Prologue:

He wanted her to marry a youkai old enough to be her father in two weeks. She knew he did it so that he could keep control of her fathers estate. She wasn't stupid despite what her uncle Shigeo, thought. He had made a bargain with the old lord so that he could stay ruling over his domain and the lord could have a young wealthy bride.

She wouldn't do what her uncle wanted no matter how much he beat her and threatened her. She was going to get out of the castle tonight. She couldn't stand one more minute in this cage no matter how gilded it was. Looking around her room she took everything in for the last time. This room held many fond memories but they were slowly being eaten away by the cruelty of her uncle.

Once upon a time she had been the cherished daughter of a prominent youkai lord of the North. Then her parents had died of a sickness that swept through the castle, and left her in the care of her uncle. No one could have known the monster he was behind closed doors. He hadn't allowed anyone to. It wasn't that he was the most powerful youkai, because he wasn't. He ruled with fear and an iron fist. And the last twenty years she had been firmly under that fist.

With her one hundred and fiftieth birthday two weeks away she would then be able to take control of her inheritance from her uncle. So he had devised his little scheme to have her mated off as soon as she was of age. The greedy old lord he had chosen for her to mate, was entirely too happy to take her dowry and keep her locked away. Only her uncle had not anticipated his charge finding out and making her own plans of escape. She would flee to her cousin in the East. There she could find a worthy mate and come back to free her people from her uncles wrath.

A knock on the door to her room disturbed her thoughts. It was her personal maid Kayo. Kayo had been with her family for over two hundred years. She had always remained loyal to the Chiyo family. Her face was grim and lines of worry had begun to line her face. "Mistress I have everything you need to take with you in this satchel. We have to move you now to get you out of here. Your uncle and guards are distracted by an incident in the great hall, we wont get a chance better than this to escape."

Kayo bundled her in a thick cloak and snuck her down the stairs to the kitchens. They were empty at this time of night. The heavy door to the back of the kitchens was already cracked open for her. Kayo hugged her with eyes filled with tears and slipped a necklace over her head. "Mistress this will hide your scent long enough for you to make it out of the Northern Lands. Move swiftly and safely my little love."

Looking into her long time friends face, she made her goodbyes. With tears in her own eyes she dashed out the door. One day I will get you and everyone else free, she thought to herself. Disappearing into the damp dark night she felt like she was leaving a piece of her heart behind her.