Kagome sat in front of the dressing table and signed. Dress appropriately? What did that mean? She was surely not going to ask Kikyou for help. She looked at her new Kimono hanging on the rack. She smiled a little. At least this was more like her. She didn't want to wear all red and striking like Kikyou. She was to be future wife of the prince of the west. Kagome was nothing, so why bother.

She pulled her robes on and looked at herself. It seemed presentable. It was just a pale white kimono with pink shading at the bottom. Pink cherry blossoms painted carefully along. She looked at the mirror. What was she to do with her hair? Bun it up? Tie it? She glanced around the room. Finally, she spotted a Sakura flower at the edge of her dressing table. That should do it… Kagome smiled and picked it up.

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"Where is she?" Lord Higurashi boomed. It was almost time to meet the emperor and Kagome was no where to be seen. She said she wanted to look around the palace, he decided to allow that, warning her not to wander far. His attention was distracted by a fellow visitor and Kagome had disappeared.

"Maybe she got lost." Kikyou commented. That sister of hers was always disappearing and getting into trouble. Kikyou herself was dressed to the nines. Her hair bun up nicely and with gold pins and fake flowers. Her long red and gold kimono with cranes and fans embroidered on it.

"That girl. First coming out with all that wild hairstyle, and then disappearing in the palace! Palace I say! What if the emperor caught her!" Her father asked a little worried.

Kikyou frowned. Was her father worried? Her thoughts were broken when a servant announced that they should enter the dining hall already. Lord Higurashi sighed and waved his hand, indicating they should just enter without Kagome. He told one of his servants to look out for Kagome.

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Kagome sighed and sat down at one of the pavilions near a lake. This was irritating. Getting lost in the palace, after her father had ordered her nanny to bun up her hair. She frowned at the thought. Without thinking twice, she picked out the pins on her hair. Her ebony hair cascaded down her shoulders and back. She reached out of a Sakura flower lying on the ground and blew off the dust on it. She tucked some hair behind her right ear and carefully placed the flower on it. There. It was good enough. Now, to find a way back to the main dining hall.

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Inuyasha sighed and slumped his back. This was boring. Some freaking dinner with the human emperor. What's more, to meet his future wife? He shuddered at the thought. She had to be some prim and proper girl who had no expression other than looking like a picture.

"Stop slumping, Inuyasha. It's improper. Get ready, you are going to meet your future wife." His brother, Sesshoumaru, Youkai lord of the west reminded him.

"Keh… Whatever. I never said I wanted to marry her." Inuyasha said.

"Stop that. It's already bad enough that you wore the fire rat coat to a dinner with the emperor." Sesshoumaru said.

"It's more comfortable than those other robes. I like it. So leave me alone." Inuyasha snapped.

Sesshoumaru sighed. What a stubborn half brother he was indeed. He suddenly felt pity for his brother's future wife. Speaking of it, He heard it was some noble human family. He winced at that thought. He never liked humans. Not that he hated them or what. Maybe his Hanyou brother would connect with them more. It was necessary though to be able to establish a good relationship with humans.

"I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back." Inuyasha said.

"Don't get lost, I don't want some palace guard fighting you." Sesshoumaru added.

"Keh. Like I will even get lost, I'll just sniff my way back." Inuyasha said before walking off.

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Kagome sighed at sat down at another pavilion. Why did the palace garden look all so alike? This was frustrating. She looked around. No one. Good.

She started to sing. It was a way to release stress.

A twig cracked. Kagome stopped singing. She spun around.

A tall young man stepped out from the shadows. He wore a red Haori with matching pants and sword tucked behind his belt. It was rather dark, Kagome looked carefully, and he had sliver long hair … Wait… Were those dog ears!

"Who are you?" The guy asked.

"I… I'm lost." Kagome replied in a rather small voice.

"What? Your name's lost?" He asked rather amused.

Kagome rolled her eyes. What was it with this guy?

"My name's Kagome and I am lost." She decided to reply.

"Keh…This place is big." The guy answered.

"Do you know the way back?" Kagome mustered her courage to ask him.

He pointed to a well lit place. "There, couldn't you figure it out? That was stupid."

Kagome frowned. "Thank you then. This stupid girl is going off."

Kagome hopped off the bench and started to walk away.

"You sing pretty well." The guy said.

Kagome stopped. Rather shocked, she turned around. The guy was still staring at her. She squinted trying to see his face. Who was he anyway!

"Thanks." Was all she could mutter as she turned to leave. What a weird guy. She tried to figure out his looks. Urgh. All because of the darkness she couldn't see anything except his outline.

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Inuyasha wondered around. This was boring. All the 'Future wife' stuff was starting to piss him off.

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

He stopped. His white ears twitched. He turned to find the origin. Slowly, he came to a clearing. It was a girl. All he could see was an outline of a Kimono and long hair. Nothing was clear in that darkness.

Walking forward, he accidentally stepped onto a twig. The singing stopped. There was an awkward pause before he decided to start talking.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Another awkward pause.

"I'm…I'm lost."

Couldn't she just answer the question straight!

"What? Your name's lost!" He decided to ask her.

"My name's Kagome. And I am lost." The girl replied. Inuyasha could sense she was rather irritated.

"Keh, this place is big." He replied.

"Do you know the way back?" She asked.

Was she dumb or what? Couldn't she see the lights coming from the main dining hall?

"There, couldn't you figure it out? That was stupid." He said, while pointing to the lights.

"Thank you then. This stupid girl is going off." She replied, turning to leave.

Keh… she was rather tough. Most girls would have started to get all teary and all.

"You sing pretty well." He blurted out. Damn! What was he thinking? He immediately regretted. Praising a human was totally out of his league.

"Thanks." Was the reply, and the girl walked off.

Inuyasha shook the thought of his head as he watched the girl leave. Her scent following her… She smelt of…Sakura, rather nice. Urgh! Again! He shook is head lightly and leapt towards the main dining hall.

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