Notes:
Here is the next chapter! After this one, I will be updating the story once a week or so. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, please leave a comment if you do!
Please Note : I do not own Inuyasha, nor any of its characters. (I also do not own Bridgerton, on which this fanfic is loosely based.)
...
Chapter 3:
(Vitamin String Quartet - Sunflower)
"Oh! Kagome, look at these silks!"
Kagome smiled at Sango as they inspected every material at the modiste. A new dress for the upcoming ball was exactly what Kagome needed to get her mind off the past and onto the future. Luckily, her mama had left her with Sango. When Sango's mama protested in hushed whispers to her daughter that she should not be seen alone with Kagome, Sango threatened to purchase a lime green abomination of a dress if her mama did not relent.
Kagome did not know how she ever deserved such a friend.
"Sango," She pretended to be very interested in some sage green fabric, "What do you know of the duke?"
"I know what he did to you was horrid and if he were here I would give him a piece of my mind." Sango huffed, "Why are you even giving such thoughts your time?"
Kagome set the fabric back on the table, "Because I may not have a choice."
"Nonsense," Sango exclaimed grabbing a flowing dress of soft lilac, "There will be other suitors, Kagome. More and more arrive every day, and all your need is one decent lord who hasn't heard about how that imbecile of a dog duke shamed you."
Gasping, Kagome looked around to make sure they weren't overheard, "Sango!"
Her best friend simply shrugged, "It's true." The long pause of silence indicated some bad news was coming. Sango was rarely silent. "I um, passed by the Hojo mansion today. Hojo saw me and wanted to be sure I told you how very sorry he was."
"Yeah, me too." Such simple, solemn words did little to convey her pain. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him.
"Ladies," Kanna the shopkeeper said joining them, "have we made a decision?"
Kagome instinctively grabbed for the sage fabric.
"Green?" Sango held her hand to her breast in shock, "I thought you liked white?"
"I despise it. This will do nicely."
…
(Vitamin String Quartet - In My Blood)
Kagome, for the first time in her life, had no intention of following orders. She descended the stairs of the Hitomi house dressed in a sage gown that featured a fitted and embroidered bodice. Matching sheer embroidered sleeves hugged her arms and reached her wrists. The dress left everything up to the imagination, precisely how Kagome had envisioned it. A simple necklace with a pearl pendant sat high upon her throat. Soft sheer gloves protected her hands. Her hair was down in soft curls, with a delicate diamond pin holding the right side away from her face. There wasn't even any skin exposed on her back for a certain duke to touch.
Kagome was armed for the battle to take her future back.
From across the room, she could see Inuyasha, but now that his presence was no longer a secret, a flock of giggling mamas and their desperate daughters surrounded him. Every time he said something, the flock looked between the two of them. Kagome secretly hoped he was telling them the epic tale of how she had smacked him across his arrogant face.
He certainly looked every bit the rake she knew him to be in his burgundy coat that was tailored to his muscles.
Let them keep him busy while I find another husband.
Kagome stood with her mama listening to some gentlemen talk business with an older Lord Hitomi, who had lost his wife six months ago.
"And that is why farmers should provide grain throughout the year, Lord Hitomi, to ensure such shortages are unlikely." Kagome spoke as necessary, masking the majority of her intellect, less she come off too shrewd.
"I dare say," Lord Hitomi spoke to Lady Higurashi, "where have you been hiding this pretty one?"
Her mama beamed, "Clearly you can see why I hid her, my lord. If all the men had known of her, we would never have had a quiet moment in our household."
"I suppose you are right. May I have this dance, Lady Kagome?"
Struggling to smile at the lord fifteen years her senior, she pulled her eyes away from Hojo and Lady Kikyo dancing near the center of the room. While Lord Hitomi was a decent looking demon with long black hair and soft red eyes, there were many rumors that he had beat his last wife to death after she failed to provide him a male heir. Even so, Kagome was in no place to deny him; he was the host of the ball.
"I would be delighted, Lord Hitomi."
He took her onto the ballroom floor, right next to Hojo. Kagome's heart ached more than she thought possible as she curtsied, clutching her dress tighter to calm her nerves.
"I insist," he said reaching for her hands, "that if I am to offer for your hand and we are to wed, you call me Lord Naraku."
Kagome couldn't hide her grimace.
"Does that displease you, Lady Kagome?"
"Not at all, my lord. Forgive me, the punch, although delicious, is not settling in my stomach." She fought to rein in her frantic heartbeat. "While I very much appreciate your offer, I have not yet accepted it, my Lord."
And she had no plan to...ever. She would never be that desperate. Her father had his faults, but even he would not force a fate such as this upon her. How had she fallen so far so quickly that only demons desired dances with her?
"Forgive me for being so forward, my lady, but there have been no callers to your house since the beginning of the season. I can provide for your family quite well. You will want for nothing."
Except love and happiness. Kagome thought bitterly. "Thank you for your concern my Lord, but we are merely one week into the season."
"I have heard the Lady Kikyo has had nothing short of thirty suitors already." He gestured subtly to the couple beside them, "And judging by the fact you were with us talking farming tenants rather than already dancing, it appears you are short on prospects indeed. But I do not need your mind, nor do I care for it. I only need an heir."
Kagome suddenly looked across the room and met the eyes of the man who ruined everything, a certain duke who was staring very intently at her.
…
Inuyasha could play the game well, even find joy in it. What he took no joy from however, was seeing Kagome in the arms of a murderer. His desire was to break her, not send her six feet under. When their eyes met, he saw the defeat, and his demon was angry that he was not the one to fully cause it.
His plan was to disregard Kagome tonight, but his little princess had defied him by wearing a dress of the wrong color that hid her body from him. He would deal with that, and her, later.
…
(Vitamin String Quartet - Girls Like You)
Kagome mind was whirling as Naraku left her to play host. While she wanted to see the best in her father, she could not shake her mother's words. Her father would make her marry Naraku, solely for the money he possessed. The money that would save her family. She had to think of something quickly to win another suitor by the end of the night.
But how does a lady convince a gentleman to marry them in the span of a few hours? This is hopeless.
"May I have this dance, beautiful?"
Kagome was well-mannered enough this time to not show shock at the pointed demon ears that donned the newcomer's head. At least this lord was her age, and while he shared Naraku's black hair, his dusty blue eyes were kind.
"You may," Kagome genuinely smiled, remembering his name from her training, "Lord Koga."
As she moved to bend her knees into a curtsey, he quickly dismissed her. "Please, my lady, that is not necessary." He courteously took her hand and helped her up, then began swaying them back and forth to the happy tune of the orchestra. When a lift came, he placed his hands gently and properly on her hips before easily lifting her over his head. Kagome felt for a minute she was flying.
"You are quite the dancer, my lord."
Koga smirked, "You make it easy, Lady Kagome."
Kagome relaxed for the first time in hours. Despite being a demon, she had heard of Lord Koga's kindness and how well he cared for his estate and all his tenants. While he was not the richest lord, he was very handsome; and most amiable. They could be happy together, and she hadn't a single doubt that he would respect not only her body, but also for her mind. Maybe Naraku wouldn't be her only choice after all.
…
"Your grace," Lady Kikyo crooned, "Tell us more of your time away in Australia. Surely, our city would have benefited from having a fine gentleman such as yourself here. Why did you leave?"
Inuyasha impatiently stroked his incisors across his tongue as he longed to feel Kagome's soft skin. First he had to watch Naraku touch her, and now that mangy wolf. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was drawing demons to the human girl.
You're a damned fool for thinking you could stay away from her. She's ours.
"How could I deny a question from a lady so lovely?" The lie left his lips with ease. He found Lady Kikyo repulsive and her lavender perfume overwhelmed his sense of smell, making his sensitive nose burn. As a result, he could no longer smell the sickening happiness now radiating off of Kagome.
"I departed, Lady Kikyo, because the laws enacted here made my kind prisoners in our own homes. The fear of us created by certain members of parliament drove us away. But since those restrictions have been lifted, I have returned to take my rightful place in my ancestral home."
And make them pay.
...
"Tell me, beautiful, how can I help you?" Koga's playful and kind voice turned low and hushed.
"Forgive me, my lord, but I do not understand."
"I see the way that mutt-face looks at you." To Kagome's shock, Koga gestured at Inuyasha. "Has he hurt you? If you were my lady, I would protect you. You wouldn't have to worry about him again. I'll ask again, has he hurt you?"
Kagome thought hard, "No, my lord," she said wistfully, "merely ruined my prospects."
The lord gave her a bright grin. "I certainly wouldn't say that, my lady."
Kagome felt like she was back on top of the world.
…
"What ever happened to your older brother and mama, your grace? What was your brother's name- Duke Sesshomaru?" Kikyo's mama asked innocently.
"Forgive me, ladies, but I must take my leave."
(Vitamin String Quartet - Without Me)
Kagome had just finished dancing with the mangy wolf and was alone on the dance floor in her stupid green dress. Naraku was moving towards her.
The crowd parted for Inuyasha with polite murmurs of "your grace" and bows as he quickly strode past. The closer Inuyasha got, the more he could smell the other demons on her, and the angrier he became.
She turned to face him just as he reached her, instantly grabbing her hands in his. He had arrived just in time, Kagome had not even seen the host approaching her. Inuyasha regarded the red-eyed demon over her shoulder.
Naraku looks furious. Good.
"Ah, your grace," Kagome struggled not to roll her eyes because, as always with the duke, propriety was wasted. "I was wondering when you were going to sweep in and ruin my night. Do you like my dress?"
We'd like it better if it were on the floor.
"Keh," Inuyasha's aching hands touched only material and it irritated him to no end, "I hate green."
"Not enough to leave me alone." Kagome contested, "I suppose I shall have to try harder next time. How is your cheek?"
Surprised at her sudden impertinence, his eyebrows raised. What had gotten into her? "I am touched you care so much for my well-being, princess."
"I am merely playing your game," she countered dispassionately, raising her chin to meet his gaze, "your grace."
In that moment, everything around them zoned out. Their eyes met, brown clashing with gold. Inuyasha could hear her breath quicken as he impulsively clutched the back of her dress in his claws. Kagome looked away first. Despite being fully clothed, being close to him left her feeling very exposed.
"You need to stop," he whispered huskily, rubbing cruel circles roughly across her gloved palm, "before you get burned."
Get her alone and finish this.
"I wish to be a player in this game," Kagome stated simply, "not your pawn. Besides, I have nothing left to lose."
Inuyasha leaned in, their cheeks touching, "That's where you're wrong princess," he whispered, "you have everything left to lose and no idea who you're dealing with."
"Well," Kagome stated proudly, "we may not have to deal with one another much longer, your grace."
Inuyasha fought the urge to possessively pull her against him as she looked at Koga. He settled for twisting a few of his fingers in the soft curls cascading down her back. "I can smell him on you. I will not allow it. You are mine."
Finally, his words had shocked her into silence.
But only for the briefest moment, "I will belong," Kagome corrected, "to whomever marries me, your grace." She was not his. He did not love her, the only reason he was with her now was because for some reason or another, she amused him.
Even though the words were true, a dark grimace passed over Inuyasha's features as the music faded. He knew Koga would not hurt her, but Naraku was another matter. He scowled at Naraku across the room as the host did the same, challenging each other.
The glare the duke gave him was clear: stay away from Kagome.
...
Notes: I would love to know what you think, or where you would like to see this story go! Please let me know in the comments.
