Disclaimer: lets see here....Tamashii or to me...Harry Potter 1-5.....random CD's and fan art....room with essentials....Sango costume...fake Kikyo bow......stuffed shinidama-chuu....tainted shikon jewel....Kikyo Hakama....nope, sorry no InuYasha rights in their.

All belong to the gifted Rumiko Takahashi©

Author: chapter three hip-hip-horee!....ok make sure not to have chocolate poky at 10:47 in the evening. Also this is (if you haven't seen the third movie please skip the next sentence unless you are really in for a spoiler) where we shall get a glimpse of pre-one-armed evil Takemaru so yay!!!

Also my brother got the PS2 game for InuYasha and I feel so proud I defeated Kagura and this demon woman trying to hit on Miroku (Sango: MY Miroku!!!) lol.

And im guessing you starting to get annoyed with my babbling so go ahead read your response and get a readin'!!

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chibineko192: ::smile:: im so happy that you like my story !!! :smile blush::

Raihu: thanks ::smile:: I was trying to conduct that kind of relationship atmosphere between Miaka and Izayoi. Since that her mother is dead Miaka would be the next best thing ::smile. also wow ::Blush:: I was a little worried on the banquet because I wanted it to be formal yet casual ::smile:: thanks so much for your review.

Keiko Ookami: thanks ::smile:: that made my day

Orangeinuyasha: lazy to log in ne? ::wink:: hee hee thankies!! And omg this is actually one chapter that you didn't beta 00 how will it survive ::all dramatic like:: lol as always your review rock my sox!!! ::wow that was cheesy::

SilverStar-AquarianAngel: Oooooo pretty name lol. Yea sadly my sis's videos are gone lol but hopefully ill get them back soon lol. Thanks for your review!!

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The heavy grunts of my body guards and the uneven rocking of my palanquin was my set rhythm as I made my half-day journey to the land of my betrothed Lord Takemaru.

It was a long, boring journey in twelve-layered silk kimonos of the finest stitchery plus the stuffiness of my breath and the sun's unmerciful warmth made me want to pass out right then in there in the small, yet fashionable man-cart. I could hear the grunts of men working in rice fields and the pounding of horse hooves just beyond my fine whit silk drapery that was supposed to give me a seductive mysterious outlook and to keep my pale-as-a-ghost complexion from getting even a kiss from the sun.

"What be ye business here" came the gruff voice of what seemed to be a samurai.

I heard the footfalls of my dear Miaka obaa-chan come to the front and with a rustle and crinkle of parchment later; I heard the same voice of the samurai yell at the top of his lungs.

"OPEN THE GATES! THIS BE THE LADY IZAYOI FROM THE LORD TANAKASHI!!!"

Even though I was clearly and perfectly hidden from the wandering eyes of the city citizens, my cheeks blared a pale pink as the hustle of the city stopped for a mere second at the none to quiet samurai.

The uneven rocking came again as my men came walked into what I believe the courtyard. I whipped out a fan from my hakama tie and started waving myself like crazy as the heat suddenly increased and my stomache started to churn with this mornings breakfast.

With a grunt of my men, I felt them slowly lower the palanquin to the lush grass and pull back the white silk hangings. I saw my dear, tired nanny lean down and hold out a knarled hand to help me out of my cramped space; I felt so horrible for her, she was forced to walk the whole trip with nothing but a travelers veil and three kimonos tightly tied by the pasty yellow colored obi, the finest of what she had.

I finally stood and adjusted my heavy kimonos and took a look round the yard. They set me down in what seemed to be the roji filled with blooming Kikyo and Sakura flowers mixed with the simplicity of wild flowers and herbs; a single cedar bench stood in the middle and the carefully laid sand path winded around the sharp corner of the outside hallway.

It was indeed beautiful.

But to me...very bland.

I gave my sweaty men a sweet dearing smile and bowed to the four. They gave me an 'its-my-job-smile' but bowed back just a bit lower.

The sudden clack of a shoji door caught my attention as a tall, young man steeped out to where the sand-path led. He was indeed tall and very well refined. He stepped down from the outside hall and walked towards me. I saw the shine of his spring silk ensemble showing he was the noble of this house. I found he had the most stunning chestnut eyes that would make a girl swoon as well as kept hair that swept up into a very neatly tied top-knot.

He approached me and gave me a bow to which I returned. I looked up to him and found I barely made it to his shoulders which made me feel like a child again looking up at my father. He took a step back and caught my robed hand which he brought it to his lips.

"You must be my Lady Izayoi and may I say that the rumors of your beauty don't even give you justice" he said smoothly gently pressing the back of my hand to his lips. "This castle Lord is much honored" he said in a low tone.

I smiled and took my hand back, blushing a pale pink.

"So you are the kind Lord Takemaru" I said as I sunk into another bow.

"Please, please my lady, no need for my betrothed to bow to me and please call me Takemaru, you are my equal, maybe a higher status even! Now come, let your servants retire and let me show you and your maid here to your rooms and help you get acquainted to the castle" he said in a low, smooth voice that made me blush yet again.

"I would most like that my lord" I said in an equally quiet voice, my eyes peering through my bangs in a mysterious way to his own.

I waved my men away to their relaxation and refreshing as I took off with the lord, my dear nanny, sadly, always a respectable distance behind us.

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He first showed me where the washrooms where and the servant quarters, as well at the kitchen and the Nobles wing. He swelled with pride as he pointed out the small pond of the courtyard and the Shinto shrine in the distance and escorted me through the moon-viewing pavilion as well as the court tea rooms. He then finally showed me my bedroom.

He opened it with a smooth motion and with a clack of the shoji screen door, he showed me a plain yet beautiful tatami mat floor; the pavilion doors of my room were open but a simple, yet elegant white shoji screen shaded the sunlight. I could already see the places for my wardrobes and my sleeping mats neatly placed in front of the shoji screen, the deep blue blanket pulled back a bit in a almost lulling, comforting way; I could definitely tell he really went through a lot to keep it simple and yet luxurious.

I gave Takemaru a deep bow of appreciation to which he smiled too and slipped his forefinger under my chin so I could look up into the chestnut eyes.

"I am pleased to be engaged to such a beautiful and modest woman" he said so smoothly, I felt a tightening in my chest which signaled to me a young-girls crushed to the handsome man.

"As am I to be welcomed into a beautiful home" I replied giving him a soft smile.

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It had been two days since I settled into Takemaru's palace. It was comforting indeed, but I felt so isolated. That night, when I arrived, Takemaru called up a tea ceremony in my honor and I couldn't help but feel the glares coming from the other court ladies. Takemaru's mother was indeed kind and had me sit between her and her son, which was a high honor in any court.

The tea and the sweets were excellent and most of the higher nobles where kind...but what I noticed was the hostility, especially from this overly rice-powdered woman to Takemaru's left. She always had the sleeve corner of her kimono covering her ruby painted lips but her glare was hard, and she was trying too much to flatter her lord; I could only guess that this was Takemaru's nyogo.

But as I said that was the night I arrived, but oh does it get better! My dear Miaka obaa-san told me only last night before as she closed the shoji pavilion doors of a rumor she heard from one of the other maid servants, supposedly of the Lady Megumi.

"Oh honey child, im afraid ye days are to only get harder" Miaka obaa-san told me grimly.

"How much worse can it get dear nanny, im already homesick and I feel out of place!" I confessed softly.

"Please excuse me eaves dropping ears my child, but as I was fetching some hot water for ye scrub, I bumped into this maid servant that I did, this young child gave me this cold glare and went about talking to this ragged other lady servant. She be telling this friend that her Lady Megumi is very riled of ye betrothal to thy Lord, she be telling her friend that she was already plotting against thee!" she told me in a hushed voice and close to my ear.

I bit my lip and rolled over giving a heavy sigh.

"Just two days dear nanny and I'm already the most hated woman in court" I said in a wistful voice right before I fell asleep.

So for the past weeks I've been pretty much locked in my room accompanied with The Four Gentlemen and showered with waka's from the lords mother who I find to be my only friend in this court.

Indeed this is only the beginning of my horrors, that I am sure.

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"Are you sure you think we should decline his treaty Milord?" said the pleading voice of one general.

"I am sure kind sir, the Lord InuTaisho must be faced with the facts that humans, such as ourselves are coming to rise over their filth blood" told the serious tone of the Lord Takemaru before he took a small sip of his sake and thrusted an open scroll bearing the sigma of the dog demon clan.

"But sir, this treaty's been renewed by each of your lord fathers, and the Lord InuTaisho is filled with almost an unbeatable army" argued another lord.

"Note the 'almost' dear advisor, but I have you, remember that I am engaged to the daughter of the Lord Tanakashi of the east and he does indeed have secure nice amount of samurai" Takemaru said happily, folding his fingers and resting them on the short table.

The many generals murmured to each other in an almost unanimous agreement and nodded at the same time.

"Then its decided good gentlemen"

Takemaru clapped his hands twice and in came a running man donned in a simple white cotton yukata with a matching white headband tied tightly around his forehead bearing the crest of the Takemaru family.

"Here lad, take this to the Lord InuTaisho and tell him that all is explained in his treaty" he told the boy snugly.

The boy nodded trembling a little before accepting the scroll and tucking it in his belt before bowing low to his lord and sprinting out the door.

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Author: now dun dun dun!!! The plot is starting to thicken and I feel like this story is going to get better and better though

Also you'll notice the Japanese words with the next to them, well I got a great tip form my beta, faithful reviewer and otaku buddy that the more Japanese I use, the more the story will feel authentic..so that's what im going to do . I've decided to add a Japanese dictionary at the end of each of my chapters for every Japanese word that I use, this may help ya guys ;earn a little more every day but be warned, after maybe using the word 2-3 times It may not be at the bottom

Hope ya guys like this idea!!

Also please forgive me for I am posting a day late

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JAPANESE WORDS:

Roji: tea ceremony garden path

Traveler's veil: a kind of veil that kept women from being bitten by bugs and getting sunburn, men didn't wear these only the wide-brimmed woven hats.

Kikyo: no not the character ::wink:: a certain Japanese flower, a bell/balloon flower.

Shoji: rice paper door/screen

Nyogo: a lord's concubine

The Four Gentlemen: ink painting brushes, not actual men but techniques.

Waka's: three-lined, one syllable poems, used to invite others and trade messages within the courts.