Melting a heart of ice by Arashi

Chapter One

Melting a heart of ice

In this world, there live demons, elves and humans. A war is going on between the demons and elves, for years already. Kagome is an elven princess, Sesshoumaru is one of the demon Lords who fight against the elves. When a wounded Sesshoumaru is captured by the elves, he and Kagome meet each other... A Sesshoumaru/Kagome story.

Chapter One: Prologue

It was the beginning of another beautiful day. It was still early, but the sun shone brightly, and there blew a soft wind. A view birds were in the sky, and down on the ground you could see a beautiful castle.

The castle was big, really big. It stood in a valley, surrounded on three sides by huge mountains. It had several towers, and so many corridors and buildings, one would be easily lost. It was obviously this castle belonged to a powerful person. The valley itself was also beautiful, with meadows, a small village and down one mountain came a beautiful waterfall.

Soldiers were patrolling the walls of the castle and its grounds. They all wore the same uniform, black with blue, and each soldier had a silver bow on his chest.

In the courtyard, there was a big bustle. Several soldiers were gathered and preparing to leave. A tall woman with black hair was giving them instructions.

She was beautiful; she had long black hair, which she tied up a bit, dark eyes and a bit pointed ears. Her gaze was cold; there was no emotion evident on her face. She just walked around, yelling orders and checking the soldiers and their horses. She had a bow in her hand, and carried several arrows on her back.

Her gaze shifted to one of the towers, were the lonely figure of a young woman stood, and a small smile came on her face. But it was only a second, and as a lower servant came hurrying towards her, she had no expression anymore.

"Kikyou-sama, her majesty wishes to see you before you leave," the servant said, bowing deep. Nodding once, Kikyou entered the castle, eager to get the talk over with, so she could leave.

*

The young woman, who stood on the balcony of one of the towers, sighed. She looked at the queue below, and closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall.

The woman showed remarkable similarities with the woman who was currently giving orders to the soldiers, but there were differences. She too had long black hair, which hung loose over her shoulders, and a bit pointed ears, but she had dark brown eyes and instead of the other woman, her expression wasn't vacant. At the moment, all that shone in her eyes was worry and sorrow.

She secretly wondered how long this would go on. This horrible war.

It had started long ago, so long ago, that it was difficult for her to remember the years in which peace were in these lands. And it all began because of one jewel, which she guarded.

In this world, there lived youkai, elves and humans. The youkai and elves lived in peace, although there were disagreements between them. The humans were a bit lost between them, as they had no power. Both youkai and elves had an extremely long lifespan, and humans almost considered them as immortal.

The youkai were all strong, and lead by three lords, the Lords of the Eastern, Western, and Northern Lands. They had powerful weapons, amazing speed, senses, and the aristocratic youkai could be very dangerous. The aristocratic were of unnatural beauty, and some of them had markings to indicate their heritage. Youkai showed no emotions, and they would keep humans as slaves, because they saw no use in them, they were only weak beings, and considered as dirt.

The elves were kind and gently. They too were of unnatural beauty, with long hair, beautiful eyes, pointed ears, and soft and gentle voices. Especially the women were great singers. They had healing powers, and the more powerful elves could practice magic. They were in everything the opposite of youkai. Whereas youkai had a face of stone, a vacant look, the elves had eyes who could express all their emotions, and they were not afraid of showing those emotions in public.

They defended the humans and helped them, and never would they think of keeping them as slaves. Sure, there were human servants, but they got paid for their services.

Nothing important happened, until some higher youkai decided to attack a human city with his people. The humans called the elves for help, and their queen at that time, called Midoriko, came personally to help.

She was a beautiful and fearsome woman, who had terrible powers. She could purify youkai, ten at once, and a violent fight erupted. It endured for seven days and nights, and in the end, Midoriko and the youkai, who had united themselves, died.

From Midoriko's chest appeared a tiny, pink Jewel. Her people were stunned at this, and they took the Jewel with them. After years of studying it, they found out that inside the Jewel, the battle still continued. It was a powerful Jewel, and when somebody would posses it, that person would get terrible powers. It depended on the person himself if these powers would be bad, or good. Would an evil person posses the Jewel, then there could only come destruction and killing from it.

The elves swore to guard the Jewel, and they wouldn't use it, unless they had no other option. But as they were kind hearted people, no real threat was expected from their side.

But they weren't the only people living on this earth...

The youkai, so it occurred, were all drawn to the Jewel. They all desired it, it was as if the Jewel was calling out for them. It was as if it said 'come and get me', and that's exactly what they did.

Many years had passed, and for something about fifty years ago, a new Lord came to power. His name was Naraku. He became Lord of the Northern Lands, and he was completely crazy about the Jewel. He tried to convince the other lords to join him and try to take the Jewel, but only one agreed; Kouga, Lord of the Eastern Lands.

The other one, Inutaisho, Lord of the Western Lands, refused to join in any fight that would concern the Jewel. Along with him, his two sons, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, had no interest in the Jewel.

But things can chance.

The Lord was killed, by the elves, as is told. The elves of course denied everything, but the Lord's sons were furious and swore to take revenge. The eldest of them, Sesshoumaru, became Lord after his father, and he and Inuyasha joined Naraku and Kouga.

Twenty years later, Naraku managed to kill the king of the elves. He attacked them by surprise, and the poor king was beheaded while he defended his castle. Naraku already thought he would finally get the Jewel, but he was forced to pull back, as the elves were infuriated.

The king left his wife behind, and two daughters. His wife continued to rule over the elves and humans on her lands. The youkai only laughed, a woman couldn't mean any threat, there was no important person to coordinate their army, and they would loose if they were attacked.

Little did they know about the king's daughters.

The eldest of them, was Kikyou. She was a bit of a strange elf. She showed no emotions, like the others. But she could be very gentle. Also, this elf had a knack for weaponry. Unbeknownst to most people, except those of high ranking, she always helped her father when he thought of battle tactics. She was a master archer, and very clever.

So when the youkai lead another attack, they got the surprise of their lives.

They met an army that was perfectly organised, and to their surprise, it was lead by Kikyou. The woman had thought of a brilliant tactic and managed to win the battle and the youkai army was shattered.

The other daughter was very mysterious. It was told she was beautiful, and very clever, just like her sister. She was also a master archer, but she would never take part in battle, because she cared for each living creature and couldn't stand death. She had incredibly healing powers, and was good at practicing magic. As the youngest daughter, she was the guardian of the Jewel, the Shikon no Tama.

Her name was Kagome.

The woman, who stood on the balcony, sighed again. She played with a tiny jewel, which hung on a chain around her neck.

She felt a great sorrow as she regarded the men below. They were about to go to another fight, another useless battle, and all because of this Jewel that she had to protect. She felt sorry for their wives and children, because most likely, not everyone would return.

She shivered as she thought about that fateful day, thirty years ago, as her father was killed. She had been hiding in the very same towers where she now stood, watching how her father lead their army to meet Naraku outside the gates.

She remembered how she had tried to follow his figure, and she squinting her eyes to see what was going on. How she hated these wars. She had worried when she didn't see him anymore, but their army was about to win, and after Naraku and his soldiers disappeared, she had run all the way down the stairs, eager to meet her father, glad that he had survived.

She remembered how she had screamed when she saw how her father's dead body was carried inside the castle, beheaded, blood everywhere. She still had nightmares about them, from which she would wake up, screaming and crying, and afterwards it was impossible for her to sleep.

It had taken months before she would talk again, but eventually, she got over it. She felt no burning hatred towards the youkai like her sister, Kikyou did. All she wanted was for all this to end, but it would take years before something like that would happen...

"Kagome! Where are you?"

The woman's face lit up as she heard her friend's best voice. A moment later, a young girl from about sixteen came into the doorway, panting like mad. "Yeesh, Kagome, why are you always up here? Damn, all those stairs..."

Kagome smiled a bit. "I thought you were used to it by now, Sango."

The other girl grinned. "Well, obviously not."

Kagome frowned as she looked at her friend. Another victim of this war. Sango was only a mere human, who lived in a village not far from this castle. Her entire family and all the villagers were killed during an attack of youkai, but Sango managed to escape. She had made it all the way to the castle, and Kagome had healed her. She and Sango immediately became friends.

That was a year ago, and as Sango turned out to be a good fighter, she joined their army. The girl wore her battle gear now, and her favourite weapon, a large boomerang, called Hiraikotsu, was on her back.

"So... you are leaving then?" Kagome asked sadly.

"Yes. Please Kagome, don't look so sad. I'm sure we will win!"

"I don't know. Just, be careful."

"Kagome, you already told me that a hundredth times this day, same counts for Kikyou. Of course I will be careful."

"I just don't get it, why can't you all stop this?"

Sango gritted her teeth. "They killed my family, they killed your father! How can you be so forgiving, and even suggest making peace with those damn youkai! You can't trust them, they are all evil, and we all want just one thing, revenge!"

The raven haired woman shook her head. "This will never stop, isn't it Sango? I understand you are angry, but revenge takes you nowhere. But well, I am telling you this for a whole year already; I guess I can't make you change your mind."

"No, you can't. I have to do this."

"Then do it. Just know I will think of you all, and tell Kikyou..."

"... to be careful. Yeah yeah, Kagome, you are predictable. Well, I have to go. At least now I can go downstairs, instead of going upstairs."

They hugged each other, and Sango disappeared, mumbling something and cursing towers with too many stairs.

Something about twenty minutes later, Kagome saw how her elder sister appeared again and lead the army away, trough the ports, to another battle.

*

Miles away from this castle, more to the west, stood another person on a balcony. This time, it was a young man.

He was... and there was only one word for it... beautiful. He had long, silver hair that swiped around his face. His face was perfect, as if someone had drawn it, and it didn't really exist. He had golden eyes, two magenta stripes at each of his cheeks, and a blue crescent moon on his forehead, indicating he was a youkai, and a youkai of a higher level none the less.

He had no real expression on his face, it looked cold and pale, and it was as if he was lost in thought. He brought a hand up to his face and wiped a few strands of hair out of it. He had long, deadly claws, and two magenta stripes on his wrist.

He then continued to play with the one of the two swords at his side, and sighed. It was time for another battle. Two days ago, a messenger had arrived at his castle, handing him a letter. Looking upon the seal, he growled as he recognised it to be that of Naraku.

He refused to show it in public, but he hated Naraku. Years ago, the blasted youkai had come to him, asking, or more like, demanding him to join him in order to get the Shikon no Tama. As he had no desire for the Jewel, and had found Naraku's obsession with it rather dangerous, not to mention the youkai's demeanour (imagine, demanding him, the great Lord Sesshoumaru, to help) he had refused.

But then, one day, he had found his father dead, in his bedroom. Nobody had noticed anything, not he himself, his younger brother not, the guards not. It was a real mystery how somebody managed to get in the castle, unnoticed, and kill the youkai lord.

So, after thinking about it, he and Inuyasha concluded it must have been the elves. They practiced magic, even more than the youkai, and it was only way it could have happened. He had been furious; he never lost control, until then. He had called something about a hundred human slaves and had slain them, just to work of his feelings.

After he had calmed down, he had felt a bit guilty, but only a bit. Yes, he was not afraid of killing, in fact, he even enjoyed it. But this was a bit too much, even for him.

But he had shrugged the feeling aside and send word to Naraku and Kouga, telling them he would join them. And since then, he had fought by their side.

The letter that arrived two days ago, told him Naraku planned another attack on the elves. He growled softly to himself, he didn't really fancy fighting them now. That bitch that lead their army, one of the king's daughters, was an enemy to reckon with. Normally he would have been glad, getting some exercise and challenge instead of just killing those idiots all in once, but this woman was creepy. She was so different from the other elves; that she made him shiver sometimes. Lord Sesshoumaru was famous for his death glares, one look of him, and everyone, from lower servant to a lord, would shiver. But she didn't. She had laughed at him once, a few years ago, and had challenged him. They had fought for hours, and he was positive he would have won, but she put some spell on him, and after awhile, she just disappeared, saying they would end this one day.

He silently wondered if that could be today.

He would make sure he would kill her, slowly and steadily, maybe cut one of her arms off, or maybe a leg? No matter what, she would have to suffer. He grinned evilly. Yes, that damn bitch was dead. And once she was dead, he would get her mother, and her sister.

They would pay for what they did.

He looked impassive at his army that was gathering in the courtyard. He had trusted his younger brother with the task of preparing the soldiers, but it didn't went very well, he stated.

Sighing once more, he went downstairs, to help his brother. Or well help... just corrected him, and teach him a lesson, more like.

*

Miles away from Sesshoumaru's castle, a whole army was already waiting for the Lord's arrival. This army was lead by a dark haired man, and it was obviously his men were afraid of him. Every time he would order something, his men would bow and wince at hearing his voice. The man obviously enjoyed it, and as one soldier was a bit too slow at obeying to his master's wishes, he ended up with his throat slit up.

Naraku chuckled evilly. Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Kouga would arrive soon. Good. It was time to attack those annoying elves, and their worthless human friends. It was time for some blood to spill, and with a bit of luck, this time it could by Kikyou's, that bitch who thought she could challenge him, leading an army like a man, fighting like a man. But in the end, she was just a woman, and he would teach her a lesson, killing her, or maybe making her his slave. Oh that would be great...

But his main target was the Shikon no Tama. He hated it that Lord Sesshoumaru was more powerful than he was. Oh yes, he had a lot of power, but to his standards, it was not enough. He wanted more, and the Jewel could give him that.

He had heard about how powerful it was, giving its owner incredible powers. And the things he would do once he got it...

He turned and looked down at some servant, who was trembling. "L-lord Naraku?"

"Yes?"

"Lord Kouga and Lord Sesshoumaru are here and wish to speak to you."

"Tell them I will come. We will leave soon."

"Y-yes my Lord."

Chuckling, Naraku got of his horse and walked towards the two other Lords.

Yes, he decided. It was time to go and get that Jewel...

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Well, I only ask one thing here, please review! This is just a sort of prologue, more characters will appear in later chapters, and Sesshoumaru and Kagome will meet each other soon...