Author's Note: Well, the end of this chapter is something I'm none too proud of. As a matter of fact, I hate it. Um, uh. Yeah. Enjoy my measly sucky little fic.
Thanks to my reviewers:
LiL psYch0- A pretty safe bet indeed. I'm going for a more Shakespeare in Love flavor. But uh, I guess it's a little different. Thanks for reviewing!
KeeraSango- Hope I didn't take too long to update! Thank you so much for reviewing!
Soli-chan- Quite a long review, man. Uh, this story shtinks! Shtinks! Arg! But thanks for complimenting my stoopid, stoopid fic. Thanks again!
Flarish- Thanks! I was going for something a little different, thanks for saying I accomplished my little measly goal! Horray! Thank you ever so much for the review!
A Poet's Muse
By Kikanemi
Lady Savanna smiled at her own mischievousness. She had been able to hide away one human being for a whole day without being caught. Watching the other maids bustle about, she found an opening and slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her.
"I brought you some things for tonight," she drifted off, seeing Sango before her.
Sango had taken the opportunity once Savanna left to change into the dress for the dance.
Savanna looked stunned as she examined the pale green long, puffed out dress Sango was adorned in. "You look, amazing."
"You really think so?" Sango began to fidget under Savanna's scrutiny.
"Of course. Every man there will be dying to have one dance with you, Lady Savanna," She made her way across the room, bowing and offering her hand to Sango, "My lady, I would love to have a dance with you."
Sango put her hand to her mouth, in a gesture that said 'Oh my' and quickly accepted Savanna's hand. "You do know how to dance, do you not?"
Sango nodded, trying to recall the complicated steps she had once learned as a girl. Sango had always been somewhat of a romantic, and when she was younger she dreamed of attending a dance, and by the end of the night she was in the arms of someone who was just as poetic as herself.
Savanna brought her hand up, entwining her fingers with Sango's and they walked around in a complete circle, step by step. Savanna pointed two of her fingers directly at Sango's eyes and then back at her own.
"Never lose contact with my eyes. It is only customary and polite to never break eye contact."
Sango nodded and made a mental note of that.
"We would now switch partners. Understand the dance?"
"Very much, but thanks for the quick lesson."
Lady Savanna pushed Sango onto her bed and sat behind her and began to brush her hair.
"Tell me, Lady Savanna, what do you plan to do tonight?"
Sango sighed and thought of so many wonderful things that could happen at the dance. "I am not so sure of that myself," Sango paused, "But I can tell you what I imagine myself doing."
Savanna hit a particularly ratty knot and began to brush it out, listening intently, "Then please, do tell. What do you imagine yourself doing?"
Sango breeched into the most inner most thoughts of her mind quickly, "I imagine myself entering and leaving every person there, young and old, speechless. They'll look at me as I float down the stairs. There is one, though, whose heart is racing wildly and he finds it hard to focus as he feels a weightless feeling."
Lady Savanna only continued to listen beginning the finishing touches.
"I suspect that he would watch me, our eyes locking for a brief moment. But seeing as I was swept up in the dance, he slowly merged in too, never letting me leave his sight."
"Sounds romantic," Savanna drawled, not entirely interested.
"Yes, but not entirely. As he and I held hands, we repeated the steps flawlessly. Our eyes never the leave the other's, afraid that if we looked away even for but a moment something so wonderful may vanish. As if it were only a dream. But as we part we can only feel the anxious swell of something growing within us. Something we have never felt for someone before."
"Love. Sounds beautiful," Savanna said rather dryly.
"Yes. It does, doesn't it?"
"It sounds so lovely that I just can't have you doing that. Do everything the opposite of what you said."
Sango knitted her eyebrows together in confusion, "What? I thought you said it was romantic!"
"My point exactly. I do not want to be wed by this time tomorrow eve. Besides, every man in this country that is attending will be a pig. I have never heard of such a man who relishes in the look of his lover's eyes."
Sango shrugged, "Perhaps there will be one. Just for tonight."
"Push those thoughts out of your head and focus on trying not to get me married."
Sango could only nod meekly and hide the disappointment in her heart. She could already begin to see why Savanna had such a lousy time being a noble. She had never learned to love like lovers do. Sango herself couldn't say much to that, though. She had never been loved or cherished as much as she was in her dreams.
She wanted her romantic poetic justice tonight.
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Miroku inspected himself, looking down and not bothering to notice the wears and tears of his ensemble.
He could hear the hustle and bustle of the town life right outside his door. Usually when noble events took place the drunkards would waste no time in drinking up a storm. They were out cold earlier than normal. At this point in the night they were merely at the peek of their escapade.
"Lousy drunks." Inuyasha stumbled in then, back with the pretty raven haired girl, supporting each other but failing miserably, "Speaking of lousy drunks…"
Inuyasha only fumbled towards his friend, putting his hand on his shoulder and looking him straight in the eye. Miroku dusted off the appendage and cocked his eyebrow at his companion.
"Come on, man. Let us have fun. Sing and dance…" he began wiping at his nose uncontrollably and then chuckled, "And you know, sing…and then sing and dance."
"No thank you. You practically ordered me to find the love of my life in the next two or three hours. I can not waste but a second!"
Inuyasha fell onto the bed, taking a swig of something his girlfriend handed him, "Who cares about your muse," he then giggled brightly, "And you know what? Who the hell cares about those blasted pages!"
"You do, and you'll come in here tomorrow begging for them."
Inuyasha paused before he let his head hang low, "You are right. I am such a fool."
Miroku only laughed slightly, "Say friend, tell me. Do I look presentable?"
Inuyasha's glassed over eyes tried to focus on Miroku but the image became blurry and he began to see five Miroku's at once. "Yeah, yeah, you guys look fine."
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As Miroku made it to the stream that separated him from Whisper Manor and his newest muse, he stepped into a boat and ignored the attendant as he began to start up a friendly conversation. He was clearly focused on the faint drone of violins and the smooth melody of the harp interlacing with each other in perfect harmony.
He tossed one coin to the rower before he stepped on dry land, taking in a deep breath of air. The manor was astounding. He had been there at least five times before on the account that some of his friends played in the prestigious quartet for the parties and other events. They had shown him to the back door, and he could easily find his way in, uninvited.
Miroku ran quickly and then jumped, catching himself on the back of someone's carriage for a ride to the mansion. He continued to admire the view. Everywhere around him there were orchards, gardens, darkened by shadows. The house itself glowed by numerous torches and lampposts that adorned the walks and even the brick walls.
When the coach stopped he swung gracefully off of it and proceeded to head into the back. He studied the dark oak door. There had been one time he took the wrong door and discovered the maid's quarters none too kindly. He smirked in remembrance; he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
He walked in and immediately his ears were greeted with music, sweet, sweet music. He noticed his friend, Hachi, concentrating on the sheet music in front of him and made his way over. Standing on the wooden stage made for the musicians, Miroku rested his cheek on a pillar that overlooked the dance.
He could only smile, seeing which ones were lovers, and others that had eyes for someone. It was just in his nature to pick such things out. But then his heart stopped as he spotted someone who looked like she longed for no one in particular. But he himself longed to hold her and love her like there would be no tomorrows to come.
Her long dark brown hair fell down her back, grazing the small of her back. Her eyes were a deep caramel, pools of emotions just waiting to overflow. Miroku studied her form, down to her slender feet, tiny waist, to her voluptuous bosom. She was utterly too perfect, she was…his muse.
Turning to his friend, he called out, "Hachi, may I ask you something?"
"Yes, make it quick, though."
Miroku pointed, but not too boldly to the woman he had spotted, "Who is that girl?"
Hachi only looked up for a second and knew who it was, "She is the lady of the house, my friend. That is Lady Savanna. A fine woman, is she not?"
Miroku could only nod and find himself once again using the pillar for support. He sighed, drifting off into his own world like he usually did.
"For never have I felt true love until this night, and beauty was only but a glimmer in a dreamer's gaze," he sighed, "What bittersweet torture is this? Shall I ignore this feeling in the pit of my stomach, or shall I bestow upon her everything of mine?"
Hachi shook his head, listening to his friend spit out one line after another like he often did when he saw a girl he'd like to be with by the end of the night.
"She is out of your league, Miroku. After all, she is a lady."
Miroku shot him a pointed look, "I know that. But I have never seen someone like her before. It would not hurt to try."
"And when you are shot down, do not come crying to me."
He noticed that Miroku had already drifted off onto the dance floor, staring at his auburn haired beauty from afar.
Miroku found himself drawn closer to the crowd, moving their feet in time to the music as it was always done. He slowly waited for his chance to mix in with the crowd, taking an elderly maiden's hand in his own. Next he found himself with a younger woman, who all the while blushed and giggled. He would not give her the time of day. He only looked at Lady Savanna, his eyes never leaving her even from across the room.
Closer and closer he came, watching her movements closely. With each partner she would give them the same respect. She would look them straight in the eye until it time to part, but she never looked happy with any of the people. And slowly, her gazes were only half-hearted and her stare was emotionless and focused mainly on her lovely shoes. But when it was his turn for him to woo her, he would take her breath away with a heated stare that would melt her heart and his own. For tonight, she was his love, but it was most unknown to her.
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Sango was enjoying herself immensely, except for the fact that she had yet to meet the love of her life. It was a depressing thought. She had danced with every lord, and even lady for that matter, and still could not make a connection like one she had hoped for. Yes, countless men gave her suggestive looks and even managed to pinch her bottom before moving on to the next partner, but she felt like she was just an object with each and every one of them. Not a person. A person who could be swept off their feet and loved like never before.
She couldn't even bear to look at any of them anymore, afraid that if she did some of them would get the wrong idea.
But then she felt it. A spark, a shiver, a shudder, coursed through her very being. Her face heated at the touch, and she had not even seen the person who had caused such a reaction within her. He held her hand with a tenderness that made her want to fall into his arms.
When she found his eyes she recognized him immediately. Miroku, her favorite poet. When her parents were alive it was one of her biggest pleasures to receive his newest work from them and she would not leave her room until she was finished.
Miroku noticed her gasp and the small blush gracing her face. But his stare never faltered. Sango found a home in his amethyst eyes and felt something so spectacular that her feet felt like they were no longer rooted to the floor.
They did not speak, and as they circled around each other with finger's intertwined, they both knew that this was it. This was deep, tragic, and undeniable love.
When she curtsied as the signal that they must move on, he caught her hand and caressed it.
"My lord…" she stammered, flushing profusely.
"It is Miroku, and it is I that should use the formal title. I am only a lowly man, and you are a goddess." He bowed, looking at her still, and planted a chaste kiss to her hand.
"I-I…I must," she could not continue.
"Lady Savanna, let me woo you for tonight."
She could not even begin to comprehend what he meant by that. A part of her was flattered, and another was insulted, "My Lord, I am…"
But she was interrupted as a tall, muscular, older man took Miroku by the collar and pulled him into a dark part of the ballroom. Her heart clenched, for her love was out of sight, but she couldn't stray on the thought long as another gentleman forced her into a dance.
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Miroku didn't notice Sesshoumaru until he was upon him. He dragged him into the dark recesses of the room, most likely to speak of about the darn pages once again. He felt the wind knocked out of him as he slammed into the stone of the wall.
"Tell me," he growled, "Where are my fucking pages, you bastard."
Miroku squirmed and did his best to muster a smile despite the pain, "Why, I did not know you cared so much."
"You know very fucking well why I care so much about those damn pages. If I do not have a play to present at my theater then I am fucking broke, you hear?"
Miroku didn't answer, catching sight of his love once more. His attention was brought back cruelly as Sesshoumaru crushed him to the wall a good three times or so.
"You hear? I want those fucking pages, and I want them soon."
He let Miroku plop unceremoniously to the ground and his victim scampered away. But as Miroku made his way down the path away from Whisper Manor he could only think of one beautiful face that changed him that night.
Lady Savanna.