Greetings! I do not own Inuyasha! Enjoy the story ^_^
~~~~The Sleeping Prince~~~~
Prologue
"Many years ago, there was a well that held the entrance to a magical land very different from where we live today. It was said that only those chosen by fate could see the entrance to the other world. Only the truest of heart could enter the other land unscathed. Because the well was so tempting to many of our ancestors, it had to be hidden. For years it was a forbidden topic, until eventually stories were no longer told-"
"Then how do you know so much about it?" The young girl interrupted.
"Because, my child, there are always whispers. Rumors. Secrets to be told…passed down from generation to generation. No story ever completely dies out. There are those always willing to keep the story alive who are not foolish enough to spread the word throughout the land. Times have changed. Few today would be willing to accept that such a thing even exists. To most people, this story I am telling you is nothing more than a fairytale. Would you like me to finish the story?" The young man asked.
The girl nodded and cuddled closer to her father. She became engrossed in the details of the story, but as always her father's voice began to lull her to sleep. Dreams of a far off land where princes lived and warriors fought bravely were soon to follow. Smiling down at the sleeping child, the man extracted himself from her and quietly left the room. Down the hall, his wife waited patiently for him to join her.
"Bore her to sleep again?" She asked jokingly. He smiled and bent over to kiss her forehead.
"Works every time. Though I think this time she was really trying to stay awake." He laughed softly.
"Which story was it this time? Some silly story about when you were a child?" She asked.
"I told her about the well. About the mysterious other world said to exist just on the other side…"
"Ah. That was always one of my favorites. Who did you say told you that one? Your dad?"
"Yes. My dad passed it down to me. It seems to be one of those stories that gets kept in the family."
"And you trust a five year old to keep it in the family." The young woman joked.
"Who is she going to tell? Besides, she fell asleep less than halfway through the story."
"Did you get to the part about the lost prince?"
"Of course. Along with his brother, and the other princes- per her request." He winked.
"She sounds just like me. Wanting to believe in princes and far off lands." She yawned.
"It's all true you know."
"Yes, dear. I'm sure there exists such a well that could lead us to another world." She joked.
The man smiled. He truly believed in the story and he believed that his ancestors had believed. Why else would the story be kept for so long? It seemed like a fairy-tale sure. But many things in this world today seemed unbelievable. How would his ancestors react to the new inventions of the modern world? They would think that this world today was the fairytale. Anything is possible. He lay back in bed and turned to face the window. From his bedroom window he could see the mountain that housed the mysterious well. There were vines covering the entrance, but any other methods of hiding the entrance had disappeared over time. Signs had been placed around that side of the mountain, warning of possible rock slides to keep people from discovering the well. There were those reported missing, after becoming obsessed with the well. Others blamed their injuries on activity within the well. For such a fantastical thing to be so dangerous… And yet, the story was passed down for many years giving each new generation of the Higurashi family something to dream about.
