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Authoress' Note: I'm glad you all liked my last chapter! And I hope that you like this one as well! Please review!

Set Me Free
Chapter Fourteen

Kagome walked through the village at the base of the castle for a while before coming to an inn where she would spend her night before the slave auction in the morning. She traded a small pearl necklace for food and a room for two nights and she walked to her room to settle in for the night.

She walked into the small room to find a fresh loaf of bread and pot of tea waiting for her. She smiled at the gesture and broke off a piece to eat as she sat down on the lumpy bed. For some strange reason, eating the simple bread and laying on a lumpy bed was the most comfortable thing that she had done since she'd arrived in the east.

She slipped off her shoes and took off her robe and laid down to go to bed for the night.

Kagome awoke with the sun, slipping out of her bed and fastening her cloak around her neck. She slipped her shoes on and walked out of the room. She walked from the inn to a small shop nearby. There she sold half of her jewels and knew she had enough money to buy Inuyasha. She smiled as she tucked the money into the pouch sewn into her dress and walked down the street to the platform where the slave auction would be held. People had already begun to assemble and Kagome tried to remain inconspicuous as she stood amongst the crowd.

Kikyo was awoken by servants opening the blinds and pulling back her covers. She was helped from bed and brought over to a dress stand to put her wedding dress on. As she stood she was in a sleepy daze, unaware of everything going on around her. The hem of her dress was being pinned and sewn as another girl was brushing and pulling her hair into an elaborate updo. She was helped from the stool and sat down in front of the vanity table.

"I didn't know this would be happening so quickly" Kikyo said to the servants scurrying around her.

"You heard what Prince Hojo said yesterday night Lady Kagome. He said that your wedding would be first thing in the morning and that's what is going to happen. Now please sit still so we can apply your makeup." The servant said coldly.

Kiyo sat silently in front of the mirror as the servants bustled about her, fixing her hair, fixing the lace on her dress and applying her makeup. As they all left her alone she walked to the jewelry box and pulled the Higurashi diamond from its pouch and fastened it around her neck.

She looked at herself in the mirror and didn't recognize who was staring back at her. She knew that she was doing what was right and she knew that she would be happy married to Prince Hojo so she took a deep breath and walked out of the chambers without waking Kagome's slaves.

She walked down the hall to the castles chapel, where people were waiting outside the doors for her.

"Lady Kagome, are you ready?"

Kikyo nodded and took the arm of the man who would be giving her away. The chapel doors opened and the music flowed from within. She walked slowly down the aisle towards Hojo, who stood stoically at the altar. As she reached the altar she took his hand and they stood in front of the priest.

The priest read the ceremony as Hojo and Kikyo stared at each other. Kikyo prayed that he didn't notice that she was not Kagome, but she then realized he wasn't looking at her; it was as if he was looking straight through her. He must be livid at what lady Kagome did…I hope that it does not last.

"Do you Prince Hojo; take Lady Kagome to be your wife?"

"I do."

"And do you, Lady Kagome, take Prince Hojo to be your husband?"

Kikyo smiled at him, trying to melt his icy façade, "I do."

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Prince Hojo leaned forward to kiss Kikyo; she leaned into him and kissed him with as much passion as she could muster. When they separated and were presented to the people in the church as man and wife, Kikyo was beaming at him. They walked down the aisle and out of the church.

"The next slave up for auction is this hanyou. He is half Inu youkai and is very strong. He has been known to be disobedient and defiant to his masters but if broken he should serve to be a valuable slave. We will begin the bidding." The auctioneer called and the crowd was silent. Kagome stared at the man she loved standing n the platform. She raised her voice as loud as she could "I will give you 40 gold pieces for him!"

"Going once, twice and sold to the lady in the brown cloak!" the auctioneer called and Kagome made her way through the crowd where Inuyasha was being led down the stairs of the platform. Kagome paid the man and took the rope connected to the shackles around Inuyasha's wrists and led Inuyasha away from the crowd. When they got back near the village she took the chains off of his wrists.

"Inuyasha, come with me"

He looked up and into Kagome's chocolate eyes and his eyes widened in shock.

"K-K-Kagome?" he asked.

"Shh. Come with me and I'll explain everything."

She led him back to the inn where she was staying and they went up the stairs to Kagome's room and she locked the door behind them.

Kagome sat down on her bed and pulled Inuyasha down alongside her.

"Kagome, what's going on?" he asked, "You are supposed to be getting married today."

"Inuyasha, so much has happened since you were brought to the dungeon. A servant girl came into my chambers shortly after you were taken away, Inuyasha you wouldn't believe how alike she and I look. We could pass for twins. She agreed to switch places with me. She is in love with Prince Hojo and she agreed to pretend to be me. She was the one who married Prince Hojo this morning."

"Kagome, this was not wise. What if you get caught? What if she gets caught?"

"Don't worry. We are going to go somewhere where no one will care about us. We will go to the north; it is all forests and small villages there. No one will know who we are. I have enough money and jewelry to last for a while and we can work and we can live and be happy."

"Do you not understand? You've just given up your title and identity to a servant. You've lost your rank so you could save me. I wasn't worth it Kagome."

"Don't tell me what is and isn't worth it. I couldn't care less about my title. I want to live with you and if that means working and living as a peasant for the rest of my life then sobeit. Listen to me Inuyasha. I love you. I've done all of this for you. Please be happy."

"All right Kagome. How are we going to make this work?"

"I've paid for one more night and meal here so we will leave in the morning. But until then we will stay here, we don't want anyone to know who we are. There was a wedding this morning but there could be the off chance that someone knows who I am…and we can't risk that. And tomorrow morning we will set off for the north."

"Kagome, you are leaving something out."

"What?"

"We cannot simply travel together to the north. I am a hanyou and you are a human. And we are not married or mated or anything. I will have to travel as your servant and then we will not be able to stay in rooms together. What do you want to do?"

Kagome thought for a moment, "Get married." She stated simply.

Inuyasha did a double take, making sure he heard her correctly, "What?"

"We'll get married. Then no one will be able to stay anything."

"Kagome, you just ran away, gave someone your identity, bought me and now you want to get married??"

"Yes. Inuyasha, this is what I want. It's the only thing I've ever been sure about in my life. Please do this for me. I want to be your wife."

Inuyasha stood up and walked to the door. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He walked from the room. Kagome sat waiting for him for a few minutes until he came back into the room. "Come on." he said, extending his hand to her.

Kagome stood up and looked at him, "What? Why?"

"Because we're getting married."

"What? How?"

"There's a man downstairs that can marry us. This is what you wanted. And this is what I'm giving you. And your name is Hikari; I don't want anyone thinking that there could be any relation to you and "you"."

Kagome nodded and took Inuyasha's hand and he led her down the stairs to where the priest was waiting for them. The ceremony was informal and short and ended with a kiss and Inuyasha giving her a ring the likes of which she had never seen. When they returned to their room as husband and wife, she asked him where it had come from.

"It was my mother's ring. It's the only possession I have in the world and I have been holding it since I was sold into slavery. And now I want you to have it because now you are the only thing I have."

A tear ran down Kagome's cheek and she leaned in and kissed her husband.

"I love you Inuyasha."

"I love you Kagome."

Authoress' Note: Yay! Happy things! Please review and tell me what you think!