Author's Note: And I need to apologize for being so late, don't I? I'm sorry. I went on vacation, that explains the crappiness of the second part of the chapter. I wrote it in the car. Bad stuff, man. I suggest you don't do it if you want a semi-decent story. But anyway, I left it off on a weird note just because I felt like it. I didn't want to make the chapter TOO long. I also haven't felt inspired to write this story, so that also explains the delay. …I should be sleeping now.
Thanks to my reviewers:
Tsurashi- Um, Tracy…you are a poophead. No questions asked. (Omg, that was just a lyric on this song I was listening to. Same time I typed it. Awesome.) I love you though. Thanks for the constant confidence boosts!
Neko-Yuff16- I know, seriously. He doesn't even know. How could he not know?! I should know…I AM the writer after all. Oops. Thanks for the review!
Irasuto-Thank you so much! I kind of did really bad with the flow of this chapter and the poetry, which you said you liked. I'm very very sorry for that. Thank you ever so much for the review.
pNay iN a b0x- I wouldn't say he's exactly fallen for her…yet. I mean, what? No. He won't. What are you thinking? Lol. I'm dumb. And yes, I am up at 4 o' clock today, and I'm not even tired. It's really weird so I'm hyper again. Woot! Thanks again for the reviews!
Sango's Counterpart-Awwww, thank you for the compliments and I really appreciate hearing from you! Thanks!
Sango0808- Thanks! Sorry I took so long to update…yeah about that…whoops. Thanks for reviewing!
Aprill May- Lol, they are so pimps. And, yeah, I even like how they speak with the no contractions and stuff. It's pretty dang neat. Welly, thanks for the review!
Soli-chan- Oh…you'll see what Lady Savanna thinks…you'll see! And yes, please do send me the stuff on DD, I understand though if you've started school and are busy. I can wait…and if not, I can always take a stab at it. Thanks for reviewing!
A Poet's Muse
By Kikanemi
The first thing Sango noticed that day that seemed to be out of place was that Kagome, the usually cheery girl she had come to know as her one friend, was unusually quiet the whole day. They both had been designated to the ballroom, scrubbing away at the marble floors and pillars adorning the room.
"It is a nice day, is it not?" Sango commented lightly, watching the suds as they streaked across the tiles.
Kagome could only grunt in reply, it was the least she could do to be polite in conversation.
Sango sat back on her heals, wiping the sweat from her brow onto her sleeve and admiring the ceiling above, the gold crown glimmering. "It is odd." Kagome looked to her, cocking her head a bit, "The silence, I mean."
Her friend blushed; realizing her attempt to keep whatever wrong in hiding had more or likely brought it out. "I, I have been thinking."
Sango arched an eyebrow, disbelieving that that was what she really was troubled about. "Thinking? That is odd, it is not like you to keep your thoughts pent up so."
She shrugged, "It is not much. Do not worry about my troubles." When truly inside it was Sango's soon to come troubles she was worrying about.
Tonight, at Whisper Manor, Lady Savanna would be attending a ball. A masquerade in which most people wore ornate masks, showing beauty that the two maids could hardly fathom. If the Lady of the house was to be attending and hidden, there was no doubt in Kagome's mind that this person Sango had described would fall for such a disguise.
When Sango described this man, her face would radiate with such a healthy glow. She would smile dreamily and sigh in thought; she was positively and undeniably in love. It even had shivers running up and down Kagome's spine from the sheer wonder of it all. But this, this ball, could ruin it all.
A voice from behind startled them, "Hello, Sango. And…you."
They turned, stunned. That was when the second thing most awkward entered Sango's day. Lady Savanna stood at the top of the staircase, adorned in a dress so fine it shamed the Queen's attire. The gold dress billowed around her in one large hoop, and around her neck stood two large cloves of lacy fabric. But upon her face was something that was most peculiar to Sango, a simple white mask.
Kagome clumsily stood on her two feet, bowing gently and gracefully. Sango didn't even think of it until it was too late and Savanna began to casually walk down the steps.
"Where to?" Sango said, kneading an eyebrow in confusement.
Kagome bit her lip, thinking of what to say that could distract Lady Savanna long enough to ever answer such a question. "Lady Savanna, is the cleaning to your liking?"
Lady Savanna walked slowly, her shoes clinking against the shiny marble floor, with an almost malevolent look on her face. She stopped her strutting, hands on her hips. Her gaze fell to the floor then to Kagome, "Girl, what do you think?"
"Well, I, I really do not know."
Lady Savanna let her head fall back in a haughty laugh, the sound resonating so much it made Kagome cringe. "Of course you do not know. It is only because you are a small. Weak. Dumb. Fool. A common maid, unlike Sango here, you will never get anywhere in life."
Kagome's eyes watered slightly, but because her pride was more important than sorrow, she held it in. "And Sango, I will be attending a masquerade ball tonight. I am in no need of your services. I would like to meet someone new."
With that she began sauntering towards another door across the room.
"Yes, someone new that she may lay with," Kagome made a frustrated grunting noise and balled her fists, "Sometimes I do not understand her! She can be so infuriating!"
Sango did not answer for her mouth was gaping, and her own eyes were also beginning to water with unshed tears. Softly, she laid her fingers over her gawking lips, gasping and shaking her head all the while. "No…"
Kagome looked to her friend, befuddled and downright worried. "Sango? Will you be okay?"
Her companion didn't even acknowledge her question and continued to shake her head and gasp lightly, "No…no…no!"
The maid put her hand on Sango's shoulder, thoroughly concerned. "Please, Sango. Tell me what is wrong with you? I wish to help."
"The man I met, Miroku, he had originally mistaken me for Lady Savanna," because she was so dramatically desperate, she grabbed onto Kagome's dress, "Do you not understand what this means? He will seek her out, and then…Savanna will…"
"Most likely take him to her bed."
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Inuyasha finished buttoning up his shirt and threw on his own pale maroon, almost red worn leather jacket and smirked. "I clean up quite well, if I do say so myself."
Miroku could only chuckle, remembering the way everyone at the ball before was dressed. Everyone beamed the words rich, stylish, and powerful. He and Inuyasha would only look like petty beggars in their presence. "Here, Inuyasha, it is to conceal your identity."
Inuyasha put on a plain, no detail at all, black mask over his eyes. Miroku did the same.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Miroku?" Inuyasha inquired, resting his leg on a wooden stool and bending down to fasten a buckle on his knee-high boots. "What if she was only leading you on? She is a lady, someone who seems most painfully out of our grasps."
"No. I cannot even bear to think that." He shook his head and peered out the window, watching the sun in it's descend toward the horizon, "There was something in her eyes, Inuyasha. There are no words for it, but what I saw was amazing."
He nodded and stood up on both feet now, also glancing outside. "Looks like it is almost time."
Miroku made a sound of agreement.
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Kagome yawned slightly before turning around and setting down her plate of refreshments on the musician's veranda, the small deck like area that was partially closed off where the entertainment played. She looked at the dance, sighing at one mask that was particularly ridiculous, peacock feathers and beads everywhere.
"This is positively boring." She drawled, resting her cheek on her palm.
"I, myself, have never been fond of the Queen's dances she holds for her players," Kagome turned her head only to come face to face with a silver haired, handsome man. Kagome's jaw dropped.
He was leaning over the other side of musician's veranda, staring out at nothing particular. The silence that resided next to him was unnerving and when he looked he found a beautiful girl gaping at him. It was his turn to stare awkwardly.
"…I…" his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, not sure what to say.
Another boy, with short black hair pulled into a small ponytail soon occupied the spot next to him, with a dreamy expression on his face. "There she is, Inuyasha. Lady Savanna."
His attention never left the raven haired girl, but he managed to make a small grunt in reply. The black-haired boy sought out his affections and soon the two were alone again.
He smiled, trying to slowly wean himself away from the trance. "I am Inuyasha."
She also grinned in return, "As I heard." She gathered her plate of refreshments and walked away, swaying her hips in a more obvious manner, trying to play hard to get. The boy swung himself around a porch post and quickly jogged to catch up with her. Soon he was so close behind her she could feel his breath on her ear. She stopped and blushed lightly; ready to hear what he had to say.
"And such a rare gem as you would most likely own such a beautiful name. May I have the honor of knowing it?"
Kagome brought a finger to her chin and tapped it a few times for good measure. "Mmm…no."
As she began to walk away, Inuyasha chased after her, intent on having this woman in his arms by the end of the night.
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Miroku's heart raced. Every beat felt like a hammer against his ribcage. She still hadn't noticed him, even though his eyes were pinned to her form from the beginning. He watched the way she smiled at a man, giggling at some small joke he must have made. This made him smile too.
He walked closer, one step at a time. Following her in the dance around the room, hoping that she would soon leave the dance to only be in his arms, and his arms alone.
Miroku cut in and took her hand, looking her square in the eyes. There was something different. Something strangely upsetting about the feeling of being touched by this woman. Could this really be his love?
Lady Savanna, on the other hand, was enraptured by his attractiveness. He would work. By the Gods, he would definitely work. She had never seen such a man. "Good evening, kind sir."
Miroku thought she was trying to play a game, "Savanna, there is no need for formalities. You know me as Miroku; you are free to call me by my birth name."
'This must be someone Sango had met. Or perhaps someone I have forgotten? No, how could I forget such a face?'
"Oh yes, Miroku."
He found a small haven in her eyes, dimly afraid that he wasn't at all bewitched like he was before. These thoughts frightened him to no end. Had this really been the woman to spark so many words from within him? Could she really kindle his need for a love to call his own?
"There is something different about you tonight. I cannot put my finger on it."
She stuttered, "I, well, I, I did nothing to change, Miroku."
Savanna began to give him heated glances and suggestive gazes; he could only look confused from his stand point. "Love, is everything all right?"
She leaned in close, her breath tickling his cheek. "Shall we away? To my chambers?"
Even Miroku, the village lover, had the decency to blush. He cleared his throat, afraid that his voice might break, "Do you really find that fitting?"
"Of course."
A deep, manly voice cut in from behind, "Lady Savanna, I must introduce you to the Prince from Cardonia."
Miroku took her hand and kissed it lightly, "Then we shall be parting?"
"You will find me in my chambers. Please, come for me later tonight. Until then, Miroku."
She in turn then gave him a soft, lingering peck on the cheek. He watched her leave, sighing and shaking his head. Could he really bring himself to bed with a girl he could no longer seem to love?
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Inuyasha followed the girl even to the back room reserved for only the maids. He observed some already curled up on mattresses set around the room and others still rushing about with their serving plates. He almost lost sight of the girl for moments, but because he would not give up he was soon hot on her trail again.
Quickly they made it into an empty chamber, where the girl laid her plate down and started to load it up once again with the necessary foods. Inuyasha reached over her shoulder and took a grape for himself.
"Now that we have found ourselves alone. Perhaps you could find it in your heart to tell me your name."
She stayed silent, as though she hadn't heard him or was trying to ignore him.
"Come on. I would not use such information against you. It will be…our little secret."
Kagome turned around, blushing faintly when she realized his hips were almost against her own. "I…are you suggesting we start a relationship? Because I find that completely fowl and uncalled for! Especially from a lord I have just come to know."
"Fowl? Is it because I am a mutt, not purebred? My, I never thought maids could be so high strung!" he threw his hands up in the air, frustrated. And thus began their first fight of many more to come.
"And I am just a maid to you! A low being who should accept anyone higher than herself, and since I am only a lowly maid everyone is above me! Including you!"
He shook his head, red in the face from anger. But soon it began to subside. "I only asked for your name, nothing more. Not a commitment of any sort."
Both of them stared at the ground, ashamed to even be squabbling so. After a bout of silence, the maid broke it by muttering this one word, "Kagome."
"Huh? What did you mean by-" He stared at her finger that had softly rested on his lips.
"Kagome. It is my name. Now you know." and without any more words she left the room, food and all. To say the least, Kagome left quite an impression on the boy.
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Sango tried her best to hold in the tears but they came, and washed away her sorrows of life, love, and tragedy. Lady Savanna informed her that she would be one of the maids that would be able to take the night off, she was relieved in some ways, but then again she could not keep her eyes on her love.
She had taken a nice long bath, and was even tended to by other maids by the commands of Lady Savanna and felt like a princess. They brushed out her long brown haired locks and had given her a wonderful robe, almost like a dress in a way.
Now she was laying head first in her bed, drowning in pillows. She took one and let out a whimper, letting everything out. An hour or two passed, she did not know for she was too emerged in her sadness to keep track of the time. She saw that the sun had set hours before, the dance must have already came and ended while she wept. Miroku would be with Lady Savanna soon, and she would know.
Sango was right; she began to hear noises from next door that could only be described as one thing. This brought out another whole set of tears from within her. She wiped her eyes, willing herself to be strong and stood up. She grabbed a brush and began to absentmindedly brush her hair, keeping her mind away from the sounds of the night. That is when she heard it. A sweet voice calling her name.
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The dance had come and gone, and Miroku barely got another glimpse of his love. He had spent most of the time contemplating whether to find her in her room or not. He searched the floor for her, but when she was not found he suspected she had already retreated to her chambers, waiting for him.
He exited the same way he came, dodging the lingering maids left and right. He kicked at a rock at his feet and shrugged off the nagging feeling. He would do it, for all feelings had not faded.
Miroku saw her then. Like a golden angel in a hazy dream. Her room faced the back gardens, and it happened to be the only one still lit with numerous candles in the window sill. That's when he felt it, that same jolt, that familiar feeling of running and jumping off of the world's tallest cliff, only to tumble to one's sweet tortured death.
Like a bug drawn to a light, Miroku had already meandered towards the balcony, watching her movements as she took in short labored breaths and brought a brush firmly through her long, dangling hair.
He wasn't sure what came over him, but soon his voice began to call out her name, softly but surely, hoping the sound would waft through her window and into her ears.
Finding a foot hole, he began his descent towards her chambers, all the while lightly saying her name aloud. Not a second too late did she come and discover him climbing her wall as he had lost his footing and she caught his hand in the process.
Miroku was reassured by this. He still felt the same old feelings. The flames were still burning strong, roaring and blazing to new heights that were unexplained. She had found him once again.