Fading Pages
By Angel Maiden
Please read and Review! I do accept flames.
The girl walked around the table looking at the china her mother had set out for her 17th birthday party. This would be the first year celebrating with out her father. The war had been hard on everyone, but none more so then the higarushi 's.
They had plenty of money to live on, and no matter how small the servings food to sit on their table. No, it wasn't something that could be replace that they lost. It was a person, and no matter how much you try you can't replace them.
She looked over the gold plates and eating utensils. She didn't feel like celebrating she just wanted to sit in her room and read the book her father had sent her before he died. Her mother walked into the room sighing that her daughter should look so upset at her own birthday.
"Kagome, please cheer up your father wouldn't want you to be like this."
"Mother I don't want a party, I feel horrible."
"Dear, you will be fine now come lets get you ready."
Kagome nodded slowly following her mother out of the dining hall.
"Mother are you sure I couldn't get out of this."
"Kagome, even the king and his sons are coming."
"Yes but mother they aren't coming for me."
"Kagome you should be proud that they are coming on behalf of your father."
"I would rather dad come."
Her mother paused on the stairs and turned towards kagome.
"Kagome, you should be proud even if your father isn't here he gave his life for all of us if he hadn't intercepted that group our whole village would be dead."
Kagome nodded slowly the tears leaking down her face.
"Mother I just want dad back!" she yelled
Kagome burst into tears flinging her self into her mothers arms, they sat there on the steps as kagome cried. Slowly the made their way to kagome room where they begin to get ready. The guest poured in everyone from the village, all of kagome friends arrived neatly dressed for once with their hair combed and face's clean.
Kagome waited in the room before the dining hall she wasn't aloud to enter until all the guest were seated, but the king and his sons had yet to arrive. Kagome watched from the window as a wild driven carriage pulled up into the courtyard.
The first to exit looked like an older gentleman. Kagome realized he was the king, but he looked shaken and paled, probably from the carriage ride. The next was a what looked like an younger version of the king but he had no emotions on his face. Kagome glance him up and down liking the way he seemed to hold him self with such grace. The last to come out was a very young man with dog-ears on the top of his head. He handed the reigns he had been holding to the shaking driver, and followed his family inside.
Kagome watched as the bickered back and forth until the disappeared under the doorway. With a sigh she flopped back into her seat.
'Not to much more time before I have to face everyone.' she thought as she watched her mother come up to her.
"Are you ready kagome?" her mother asked.
Kagome just nodded as she followed her up to the double doors. Her mother motioned towards the servants to open the door as the music swelled to high. First to walk in was her mother and as everyone turned to look at her she begin her walk towards the head of the table.
Her Skirts rustled as she slowly put one foot in front of the other. She sat down in her chair her friends looking at her in awe for they had never seen her look so serious or grown up. To her right sat the king and to her left his eldest son the one she had seen bickering with the other.
He had yet to show any emotions. The others begin to eat as kagome looked on never once looking down at her plate of food. She didn't feel like eating and she defiantly didn't want to be at this party on this night.
The eldest son kept glancing up at her giving her the feeling he knew something about her she didn't know.
With a tap of his glass the king stood looking down at kagome.
"We have come her tonight to honor Captain Higarushi and his family." A cheer shot through the party.
"I have brought a special surprise for kagome tonight and would like you all to hear what I'm about to say."
Kagome looked up at him not expecting him to bring her anything. She looked down at her mother who just smiled as she watched her daughter.
"Kagome Higarushi, You are now betrothed to my eldest son Sesshomaru!" Shouts of joy were heard from every direction.
Kagome panicked tonight was already a lot to handle and now this. She stood from the table and ran to the one place that still reminded her of her father, the library. Walking in she slammed the doors behind her tears running down her face.
She looked over the rows of books and ran into the one where a small chair was placed under a hanging lamp. Her father used to always read to her in that chair. She sat down thinking how selfish her mother and the king were to know of this and ask her to do this when she was having such a hard time.
Her ears picked up the door handle dropping down as the door swung open. A voice she knew to be that of Sesshomaru reached her ears as he called for her.
"Woman come out I know your in here I can smell you."
Kagome ran in between the bookcases. She knew her way around here better than anyone. The library was huge, as large as 2 acres of land and filled to the brim with thousands of books.
Sesshomaru followed her sent as she continued to run around the large room.
"I will catch you woman and when I do we will sit down and calmly talk about this."
A giggled reached his ears from a few rows over. He quickly shifted in time to see her dress disappear around the corner.
He turned and ran back along the shelf as he followed the sound of her bare feet running. Looking in between the open slats of the shelf he looked at her.
"Woman seizes this running around!"
She turned and glared back.
"The names Kagome, and I don't have to talk to you." she turned back ahead and Sesshomaru seeing an opening in line of shelf's switched over in front of her.
Kagome skidded to a stop turning around and running back the other way her feet slipping on the marble floor. He dived after her bringing both of them rolling to the floor. He sat down on top of her holding her arms above her head.
"Woman you continued to run."
"The names Kagome!" She spat at him.
"I will call you whatever I please we are betrothed."
Kagome rolled her eyes.
"Don't remind me."
He glared down at her.
"What may I ask is so bad about being betrothed to me?"
"I have no desire to marry right now, besides my mother thinks she can help heal my heart if she finds someone for me and I can do that on my own."
Sesshomaru looked down at her, her face showed nothing but truth.
"My father won't take no for answer you have been given an order by the king himself and yet you turn it down?"
Kagome thought about it for a minute, if she were to do this it would bring shame on her family.
"Fine I will go through with the wedding but don't plan on our honey moon being any fun."
"Never did." he smirked down at her as her face turned a little pinkish shade.
Standing up he took her hand and pulled her with him till the were flush against each other. He sniffed at her neck smelling the raspberry and summer night moon that was kagome.
She backed away turning and walking out Sesshomaru following slowly behind her. She walked to the dining hall, which was still full of questions.
She entered walking past all the curious glance's people gave her to her head chair. The room became silent as she waited for them to calm down.
"I accept this Marriage proposal and the terms that come with it, I will be Known forever more as Queen Kagome Aiko Takashi."
A cheer erupted as kagome looked over at her smiling mother before walking out of the dining hall past Sesshomaru who had been standing in the doorway watching her to the stairs.
"Kagome, you will be living with me from now own I suggest you get your servants to pack up your things."
She nodded her head never turning before walking up the stairs and out of sight. He watched her go thinking how much like a queen she already was acting. He turned to join the rest of the party and celebrate until she was ready to leave.
Throwing her self upon her bed she let all her anger out as she screamed and cried into the plushy comforter. She fell asleep as her servants came and begin to put her things into trunks watching their sleeping mistress with sad eyes.
They could see the tearstains and how worn and frail she looked. The gave each other glances knowing that king and prince thought they would be getting a pushover for a daughter-in-law. Tonight was the first night they had seen her act so mature and not child like.
They sighed when the last thing was packed knowing they would have to wake her to go with prince. One of the older women gently shook her awake. "Lady kagome it is time you go home with the prince."
"My home will never be there it will always be here in the library."
The maids smiled as the watched their mistress stand and walk calmly down the stairs where the king and his sons stood.
Walking past them without so much as looking at them she walked out the door living to stunned people and one who thought only of her grace.
"She's just like Sesshomaru, cold as ice." Inuyasha whispered to his father.
His father nodded before the begin to walk after her the servants having already packed everything onto the carriage.
The ride to the castle was uneventful but for Inuyasha's driving the carriage again. The all bumped up and down as he madly drove the horses at insane speeds spilling the passengers onto the floor and each other. When the king was able to put himself back in the sit he sheepishly smiled at the glaring kagome.
Even if she was just a girl she had a scary look to her eye as she stared at him and Inuyasha.
The finally pulled into the court yard Inuyasha grumbling when someone took the reigns from his hands and directed him inside.
The king trying to regain his balance and since of direction followed Inuyasha into the castle with the help of some servants.
Kagome stood to one side staring up at the pale stone palace. Her heart weighed down terribly at the thought of living so far from home.
Sighing she followed Sesshomaru in as he was to lead her to her room.
Swinging open a door to a large he directed her inside. "This is where you will be staying if you need anything call a servant they will bring it to you."
Kagome looked around the room, the color switching back and forth between pale green and dark blue. Breakfast is at 7:00 and the bathroom is through that door. Nodding she watched him leave as the servants poured in to on pack her things.
Feeling out of place in the room she turned and walked down the hall looking at photos of previous kings and queens. A set of double doors laid at the end of the hall. Slowly opening the doors she looked around to reveal an even larger library than her own.
Walking among the rows of books she stared at each one with an awe in her eye. Some many, Classical, mysteries, Adventures, Just waiting for her with open arms.
Picking up a book she looked through it before looking at the one next to it, this one had no title plain and hidden. She picked it up and sat down in a chair a few feet away. The pages fell open and revealed to her was a story close to her own.
May 1,
Father says I must marry into the Takashi family or risk shaming the whole family. I meet the son of our king today. He is very handsome but I feel sad I must leave my home. I brought my treasure with me though and have hidden it in a secret place in my room. I so do detest that room the pale green makes me sick and the blue is just to common a color. I have spent most of my time within the library walls or learning something I shall need to know queen-hood. I find it dreadfully boring here and want nothing more to fly into one of the many books I have read. They taught me horseback riding today and my legs have become sore to the point it hurts to walk. Tonight will be the perfect night to read a book then since I can't walk to queen lessons. I played a joke upon my husband to be. I tied an inkpot above the door and when he walked through it dumped its self upon him. He laughed though so it was all in good humor. I must go my precious diary I hear someone coming.
Soon to be queen.
Sakura.
Kagome flipped through each page learning more and more about the queen. Realizing after several pages this was Sesshomaru mother she held the book even closer hoping for some insight into he was like as a child. The treasure was mentioned in each chapter in a secret place in kagome's room.
Thinking about looking for it tomorrow kagome curled up in the chair her arm around the book she now held dear. Her first as the queen to be was spent in the library.
Ok so tell me what you think! Please if you read REVIEW! And I do accept flames!
Angel Maiden