A/N: Well, I couldn't have finished this chapter without the apt reminder from a reviewer, I'm sorry this came out terribly late but I had run into a writer's block and didn't really want to force the chapter out. Anyways, I tried my best and hopefully this makes up for the long wait. ;;
To Be A Commoner
Chapter 11
Kagome glared at the couples waltzing around the enormous ballroom. The ladies had obviously come to dance, compare dresses, or possibly even find a temporary boyfriend. The guys on the other hand, were chatting in small groups, being forced into dancing, or flirting with...drunk...women. Kagome had witnessed some awful balls before, but this was a startling new low. How did those women get drunk?! The last time she checked, no alcohol was being served. Apparently, she was mistaken.
Following the fancy twirls of cheap imitation cloth, she found that most of these women were maids or servants who lived in the mansion. That made sense, this was a ball to find a suitor, Kagome would've expected the invitations were only sent to the gentlemen. Hmm, then how did Kikyo get in... Kagome instinctively turned to stare at the front podium; Kikyo hadn't been introduced yet, though it was slightly suspicious that she was invited... Oh my mother did not! The only two reasons Kikyo could be here was if she was personally invited, or her mother sent invitations to everyone, including the girls. Somehow Kagome expected the latter.
Close to crushing her punch glass, Kagome reminded herself that she wasn't the rich "waiting-for-a-husband" Kagome, but the greedy, snotty, and otherwise, fashionable Kikyo. Honestly...fashionable was an understatement. Kagome felt the little collar around her neck once again and was awed at the soft, stretchable material, it certainly wasn't choking her in the least, she had to remember to ask Kikyo what this sort of fabric was called.
Releasing her death grip on her already abused cup, she amused herself by watching the empty podium where five elaborate chairs sat. Five? Kagome raised a curious eyebrow and held up her fingers. "Sango..." She tapped her fingers as she ticked off each name. "Mom...Dad...Me..." That' s four! What is the fifth-
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" A loud voice called from the front. Kagome looked up in time to see a short squatty man reading from a scroll. Funny, I don't think I've ever seen him before... "Lady Higurashi and her husband." His voice boomed over the crowd and a few people plugged their fingers into their ears.
The curtains pulled back to reveal mom and dad, daintily holding hands and walking towards the two large chairs in the middle. Kagome stared dully at the two as they sat down; she was still a bit surprised her step-dad had yet to say anything about how he was always introduced as mom's husband. It was true her mom didn't take the last name of her second husband, but that was to keep her first husband's name well known, he was born into the rich family, mom only married him, so she had figured it was only fair to keep his last name.
"Secondly! Lady Sango and her husband-to-be!"
HUSBAND?! Kagome blanched. Sango didn't say anything about a husband! But in the next few seconds, Kagome realized who the lucky man was.
"Miroku! Stop stepping on my dress!" Sango whispered through her smiling teeth.
"I can't help it, you have such a long train!" Miroku whispered back, waving to the crowd.
"It's not a train! In fact, it barely reaches the floor!" Sango reached her seat and sat down thankfully, Miroku following quickly afterwards.
"Wow, it's been a long time since I had to walk like that." Miroku heaved a sigh and spared a glance around the ballroom, his gaze landed on a group of girls who were giggling and smiling at him. He was about to raise his hand and wave to them when he felt Sango's heated glare, boring through his back. He smiled sheepishly and turned around. "I can't help it, one must always entertain fans."
"Funny, I never heard of that before." She turned and located a group of boys who were currently trying not to stare at her. She smiled and waved at them, earning a beady glare from Miroku. "What? Didn't you just say one must always entertain fans?"
Miroku frowned but then looked over to the group of ladies from before and shot them a gleaming smile. Sango, infuriated, blew a kiss to her group of men. In turn, Miroku winked to one of the ladies, beckoning her to come up on stage. Sango glared at the girl with such rage that the girl was too scared to come.
"Well you didn't have to do that!" Miroku said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I was just having fun."
"You know, it's not to late to call off the wedding, you could be joining her in bed tonight if you wanted."
"Oh why so cold lady Sango!" Miroku said with a poetic lilt in his voice. "If not me, then who?!"
"Shh!" Sango whispered as she caught a few stares going their way. "Fine, fine, stop being such a suck-up."
"I'm offended."
"You should be."
"Such hard words to be falling from your soft lips-"
"MIROKU!" Sango whispered angrily, discretely pinching him behind his arm. "Shut up now if you know what's good for you." She warned as Miroku tried not to grimace.
"Wow, they certainly look like the couple." Kagome commented from her place in the back. From here, Sango and Miroku seemed to be happy. "Good for them."
"Yea, I know, right?"
Kagome turned to see a slightly pissed off Marie in a pale yellow dress. She had her simple brown hair up in a series of charming ringlets and a few dressy pins. Kagome blinked and slowly pointed at Marie's sulky face. "Y-y-you!"
"The name's Marie if you don't mind." Marie replied in a huff and then stared back at the podium. "Who'd of thought, Sango, a lady of all things!" Then Marie turned to look at Kagome, she was about to say something when her eyes started to narrow and look closely at Kagome's hair. "Aren't you that friend with Sango?"
"Me, with that girl, ha!" Kagome tried to pretend in her most snotty-ish accent. "I wouldn't be caught dead with her." She snorted to add affect.
Marie seemed to consider her for a moment before looking to the front. "Oh, thought you were some other girl." She apparently thought she'd made a mistake.
Kagome sighed in relief and shook her head before looking up at the podium.
"Last but most certainly not the least, Lady and heiress of the Northern lands, Kagome!" The short man proclaimed, his voice booming yet again around the vast hall.
As with the previous couples, the servants standing by the curtains to the side pulled it open and in a few steps, Kikyo appeared in all her fiery glory, decked out in what had been Kagome's dress. A hush fell throughout the crowd as they gazed in wonder at the lady before them. It was amazing how she carried herself and how the dress caught the lights of the many chandeliers. She glimmered and sparkled every which way possible, the dress simply enhancing her natural beauty.
Even Kagome was floored by Kikyo's spectacular show, she looked oddly regal in her gown, composed and seemingly unaware of the silence in the ballroom.
Just as Kikyo took her seat all noise rushed back into the room, everyone seemingly talking about the stunning ethereal lady they had all just seen. Kagome, however, was spared the aftereffects of Kikyo's appearance and she stood rather dazed before Marie snapped her back to reality.
"Just look at that girl, you wouldn't think she spent a night at the Inn." Marie commented, trying her best not to seem like the girl had awed her.
Kagome snorted in response but wasn't as nervous as before, nobody seemed to suspect Kikyo for impersonating the lady and nobody suspected Kagome of well...being Kagome. She sighed halfheartedly and glanced uninterested as Kikyo walked out into the cleared space of the ballroom and started to dance with Kagome's stepfather. Soon, other couples joined them as the small orchestra switched from song to song.
"Well, all eyes are gonna be on her all night, I should be getting off back to the Inn." Marie said to no one in particular and was about to leave when Kagome stopped her.
"Why are you here in the first place?" Kagome raised her eyebrows at Marie.
"Can't a girl have some fun?" Marie embarrassedly snapped at Kagome before she turned and walked quickly out of the room.
Kagome let a smirk grow on her face before she frowned and started walking back to her dark corner. She would've made it if it weren't for the probing question of a young man.
"Would you have this dance with me?" The young man asked again, gesturing to the waltzing couples. He had a simple white mask on that contrasted sharply with his dark hair.
"I would love to." Kagome replied not at all eager to start dancing but not wanting to draw attention.
He took her hand and led her to the floor, they took the customary posture and started twirling around, fitting perfectly in with the other couples. Kagome was slightly pleased that it wasn't a slow song, she didn't really want to talk to her partner at the moment but he seemed to talk anyways.
"Wow, that Lady Kagome is certainly an eye-catcher." The boy commented and Kagome tried not to blanch. That was probably the worst pick-up line she had ever heard, if this guy wanted a wife he better learn fast.
"Yes, surprisingly striking." Kagome replied solicitously and smiled.
"But you have beauty that rivals hers." He responded, smiling.
Well, well, Kagome thought, His lines were getting a bit better, at least he was improving.
"Thank you I'm pleased to know someone thinks that." Kagome replied in all her courtliness, but she was wrong there. Not only did one person think that, but also quite a number of the suitors had seen her twirling with the young man and some even claimed it was love at first sight with the damsel in the white fox mask. This fact was not lost on Kikyo and her being filled with envy. How dare she attract such attention away from me! Kikyo thought angrily but caught herself and smiled at her current partner. Really of all people, why does Kagome always have to get on her nerves?
Kagome, unaware of the glances she was receiving from the suitors, was switching partners already as the songs changed and another classical piece issued from the orchestra. This new partner had a panther mask, which seemed to merge with his equally black hair. Kagome smiled warmly at her partner and started in on the dance.
"You know, I think the lady Kagome is jealous of you at this moment." The suitor said as they waltzed around. "Half the men in this room have their eyes on your beauty." He whispered sensuously, something that made Kagome shiver. She seemed more perplexed about his comment than scared. Quickly she slid a glance around the room and indeed his words were right, half the men seemed to be staring at her. She wiggled uncomfortably under their gaze, making her partner inquire about her well-being. She nodded her head and said she was perfectly fine.
That partner soon twirled her off to the next guy albeit reluctantly and she locked hands with yet another suitor. This one had a stark white mask on with just the slightest hint of silver lining. Kagome stared up at him and noticed that he had long black hair. It's so long! Kagome thought randomly, eyeing his hair with a bit of curiosity. She moved on to look at his eyes but remembered that he was wearing a mask, what an irritating mask! If only she could see his eyes! Then...then what? Kagome couldn't quite place her finger, there was something familiar about this guy.
Kagome looked at the mask again before erasing that thought. Maybe she was just imagining things, that common boy she had danced with had little to no knowledge of dancing. It was a stupid idea to start with. Kagome smiled to her partner and then frowned, he hadn't spoken at all had he. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even realize.
"Oh, how rude of me, I am Kikyo." Kagome replied, barely remembering that she was indeed masquerading as Kikyo for the night. She got but just a slight nod in return. Kagome hid her frown behind a smile and continued talking. "Isn't Lady Kagome beautiful? Absolutely stunning in that gown!" Her attempt at light conversation was returning with little success. "Oh, and that Lady Sango and her husband to be." Kagome paused, not sure what to say. "I can't believe she chose Lord Miroku of all people, that gu-" Kagome immediately gasped and changed the subject. "That guy is totally a cheater, you can tell by how he looks at other girls, really." Kagome pretended to be interested in something else, but had felt the grip the suitor had on her shoulder tighten just barely. She wished this was just a dream and that she would wake up to find that she was still on that cliff looking out over the village. But sadly, her conscious mind told her different and she fell into an uneasy silence.
The orchestra switched smoothly to a slow song and Kagome was forced to stay with her silent partner. She contemplated faking ill health and then leave but that would draw attention she didn't need. Kagome stared up into the holes in the mask for eyes, willing herself to see past it and figure out just who that she danced with.
Kagome sighed and closed her eyes, she hadn't noticed his hands around her waist till now. Startled, she checked to make sure that she had moved her arms up around his neck. It wasn't like her to miss such a detail but he had been an uncomfortable partner to begin with. She blamed it on her imaginative mind and didn't bother to think of it again.
"You dance so well it makes me curious." Kagome finally said, staring up at the dark holes of his mask. "Where might you be from?"
"Your mask suits you well." Was the only reply he gave. Kagome puzzled over his comment, she was wearing a fox's mask, how did it suit her well? Was it because it looked good on her? But that was such a strange thing to comment about. She soon gave up as she ran out of ideas.
His shoulder was at eye level and she settled for looking at his shoulder rather than his masked face. As they slowly moved back and forth, one of his surprisingly long bangs had been teased to the front and had slid across his shoulder. Kagome started to study it, she moved her hand over and ran her fingers through his hair. So silky soft! She blinked in astonishment. Her hair wasn't as soft or easy to comb through as his. What a strange guy... She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't see the few strange glances she was receiving because of her slight action, her partner seemed to feel a bit uncomfortable but strived not to show it.
As she combed through his hair, a strand caught her eye, it was slightly hidden behind his black hair but she drew it out. Kagome looked at her hand and realized that she was holding, a silver hair! Was this guy old or something?! Kagome immediately removed her hand and returned it around his neck, she stared straight ahead, as if nothing had happened.
The slow dance finally ended and a quick-beat songs started up. Kagome apologized to her silent partner and walked away, trying to discreetly head for her dark corner.
Thankfully for her, most of the attention was trained on Kikyo and her current partner, Kagome hadn't realized it, but she and her silent partner was the only other couple besides Kikyo who was left dancing. If any thought it strange that she would leave so soon, they didn't voice it. Instead, they turned their attention to Kikyo who smiled triumphantly.
As Kagome reached her dark corner, she spotted forms in the dark and a few noises. As she closed in, she found that it was actually two bodies! Ugh! She quickly averted her eyes and walked past the two lovers.
Now with her dark corner gone and the knowledge that she wanted to be by herself left her wandering past the pillars and curtains of the darker recesses of the great hall. Slowly, after many twists and turns in the shadowy curtained hallways, she found her way to a secluded balcony. It seemed not at all important that she didn't know her way back, all she really needed was fresh air, the sooner the better.
She opened one of the double doors and slid in. She found the balcony empty to her pleasant surprise and smiled to herself. She walked over to the edge and placed her hands on the rim of the balcony and breathed deeply. "Ahh..." Nothing like the cool night air after an exhausting and terribly boring ball. She closed her eyes and let the warm winds blow past her, teasing out a few strands of her raven black hair.
She idly wondered how Sango and Miroku were faring, she hadn't seen either of them when she was dancing. Guiltily she remembered that she really hadn't looked out for them and she probably had missed seeing them dancing as well. She sighed and swung her legs over the rim, resting herself on the thin ledge. The balcony was on the first floor and it was but a three feet drop to the ground, it was a petty distance that Kagome was sure she could handle.
Leaning forward, she took in another deep breath and unwound her hair, setting her accessories down on the ledge beside her. The wind wasted no time teasing about her hair and blowing it this way and that, but Kagome paid little heed, she felt relaxed. Reaching up, she untied the string of her mask and was about to take it off when a sound of a closing door reached her ears. She quickly tied the string and turned around, there was no one there, odd... She probably forgot to close the doors then. Feeling her nervousness subsiding, she turned back and gazed out at the castle grounds.
"Surprised to find you here." A sudden voice came from her left side. She reeled to her right instinctively and might've fallen if a strong arm hadn't reached out and grabbed her.
"My god..." She mumbled and steadied herself on the ledge before looking up to come face to face with the last person she thought she'd see.
A/N: Hope that was enough for now. I'll try my hardest to update sooner and sorry again for the long wait. I know some of you out there have little patience left after about three months of waiting. XD Sorry!
Replies:
half dog, half wolf: Well, at least this chapter was hopefully long enough to make up for the three months!
lioness kea: I'm glad you're not confused anymore and SO sorry I didn't update sooner, there are...various excuses involved...
DarkMoon1: Thanks!
Moonlight-Miko: Aww, you're not weird! Not at all! I'd probably say the same thing. XD
Angel81: Thx!
Skittles1: gushes Thank you!
SweetazKande: Wow, I'm overwhelmed! I'm glad you like this story a lot, but I'm sorry for not updating so soon!
hanyou punk chick: Thanks for the surprising reminder, this chapter wouldn't have been out as quickly if it weren't for your prompt review. ;;
VicFan: Thanks!