Kagome never thought in her entire life she'd be in the situation she was in now. It was completely desperate of her. Demoralizing!

People who had known her all her life were standing by watching the scene that she was causing.

But their judging eyes had no affect on her. When one is so desperate, not much could.

Her brother was dying. He needed to be treated by a doctor right away. Kagome herself was good at treating the sick, but it had become so serious that it was out of her hands.

But she couldn't afford a hospital. She was a human, after all, living in a Youkai kingdom. In the small village Kagome lived in, humans were second class citizens. Jobs were given more to the youkai rather than them. So it was easy to understand why Kagome had no money.

She used to get small amounts from her older sister who'd send them by donkey drawn carriage mail, but within the past month she hadn't received any at all.

The money was never that much, only enough for her younger siblings to have three small meals a day while she had one, but she always treated it like a treasure.

Now her treasure was gone, and she couldn't wait any longer for it. Sota couldn't wait for it any longer.

So she ran into the market street of her village to beg people for money to help pay for a hospital. But they all brushed her aside and gave her no eye contact; treated her as if she were invisible.

She collapsed onto her knees. 'All because I'm begging for money?' she screamed in her mind while looking at all the people who avoided her. 'No…I have to keep trying!'

"Please!" she screamed. "I need money for my brother! I'll do anything!"

She soon found her hands in the dirt road as she tried to bow low to anyone who would help her. Then she saw a pair of sandaled feet stop in front of her.

She looked up at a huge man with his hands on his hips. He gave her sly smile.

"Anything?" he asked.

Her eyes grew wider. Anything, most likely meant one thing for this particular man. Was she really willing to give herself away to a stranger? Something she had held so precious to herself for eighteen years, gone to a creep for some cash?

Then she thought of Sota. How his face was hot and in pain. How she felt like the worst sister in the world for not being able to provide for him or make him better.

That gave her the courage to stand up. She clutched the folds of her yellow yukata over her chest more and tried to avert her eyes from his lecherous ones.

She could see almost every person now watching her. Youkai and human alike, she knew them all and they would not help her. It seemed cruel to her. Months ago she was like all of them, just getting by each day at a time.

But now that she had to resort to begging, she was nothing in their eyes. And yet they all stared at her waiting to see if she would become the next big scandal.

Kagome muttered something to the man so no one but he could hear.

"WHAT?!" he yelled outraged. Kagome looked him square in the eye.

"You heard me."

He looked disgusted. "You're the desperate one here, not me. Five thousand just for a night? At that price I should just own you." Kagome stared at him stubbornly, jaw tightly locked. She would not go any less. Sota's bill would cost just that. "Sorry lady, no deal." He said as he turned to walk away.

"NO!" Kagome cried out as she grabbed his arm and fell to her knees. He looked down at her questionably. "Alright!" she yelled giving in. "For eight thousand…you…you can own me."

The man snorted and slapped her arm away. "Be serious girl." Kagome landed on her chest but she got back up standing firmly in her geta.

"I told you, I AM being serious!" she yelled at him. "So are you gunna buy me or not?!"

He grinned, but this time it had become slyer. "Who says I won't just take a free sample?" The intent in his eyes startled Kagome forcing her to take a step backwards. She could hear and see people beginning to walk away so they wouldn't get involved.

He grabbed her by the shoulders. His hands were huge calloused crushers over her frail bones. He could feel the difference in their strength. He smiled satisfied, but before another thing could be done Kagome kneed him hard in the stomach. He let go to grab where she had made contact, and when she was free of him she gave him a nice uppercut to the face.

As if that wasn't enough she spun on her left heel, swung her right leg up high, and slammed it into the back of his neck. He fell to the ground and rolled to his side in anguish. Kagome then slammed her elbow into his sighed causing him to yell out in pain.

She stood and stared down at him. She may have been desperate but weak was something she wasn't.

Kagome looked at him with disgust. "How's THAT for a free sample you gross man?" She yelled kicking dirt in his face. She spun on her heel and began to leave the market for the next one.

Hopefully someone there would offer her help.

Confused and amused eyes watched from a carriage as Kagome took her leave.

No one had seen the carriage since it was hidden around the corner, but the master of it witnessed everything that had happened out in the market. He leaned out through his window to yell to the driver.

"Go to the next busiest market." He ordered the driver in the front. "I believe…I found something more valuable then what we've been looking for."

The driver, a young man with black hair tied in a small little tail at the back, looked curiously at his master.

"My lord," he began as he let the reins to the white horse that drew them go loosely onto his lap, "are you sure you wish to be seen in the public? This market is unlike the other. It wasn't crowded at all here so I could pull you along." He told him. "Wherever you want to go in the next market you'll have to walk since it is so crowded."

"It's no matter; the people will part faster if they see me instead of my coach. So continue onward." The driver still looked concerned.

"Why not I go to the market alone so you will not have to?" the driver asked trying to give his master more options.

His master raised a confused eyebrow at him. "Why do you continue to persuade me when I have already made such a clear order?" The driver gulped.

"Forgive me…Lord Sesshoumaru..I was only…never mind. As you wish." The driver knew arguing with Sesshoumaru was not wise to do. With a small tap of the reigns, the horse began to move and they made their way to the next market.

'Something at the market more valuable then what we've been looking for?' wondered the driver.

Kagome was surrounded by five of them. If she were a man she would have been thrilled to pieces, but as it turned out she was woman. Damn. If she were a man she could have had a better chance of getting a job. But to the matter at hand.

Her palms were up in a retreating pose. "Relaaax." Kagome said to the five hookers who were threatening to beat her up if she didn't leave from their spot. "I'll just go somewhere else."

Hooker number one crossed her arms over her huge bust. "By somewhere else, you better mean another village. We've got this one taken care of."

Kagome, even though she was pressed for time, let out a sigh. The jade colored kimonos were a dead give away to whom these hookers belonged. Jiro, the village's big jigalo. He was notorious for having only the finest beauties at his disposal. He was also known for not being cheap.

"Look! It wasn't like I was trying to take any of your clients. I'm not even interested in what you women are doing."

Hooker number two looked confused. "But we heard you tell people you'd do anything for money!"

"Yeah? Well I'm desperate over here!" Kagome exclaimed.

"So…are you willing to sell yourself?" came a male voice. All the hookers turned towards it with recognition. They all looked at a man who was wearing a jade kimono. Kagome assumed this was Jiro.

He sized Kagome up, and he looked pleased. Kagome clenched her fists, but she had no other choice. She knew Jiro was wealthy and she could tell that he knew that she was desperate.

Through her teeth she told him, "I am…willing to do just that." This pleased him more.

"Then why not work for me?"

"No!" cried all five hookers. "We don't like her."

While they all whined to Jiro, Kagome's insides felt all kinds of strange. She wanted to feel relieved, but couldn't. Even though whatever she worked out with Jiro would benefit her brother, and her family, she couldn't shake the disgusted feeling in the pit of her stomach. 'I have to do this.' She kept telling herself. The feeling then went up into her throat.

Trying to think of Sota for courage, only made her cry. She shut her eyes tight, but the tears escaped anyways. 'I need the money. I need the money. Lord! I'd do anything to get the money to help Sota out. If it's this way then fine, but is there any other way? If there is…please…PLEASE show me what it is.'

Kagome felt her whole body shake as she waited for Jiro to speak to her, but then she realized. Everyone had stopped talking, and the hookers had stopped whining.

"How much was your asking price?" asked a new voice from behind Kagome.

Her eyes shot wide opened at the startling sound of authority. She spun to see a tall youkai whose presents, and clothing, screamed royalty. She didn't know what had her more dazed.

His fair skin with a Prussian blue crescent moon on the center of his forehead, and two magenta stripes on each side of his cheeks? His long silver-white hair? Or his fancy kimono, a clear reflection of his nobility and status.

Then Kagome realized what the most amazing part of him was. His slanted amber eyes, and she couldn't help but wish to stare at them longer.

Then she saw a perfect eyebrow twitch upward.

'Did he just ask me a question?' She couldn't remember.

"You're price. What was it?" he asked her with a smooth voice. Still, Kagome made no noise. She merely stared wide-eyed at him. "Eight thousand, am I right?"

"Y..yes?" Kagome still couldn't wrap her head around it. Did he intend to buy her? Him?

"NO!" yelled Hooker number two. "You don't want her," she said disgustingly as she wrapped her arm around his own. "I'll be much more fun. You can have me for a week!"

Staring straight ahead he ignored the hooker's arm and said, "I don't intend for a one night stand. I wish to buy." He then glared down at her frightening her off of his arm. "And I do not wish to buy you." He said as if he were saying the word 'trash'. He looked up at Kagome, all hate gone from his face. Instead there was no emotion at all, just his left eyebrow raised higher than his right. "Eight thousand…or maybe you seek more?"

More.

Kagome couldn't breathe. He was offering her…more?

She could pay for Sota. She could give her family not only three big meals a day, but better clothing. She wouldn't have to wait for her sister's money anymore. She wouldn't have to leave her family knowing they would have to beg for food.

And she was going to take it, because she had no choice.

He extended his hand out to her. "Come." He commanded. "I want to discuss this privately."

She reluctantly went for his hand, so he grabbed it and walked her through a parted crowd of people.

Kagome was now sitting inside a cozy carriage that only showed how poor she truly was. The seats in which she sat were much nicer then her own yukata fabric. Looking down at her lap she could see her arms, legs, and tattered fabric. Everything was covered in dirt, her yukata most of all. It was embarrassing to be sitting in such a thing while being in her condition.

It made it even worse since she was sitting next to complete perfection. She looked at him a little bit. He sat perfectly straight staring forward, almost looking bored.

And perfect.

His kimono was made of white silk. Here and there, especially around the collar, it had red hexagonal and flower designs. It was tied together with a yellow and blue sash. The most extravagant thing he wore looked to be a huge white fur boa. Thankfully it draped over on his right side while Kagome sat on his left.

Repressing a sigh she looked out the small window to see where they had gone. And then she let out a small gasp.

They were traveling through the market place where she had been earlier that day. She had only been riding, silently, for only ten minutes. The two markets were thirty minutes apart, if you walked.

It startled her to see the faces of the people who wouldn't help her out. Any of them could have afforded two trips to the hospital, and her brother was dying now.

'Sota!' she remembered. 'All this time I'm in here while he's dying! I need to make this deal now.'

"Hey!" she said now addressing her buyer. "Are we going to make a deal or not? My brother is dying! If not, you're just wasting my time! I could be finding money from somebody else if…" His glare cut her off. She looked up at him startled, she couldn't even swallow.

"There is no need for you to go to anyone else." He said even tone. "I wish to buy you."

Kagome felt the carriage stop.

She stared up into his eyes feeling all sorts of relief. Her brother was going to live; her family was going to be alright. And then she remembered him mentioning more.

She was going to try and get more. All for her family. She would do all she could for them before she was forced to leave them.

Kagome stared at him determined. "Then let's make a deal."

"Oh yes, there are some rules before we make our transaction." He told her. "Our verbal agreement will bind us then."

She flinched at the word 'bind' for it reminded her of unpleasant things he might make her do.

"Miss?" Came a younger and gentler voice.

Startled Kagome turned to her left to see that the driver was now leaning over the carriage's window and into the small room with him only a few inches away from her face. She knew she felt the carriage stop, but she didn't realize it was so he could come back and have a friendly chat.

"Umm…yes?" she asked him.

His smile was comforting to her. He had a very kind and gentle expression on his face that reassured her. It almost melted away the scary situation she was in, and she was very thankful to him for that. So it was easy for her to reply with a smile that almost matched his.

His eyes grew wider at her responding smile. "Lord Sesshoumaru. You truly have an eye for beauty." He told him. Then he looked into Kagome's eyes with a hint of regret. "She's absolutely stunning." Kagome blushed at this. Her heart even got faster as he continued to stare.

"Let us no longer speak of frivolous things and get to the matter at hand." Sesshoumaru's voice said from behind Kagome. She turned to look at him again.

Her heart stopped.

'….Lord Sesshoumaru.' She was seeing him for what seemed to be the first time. The man who wanted to buy her was Lord Sesshoumaru. And it all made sense. The clothing, the carriage, the way everyone in the market moved out of his way and lowered their heads. This was the ruler. Her ruler.

And he wanted to buy her!

Now that Sesshoumaru had her attention he continued. "I want you to be my wife."

Kagome's reaction made her stand straight up knocking into Sesshoumaru's forehead. "WHAAAAAT?!" she yelled.

The driver looked from her to him not sure who he should help first. "My Lord, are you alright? Miss, please calm down! Master is your head alright? Miss close your mouth it looks unsightly. Master shall I rush to find you some ice?"

As he continued to freak out, Kagome just sat (because after hitting her head she sat back down) with her jaw to the floor, making little noises. Her head wouldn't wrap around what he had asked her, but there was no time to figure it all out. Sesshoumaru grabbed the left side of her face and forced her to look at him. Horror shook her out of her daze.

He was furious.

"Be silent!" he commanded. "We need to make a deal." He told her with some edge in his voice. "You will marry me and I will give you the money you ask for. That is what we each give to the other."

Kagome's eyes looked back at him. "M..Marriage?"

The kind voice of the driver came from behind, but Kagome didn't turn. "Yes, my master wishes to marry you. You will be his wife, but…there are some conditions."

"Conditions." She said to herself. Her eyes then lit back to life. "You don't want to marry someone you love? You'll just pick some…stranger?" She asked sounding disgusted.

"I wouldn't sound too grossed out by that since you are the stranger he wants to marry." The driver laughed nervously.

"But there are rules." Sesshoumaru told her, edge still settled to his tone.

Kagome sat straight and defensive. "And what are they?" she inquired.

He looked ahead of himself. "You are not allowed to love me." He told her. "We will be married but it'll only be a facade. When I have guests over you will entertain them, but you will not allow them to know that you are a beggar. Also, you can no longer see your family again. It'll be too risky for me to allow, and you'll blow our cover. I can't be disgraced with my friends from other kingdoms knowing that I married so low as dirt." He turned to her. "This is all I ask from you. In return I will buy you."

"So you want to buy me as your wife?" he didn't like her tone because it made him sound like he was stupid for what he was doing, and he already didn't like what he was doing. So he didn't need to hear her sound so bothered by it.

"I can do whatever I want with my belongings." He told her keeping a level tone. "I'm buying you as my wife. Do you accept?"

Now it was her turn to say something, but she didn't know how to respond to such a thing.

So the driver took initiative. "Now miss, it really is an honor to be chosen by our Lord. Think, you'll live in an amazing palace…as the Queen." This made her snap out of her thinking.

"Buy why?" she asked sounding annoyed. "I'm a beggar like you said and I'm also human." She said with mock being disgusted. Sesshoumaru grew angrier with her. He also grew intrigued that she would talk to, not just her King in that tone, but a powerful youkai no less.

"I have to marry." He told her levelly while looking pissed. "And you know of the pact this youkai Kingdom has made with other human kingdoms."

"That is right." Said the driver. Kagome turned to look at him. "If our Lord married a human it would help to show the other Kingdoms that it was not just for show when he signed the document of allegiance with the humans. Your marriage will be revolutionary."

'Greeeat, now the sake of kingdoms are on me marrying him. No longer my brother but others as well…although I still believe he signed that darn alliance treaty in the first place to mislead all the other kingdoms. As are all allegiances. Just something for show with no plans for back up.'

"I can see you doubt our Lord." The driver smiled.

Kagome looked at him shocked. 'Can he read MINDS?!' she shouted in her head. 'That traitor! How could he rat me out?!'

"Just to inform you, Miss. Our Lord happens to be close friends with the Kings in the other kingdoms that he is allied with." He said still smiling. "This marriage will also be like…flipping the bird in their face for not believing he would ever get married before the age of twenty-one."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, but inwardly he was smirking at the man's bluntness. It was true, none of his friends, the Kings, believed he would ever get married. Their lack of faith made him shrug and tell them that he would probably get married before he was twenty-one years old. They, however, were much older than he was. He had grown up knowing them when his father was in rule, and he maintained good relationships with them. Some of them had children too, children only a couple of years younger than he.

His marriage would make them never doubt his inabilities as a man again, but there was another reason to the hasty marriage.

He knew that within the first year of his reign he would need a wife or he would lose his title. So, in theory, he was killing two birds with one stone. He'd have a bride to show for, and all before the age of twenty-one. He was already the youngest King his Kingdom had ever had, but he'd also be the youngest King to get married.

Unless she said no.

"What is your answer?" Sesshoumaru asked. He then raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "I thought your brother was dying…or was that just a lie to get money?"

"No! Sota is dying!" she yelled upset again. 'A marriage without love…for the rest of my life.' She thought sadly to herself. Even in her dyer situation, she still had to think about it. Only for a minute more, because in this following minute…she would become his betrothed.

The driver stared at her patiently. Sesshoumaru did as well, even though he too was in a rush.

"Al..alright." Kagome finally whispered. She felt defeated.

And then she snapped her face back up to him causing him to sit up straighter. "But I have a condition too!"

"The money I promised you." He said nodding his head knowingly.

She shook her head. "Not only that! I want you to give my family a weekly paycheck so that they can eat their meals."

"Before I agree I want to remind you of my conditions."

"Yeah yeah! No one can know I'm poor and I can't see my family. Got it, I know."

"And you cannot fall in love with me." His Lordship added. "It's a fake marriage so don't give me affection when not needed. Also, don't expect any in return."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. "Well of course I forgot that one since you never had to make it a condition in the first place. No way could I ever fall in love with a person like you."

Sesshoumaru glared at her. "Let's leave now Monk." He said speaking to the driver while still glaring. "We've wasted enough time."

"Yes. We'll leave at once."

Kagome raised a curious eyebrow. "What kind of King has a monk as a driver? Trying to make cutbacks?"

The driver laughed nervously. "Uh Miss…I am most trusted to our Lord. Only I could know of this little exchange, and no one else."

"So that's why you're driving." She said understanding.

"Precisely." He smiled.

"Monk." Sesshoumaru warned.

"Yes, leaving at once!" He said hopping off the carriage step he had been standing on.

Kagome let out a sigh. It had gotten nice back there with the monk to also talk to. Now she wondered how much longer she'd be sitting next to Lord Fluffy-statue in perfect silence. *sigh* she missed the monk already.

"Miss?" inquired the monk.

"Hm?" Kagome leaned out the window. "Uh..yes?"

"Pray tell, what is the name of our future queen?" he asked with an enchanting smile.

His smile made her face heat up. "K..Kagome." she said revealing the only part of herself they did not know.

The monk smiled delighted with the knowledge of her name. "Miss Kagome." He said trying it out. This made him explode with happiness. "I Love Your Name!" he exclaimed.

Kagome laughed. "And what is your name?"

He nodded his head once. "Yes. You may call me Miroku." He told her.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. Miroku hurried to the front of the coach. "Right away! We'll be there soon!" he yelled enthusiastically as he hopped in his seat grabbing the reigns. "HYAH!" he yelled as tapped the reigns of the horses. They moved quickly and the carriage sped away in a dash.

And then Kagome sped away to her new life in a dash.