Ok, so I was going to start posting this story after I had ended 'New Beginnings', but I'm tired of writing that story right now. I'll finish it, so no worries, but I wanted to get this one out. I have up to ch. 14, but it seems a little rushed to me. I'll post once a week, sometimes twice if you're lucky. I'm pretty spastic with Japanese words, so you'll see both demon and youkai, etc. Well enough of that, on to the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Inuyasha

Cotton candy.

Sugar sweet.

Pleasantly, at first

to read.

0

Then betrayal,

Hatred, anger.

Spinning, lost,

Into danger.

0

Bitter, darker,

Deeper still.

Til blackened up,

all is filled.

Betrothed

The wedding of the year was to be held in the home village of the bride, away from the bustle of the capital, Kyoto. The demon Lord Inutashio's younger son Inuyasha was to be married to the Lady Kagome, only daughter of Imperial strategist Todo Seigan. They had reached the appropriate age, Kagome 17 and Inuyasha 20. All had heard he was already a noble warrior of great repute, despite his young age. Most of the province had heard of this as well. But that was not gossip that was worthwhile. Most were talking of Lord Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru. He was 23, devastatingly handsome, and seemingly immune to emotion. He was also the heir to most of the Western Lands. He had refused an arranged marriage with demoness Lady Aiko, who was said to be one of the most beautiful women to walk the earth, demon or human. And he would be present at the wedding.

In the small village of Kawagoe, Lady Kagome sat waiting for her fiancée to arrive. She was clad in a cerulean silk kimono that matched her unusual eyes. It had a white kimono underneath and a white obi. Both the obi and outer kimono were embroidered with silver in the pattern of cherry blossoms. Her complexion was that of porcelain, her facial features serene so as not to betray the fluttering that was taking place in her stomach. She hoped Inuyasha would like her. They had not seen each other since she was 4 and he was 7. The only memory she could conjure up of him was amber eyes and a lot of wild silvery hair topped by dog's ears. Kagome remembered asking him if she could touch them, but he only grunted at her and walked away. She knew that he must have grown up by now and probably wouldn't even remember the incident. She barely remembered it herself. Lost in thought, Kagome didn't hear the sound of horses until her father mentioned they had arrived.

"Come daughter, let us welcome your bridegroom." She smiled, took his arm, and waded out into the afternoon sunshine.

00

Inutashio and Inuyasha steadied their horses in the courtyard. Inutashio spotted two people walking towards them.

"Ahhh, Todo my friend!" he exclaimed. "We had thought it was impossible to find this place!"

Todo gave a small smile and returned the greeting.

"Inutashio, allow me to present your future daughter-in-law, my jewel, Kagome."

"Indeed she is a jewel, Todo. Lovely," he replied. "Don't you think Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha took in the sight of his bride. He had been glum all during the ride-he remembered Kagome as an annoying, plain- looking child. But now, her skin was like polished ivory and she seemed to glow from within. Her hair was raven, so dark it seemed to take the light from around it and keep it hidden. Most unusual though, were her eyes. He swore that they had been so dark they could be called black, but the woman before him possessed sapphires that rivaled the beauty and depth of the sea. He found his voice at last.

"She is not a jewel," he grated. She looked somewhat hurt and angry, but held her head proudly. That made his inner-self smile; in this she was much like his brother. He continued," She is the sun, something that has unreachable beauty. A paltry jewel pales in comparison to her."

Inutashio smiled wryly. "My son must approve; he has never spoken such poetry that I have ever heard of."

By this time, Kagome's light blush had darkened considerably. Inutashio, ever the diplomat, cleared his throat and tried to rescue the poor thing.

"Well Todo, where would you have us lodge for now?" Kagome's father told them where they were to be staying and sent some of the servants to see to the rest of the group that had traveled with them.

00

Kagome ate her miso soup in silence, letting the conversation of the men flow over and around her. They were speaking of the war of course, and who was fighting with whom, who made alliances, and so on and so forth. It took her a great deal of willpower not to speak up when the conversation turned to battle strategies and war tactics. Her father knew of course, what a brilliant tactician she was-he had even used some strategies she made up during a game out on the battlefield. So instead she concentrated on her food and sneaking glances at the demon next to her.

She hadn't really been able to get a good look at him before; her head was bowed most of the time. He had the untamed silver locks that she remembered from before and the tawny gold eyes that flamed like suns. His ears twitched lazily atop his head and the tip of the fang closest to her jutted out onto the surface of his lower lip. Kagome decided that the peculiarities made his even more handsome, and more adorable. As she was smiling, he looked towards her. She quickly looked down at her plate. Inuyasha could see the faint blush once more appear on her cheeks. His heart swelled; she was such an innocent, pretty little thing. He had seen the Lady Aiko; Kagome was twice, no thrice lovelier than she. Inutashio cleared his throat and directed his next sentence at the engaged couple.

"I have just received word that Sesshomaru will arrive within the week with the wedding robes." He smiled beatifically at them. "This time can be spent getting you two reacquainted with each other."

This time Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and smiled. He returned the gesture and wondered what he had done to deserve her.