Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, any fairytales, or the quotes I put before the start of the chapters. I only own the idea of the story.

A/N: Wow. Thank you all for your reviews! I really appreciate them. If you reviewed for the 3rd chapter, please look for your names at the end. Also, please congratulate my BETA reader, Icewings, for forming that fight scene in the last chapter. *cheers clap clap*

*~Fairy~*~Tale~*~Dreams~*


By MysticMoon

Edited by Icewings

Chapter 4- Queen's Maze

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds-and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air." --Unknown

Last Chapter:


Then, she remembered there were to be grand balls at the castle in which her stepfamily will most definitely be attending. 'Well, I'll make sure to stay away from the festivities where all the young ladies will fawn all over the prince.' But she couldn't help but think. Maybe she'll get to meet her -very own- Prince Charming. Who knows?

Suddenly, a breeze blew past her and the sound of tinker bell laughter floated into her ear with the joyful yet quiet words, "You have no idea, my dear. Kagome paused. 'What was that?' She shook it off after a moment and kept walking, her eyes fixed on the fortress looming ahead. 'Just the result of no sleep…I guess.'


~*~*~*~


'Almost there…' Kagome thought to herself. 'Only about a few miles left at this pace.' It must have been about 7 o'clock in the morning by now. Shippou had woken up a few hours before and had been hopping and running in circles around her since. How he could be so energetic, she had no idea. 'Probably because I carried him most of the way and he -actually- got some sleep.' She thought ruefully.

Her once tireless steps turned into trudges, her eyelids had the hardest task of staying open, and her throat was dry since her supply of water had vanished. Twice she had taken the wrong turns that led her either to a dead end or a path that led away from the castle.

She felt horribly dirty and…sweaty. Her clothes felt uncomfortable and stuck to her skin. Yet what can she expect from ambling through one of the thickest forests known to man and fighting one of the fiercest bandits of the time? Getting employment in the castle was -much- harder than she thought, and she wasn't even there yet!

Kagome almost tripped over Shippou when he stopped circling in front of her and started to sniff at the air. "Shippou?" she asked wearily "What's wrong?" The small red fox darted to the right of the path and Kagome groaned. "Not this again…"

Too tired to yell, Kagome followed in the general direction Shippou went off to. What she saw sent energy rushing through her tired body. Shippou found a lake! Which meant only one thing… water!

"Shippou you wonderfully sly creature…!" Without another thought, she kicked off her shoes, dropped her bag and quiver on the shore, and jumped into the crystalline water, dress and all.

The icy water caused her to cough and sputter for a moment, but she decided that water was the most important thing at the moment, no matter how cold it was. She waded in waist deep and looked down at her reflection. She wasn't used to seeing herself in a mirror.

Her tiny room was not allowed to have a mirror of any sort, and she sometimes forgot how she even looked like. Her step-sisters never forget to remind her how filthy and plain she was to look upon, and constantly told her she would never be able to find a husband blind enough to want -her-. And she believed them. Because of that, Kagome tried to avoid mirrors as much as possible.

But…now that she was to go work in the castle, even if she would become a lowly kitchen maid, she would try to look her best.

Gazing at the face looking back at her, Kagome fell into despair. She looked ghastly! Her hair was like a bird's nest, twigs and leaves poked out all over and her long black hair was full of helpless tangles. Bright blue orbs stared openly from a dirty face smudged and streaked with dried mud with a tiny cut on her cheek crusted with dried blood. No one would hire such a filthy person!

Kagome sighed and fell backwards into the crystal clear water. Straightening her body, she started to float and kick the water with her legs. Her dress weighted her down a bit, but she didn't care. She gazed at the white, cotton candy clouds against the blue sky, just a few shades lighter than the color of her eyes.

Birds flew overhead, their wings spread wide in flight. She wished she could be as free as those birds, to fly and soar through the heavens and above with no cares at all. It'd be wonderful to simply glide with the cool air whistling around her. She would look down at the world below her and laugh, and then land on a tree branch where melodic song would spill gracefully from her heart and out her mouth.

It would never come true, but it was still a nice daydream. Maybe a bit too silly, considering her age, but why should she care what others thought? Anyway, the prospect of eating slimy worms and bugs is not all that appealing.

Right now, she needed to get clean. Floating back to the shore, she gathered her soaps from her bag and peeled off her soaked and scratchy clothes. She gave Shippou some of her depleting amount of food and waded in a more shallow part of the lake. She soaped and scrubbed the grime off until her skin was pink. Then, she picked a few twigs out of her tresses and used an herbal shampoo she'd made days earlier with jasmine flowers to wash her hair. It smelled heavenly.

Once she was adequately dirt free and before she turned into an unseemly prune, she got out and preceded to dry herself off with an old towel she'd thankfully brought with her. She put on her undergarments and rummaged through her over packed bag until she found a crème colored dress.

It was nicer than her usual everyday work-clothes (which should be classified as rags) because she hardly ever wore it. It was simple and a bit outdated, but it would have to do.

She used a comb to untangle her wet tresses until they were neat and sleek, reaching down to her lower back. She quickly packed her things and swung the heavy bag over her shoulder. Shippou jumped into her arms, and they made their way back to the main path. Kagome didn't bother to look back at her reflection; she needed all the confidence she could get.


~*~*~*The Castle*~*~*~


He made the final turn that led him into the middle of the intricate maze, and was greeted with be stunning sight of the extraordinary the garden found there. Only chosen few knew how to navigate as expertly through the confusing twists, turns, and dead ends that made up the labyrinth. Other people would have easily gotten lost.

Occasionally, the castle guards patrolling the maze would find someone stumbling around or rocking back and forth while muttering half sentences in a corner after hours of disoriented wandering. The smart ones would call out until someone heard and came to rescue them. Unfortunately, many were not that intelligent.

After getting out, the ones that were in there longest (aka- the most stupid) would demand that the maze be uprooted. Of course, King Inutaisho wouldn't hear of it. The maze was the former queen's favorite spot on the castle lands, and Inutaisho knew how much it meant to Sesshoumaru, too.

Finding an tree to give adequate shade, Sesshoumaru sat on the elegant stone bench conveniently placed under it, his posture as stiff as ever and face just as stoic. Anyone who might have happened to see him would have thought him to be bored. But no, he was anything but. The wheels of his mind were turning rapidly, thinking of a plan to foil his father's.

All around him were flowers and trees. 'Thankfully, Rin hasn't found this area yet. The flowers are still intact thus far.'

There was flora from distant, exotic lands and shrubs were strategically placed by some of the most skilled gardeners. Dew kissed roses and sunny daisies had their petals wide open to greet the new morning. So much natural beauty surrounding him, but Sesshoumaru hardly noticed it.

He wore a snow-white outfit trimmed with silver, complimenting his pale complexion and long silver-white hair. He almost looked like a real statue, unmoving and expressionless, if it weren't for his eyes, the color of molten amber.

Sesshoumaru was known far and wide as being the 'cold prince', so 'beautifully handsome' that this 'dark angel among mortals' was almost too magnificent to look upon. Perfectly arched eyebrows with rare colored eyes framed by thick lashes were set in a symmetrical face over high cheekbones. Yet, all humans, even royalty, have their faults.

Though Sesshoumaru is everything one could hope for; rich, intelligent, handsome, a highly skilled swordsman, and predicted to be a fine king one day, he was as cold as ice.

His eyes where the color of the sun, yet they held absolutely no warmth.

Still, that doesn't stop young girls, peasants and princesses alike, from becoming thoroughly infatuated and obsessed with him. Some say they are in love with the prince, even though they have yet to meet him. He pays no mind, however, and behaves as if they aren't there at all.

He doubted whether they knew what true love was, but he couldn't say that himself, since love was a mystery to him as well. 'If there is such a thing.' Sesshoumaru thought derisively. Who needs love anyway? Not him, that was for certain.

Nothing! After two hours of deep contemplation, he could think of absolutely -nothing-! For the first time in his life, he was drawing a blank on an issue he'd actually put effort into solving! Of course, some amazingly ingenious plans had come to mind, but he knew that against his father, they would not work. When the king wanted something, he would get it. Damn him! He felt so helpless, now. But…he was determined to avoid marriage, no matter what.


~*~*~*~



OK, it was official. She was lost. Hopelessly, completely LOST. Her feet were sore and Kagome was sure there would be blisters if she cared to look. Oh yes, she found the castle, all right. In fact, it was right -there-. RIGHT THERE!!!

Towering at a great height not more than a few hundred yards from her, made of large blocks of gray stone. The only problems, the only thing separating her from her goal, were bushes. Tall, thick, infuriatingly confusing -bushes-.

The path she had been taking led to the back entrance of the castle, and the stone walls set up a mile or so away from it blocked her course. She had found the back entrance, where several guards in dark blue and silver uniforms were situated. Kagome told them she was a traveler looking for employment at the castle.

The men looked skeptical at first, glancing pointedly at her bow and arrows, and wondering why a woman would travel all by herself. It was practically unheard of. Nevertheless, they allowed her to come through.

Kagome could remember one of the younger guards saying before she left, "You be careful now, miss. There are dozens of gardens around here and the Queen's Maze is especially tricky to get out of. I got lost, myself, the first time I tried it. I just wanted a chance to see the center, since not many people do. They say it's so magnificent, the gods would be jealous." He gave a proud smile and his warm brown eyes shined cheerfully. " Just go around the maze and you'll find the way. It wouldn't be right for such a pretty lady to be in distress."

Kagome, ignoring the compliment, nodded, thankful for the advice. Berating herself for her rudeness, she said politely, "Thank you for the warning, kind sir. My name is Kagome. What's yours?"

The young man had smiled charmingly and replied, "Please call me Hojo. I hope we meet again soon. It was a pleasure to meet you, Kagome."

She'd flashed him a bright smile before turning and continuing her walk across the wooden bridge built over a man made moat.

The gardens were so amazing and magnificent, they had taken her breath away. There where cherub fountains and an endless variety of flowers whose petals had hues that filled the whole color spectrum. Trees dotted the green landscape and delicate butterflies fluttered about, creating a near perfect scene.

Kagome's eyes were open wide in wonder and admiration. 'It must have taken dozens of highly skilled gardeners to create such a glorious place.'

Then, she had felt it. A tug. Kagome raised a fisted hand to her heart, where the strange feeling originated. She was about to dismiss that she ever felt anything, when it happened again, making her gasp. It wasn't thoroughly unpleasant, just a kind of tingling sensation, but she had to get to the castle. 'This is no time to go crazy.'

It was slight, but persistent, as if it wanted her to go somewhere. 'First voices, now this?' Kagome turned her gaze a little to the side, and saw neatly trimmed thorn bushes that where about three times taller than her.

The bushes where so solidly interlaced with each other that they formed a type of wall. There were no signs or markers anywhere in sight, but she had a feeling that this was the Queen's Maze. And if she didn't know better, the tug seemed to want her to go inside.

'No way.'

No -way- was she going to go into that maze. She wasn't deaf. She heard what Hojo said. She'd get lost! She already got lost in Wolf Forest, and look what happened! She now has a cut on her shoulder and a homicidal bandit wanting to court her! So it was final. Absolutely -no way-.

Obviously, she didn't listen to herself. (B/N Well duh, would it be as interesting if she didn't? everyone together now…NO!)

She had tried to keep going, really she did. But that tugging got so annoying, almost to the point of being painful with each step away she took. Finally, she decided the best thing to do was to just give in. Maybe Kagome should have been a bit more wary or scared, but for some reason, she felt absolutely calm…at the time. What was the worse thing that could happen?

Pausing at the entrance, and idea formed. She lowered Shippou to the dirt ground and dug into her heavy bag finding a lone, stale bread roll. If she made a trail of breadcrumbs, she surely wouldn't get lost! Kagome had smiled and took the first step, her red fox following her happily.

Once she entered the maze, she took a deep and calming breath. She almost felt claustrophobic within the narrow paths of the Queen's Maze, and one look at the sharp thorns was more than enough to keep her from swaying too much in either direction. At the same time, she had felt an incredible urge to explore, to know where the dozens of twists and turns led.

Kagome had kept walking, not knowing which way to go, or whether to turn right or left into the many separate paths. Instead, she had resolved to yield to her adventurous urge and took the routes that somehow felt right. She tore off bits from her roll, outlining the way she went.

She tilted her head back to look at the sky, drinking in the scent of nature and listening to the soft crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her feat. She felt like she was in some sort of dream. All the while, she didn't notice that Shippou was gladly eating the small trail of crumbs she left behind.

She changed directions so many times, it made her dizzy. Left, right, another right left at the second trail. She tried remembering, but she took so many turns and that annoying tugging had distracted her so much, she just gave up.

Kagome vaguely realized that the hedges grew wilder and thorns pricked at her dress at some paths, where she had to be more careful. Maybe the royal gardeners haven't trimmed them in a while.

Then, as soon and abruptly as the tugging of the heart started, it ended. Kagome was thrust out of her perfectly calm composure and had started to panic. She turned to look behind her. Where are the breadcrumbs? They were no where in sight! All she could ask herself was, 'What have I gotten myself into?!?'

She had backtracked (or at least tried) several times, but it just seemed to get her even more disoriented. Finding dead ends and walking in circles happened all too many times. She would have tried to squeeze through the hedges in a straight line to get out, but they were too thick and full of dangerously sharp thorns. She shouted and yelled for help, but so far, no one had answered her desperate pleas.

Now, luckily, Shippou was asleep again. 'At least he won't run away.' she thought contritely.

'Don't I ever learn?' She was here, so close to her destination she could almost touch it, and she was lost. Because of a moment of insanity, no doubt. She shook her head, not believing her amazingly bad luck.

~*~*~*~

Who was making all that racket?

"Help! Is anyone there? I'm lost!" There it was again, could they be any louder? He could tell that whoever it was, was very close to finding the center of Queen's Maze.

Sesshoumaru sighed, just another person to be fortunate enough to find it. But why did they have to start exploring the maze when he was there? 'Bothersome nitwits.'

He decided it would be best if he just kept out of sight for the moment and slipped behind a large rosebush off to the side filled with white roses. The roses camouflaged his clothing and hair perfectly, and his presence was almost undetectable. With hooded eyes, Sesshoumaru watched the southern entrance farthest from him, where the person would most likely come through.

Unexpectedly, his heart started to beat faster out of it's own accord, and he had the outlandish feeling that something important was just about to happen. Something that would truly change his life some way or another.

He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. His place behind the rosebush was far away from the southern entrance, but did a fox just run from there? How did it get here? Maybe it was running away from a hunting party, the forest was near…

His perfect vision blurred and he strained to focus it as a delicate, feminine hand reached out to touch the wooden arch that gave access to the very center of the Queen's Maze.

~*~*~*~

Kagome was trudging tiredly through the maze, not really caring where she was going anymore. Her throat ached from crying for help. It was almost unbearably parch and her shouts sounded raspy and breathy. She doubted the possibility that anyone could hear her now.

Something down the unfamiliar gravely dirt path to her right caught her eye. Several meters away, instead of the usual endless green of the tall hedges, she saw a splash of unexpected bright pink. Her curiosity getting the best of her once more, she made here way towards it, wondering what it was.

Coming closer, she saw bright dew-kissed pink roses climbing up and around a criss-crossed wooden archway to her left. She peeked her head around it cautiously, not knowing what to expect. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened and sparkled at the sight.

'It's even more outstanding than the gardens outside of the maze. This must be the center of the Queen's Maze…'

Roses, her favorite flower, were dominant all around the large square area. There were hundreds of them in every direction, permeating the air with their sweet scent. Roses of all different colors and types; big, fragrant yellow roses and smaller, teacup sized dusty pink blossoms. Large slabs of stones provided a walkway among lush green grass.

She had tried to grow roses and flowers in the dry, empty plot of land behind Naraku's house, but the only things willing or able to grow were weeds.

Shippou, excited by the scenery, squirmed around in Kagome's arms and letting out fervent yelps until she let go of him. He raced away immediately to chase after a butterfly that just flew past.

'Maybe this is a good place to keep Shippou. I had planned on hiding him in the stables to keep him out of sight. Then again, this place is so big and Shippou seems to like it enough…and now I'll have another reason for coming here.' Kagome smiled at the thought.

Kagome took a tentative step forward and looked around to make sure no one was there but her. Once she was certain she was alone and there where no sounds save for the chirping of birds, she left her heavy bag at the entrance and stepped through the arch. Eagerly taking everything in with childish delight, she saw that there was another entrance to the Queen's garden across from where she stood.

She felt dazed, looking on as the sunshine washed the scene with light. To her right, doves cooed in a gray marble birdbath, droplets of water sparkling like diamonds in the air as they shook their white feathers. Statues and benches made of precious marble and stone were strategically placed all around.

Ignoring her thirst for now and looking ahead, Kagome noticed a tree placed in the center of the wide expanse of the garden. It was tall and looked old, although the branches were close to the ground, perfect for climbing. Curiously, one of the thicker braches was partially split at its base and hung limply to the ground. The only thing attaching it to the tree was a substantial strip of bark.

'I wonder why it's still there. Why hadn't the gardeners just cut it off? It looks like it's been there a while…'

Filing that thought away for later, Kagome glanced to the side, where the most beautiful blood red roses captured her attention. Their tantalizing smell reached her nose and as she slowly walked towards them, like a moth drawn to a flame, their scent turned even sweeter. Velvety petals met her touch and she smiled softly, leaning her face towards a large one in full bloom.

Something pricked her index finger, making Kagome gasp and back away quickly, thinking a bee must have stung her. Examining her finger, she was mistaken. A rather large, pointed thorn had pierced her skin. Leisurely, a bright drop of blood rolled off her finger and onto a dark red petal.

Disliking the sight of her own blood, Kagome quickly wiped it away on her dress. 'I should be more careful next time and remember all roses have thorns.'

~*~*~*~

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened faintly when he saw her. Raven-black hair shone in the light, and a graceful, slight figure clad in a simple dress stood there uncertainly. A radiance seemed to surround her, and for a moment, he thought he saw before him a deity or other supernatural being. She almost didn't seem real.

He was too far away to see her face clearly, and he cursed under his breath, but he could tell she was a young woman. Sesshoumaru was sure he had never seen her before. He was closer to the northern entrance and his mother's tree blocked his view somewhat.

She stared at his mother's tree, her head cocked to one side in deep thought, then appeared to glide to the red roses; his late mother's favorite. He shifted over slightly for a better view and watched as she touched a blood red rose and lowered her head to catch its pleasant scent.

He squinted his sharp eyes as she jerked back abruptly and looked at her right index finger strangely. 'She must have pricked her finger on a thorn.' Sesshoumaru observed the girl as she put her hand back down and paused. She seemed to be thinking about something.

Unexpectedly, she turned around and darted out of the garden and back into the maze. Muttering curses under his breath, he stood there, whether to stay or follow her conflicting in his head. After a few seconds, he hurriedly strode over to the southern entrance and was hoping she didn't already get too far away.

His expression calm, he looked first to the right and then left, where he glimpsed a stray lock of dark hair disappear around a corner a few yards away.

His strides lengthening, Sesshoumaru felt a smirk curve his mouth. The chase was on.

A/N: Hope you liked that chapter, and please review! ^_^ I was just wondering, but what are your favorite fairy tales? My favorite is and will always be Beauty and the Beast. I just watched it again on DVD a few days ago. ^_^

Review Responses:

CrissyKitty: What type did you have in mind? Thanks for reviewing!

sashlea: Yeah, Kouga did need a subduing necklace there, although I wouldn't know where Kagome would get it. I don't know if Shippou would ever be taught to heel. Lol

mellerz: Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

Jessica M.: Thank you for thinking so and I hope I didn't get you upset for not updating as quickly as I should have.

Mala Valvah: Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this story as much as I enjoy writing it. ^_^

SilverQuick: I thought Kagome would stumble on to Sesshoumaru, too, but I guess the chapter was getting too long. ^_^ You'll have to thank my BETA reader, Icewings, for that fight scene, she's really good at it, don't you think?

Kagura: Thank you for your comments, I wasn't sure if I did Kouga right and I'm very relieved no one thought the Little Red Riding Hood part wasn't -too- cheesy.

Yume: Wow. It's really great to know you like this story so much. Thanks.

ponchita: Yes, Kouga does kind of sound like a maniac. lol

nightkid: lol Thanks for really really really liking my story. Hope you liked this chapter btw. ^_^

taskinLUDE: Thank you sooo much for reviewing for -all- my chapters. You are an amazing reviewer. ^_^ Yeah, all the other characters should be coming in the next chapter.

ladyofthedragons: Well, in this chapter, I guess you can say at least Sesshoumaru saw her. hehe. Was there really a story about a girl with three magical dresses in nutshells? I should read that.

Nankinmai: lol. Hope I didn't keep this chapter away from you too long. ^_^

luckyducky7too: Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter! ^_^