Yuki Kagome and the Seven Chibis by Melinda

Our story begins

Disclaimer: Old fairy tales are public use. Disney movies are copyrighted. I will not be using copyrighted property from the Disney version.

The royal ball was a grand affair and princess Kagome was swept up by the majesty and dazzle of it all. Servants were placing the finishing touches on the golden flower arrangements and the food being prepared had the girl drooling in anticipation. The evening was about to begin and the excitement was running high for all.

“The belle of the ball should be off getting ready, no?” A deep male voice whispered in her ear.

Kagome whipped around with a smile that reached from ear to ear.

“Lord Sesshomaru! I thought you weren’t going to make it back from your trip in time.” She said happily as she bowed to the demon lord.

“You should never doubt my word, miss Yuki.” Sesshomaru said with a barely there smile in one corner of his handsome mouth as he bowed in turn.

Kagome blushed on cue. “I wish you would stop calling me that.” She said with her lower lip pouting prettily.

“You seek to remove my greatest source of entertainment, my lady.” Lord Sesshomaru said while placing one hand over his heart in mock anguish.

“Your dramatics don’t fool me, old man.” Kagome said haughtily while she made it clear she was joking with him with her flirtatious smile.

“You look much more like a ‘Snow White’ than I do an old man.” He said with one eyebrow raised.

“You do have white hair as old men do.” Kagome smiled at him, knowing what he would say next as this theme in their flirtation had been repeating itself. They had met two years ago when her elder sister had married Lord Sesshomaru’s younger brother who was the king of the small country they resided in.

“You have skin like pale, white snow, but ‘old’ is such a relative term. In short I believe my nickname is better suited to you than my own new moniker.” Lord Sesshomaru stated as he eyed Kagome’s growing blush. He wondered if it would reach her chest as it appeared down her neck and her breath sped up.

The clock struck six and Kagome nearly gave herself whiplash looking at the clock and then quickly back at the male she was loath to depart from. Her torn expression pleased him and he let her off easy, knowing he would be enjoying her company later in the evening.

“Go ahead, princess, I will warn you before I go, however, that I will claim your first two dances at least.” Lord Sesshomaru’s heart beat a little harder in his chest as the girl’s smile bloomed and she seemed to glow.

“You may have them. Goodbye now, I can’t be too terribly late to my own coming out ball, someone is likely to notice!” Kagome said over her shoulder as she ascended the staircase to her rooms. Kagome would almost rather forget the whole ball now that Lord Sesshomaru was here. All the splendor of the room seemed to dim to nothing when he was around. She imagined him whisking her away for the two of them to be alone somewhere where she would see his subtle smile he only ever seemed to point in her direction.

As Kagome closed the door to her room she sighed deeply and shook her head causing her long black hair to swish through the air. It was a shame she wasted so much of her time fantasizing about Lord Sesshomaru. As Kagome undressed and dipped herself in the hot bath the servants had prepared she considered how unlikely it was that he would settle for her when there were so many better options for a bachelor of his caliber. His connections, family and breeding made him the most sought after bachelor in the country and Kagome couldn’t offer him anything but her heart. The other beauties who vied for his attention could further his power, or build alliances with neighboring kingdoms, or increase his wealth so he could buy his own kingdom and finally be on equal footing with his brother, the king. Kagome’s face met her palm as she considered the absurdity of Lord Sesshomaru thinking anything more of her than a passing flirtation.

Meanwhile an argument was going on in the royal apartments above her that would change the course of her life forever.

“Wench, why do you think I married you? It was so I could fuck you any time I want! You aren’t made of clay. You used to show me you wanted me, so what’s with the cold shoulder?” King Inuyasha said in whining tones that only further irritated his wife.

“I have more important things to do than pleasure you. If that’s the only reason you married me, then you can go to hell.” Kikyo said in her superior tone of voice.

“Keh. You are such a frigid bitch, it’s just like humping a corpse anyways. I don’t know why I bother with you.” Inuyasha sulked at being rejected... again.

“Maybe I married the wrong sister.” The dejected king mumbled to himself, just loud enough for his wife to hear and so she might feel as rejected as he was feeling at the moment.

“What did you just say?” Kikyo seethed.

“Nothing.” Her sulking husband said as he readied himself for his sister-in-law’s coming out ball.

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Kagome wore a blue silk kimono that brought out the color of her eyes and contrasted nicely with the white and gold colors of the party decor. She looked out the window and was amazed to see all the carriages arrive with guests coming to celebrate her milestone birthday. 18 years old and finally ready to be courted. She knew making a good future match rested on her ability to impress the gentry tonight.

Despite her connection with the queen, Kagome and her sister were orphans and had come to this county only three years ago when they lost their mother to illness. Both penniless girls found work in the king’s employ until the king had fallen for the elder, more elegant sister and elevated Kagome from a maid to a guest as a natural consequence. As a result, Kagome knew her new title and position of ‘Lady’ was precarious. Her elder sister, now also her queen, didn’t care much for Kagome and had never liked the comparisons everyone made between the two girls who looked so much alike. Kagome was grateful her sister had looked out for her in her youth but now that she was an adult, she was sure Kikyo would no longer protect and provide with her usual sense of grudging duty.

Kagome’s fingertips worried the kimono sleeve hem as the servants prepared her hair up on top of her head with decorative pins and flowers. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder had kagome looking to Kaede, one of the head housekeepers in the castle.

Kagome smiled at her elderly friend. “You’ll do fine child, ye already have more fine suitors than ye realize.” Kaede said as she helped Kagome over to the mirror and smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in the silk.

“I doubt that, but thank you.” Kagome said as she chewed her lip in nervousness as she exited the room with a nervous half smile.

Kagome descended the staircase while music played and the gentry watched and whispered their initial judgements to each other. Kagome gulped nervously but continued floating down the stairs as she had practiced for weeks leading up to the ball. She kept her eyes demurely down and bowed politely to the group who nodded back at her.

Although Kagome was nervous, the supportive gaze of Sesshomaru spurred her on to continue forward and mingle with the females in the crowd until she could be introduced by her brother in law.

Fanfare with trumpets were raised as King Inuyasha and Queen Kikyo entered the event and gracefully took their seats in two thrones that overlooked the room on a raised dias.

“Welcome! Help yourselves to the punch and let the party begin!” He exclaimed and then sat down. No one moved and he realized what he had forgotten. He shot back up out of his seat and addressed the crowd again.

“Oh, yeah, and let’s celebrate Kagome’s debut into society! She’s my beautiful sister-in-law, so treat her right or I’ll beat you with my own two hands.” He chuckled, showing his fangs as he took his seat for the third time.

Kagome bowed again and blushed at her King’s declaration. For a king, Inuyasha certainly had rude manners.

Lord Sesshomaru rolled his eyes for Kagome’s benefit to lighten her nerves after her introduction. It still baffled the older brother that the younger had been given the throne by their father. Sesshomaru wondered if it had been done just to spite his mother who had been at odds with the previous king for as long as he could remember.

The music started for dancing and Kagome stood alone waiting for her King to ask her to dance, setting the example for the other males and standing in for her deceased father. As Kagome glanced in the direction of her king, her stomach rebelled at the sight that he and Kikyo were quietly fighting among themselves and Inuyasha showed no inclination to fulfill his duty as her host. A pale clawed hand suddenly took her own and she was being led into the dance gracefully. She looked up startled and found golden eyes that smiled ever so slightly at her.

Breathlessly Kagome whispered, “Lord Sesshomaru, thank you.”

As Kagome was displayed in the arms of Lord Sesshomaru for all the eligible bachelors to admire, she relaxed and enjoyed her moment in the spotlight. Women’s eyes looked on with envy at her grace and the fact she was with Lord Sesshomaru who was far above her station. The men simply lusted after the maiden, most imagining things not fit to print.

“You are doing well, Snow White.” Lord Sesshomaru said with a slight smirk.

“You dance fairly well, for an old man.” Kagome quipped back with a flirtatious smile.

Sesshomaru’s clawed hand pulled Kagome a little closer.

“Experience comes with age, hnn?” The Lord teased her a bit further than he ever had before, in part to test her, in part because she was now legally eligible.

Kagome blushed and couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say as they danced. She stumbled, but Sesshomaru was so strong he corrected her movement of her body with just a tightening of his fingers on her back so no one in the room noticed her near mishap.

“Is it only me you stumble and blush for, princess?” Lord Sesshomaru whispered.

Kagome gulped audibly and he could feel her muscles tighten in nervousness. Her body was telling him all her secrets.

The Lord was pleased with her reactions. He had wondered if young Kagome’s flirtations and smiles had been authentic or if she liked to play with male hearts the way many young women did. His ego inflated a little as she showed her true colors, that of a maiden with an infatuation.

Lord Sesshomaru purred at levels none in the room could hear and eyed Kagome as though she were a rather juicy steak.

Kagome’s brain was on vacation, all she could see were two calculating yellow eyes seeming to see right through her, her body moved through the dance on auto-pilot. Sesshomaru gave her a moment to pull herself together as he lead her around the room.