Kagome sat across from Kori during dinner, and tried to mask her dismay at having him there. Somehow despite her efforts Kori seemed to know exactly how she felt. He seemed able, with his chilling eyes, to break through the facade and see what lay beneath. His eyes that were glued to her now- making her squeamish as she prodded the food on her plate- were powerful and seemed to say more than he voiced.

"So my grandfather and your father were friends?" Kagome didn't look up from her plate as she asked this.

"They were."

It is so hard to make conversation with this boy, Kagome's thoughts became reproachful. "Were you and your father close?"

It seemed she had touched a tender spot, for Kori closed his eyes and didn't answer right away. After a few steady inhales he finally opened his eyes. "He cared."

What a twisted reply, although from Kagome's view he was a little twisted. To please her grandfather though, who was on the edge of his chair begging for them to become equated, Kagome smiled and nodded.

Kori brushed back a lock of blond hair that had fallen into his face; it was just long enough to stay tucked behind his ear. This man, so fair and yet so cold, bewildered Kagome. She felt as if she could never marry him for his aloofness, but at the same time- if things had been different- she knew she wouldn't mind.

He looked up at her and saw she was looking at him. A light rose fell upon her cheeks as she looked away with embarrassment, but his smile didn't escape her view.

"Do you fancy something?" His chuckle danced to her ears.

Kagome decide to let him taste his own medicine, "Only curious."

(Break)

After dinner Kori asked to have a tour of the land, so Kagome walked him through the garden and unexpectedly led him to the well. There he sat down and refused to go further.

"Your well has no water."

"It has no need for water." Kagome replied softly. She wished to take him away from the sacred place, but she saw it would be harder than she first thought.

"When I first saw you here I learned of your uniqueness. You have respect and honor for things I don't understand. You love your grandfather and mother very much and would do any thing for them." At this he took her hands in his frigid ones, and looked up at her with sorrowful eyes. "I want you to know there are many reasons why I want this marriage to go through, but I don't want you to think of me as a burden."

It took a while for Kagome to see that he was giving her a choice. Kori didn't just want to sweep her up and marry her without her consent, and this was his way of asking. Doubt tugged at her though, it told her to run but how could she leave him unsatisfied. How could she say yes to a man she just met; how could she become a wife so young? All of these questions flooded her head but when she looked into his eyes, his newly spirited eyes, an answer came.

" Marriage is swift like a poison, but love is a life lived long."

Kori nodded his agreement, but beneath his mask, where Kagome couldn't see, he hid his dark thoughts. Acting is to persuade the young and gullible. Her trust was easily tapped.

Callie here: Just for all you reviewers who might not have caught it Kagome basically said in the last chapter that she'd marry him but that it would take awhile for her to ever love him.