Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
The Sorceress and the Prince
The day had come. The prince sat in a chair placed next to the king's throne as the room was filled with royal and noble families. He was, quite simply, bored. The young man had sat in the same position for what seemed like hours as countless lords, dukes, and other powerful men introduced their willing daughters to him. And now, as the ball commenced, he found no incentive to take part in the evenings' activities.
"Perhaps you should go and dance?" the king commented, looking upon the several congregating potential wives.
The prince looked around, "Maybe a little later," he answered as he continued to gaze forward with a glazed over expression.
The royalty sat without another word until a woman emerged from the masses and ascended the stairs to the throne. The prince was suddenly caught off guard. For a moment, he had mistaken the woman approaching the throne as the very sorceress he had been thinking of. However, as the woman came closer, he noticed that she merely had an uncanny resemblance to the woman. The prince looked on at her approach.
Once atop the stairs, the young woman gave a deep bow in her voluminous, pale pink gown. "Your Highness," she greeted the king. "I know it's a bit unconventional, but would I perhaps be able to steal your prince away for a dance? He seems awfully lonely sitting whilst all these dances are taking place."
The king gave a rare, kind smile. "Why of course! Son, take this lady to the dance floor."
The prince stood up on the command of his father, gave a, perhaps weak, smile, and walked down the stairs, arms interlocked with the forward woman. The young man looked upon her curiously. She and the sorceress shared extremely similar facial features as well as hair. What's more was that both women had the same type of 'air' about them. They carried themselves with a type of confidence, an almost regal quality.
"Have you been enjoying the ball?" she asked him as they stepped onto the ballroom floor. She placed a hand on his shoulder and the other interlocked with his as they began to move to the sound of the orchestra.
"It has been interesting," was all he provided, spinning her around in a circle. After all, the event excited him to nowhere near the extent it should have.
She looked up at his face and grinned, "Has anyone here caught your attention as of late?" she questioned suggestively, knowing well he had not danced, or really conversed, with anyone besides her.
The prince cast a glance over to the side, where swarms of people had their attention focused unto the dancing pair. The woman was the only one willing to approach him and in his present mood, that and the strange coincidence concerning her looks were enough for the royal, "Yes, just now I think I've chosen." He finally answered after a moment's thought.
The dark haired woman raised an eyebrow, "You know, I don't live very far from here. My father presides over much of the outskirts of the city." A sly expression formed slowly on her lips. "It wouldn't be too hard of a change…"
If nothing else, the girl was very blunt with what she wanted. "That's good to hear," the prince replied dumbly at her comment. At least he was sure of her intentions.
As the woman spoke, he began to realize more and more of the two's differences. Yes, they both had a confidence that one could almost describe as cold… but they were not exactly the same. The more he spoke with the sorceress, the more he realized she was protective, and that there were glints of a more light hearted personality when she chose to let her guard down. This woman however, the prince noted, was what could be described as confident in a manner that was, well, pompous.
When the song ended, they broke apart and the prince offered a bow. With a quick "thank you" he returned up the stairs, where his father sat.
"Father, I chose," he began, leaning in so the elderly man could hear him above the music, "the girl I just danced with."
The king beamed. "Ha-ha!" he let out a hoarse, yet joyous laugh. "That is wonderful. I had a feeling you would fancy her as soon as she approached! We have to wait until the ball is finished to announce it, for formality of course but… finally you have a queen of your own!"
The prince nodded. "I'm going to… talk to her some more."
The king's happiness grew. "Yes, of course. Go, son!"
With that, the prince once again left the throne area, but, instead of stopping on the ballroom floor, he continued to weave through the crowds. He kept his head down, attempting to earn as minimal recognition as possible, and left the ballroom. He had already decided who his queen would be, so he thought that any further time spent there would be wasted.
The prince felt much more at ease in the darker, gloomier part of the castle. When he approached the stoic guard, the prince noticed an unusual expression of surprise played against his features.
"Good to see you, sir," he began, "But… isn't that ball of yours going on as of now? Shouldn't you be choosing the next queen?"
"Already taken care of," was his succinct answer.
The knight obligingly agreed and let the prince through without another word. His visits were becoming increasingly routine for him.
After closing the door lightly behind him, the prince froze. A haunting, tuneless melody filled the dark cellars of the dungeon as the moon shown upon them. As quietly as possible, the intrigued prince inched down the staircase. The humming grew louder, overtaking his senses completely. It was as if the song seeped inside him, beckoning the young man to follow.
It carried him to the sorceress' cell. The prince limply grabbed the iron bars with his hands and peered inside. Against the back wall, only visible by moonlight, was the sorceress. She sat completely still with her head leaning against the wall. The usually long, flowing hair had been wrapped up into a bun, revealing a long neck and protruding collarbones. Her eyes were closed; moonlight reflecting off of the few droplets that flowed beneath them.
The prince remained in his position, listening to the humming of the sorceress. He was content to stay there for a while, as the sound continued to run through him.
Suddenly, it stopped and her eyes opened. The absence of the music struck an odd sensation through him.
Taken aback by the figure standing outside her cell, the young woman tensed up, as if trying to push herself further into the stonewall. When she realized who was watching her, she quickly let her head drop, rubbed her face with her hands, and looked up again.
"I thought your ball was tonight," she remarked, her voice quieter and more fragile than usual.
The prince gave her a remorseful glance, feeling like some kind of trespasser. "It is… but there was no reason to stay any longer."
The sorceress remained silent, waiting for a continued explanation. With a deep intake, the prince began. "I danced with one of the women who was there. I told my father I chose her." The reasons why he chose her, he decided to leave out.
"Aren't," she stopped as her voice gave out, cracking. She pressed a hand against her throat and attempted once again, "You don't think that's a little rash? Maybe there was a woman there you would have preferred, had you given her a chance."
The prince shrugged. "I don't think so. It seems odd, I know. But, I'm sure I wouldn't wind up happy no matter which woman at the ball I chose. I decided to make short work out of the ordeal." He was having second thoughts of coming, but not because of the ball. "I-" he cut himself short, wondering if he should proceed. Composing himself, he asked, "I didn't know you liked to sing…"
The sorceress leaned her head back, in a direction off to the side, away from the prince. "I do so occasionally. It… no, never mind."
There was a tense silence between the two, the prince wanted her to continue but felt too much unease to question her anymore. The prisoner finally broke the quiet, looking back towards him. "Maybe it's best you return. Think on the decision you made. It's important."
The prince nodded, inwardly thankful she had given him the chance to exit. In some way, he had seen something that wasn't intended for anyone's eyes.
Outside of the door, the prince looked upon the guard. "Do you know where she came from? Before she was arrested, I mean."
The knight assumed his daily position outside the door, thinking. "All I know," he finally said, "is that the other knights picked her up at some pub in the eastern edge of town. Not a good place to be, if you'd be asking."
"Thanks," the Prince simply said before turning and following the music of the far off orchestra.
"Just what are you doing here?" a questioning voice came from behind as the prince turned the corner.
His heart almost leaped out of his chest. Nervously, he turned around to look at his stepbrother, who was waiting for an answer. "I needed to get away from the ball for a moment. I thought it would be quiet around here."
The taller man raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Near the entrance to the dungeon? An odd spot to choose…"
"And what of it?" he began to get defensive. If his brother had seen him exit the dungeon, he would not be able to find a plausible explanation.
"Oh, nothing…" he took a step closer to the prince. "I have just been noticing that you've been disappearing as of late, and seeing that I've found you here…"
The prince rolled his eyes, trying to act calm. "Then maybe you should have checked my sleeping quarters. And if you do not mind, I'd like to return now." The prince turned, feeling a small bead of sweat fall from his brow.