AN: Hiyaa! So, yeah, I'm updating now because I don't know if I'll have time to do it tomorrow. Starting to work on my own stuff during the day and then write fanfiction at night. And, you know, on those nights when I can't sleep and I'm up at 5 am. -_-

Rover girl: Glad you like it! And yes, yes this is the last chapter. *cough* But I'm planning a sequel! I swear I am!

ME: There is so not enough M/S out there, in my opinion.

Neko: I try and do it every Wednesday. As long as my muse keeps me going. Keep me going, muse! Don't you dare leave me!

Jabba1: It ends. ^_^ More or less.

Lilemmy: Sesshy in tights? *giggles* That was the general idea… And here's all the other answers to your questions!

Friend of Shippo: Thank you so much! Honestly, I read that and I said to myself (aloud as I do speak to myself): 'That's it! Long live the character development stories! Plot what plot?' And promptly tried to write a chapter of my own story. Then Neopets distracted me.

Kiyoushi: As much as I love talkin' to you and pocky, I have to admit you do scare me just a wee bit. ^_^'

Mybyrdy: Once again with the making me want to start writing. And then I was tempted to rewrite yet another chapter and make Kouga spike the punch…. So tempted! I still am, even as I get this ready to upload. I mean, a drunk Kagome! *giggles*

Buyo: For once: no epilogue. I'm notorious for epilogues. I can't leave until everything is wrapped up in a tight little box.

Miko-in-training: I will give myself a prize, thank you. Chocolate! But my ego probably doesn't need that. (Ego? What ego?)

NR: I updated. *point*

Maria: I did. *point* I love pointless stuff….

Kougas-girl: I'm sorry I didn't get more Kouga in there. I'll try and write him into the sequel, just because of your name. And so I can make cracks about his legs.

Squeakyinuears: *sigh* I love your long reviews…..

Anyway! Enjoy the last chapter to 'Once Upon A Time'! Next Wednesday: the sequel! What'll happen? Well, that would end this story for you…. ^_^ Love you all lots! This was a blast to write! Oh yeah, and the inspiration for this chapter, most of it, was from watching Anastasia one too many times.

Chapter Eight: Happily Ever After

Inuyasha and Kagome sat upon the two smaller thrones, beside Sesshomaru and his large one. Buffet tables were pushed off to the side, and the chatter was only matched by the sound of music and laughter. Kagome was beginning to feel her blush sink away, now that people were no longer staring at her. But every once in awhile she felt someone's eyes upon her, and her cheeks would spring momentarily back to life. She looked around in awe at the swirling colors of the dance floor.

"You know, Inuyasha, I don't really see why you would think the court's so bad. It seems kind of nice to me." He stared at her, and Kagome relented with a smile. "Okay, so it doesn't seem that bad now that people aren't accusing me of murder."

"This is a party, Kagome. I like the parties. I just get to sit here. It's the rest of time I can't stand the court. The rest of the time people are squabbling, and vying for attention. All the court is to these people is a giant game. Of course, by not playing court games is how I made myself a pawn, and how I came to be engaged in you." Finally he glanced over at her, and while his lips were still in the half frown he wore when he was deep in thought, his golden eyes were alight. "So, on second thought, I suppose it isn't that bad."

She smiled back at him, and patted his hand, slipping her fingers into his palm, as naturally as she would have had he been her closest friend. "If you must call yourself a pawn, then at least be honest about it. You're the strongest, and noblest pawn I've ever seen."

"And how many pawns have you ever seen? You're just a pawn in all this too, Kagome."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that fact," she purred as he leaned towards her. Slowly, they kissed gently, and Kagome once again felt her face erupt as she felt the demonic courtiers watching their movements. They sat back in their seats, but she didn't remove her hand from his. She gazed out at the crowd, and her face slowly fell. "I wish that Sango was here."

His hand squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'm certain that wherever she is, Sango is looking down at you and proud at what you've done. I mean, come on Kagome, you made my brother accept you. I think you managed that faster than I did." Glancing at the celebration hall, Inuyasha turned back to her, looking uncomfortable. "You didn't want to dance, did you?" he inquired, almost sounding nervous.

Kagome shook her head, her warm brown eyes looking miffed at the idea at dancing. "I can't dance like that. I don't know how." She laughed softly, her eyes focused on the people out on the floor, spinning in circles, a kaleidoscope of colors. "They all look so perfect. I'd mar it if I went out there and tried to dance."

"They all took lessons. It's not different than a kata, really." He stood up and tugged on her hand, smiling at her with his patient grin that seemed copied from her own face. "Come on. This is your party, Kagome, you should take part in it. And I can't dance very well either, so we'll make a fool out of each other, then."

She let him pull her from her chair and sweep her out to the dance floor. Their fingers entwined together, and he placed her hand on his shoulder, explaining as he went. "You keep your hand here, that way you can push the guy away of he gets too close to you, and pull him closer if you want too. The other arm stays stiff, but don't make it look like a stick, keeping this arc in it."

She laughed gently, surprised that the demon she loved hated being a part of the court so much he lived like a hermit, but yet he could explain dancing so easily. "And you say that you can't dance…"

"I can't. Okay, your eyes stay with mine, don't look at your feet. You let me lead. Like your arm, your back is supposed to be tall, but you're supposed to move, like water or fire or something." Her eyes locked with his, and he smiled down at her, feeling like her was being pulled into the warmth on her face. His cheeks heated up as he placed his other hand around her waist. He was pretty sure that was everything. He counted the beats in his head, waited until the repeated, and then stepped.

Kagome stepped on his foot.

"Sorry!" she quickly apologized, trying to shift her feet so she could see his foot and make sure it was alright.

Inuyasha tapped her chin and made her look up at him again. "I'm fine. Usually I'm the one stepping on people's feet, that's all. Okay, let's try this again. You just let me lead. Don't look at the floor, don't think about what you're doing, just let me lead you. It's really easy. In this dance, it's always right, left, right, left. Step forward, to the left, back, and to the right."

Nodding, she managed to smile. "I think I have it now."

He started off again as the beat came around, and this time she didn't step on his feet. They completed one whole rotation, gazing at each other, and he smiled, seeing the concentrated look on her face, as if she were tying to solve an algebra equation. "Relax, Kagome. It's not like anybody is watching you or anything."

"You are," she softly pointed out. His grip on her waist tightened slightly, another full spin done. Kagome wondered how people liked dancing. It seemed so… repetitious… But when he smiled at her warmly, she felt herself relax a bit more. She began to realize that his body really was guiding her. His movements were perfectly timed, and graceful. She tilted her head at him as she thought. That was right. As a prince, he had probably been taught to dance when he was little. "You lied. You're a good dancer. You managed to teach me how to dance."

Inuyasha's face blazed as red as his pants. "I hope you're ready for the spin that comes with this." He suddenly shifted on the ball of his still unshod foot as he stepped down. Suddenly the dance floor seemed to be in a blur, and Kagome was glad that he had told her to keep her eyes focused on her, otherwise she would have lost track of where she was moving.

She let Inuyasha guide her, lost in his eyes and subconsciously pulling him closer to her, the only thing she could trust in this repeating world of spinning colors and tilting angles. His fingers rubbed her skin, and hers toyed with the fabric of his shirt. She completely forgot that there were other people in the room, and she felt like she was dancing on clouds.

"Does it always feel like this when you're dancing?" she asked him, breathless from dancing. The music suddenly died, but she could still hear it in her ears. The room slowly stopped spinning, and she realized that the thunder she could hear behind the music was the sound of people clapping for the band.

He shook his head. "I feel dizzy. Maybe we should stop."

"We have stopped, Inuyasha," she said with a patient smile, felling exactly the same way.

A sudden gasp from the court made them jump away from each other, cutting the music that still rang from her ears. The doors slammed open, and Kagome shifted closer again to Inuyasha, this time for protection. Recalling the first time the court had given such a gasp, all she could think of was another relative of Manten coming to challenge her to a duel, or of a hurt woman coming to avenge herself on Inuyasha by attacking his fiancée.

"Inuyasha?" He glanced down at the woman who clung to her sleeve, and just now looked worried and confused. "You don't happen to have any old girlfriends, do you?"

Three pairs of feet tapped the floor as they walked. Two were in perfect unison as they echoed in the room, the other two shuffled quickly, taking smaller steps. The tall man looked like death himself, robed all in black as he was, and with a grim face. The woman looked like the personification of lamentation, her skin pale and her eyes worried, though her lips were taught and the onlookers knew she came on business. The young demon was cute, and could not help but stare at the splendor of the court he would one day inhabit. All of them had dirt smudged on their faces, their hair was dirty, and their clothes were wrinkled.

'Okay!' the woman mentally growled, her finger tapping the hilt of her weapon. 'I get it! We're dirty and we smell! It's not our fault that we didn't find a place to bathe along the way.'

Kagome couldn't see over the heads of the demons. "Who is it?"

The announcer answered her question for her. "Lord Shippo, of the Northern Forests, the Priest Miroku, Lord of the Southern Marshlands, and Sir Sango, head of the Queen's personal guards!"

"Sango?" Kagome went to run to her friend, but Inuyasha held her fast. She frowned up at him, and he winked, taking her hand and leading her through the forest of demons so she wouldn't get lost. 'I never knew Sango was a knight….'

"Lord Shippo, it is an honor to have a fox demon in my court again," Sesshomaru said, bound by the laws of the court to give such a reception. "Lord Miroku, I have not heard of you before, but I look forward to hearing the tales of your religion. And Sir Sango, it has been some years since you were last here. Tell me, oh slayer of demons, why I should hear what brings you to me house attired as such instead of having my guards throw you in the dungeon."

Sango felt tears come to her eyes, but she blinked them away. Hospitality demanded that Sesshomaru offer them safety for the night, and she could cry for Kagome in the privacy of Miroku's arms, letting his pleasing lips and touches show her that she, at least, was still alive. She refused to cry in front of the King. "My Lord, I graciously pardon the intrusion of myself and my companions, but it is my duty to bring you word of a tragic accident, and of my own failure as a knight for Queen Kikyo. Four days ago I was bound into your land with another companion, Lady Kagome Higurashi, the woman chosen by my Queen to wed your half brother. Sadly, we were attacked, and our carriage was destroyed, she along with it. The attackers fled, and I came to tell you word that the woman who was to wed your brother is now dead." Her shoulders shook slightly, but as she stood back up they straightened. "I once again regret for bringing you such news in the midst of your festivities."

The King drew his eyebrows together, staring at the human female. "I'm afraid, Captain Sango, that you are mistaken. The celebrations you see before you are in celebration of the engagement between lady Kagome and my brother. Ah, there she is."

"Sango?"

Drawing in a breath, the older woman slowly turned around to find Kagome standing in the crowd with a scared look on her face, but still appearing as a friendly face among the crowd of demons. Sango felt the tears she had dismissed try to make a reappearance, and she let them. Sango ran forward with her arms outstretched, suddenly holding Kagome like a little sister, hugging her tightly to male sure that she was solid. "Kagome!"

Kagome smiled weakly, holding the knight back just as tightly. "Oh, Sango. I thought you were dead too. Inuyasha looked for you, but he couldn't find you or feel you…"

"No wonder!" Sango laughed, lifting her head off Kagome's shoulder and drying her cheeks. "Miroku was masking our auras with his powers, and we were hiding. We looked for you, but all Shippo could smell was Prince Inuyasha. Oh, but look at you! Kikyo would be proud!"

Seeing that the drama was over, the crowd swept itself back into partying and feasting, and the five companions were forgotten. Kagome smiled at Sango before Miroku came and gently pushed her out of the way to take Kagome's hands in his, staring into her eyes. "My lady Kagome! I don't believe Sango properly introduced us. I am Miroku, and I have never met anybody so beautiful as you. Please, bear my children."

"Miroku!" Sango looked horrified, and she struck him rather harshly. Miroku merely grinned. Sango rolled her eyes. "I swear I can't take you anywhere."

Inuyasha glared at the laughing monk from over Kagome's head, his golden eyes smoldering in protective possessiveness. "If you touch her again, I will remove your hands, monk."

"Inuyasha!" Kafome looked horrified, and she struck him rather harshly. "I swear I can't take you anywhere." She and Sango glanced at each other, and giggled, understanding each other perfectly, while Inuyasha and Miroku traded confused looks and irritated glares.

They were about to burst into talk when Shippo jumped on Kagome. He'd no sooner jumped on her neck than Inuyasha picked him off, holding him by her tail. Shippo smiled nervously when he found himself face to face with the demon prince. "Er… hello, Your Majesty!"

"Feh," Inuyasha said, putting on the ground again. He stared at Kagome's three new friends and sighed. Sweeping away from them, he motioned for them to follow him. Inuyasha led the three to unoccupied rooms, and told them to come back down when they were washed and cleaned: then they could enjoy the party.

Taking one look at his door, the monk grinned, and walked straight into Sango's chamber. The engaged couple heard a few oaths, a slap, a soft giggle, and then Miroku returned out, threatened and slapped back to his own room. He grinned when he saw that Inuyasha and Kagome were still in the hallway. "She loves me. Such is this cost of our yet unspoken devotion." He disappeared into his own room.

Kagome leaned against the wall, her head tilted and her face puzzled. "Don't pretend you don't know, Inuyasha. You could smell Shippo and Miroku when Hiten and Manten attacked us. You were in the tree, after all. You could hear them, and see them too, so you know full well of their real professions. Sango said that you arrest bandits, so…."

"Do you really want to see your friends thrown in jail?" he quickly retorted. When she shook her head no, he snorted. "I didn't think so. Besides, they don't kill, or maim, or kidnap. Okay, Miroku's asked all of the females he's run into to marry him or to bear his children, but all he's gotten in return was a bunch of bruised cheeks or angry fathers yelling at him. As for Shippo, he still has a century or two ahead of him, so why should I ruin that for him? They've saved a lot of people, and when the time comes that I have to fight them…" He trailed off, not quite liking that thought. It was true. They had saved a lot of people, giving their treasures to the poor. Inuyasha was supposed to hold up a law, but if he killed off the bringers of hope, then what would happen to moral law and faith?

She stared up at him, and gently smiled. "You never cease to amaze me, Inuyasha." The blush that spread over Inuyasha's face was also fairly amazing, Kagome had to admit.

Washed and dressed, Miroku reappeared with Sango hanging off his arm. Shippo had disappeared into the kitchen, when the maids saw how adorable he was and had taken him downstairs to see what sweets they had. Miroku had dressed in the style of the demon court, but he had to admit that Sango pulled it off much better than he did, wearing one of the dresses with the off-the shoulder neckline, and the flaring skirt.

Miroku watched them dance, and shook his head when the dance ended to polite applause. He held out his hand for Sango and motioned to the band. "Let's show them how to really dance, my Lady Sango." Laughing, nearly an insane laugh, had it not been so soft, she accepted his hand and let him lead her out to the dance floor.

Like with Kagome and Inuyasha, they started off holding each other far apart, staring into each other's eyes. But neither of them were nervous: this was the dance of their lives. They knew each other, and trusted each other with all their hearts. So when the first of the heavy notes landed on the dance floor like a bomb, they were willingly swept up into the music.

Sango pushed herself further into Miroku's arms, linking a hip with her leg. He took the opportunity to let the hand she normally would have slapped away to slide down her side, enjoying every curve of her body. He winked at her, a slip from the debonair role he played in the dance, and unhooked her hands from his neck, drawing her into a spin.

Kagome stared at them dancing. They were drawing a crowd! All the demons could somehow feel the raw passion of the dance, that tale it told of a love not returned, and the desires lurking behind it. It wasn't so much a dance as it was a tale, and watching Sango lean back from Miroku's body, only his arms supporting by their touching waists, she had to admit that the feelings behind it seemed real, on both their parts. She glanced over at Inuyasha, who was staring at the perverted monk with a new kind of respect.

"How come we don't dance like that?"

He glanced down at her. "I don't think I know how to dance like that. Is that what court parties look like in the human court?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But if these two are always there, it must be interesting."

After their dance, female demons crowded around Miroku, all eager to talk to him and to have him dance with them the same way he had to Sango. The beautiful knight looked at Miroku once again being all but attacked be females, and turned away. She passed by Kagome and Inuyasha, who both looked astounded and confused as to why she wasn't standing up and defending the man she obviously held some sort of deep attachment to.

Kagome went to go and talk to Sango about all that had happened in the three days they had been separated, everything from the duel with Hiten to the discovery that she liked kissing Inuyasha. But the demon she was now engaged to held her hand and pulled her back, allowing the knight to run outside and sit under the stars, deep in contemplation.

"Why didn't you let me go talk to her?" Kagome asked with fire in her voice.

Inuyasha stared at her like she was an imbecile before he smiled at her and let her go, hoping that she wouldn't feel like he was trying to control her now. "Because they have things to talk about. Anyway, I'm going to go to bed. I guess that I had a bit too much fun tonight, and I need some more sleep if I want my wounds to finish healing as quickly as possible. If you ask Kouga, he'll take you to your guest room." He patted her shoulder, and left, turning around a moment later to add, "but if he says anything at all about showing you a den, he's not referring to a room in the castle."

His ears twitched as he heard her follow him, but he wasn't sure if it was actually to follow him until she slipped her hand with his and leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing. Inuyasha felt a feather of happiness touch his heart. "You don't want to stay and enjoy the festivities a little longer?"

She shook her head, her hair brushing his neck. "I'm still a little worn out from expanding all that energy yesterday morning. But I have enough of it back that I can heal your wounds the rest of the way for you," Kagome kindly offered. "Besides, I was actually rather lonely in that big bed all by myself last night."

Then she realized what that sounded like and her face became as red as her dress. "I mean…. It's just that I was always used to having my family around me, and I get lonely in the big room, all by myself. I feel better when I'm with you."

"I feel better when I'm with you too, Kagome," he admitted.

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him. "Really?" Inuyasha nodded, and when he smiled back Kagome knew that Kikyo could not have made a better match.

Miroku, meanwhile, had finally detangled himself from the girls and made a bee line outside, finding Sango leaning against the balcony rail, staring up at the sky. He leaned beside her, his face pensive, knowing that when she was staring at the sky was when she was deep in contemplation, staring up as if the shinning ancients could help alight her path.

Sometimes, just sometimes, Miroku thought she was a better monk than he was.

"A penny for your thoughts, my Lady Sango?"

The knight was silent before she straightened, her eyes just brushing by Miroku so she was looking in direction, but not at him. "It looks like it's going to be a happy ever after for Kagome and Inuyasha," she sighed. "War's averted, the hero and heroine have found each other. Even Shippo got a happy ending, being lavished attention, and getting all the candy he wants. I just can't help but wonder when our happy ending is going to arrive, Miroku, if there will even be one."

He reached out and gently rubbed her shoulder. Though his mouth grinned, his eyes fought to be either grey or violet, as serious as his heart when it came to the matter of a future with Sango. "Lady Sango, I have been asking you to bear my children since I was five years old. All you have to do is accept me."

"But I can't!" she finally admitted. She reached out and pressed herself against him like she always did, feeling safe when he held her, even if his hands did wander. "Miroku, I worked so hard to become a knight that I can't just say yes and let you carry me off to the bedroom! And I can't say yes without knowing what will happen when you jokingly ask another girl that question and she says yes and jumps into your arms! You're the only family I have left, and I'm not about to lose you, but at the same time I just can't give you what you want me to give to you."

"Oh, my Lady Sango," he murmured, his hands not taking the opportunity to slip below her belt line, but just rubbing her back and loving the feel of her body against his. "I would never ask you to give up who are what you are. I only want you to accept yourself as actually being my Lady Sango. All I want is a promise that you will bear my children one day, when you are ready, and I will no longer so much as look at another girl. Well, I may look, but I swear: no groping or asking them the question!"

"Really?" She stared up at hopefully.

Miroku didn't give her a verbal answer. He held her suddenly tighter, and brought his face down to hers, crushing his lips against her passionately. Sango tried to protest, but she eagerly gave into the kiss, and he didn't let go until he was sure she was convinced of his fealty.

When he looked at her again, he could see the happiness that she was still trying to control. "And what happens when one day I find myself having to arrest you, Miroku? I love you so much, it's selfish of me to ask you to stop when you do so much good…."

"You love me?" he repeated quietly. Sango didn't respond: at least not verbally. She tilted her face up to him again and kissed him gently, her warmth and the sigh she made enough for an answer. Miroku kissed her forehead. "I love you two, my Lady Sango. And we will cross that bridge when we come to it. After all, my being a thief hasn't been enough to deter our friendship, right, so why should it bother our love?"

Just to lighten the situation, Miroku slipped his hand down past the equator and rubbed the object he had so often gotten smacked for admiring. He winced prematurely, and was shocked when he received nothing in return. Opening an eye, he found Sango asleep in his arms, his head curled up on his chest and her slender fingers clinging to his vest. Miroku smiled down at her, picked her up, sitting down on the wide ledge of the balcony and watching the stars. He held his beloved Sango in is arms, letting her use his shoulder as a pillow and wrapping his arms around her so she wouldn't get cold. Sango had rubbed off on him. He looked up at the stars and thought of her.

'Oh, Sango. You wanted to give people stars, but I got something better. I got you…'

From the window seat in Inuyasha's room, snuggled under a blanket and wrapped in each others arms, the engaged couple stared down at Miroku and Sango. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, and scratched his ears. His eyes widened in surprise, making her wonder if she could ever stop surprising him. She didn't want to: she liked the way his eyes lit up whenever she showed him kindness. "I've been wanting to do that since I saw you in your demon shape, or your Halfling shape or whatever you want to call it!" she confessed.

"And so, Jack as Jill, and naught shall go nill…. Isn't that what a famous human poet once said?" Kagome nodded, and Inuyasha smiled at her, letting her fingertips run across the ends of pointed ears. His own fingers danced across her face, unable to believe that the beautiful creature he had in his arms was a human, and not some creature of myth, or that she was bound to him in ways that he would never be able to understand even though his heart reflected the same sentiments. "Then tell me what happens next, Kagome."

"Haven't you ever read a fairy tale, Inuyasha? They only end one way: everything works out for the best and everybody lives happily ever after."

He smiled at her. "I like the sound of that. I mean, I'd hate to have to rewrite every single fairy tale in existence just to make sure we got a happy ending."

She snuggled closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling up at imp as if she were an imp, and not a Priestess who loved a half demon Prince. "Did I neglect to mention that they always have to end in a kiss?"

~THE END