InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Fairy Tale ❯ The Beginning of our Story ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A Feudal Fairy Tale

Starlight Demon 22

Warning: I do NOT own Inuyasha, the other characters, or the plot from the manga or anime. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and everyone involved with that whole thing. I only own my own character, Akemi, other than that no.

Chapter 1- The Beginning of Our Story
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Once upon a time, long long ago, as these stories always start, there was a young maiden...why do they always start like this? Why do fairy tales start out with some damsel in distress, who need some prince charming to rescue them from some evil witch or wizard bent on world domination starting with her kingdom? Why couldn't it be a man in distress in need of a strong woman to help him? Or a man bent on world domination by stealing an ancient relic? Well, if that's the story you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

But, before we get ahead of ourselves, lets start at the beginning, shall we? Once upon a time, long long ago, in a fairy tale never told was a young woman, in a common village....

Kagome smiled as she sat up, it was a beautiful day with the sun shining brightly. She rolled out of bed and looked around her part of the hut, as usual clean as it could possibly be. She grabbed a new yukata for the day and walked out of the hut towards the stream. She looked around cautiously before shedding her clothes and sliding into the water, that was only slightly warm because of the sunlight. She bathed peacefully, enjoying the trees around her filled with birds chirping, the only noises breaking the silence. She got out and dried off after a bit, looking up startled when she heard rustling of leaves from a bush by the stream. She prepared for the worst when a small squirrel jumped out and then jumped off on his own way. With a sigh she smirked a little to herself and headed back to the village.

"Good morning, Kagome," a farmer said as he headed towards the woods. She smiled and nodded to him as she continued on her way. She noticed a few more men headed into the forest their village was set up near and thought it a bit odd, as normally they were tending fields on the otherside of the village, but shrugged it off as they were hunting for meat or something. If it involved a youkai she would have been told about what was going on.

"Good morning, Kagome," her mother said as she walked into the hut. Kagome smiled to her mother and nodded.

"It is a good morning, quite beautiful," Kagome said as her mother nodded. It was obvious her mother has been awake for a bit because of the breakfast she was preparing.

"Breakfast should be done soon, please wake up your brother," her mother said as she returned to tending the food. "Then we can eat breakfast and you can go to Lady Kaede's to continue your training." Kagome nodded and put her clothes by her bed before going to her brother's and shaking him awake. He rolled over tiredly and stretched as he started to wake up and move about. Kagome returned to setting her clothes up before going to see if she could help her mother with breakfast.

"Here's some wood," her brother said as he brought in some logs for the fireplace.

"Thank you Souta," their mother said before plating the food out. "Have either of you seen your grandfather?"

"No," the two said in unison.

"He might be at the temple praying for a man to request Kagome's hand again," Souta teased. Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Grandpa is always praying for a man to request my hand, why would that be surprising?" Kagome asked sarcastically. She took her food and relaxed as she started to eat. Her mother just smiled serenly, content with serving her children food. "Are you going with the village head today to continue your lessons on how to be a man?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Just like you're going with Lady Kaede to continue your lessons on how to be a miko." Souta responded before taking a large mouthful of food. Kagome shrugged and nodded, it was the same as every other day of the week. They'd eat breakfast, they'd joke about their grandfather praying to the gods for a respectable husband for his granddaughter, taunt each other about having to go out for lessons, and end up separating for the day. It had been this way since they moved to their grandfather's village after the death of their father, otherwise Kagome might not have ended up being trained as a miko and Souta wouldn't have to rely on another man to teach him how to be a respectable member of society. In fact, Kagome was quite certain, if her father had still lived she'd be married off to someone by now and probably with her own family.

"Bye Mama!" they said in unison as they ran out of the hut after a bit longer and heading in opposite directions for their lessons. Kagome wandered the village, giving and getting greetings from everyone she met along the path to Lady Kaede's house. More men, which surprised her, headed towards the forest.

"Good morning, Lady Kaede," Kagome said as she entered a hut. Kaede looked up and smiled warmly as she worked with some herbs. "Do you know why most of the village men are headed into the forest?"

"Aye, apparently they have found a hanyou lurking in the Forest of Inuyasha. They fear it will attack the village, possibly killing and harming the people who reside here. Ye and I have been called to extract this hanyou and send it on its way." Kaede said as she stood up with a rather smelly concoction of something Kagome didn't want to know what. Kagome nodded and followed Kaede, wondering about the hanyou they were going to remove from the forest. She had seen youkai, they were normally fearsome, and in some cases ugly, and attacked out of blood thirst for the people of the village. But so far, this hanyou has stayed away and done nothing wrong.

"What is a hanyou, Lady Kaede?" Kagome asked curiously as they walked, following some men.

"A hanyou is the product of a human and youkai coupling. It is a half-youkai, half-human creature, normally it contains both attributes of its parents. So they could have the fearsome look of a youkai, but the mortality of a human, or look just like a human but be immortal and possibly twice as destructive with hidden powers as it's youkai parentage." Kaede said as Kagome nodded and thought. They walked further into the forest and were stopped by a few of the men.

"Lady Kaede, do you think it wise to bring Lady Kagome? What if something should go wrong?" one of the men asked worriedly as they looked towards a corridor cut out in the forest. Kagome looked and noticed that no blade had made the cut, but something more crude.

"Give Lady Kagome one of your bows and quivers and we shall be fine, I have my own. If we have to we will bind the hanyou to a tree and have them removed, but do not worry for our protection." Kaede said as Kagome was surprised as she got handed the quiver and bow, she had never fired a real arrow before with the intent of harming a youkai or hanyou, she had always used dull ones for target practice. As they walked along, now Kagome felt her own confidence waining.

"Lady Kaede...are you sure...I'm ready?" Kagome asked worriedly. Kaede stopped and turned to face the young miko. Kagome was only fifteen years of age, she had been twelve when moved to the village. Since the first day she had met her, Kaede knew the path Kagome was to take.

"Kagome, ye are more powerful than ye give yeself credit for. My sister, Kikyo, is like ye opposite, too confident. Trust in yeself and ye powers and ye shall be fine." Kaede said as Kagome swallowed hard and nodded. She continued to follow Kaede deeper into the forest, knowing if her mother knew she'd be panicing right now and demanding her ultimate return safely. They stopped at a clearing and Kagome fell in awe of the tree before them. It was the God tree, otherwise known as the mighty Goshinboku. She looked around and noticed a few men tending minor wounds as they circled the tree as if prepared to chop it down.

"So where is it?" Kaede demanded from one of the men.

"It's in the tree!" one of the men called.

"And what are you going to do, old hag? Try to exocise me? I'm not a full youkai, you can't remove me as easily!" a youthful man's voice called from the tree. Kagome looked up and scanned the leaves for their 'prey' and then spotted something red.

"Come down! I promise no one will harm you!" Kagome called as she walked forward. Kaede and the men looked at her stunned as she took the quiver and threw it aside with the bow.

"Yeah? And who are you to make such a promise, girl?" the voice demanded again.

"A miko in training, you have my word I won't allow you to come to harm if you come down and don't harm us." Kagome said calmly. She walked towards the tree, despite the urge of many to drag her back and stood directly before the tree. She stopped walking and watched as the red blur dropped before her. She nearly gasped as she gazed upon the young man standing before her.

He was tall, quite handsome, wearing a red haori and hakamas, he didn't wear shoes and seemed to have claws on his hands. His hair was long and silvery white, as were his absolutely adorable doggie hears perched on his head swiveling around as if listening for something to prove her trechery. He had amber eyes and pale skin, despite the obvious fact that he normally lived outside in the sun. He didn't look happy to be out of the tree and guaranteed safety from the hunting party that had gone after him, but she was certain he wouldn't have come out any other way than for her or Kaede to promise his safety. She was unsure of his strength so she wasn't certain he'd be able to fight them or not.

"My name's Kagome," she said with a respectful bow, "what's yours?" The hanyou looked at her startled, he wasn't quite certain of what to make with this miko who was bowing to him.

"Inuyasha, why are you bowing?" he demanded as if wondering if someone from behind her would shoot an arrow at him, like the old hag.

"I'm being polite," she said as she straightened up. "Why were you hiding in the Goshinboku?"

"Why were they hunting me?" he demanded as he pointed to the men, one of which was still bandaging up an ever bleeding wound.

"They were worried that you were going to attack our village," Kagome explained. "Were you?"

"No! I didn't even know there was a stupid village around here." Inuyasha snapped angrily.

"There is, and we're normally harmless," Kagome said innocently. She was trying not to yell at him for being rude, but understood he was probably startled at being randomly hunted for something he wasn't even thinking about.

"Except to youkai, right girl?" he sneered.

"Except to youkai who attack us," Kagome stressed, "and the name's Kagome." She knew the village men around her were anxious about her safety and leaving her alone with the hanyou would have been too much to ask for. "Akitoki, could you please take Saitou back to the village and have some of the women look at his leg, out here he's not going to be able to get it to stop bleeding. And the rest of you can return to the village." Inuyasha watched stunned as most of the men moved to comply while the old woman remained standing behind Kagome, but not armed to attack at any given moment. It was obvious she was only protecting the girl as the men moved out of the clearing. Soon, it was only the three of them. "Lady Kaede, I don't think you need that concotion."

"Aye, I believe ye are right, child," Kaede said as she turned to get rid of the noxious mixture. Inuyasha took the chance of the old woman's back being turned, grabbed Kagome around the waist, and jumped up into the tree while his other hand was over her mouth.

"Shut up," he hissed at her as she looked at him surprised. "I'd rather listen to your blabber in private than have that old hag around."

"Lady Kaede? But why?" she asked him confused.

"No reason, I just don't like groups of people." Inuyasha said disgruntled. To be truthful, not that he normally was about such things, Kagome's scent was starting to get appealing. Kagome nodded as she thought and wondered what to talk to him about.

"Do you have a village?" she asked him. Inuyasha snorted and shook his head.

"My half-brother, the mighty Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't look twice at me after my mother died and her village drove me out when I was a child, I haven't been able to stay very long in a village since. Normally long enough to plunder and get my fill before moving on." Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome looked at him surprised and hugged him, surprising him further.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she released him. He noticed a feint blush on her cheeks but brushed it off for some reason. "That's so horrible, no one would accept a child?"

"I'm a hanyou, an abomination, what do you think?" he demanded. He stopped ranting as he noticed her scent now had the mixture of salt from her tears and looked at her confused. "What's wrong with you?"

"It's just so...sad," she said as she wiped away a tear. "Humans can be more vile than the worst youkai sometimes." Inuyasha just looked at her stunned, she was crying for him and she didn't even know him or of his deeds.

"Don't cry, it wasn't that horrible..." Inuyasha said as he desperately tried to find a way to calm her down before she paniced on him or worse, the old woman heard her and shot him down with an arrow.

"Why dont you come with me?" Kagome asked curiously. Inuyasha looked at her surprised as he tried to figure out what she meant. "We can give you a home and you can help out. It's only grandpa, mama, Souta, and I."

"Yeah, what about your father?" Inuyasha snapped.

"He died, nearly four winters ago now." Kagome said sadly. Inuyasha sighed as he realized he had hit a nerve.

"I'm...sorry..." he said as he thought of his lessons with his mother while she was alive. Kagome gave him a weak smile and nodded as she thought. "So...you're genuine about your offer?"

"Of course, I wouldn't make it if I didn't think I could do it." Kagome said as Inuyasha nodded and picked her up again. Kagome yelped as he jumped out of the tree to see the old woman looking around confused for them.

"Where were ye?" she demanded angrily.

"In the tree," Inuyasha grunted at her.

"Why?" she nearly shouted.

"Because, I didn't want to talk in front of you. After all, she's the only one who promised not to try and kill me." Inuyasha said as Kagome shrugged as Kaede looked at her as if to assess any damage.

"I'm fine, no harm done," Kagome said as Kaede nodded. "Lets go." Inuyasha followed her as Kaede watched them surprised.

"And where are ye going?" she demanded of Inuyasha. He looked at her almost blankly as Kagome stopped to look at what was going on.

"He's coming with me, Lady Kaede," Kagome told her. "He's going to stay with my family." Kaede looked at her surprised as she waved Inuyasha to follow her and continued through the path that was horribly beaten. Inuyasha moved the folliage out of the way for Kagome, ignoring Kaede behind them. "You can help with some of the chores, because my brother is still very young and it's hard getting things like fish and firewood." Inuyasha nodded as he listened.

"Pay for my keep," he said as she nodded.

"Exactly," she said pleased. They exited the forest and the men looked at her amazed that Inuyasha was following.

"Lady Kagome, what is the meaning of this?" the village head said as he rushed up to her with Souta and his own son behind him. Souta looked at Inuyasha amazed as Kagome looked almost prepared to stand up for what she was about to tell him.

"This is Inuyasha, he's going to be staying with my family." Kagome said sternly as the other men looked at him amazed.

"This is an unacceptable request, even for you Lady Kagome," the head said as Kagome crossed her arms and looked at him sternly. Inuyasha looked at her curiously as the head of her village seemed to wait for her response.

"I didn't realize it came out as a request then," Kagome said as they all looked at her stunned, "Inuyasha doesn't need permission, he's going to stay with my family, no questions asked."

"Kagome, those in this village fear his kind..."

"Those in this village are obviously much more closed minded then I thought. Why should we deny him something he deserves? Because he's half youkai? Who was it, after my father died, who took in my brother and told us both about the good youkai that helped this village? How is it this village only worries about the bad, but when a good spirit comes never seems able to help? He is in need, even if you are too scared to see it, and I'm not letting him return to the forest with no home, no food, and no one waiting for him." With that Kagome pushed past the head of her village and led Inuyasha to her family's hut. Inuyasha was surprised that they moved and dropped the subject so quickly, but part of it didn't surprise him because most respected the opinions of mikos and priestesses. If Kagome was so content with having Inuyasha around for a small time, then allow her to do so.

"Mama!" Kagome called as they approached the hut. A kindly woman walked out and looked at her as she walked with Inuyasha behind her. To his great surprise the woman didn't scream, grab her daughter, and rush into the hut begging him not to kill them. "Mama, this is Inuyasha, I told him he could stay with us."

"Welcome Inuyasha, my name is Higurashi, Li. Please, come on in," she said warmly and moved to allow the two into the hut. "What brings you to our little village, Inuyasha?"

"I was in the forest when your village men decided to hunt me, calling Kagome and some old hag to draw me out. Kagome decided I'd stay with you and help out a little around here." Inuyasha said as Kagome nodded in agreement. Li smiled and nodded as she went back to working on a light lunch for her family, preparing more for Inuyasha to enjoy as well.

"What's for lunch, mama?" Kagome asked as she watched her mother stir the stew.

"Rabbit stew," her mother responded. "Your brother, in his lessons, killed two rabbits for us."

"Lessons?" Inuyasha asked confused.

"Since father died, Souta has been getting lessons on how to hunt, fish, and farm like the rest of the men around the village from the head as he taught his own son." Kagome explained softly. Inuyasha nodded as he thought. He didn't receive special training, but he knew how to do that and then some.

"Stop his lessons, I'll show him how to do all that easy, and I didn't have any lessons." Inuyasha said as Kagome smiled amused. Her mother smiled and nodded as she thought.

"Well, tomorrow, if it's nice enough, you and Souta can give it a try." Li said as Inuyasha nodded. He was confused by this family, of course he had yet to meet the brother and grandfather, but so far they had accepted him into their family without question, it was unusual. Most people run from the sight of him and here two women trusted him as if he were a harmless puppy.

"What is this I hear Kagome brought a dirty hanyou into the village?" an old man croaked as he walked into the hut. He stopped short when he noticed Inuyasha between Kagome and Li as they worked on lunch and spoke with him.

"I brought Inuyasha, but there's no dirty hanyou here," Kagome said as she eyed her grandfather darkly.

"What is that doing here?!" her grandfather shrieked as Inuyasha's ears flattened, he knew it was too good to be true.

"He is going to stay with us," Kagome said in a warning tone.

"I am a priest, begone youkai!" her grandfather said as he threw an ofuda at Inuyasha. It landed on his head, between his doggie ears, but did nothing. Inuyasha pulled it off, crumpled it up, and threw it into the fire as Kagome watched and giggled amused. Her grandfather looked at him fearfully as he looked at another ofuda confused.

"How...how did he do that? My ofuda always work!" he said confused.

"Obviously not," Inuyasha said disgruntled. Kagome placed a hand on Inuyasha's arm, surprising him at how calm he was becoming before getting up and walking up to her grandfather and leading him outside the hut. Both Li and Inuyasha listened for arguing, but none ever came. Not too much longer after they walked out, Kagome walked back in, and a few minuets after her so did her grandfather. On his head was a slight bump and he looked at Kagome disgruntled but said nothing more about Inuyasha being there.

"How did you convince him?" Inuyasha whispered down to her. Kagome giggled and shrugged as she looked away innocently.

"So, Inuyasha," Kagome said changing the subject, "what do you normally do for shelter in the forest? Did you know it was named the Forest of Inuyasha?"

"No, I didn't know that and normally I make it if it's raining out of branches and such." Inuyasha told her. "If it's warm enough and dry, I just sleep in the trees." Kagome nodded as she thought about it.

"What did you eat?" her mother asked curiously.

"Whatever I caught, trapped, or found." Inuyasha said as Li looked at him impressed. "After a while, you learn to hunt, fish, and which plants aren't poisonous."

"I think Souta would benefit from learning about hunting and such from you," Li said as she resumed cooking. "And you can hunt to your heart's content with this family, I'm always preparing something." Kagome smiled and nodded as Inuyasha looked at the young miko. It was obvious she doesn't use her position to get what she wants, which would be quite easy, but enjoys simple things all the same. She seemed quite as at ease to be at home cooking and cleaning with her mother as she was marching off against youkai, and that was the part that worried him. He'd have to keep an eye on this young miko who showed him great kindness, youkai don't think twice about killing a girl who can shoot purification arrows at them, especially if they're trying to destroy a village to appease their appetites.

Souta came in at just about the same time lunch had finished cooking. He sat down and looked at Inuyasha curiously as the hanyou started to eat with Kagome. "So, what's your name?" Souta asked curiously. He could see his grandfather fuming near by but figured Kagome had 'convinced' him that the hanyou was staying.

"Inuyasha," he said gruffly. It was obvious he was only so trusting.

"My name's Souta, so what are you like my sister's husband or something?" Souta asked curiously. At this their grandfather spit his food out in indignation and Kagome and her mother laughed amused at the old man.

"Definitely not!" he shouted furiously.

"Calm down Grandpa, I was just asking." Souta said smirking, he knew it'd goad his grandfather to ask such a question.

"Souta, tomorrow Inuyasha's goign to show you a few things," Li said as Souta nodded.

"Alright, that'd be great!" Souta said excitedly. "So are you going to show me how to fight?"

"Hunt," Kagome and Li said sternly though Inuyasha looked prepared to say yes.

"Only hunting, fishing, and anything involving survival." Li said as she said it sternly to both boys.

"But fighting is a form of survival," Inuyasha said as he shrugged.

"Survival not involved with trying to kill someone, Inuyasha," Kagome said as he shrugged and sighed as he nodded.

"Whatever you say," he said as Kagome smirked amused. She knew it was because she could purify him in an instant.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said after lunch and Souta had headed back over to continue his training. "Could you get some firewood for the night? I think it's going to be chilly and I know it's hard for Grandpa to move when it gets too cold. I have to go finish my training for the day, just leave the pile by the door, please."

"Sure," Inuyasha said with a shrug, at least it got him out of the hut from her grandfather. "Do you want me to hunt as well?"

"Actually, could we have some fish tonight?" Li asked curiously. Inuyasha nodded as he got up and left the hut. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"It'll take time for him and the villagers to adjust, but I think it'll be fine in the end." Kagome said as her mother nodded in agreement. Kagome left the hut and returned to Kaede's, who didn't say a thing about Inuyasha, and they continued on with her studies. When Kagome returned home she was surprised to see the tall pile of wood for the night fire and two baskets full of fish from Inuyasha. She looked around the hut confused as her mother cooked.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"He headed outside, maybe he left," her grandfather said hopefully. Kagome just shot him a withering look as her mother shook her head.

"Don't get your hopes up," Inuyasha said gruffly as he walked into the hut. "I was keeping watch outside for youkai, they're on the winds." Kagome nodded as she moved a bow and quiver full of arrows by the door in case she's called to purify a youkai that night. "What's that for?"

"Purification," Kagome said as she pulled some ofuda paper out and started to work on them. Inuyasha nodded as her grandfather watched, almost tempted to snag an ofuda and put it on Inuyasha, but Kagome seemed to be reading her thoughts. "Try it, Grandpa, and I'll use one on you." Her mother burst out laughing as her grandfather grumbled while Inuyasha looked at them all confused as Souta came in looking exhausted.

"When's dinner?" he asked tiredly as he dropped by his grandfather and looked to see what his sister was doing.

"Soon," Li said as she worked.

"What's with all the ofuda, sis?" Souta asked curiously.

"Inuyasha said he smelled youkai on the winds, so to be safe I'm making some ofuda and need to keep my arrows and bow by the entrance." Kagome explained as she worked. Souta nodded as he relaxed some and yawned tiredly. Inuyasha just watched the interaction of the family together. Souta, who was supposed to be the man of the family, was obviously no man of the family. He was too young to be worried about youkai attacking his village and having to defend his obviously head strong sister, ever kind mother, and frail, but too stubborn to accept it, grandfather. He knew it was a good thing he got accepted by at least this family, well, the brother, mother, and miko. They wouldn't stand a chance by what he scented on the winds.

Li served them dinner not too much longer after Souta's arrival and Kagome sat outside, Inuyasha on the roof of the hut watching her, as she watched the sun set and relaxed against the wall of the hut. He watched the miko curiously, trying to understand where she came from and why she accepted him so readily. Her long dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail, though some of it escaped and her clothes showed she was quickly blossoming into a woman, though she couldn't be very old. Her pale skin seemed to almost absorb the light from the fading sun and glow in the rise of the quarter moon. He had noticed her large cocoa eyes had widened in surprise when he had told her about himself and yet, they softened and became gentle when she offered him a place to stay. He almost had to smirk when he noticed sparks go through her eyes when the head of the village and her grandfather challenged her about him staying with her within the village. He didn't know what he would do to thank her for helping him the way she had.

As the stars poked through the midnight velvet of the sky, Inuyasha realized Kagome had fallen asleep by the door of her home. It was a chilly night, as she had told him, and he didn't want her to catch cold. He jumped off the roof and sighed heavily as he watched her rest peacefully before picking her up gently and walking her into the house.

"Is she alright?" Li asked worriedly as she jumped up.

"Yeah, she's asleep, she was by the door and fell asleep." Inuyasha said softly. Li smiled and nodded as she waved him along so they wouldn't wake her up and showed him to Kagome's bed. Inuyasha placed her there and left with Li to let the girl sleep. He walked back outside and came back in with some wood, building up the fire so the hut was warm for all of them before going back outside again.

"Inuyasha," Li called after a while, "why don't you sleep inside?"

"I like sleeping under the stars, don't worry about me." Inuyasha called back from the roof. She was hesitant but nodded and went inside as he watched the moon slowly cross the sky, his worry growing as the strength of the scent of youkai came closer to the now peaceful little village.