Hey everyone! Remember that story I was talking about putting up one of these days? Well, if your interested, then here it is! I hope you like it! Tell me what you think! As always, Criticism is very appreciated! Please make it constructive please, I'm actually trying to plan this story out ahead. I have 3 chapters so far, so it will just take me a while to put them up, well, depending on if I get good responses on this chapter of course!

Summary: Kagome is a princess of the Southern Lands. She is betrothed to a certain hanyou in the Great Eastern Lands as a way to keep the peace and to make allies to defend and go against a new evil rising power in the north. The bride and groom can't stand each other. But will love arise in the time of battle, or will this just be a marriage of convienence?

All pairings are origional, but I'm not sure about Sesshomaru yet.

I want to give a VERY special thank you to vbollman, the beta of this chapter.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Conquer and Possess

Chapter One

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven hair cascaded down to shade two enormous and shocked chocolate eyes.

Kagome Higurashi, daughter of Seta and Yumi Higurashi, sat numb in the presence of her parents, as she replayed their words over and over again. This news, as she was told, was supposed to keep her lands and her people safe and out of any potential harm from the Great Eastern Lands.

"Kagome, you understand your duty to your people; As such you know, demons will eventually out-number as well as out-rule us humans in authority. Our lands and our people count on us for their protection. That is mine your responsibility as a Royal; to protect and preserve." Seta spoke gently to his only daughter, his eyes softening.

"I understand, father." Came a stiff reply.

"Kagome," her mother started. "We're doing what we have to. Our army is no match compared to Inutaisho's. I was once in your position, so I do understand, sweetheart. Please try and understand this from our point of view as well."

Kagome looked up at her mother, fighting down her tears of anger and frustration of having no control in her own future, her thoughts in an uproar. Finally, she sighed, knowing there was absolutely no way she could get out of this. It was for her people and the land her family line had fought for. She had no choice.

Seta heard the sullen sigh escape his daughters' lips. There was no other way. He had offered Inutaisho everything.

Flashback―meeting of the two emperors

"Inutaisho, please, I can not bring myself to offer what you are asking. She is my only daughter." Seta argued to the emperor before him.

"Seta, I already have everything you have offered. I have lands; I have weapons, livestock, and supplies. You know as well as I that we need to join forces against the growing power in the North." Inutaisho explained to his long time friend. "And," he ventured, "are you not going to have to give her away sometime in her life?"

"Yes, I understand. This time would come eventually, but I was not expecting it to be so soon. I hardly believe my daughter will take kindly to this." Came the exasperated sigh.

"Seta, I know you do not like this idea, but my son is good man. As you know, he is a Hanyou, and his Demon blood is strong within his veins, only a few times has his full fledge Demon form emerged. It is out of his control, no matter what I have tried to teach him to tame it. I fear that one day, his will to keep it caged will run out, and he will stop at nothing. His Demon form is powerful, and while he is in this stage, his strength is beyond belief and recognition. Your daughter is a Miko, and a kind and powerful one from your training and her will. I believe she can help tame my son's inner beast." He stopped a moment.

"I will admit, even if we were not allying against this new evil power, I still would have asked for your daughter's hand in marriage, for my son." Inutaisho stared squarely into his friend's eyes.

"I see." Seta said, taking all of this information in.

Now that Seta was aging, his daughter would need protection while she was guarding the Shikon no Tama.

"Yes, Inutaisho. I believe that you are making a good point. My daughter does need protection now that she is the sole guardian of the Shikon no Tama. I will relay this to Kagome as soon as possible. She will be within your lands a few days before the full moon." Seta agreed finally.

The two men shook hands and started to converse the matter of the rising power in the north.

End Flashback

Kagome clenched her jaw and sighed heavily.

"When do I leave, father?"

Her father eyed her carefully for a moment. "At first light. Your things are being readied for you now."

"Is that all?" she tightly asked.

"Yes, that is all." Her father replied.

The two watched their daughter leave them, leaving behind the feelings of her frustration and anger.

"Oh, Seta. I wish we did not have to do this to poor Kagome. What if she does not fall in love like we did, dear?" Yumi cried, searching her husband's eyes desperately.

Seta patted his beloved wife's hand thinking back to his meeting with the other Lord. "I think that this will be for the best. Inutaisho's son is a good man. I believe that this just might work out."

- - -

"What?" a shocked and angry yell came from within the confined room of Inutaisho's office.

"Inuyasha, calm yourself." Was the stern command of Inutaisho.

"What if I don't wish to be married? I don't want some pathetic wench following me around!" the son known as Inuyasha shouted, slamming his hands down on the desk before him. His father sighed; knowing nothing he said would calm his unruly son.

"Why couldn't you hand this wench over to Sesshomaru? Father, I refuse to be married!"

"You will refuse nothing! You will heed my command and marry Higurashi's daughter. This is my rule and you shall obey your commands!" Inutaisho yelled, rising from his seat. His voice boomed and was drenched with authority; Authority that demanded respect.

Inuyasha took a step back from his father. He sighed, accepting defeat. His father rarely raised is voice.

"Fine," Inuyasha snorted, folding his arms over his chest. "But I'm not going to like her." He added walking over to the door.

Inutaisho sighed wearily, sitting back down after his son had left his office. "This is not going to be easy." He voiced, shaking his head.

Inuyasha stormed to his room, mulling things over. He was so caught up, that he didn't notice his best friend, Miroku, calling out to him.

Inuyasha was pulled from his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. "What the h…" he started, following the arm to see Miroku's curious face.

"Miroku! What do you want?" Inuyasha snapped.

Miroku, a little taken back just gave Inuyasha a questioning look.

"That's not like you, Inuyasha." Miroku stated as they were walking towards Inuyasha's room.

"Feh," was the only reply from the angered Hanyou.

"So what happened? The whole castle could pretty much hear you and your dad going at it." Miroku told his friend.

"Yeah, well, my dad has decided that I'm going to be married." He spit out.

Miroku just stared. "What? When?"

"I don't know when, I was too mad to ask. I just got out of there after he said his damn word was final. It just pisses me off. I don't know a thing about this wench! She could be a hag for all I know!" Inuyasha sighed.

"Or, she could be cute." Miroku added.

"It doesn't matter, I don't want a wife." Inuyasha said while looking around his room for something.

"Maybe you do and don't know it yet. Hopefully she'll bring a cute handmaiden with her." He said with a sly smirk.

Inuyasha just shook his head at him. "Don't you have some grounds that need to be exorcised?" "Actually, yes, but when I heard your dad yelling, I thought I might come see what's up, and I saw a very pretty maid coming this way." Miroku winked with a smile.

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes as he found what he was searching the contents of his room for. "Whatever," he said and lifted his Tetsuseiga. "I'm going to relieve some stress." With that said, they departed to go their separate ways, Miroku to commence an exorcism, and Inuyasha to wail on something.

- - -

"What am I going to do, Sango?" Kagome plummeted on her bed after her little 'meeting' with her parents. "They pretty much gave my whole future away to them!" 'More like an extreme life arrangement.' She added sardonically to herself. She had already explained it all to her best friend.

"Oh, Kagome, it might not be so bad. You may even find yourself starting to li…"

"No. I won't." Kagome cut her off. As of right now, that was not even fathomable.

Sango sighed, not knowing what she could say or do for her friend.

"When do you leave? I noticed some of your things were already being moved out." Sango stated.

"First thing in the morning." Came Kagome's sullen reply.

"What? Why so soon?" Sango questioned, surprised at how fast things were going.

"I don't know. Maybe the other Lord is threatening to take over or something," Kagome lamely tried, wondering the same thing. The princess just sighed again as she silently let her thoughts wander to what it would be like over in the Great Eastern Lands. Would her new Lord be nice? Would he be cruel? Would he value her opinion, or would he think of her as an object? If he wanted a quiet doormat, he would be in for a rude awakening!

"Do you know when all of this is supposed to take place?" Sango asked.

Kagome thought a moment. "Well, actually, I have no clue. All I know is I'm leaving in the morning."

There was a long silence.

"Sango?" Kagome suddenly piped up.

"Yes, Kagome?"

"What do you think… what do you think he'll be like?" Kagome asked her long time friend what was on her mind.

"I don't know, but most likely, your dad wouldn't just send you off to the first person he could find. He probably won't be that bad." Sango mused.

"I hope you're right." Kagome sighed.

Silence engulfed the girls once again.

"Hey, let's try and get your mid off of this. Let's go riding." Sango suggested after a few moments.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Are you bringing any weapons?" Kagome asked while getting up. She would humor Sango. It's not likely you could or would forget that you were to be married to someone you didn't even know all too soon. What ever happened to courtship?

"Maybe a couple in case there are any Demons; you?"

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea." Kagome heaved on a few things, getting ready to go.

Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu and a katana, while Kagome picked up her bow and slung the quiver of arrows over her back.

"So, where's Kirara?" Kagome asked, now looking around. The cute little fire cat hardly left Sango's side.

"Oh, she's been sleeping. She's still tuckered out from yesterdays Demon hunt." Sango answered.

888

Sango came from a long line of Demon Exterminators. When one day, her family had taken on a demon that was too strong for them, using puppets and tricks that caught the warriors off guard. It had killed everyone but her brother and herself. They had wandered a long time before finally reaching a castle where Sango fell unconscious. Her brother had commenced to yell for help.

Kagome had been riding her horse that day when she heard his cries. She quickly reached them and brought them both to a nurse in her home. After Sango had healed, she and Kagome were inseparable, and had created a sister-like bond. That was when Yumi had appointed Sango to be Kagome's handmaiden. Sota become close to Kohaku, Sango's younger brother, and he had been appointed to Sota.

When a Demon had come to threaten the castle that housed the Shikon no Tama, and the defenseless villagers, Sango and her younger brother had naturally volunteered to take the demon out. The little fire cat that Sango was found with was her transportation, and a big help to their defense.

They had chased the evil creature back, far away from the civilians. The demon had unleashed hordes of minions. Sango, Kohaku, and Kirara closed in on the demon, while the castle's warriors took on the fight of the many hordes that were sent out. Kirara had taken a blow to the sides and collapsed after getting Sango and Kohaku back to the castle. The knights had stayed back to collect valuable demon parts that could aid their kingdom.

While Kirara was in her deep sleep, she would heal herself so the next time she was needed, she would be ready.

888

Kagome and Sango headed toward the horse stalls after they had gotten ready to go on their ride.

- - -

Another tree crashed into the ground, a cloud of dirt rising and drifting slowly back to the ground to join the other fallen trees. The air was tight with unleashed fury and it crackled as another wave of irritancy flowed through.

Inuyasha plunged his sword in the ground and used it for a means of support as he fought to get his ragged breathing under control. He kept replaying what his father had told him over and over again. His father had never spoke of him marrying before, at least, never made it an important point to bring up and follow through quite so soon. Sesshomaru was the eldest; why couldn't his father just push this wench off on him?

Heaving an aggravated sigh he jerked Tetsuseiga out of the ground and over his shoulder. It was still in its transformed state, but the years of handling its weight left him comfortable with its familiarity.

Involuntarily, his thoughts began to roam again.

What if Miroku could be right? She could be beautiful, everything he'd ever want in a woman. That still didn't change the fact that he didn't want to be married. He couldn't help the betraying part of his mind that would actually look forward to being married. He mentally shot that part of himself. Besides, who could accept a Hanyou like him anyway?

He growled out loud and jumped onto a large branch. Sheathing Tetsuseiga, he looked over the lands. His father's castle stood at the horizon. Inuyasha jumped down with a grunt, and headed in the opposite direction to beat on some other part of the earth.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry this is so short, the chapters do get longer.

If you want to be a beta for me, please just let me know! I could seriously use the help!