InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Slave to the Heart ❯ Ready! Set! Marriage? ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A soft knock on the shoji alerted Lady Higurashi of a visitor. Without instruction, an elderly woman dressed in a plain green kimono rose from her place behind her lady and kneeled at the thin door. Her wrinkly hand slid the door open with practiced grace, and she kindly bowed to the visitor. The visitor at the door bowed and came in on his knees.

This visitor was handsome in the dangerous and mysterious sense. He had dark, calculating red eyes and a mess of chocolate curls that he let fall wildly about his shoulders. He held his body with a kind of cool confidence that clearly spoke of the dominance of his personality.

He rose slightly from his bow; Lady Higurashi gave him a generous nod to acknowledge his presence.

The Lady of the Eastern Domain watched this man with her warm brown eyes. Her flawless features throwing others off of her true age. At the peak in her life, she looked no older then her teenage daughter, Kagome. The only absurdity about her was the style in which she kept her hair. She kept her wavy, brown hair cut short, very unlike the traditional style. She, however, was not the sort of person to do things by the rules, contrary to her very idealistic daughter.

Her junihitoe was really starting to kill her shoulders and she longed for this visit to end so Kaede, her lady-in-waiting, could finally help her remove this unnecessarily heavy outfit. She inwardly sighed and shifted uncomfortably.

"What news do you have for me, Ukaran?" She began.

"I regret to report that I have just received upsetting news from the front." His voice was deep, almost liquid-like.

"Oh my, please continue."

"As we feared the Lords of the North and West have joined in an alliance."

Lady Higurashi frowned slightly, another inappropriate trait she had and probably the only unbecoming trait of her daughter as well. The Higurashi women were known to allow themselves to show their emotions too freely.

She looked down at her hands folded neatly in her lap. "What does that mean for my people?"

"Unfortunately, Lady Higurashi, that is uncertain. However, we do have great reason to believe this new allegiance could only be disastrous for our domain. It is very possible that the Northern and Western domains are planning a war. Both Lords are Demon after all, and it is common knowledge of their distaste for humans."

"There have never been any hostilities in the past, Ukaran."

"That is very true. But times are changing, milady and there is talk of an invasion."

"An invasion? From the North and West?"

"From the Lord of the Southern Domain. He has declared war on you."

Lady Higurashi's head shot up. "On what grounds?"

"That I am unsure of. However, with this declaration, the Lords of the North and West will be tempted to take advantage of our vulnerability. We must act quickly before they form an alliance with the Southern Domain as well."

"What do you suggest we do exactly?"

"As your trusted advisor of many years, I suggest you do everything in your power to appease the Great Lord Naraku of the South. If we can stop a war there, then we can join alliance with him to stop the North and West from their plotting."

"We cannot be sure they are plotting anything, though."

"You can never be too mindful. It would be better to put down nothing then later a war."

"I will think over what you have said. Is this all you have to report?"

"There is just one more thing, milady. This scroll has just arrived for you. It is a letter from the Southern Domain." Ukaran pulled said scroll from his kimono sleeve; he placed it before his lady.

"Very well, thank you."

"My pleasure." Ukaran bowed once more, and exited on his knees.

As he left the room the old maid bowed to him and closed the shoji. She went back to Lady Higurashi's side obediently.

Lady Higurashi continued her nervous gaze at the scroll, chewing lightly at her lip. With a defeated sigh she licked her dry lips and reached for it; spreading it open on the floor to read. There was a brief moment of silence before a strangled sound came from her.

She tossed the letter aside in disgust.

"This cannot be the only way!" She whispered to herself.

Her best friend, and lady-in-waiting, Kaede, leaned forward and touched her Lady's shoulder.

"Milady, can I help ye with anything?"

Trembling slightly, Lady Higurashi nodded.

"Kagome. Please bring me my dear Kagome."

***

An exceptionally good-looking young woman hid a delicate laugh behind the sleeve of her sleeping yukata.

"You cannot be serious!" Her oceanic blue eyes were alive with amusement.

"Milady, I wouldn't dream of lying to you!" The young lady-in-waiting told the raven haired beauty before her.

"And no one told her?"

"Not a soul, Lady Kagome." She continued to brush Kagome's long hair with great care.

Kagome sat there kneeling for her maid to brush her hair out. It was a part of her routine before bed every night. The paleness of her ivory skin was almost completely able to blend in with the thin material she wore.

She opened her pink lips to speak again but was cut off by a sharp rap at the door. Her lady-in-waiting, Sango, stood and then kneeled before the door.

Old Kaede entered on her knees, in a perfect bow. "Child, our Lady summons ye."

"Kaede, it is so late. Is everything alright?" Kagome inquired, standing immediately.

"Nay, something has ye mother awfully upset. Go to her at once."

Kagome nodded; Sango came up behind her and draped a long gown over Kagome's shoulders. Both maids bowed to her and allowed her to exit first. However, Kagome turned her head back to speak to Sango.

"Sango, I dismiss you for the rest of the night."

Kaede slightly lifted from her bow. "I believe it is best if Sango joins us."

Kagome didn't argue. She had always thought highly of Kaede's wisdom, the old maiden was like a second mother to her, having helped raise her from birth.

The rest of the walk to her mother's chambers was quiet and seemingly lifeless, except for the occasional passing of a maid or servant. Upon reaching the door, Kaede knocked then slowly opened the shoji. Kagome stepped in followed by Sango then lastly Kaede.

Lady Higurashi immediately stood up and rushed to her daughter. She gently took Kagome into a motherly hug and wept lightly into her freshly combed hair.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Kagome asked anxiously.

"Oh Kagome dear, something terrible has happened." Lady Higurashi pulled back to look Kagome in the face.

"What is it?"

Lady Higurashi sniffed. "The Northern and Western Domains have joined an alliance."

"Weren't we expecting such?"

"Yes, but now the Southern Domain feels threatened-"

"Has the South decided to join the new alliance too?" Kagome interrupted.

Her mother shook her head, her eyes misting over. "Here, read this; it just arrived today from the front."

Kagome took the scroll and spread it open on the floor. She read it carefully then began to shake her head.

"I don't understand. The Lord of the Southern Domain wants to marry me? I do not see how this will help against the new alliance." She rolled the scroll back up, feeling strangely numb and devoid of emotion.

"It's a way of uniting our domain to his. Lord Naraku wants to insure an alliance, in case the North and West declare war."

"Then why not sign a treaty? Why do I have to marry him? Obviously we do not fear war with the North or West. If he is so scared, it is his problem; we have nothing to do with this." Kagome felt a tremble course through her body, something was building inside her.

Lady Higurashi kneeled beside her daughter. "I wish we could. Sadly, we are involved now. The North and West will soon discover this proposal and demand us to make a choice. If I refuse the offer from Lord Naraku we will be in war with the South. And there is no guarantee that the North and West are willing to add us to the alliance."

Kagome looked away from her mother; her voice was barely a whisper when she finally spoke. "So I marry him or I start a war?"

Her mother's jaws tighten as she lowered her head. "That is what is seems to be."

Black dots appeared in Kagome's vision and she lost the feeling in her legs. She was vaguely aware of a low humming in her ears before her eyes rolled back in her head. In the next second, she was passed out cold on the floor.

Opening her once bright blue eyes, Kagome saw Sango hovering over her with a damp cloth; blotting her forehead. The room was lit dimly, but across the room Kagome could make out the painting of a miko holding a purple jewel. That meant she had indeed fainted in her mother's sleeping chamber.

She heard low voices behind her but couldn't make out what they were saying. She scrunched up her face and tried to sit up. However, all Kagome could manage was a pitiful groan; effectively gaining Sango's attention.

"Lady Kagome! You are up! How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy. Pain."

"Kagome, dear!" There was a rustling of fabric and soon her mother's face appeared above her. "You scared me!" She smiled tenderly at her beloved daughter.

Kagome bit her lip to stop the sudden sensation to break down and cry. "Mama, I must marry Naraku."

It was Kaede's turn to speak. "Are ye mad, child? After all this planning we came up with, ye want to marry that filth?"

"Oh Kagome," Lady Higurashi grabbed her hand. "I realized I couldn't do that to you. Lord Naraku is a cruel man, and I couldn't possibly let you marry him!"

"But what choice do we have?"

"Well, you have two choices actually." A sly smile lightened Lady Higurashi's face.

"What do you mean?"

"Dear, I can't save you from marriage. The proposal from Lord Naraku has made that inevitable. However, I can save you from marrying him. All we have to do is get you married to one of the other Lords!"

Kagome blinked. "What? Didn't they just form an alliance against us?"

"Well, not exactly. They formed an alliance with each other but not necessarily against us. I believe your marriage to one of them would not only save you from Naraku but scare him away from invading!"

"What if you were right? What if the new alliance wants to fight a war against us?"

"That is a risk we must take. Kagome, I am willing to try everything to spare you from Naraku."

Kagome closed her open mouth and thought about this seriously. To her knowledge the other Lords we quite a bit younger then Naraku. That had to be better or at least more tolerable, right? Kagome knew if she could possibly find one of them even just a little likable then she could do this. She could save her people and completely give up her chance at the fairytale ending she always hoped for.

Careful to keep her face clear of any emotion for once, Kagome nodded. "That sounds like a brilliant idea. I would be honored to marry one of the other Lords."