The Face that Tamed 1000 Beasts by MiTsukiMichiko

Taken

*Disclaimer-I do not own anything affiliated with Inuyasha, and I will not ever own anything.

*This story is loosely based on Helen of Troy

*I wrote this first chapter nearly 2 years ago and so you will see that it is pretty different from my other chapters, my writing style has changed a bit since then, also this chapter is in First person from the POV of Kagome, while the other chapters will probably be 3rd person limited. I will get around to rewriting this first chapter some day but as of now just try to get through it, the other chapters I hope are better. :)

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The Face that Tamed 1000 Beasts

Chapter 1- Taken

"I was not a full moons cycle above fifteen years when I learned of the fate that god had in store for me."

That faithful day I had somehow coerced my cousin Kikyo into following me into the far outer courtyard of the castle, where the soldiers practiced and had, one way or another, convinced her into a quick game of archery much to her disapproval.

"Kagome it is improper for someone such as yourself to have the coarse hands of an archer." she scolded, but when faced with a pleading look on my part had reluctantly caved though remaining tight lipped and snappy.

"Oh dearest Kikyo, how a shame! Surely the world would end at the sight of my blistered hands!" I pretended to gasp dramatically as I watched as my arrow burrowed itself neatly in the center of the bulls eye.

Kikyo merely raised her own bow and took a shot, her arrow neatly split mine in half.

"If you are not the best," she said turning to me with a smug look on her pretty face, "then why go through the trouble."

I glared at her. "You are 5 years my senior! Of course I am not as good as you, mama and papa spend a lot of money to give you lessons so that you can protect me, while I am not even allowed to hold a bow!" I exclaimed in frustration.

Kikyo smiled calmly. "If you do not reign yourself in, my dear. I fear you'll stay but a temperamental child."

I fumed silently but quietly kept firing my arrows. Kikyo was the only one who spoke to me in such a way. As her arrow yet again pierced mine in half, I groaned.

"Nevermind I quit," I said and tossed my bow and quiver to the ground.

Kikyo merely raised an eyebrow in question as she fired another arrow, this time glowing a soft purple, as it pierced the bulls eye and kept going through it and lit off into the surrounding forest.

"Very well, what is it that you wish to do now?" she asked calmly setting down her bow and quiver on the ground and signaling for a servant to pick them up.

I thought for a moment, glancing around at the few servants meandering around the courtyard as they went about their daily tasks and at the soldiers practicing in the distance.

"Down to the stables, to see the new addition to the horses that father acquired."

Kikyo frowned, and shook her head, "Not without a sunscreen, unless you want to be as brown as any other servant girl."

I fought the urge to scowl and rant. There was not a time long ago where my cousin would've surely frolicked about with me without a care to hers or my complexion.

"Since when did you turn into such an old maid? And I can as I very well please!" I nearly growled lifting the hem of my long kimono and brushing past her making my way to the stables whether she liked it or not.

"Uncle asked me to watch over you," she said keeping pace with me, "and besides you can not be the most beautiful girl in all of Japan looking like any old commoner." Kikyo spoke the truth of course, for father had asked her to be in charge of me.

However.

"I do not wish to be! You can very well be the prettiest girl in the world for all I care. I just wish to play in the fields and visit the horses, like any other normal girl!" I protested stopping and glaring at her.

Kikyo sighed and looked away from me and beckoned to a shy servant girl around my age to approach.

The girl stopped at arms length and bowed her head her brown hair falling forward to rest against her brown cheeks. "Yes ma'am?" she intoned softly. Kikyo looked down at the young girl with an air of authority.

"You will escort the princess to the stables with the sunscreen." Kikyo commanded.

The young girl visibly shook. "Yes ma'am," she said and ran to gather the sunscreen.

After bidding goodbye to Kikyo and her commands to the young servant that under no circumstances was I to be without my sunscreen I was alone with my thoughts.

I was barely aware of the skittish girl, traipsing along beside me like a jumpy baby colt, holding the screen above my head as I led her deeper and deeper into the forest surrounding my castle.

"We are quite deep in the forest Milady." She remarked nervously, almost hesitantly.

"That's the point, I'd keep walking forever if I could." I told her shocking her to silence with my words.

After about an hour of walking a trail appeared leading to a small lake shaded by trees.

The girl sighed quietly in relief as she lowered the sunscreen and rubbed her arms. I giggled at her antics and she looked at me in surprise.

"I don't bite you know and if your arms are tired don't hold the screen we don't have to tell Kikyo," I giggled slowly taking off my sandals and socks.

The girl blushed deeply. "N-no its okay M-Mayu likes to serve you milady." she said looking away with flushed cheeks.

"If you're sure, and you can do something fun if you like. Next time we should bring baskets, there's a bush with yummy berries around here somewhere." I said more to myself than anything as I struggled to untie my Kimono.

"Mayu do help me with this stupid thing," I pleaded tugging at the knot in my obi. Mayu blushed before stammering that she'd do it.

Together we worked to untie my expensive kimono and I tossed it on the floor and then plopped down on the edge of the lake to peer into its crystal blue depths.

I struggled to see what others saw when I was announced as being the most beautiful woman in all of Japan, even though I am considered to be still a child.

Leaning closer I studied my appearance. A mass of softly wavy inky black hair that fell just above my waist, smooth milky skin so unlike the darkly tanned complexions of my fellow people, thick long lashes, soft pink lips, my naturally rosy cheeks, and most of all my bright eerily blue eyes so different than the brown eyes of my homeland.

It was true this girl was beautiful.

"Gah!" I groaned thrusting my hand into the water the ripples distorting the image. I could feel Mayu's curious eyes on my exposed back almost as if she was shaking me and demanding an answer.

Sighing I closed my eyes and drew my knees to my chest. Just resting, listening, to my calm pounding heartbeat and deep breaths.

"I am a miko did you know?" I asked after a while not pausing for an answer, "and yet I am not allowed to know more beyond the healing arts, it is not appealing, they say, for a girl like me to know how to produce bloodshed. I love to race on horseback but it is improper for a noble woman to ride a horse like a man, especially a princess, and especially the most beautiful woman in Japan," I muttered scornfully the title leaving my lips and leaving behind a feeling of such intense loathing it nearly burned my tongue.

Mayu said nothing, which I was grateful for, not often did I have someone that would listen without offering any advice, lecturing me, or scolding me.

Shaking my head I swallowed my self-pity and stood with a smile. "Oh well this lake looks pretty inviting I think," I said and then without warning I dove in.

I was enveloped immediately into a cold embrace, as the water soaked me from head to toe and covered me. Hugging myself I floated deeper and deeper and then willed my eyes to open. I saw nothing but darkness around me and then a spark of light above me where the sunlight met the water.

I pushed off from the ground striving towards the surface. I broke through with a gasp and drew in a shaky breath. With startled eyes I took in the sight before me with disbelief.

Mayu was standing off against a man brandishing the sunscreen like a weapon, I suppose she would have been more threatening if she were taller than 5'2 and not shaking like a leaf in the wind.

The man was standing staring at her calmly, impassive. His hair was long and seemed like spun silver, he had sharp eyes like frozen amber and a distinct air of aristocracy. From his pointed ears and facial tattoos I recognized him as a youkai noble. The youkai was beautiful but terribly so.

"You there youkai-sama! This is private land! You are trespassing in the Higurashi Kingdom!" I tried to seem intimidating, though I'm sure I failed, atleast I did not falter.

The youkai glared at Mayu sharply and then with movements as fast a strike of lightening he moved around her and Mayu fell to floor from sheer fright.

I glared at the youkai as he came closer, using my hands to cover me. He stopped at the edge of the lake and stared at me in wonder and frustration.

"What are you," he growled angrily. I moved away slightly, not that I was scared of him, but I was alone unclothed with a male youkai. The youkai suddenly stiffened and raised his nose to the wind and gave a, decidedly, elegant sniff of the air. He turned his eyes back to me. "You are a miko." He more stated then asked and at my hesitant nod he shot forward and scooped me up in his arms.

"You mammoth! You uncouth imbecile. Let me down this instant or I dare say I shall scream!" I yelled out in outrage, struggling to protect my feminine modesty. He smirked but set me back on my feet, watching as I teetered over to my kimono, still feebly trying to shield myself from his eyes. He turned to study a still unconscious Mayu, with a look of pointed disdain, which gave me plenty of time to shrug into my kimono and haphazardly tie it into a loose knot. Once I was dressed he turned to me and looked me over his eyes seemingly satisfied that I was no longer nude. "You will come." he said turning his back to me and striding towards the line of trees. I stood there in shock. Honestly youkai must be bred for strength and not brains, he was surely a bigger fool than I had thought if he expected me to simply follow behind him at his every whim and command. I had just strengthened my resolve in staying firmly in place when suddenly I was once more off the ground, in the air, where I fell over his shoulder, the jab from one of his shoulder spikes hitting me in the stomach and effectively reducing me to a gasping fish out of water. My eyes focused on Mayu's still form as the world slowly turned to black.

*Newest story and already I am in love with the plot line! Thanks for reading! :)