Shibui by raindancer13

Of Nobles And Of Bastards.

~*Chapter One*~

Of Nobles and Of Bastards

Sesshomaru was born of noble blood. He was next in line to be Lord of the Western Lands. The crescent moon that sat in the middle of his noble brow, acclaimed as much. His domain, the city he was to rule, was known as Wintermoon. "The moon rises in all skies." His father would say. Sesshomaru took his father's words very seriously. He grew learning all the things a young lord should know. He learned of all the neighboring cities, about the central kingdom, and the king he was to report to. Though Sesshomaru did not like the idea of reporting to anyone, he knew he could not change what was.

The king, Naraku, was a tyrant. However he seemed to leave Wintermoon alone. Perhaps it was because it was so far west of the central kingdom that he didn't care to torment those within Wintermoon's walls if he could not see the damage he was doing directly. After all, Wintermoon was more than 2 months ride from the central kingdom. Or perhaps it was because it was Toga Taisho that was Lord of Wintermoon and it was said that Naraku feared the Inu Lord. However, it was considered treason to even suggest such a thing, and the penalty was death.

Sesshomaru learned the dance of politics and the etiquette of court. The reason behind negotiating rather than starting an all out brawl, which could lead to war, and the need for council when faced with a difficult decision. He was also told that if he did not choose a mate by his 400th year, the king was to choose for him. Sesshoumaru sneered at the thought of the king choosing his mate. No doubt he would pick the lowest of the low and mate him off to a pauper. His 400th year was closing in. In less than two years he had to find a mate or be put at the mercy of the kings choice. He growled in frustration. Being a Lord's son wasn't all it was made out to be by the villagers under his father's rule.

~oOo~

Kagome was born a bastard. Her father was a nobleman but her mother was a whore. She had learned to accept these facts. She knew she couldn't be anything more than a bastard child. She didn't really want to be. Her father had taken her from her mother when she was but a day old. When she was a young girl, her nanny had explained the situation when she asked about her mother. Kagome wanted to be angry. But even at such a young age, she somehow knew that being with her father, Nataki Ashumo, Lord of the North, was much better than being raised in a brothel. However, on top of being a bastard child, she was also a hanyou, and that made life so much worse for her. While she was educated in the ways of court life, and the kingdom's history, she was never fully accepted by anyone. Even her own father. She loved her father, no doubt. And she knew that her father loved her, even if it wasn't as much as he loved his full blooded youkai children.

Sometimes Kagome wished that she could just spread wings and fly away. But being a hanyou, a wolf hanyou at that, she knew it was impossible. She knew she didn't look a thing like her brothers and sisters. They all had, brown hair, dark brown eyes, and tan skin. They had all taken after their mother. Her father and her, however, both had hair that was so black it look blue when the light hit it just right, eyes were as blue as the ocean, and skin as pale as milk.

Nataki's mate, Sinata, hated the way Kagome looked because it was a constant reminder of her husband's betrayal. Kagome did her best to avoid the fowl woman and her children. Brothers and sisters they may be, they did not act the part. In fact, they hated her. They would all gang up on her and attack her for no reason. Kagome stuck to her rooms and populated areas as much as possible, but she did not always succeed. More than once she had suffered broken bones, and near fatal blood loss from deep gashes left by their claws. She was thankful for her father's demon blood then, for if she had been anything less than what she was, she would never have seen her 300th year. Kagome sighed as she opened her favorite book of poems, her long black tail swishing sadly. Would life ever get any better for her? Would she meet a man that would profess his undying love for her and then they would go together and live happily for the rest of their lives like she had read about in some of the poems in her books? A single solitary tear slipped from the corner of her eye and rolled down an alibaster cheek, her doglike ears flattened against her head in dispare.

No. It would never happen. Not as long as people looked at her as if she were scum of the earth.

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A/N:

( Shibui, shibumi, or shibusaare Japanese words which refer to a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, or unobtrusive beauty. I found that explanation on Wikipedia.com)

I know I really shouldn't be starting a new story right now... Especially when I have two others to finish. lol Sorry guys. But I truly hope you enjoy reading this and please don't forget to review. I like reviews. They let me know if I should continue or if this is a failed experiment.

And just a side note, 300 - 400 demon years is about 18 to 20 in human, in this story. Please enjoy! :)