A/N:So, here's my first attempt at the Kagome/Sesshoumaru pairing! Hopefully, I won't completely botch it.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I am denied this right.

Summary:(AU) Kagome Higurashi, a lady of the Northern lands, is on a mission to save her sister from marrying the cold-hearted Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West. She'll do anything short of murder to prevent it, so why not give him the ride of his life while she's at it? (SessKag)

Honor-bound

Part I: The Rumored Proposal

"He's going to do what?!" Kagome's eyes nearly bulged right out of their sockets.

Sango Ikawa, her best friend and partner in crime, whispered back, "Kagome-chan! Don't be so loud about it! People are starting to stare, you know!"

"I'm sorry, but I've never even heard of this. If it's gossip about my family, I should have been the first to know."

And that, she supposed, was the entire problem. Being one of the more important ladies of the Northern lands, she had to attend court to maintain her family's upstanding reputation. Court, Kagome thought distastefully, consisted of endless balls, scandalous gossip, and people so shallow she wouldn't be surprised if they were all made out of wood!

Well…there were a few exceptions, Sango –of course—being one of them.

It really didn't change anything though. No matter what anyone said, the nobility was not as glamorous as some painted it out to be. If the truth was to be known, Kagome was quite tired of it all. Her father, Lord Kenji Higurashi, told her she'd reached the time in her life where she should be considering marriage.

Marriage?!,she bitterly remembered thinking. No one would ever choose to marry her! Certainly she had beauty, but her weird tastes and unusual personality could scare even the most determined of pursuers. Honestly, what had her father been thinking? If anything, the most prosperous of marriages would fall down to her beautiful older sister, Kikyou.

Oh yes, Kikyou, who would no doubt make the perfect wife. She was docile, quiet, and Kami forbid, the more obedient daughter of the Higurashi family.

It wasn't that Kagome envied her older sister, that wasn't the case at all. She just couldn't understand why Kikyou meekly accepted everything in her life. She didn't fight for what she wanted, but simply nodded her head at what was to be expected of her. Kagome loved her sister; there was not a bone of malice in her. But, as it was, they were both from different worlds. Kagome knew she would never understand Kikyou and Kikyou could say the same for Kagome. Still, the bond of blood would always hold them together and that would always come first.

So, when Sango decided to drop the bomb on Kagome in the middle of a crowded ballroom, it was all Kagome could do not to scream bloody murder at the very top of her lungs. It was ridiculous! Sango must have heard wrong!

According to rumor, and Kagome hoped to Kami that this was all it was, a lord from the Western lands had finally decided to take a bride. And this wasn't just a lord of the Western lands, it was the lord of the Western lands: Sesshoumaru Taishou, the stoic and cold-hearted eldest son of the Inu no Taishou. To add to this, he'd in fact already chosen a bride. And, of course, it was Kagome's luck to have it be her sister. Knowing Kikyou, she'd readily accept his suit, regardless of any feelings she may have for anyone else.

So, could anyone really blame her for reacting the way she did?

No, she thought not.

Sango took one look at Kagome and made the wise decision to take their little conversation to the nearby balcony. If anything else, the fresh air would help soothe her dearest friend's nerves. Grabbing Kagome's arm, she guided them towards the open doors to the cool night air.

Obviously more comfortable in the new surroundings than in the stifling ballroom, Kagome faced Sango. "Okay, so continue."

"Well, I heard it from Houshi-sama, who heard it from Inuyasha, who heard it from his father himself!"

Incredulous, Kagome could only stare back at Sango. "You're trying to tell me that you believe in everything that lecherous man has to say?"

Sango could only redden in flushed embarrassment. "He's not as bad as you think…" she trailed off weakly.

Rolling her eyes at her obviously smitten best friend, Kagome replied, "Sango-chan, you're not fooling anyone. If what they say about Miroku-sama is anywhere close to being true, he's been with at least a thousand women! You'll be okay with that?"

"It's not like I want to marry him! He's nice, that's all I'm saying. Besides, you're getting off topic. This isn't about me, it's about your family."

Sighing at the truth of Sango's words, she nodded in agreement. "Right, it is about my family. Which is why, for the life of me, I can't figure out why he would want to marry Kikyou. They say he has ice running through his veins!"

The reputation of the cold-hearted Sesshoumaru was widely known. They even went so far as to claim he didn't even have a heart. But, then again, this mostly came from the women who were previously spurned by him. They said he was unnaturally beautiful as well, with long white silky hair and golden amber eyes to match. Kagome had never actually met him, but from what she heard, she didn't think she'd want to anyway. Overly confident, power-hungry, and blatantly uncaring were personality traits she didn't associate with someone to befriend. She didn't think her sister would like it much either.

Sango gave her a look of sympathy. "I know! I've heard he was completely arrogant too. He's supposed to show up at the next formal ball your family is hosting."

Kagome seethed. She didn't want him in her house or within ten feet of her sister. She had heard enough about him and she was willing to bet good money that they weren't all lies. There was always an underlying shred of truth in gossip, after all. Besides, it didn't help that the general consensus said he was an unmercifully ruthless demon. The only thing he had going for him was that he was 'supposedly' honorable.

"Sango-chan, do you know if this all even true? What if we're just jumping to conclusions?" She hoped against hope.

"Keh! It is true, I heard it from the old man himself." A new voice entered the conversation.

Startling Kagome and Sango, both women nearly had heart attacks. Inuyasha, the younger half-brother of Sesshoumaru, was leaning against the balcony, arms crossed in a manner unbefitting for a son of Taishou. He never really did follow all the rules anyway.

"Inuyasha! You can't go around just jumping in people's conversations like that!" –She glared menacingly at the half-demon—"And, what exactly did your father say?"

"Feh. Why should I tell you?"

"Because it obviously has to do with my sister."

At the mention of her sister, Inuyasha's whole demeanor suddenly changed.

"I know," he replied in an almost heartbroken tone.

Kagome and Sango exchanged looks. They didn't miss what he was trying so hard to hide. It was Kagome who spoke first. "Inuyasha? Do you…do you like my sister?"

The hanyou in question immediately blushed, his ears twitching under their close scrutiny. "No! It's not like that! I just…just care for her, that's all. Don't get any funny ideas!"

Kagome nearly scoffed. "You don't have to feel embarrassed, you know. It doesn't make you weak to have feelings! So, tell us, what exactly did your father say?"

He wanted to hold his tongue, seeing as it was private matters that they were asking about, but he decided to tell them anyway. Kagome had a point; it did concern her sister. "Keh! Fine, but don't yell at me for delivering you the news. He wants my cold stick of a brother to marry your sister, so that there'll be a stronger alliance between the Western and Northern lands."

"But, why? They get along well right now," Kagome reasoned.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her ignorance. "In case you haven't heard, there's been unrest among the human and demon population. My old man's only doing what he thinks would prevent an all out war."

So, there it was.

The truth.

It didn't help that it was hitting Kagome in the head like a sack of hard, sharp rocks. Her poor sister, Kikyou, being used a pawn to save the masses. Typical, real typical. She was going to put a stop to this. If no one was going to do anything about this whole ordeal, she'd at least attempt to try and talk to her father.

"No." She firmly declared. "There has to be some other way. I'm going to talk to my father as soon as I return home."

With that first priority resolutely placed, Kagome put her mind at ease.

"Kikyou?"

Kagome almost didn't recognize the hunched form sitting on her bed. It was completely unlike her sister to display any kind of emotion. She was crying. Kagome knew this because of the quivering short breaths she took that shook her petite frame.

She had been crying for a while.

Kagome hadn't been expecting this when she finally returned home. The rest of the ball blurred by as an uneventful mess. She was driven to set things right. All she wanted to do was go home and talk to her father. She definitely did not expect to find Kikyou in her room.

"Ka..Kagome?" Kikyou turned to face her sister.

It was heartbreaking to see the tears streaming down her normally beautiful face.

Kagome quickly moved towards her bed, sitting next to Kikyou and rubbing her back in a soothing manner. When they were young, her mother used this technique to help calm her children. Kagome hoped it would work now. "What's wrong, Onee-chan?" Kagome asked gently.

Kikyou nearly broke down again at her sister's concern. "Oh! Oh…Kagome! I'm so sorry you have to see me in such a state."

"Don't be sorry. Just tell me why you're crying, so I can beat up whoever it is made you cry."

Kikyou gave her sister a watery smile. "No, it's nothing like that. It' s just that Father…"

Kagome gave her a few seconds to calm herself. "It's okay, Ne-chan. Take your time."

Breathing in deeply, Kikyou continued, "Well, he told me that I am to marry."

Kagome nodded slowly, comprehension finally dawning. "Did he say you were to wed Sesshoumaru-sama of the Western lands?"

Shocked, Kikyou stared at her sister. "Yes, how did you know that?"

"Let's just say that I've had a surprising night as well. When did he tell you?"

"Well, he told me less than an hour ago. He said that Sesshoumaru-sama was going to court me, and I was supposed to accept his suit. And, you know Kagome, I try to be a good daughter. A-a-all the time, and really, I would accept, but…but…"

"But what Ne-chan?"

"I'm in love."

A/N:Dun dun dun. Can anyone even guess as to who she's in love with?

Thoughts, comments, flames. Reviews are welcome :D

-Tinkah