The Beauty of the Moon by Nephele

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Inuyasha

AN: Editing/Minor rewriting

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Prologue

Monday July 13th, 1801: Tournesol, Louisiana

The bright afternoon sun shone down on a small, ramshackle town in southern Louisiana. No breezes stirred the hot, muggy air to bring any relief to the inhabitants, putting all life in the area at a standstill with the exception of the slaves going about their masters' daily business. The quiet tranquility was broken by the muffled clopping of four horses' hooves as they paraded through the dusty streets on their way down the southbound road to the Higurashi Plantation. At the front of the group, riding on a coal black stallion was a tall demon male with long, silver hair pulled back in a high ponytail. His fair skin and burning amber eyes alight with mirth were offset by a single jagged blue slash mark tattooed on either side of his angular face. Riding beside him on a small white mare was a beautiful, dark-haired, human woman who was speaking quietly with her husband.

Riding several paces behind their parents were two young boys, a full demon and a half-demon. The full demon and eldest son, Sesshomaru, was a nearly identical image of his father, with the exception of the twin magenta slashes on each cheekbone and the blue-violet crescent moon that he had inherited from his dead mother. His amber eyes were half closed with the typical boredom of a thirteen year old that has better things that he could be doing with his valuable time than taking a day trip with his boring parents and annoying younger brother. Inuyasha in comparison was sitting up straight in the saddle of his roan mare while twisting around and taking in his surroundings like a sponge in water, his golden eyes wide with awe and excitement.

"Isn't this exciting, Sesshomaru?" he asked as he shifted his horse closer to Sesshomaru's dapple grey.

"Exciting isn't quite the word I would use," he replied with boredom.

"Why not? After all, we're traveling somewhere new."

"You've never even left the plantation before, so everything is new," Sesshomaru retorted as he furtively glanced around beneath his eyelashes. "Besides, it is childish to show so such an interest in something so mundane."

"Childish! That's not true; besides, you are only two years older than me, so you're not too old to have fun yet!" Inuyasha paused. "What's mundane?"

"You would know if you actually paid attention in your studies," Sesshomaru glanced at Inuyasha, who wasn't even listening to a word he said. "Inuyasha, are you listening?"

"Yeah, yeah, studies," he replied vaguely.

"What could possible be so fascinating in this wretched town?" Sesshomaru asked, irate at being ignored.

"Over there," he answered, pointing over to an alley they were approaching and about to pass.

"Inuyasha, it is rude to point," Izayoi's melodic voice chastised.

"Yes, mother," he said before turning to Sesshomaru and muttering under his breath about how she couldn't possibly have known what he had been doing. His brother shrugged before staring with deep concentration into the alleyway between the dry goods store and the bank. His keen eyesight easily pierced the concealing shadows and revealed four minute figures in the darkness. His sensitive hearing caught the strains of their whispered conversation.

"How many times have I told you Koga, I'm not your woman!" a shrill child's voice hissed with restrained rage.

"But Kagome!" the only boy present stuttered. "It's the only way that you can be my sister!"

"She wouldn't be your sister then, idiot," a soft, female voice commented. "Besides, does it really matter?"

"Yes!" both voices called out simultaneously.

"But it doesn't matter because you're already promised to Kikyo," the third girl chimed in. "So she'll still be our sister."

"Shut up Ayame," the boy whined. "I don't like Kikyo, she's boring!"

"Hey!" the soft-spoken female cried in outrage at the same time as the first girl leapt forward and punched the boy in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

"Don't insult my sister!" she shouted as she jumped on his back and began to pull his hair.

"Break it up you two," a newcomer said, his voice riddled with exasperation. "Naraku and Hiten are already in place, so we have to go."

"Right!" the four original children chorused as the five children ran further into the alley and out onto another street out of sight. Sesshomaru caught a glimpse of shining blue eyes and unruly black hair as the girl who had punched the boy looked back at the group that was passing their meeting place before hurrying after her friends.

"Inuyasha turned to his brother, "Why was that girl dressed like a boy?"

"She was probably a commoner whose parents don't know any better than to let their children run around like the heathens that they are," he answered dismissively.

"Oh, okay," Inuyasha said as his brow furrowed in thought. "Where are we going again?"

Sesshomaru sighed deeply and rolled his eyes, "Father is going to speak with Shin Higurashi about my engagement to his daughter, and Mother is going to socialize with Mrs. Higurashi."

"What's an engagement, and how come I don't have one?"

"Engagement means that I will have to marry the girl when we are older, and Father is probably waiting until the agreement with Mr. Higurashi has been finalized before looking for your future wife."

"Why can't I get engaged to the other sister, that way they can be together just like us?"

"Ask Father," Sesshomaru stated as they rode through an open wrought iron gate and along the cobbled road that led to the mansion, the horses' hooves clacking loudly on the hard stone. He glanced around him at the twenty-eight ancient live oak trees that stood in two neat rows straddling the road like sentinels guarding the entrance to the manor with their boughs outstretched and interlocking overhead, forming a tunnel of fluttering leaves allowing the afternoon sunlight to filter through in a haze of muted green and gold.

A tall man with messy black hair, rich brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin stood proudly at the entrance of the manor in his tailored suit. Beside him was a short, slightly stooped man who wore the traditional white and navy garb of a priest, his deep set black eyes glaring with suspicion at the newcomers beneath a wrinkled brow and peppered black hair. The visitors came to a halt in front of the veranda on which the four visitors dismounted, Izayoi being assisted down by her demon husband.

"Welcome to the Higurashi Plantation, Toga," the younger of the human males said as he clasped hands with the tall demon before sweeping into an elaborate bow before Izayoi, placing a chaste kiss upon her outstretched hand encased in its white kid glove. "Izayoi. Ah, and who are these fine lads?"

"These are my sons, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha," Toga said as he gestured to each in turn before turning to his sons. "Boys, this is Shin Higurashi."

"A pleasure to meet you," Shin said amicably to the boys' unenthused greetings. "I would introduce you to my own two daughters, but they are visiting the Shuzoku Plantation with their grandmother."

"A good thing they are! Consorting with demons!" the old man sputtered with rage. "It's disgraceful!"

"Father!" a lovely human woman reprimanded as she walked out onto the veranda, passing the old man as he hobbled angrily into the house. "Oh, I do apologize for my father's behavior."

"There is nothing to forgive, Mai," Toga said with a slight bow, ignoring the two fuming boys behind him who obviously disagreed with this statement. "He is entitled to his opinion, contrary to my own though it is; although I do hope that this won't cause any unnecessary complications."

"There is nothing to worry about, everything will commence as planned," Shin said reassuringly. "Now, why don't you come inside?"