Gates of Jade

By Angel

Chapter 3 a discovery and a ball room dance.

After riding for wait seemed like hours my poor legs were starting to fall asleep. We rode through meadows then forest then meadows again and again. I was used to walking everywhere I went so riding on the horse caused many pains in many places.

My sore legs soon became the last thing on my mind as a dozen soldiers circled around us. They soon discovered it was the queen and rode back to alert her son the sun king.

As the horse clopped into the court yard my heart gave several small leaps. Flowers of every kind were blooming all around us. The sun was low as the horses hoofs clicked over the cobblestones.

If this was the hunting palace with beautiful carved fountains, waterfalls, and colors only found in the rainbow then I couldn't begin to imagine what the palace at Tokyo must be like. Izayoi rode to a wood building and quickly pulled the horse to a stop. Slowly I dismounted not wanting to injury my muscle's anymore than what the felt like.

A handler with sandy brown hair came out and took the reins from Izayoi as he stared at me. I lowered my head trying to hide the blush that had appeared. To my left a screen door slammed open as the man I had seen earlier riding with the hunting party stepped out. I was captive by his golden eyes but the held such a cold look I quickly looked elsewhere.

"Mother where have you been?" he said his voice as cold as his eyes. "Don't worry dear I fell from my horse, but this young princess here was kind enough to stop." She said a lie hiding behind the smile she wore. "Her doctor treated me and I feel so much better."

He looked me up and down his gaze almost turning me into an ice cube.

"If she is a princess, why does she wear the clothes of a peasant?" he asked looking from his mother to me.

"Because dear she was sent away from her palace its to dangerous for her to stay there, so I offered her a place to stay, but when I found her she was in hiding." her voice still the calm cheer as she spoke to him her face never once faltered.

He looked back at me once before calling to a servant "show princess ...?" he looked towards me as I quickly spoke.

I said as I gave a curtsy. He nodded once to show he heard and then looked back at the servant. "Show princess Kagome to her room and prepare new clothes for her to wear." with the last word out of his mouth he soon disappeared leaving me with the servant.

"I'm sango." a voice spoke behind me. I turned to see a girl my age with long brown chestnut hair pulled back in a lose ponytail. "Please follow me princess." she began to walk but I quickly stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.

"Please call me kagome." I said as I watched a small smile spread across her face. She began to walk back towards the palace as I followed.

Sango led me through a maze of hallways each one different than the last. One of quartz, then ruby, then marble, each one a different theme. I looked at each painting or piece of art we passed.

There where so many each more beautiful than the last, so that I could hardly breath. Soon we reached to tall oak doors that where hastily swung open as I was stripped of all my clothing.

I was then pushed into a rather large tub of steaming water, something of which I had never done before. When I lived at home I would always bath in the river. My skin soon turned the color of freshly bloomed pink roses as I finally relaxed watching maids run around. "A bath is always helpful to calm one nerves after a long day." said an old maid that was lathering my hair with something that smelled like fresh rain.

"Yes, especially when a body is so dirty you can hardly tell if it's a boy or girl." said another. I began to blush after she finished speaking which caused some of the maids to giggle lightly. One of the younger maids spoke up saying " ah but too much water will bring ill health." which was quickly shushed by the older women.

A woman that was old enough to be my great grandmother walked into the room, her gray hair pulled back into a tight pony tail. Her clothes that she wore looked to be that of a priestess. The maids quickly became quite and bowed their heads in respect as the woman stepped towards me. She looked me over with one eye the other covered by a black patch.

"Are ye the new princess here?" she asked her voice coming out a little rough. "Yes madam." I said nodding my head a little. The women came closer putting her hand on my head she began to chant. Her eye suddenly popped back open as she stumbled back a bit.

She looked me over once more before turning to the maids." stop standing there and go and fetch her some clothes." she barked out. After the maids had gone she turned back to me. "dear child did you know you have the power of a miko?" she asked. I slowly shook my head trying to take in the words she said.

" Well then we will began your training soon, maybe in a couple of days once you have timed to get use to living her with us." she said as she slowly walked out of the room.

Soon maids began to reappear one carrying a nightgown with a night gale sown on the back. She quickly slipped it over my head as a robe was put around my shoulders.

Soon another maid enters and my hair was brushed and dried, no one said a word but quickly did their work and then showed me to my room.

I walked in through two giant cherry wood doors and looked around the softly lit room. In one corner there was a white desk with gold pictures carefully carved into it. In another corner was a giant red and white fluffy bed with a ton of pillows carefully placed on top. I walked over and climbed in snuggly down into the covers and soon was fast asleep.

(Dawn)

At dawn a gentle voice was my wake up call. I looked around the now brightly room with blurry eyes and soon spotted sango. She walked over to me handing me a small bundle. "Here put this on," She handed me a kimono of dusty green silk with a light blue obi, both having little birds and flowers sown all over. I looked over the beautiful detailed work and watched as the silk shimmered in the early morning light.

"This is so pretty you must be mistaken it can be for me." I said never taking my eyes of the kimono. Sango giggled as she helped me stand up, "This was made just for you last night." she said pulling the nightgown of my head. I slowly pulled the kimono on feeling the way silk glided over my skin. Sango helped me wrap the obi around in a fashionable way.

"Come over to the desk and let me fix you hair." she said as she pulled my hand over. I sat down and looked into the mirror my face looked nothing like it had before. She quickly brushed my hair out for me then told me I was suppose to meet the queen for tea in a hour, until then I could roam around.

Sango left the room soon after, I was quickly out the door looking up and down the long hallway. Taking several turns I soon found my self walking into what looked like a large ballroom. I had heard people talk about the grand ball rooms, and the dances that where held here. Soon I found my self dancing around the ball room with and imaginary courtier.

What I didn't know was that I was being watched. Soon after I finished my dance I heard clapping coming form behind me. I spun around only to be met with amber eyes. Thinking it was sesshoumaru I quickly looked away, but as I glanced back I noticed dog ears that were not there before.

I stepped back from the person and took a better look, and soon recognized him as the queen's younger son. I curtsied to him and he looked at me with an amused look. "Great ball room dancing, I haven't seen that much talent since the duke stepped on the duchess toe." he said giving me a smirk. My eyes grew wide with anger as he insulted me.

"Well I doubt you could do much better!" I said back surprising him and successfully wiping the smirk from his face. He grabbed my hand as we spun around dancing to the music in our minds when a loud noise made us come to a stop.

We looked up into the balcony to see no other than Izayoi watching us with a twinkling in her eye.

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THANKS!

Angel