Re-edited, updated with a much clearer story line.

Happy reading!

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CHAPTER 1

Kagome stared blankly at the looking-glass, her confused thoughts nowhere near clarification. The bathroom scene itself was enough to make her want to pretend to belong to this strange life she found herself to supposedly be leading in god knows where.

Seeing herself behind such flimsy clothing hugging her naked form in front of strangers was enough to make her freak out. Living in Japan had made her used to being around naked women in the public bath and occasionally at the hot springs with friends. But still, they were Japanese women so not entirely as strange as the people before her now appeared.

And freaked out she did. She let out an unladylike yelp and hid behind the partition, away from the eyes of the maid and the boy. Kagome blinked several times hoping that when she opened them next; it will be the bathroom at her house and not a bath area inside a castle.

Kagome's reaction distressed the maid, and that sent her ordering the youngling to fetch the healer residing within the castle walls. The maid also ordered a bunch of other women to dress the princess and bring her back to her chambers, where Kagome learned she was to meet the healer.

Primped and dressed in a filmy lace nightgown, Kagome found herself ensconced in a goose-down canopy bed done in soft pink. The room she was left in was done in pinks and gold, complementing the amber-ish gray of the stone walls. Thick velvet drapes done in fuchsia with gold weave detail hung on the posts, obscuring some of the sunlight that filters into the room from reaching its fingers to the ornately carved headboard of oak and its occupant.

The healer walked into the room unannounced, bringing with her the scents of wood smoke and herbs. She was an old woman with a patch over one eye. She peered at Kagome through intelligent eyes, studying the swirl of confusion present in the soft browns of the young woman.

"You looked so much like the hime that it wouldn't be difficult to mistake you for her." her quiet, yet raspy, voice broke through the fog of mystification swirling inside Kagome's mind that had blurred the events leading to this moment.

"You… You can tell I'm not the hime?" Kagome sat up and leaned forward facing the old woman.

"Of course I can tell. You don't smell like the subtle mud of my sister." The old woman continued and took a seat at the side of the bed and look directly in her eyes. "But then again, for all we know, you are the princess come back to claim what is rightfully yours."

"What are you talking about? Subtle smell of mud? How old could your sister be?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"She died at your age, or near your age, but had been resurrected using the black arts. Kikyo replaced the princess upon the disappearance of the former, playing the role of the monarch and lone heiress to the throne. She doesn't age anymore, and the unresolved anger in her heart kept her from moving on." The old lady arranged herself more comfortably on the bed.

"What do you mean?"

"A former knight had stolen her heart and one of the dark creatures that lurk in these parts had turned them against each other. My sister was a healer of the village; she was gifted with abilities beyond my capabilities. And it is this purity of hers that had been corrupted by hate and anger, causing her soul to wander aimlessly across the land. A practitioner of the dark arts had given her a body made from mud and her bones, trapping her restless soul. It was the aim of this witch to take over the kingdom. But it was for naught, for my sister was first a healer, before anything else. The witch perished in the hands of my revived sister, the warrior of the gods.

Rumors started to spread then that princess had gone missing. In order to avoid any riot, the Ou had sent for my sister to take over the princess' place. In exchange, the king had given my sister liberty to kill the dark creatures and the man she had thought betrayed her if ever they meet."

"Shouldn't her lover be long dead if she had died such a long time ago?" Kagome asked completely puzzled by the fascinating tale of deceit.

"He would be if he was an ordinary man. Fortunately, he was the product of woman and beast. And this group of people has long lifetimes, surpassing that of ordinary humans." With her bones creaking, she moved to get more comfortable.

"That's preposterous! Man and beast cannot possibly mate and produce offspring." It seems to Kagome that everything she had learned in her world didn't apply to the world she found herself in. The very idea brought to mind the recent news of zoophiles practices.

"As an elder of this kingdom, it is my duty to educate. And it seems to me that you are indeed in need of education if you are to maintain the façade of the princess if you truly aren't the lady of noble birth that had gone missing." The old woman looked at her intently. "My child, you must first learn to address me as Kaede-bachan to avoid suspicion. Act as a princess should be and I will act as your guide concerning other matters of import. These are trying times my child, and with my sister missing, the future looks bleak. Her powers might indeed be wreaking havoc as we speak."

With the departure of Kaede-bachan, Kagome was left to her thoughts. Knowing that the elder was right, she recalled every role she played as a princess and hoped that would suffice.

-_-_-_-

Before she left, Kaede-bachan taught her the names of the people she would interact with on a day to day basis. She used descriptions for Kagome to recognize the face that goes with the name on sight.

Thus, she found herself in front of a vanity table with her ladies' maid, Carmen, dressing up her hair to formally present herself to the public after her long absence. Carmen was expertly twisting partitions of hair over a low coiffure to add volume and wispy ends to her long hair.

After awhile, Carmen stepped back to look at her handiwork and smiled softly. "There, milady, it is done at last. How I had missed seeing the princess dressed so gallantly for a ball, and a ball shall be held for your return, I'm sure of it." She clapped dreamily.

Kagome blinked herself back to the present and found herself staring at a stunning creature before her. Dark curls framed her fair skin, making it seem lighter. The ruby and diamonds set in gold choker adds sophistication to the red and gold dress she wore. She stood up to admire the many folds of the voluminous skirt. The bustle of gold over the wine red of the balloon skirt complements each other. The gold-embroidered corset hugged her figure to perfection. It is truly an elegant dress, far more than the ball gowns the props people ever dreamed about.

"Milady, we mustn't forget your slippers."

Carmen hurried off to fetch Kagome a pair of the most stunning shoes she ever laid eyes on. Red and gold brocade slippers with kitten heels, as if made for her feet alone. She slipped them on and found her soles resting on the softest leather.

With a delighted nod, Carmen took hold of her train and ushered her out of the double doors.

This is it! She thought to herself, biting a corner of her made-up lips, she took a step out of her sanctuary and the uncertain future.