---------- Chapter 3 ----------

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE WASN'T THE PRINCE! THIS CAN'T BE!" Tsuki almost fell from the bed in surprise. Dominique's scream had probably awoken the entire neighbourhood.

"I TOLD YOU HE WASN'T! MOTHER! AT LEAST I FOUND SOMEONE HIGHER UNLIKE THIS SQUIRT WHO FLIRTED WITH THE BAKER!" Ino's voice drowned her mother's voice. Tsuki groaned and put the pillow over her head. Couldn't they be at least a little normal?! It was freaking three in the morning!

She heard her step-mother telling Ino off before everything went quiet. Thankfully. Tsuki rose slightly from her bed, her weight on her forearms and pillow sliding down her back. So, Rose flirted with the baker? Well… the demoness loved to eat so they would probably be happy… and Ino was with some noble man… wonder who?

The days went by. To Tsuki everything was grey. Untouchable… She realised that it had been him who made the world colourful and entertaining. Sure, she had only known him for three days but it felt like she had known him her entire life. How could one person become so important? She hadn't even felt this lost when her parents had died. She barely remembered her mother, she remembered that she was beautiful and she remembered her scent and her smile. But no memories…

Her father, oh how she had loved him. She had been but ten years old when he had died in that accident. She had a lot of memories of him, for so many years he had been the centre of her life. But when he had died… she had cried of course. Is there a time when you don't cry at death? But she hadn't felt empty… like she felt now. This was something else.

She was actually scared. If she reacted this strongly at just not being with him, how would she react if he died? Even the very thought of his death made her go from depressed to suicidal.

About a week after the last ball things started to make sense again. She didn't cry herself to sleep anymore. Sometimes she could wake up with wet cheeks but that was all. Ino and Rose had left her alone quit a lot. Despite that the three didn't get along they all noticed the disappointed air around the others and felt for each other. Tsuki had noticed that Rose was almost as depressed as her.

But at lunch the drama rose once again. The sound of running horses was heard. Tsuki stopped in the doorway while her step-mother rose from the table.

They all straighten up as the doorbell rang. Rose and Ino ran to the window, Dominique told them off before heading for the door and Tsuki only stood still. Her instincts were already working, trying to tell her that this was a bad omen. But it was her step-mother's voice that made her mind click.

"You majesties!" The sisters almost fainted. Tsuki went pale. This couldn't be! What the hell were they doing here?! She quickly pulled herself into the shadow of the hall, hiding her presence and scent.

In came Sesshomaru and the king, the first looking grave, the other was smiling. Dominique and her daughters curtsied. "Welcome to our humble home! Please tell us why we owe this lovely pleasure?" Tsuki gagged to herself as she listened to her step-mother's speech. Slowly she slipped into the shadows in the back of the room, keeping her ears on the conversation.

The king was nice; he conversed nicely with her step-mother. The prince kept quiet. Rose and Ino kept eyeing him with hungry and greedy eyes. The youkai in Tsuki howled at the sight but Tsuki scowled it and ordered it to be quiet.

She needed to get out of here.

Quietly she made her way out of the backdoor, making her way towards the elder tree in the backyard. She needed her mother's comfort.

Her life had become such a mess…

"Elder tree and elderflower." She looked up and saw Sesshomaru. The male stood a few steps from her, but close enough to catch her if she decided to run.

"I told you my mother loved elderflowers… her last wish was to be buried under a tree." She explained. The crown prince took a step towards her; Tsuki took a step back while eyeing him warily.

"Where did you get the dress?" He asked. She heard the accusing tone in his voice.

"I did not steal it, sir!" She hissed looking away from his golden eyes. That moment she hated him. Truly hated him.

"Then how did you get it?" He appeared in front of her, holding her wrist in his hand. His other hand forced her to look at him.

"Does it matter?! If you want the dress then take it! Leave me be!" She tried to pull away, but no use.

"Who gave it to you?" This time his voice was soft. She took in his face. The heir to the throne looked tired, vulnerable.

"I don't really know… I came here and said some stupid wish and it just appeared. Honestly!" She looked him in the eye before trying to pull away again. "There! I've answered you! Let go!" But he didn't. He pulled her closer, buried his nose in her hair.

"And here I thought you were clever. Do you really think I would chase you down for a dress?" He whispered while she stiffed in his arms.

"Why then?" He back away a little so he could look at her.

"I want you to marry me. I want to be your mate." His eyes found hers, locking them. Tears came in Tsuki's eyes.

"I can't." She whispered and sobbed while looking away when she felt him tense.

"Why not?" She heard the hurt in his voice, the sadness.

"I'm a servant, a nobody while you-"

"Are the prince and don't give a damn about that! Tsuki, I don't care about your social status. You are brighter than more then half of the people I must socialise with. My father approves this. No one can say anything about your rank."

"It's against the law."

"Were your parents servants?"

"…no. Dominique married my father s couple of years after my mother's death…"

"Then you aren't a servant. You step-mother will be punished for such a crime." He made her look at him again. "And can you honestly tell me that you don't want to be with me? Can you look me in the eye and say that?" Tsuki looked at him, eyeing him carefully. Could she?

"No… I can say that. These three nights… evenings if you want to call it that… they made me feel alive for the first time in years." He smiled at this and pulled her closer again.

"Then say what you want to say…"

"… I want to be with you…" She whispered. Sesshomaru smiled a real beautiful smile. Tsuki opened her mouth say something; probably say it was impossible for them. But Sesshomaru put a hand on her mouth.

"That's all you need to say. You and I will be, even if I have to drag you up the aisle." Tsuki couldn't help but laugh at that.

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"How did you find me by the way?" Tsuki asked. The newly mated couple were out on the balcony, watching the stars once more.

"You left something behind that helped me calm my beast and remember your scent." Sesshomaru smiled.

"I did?" Tsuki frowned, leaning her head to the side while watching him with narrowed eyes. Sesshomaru grinned and pulled her closer.

"You did. You dropped something that I was going to return." And with that he pulled out her black mask. Tsuki looked at it surprised before starting to laugh.

"My mask? I didn't even know I had dropped it!" She tried to take it from him but he held it out of her reach.

"Don't even think about it. This little mask helped me a lot! I'm actually thinking embellish so if won't be ruined."

"You're crazy!" Tsuki laughed while shaking her head.

"About you." Sesshomaru added before he kissed her.

The End