Wicked Affairs by KemAjiana

Chapter One

Notes before I begin:

*Inuyasha takes place (roughly) between 1543 and 1553. For sake of accuracy, we're going to go with 1553. At the beginning of this, Inuyasha is 203, putting his birth year at 1350. Sesshomaru is 150+ years older [exact age uncertain], putting his birth year at ~1200. In other words, they're old as heck. Kagome is only 118, born 1435. Shippo is 12, and Rin is 8. All other character ages are uncertain, but are older than Kagome.

* Kagome is based on the Shikoku Inu (from the island of Shikoku), and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are based on Hokkaido Inu (from the region of Hokkaido). Sango and Miroku are both Kishu Ken. Rin is a ½ bred Shikoku-Kai Ken.

*Social Structure: The Shikoku Inu Clan has both a patriarch (in charge of troops and trade) and a matriarch (in charge of more delicate arts: healing, art, music, etc.). The Hokkaido, Kishu, Shiba, Akita, and Kai Clans have 1 Lord and his mate who are in charge of everything. The Tosa Tribe has only 1 strong Alpha – male or female – that fight contenders to prove his/her worth.

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Prologue:

Kagome Higurashi, of the renowned Shikoku Inu Clan on the Island of Shikoku, slammed her palm against the smooth wooden tabletop, where she sat across from her Lady-Mother and most Honorable Grandfather. Her fury was palpable, bubbling from her eyes as her body shook, her breath coming in quick, uneven gasps as she tried, vainly, to calm herself.

With a rap of her long, elegant fingernail against the polished tabletop, her mother, Sayuri, ordered her to calm herself. "There's no good that will come from riling yourself up, Kagome."

A guard at the door shifted uncomfortably, his red-brown eyes wary as he rocked back on his heels for a moment before returning to his position. Only his knuckled, turned white from his grip on his spear, betrayed his unease.

Kagome shook her raven-black hair, her brilliant blue eyes sparking with scarcely retained fury. "I have been a good daughter, have I not? Obeyed every rule, every Clan law, excelled in every course you had me instructed in." A traitorous tear slid down her sun-kissed cheek. "So how could you do this unforgivable thing to me?"

Her grizzled old grandfather, patriarch of her Clan, spoke then from the head of the family table. "It was always to be expected of you, dear. Your sister was head of her own house several years by the time she was your age. As is the duty of a proper Lady of your breeding and high class."

The girl gave a snarky, barking laugh. "'Breeding' is it, Grandfather?" she snorted derisively. "If that were truly the case, I'd think you'd at least whore me out within the Clan. Are you so sure it isn't for your own political gain?"

There was a soft cough from the doorway, where her brother, Souta, suddenly stood, his eyes clouded with grief. "You're sending Kagome away now, too, Mother?" An uncomfortable silence followed his query.

The girl clenched her fists. "Kikyo is dead, Mother. And her pup. Her body wasn't able to bear that kind of responsibility, and it killed her in the end. Both of them are gone because Grandfather wanted to be greedy."

"Be silent, girl!" roared the old youkai.

A choked sob escaped Sayuri. "Your sister bore her duty with grace; with no questions asked. You are stronger than she was, and will be perfectly capable of providing the chosen Lord with a male heir when that time comes."

Without another word, both Kagome's mother and grandfather – matriarch and patriarch of the Shikoku Clan, respectively – dismissed her from their presence, leaving the young woman fuming at the unfairness of it all.

When she had returned to her room, slamming her rice-paper door, her friend, Sango, a hand-maiden, was sitting cross-legged on her wooden floor, eyes begging for answers. "So," she murmured, "how'd it go?"

Instantly, the floodgates opened, and tears poured down Kagome's cheeks. "They're using me as breeding fodder for some Lord to the North!" she screeched, hysterical.

The brindle-haired youkai's jaw dropped. "But, I thought you were to be the next matriarch of Shikoku, milady? Everyone did!" More hesitantly, she added, "Does this mean Souta-sama will be the successor instead of you?"

Kagome flopped, face-first, into her inlaid futon, burying her face in her pillows and letting out a muffled sob. Sango pat her back reassuringly. "He'll be the only one left."

Silence followed her statement for a long moment until Sango mustered up the courage to ask, "So…who's the unlucky Lord?"

From her position, Kagome gave a half-hearted shrug. "Some pompous, overbearing ass with a lot of wealth and power. That's the only way my grandfather would pursue this. Just look at Kikyo's mating to Naraku." She grimaced. "The poor bastard is probably some old, ugly thing."

To be continued.

 

INUYASHA © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan • Yomiuri TV • Sunrise 2000
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