Disclaimer: Sadly, my name is not Rumiko Takahashi. It's not even Rumiko. I'm doomed to writing these fan-fics for the rest of my life......well, it's not that bad. I have all of you!! (Crickets chirp)

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Kagome's life was dull, at least it was until he came along and she had to spend her time avoiding him. But that's getting ahead of the story. Where we really begin our story is in a very small palace, hidden in a very small set of woods, holding a very content princess...

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Knock Knock Knock

Kagome sat on a small wooden chair, in front of the large window in her room, the curtains billowing on either side of her a gust of wind brushed back her hair. The reason why Kagome sat in the plainest of chairs in the entire palace, was her father had hand-carved her this chair when she was five. It was a bit of a tight squeeze now that she was seventeen, but after her father had died, it was the most prized possession she had.

"Come in!" she called towards the door.

A maid entered the room and gave a small bow. "Your mother wishes to you Lady Kagome."

"Very well." said Kagome with a small sigh before standing up and following the maid out of her room.

The maid led her down through a series of halls, till they arrived at her mother's room. Turning and giving another bow, the maid left Kagome to enter the room on her own.

She gave the door a small push and it creaked open a foot to allow Kagome's head to peak through. Across the room, the creaking of the door caught Kagome's mother's attention and she turned to smile at the door.

"Ah, Kagome, it's you dear. Please come in I have some news to tell you!"

Kagome entered the room fully nad walked over to the small coffee table area in her mothers room. Sitting neatly in the couch across from her mothers, she folded her hands in her lap and sat straight and alert, as was the proper etiquite for a royal.

"Now..." said her mother setting down her teacup on the table, "I've just recieved some great news from my sister. It seems her daughter, your cousin Kikyou, is engaged to be married!"

Kagome forced a smile, "Oh really? That's wonderful!" The truth was that the few times Kagome had met Kikyou, they hadn't gotten along. The first time they met, when Kagome was four and Kikyou was five, Kikyou had pushed her in the mud, sneered at her and told everyone that Kagome had been clumsy and fell in the mud. After that, all their meetings were like that and at their last meeting, when Kagome was twelve, she had discovered Kikyou had taken up bragging as a sport.

"There's something else Kagome."

Kagome couldn't help but frown when her mother said this.

"You see, it's an arranged marriage and the two haven't met yet. So, in their honor a huge ball is being thrown and we were invited!"

Kagome's jaw dropped, why her? She was perfectly happy staying on the palace grounds. Sure it got dull every once in a while, but she really wasn't looking forward to seeing Kikyou and hearing her brag about her fiance.

"The sad news is that I won't be able to go with you Kagome, There are some riots happening in town that I have to attend to so it will only be you going. You leave tomorrow morning, so pack and have fun without me!"

Kagome didn't say a word. She just stood with a look of shock on her face and mindlessly walked towards the door. She opened the door and exited the room, closing the door behind her and then slumping down against it. Holding her head up with one hand she shook her head in denial. I have to go alone! I won't know anyone except Kikyou, so I can't escape her. No one will save me from her...

She stood and walked beck to her room and threw herself onto her bed. Staring up at the ceiling, she thought one last thing before drifting into a nap. Tomorrow is going to be a long day....

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When Kagome awoke from her nap, the sun was beginning to set. Wow, I must have been more tired than I thought. She sat up and looked around her room, she was going to miss it. Then she noticed some bags by the door. Looks like mom got the maids to pack for me. She then threw herself back onto the bed staring at the ceiling she had seen so many times.

She couldn't even imagine what this trip would be like. What an adventure...

She had her dinner brought to her room and nibbled at it as she sat on her bed mindlessly. When she was finished, she set her tray on the ground and tucked herself into her sheets. She didn't really want to go to sleep, because it meant tomorrow woud come sooner. But she figured she might try and look nice for Kikyou so that she might have a harder time making fun of her. Time for a little beauty sleep...

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It was deathly early when Kagome got her wake-up call from the maids. They had woken her with their insisting knocking and had informed her that the carriage was ready. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to stand up. She wobbled a bit, but soon her body balanced out her weight and she walked to her window. Opening the closed curtains, she looked outside at the foggy grey scene before her and knew that the sun was only beginning to come up, making it around 5:45. She went to her closet and put on a cotton sundress, she would change into a ballgown in the carriage later. She walked to the door, seeeing that her bags had been taken down already, she had nothing to carry to the carriage.

At the front door her mother met her. She gave her a breif hug and said, "I have something for you Kagome." She turned around and took a rectangular box from the maid behind her. Handing it to Kagome she said, "It's a gown. I want you to wear it tonight and make the entire party envious. Now, I don't want you to open it until your fifteen minutes away, okay?"

Kagome tried to hug her mom with the diffuculty of the large box, and found that it was immpossible. So she just smiled brightly and said, "Thank You."

"I'll see you in three weeks then."

"Three Weeks?!"

"Well, yes Kagome. The coach man is visiting family so he can't bring you back until then. Your aunt said it was okay that you were staying that long and can't wait to see you. So, have fun darling!" she explained as she shooed Kagome out the door and into the carriage.

The last thing she looked back at was her mothers excited waving as she dissapeared into the fog.

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The carriage ride was long and boring. She was cold and asked the coachman if they were "there yet?" every five minutes.

Eventually she got the answer she wanted when he replied that they were "about fifteen minutes away."

Kagome grabbed the box of the seat next to her and held it on her lap. She found her hands shaking because she was so excited, the anticipation for this event had grown for every boring second that passed. This was now the most exciting part of the trip. Lifting the lid of the box, she gasped. Inside was a beautiful pink gown, covered in small pink flowers and butterflies all down the large skirt. There were also a matching pair of small slippers and a pink butterfly clip for her hair. That's when she realized, she had only 13 minutes to get ready!!

It was one of the most diffucult experiences of Kagome's life. As she stripped down and tried to change into her large dress, kagome continually hit her head on the roof or fell on the ground with the smallest bump in the road. Finally, when she got the dress on she fell back into her seat with her face completly flushed. Reaching down she slipped the slippers onto her small feet and reached up to begin putting her hair in place. She felt the the carriage slow down as she scrambled to put up her hair and the second she was done, the carriage door opened and a hand reached inside to help her out. She noticed that it wass dark outside and was surprised the ride had taken all day. Taking the hand she tried to fit herself out the small door and stumbled on the last step. almost falling onto the ground, the mans hand managed to hold her up. She quickly stood up straight and looked around, luckily it looked as if no one had noticed. So she straightened her skirts and rumpled hair and turned back to see the man that helped her was trying not to burst out laughing. She scowled a bit and then elegantly made her way inside.

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Arranged marriages.....feh. Inuyasha was more upset about this arranged marriage than anyone thought. He stood, lost in the crowd, searching for his fiance who he had never seen. He had only seen a portrait of her when she was thirteen and he knew she would oly resemble the picture now that she was eighteen. He could only hope she was a nice person. That's when a blur of pink caught his eye, it stood out because no one else at the entire ball had worn pink and he found himself intregued and following the person. Finally she stopped by the punch bowl and turned around so he could see her face.

It's her! he thought. Her hair was shorter from what he could tell from the way she had her hair and she looked happier than the one in the portrait, but it was definetly her. She was the only one in the entire room that even slightly resemble the picture. Time to go see what she's like!

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Kagome had to admit, it wasn't that bad. She had a feeling she wouldn't run into Kikyou with so amny people in the room. So, she happily walked over to the punch table to get a glass. The man filled a cup and handed it to her and she turned arouund to look out at the crown of people. She wondered why there was such a turn-out for this event. She was there as family, but who were all these people?

She had this strange feeling of being watched and looked around to see a man coming towards her. He gave a small bow and introduced himself, "Hello, I am Prince Kouga from the Wolf Lands. I couldn't help but notice your radiating beauty and had to introduce myself."

She was about to tell him her name when they heard a sound like growling coming from behind Kouga. Kagome took a step to the side to get a better look and felt her heart bounce to her throat. There was this amazing looking man in a tuxedo. What was amazing about him was his silver hair and amber eyes, but even stranger than that were the two grey puppy ears aloft his head. Even though the man had a look that could kill, Kagome couldn't help but think he was probably the most handsome man she had ever seen. Then man growled out a "can I speak to you" and Kouga followed the man back into the crowd.

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"What's wrong mutt-face"

"You know, you really shouldn't hit on peoples' fiances."

"Oh.....that's Kikyou? Damn lucky half-breed. Oh well, when she finds out how much of an idiot you are, she'll call off the wedding and I'll come and take her away from you."

Then Kouga left into the crowd a in the blink of an eye and Inuyasha made his way back through the crowd to his fiance. When he got there, she was gone! He looked around wildly and muttered to himself, "Damned wench didn't stay put."

"Are you talking about me?" asked a voice from behind him and he spun around to see his fiance.

"Ummm.......feh."

"feh? Is that even a word?"

"Yeah, I made it up so it's a word." Inuyasha said and was starting to think that she really would hate him and call of the wedding, when he heard laughter.

She was laughing and it was the most angelic laugh he had ever heard. When she stopped she smiled at him and asked, "Are there anyother words you made up?"

"I....don't think so. Do you have any?"

"Ummm....." Kagome nose wrinkled as she thought about it and Inuyasha started laughing.

"What?" asked Kagome with a frown.

"Nothing, it's just, you look so cute when your thinking."

Inuyasha immedeatly stopped laughing and began to blush, as did Kagome. He had never said anything was cute before. That's when he realized, he truly did like his fiance.

"Inuyasha!"

They both turned to look at the woman coming out of the crowd.

"Aunt Megumi?" asked Kagome and Inuyasha looked at her quizzacly. Why would she call her mother Aunt?

"Oh hi Kagome! How's your mother? Good? Okay, Now Inuyasha, come with me, it's time to meet your fiance!"said the woman as she grabbed him by the hand.

Inuyasha felt his stomach drop as he looked back to see Kagome watching him leave with a shocked expression. Inuyasha felt terrible, he had fallen in love with the wrong girl.

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