A/N: There was some mix up when I posted chapter 3, the most recent Barks entry got stuck to the end of the chapter. It's fixed now, sorry for the missing it.
On the side note - I'm on the fence about making a fic play lit on yt for this one, so let me know if you're interested.
Anyway, enjoy and review as you please.
4.
Kagome stopped in the doorway, her hand grasping the doorknob as if it was her anchor. It was nothing like what she'd expected when she'd thought about the secret room of her grandfather's house.
Her wide brown eyes were taking in the sight of the forest illuminated by the sunlight coming in through a window that she was sure couldn't be seen from the outside.
It took her a good minute to realize that it was not a real forest, just an intricate painting taking up the space on all the walls and ceiling of the room that was similar in size to hers. The floor was covered with dry leaves to strengthen the impression made by the tree trunks, each in a different shade of brown and green, moss painted covering their twisting roots. Tree limbs were depicted so skillfully they seemed to sway on the nonexistent wind. Here and there Kagome spotted red and blue, yellow and black birds flying between the branches or sitting in their nests. The cobwebs covering the window filtered the sunlight, making it look more like beams passing through the real trees. She almost could hear the wind rustling in the leaves. and the birds chirping. The mural was made so wonderfully that she felt as if the room she was in had no walls, just a wast forest that formed this tiny alcove of free space.
The impression of a spacious alcove under the canopy of trees strengthened the fact that there were no furniture to obstruct the view.
Well, no furniture other than a bed, which broke the illusion of a forest she had been in. At first it looked like a pile of leaves- actually it was covered in them, but she could see the bedposts on the foot of the bed and the headboard that was made out of birch wood. A pillow gray from age completed the look that didn't fit this enchanted forest room.
But the person half sitting in the bed surely fit in. Unknowingly Kagome lifted her free hand to cover her mouth as she gasped.
It was a man, young and painfully handsome with the type of beauty Kagome never knew was possible. Long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks as he seemed to slumber with his head bowed on his chest. His strong dark brows made him look harsh, but the cut of his mouth and the relaxed expression made his features softer. The corners of his mouth seemed to to twitch, as if he was dreaming pleasant dreams.
His hair was white, but not like the hair of some old people. It seemed to shine like moonlight and was thick, falling in silky strands over his broad shoulders. Nestled on top of his head was pair of pointed, canine ears covered in silvery white fur. As she looked at them, amazed and by no means scared, the ears seemed to quiver. He wore a bright red robe the kind of which Kagome had never seen before, the sleeves wide and the shirt rather loose. She couldn't see past his waist, since the pile of leaves covered him like a blanket.
A piece of wood - probably an arrow that lost its feathers, stuck out of his chest.
"Oh, my kami..." Kagome finally breathed out.
"Keh, that was a first time I was called that," the man suddenly spoke in a cheeky tone, his voice pleasant. He lifted his head, a pair of golden, almost glowing eyes looking straight at Kagome. "Hey, wait!"
With a shriek the girl closed the door behind her.
"Damn."
Kagome stumbled back from the door she just all but slammed shut. She was moving so fast that she almost tripped over her own feet, her heartbeat speeding as she flailed her arms to catch her balance.
"Calm down. Calm. down! Don't panic!'
How not to panic when an actual fae was on the other side of the wall?
She pressed her hands against her chest, staring with wide eyes at the door, expecting the fae would burst through them any minute to do something terrible to her. Or to the other two females that were in the kitchen.
Oh, kami, what to do?
Her legs were like noodles, so Kagome sat down on her bed and stared at the door some more. She couldn't get the image of those bright, unusual eyes looking at her out of her mind.
Well. now she knew what was behind the wall.
A real, living fae.
With terrible vocabulary and adorable ears.
Kagome put her hands on her cheeks to keep herself from losing her cool completely and screaming like an insane person. She was sure losing her control and just doing that would be a disaster. Fae always killed those who showed fear in the stories. If she wanted to stay alive she had to be brave and smart. She took some calming breaths, which helped just a bit.
A few notes of a tune drifted from the other s side, it sounded almost hesitant. It tugged at her heart, just like it had done before, trying to soothe her, to seduce her into letting go of her concerns, to lure her closer...
"Stop playing!"
"Make me, wench!" barked the man from the other room, She opened her mouth to yell back. but realized that she had no idea how to make a fae do or not do something. Sure, In stories the heroes somehow dealt with them, but she was no hero. What was she supposed to do now? The man played a few more notes, as if in spite of her, but then stopped.
"Hey, you don't hafta be scared..." he said, his voice softer now. "I don't eat humans."
"That's what a human eating monster would say," she mumbled.
Did you just call me a monster? It's you who add milk to perfectly good tea!" he objected.
What kind of accusation was that? And coming from a man with dog ears!"
"And you have monkey ears, but I ain't pointing my fingers at ya!"
Kagome glared silently at the door.
"So, anyway, you know, you can come in and talk to me like a civil person. It's no fun when you yell at someone you can't even.. Oh, fuck!"
The sunlight faded as the sun disappeared behind the horizon and at the same time the voice fell silent.
Kagome sat motionless, waiting for him to continue, but he never did.
Did something happen to him? That last exclamation sounded surprised and unhappy... Was it a ploy? Was he trying to lure her in? Why wasn't he stalking out of there?
Kagome's eyes widened when a thought came to her mind. It was because of the arrow.
Feeling some of her courage and curiosity come back, and with, the fae still l silent, Kagome stood up and tiptoed to the door. Carefully she opened it and peered inside. The forest walls were quickly submerging in shadows. The man was in the bed, as before. the only thing changed were his ears, now relaxed and droopy.
"Um... Hey? Lord fae?" she uttered.
He snored.
Kagome looked at him in shock. After a while, when all he did was breathing and snoring softly from time to time, Kagome inched inside the room, dry leaves crunching underfoot as she walked. Still, he remained asleep. In the rising darkness, she could notice that the arrow shaft was actually gloving soft pink light, the light of the power that was a kami blessing.'
The fae was unable to leave the bed, sealed to it by - presumably - one of her ancestors. As she looked at the otherworldly handsome man, a new realization came to her mind.
He was silver-white and red. Just like the strange cherry tree flowers. She was sure it was no coincidence.,
Kagome lingered in the room for a few minutes longer, simply admiring the mural and contemplating the man - most certainly not the other way around.
But then she left. It was weird to be in a room with a sleeping stranger. she locked the door, just for the peace of the mind, Then she looked at her wardrobe. An experimental push let her know that whatever magic had made it move no longer worked. Luckily, the- door was obscured from the door to her room by the bulk of the wardrobe, so she had some time to figure
what to do.
As she stretched out in her bed, pulling her blanket right under her chin, she still thought about the hidden room and the slumbering fae with adorable ears.
This night once more she dreamed about running through a forest, this time the feeling with which she woke at morning was not serene semse of freedom, but instead longing and hope..
In the room hidden from most of the humans, the fae slumbered, a small, innocent smile on his lips.
A/N: Fun note.
From what I learned back in high school Celts believed red to be the color of death and white the color of supernatural.
You get an imaginary cookie if you guess what fae Inuyasha is.
