InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Feud: A Marriage Made In Heaven ❯ Thirteen Days And A Wedding to Remember... or Forget ( Chapter 5 )

Hello All. I apologize for the LOOOONNG wait. So here is a nice long chapter in apology as well... Enjoy!!

The Feud: A Marriage Made in Heaven.

Chapter 5: Thirteen Days And A Wedding to Remember... or Forget?

Onigumo stood staring out the large window in the middle of the left hand wall in the library. He glanced out the corner of his eye at the ornate grandfather clock standing in the corner and noted the time. It was just passed nine in the morning. He'd just seen his `guest' out an hour ago after having a very... uneventful night. So, it was no surprise he was in a piss poor mood.

He'd slept--for the two hours he'd actually slept--in one of the stiff and hard beds in one of the many guest rooms. Thinking about that Onigumo made a mental note to have the mattresses replaced in all the guest rooms. He wondered how anyone could get any rest in those beds.

Onigumo sighed heavily as he tilted his head back to stare at the bright sun drenched sky and thought about why he had ended up sleeping in a guest room instead of in his own bed beside his wife. His wife. She was the reason he had `slept' in a bed that was not his own.

He sighed again as he thought back to the night before... or considering the late hour, the early morning.

~*~Flashback~*~

Onigumo walked into his room for the night after putting Lord Masaharu in his servant Rai's capable hands. He immediately came to a halt after shutting the bedroom door behind him when he noticed that the large four-poster bed he shared with his wife was empty. He quickly took stock of the room as he turned his head from side to side searching out his wife's presence.

He turned to his right and slightly behind himself when he heard a creak coming from that direction. Onigumo watched silently as his wife emerged from the bathroom. He noted that her waist length, fire red hair was hanging loose down her back and that she was already dressed for bed. Very dressed for bed, he noted as he took in the black satin and lace nightdress and robe she wore. It was his favorite. He loved the way it lightly skimmed her generous curves without being clingy, but his favorite part about the sleepwear was the back. His mouth watered at the thought of the nightdress's back... or lack there of. He could picture the daringly low back that stopped just above her behind. He could also picture the tantalizing small piece of skin that would be seen in the tiny space that was left where her hair ended and the curve of the black satin finally began.

Onigumo could picture that creamy piece of flesh so clearly in his mind... which is what he had to do, since his wife was facing him. He slowly lifted his eyes from his wife's lower abdomen; which was opposite of the spot on his wife's lower back that he was daydreaming about. Onigumo locked eyes with hers and sighed inwardly. His wife was angry.

He could see the flash of blue fire in her eyes as it fault with the light of battle he could also see there. His wife was out for blood... his.

Onigumo had known she was angry, but he'd thought that since she'd put on the black nightdress, the one she knew was his favorite, that perhaps she wasn't too angry after all.

Now, he could see how foolish that thought was. Onigumo squared his shoulders for the upcoming battle. He had no doubt as to who would win, though.

Atsuki stared at her husband as he'd stared at the lower half of her body. She knew exactly what he was thinking of, after all, like she'd once thought before, you did not live and love someone as long as they had without learning each other's ways. She'd deliberately chosen to wear this particular outfit to bed tonight. She wanted her husband to be absolutely certain of what he would not be partaking of tonight.

"Can I help you? Are you lost?" she asked softly, reigning in her temper for the moment.

`Lost? What the hell was she talking about?' thought Onigumo dumbly, as he eyed his wife. He looked around surreptitiously, he was sure he was in his own bedroom, but couldn't help making sure.

"Why would I be lost in my own home? My own bedroom?" he asked slowly.

"Not tonight."

"Excuse me?" his temper began to flare at those words. He'd be damned if she'd kick him from his home! "I don't know what you think you are getting at, but this house is most definitely-"

"Yours," she cut him off smoothly as the fire in her eyes grew, "this I know, but this room will not be accommodating you tonight."

"What?" he breathed quietly.

"I do not believe I stuttered or spoke in a language unknown to you," she replied as she took another step closer. "Did you plan to sleep in here tonight?"

"OF COURSE I PLANNED TO SLEEP HERE. LAST I CHECKED IT WAS STILL MY BEDROOM!" Onigumo roared, unable to hold his temper when faced with such a ridiculous question, not to mention the deceptively innocent tone of her voice.

"Really? Well, I believe you should have taken that into consideration when you agreed and signed that... that appalling contract."

"Contract? Wha-"

`YOU SIGNED AWAY OUR TITLE TO HIM!! WHAT THE HELL CONTRACT DO YOU THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT!?"

`Oh.' He'd known she wouldn't like that little piece of `dowry', but what else could he give? The Emperor and law specifically states that a dowry must be given with a daughter upon her marriage and that said dowry must reflect not only the wealth of the brides family, but also the value of the daughter. And since he'd already give a very generous dowry with his first two girls, he had to give something more with Kagome, after all she wasn't only marrying the heir, to the Western Lands, she would one day be Lady of the Western Lands. His gift had to equal that, especially since Masaharu could make it that his daughter be Lady in name only. A title with no power; that would make his daughter a laughing stock and he damn sure wasn't letting that happen. Besides, he figured he could do much worse then Masaharu's eldest son as the next Lord of the Southern Lands... much worse.

Onigumo opened his mouth to explain all this to his wife, but was cut off once more.

"HOW COULD YOU, NARAKU!? WHY DIDN'T YOU AT LEAST SPEAK TO ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE GOING AND DOING IT? DIDN'T YOU THINK I'D WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU WAS PUTTING THE FUTURE OF OUR LANDS ON THE OUTCOME OF MY CHILD'S GENDER!? THAT YOU WERE PUTTING IT ON SOMETHING THAT NEITHER YOU OR I HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER!? DIDN'T YOU!?"

Onigumo's ears twitched at the loudness of her voice; which had escalated. He knew she had a valid point and that she was right, but he knew she'd never go along with it and he didn't want to argue in front of the Masaharus.

He also knew that she was more then angry, she was pissed. His wife only called him `Naraku' at such a time. Onigumo knew she didn't care for the name and only uttered it in the same voice she would say 'idiot' or `stupid' or any other derogatory name like them.

"Atsuki..."

"NO, DON'T `ATSUKI' ME! ANSWER ME!" she waited a heartbeat before continuing, "SO, WHAT, IF OUR CHILD SHOULD HAPPEN TO BE A GIRL OUR TITLE OF LORD AND LADY OF THE SOUTHERN LANDS WOULD GO TO MASAHARU SESSHOUMARU? IS THAT WHAT YOU DID?!" she asked incredulously; her voicing echoing her shock and disbelief.

"Well, basically yes, but he will have to stay married to Kagome, so the title and lands will stay in the family."

He watched her eyes glow with the hot, white light of her ki.

"Oh. So you also bought him into keeping your daughter! Bribery. As if, Kagome couldn't keep him herself! I'll have you know, I have a feeling about those two... I don't think they are going to have as much trouble as you imagine... well, actually maybe more, but the outcome will be better then you or I can ever imagine or hope for. You just wait, but thats neither here nor there. What I'd like to know is how could you agree to such a proposal? What were you thinking?!"

Onigumo wanted to ask her what she meant by that comment about her having a `feeling', but decided now wouldn't be a good time. So, he filed it away in his brain to bring up at a later date when she was more open to explaining herself.

Her voice had come down from its yelling pitch, but Onigumo could still see the flames leaping to new heights in her eyes. He knew she was far from being calm.

"Honey, it only becomes so, if you bare a girl. You could easily bare me a son and then none of this will matter."

"Right. And did the fact that I've had, oh, zero sons and three daughters, play into your little agreement?" she asked heatedly "Because I can see how if you did, that the odds are SO ON YOUR SIDE!" She finished in a near shout.

Contrary to what it may seem and what his wife thought, Onigumo had taken into account that his wife had only give him daughters, but in his defense he'd figured that that only meant that they were due for some sons... right?

Quietly he shared his reasoning with her, not the part about being due for a son, just the part of why he agreed and how he couldn't let his baby be laughed at. Onigumo watched, as he fell silent, the fire in his wife's eye simmer down a little. He could see that she at least understood why he did what he did... even if she still didn't agree. He could see that she thought that there had to be another solution. He wasn't denying the possibility that there may have been another way to handle situation, he was just saying that he couldn't think of any other possibility.

Atsuki stared at her husband with a thoughtful look invading the fire in her blue gaze. She couldn't say she didn't understand why he'd come to the conclusion he'd come to, but she didn't have to agree with it. She had a very bad feeling about this... she didn't know why, but she did.

"You better pray your daughter doesn't decide to read her marriage contract," she sighed with a crease on her brow, "or you're going to have to do more then just explain yourself. You're going to have to deal with your daughter's temper, which will be alot worse then usual because not only will she be hurt, she's going to feel betrayed."

Onigumo knew all that quite well, but to hear it said out loud sent a painful twinge through his heart. He walked over to the window to stare out at the dark night

"Could we go to bed now? I'd really like to end this day."

Atsuki heard the silent plea in the soft steel of her husband's voice, though she couldn't see his face since his back was facing her. While she would like nothing more than to be in her husband's arms, she was still angry with him. While she understood, begrudgingly, his reasons that still didn't explain why he didn't tell her about it first.

She understood his need to end this day, but she knew that everything that had transpired on this day would not end with the inevitable dawn... no, too many things had been set into motion and she had no doubt that much of it would come back to bite her unsuspecting husband on his proverbial ass. Starting with her and now.

"You can go where ever you like, but I will not be sharing that bed with you," he turned to face her and noted the fire, though smaller, was still very much in her eyes. "And depending on how I feel tomorrow, will decide on where I spend the following night."

Onigumo watched her hold his gaze for a minute before she quietly turned away from him and moved to her side of the large bed and proceeded to climb in. He wanted to fight with her, it was taking all his will power to hold on to his own anger, but he knew she was in no condition for the full brunt of his anger even if she wasn't showing yet.

He waited as she settled herself against her pillow before silently making his way to the door he'd just come in minutes before.

"Goodnight."

He froze at the door before slowly turning to face the lovely woman lying in the plush bed alone. Crimson locked onto indigo and held. He knew if he pushed he could sleep in his own bed tonight, but she would only resent him in the morning and he'd rather deal with her anger then her resentment and disappointment.

"Goodnight," he nodded quietly then turned swiftly on his heels and left the room. Closing the door quietly behind him.

~*~End Flashback~*~

For two hours he'd slept in a room down the hall from his wife. He'd ended up getting up when he'd lain awake for almost three quarters of an hour and finally had to accept that he was not getting anymore sleep that night. So, by the time he exchanged fake pleasantries with Lord Masaharu and his sons and seen them out, he'd been up for two hours, worked out in his private dojo, and had had himself a relaxing shower. Which had made it possible to be civil long enough to see his reluctant `family' off.

The females, both wife and daughters, had still been asleep.

So, now, an hour after he'd seen his reluctant guests out he stood before the window watching nothing and seeing everything. He thought about the men who would be his family in little over a week from now... who in fact already was family if one wanted to be technical about it, and heaved a huge sigh wrought with many emotions.

It was not lost on him what all this that the Emperor had started could very well mean. That the combining of these two families could very well be the beginning or the end of their own destruction... and the answer to it all lied in the hands and hearts of their offspring... and of course, a truth, that perhaps only the past could reveal.

~*~

It was mid-morning and the entire castle was awake and had been for some time. No one had ventured into the library though. He guessed that his family was avoiding him just as much as he was avoiding them. Perhaps they knew that they would not be welcome at the moment? Whatever the reason, he was thankful for the solitude.

Onigumo had heard and listened when his wife had lit into their three daughters for the stunt they had pulled the night before, and though it was wrong of him to do so, he was happy to see that he was not the only one to incur his wife's anger.

He moved to sit down behind the large cherry wood desk that sat against the wall to the right of the wall of windows. He leaned back in the comfortable leather chair; though the seat was not as comfortable as the plush chairs in front of the fireplace because it was not meant to have someone fall asleep in it; it was still pretty comfortable. He leaned his head back to rest against the top of the chair and shut his eyes. He had no idea how to deal with his wife, for he knew she had a very valid point. He was taking a huge risk with the gamble he was making, but contrary to what his wife might think and believe he also saw the potential in the match between his youngest daughter and the heir of the Western Lands. But, he also recognized that that potential could go either way. They could turn out to be the best match this country had ever seen or... the worse.

It was that fifty-fifty chance that worried him. Though his daughters...passionate display of emotions last night did give him cause to be hopeful. His daughter was feeling some strong emotions toward the inu-youkai heir, and though those emotions were not love (not that he expected it to be), they were still strong emotions. Which meant that his baby girl was not indifferent... which would be far worse, because that would leave no hope in hell for the match to work. His daughter was much too passionate of a woman; all his daughters were, for a match that she was indifferent about to work. Even his Kikyo, who hid her emotions better then anyone he knew; except maybe Sesshoumaru Masaharu; would not last in a `marriage of convenience', which would be the only alternative if these matches didn't work.

Onigumo knew very well why and understood why his middle child hid her emotions. It was more like she locked them away... and he understood that too. He couldn't blame her really; he doubted anyone who knew and understood just what kind of powers his daughter held would. He knew it wasn't easy for her and many times he'd prayed to an unseen God to give him his daughter's burden, but he didn't know whether it was because he wasn't listening, or was ignoring, or just found his prayer wanting, God did not grant him his plea. In that he understood that this was something his daughter had to learn to handle and carry in her own way. He remembered the incident that made her build the walls inside herself to do that. His mother Kaede had helped in that regard.

He thought back to that event...

Kikyou had been seven years old at the time. Sango was eight and of course, Kagome was six. She had just turned six actually and he knew though they had stuck together, that it was his youngest daughter's doing that he'd found them outside of the palace walls.

He'd found them near the banks of the Mysterious Waters. The waterfall that fell into the river that held powers that even he did not dare to mess with; not without knowing what was held in those waters first. He'd been out there because their nanny had discovered they were missing and his wife had suddenly had a feeling that they were scared. She couldn't tell him more then that, in fact she couldn't even tell him how she knew that. They had a feeling that it was from Kagome. That his daughter was trying to call to them somehow, but since her powers were still so new to her she wasn't that good at it yet.

When he'd found them he'd been shocked and scared at what he'd seen. It was the first time in many years that he'd felt true fear. His daughters were all sitting together on the ground, one holding the other, except Kikyo. She was lying down, back arched off the ground and screaming a scream of pure agony. He remembered rushing over to her and placing his hand along her small, pale face. For a moment she had stopped screaming, opened her eyes and looked at him. He'd heard her voice whisper; "Papa help me", and his heart had cracked because he could see no injuries to cause her such pain. And in that instant she'd started screaming again.

Even `til this day Onigumo didn't remember picking his daughter up into his arms or how he'd gotten them all back to the castle so quickly. He remembered that his mother was waiting for them and as soon as Kikyo had stop screaming in his arms, she'd taken his daughter to clean her up and get then all to bed. His mother had come back to tell him what had happened as she believed it to be.

His mother had told him that with the powers that had grown inside Kikyo she was able to feel the feelings of the people in the village that surrounded the castle at the base of the mountain. She'd explained to him that being outside of the wall had left her open to feel it all; everyone's pain, despair, joy, fear, happiness, excitement, anger, mistrust, jealousy.... everything, and all at once. It turned out that her mind and body couldn't handle all that and when he'd come along and was feeling helpless and fear for his daughter that it had added to it, which had caused his daughter to scream the second time.

That was when his mother had decided to not only teach his daughters skills in combat, but also how to master their gifts. And being a very powerful miko she had the ability to do so. And with that said, she'd taught his daughter how to build a barrier within herself, not unlike the wall around the castle, to protect herself from everyone else.

That was the last day he'd seen his daughter spontaneously laugh or even smile again.

Onigumo leaned forward and rested his elbows on the large desktop as he rested his forhead in the palm of his hands. He wondered if it would be easier to just declare war on the Emperor and refuse these marriages.

"Papa?"

Onigumo raised his head to stare into the bright cerulean eyes of his youngest daughter. He'd never heard her come in. He shouldn't be surprised; given the right amount of provocation his daughter would venture anywhere.

"What is it Kagome?" he answered wearily.

"Are you alright, Papa?"

Onigumo stared back at her quietly and saw the concern in her eyes. He figured he must look a sight, but he didn't much care at the moment.

"I'm fine Kagome. Why don't you go and help your mother with the preparations for the wedding. It is only a little over a week away."

"I know Papa and I will. I just... I... needed to speak to you about something first, if thats alright?"

He nodded reluctantly. He couldn't send her away.

"Sure."

Onigumo stood up and lead her over to the large plush chairs sitting before the hearth and waited for her to seat herself in one before taking his own seat.

"What would you like to talk about?'

Kagome stared straight ahead into the flames of the fire as she answered. Not wanting to see her father's look when she did.

"Masaharu."

~*~

~Thirteen days later: The Wedding Reception~

All three sisters stood quietly beside each other on the balcony overlooking the Formal Garden at the back of the castle. They could hear the music and laughter from the after wedding festivities going on behind them. Between their family, the Masaharu family, and a few hundred of each of their closes friends there was well over eight hundred guests in the large ballroom. The noise they made was deafening. Which is what brought them out on the balcony.

They were all superbly gowned. Sango was still in her wedding dress of a pearl white made of satin and lace with real oyster pearls sown into the design of the bodice. Kagome wore a dark blue gown made of velvet and satin, while Kikyo wore a dark brown gown made of a shiny material that was new from Spain and a sheer, see through cloth.

As the late afternoon sky began to darken into evening they watched the huge hedge maze in the distance slowly fade from sight.

Sango sighed quietly to herself as she stood between Kagome and Kikyo. Four hours. She'd been married for four hours now, and all she could think is that she was happy the wedding was over. She couldn't believe how much trouble and problems could be had from trying to get a simple little wedding done. It amazed her at how much had gone wrong that afternoon. Basically, what could go wrong... did! She was surprised she was even married at all, because by the time they were at the point to say vows the only promise she was feeling like making was the promise that she would make him suffer before she killed him. Him being Mirouku... her husband.

"Are they still watching us?" she asked quietly.

Though she didn't look she could see out the corner of her eye as Kagome swiveled her head around to look over her shoulder. Through the closed glass doors of the balcony they had an uninterrupted view of the head table where three gentlemen sat. For the last hour they'd each taken turns to looking and checking if said gentlemen were still sitting side by side with their eyes trained on there three backs. They'd stop trying to be surreptitious about it when the groom, who sat in the middle of the three gentlemen, gave Kikyo a slight nod and a wink in acknowledgment... it being her turn to look at the time. She in turn, kept her face as calm and blank as usual and merely turned back around as she had whispered a quiet `yes' in reply to an unasked question.

"They are," answered Kagome as she faced forward again.

"Amazing," she replied with a twist to her lips, "he hasn't found, oh I don't know... a chambermaid perhaps, to `play' with."

Kagome gave an unladylike snort in reply as Kikyo arched a delicate eyebrow.

"Well I would imagine, after your display today he would be afraid to even look at another woman," she smiled at the memory of the spectacle that took place today, "Especially with you being so close and all."

"No. He was proud," spoke Kikyo quietly.

Both girls turned to look at the other girl.

"What?"

"He believed you were jealous," they could hear the soft amusement in her voice even though they could not see it on her face, "which you were and he was happy that you were jealous. Or more accurately, proud that you care enough to be."

"Of course I do. I love the bloody pervert!"

"Yes I know," but he does not, she finished to herself.

"Aww Sango, that's wonderful!" exclaimed Kagome as she tossed an arm around her sister's waist in a happy embrace.

"Humph," was Sango's only reply to that. She'd thought it was wonderful too, when she'd figured it out a couple of days ago, but after today the jury had to rethink the decision.

In truth, she'd been married for a little over two weeks... they all had. Ever since the contracts had been signed by their Fathers, in fact. They knew this because Kagome had found out from their father the day after they'd been signed. The wedding ceremonies were just... dressing... something for the people to see and make romantic stories about and something more for their mothers to do. Eye candy.

They were like a new book whose story was already written, but needed a cover.

In the days between the day of the contracts being signed and yesterday; the day before the wedding; Mirouku had courted her... and Sango had enjoyed every minute of it. Well, once she'd gotten used to the idea.

The day Kagome had spoken with their father she'd been given a letter by Rai that was addressed to her from him. In the letter Mirouku had told her what he'd planned to do and why. For a while she hadn't believed it. She didn't understand why he would want to do such a thing, but when the bouquet of lilies arrived she'd had no choice but to believe him.

Her sisters had thought it was very sweet and had secretly wondered if the other two brothers would do the same. They didn't... or hadn't yet.

Mirouku had taken to visiting her everyday for the first week and taking her places like museums and being her escort to balls that their parents had accepted invitations to.

It had been lovely and wonderful and she'd enjoyed every minute of it... and whenever she'd caught him flirting or God forbid... groping another woman she'd quietly knock him upside the head and gone on about her business. She was sorry to say, but sometimes she'd even enjoyed those times too

He'd made her feel special and alive... and the couple of times he'd stolen a kiss from her, she had to admit that she'd very much enjoyed that too. So, when the next week came about and he'd taken her to the Masaharu estate to meet his mother and see his home she was already counting herself lucky to have been chosen for him and knowing this was how she felt, she wasn't very surprised when she'd realized she was in love with and loved the little pervert very much.

Even though he'd hit on everything in a dress, including her sisters, she'd still enjoyed his company. She'd even liked being angry with him... which was sad to say but... often.

She'd decided that it was just him getting it out of his system before they were married (because that was what he'd told her) she'd decided to not get too upset. After all, he hadn't asked for this marriage anymore then she had. Because of that, she didn't bother to explain to him that they were technically already married.

Her mother was perhaps the only female of marrying age in her household that he hadn't tried to put a move on.... and she figured that was because he knew he wouldn't survive the experiment. He was a pervert, but not a stupid one.

Sango had been sure she was in love when she'd come across an encounter with her sister Kagome and Mirouku. Mirouku was being his usual self, which meant he was trying to grope her little sister, and Kagome being who she was had already figured this out. So when her sister had felt a conspicuous hand inching its way to her derriere she'd pulled out of the hug they were in and given her `husband' a slap he wouldn't likely forget soon.

Sango had known she should have been angry, but when all she could feel was a bubbling laughter rising from the pit of her stomach at the expense of the man who'd found himself lying on the carpeted floor of the library after the incident she'd known. She was in love. She'd succumbed to her laughter then and had laughed even harder at herself as well for being in love with a hentai.

She almost laughed out loud again at the memory, but stopped herself when she heard her sister giggle beside her. She hoped Kagome wasn't taking a stroll through her mind without her permission. She knew the younger girl had ways of doing it without the recipient even knowing she was there.

"Whats so funny, Kagome?"

Kagome laughed again, before answering as she turned twinkling blue eyes on her sister, "I was just thinking about the wedding today. If you step back and think about the day and all that had gone wrong starting with your dress... its a hell of a funny story!"

Sango thought about that and if she did step away from it and not think of it as her own wedding it was actually pretty hysterical. She started to giggle herself as she turned to her other sister and threw her arm around Kikyo's waist to include her in the laughter. Kikyo's eyes sparkled with laughter after her lips curved in an uncontrollable grin.

They stood there staring out at a darkening sky, arms around each other as they all thought about the day that had just passed with similar amusement in their eyes.

~Flashback: Six hours earlier~

Sango was furious... and not just a little nervous. She was standing in only her undergarments and slip as she waited patiently for her wedding dress... to be finished.

Madame Elise, a French modiste who preferred to be addressed by her first name and not her last, had accidentally made her wedding dress using Kikyo's measurements! And since she was much curvier in the bust and hips, then Kikyo was... suffice to say, the dress was too small.

She was getting nervous because the ceremony was due to start in an hour and the modiste had yet to return.... with or without a gown. And she couldn't even look to her sisters for support because they were busy with other catastrophes.

It seemed that the doves that her mother had ordered had a slight problem. They had arrived twenty minutes ago all beautiful and soft, but apparently one of the maids had misplaced their cages... so when a large crash had sounded from the vicinity of the kitchens the birds had spooked with a flutter of white wings and taken to the skies when the balcony doors had been opened by an unsuspecting servant returning to fetch more chairs at her father's command.

So, while Kagome was working on finding a replacement for the birds and hiding the hapless maid away, Kikyou was off trying to calm down their angry mother and keep her from deciding to `misplace' said maid.

So, the fact that she was sitting there hyperventilating and panicking was understandable... if only to her. When in truth she'd only been waiting for about twenty minutes. Plenty of time for her to work herself into a good and well deserved panic.

Samgo jumped when the doors to her dressing room opened. She nearly fell out of her seat with relief when she saw the overly busty form of Madame Elise.

"OH THANK GOD!" she exhaled loudly as she jumped to her feet on unsteady legs. "Is it ready?"

She let go of the breath she was holding when she saw the woman nod happily.

"Elise does not know how such a mishap could occur. Me girls are very gifted az you can see, no?" she said in a heavy French accent as she held up the dress for Sango to see. "We do not know how we could have gotten you girls mixed. Tis' inconceivable, no?"

"Yes, it is odd. I don't understand it much myself, Madame."

"Yes, well no matter now. We get you dress, yes?" she asked with a nod of her head. She only waited a split second for Sango's answering nod. "Good! Come."

The older woman's voice was music to her ears.

Sango had already had her maid Else pin her hair up into a thick, french twist at the back of her skull. She had it all swept away from her face with tiny wisps hanging down along her face to trail against her neck right above her ears. Around her neck she wore a pearl choker given to her by her mother as a wedding gift. The dress was the finishing touch.

The dress fell off her shoulders leaving them bare. The top part stretched across the top of her breast and arms in one large fold made of silk. The sleeves of the dress were snug and mad completely of lace as it came down her arm finishing at a sharp point at the base of her middle finger on the outside of her hand. Along the outside of the sleeves there were one hundred pearls each going in a line down both arms. On the front of the gown were more pearls sown in a design of swirls as it tapered snug to her waist where the full skirt of the gown began. It fell like the shape of a bell to her feet made of soft silk as gently swept the ground at her feet.

The gown was very beautiful and made her skin appear to be glowing. At this time in life where fashion was on a cusp of the past and future, the dress was remarkably beautiful. At this time in fashion where straight-skirted dresses and skirts were just coming into play and full skirts were still here and hanging on strongly. The dress was perfect.

Sango stood in front of the full-length mirror admiring her image. She barely recognized the beauty staring back at her. If it weren't for the chocolate irises staring back at her she would have sworn it wasn't her.

That's how Kagome and Sango found her ten minutes later when they entered the room to check on her. The guest had started arriving and the garden at the back of the castle was swiftly filling up.

"Oh, Sango..." smiled Kagome as her and Kikyo entered the room. They both came to stand behind their sister so they all could admire the reflection in the mirror. "You look beautiful!!"

Kagome grasped Kikyo's hand as she beamed a mega-watt smiled at her eldest sister when their eyes met in the mirror.

Kikyo, feeling the familiar warmth of her sister wash through her from their linked hand, also gave Sango a radiant smile. She couldn't explain it, even now, but Kagome had always had the power to block the other emotions that were always present within her. Like her sister was saying to her in her own special way, `Come on Ki! Come out and play with us... I'll protect you and keep you safe.' And Kagome always did.... she always kept her safe.

It was like Kagome placed a transparent bubble around her in place of the wall she'd built a long time ago. It was much better then her wall though since with the bubble she was free to show her own emotions as well, without having to worry about someone outside of herself latching onto that emotion and catching a ride. With her own wall, showing her own emotions still left her open for others to get in, but at this point she was so use to hiding what she felt or at least keeping it firmly in check that it was more foreign to her to show those emotions then it was to not do so.

"Yes, Sango. You look wonderful, so stop fretting. He will think so, as well." She didn't need her gift to know what her sister was worrying about.

Only when Kagome touched her and protected her was she able to do so... but Kagome couldn't be with her all the time.

Sango was too happy and too nervous to get annoyed with her sister just then, so all she did was role her eyes and stick out her tongue towards the mirror at her sister. Then she swiveled around and smiled at them both.

"You really think so? You're not just saying that because you're my sisters and its my wedding day so you have too?" she said this all in a rush of breath as her cheeks tinged pink with the evidence of her excitement... and her need to breathe between words.

"Would we do that?" asked Kikyo with a curve to her lips as she watched Sango give her a knowing look then she outright grinned, "Well, alright Kagome would," she tilted her head slightly towards their youngest sister, "but, I wouldn't dream of doing that to you!"

They all laughed for they knew that Kikyo would do exactly that; tell a little white lie, if it was to protect her sister's feelings. But, fortunately for Sango that wasn't the case.

"So, did you take care of the doves?" she looked at Kagome inquiringly.

"Uhh..." she grinned sheepishly, "Well, lets just say that when the time comes there will definitely be birds flying in the sky."

Sango tilted her head as she pondered just what her sister could mean by that cryptic statement, but seeing the twinkle in both her sister's eyes she decided that she didn't want to know.

"And Mother?" she turned to Kikyo.

"Papa is with her now."

Kagome let go of her sister's hand and walked over to the large bay windows that gave off a view of the garden where the wedding was, shortly, to take place and looked out.

"You won't believe how many people have arrived already! With twenty minutes to spare!" she smiled down on the crowd of family, friends, and neighbors. "How punctual of them."

"Hmm..." responded Sango as she rubbed her palms down the side of her gown. She was listening with only half an ear as she was finding it hard to concentrate. She was so out of it, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Kikyo grab one of her hands and give a light squeeze in reassurance.

She smiled up at her in gratitude.

"You wouldn't believe how much has gone bad today. A ruckus had started in the kitchens and in the issuing confusion the top layer of your wedding cake had been knocked off, which Elsee is scrambling right now to fix. Then, against my better judgment mind you, Mom realizes the Tanaka family has returned and decides I should go and invite Hojo, Yumi and their parents to the wedding, but before I can even get myself out of the house he shows up with the speed of a jack rabbit with his sister in tow. And of course Yumi, dear heart that she is but very unfortunate when it comes to maneuvering herself around objects and coming away unharmed, knocks over one of the large busts right beyond the doors leading out to the garden. You know, the one of the goddess Athena?" she continues after glancing over her shoulder for a sec to catch there nods, "Yes, well she knocks that over. Which wouldn't have been so bad if Kirara hadn't been coming from wherever she was coming from and ending up getting her tail caught between the ground and the statue."

"Oh my God..." breathed Sango in horror. "Is she all right? Where is she? I have to find her!" she turned on her way to the door. Her voice rising as she feared for her cat.

"SANGO!" yelled Kagome; stopping her sister before she could take another step to storm out of the room. "She's fine. Honest. A little sulky, but fine and you know if she wasn't she'd have found you a long time ago," she smiled reassuringly. "Anyhow, at impact she howled then let out a stream of fire that not only set two rose bushes on fire, but a few chairs as well." She smiled then added with a little chuckle, "she also got the hem of Yumi's lovely lavender gown."

They all smiled at that mental image. Though they all liked Yumi well enough, they couldn't help thinking the clumsy girl got what she deserved.

"Then Dygee, wanting to help fix things, freezes the two bushes that were on fire and Yumi's exposed legs as well. One of the servants was working on thawing the poor girl out when I left to come and check on you. So, now you have two charred looking rose bush ice statues for your wedding. Compliments of Dygee," she gave a small curtsy in mock appreciation.

Kagome turned back to the window to watch the guests once more and immediately regretted it. The garden had filled up tremendously, but that wasn't what had caught her eye. No. What caught her cerulean gaze was the fact that she was watching the dark haired groom flirting with one of the servants: a pretty blonde by the name of Sara.

She narrowed her eyes at the view out the window as she watched Miroku give the boyish grin of his that told Kagome he was trying to decide on the best way he could get a feel of the girl before the girl decided to give him an example of what she thought about his thoughts.... in the form of a slap.

Just then Kagome heard her sisters calling her name

"Kagome!?"

Kagome took a deep breath before turning around.

"What?"

"I asked you if that was all that went wrong today?"

"Hmm.... oh yes! That was all," she paused as if in though then added, :"Well, that and the Emperor sending his regrets that he couldn't make it today and offered his congratulations."

"I'm sure he did," said Sango dryly with a derisive twist of her lips. She found a strange kind of irony in the fact that the one person who caused this wedding to take place won't be there to witness it.

Kikyo watched as Kagome turned back to the window and went still when she felt her go tense with anger. Kikyo narrowed her eyes in question. `What is she looking at that has made her so upset?'

"Kagome what has caught your attention out there," called out Kikyo curiously.

She became even more curious when she saw Kagome once again turn quickly toward them, but this time she took a step towards them as if to keep them away from the window.

"Nothing," Kagome answered brightly... a little too brightly. "Come! Lets head down. Papa will be coming for you soon."

Sango gave her sister a speculative look. She watched as Kagome's cheeks tinge with color as she worked to avoid meeting their eyes.

Sango nodded her head once as if she'd come to some important decision. Then took a step forward and headed towards her sister... and the window.

Kagome immediately stepped in her sister's path blocking her way.

"Sango. Wh... What are you doing? We need to be heading down. Come on," she reached out to grab her sister, but Sango danced out of her reach.

"No," she laughed at her sister's obvious distress, "I want to see what had you so transfixed. Is one of our neighbors naked in public, perhaps? Or perhaps a family member... Oh, Lord! As long as it's not Cousin Buyo I will live through the experience!"

"SANGO!!"

"What?" she giggled sheepishly, "Don't act like you'd enjoy seeing Cousin Buyo in his birthday suite.I can't believe how that name has stuck with him all this time. You started calling him that when you were three and couldn't pronounce his name right," Sango shuck her head in bewilderment and slight amusement. "Do either of you even remember what his true name is?"

Sango sighed in mock bereavement as both of them shuck their heads in the negative.

"Neither do I." Just then she caught her sister tilting her head at an angle to get a surreptitious look out the window and immediately remembered what she'd been intending to do. The window.

Not saying a word she quickly made her way to the window, sidestepping her sister to keep out of arms reach. Sango quickly scanned the garden below her taking in the growing crowd, she was just about to turn away from the window finding nothing interesting when she noticed a familiar dark head. She swiftly saw read as her anger jumped when she saw said dark head bent closely with the blonde head of a young woman.

"I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!! EVEN AT OUR WEDDING HE WOULD DARE..." she raged loudly, "HAS HE NO SENSE OF SELF PRESERVATION?!?"

Sango stood calmly as she watched the man she was to marry very shortly flirt with another woman. She quietly slowed her breathing and bald her fist at her sides as the rage slowly melted into hurt.

"I'm going to kill him," she said quietly to no one in particular. She swallowed and lifted her chin as she gave herself a slight nod as if coming to a decision.

Sango swiveled on her heels and turned to her right as she marched through an open doorway found along the wall. It opened to her bedroom and through there to her closet. She pulled open her closet with such force that the door banged hard against the wall behind it. Reaching inside she grabbed the large object she had come for and quickly made her way back to the bay window in her dressing room.

Kagome and Kikyo watched as there sister marched back passed them carrying the large object in her hand; neither saying a word.

"Why'd she get Hirikotsu?" whispered Kagome to Kikyo though she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Kikyo could feel the sparksof anger coming off of her sister, but she could also feel the her sister's pain. She could feel the hurt coming from the other girl like huge tidal waves and it was because of this, she didn't try to stop her sister from doing what she was obviously about to do.

"We are about to find out why I suspect," she replied in her usual quiet tone.

Sango stepped to the large window and pulled it open letting the warm breeze creep into the room. Sango stared below her and couldn't believe her luck! Miroku and the blonde had moved away from the growing crowd and closer to the table full of refreshments. She had no idea why they had moved, probably for more privacy she thought savagely, but did not let the sour thought stop her. He would pay, and pay dearly, for this embarrassment.

With precision and skill she lifted the giant boomerang high above her head. She narrowed her eyes as she lifted her other arm straight out in front of her with her fingers pointing straight out towards her target. She slowly took aim and waited for her moment.

She watched as he laughed with the other woman in merriment looking as he was enjoying himself. She knew perfectly well that the wedding was due to begin in less then ten minutes, but she didn't care. She was on a mission.

Then her moment came.

She watched as the woman took a small step backwards as she giggled and then as Miroku tossed his head back to let out a large laugh. And in that moment, while they were blissfully unaware, she let Hirikotsu fly.

She watched as certain people, those she knew who held a keen sense of hearing turned to look in her general direction. Sango watched as Miroku's head swiveled around as well. She didn't know if it was his hearing or maybe an innate sense of impending danger or something of the both, whatever it was she watched as he took a swift step backwards as his eyes lifted to meet hers. Even from the great distance between them she saw his violet eyes flash with some hidden emotion.

**

Miroku slowly extracted his gaze from that of the angry woman on the balcony and returned it to the large weapon before him. He looked down at the ground where one large tip sat heavily where it had pierced the ground. He could see as he examined the ground and took in the spot that he was standing in then, the spot he had been standing in and the spot that held the large boomerang he realized one thing.... whether he had moved or not, the weapon would not have hit him.

He saw that the weapon sat in the very small spot that sat between him and Sara, the girl he was talking with.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. `Either she's a lousy shot... or has perfect aim.'

Miroku shuck his head and turned around to make his way inside the castle. Something told him he had a very angry bride to appease... and apologize too. Somehow...

**

Onigumo stood next to his wife right underneath the bay window his daughter had made her attack from. He was not at an angle to see it coming, but he had had no doubt that something would be coming. From the moment he'd spotted the youngest Masaharu flirting he'd felt a primal need within him to go a beat the daylights out of the young pup, but then he'd decided to let his daughter, whom he knew would have a perfect view of the garden to see what was going on, handle it.

Though, he had to admit, he hadn't been expecting that kind of an attack. He had to chuckle at the look that had come over the pup's face when he saw the large weapon hurtling through the air.

Him and his wife had heard the weapon almost immediately as their daughter had let it go since they were so close and their hearing was so keen.

But, all that had nothing to do with the astonished look on his face. No. No, that look came from the fact that his baby girl had missed! She never missed. `Well, there was that one time,' but she'd never missed since then and besides his daughter had been young then.

"Atsuki, did you see that?"

"Hmm, yes, " she smiled faintly, "though I'm not surprised. He was playing with fire flirting with Sara like that."

"True enough, but that is not what I speak of," at her puzzled look he continued, "she missed. She never misses."

Atsuki thought about her husband words as she eyed him thoughtfully. Unlike her husband she'd been watching her daughter and the young Masaharu over the last two weeks and if what she suspected was true her daughter was already in love with her young groom and if that was so, then she knew that her daughter couldn't cause the boy real physical harm. But, she figured for Sango to result to using Hirikotsu she either didn't want to come down from the room or she was hurting... and hurting bad.

"She did not miss. Your daughter aim is as true as it has always been."

He turned to look at his wife as what she was saying slowly dawned on him.

"Are you saying... she meant to miss??"

"Precisely."

"Why?" he intoned with a mixture of shock and disbelief

Atsuki quietly patted her husband's hand before entwining his fingers with her own and guiding him towards the door that led back inside the castle.

"Later dear. I'll explain it to you later."

**

Sango watched as Miroku made his way swiftly inside the castle. She knew where he was headed and she hoped he would not be so foolish as to come up there to her at that moment. She had no idea what she would do to him if he was in arms reach of her, but whatever it was she knew there was no court in the country that would prosecute her for it. Not after what she just witnessed... on her wedding day!

"You didn't hit him."

Sango didn't make any move to show she'd heard Kikyo's quiet statement. She sighed to herself as she knew perfectly well what her actions would be saying to her sisters. Sango knew it was really that that her sister was stating quietly and not the fact that she hadn't hit him.

"No, I didn't hit him," she quietly confirmed her sister's query though her statement had not been a question.

Kagome nodded understanding what her sister had just told them both.

"He's coming,"

"I know."

"We'll let you guys talk," said Kikyo then. "Come on Kagome."

"Alright," answered Kagome with a nod as she followed Kikyo to the door.

When Kikyo swung the door open Miroku was their preparing to knock.

"Ladies," he said in greeting but for once the smile did not reach his eyes

Both of them narrowed their eyes at him. Silently letting him know that they would not let him hurt their sister a second time. After a moment of intense staring they brushed pass him without a word of greeting or farewell.

"Sango."

**

The ceremony started an hour late and because of this fact it was rushed. Both Kikyo and Kagome stood by Sango's side as she gave her vows to love, honor, and obey. And the same went for Miroku that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru also stood beside him when he made his promises to love, honor, and cherish.

The only difference that was marked by both families and the guest was that while the groom smiled broadly with joy the bride looked as if there was a good possibility she could be talked into killing the male youkai beside her.

One person in particular made a silent note of that.

Many of the guest also noticed that while the groom's brothers simply looked uninterested the bride's sisters... well, their was more there. One sister looked passively calm while the other looked highly annoyed, but one couldn't be sure if her annoyance was because of the fact her own wedding would be taking place not too long from now or because of the obnoxious male who kept claiming her as `his woman'.

Most decided on the latter since no one knew of the girl's own upcoming nuptials. While others were too busy admiring all three girls beauty-the youngest in particular-to worry over-much about it.

Both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom led the guest inside to begin the party. Both women looked stunning garbed in their elaborate gowns as they smiled and made pleasantries with family, guest and each other. Both of their husbands watched their interaction with more then a little apprehension. It was not lost on either of them that this wedding had also mad these two women; both with a temper a mile wide and a mile long; family.

Two families that had strong ties to the seat of the Emperor and were as aristocratic as one can get and not be royalty had just been made one family. No one could imagine the sparks that would fly that night....

~Back to the Balcony~

"We should go back inside. We can't hide out here forever."

"Who is hiding?" asked Sango with a roll of her eyes at her sister.

Kikyo merely arched a brow in answer to that useless attempt to make her think otherwise.

"Oh, give Sango. You're hiding," said Kagome forcefully then with a sigh of self-disgust she added, "We're all hiding."

They all stayed quiet for a moment none wanting to confirm or try and deny the observation.

"And damn if we're not doing a sad job of it! They're directly behind us! They don't even have to move from those seats to get a good look at us."

With Kagome's words they all looked sideways at one another before silently coming to an agreement. They each took a deep breath then as one turned completely around to face the three gazes they'd been avoiding for most the night. They all walked forward until they were standing just inside the doorway.

Kagome took a discreet glance around the room to make sure a certain youkai was nowhere near by. Kikyo stared straight ahead with a soft tilt to her lips. Sango after a moments pause began to walk forward.

"Sango," Kagome called out in query. "Where are you going?"

Sango stopped and cast a glance over her shoulder and caught her sister's blue gaze.

"I believe the bride and groom have a dance to make that is long over due."

All three shared a smile before making there way to the table that the three men resided.

~*~

Author Note: I am sorry, that it has taken me so long to get this up for you guys. I have no excuse except that I had to unexpectedly leave town for a while and had no time to type... only to write. And while I've been back for about a week now I've been having difficulties with Fanfiction.net. I couldn't log into the damn site!! Anyway, I am back and I apologize once again for the HUGE delay.

I would like to do something that I don't usually do... and that's make a recommendation. I usually leave this up to Striking Falcon since she is sooooo good at it, but I've found a Sess/Kag fic that I think is really good and think need more reviews so she keeps writing.

Story: Through Time and Space (don't remember i.d number)

Author: SesshysHime

It has a very powerful Kagome who is also very sad. As well as a very sad Sesshoumaru. But, things get interesting when they come together for answers and comfort.... okay, I suck at summaries!! Just go and read it! Please???

Now, I must be off, I have 2 chapters to give on A Second Chance at Love and a much over due chapter on Life's Amazing Querks. And as you can see the cast is out, they haven't been able to go out for over a month....