Disclaimer: I don't own him I swear!

Chapter 2 – Second

"Damn, Damn Bloody Hell!" cursed Sesshomaru.

Ranting and raving Sesshomaru stormed into the breakfast room where Inuyasha was reading the morning paper.

"What are you so worked up about?" Inuyasha inquired only half interested.

Sesshomaru flopped on the nearest chair, after a few seconds of not getting an answer Inuyasha went back to his paper.

"I was just walking through the park on my way back when I spotted the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Sesshomaru paused as if recalling the event. "She was just there riding her horse, I didn't speak to her, I just stood there like an idiot and watched her ride away. Now I have no way to find her. I don't know who she could possibly be." He said dejectedly.

Inuyasha at first thought he was kidding, and then looking up from his newspaper he saw Sesshomaru's face and was astonished. Sesshomaru never felt passionately about anything or anyone, he always had a cool and calm façade that sometimes irritated him. Seeing him in such a state about an unknown girl was a first.

"Keh, is that all?" Inuyasha said flippantly, just to get a rise out of him. He didn't like this mood of his at all, it did not bode well. "I can't imagine anyone being so beautiful as to fall in love with at first sight."

"I never said I was in love, lust maybe but not love. Anyway I would not expect a man who's already engaged to understand" Sesshomaru said his frustration starting to flare. He couldn't believe his bad luck.

"Anyway, speaking of my engagement, we are schedule to make an appearance at the McElroy ball tomorrow night. My fiancé will be attending." Inuyasha spoke without any feeling.

"Fine." Sesshomaru said standing to serve himself from the side board. "I don't understand how we have already been invited to a ball. We've been in town less than a day."

"We weren't actually invited, my man of affairs Mr. Myoga found out that my fiancé was invited to this ball and he just thought I would be able to use the information. It seems my fiancée is the toast of the season and she's out almost every night. I just thought we'd crash. Who would turn us away?" Inuyasha's arrogance was immense, but he was right, they were two earls richer than most of the people in attendance at any one soiree and hostess were always trying to get them to attend one of their parties whenever they would happen to be in town. Sesshomaru also knew that he wanted to surprise his fiancé unawares so he agreed.

"I guess you're right." Sesshomaru replied his mind still on the girl from the park.

Meanwhile across town

"Sango, Dear" Sango's mother Lady Matsamura (picture Kagome's mom) rushed into her daughter's bedroom, looking excited and breathless.

"Yes mother." Sango replied surprised to see her mother in such an excited state.

"You'll never believe it," She paused for effect. "Your fiancé is in town!"

"What!" Sango said unable to believe hear ears. "He's here. Why so soon? I thought you said he'd sent word that he would be arriving in three weeks."

"I don't know dear, maybe he's anxious to meet you before the engagement ball." Lady Matsamura thought nothing of the panic that had crept in Sango's voice she just dismissed it as excitement. "Just make sure you look your best at all times for we don't know when he'll come to call." With that, she turned and left the room leaving Sango bewildered.

'I'm not ready for this.' Sango thought sadly.

Kagome sat curled up in her favorite chair in the library when Sango came in looking for her. Kagome did not like the worried look on her face.

"What's the matter?" Kagome said getting up.

Sango took a deep breath and said "My fiancé arrive in town last night."

"Oh!" It was all Kagome could say. At the moment Sango didn't look like a girl who had accepted her fate.

"Are you OK?" Kagome was worried Sango always seemed so sure about everything. She looked like she was distressed by the news.

"I'm…m not ready, he just took away the last few weeks of freedom I had planned by showing up here early." Her voice shook.

"Now calm yourself Sango, This is a great compliment, he would want to meet you long before the engagement, it's only natural." Kagome always said things like this with a smile.

"You're always the optimist aren't you? You don't understand. I have accepted the fact that this marriage will happen. All I wanted was time to prepare and enjoy myself. Now it is no longer possible." Sango paused; she took a deep breath and the said. "Mother said we must be in our best looks at all times; we don't know when the earl might pay us a visit." Sango left the room leaving Kagome confused.

'I thought she wanted to marry.' Kagome thought.

Later that night, Kagome's journal entry read:

Dear Diary

Today had to be a pretty bad day for Sango after she delivered the news of her fiancé arriving in town last night we spent the rest of the day believing he'd come to see her. But he never showed up. Sango is miserable I wish there was something I could do. She had always seemed so calm about this; I would have been the one a nervous wreck if I was told I was going to marry a complete stranger. I really hope they like each other I don't want Sango to be unhappy. Tomorrow night we are scheduled to go to the McElroy ball, hopefully this will cheer her up, she loves dancing. Maybe he'll come to see her tomorrow and all will be well.

Kagome climbed into bed and snuffed out the candle. Outside her window someone watched as the light went out.

Count Miroku, "The Houshi", had sat in his carriage watching his victim ramble across the park on horseback this morning. 'She was beautiful' he thought. Now like always he had watched her sit by her window writing. 'She will be mine.' He vowed to himself.

Count Miroku was known to be the most lecherous rake in town. He believed that because of his rank and wealth he could take advantage of anyone he considered weak. For about a month now he'd set his sights on Miss Kagome Higurashi, the companion to the lovely Sango Matsamura. He'd tried to woo her in the usual manner with compliments, gifts and she had always been polite but turned down every one of his attempts. He thought that since her prospects of marriage were nonexistent since she was penniless, that she would jump at the chance to be his mistress, but it seems she would rather remain the virginal wallflower forever. He guessed it was time for more forceful tactics.