Ehh! Sorry for the long wait! Been terribly busy and whatnot. Anywho, LAST CHAPTER!!! Woot! It took me a while to figure out how exactly I wanted to finish this off; weather I wanted to, you know, end it like the movie, or give it a twist, like I love to do. I think I've got it down pretty well. So here we go, tell me what you think!
Quick Disclaimer here. Again, i own NOTHING...the very breif song i use is from Rigoletto. So... in the importal words of Inuyasha: "feh." hah! No deleting story now! cause i have a disclaiimmmerrr!! woo! Okay, anywho, on with the story!
XII: And they all lived...
"Good. Remember that... because I'm not going anywhere." he whispered, kissing the side of her head lightly before sliding his arm around her waist and leading her inside.
"Good." she sighed.
Kagome walked down the corridor connecting the East Wing to the main hall. A few of the stained glass windows were broken, large pieces of glass laying randomly on the floor, and the front door was being held up solely by two large pieces of wood that fell from the ceiling and a few of the steps going to the foyer were cracked and broken, however, aside from those few things, the castle was mainly dusty and dirty after the attack, and very few things lay in disrepair. She stopped upon approaching a large door, Sesshomaru sat inside, hitting a few keys on the piano, then sighed and smiled.
"Hello, Kagome." He called, drawing her inside the room.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked, slightly interested.
"Eh, the curse left us all with a few strange abilities. Now come, sit. We've not had a chance to properly talk." he said, clearing a chair for her. She smiled and accepted the offer.
"How was the funeral?" he asked.
"Eh, to be expected I suppose. The girls from the pub were most upset, mainly because nobody was there anymore to use cheeky pick-up lines on them anymore. And in general, everybody was shocked that their little quiet towns girl had enough gall to actually kill somebody. And I think the townspeople made it pretty clear that I'm not welcome anymore, but I think I can deal with that." she shrugged, leaning back in the chair a bit. Sesshomaru grinned and shook his head.
"You kill one person and automatically, you're shunned. I don't get that..." he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and returning to the piano keys. Kagome sat in silence as he began to play a simple song that she knew from her childhood, her mother used to sing it to her before bed, saying that one day, something like this may happen to her. If only her mother could see how right she was. She closed her eyes and listened, recalling the words her mother used to sing.
I love the part,
In fairy tales
That's very near the end
When all the kingdom cheers for their new queen
She sighed and stood up, and began pacing around the room, running her fingers along small objects.
"Did Inuyasha say when he would return?" she called from the other end of the room. Sesshomaru shook his head.
"Not technically. He did, however, apologize for having to leave so soon after your wedding. And that he would make it up to you." he said, still playing softly. Kagome nodded.
"That's alright, I'm sure that he has a lot of catching up and explaining to do after being stuck here for so long. I'm just sad he has to miss Sango and Miroku's return. I'm sure they'll have enough memories to talk all of our ears off. Shame he gets to keep his." she laughed.
And all is well
And all is good
And every one belongs
Happily their ever-aftery
Sesshomaru laughed and sighed.
"True, it is a bit unfair isn't it?" he said, playing along.
"However, he, all alone, has to sit in boring meets and greets for the next four days before coming home to his beautiful wife. Tell me how that is fair, I wonder." he said, pausing the song for a moment, then picking it back up to finish it.
And when I answer my kingdom of dreams
I face the promise of all I can be
Will they see me as
A heroine
Wont someone let me in
Wont someone let me in...
"Your right, that isn't fair. And I'm sure they'll give him an equal talking to when he returns. Heaven forbid he not hear of their adventures." she said, sitting back down.
"Sesshomaru?" she asked
"Yes?" he said simply.
"Wha...oh, never mind...its silly. And rude, I think." she said, shaking her head.
"What? You can ask, I wont be offended."
"Its not you I'm worried about." she said sullenly.
"Its just...I wonder if he is truly happy. I mean, he must have gotten used to being alone, not having outsiders around, for so long. I have to wonder weather he is content with his new life. With me." she said, staring at her hands. Sesshomaru shook his head and sighed.
"Lady Kagome. Allow me to tell you a story, hmm?" he asked, turning from the piano. She nodded. Sesshomaru cleared his throat and began;
"Once upon a time, there was a small village just outside of a large castle. The Village was content in not knowing anyone outside of it, and the castle residency felt the same. And for a while, they lived, if not happily, but content, all alone. Then one day, an orphaned girl from the small village became lost in the woods bordering her home when her horse escaped. When she found her horse, cowering under a tree for protection from the storm, she also found something much greater; and adventure that held the likes of which she had never known, apart from her storybooks she was so fond of. Realizing it was a fools journey to attempt to brave the woods again, she hastily made over to the castle doors, asking for shelter for but a night. It was in that night, her world was flipped upside-down. She learned of a curse the castle had been placed under, and of the king, who's cold heart and crude attitude towards people made him hard to like. And that was where the problem lay. For if the king could not find love before a rose, given to him by the enchantress who cast the spell, had lost its last petal, the castle and all its inhabitants would be cursed as such forever. The girl, I'll call her Beauty, soon became a hostage in the castle for her Knowledge, and was forced to remain there until somebody could find a way to break the spell. Sooner than anyone had expected, the girl, Beauty, became the key to breaking the curse, she had worked her way into the hearts of all with her kindness and love for life in general, and it would be no time at all before the king saw the glory in her ways. He did, after a while. But because of his fear that nobody could ever love a beast like him, he grew angry, and sent Beauty, who had fallen in love with him, away. For he had fallen in love with her too, but thought it stupid."
When the girl returned to the village, she had no choice but to tell of her time at the castle. The villagers however, took what she knew as a different way of living, as something horrible, and they set forth to destroy the castle, and the cursed souls inside. Locked inside her in her own cellar, Beauty soon found that a member of the castle had followed her, by order of the Beast. He freed Beauty of her binds and the two whisked off to the castle, where a horrible fight was engaging."
Upon arrival at the castle, which now lay in ruin, she found that her love, and the man who loved her, but she could never love, where battling on the rooftop. Whisking up there to support the Beast, she was received in worry by the Prince who was more concerned for her, than for himself. The village man soon took advantage of the Princes distraction, and stabbed him fatally. As the Beast went tumbling off the rooftop, Beauty, scared and hurt, took the dagger the prince had dropped, and ran it through the village mans chest, through his back. By the time she reached the Prince, he was on his deathbed, and not afraid to admit anymore that he had fallen in love with her. And as she cried for him and spoke of her love for him as well, the curse was broken, and the castle was saved. The Prince lived, taking his true and only love as his bride, and together they formed a new Kingdom, where nobody would have to live in fear." he concluded. "Now tell me Kagome, that you know the ending to all great stories...I'll leave you to finish this tale." he said with a small smile. She grinned and nodded.
"And they all lived...happily ever after. Oh, thank you Sesshomaru. I suppose you are right. didn't I tell you it was silly of me to ask??" she said, laughing. He joined in and nodded.
"Yes... I see that it was. However, I do make a good storyteller though, don't I?" he asked playfully.
"Oh yes. Why, you could do it as a profession, and people would come from far and wide to hear your wonderful tale of Beauty and the Beast."
That's it! I'm done!! YAY!! Ohh, I was proud of how this ended. I really am. I thought I ended it quite nicely, if I do say so myself. But what do you think?? Review and gimme your feedback! I love to hear what you have to say! thank you all for sticking with me and dealing with teh horribly long wait when i was sick! I appreciate all your posistive feedback! So, until we meet again!
Ja!
Kirra