A/N I don't own Vampire Knight nor do I make any profit from it.

(Also Juuri and Haruka Kuran are alive in this story)

Chapter 1 - Not my Wish

Lord Eisuke Kitamura paced the floor, the look of extreme worry on his handsome features. The Kurans were visiting with their 18 year old son Kaname. Although, that wasn't the reason why he was nervous; being a pureblood, he didn't fear the pure-blooded Kurans.

The reason why they were visiting was because they were engaging their son Kaname and his daughter Hikari to each other. The reason why he was nervous was because…he hadn't told her about the match. Hikari would surely hate him. He somehow knew that she was secretly in love with the Ichijo boy (who was her loyal servant and personal assistant but also Kaname Kuran's best friend) but…the Kitamura family were pure-blooded…yet bankrupt.

Yes, this was money match. By marrying his daughter to the Kurans, their family would rise once again. He stopped to gaze at a portrait of a beautiful young woman. This was Hikari's dead mother, Emiko. She had silvery blond hair and big green eyes, very slender and her skin seemed to glow, even though it was only a painting. In her arms, she was holding a baby, the baby Hikari. Hikari had inherited Emiko's silvery hair and Eisuke's deep blue eyes.

"Forgive me, Emiko," he said sorrowfully, "I am not allowing our daughter to marry whom she wishes, as you wished for her…I know that she has feelings for someone…and this news will surely make her hate me. But I have no choice…the Kurans are our only hope."

"Father," I feather light voice said. He quickly turned around to see his daughter, Hikari, standing in the doorway. He gazed at her for a moment. She was beautiful and she took her father's breath away. She was rather petite and slender for her age. She had silvery-blonde, ringleted hair and a straight cut fringe with large, dark sapphire eyes. Her skin was like porcelain and her lips were a beautiful pink colour, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll. She wore a smart, black velvet dress that reached her knees, with a white lace colour and cuffs all held together by shiny, cold buttons on the cuffs and down from the collar to the waist line. Around her neck was a pearl necklace that was inherited from her mother, "Father, you look awfully pale," she commented, "Maybe you should sit down."

As her name suggested, she was his light in life, his precious daughter, the only thing that kept him going since his wife's death. She was kind and pure, always making sure that her father was all right as Eisuke had a weak constitution and prone to illness. He saw so much of Emiko in his daughter and he was saddened to have to marry her off to a young man she barely knew. He knew that she should have been married off years ago as she was coming up to her eighteenth birthday.

"Yes, I'm quite all right, my dear," Eisuke said to his daughter, "I'm just hoping that everything goes well tonight," he smiled softly, "You look beautiful, my dear."

"Thank you, sir," she said respectfully. She brought her father's hand to her lips and gave it a small kiss.

"You're a good girl, Hikari," Eisuke commented. Hikari nodded slightly. Hikari turned her head when she felt the presence of her servant. She smiled at him gently.

"Hello, Ichijo, is there anything that you need," Hikari asked. Ichijo gave her a smile. He had become the family's servant to help them out (out of the kindness of his own heart and at the request of his grandfather, Asato Ichijo, I might add) when half of their staff had resigned because they didn't get enough pay due to the poverty the family had gone into. Only the marriage to the Kuran prince could save them from falling any deeper.

"Yes, Lady Kitamura, the Kurans have arrived. Shall I bring them here?"

"Oh, yes, would you," Eisuke interjected, "I'm sorry, Ichijo, we do take advantage of you."

"No, no, Lord Kitamura, it's my pleasure to help…at least until you can employ more servants."

Ichijo nodded and cast an uneasy glance at Hikari. He, of cause, knew of the match between Hikari and his best friend Kaname. In fact, everyone knew about this except for the bride to be. How wondered how she was going to react. All she had been told was that they were visiting for dinner and nothing else. Hikari, as a person, was calm and reserved; it would be a new experience to see her angry. He'd give up his minimal month's pay to see that.

Hikari smoothed down her dress and Eisuke stood up as the Kuran family made it's way into the room. The two Kitamuras were bowed and curtsied to the family that stood before them and the Kurans did the same. Lady Juuri Kuran stepped forward and smiled gently at Hikari, "It's good to meet you, Miss Hikari," she said gently. Hikari nodded. Hikari was mesmerised by the woman's beauty. She had shiny, auburn locks with curled elegantly. She had huge wine coloured eyes and a pale complexion. She was also quite slender and quite tall, towering over the petite Hikari. Her husband, Lord Haruka Kuran, was even taller and he looked similar to his wife, being brother and sister.

"It's nice to meet you too, Lady Juuri," Hikari replied. Haruka and Eisuke shook hands.

"Good to see you again, Eisuke," Haruka said with a warm smile.

"You too," Eisuke replied. He turned his attention to the young man standing behind them, "And you, young man, must be Kaname."

The young man nodded, "Good to see you, Sir."

"This is my daughter Lady Hikari Kitamura," Eisuke introduced his daughter. Hikari turned her sapphire gaze towards Kaname. She bobbed a small curtsy and Kaname bowed. He then took her hand in his and kissed back of it.

"Nice to meet you, Lord Kuran," Hikari said in a small voice.

"You too," Kaname said simply.

"Now, I think we should get down to business, don't you think, Eisuke," Haruka said seriously. Eisuke nodded.

"Yes, I do think so," Eisuke said. He let his daughter sit on the chaise and he said down with her. The Kurans sat on the opposite chaise, facing them.

"Now, about the marriage contract-"

"What marriage contract," Hikari interrupted Haruka. Haruka cast a confused look at Eisuke and then back to Hikari.

"Well…the engagement to our son Kaname," Haruka said, "Were you not informed?"

"No, no I wasn't…" Hikari said, discreetly bunching up her velvet dress in her fists.

"Eisuke, you didn't tell her," Juuri asked, clearly worried.

"I couldn't bring myself to do so," he said regretfully.

"Father, why am I getting married? I'm not ready to get married…let alone to someone I don't know," Hikari said. Eisuke closed his eyes.

"It is for the good of the family, Hikari, and it is your duty to honour that."

"For the good of the family?" It suddenly clicked as to why this was happening. "It's for the money, isn't it?"

"Hikari, we're destitute, living in poverty…even though we're purebloods."

"Where did the money go?"

"It went on the renovations for the house," Hikari glared at him, "Don't look at me like that…it was falling apart and we wouldn't have had a house to live in."

Hikari turned to the Kurans, "And you're all right with this?"

"Kaname needs a wife," Juuri said quietly.

Hikari slumped from her straight backed posture, "But what about a dowry? We have nothing!"

"Quite the contrary, Miss Hikari, your estate is out dowry," Haruka said.

Hikari's mouth gaped, "What," Hikari struggled for words; "You cannot do that! Where's my father going to live?"

"Here of cause...we're not turning him out. This is his home and it will stay that way."

"You say the estate will belong to you…But…what about my horse…" Hikari asked, trembling.

"When you are married to our son, everything you own will belong to Kaname and the Kuran family."

Hikari was the brink of tears, "I have nothing of worth to you. My dresses are all my mother's dresses…the one I'm wearing now is hers."

"You will get new dresses," Juuri said with a bright smile, "We're going to look after you...don't worry."

Hikari sighed sadly, "And pray, when is this wedding?"

The Kurans looked at each other and Eisuke before looking back at Hikari, "Tomorrow afternoon."

The remaining colour drained from Hikari's face. She turned her now glassy gaze at Kaname, who sat emotionlessly, not uttering a single word. She looked back at her father.

"The wedding dress is currently in our mansion. If you remember, we secretly sent a dress maker to take your measurements."

Hikari barely heard Juuri.

"You will go to the Kuran mansion tonight," Eisuke said, touching his daughter's shoulder, "They have a nicer chapel than we do."

Hikari turned her head towards Ichijo, who was standing behind the chaise. He couldn't look at her, "You knew…Ichijo…?"

Ichijo nodded softly.

"I did," He replied. Although she had some feelings for him, she knew that he was engaged. He was engaged to another pureblood by the name of Sara Awayuki*. Hikari could tell that he loved her dearly so she never bothered to voice her feelings.

She turned back to what she deemed as impending doom, "What if I refuse?"

"You cannot refuse," Haruka said sharply, "You will humiliate both of our families...plus...everything has been paid for."

Hikari went silent. She knew that fighting it was not going to do her any good, "All right, if it's for the good of my family and if it will make my father any better, then I accept."

"You have made a very good decision, Miss Hikari," Juuri said with a kind smile, "Kaname will make a good husband."

She gestured to her son, who had sat silently throughout the discussion.

"Kaname, why don't you give the engagement ring," Haruka said. Hikari kept her hands firmly on her lap. She was very reluctant to accept this. Kaname sighed softly before standing up and walking gracefully towards Hikari. He knelt befpre her and reached into his jacket. Pulling out a small box, Kaname opened it. He revealed a platinum ring, encrusted with one small diamond. He held out his hand for hers. Hikari gazed at the ring for a moment and then looked at her groom to be. Hikari hadn't had a proper look at him as she had kept her gaze away from him, but she couldn't deny that he was handsome, with beautifully shaped wine coloured eyes, ivory skin that seemed to gleam in the candle light, his hair was a deep mahogany brown. He was also well built and tall. However, that meant nothing if his personality wasn't just as beautiful.

Hikari reluctantly raised her hand to let Kaname slide the ring on her finger. Kaname took a hold of her left hand and slid it on to her ring finger.

"What do you say, Hikari," Eisuke promted. Hikari took a deep breath before speaking.

"Thank you, Lord Kaname," Hikari said stiffly.

After dinner, Hikari was sent to pack her things with the help of one of the remaining servants in their household. She couldn't quite believe that she was being ripped away from her childhood home and all of her was cruel.

However, in someways, she had expected it. She knew that she had to marry one day, but under these circumstances, she hadn't expected it to be so soon. She was upset, but now she understood that it was for her father's sake and his sake only.

"Why...?" she whispered.

She heard a knock on the door and it startled her from her thoughts, "Yes?"

It was father, "Dear, it's time to go."

"Oh, really? I wanted a bit more time to say goodbye to everyone," Hikari sighed.

"I'm sorry, Hikari," Eisuke said, wrapping his arms around his daughter, "You take everything in your stride. I take advantage of that. But I know that you can do it. You will make a wonderful wife for Kaname."

"But what if he takes a mistress? I don't think that I'd be able to stay in the same room as him; I'd be so embarressed."

"I don't think his parents would even allow him to take a mistress and anyway, he's a nice boy. I've just been speaking to him," Eisuke said, "He's well mannered, clearly well educated and he's keen to bridge the gap between vampires and humans. He will make an excellent king and you will make an outstanding queen."

"Who said anything about being queen?"

"Well you're marrying into the Kuran family...the royal family," Eisuke said with a smile.

Hikari shrugged, "It doesn't mean anything to me. I'm so jealous of people who can marry for love. Ichijo is marrying the Awayuki princess...she's a pureblood."

"I know but we cannot always have our own way."

"Ah...I see."

"Well, come on," Eisuke said, taking his daughter by the hand, "You have a long journey ahead of you."

She nodded and allowed herself to be lead downstairs. She met the Kurans downstairs and decided it was best to show a happy face, at least for now and see what happened.

Please Review!

*Sara Awayuki is an one of my OCs from another story and she will be a character in this story as Takuma's love interest to create a sub plot.

I hope you like my first chapter!