Title: Another's Name, But My Heart

By Lady of the Ink

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that. I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

Chapter Two

What A Girl's Gotta Do

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Almost an hour later, Kagome's head was spinning. She was sitting in the parlor, across from Kikyo and her aunt, Kaede. They, or rather Kikyo, had just revealed her grand plan. A plan that asked little from herself, and had everything to do with Kagome.

"Let me see if I understood all of this correctly. The demon lords from the west are attacking to expand their holdings. They wanted you to just give up the castle, you said no, and that's how the battle started. Now, since it's obvious they'll win, they've offered a sort of peace treaty, guaranteeing the safety and security of all the villagers and yourselves. In return, you have to marry the second son, as a way to solidify their claim through conquest and bloodlines. Am I right so far?" Kaede nodded, a look of disbelief still marring her own face. Kikyo just motioned for her to continue.

"You don't want to marry this second son. Not even for peace and the good of your people." Kagome couldn't help the tinge of disgust coloring her words.

Kikyo rushed to defend her position. "First, it's already my land. Why would I want to marry someone so I can rule over land I already control? And he's a demon. What kind of person would want to marry a demon? And a second son demon, at that!"

'Nice to know you've got your priorities straight,' Kagome thought, disliking Kikyo more with every word she uttered. "So you want me to pretend to be you and marry this 'second son demon' in your place. While I make him think that everything's going well, you'll be looking for a warrior or an army strong enough to come and win back the castle for you. Is that everything?"

"Yes."

"Okay. My answer is no." With that, Kagome jumped to her feet and started to the door.

"Wait! Why not?"

Kagome stared at her dumbly. "Why not? Why not? I am not assuming your identity to falsely marry a stranger when all this could be resolved so much more simply. I suggest you grow up and deal with this like an adult, not a child who throws a tantrum to get their own way. Now if you don't mind, I'm going home."

"I won't allow it!" Angry color staining her cheeks, Kikyo jumped to her feet. "You live in the village that belongs to me. You have to do as I say! It's your job."

Feeling her own temper draw closer to the breaking point, Kagome stopped just a few steps from the doorway. "If you want bread, I'll bake it. I'll even deliver it, if need be. But my job doesn't now, nor will it ever, include obeying orders like this, especially when they come from some spoiled brat!"

Eyes flashing, Kikyo drew herself up to her full height. But when she opened her mouth, it wasn't to continue the argument but to bellow out someone's name. Moments later, a tall man appeared. Bowing slightly, he silently waited. Kikyo turned to face Kagome once more, the cold mask now gracing her features discernable in her voice.

"Lock her in the tower."

"Let me out of here! You can't do this!" Kagome yelled in a voice that was becoming more hoarse by the moment. Her hands throbbed from pounding on the locked door, and there was a knot on her forehead from a brief moment of head banging frustration.

She'd been locked in the room for the entire day and now, as she watched the sun set through the small window, she was past angry and into enraged. Yamada would be wondering what happened to her, and he'd probably talked to her mother by now, too. She'd be worrying herself, thinking that sorts of bad things had happened to her only daughter. Of course, she would never guess the truth.

A slightly hysterical laugh broke from her sore throat as she thought of how she was going to explain this. "Sorry I didn't come home, but a crazy lady who looks a lot like me locked me in a tower because I wouldn't pretend to be her and marry a demon."

Right.

Slumping to the floor, Kagome let her head drop onto her chest. She was tired, hungry, and all she wanted to do was to go home. But if almost twelve hours of screaming and banging had no results, she doubted anything else would either. It looked like she was just going to have to wait and see what Kikyo's next move was.

As it turned out, it was Kaede, not Kikyo, who turned up. There was the scrape of a key in the lock, then a soft tapping before the door swung open and the older woman entered, tray in hand. Kagome immediately leapt to her feet to face her visitor.

Pulling the door closed behind her, Kaede moved to sit the tray on the table by the only chair, one of the small room's few furnishings. She sighed, and then began to speak.

"I apologize for your treatment. I never would have imagined Kikyo capable of doing something like this."

Hours of waiting and worrying had not put Kagome in the mood to be polite. "If you're so sorry, let me out of here."

Kaede shook her head sadly. "I can't. I am only Kikyo's aunt, while she is the true ruler of this castle. For now, anyway. Though I handle small matters, I have not the authority to go against her wishes. And she has made it most clear to everyone that you are to remain in this room. There's nothing I can do."

"Aahhh! I hope those demon lords do conquer this place. Better a demon ruler than a crazy one who locks people up in towers." Crossing her arms across her chest, she dropped to the floor with a humph, her back to Kaede.

"I will have another talk with her, and try to convince her to let you go, but-" Her words were cut off as the door slammed open once more, revealing a triumphant looking Kikyo.

"But what, Aunt Kaede? It won't work?" Kagome turned to face the girl who looked so much like her as she seated herself in the chair. "Of course it won't. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind on this. There is, however, something that might change yours."

Seeing the smirk that tilted her lips, Kagome found her worry growing. Almost holding her breath, she waited to see what new plan Kikyo had come up with. She didn't have long to wait.

"You see, I've spent the day with my stewards, and they've been quite helpful. They know just about everything about everyone that lives in the village, including your family. Your mother, brother, and grandfather, who all live in that little house. I even know about your job at the bakery, and how your mother takes in sewing to help earn money." Touching one finger to her chin, Kikyo affected a thoughtful air. "My, I wonder if they're all worried right now, wondering what may have happened to you. Poor little Kagome, vanishing without a trace."

"Yamada knew I was coming here. He'll look for me."

"He already has. And as far as any of the people he asked knew, you never made it here." Leaning forward, all pretence of politeness vanished from Kikyo's face and voice. "I know that I'm asking for something big. But I assure you that you will be rewarded. How would it feel to know that you and your mother would never have to work again? To know that your little brother could have the best of everything? Wouldn't you feel much better knowing your grandfather could be comfortable in his old age?

"I can make all that happen. If you do this for me, when I regain control of my lands, you'll be amply rewarded. Land, money, anything you want. It'll be yours for the asking."

Kagome found herself thinking about what it would be like to live a life where she didn't have to worry about money. A new house, with separate rooms for everyone. New clothes, new blankets, new everything. Just as she was about to lose herself in a fantasy about that life, she recalled what she'd have to do to earn it. Snapping back to reality as though someone had just dumped a pail of cold water over her head, she glared at Kikyo.

"I'm sorry, but there are some things that I won't do, no matter what the 'reward'. Has it occurred to you that there are certain things that a husband would expect from a wife?"

Kikyo rolled her eyes. "You're worried about that? Just lie. Or better yet, be honest. Tell him you wouldn't feel comfortable getting close to some you just met. Ask him to give you time to get to know him. By then, I'll have found my champions and it will no longer matter. He'll be running back to his lands with his tail between his legs and you'll be rich."

"There're more important things than just money. My answer is still no. I'd never be able to live with myself if I went along with this."

"You're turning down a life of complete luxury? It's not like what I'm asking you to do is so hard. You'll get to wear nice clothes, eat good food that someone else cooks, order people around as much as you want, and do pretty much anything you please. If anything, you should be paying me for this privilege."

Once more, Kagome found herself staring in disbelief at the other girl. She really couldn't tell if Kikyo was stupid or just hadn't thought her plan through that well. She was beginning to suspect that it was a little of both. 'Well, maybe I should enlighten her a little,' she thought to herself. 'Maybe then she'll see that I'll never do this, and let me go home.'

Carefully counting out the facts on her fingers, Kagome ran down her list of reasons. "One, pretending to be someone else is wrong. Two, I don't want to leave my family. Three, I think that you should handle your own problems. Four, I refuse to marry a stranger. Five, that goes double for a false marriage to a demon stranger. Six, it's not right, demon or no, to lie to someone like that."

"He's a demon invader trying to take my lands!" Kikyo stopped mid-yell, visibly reining her temper in. After taking a deep breath, she folded her hands in her lap. "Well, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but you've left me no choice. Either you do this, or I will make sure that your family suffers the consequences."

"What?!" came from both Kagome and Kaede.

"It'll be so sad, really. Your poor grandfather out in the cold once you lose your house. And if that baker you work for won't need you when he gets a few new helpers willing to work for next to nothing. Your mother would have to take in a lot more sewing to keep you all fed. And I'm sure it would be even harder should that brother of yours fall under the wrong influences." Her thinly veiled threat delivered, she leaned back in the chair and waited for her audience's reaction.

Kagome wanted to argue, but looking Kikyo's coldly composed face, she knew that it wasn't going to help. This girl would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. When everything was said and done, she really didn't have a choice. Sighing, her shoulder slumping in defeat, she said the only thing she could say.

"All right. I'll do it."