Chapter 1: The Bride

Looking into the darkness he could tell everything wasn't the same as when he had left. As he wandered the darkened corridors of the Western Palace, he just had a feeling something had happened while he was away. 'Had he been gone too long? Where was everybody?' he thought. Just then a door to the left flew open and through it came his father. "Ahhh Geeze Sess, you startled me! Please make your preasence known." said the very startled youkai lord Inutaisho. "My apologies father. If I had known you were in that room I would have warned you." he replied. "I am sure you would have son." Inutaisho agreed. "Father, may I inquire as to what is going on?" "Yes son, you may. We are preparing for your new bride." Taisho happily replied, winking at his son as if he had won some great prize.

"Bride?"

"Yes, bride."

"Why wasn't I informed?" Sesshoumaru spit out in anger.

"You weren't home son." Taisho said with at shrug.

"Well who the hell is she?!" he shouted at his father, who was already down the hall.

"Who?" was all he heard as he hurried down the corridor after him.

"What do you mean who? The girl, you old man. Who else?" Sesshoumaru stated, finnaly catching up to him. "Well let me see . . . I don't know all that much about her. It all happened so quickly. I believe her name is Kagome." Taisho stated, quite out of breath. He was trying to escape an interigation from his eldest. He had hoped he could just drop the news casually to Sesshoumaru when he returned and be on his merry way. It was quite troublesome planning a wedding especially when it was this short notice. Well it would turn out that he was wrong about Sesshoumaru, very wrong. Plus he had thought that she would already be here when Sess returned so he wouldnt have a choice and they would have to go through with it the next day. But alas, she hadent. So much for hoping. 'Oh well' he thought 'preperations might have to wait a while if I can't get away from my troublesome son."

"Well then, how did this happen?" Sesshoumaru asked his father. "Lets see . . . " Inutaisho replied. "It happened at the conference a few weeks ago. The Lord of the North was so distraught, he thought we would become mortal enemies, so he offered us his daughter to avoid war. What was I to do? I could only accept the offer. He so hates war, you know?" at this Sesshoumaru nodded. "Anyway she's comming. I believe she will arrive later today, so you had better make yourself presentable my son. May I suggest a bath." "I've already bathed father. And besides when am I not presentable." he stated. His father only nodded, as if to say 'You have a point', and then he was off to finish what he could before Sesshoumaru's Lady arrived. Sesshoumaru stood there for a moment pondering his new bride, knowing full well that his father had a hand in this. Contrary to what he said. It wasn't just pushed on him as he said, because his father and the Lord of the North were great friends and always had been.

"But father why are you sending me away? Have I done something I shouldn't?" she whined as the servants packed her clothing.

"You are going because you must, darling. The Lord of the West commands it" he answered.

"What?! Why?!"

"He has requested you marry his eldest, Sesshoumaru. That is why my dear. Inutaisho is my greatest friend and you will make a find Lady of the West. Now hurry up, you leave at dawn." and with that he left her to finish getting ready.

It had been a week since she had spoken with her father about her new home and upcomming wedding. All she could get out of him was that she would be a "fine Lady of the West", like she cared. She had never even met this Sesshoumaru, but she had heard stories and she was scared of this young Lord of the West.

"We are nearing the Western Palace, my Lady!" a guard shouted from somewhere outside her carrage.

After the shock settled from the sudden noise bringing her out of her thoughts with a jerk, Kagome became very nervous about meeting this man no, demon, she was to wed. Eventhough her father had informed her that he was not at home, she was still a little scared.

Just as Sesshoumaru lay on his bed to think over his fathers actions he heard his voice from down the hall. "Sesshoumaru. Get your lazy ass up son! Your Lady is arriving at the front gates." he bellowed. 'My Lady indeed.' Sesshoumaru thought as he pushed himself up from his place on the bed and made his way to the front gates, with a sigh.

Her stomach turned to knots as they came closer tho the palace's front gates, all she could think of was her fathers words. Oh she hopes Sesshoumaru likes her.

Standing outside with Inutaisho, he looded bored. "Son, are you nervous?" his father asked. All he got was a snort of indignance. "Well theres no need to be snotty son." the Lord snapped. "Look!! They come. Sess don't be rude go hand your Lady out of the carrage." his father whispered.

Sesshoumaru walked to the carrage with a sigh. 'This is such a bother.' he thought. Drawing in a breath, he opened the door and helped "his Lady" out. She is beautiful, was all he could think. She had grey eyes like storm coulds, and raven hair almost as long as his own in a braid down her back. Although she was pale, she had a lovely face, not too thin, and she had perfectly pink lips. Because she was short, five feet perhaps, and thin she looked fragile. Sesshoumaru could tell she could survive anything with proper training of course. When she had set foot on the ground all he could do was stare, and she stared right back.

"My Lady." he finally said as he came to his senses and bowed to her.

"My Lord." she replied with a little bow of her own.

"Shall I show you to your room?" he asked as he offered her his arm as she nodded. And they walked into the palace, leaving his father out in the courtyard, grinning, as he watched them go.

A/N

Sorry for the spelling not good at it lol