer slowly but surely. The sounds of the party faded away as he reached her side, putting his hands on the balustrade next to hers. Almost as if she expected him she looked over at him. No fear or fright marred her face, just the ever present curiosity and dare he say amusement lightning her eyes. For several seconds, he looked at her as she looked at him. Her scent was heady and strong, almost making him feel the slightest bit faint. The possibilities that lay before him, all the chances he could take, right now. But he didn't, he knew he couldn't. Not yet, it wasn't time yet. His eyes locked onto her lips as her tongue darted out teasingly. He knew what she was going to say, and even though he had come to hate it he desperately wanted to hear her voice. It hurt him physically to go on without it any longer, yet to hear her say those words hurt just as much. But he couldn't stop the flow of time, and then her lips moved.

"I'm so sorry, sir. This might seem terribly rude of me, but have we met?"