An Unfair Reality by Dandie

Woods of Majesty

It was a mystical place, these woods. She was always glad that no one else had really discovered this beautiful spot. It seemed like if you listen real hard, you could hear the wind whispering to someone… something. Maybe it was trying to tell her something?

                Kagome shook her head, and then smiled as her hair tickled her cheek; it truly was a magical place. Chocolate brown eyes watched as the little animals scurried about their business… Used to her presence by now. She always came here. And right now, she really needed the solitude. She had come home to find out that her parents had arranged for her to be married.

                It was not outside of the norm for the Elvin people to do this… But she had thought that her parents were different, that they would not force this on her! No warning had been given. And the worse part was that the man she was betrothed to marry was the man she hated the most in this world! Inuyasha! Ugh.

                He was a womanizing ass that had no idea how to treat a woman well. His was a royal family (though rumors went around that he was a bastard) that were known for their cruelty. His brother Sesshoumaru was said to be the most violent of them all! But where as Inuyasha disgusted her, Sesshoumaru intrigued her. She didn’t know what it was about him… But when she saw him in town, his yellow eyes never missing a single detail, she yearned to go and talk to him. She knew he would never say such a thing, but he seemed lonely. He was never in lack of company… but it didn’t seem like he was very interested in anything that they had to say or offer.

                Just once she would like to have a conversation with him. Then again, if that were to happen and she found out that he was just as bad as his brother, she would then have nothing to look forward to in life, no goal. Just disappointment.  She sighed. What was there really to look forward to in her world? Assigned marriages, kids, and assigning those kids to be married. She wished to be free of the rules, free of everyone that wanted to tell her what to do with her life.

                “Kagome!” The voice scared the birds and made her jump, but as she recognized the voice she began to smile. It was only Shippou, her little brother.

                “Well, you have found me my lovely,” She caught him as he jumped at her. He was so itty bitty. Only 7 years old, but still pretty small for his age. He was not her blood brother, nor was he a really an elf. Her family had found him when he was only a baby, abandoned in the woods. He looked more like a little fox then an elf.  

                His poofy red hair always made her giggle.

                “Here to disturb my peace? Or come exploring with me?” She kissed his forehead and put him down.  He glanced up at her and looked a little sheepish.

                “I was told to come get you ‘cause Inuyasha is on his way over to ‘assess’ his bride.” Kagome turned red with fury and embarrassment. Inuyasha knew who she was and had met her on many occasions! But as was the rule in their world, only the male could reject the marriage arrangement. Yet another thing that was unfair, but she would not dispute so as to not dishonor her family.

                She grabbed Shippou’s hand and started walking back to the village in silence.

                “Are you mad at me sister?” He asked, staring at the ground.

                “Of course not sweet one. Why would I be mad at you for something you cannot control? I love you very much, always know that!” She gave his hand a little squeeze and continued to head away from her little paradise, feeling more and more discontent.

                What would happen if she tried to reject the marriage proposal? Would her parents die in shame? Would she be banned from the village to live as an outcast for the rest of her life? She didn’t know… No one that she knew of had ever denied a marriage proposal. Especially not a royal one! Who in their right mind would refuse that?

                Her, that’s who, She had no desire to be the wife to that heathen.  How had she even been chosen for that? They sure must have been desperate. She was technically older than most of the girls that were to be married. She was 17, where most girls in the village were getting married by the age of 14. Due to their genes, Elves developed a lot faster than humans… When they hit their peak year (Which for girls was around 21) they stopped aging. They could live for hundreds of years. But due to the fact that the humans were destroying the earth, numbers had dwindled recently.

                Elves lived off the land. The trees, the air, the grass, everything! And it seemed that slowly everything was being destroyed to the point that the Elves were dying younger and younger. No one knew what the life expectancy was now.

                Kagome slowed down as they got closer to the village. She really didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to face her family that was probably so proud that their daughter was going to finally get married, and to royalty at that. Her heart started to beat faster.

                She reached the wooden hut that was her house and looked down at sweet little Shippou, he looked so sad for her. He knew that she really wanted nothing to do with the royal family or even marriage. He had always been in sync with her.

                “You look sadder then I little one. Perk up… Something good is pound to come of this. Or maybe I will pray to the Mother that Inuyasha calls of the arrangement.” She tickled his cheek and he gave her a weak smile. Taking a deep breath, they both walked into the hut.

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                He had been watching her for years and he knew that she was oblivious to it. He knew that she watched him when he was out in town. What he didn’t know was what lies behind those dark brown eyes. They seemed so sad all the time, holding the weight of the world.

                He had never approached her, was unsure of what she would think. No one thought very kindly of his family. Then again, they didn’t really have the best reputation the world. He looked to the sky. He was very proud of the fact that most people were afraid of him. He didn’t like talking. Hell, he really didn’t like anyone or anything really. But this Kagome intrigued him. There was something about her that called to him, called to his soul in some elemental way.

                Now the big joke was that she was arranged to be married to his brother. He curled his lip just at the thought of that impure bastard. He knew that his dad had cheated on his mother to create that thing that was deemed his brother. But they family had covered it up. Not like anyone believe that he was true royalty. He had the manners of a simpleton, the education to match, and could not stay out of any woman’s undergarments.  He was disgusting.

                Sesshoumaru wondered what little Kagome thought of her betrothal. She didn’t seem too happy when the little fox boy came to fetch her. But that could be something else clouding her mind.

                She was the only person who had ever discovered his little get away in the woods. Sometimes spending all day within, just staring at the woods beyond and sighing as if her mind was a million miles away. He wished he could hear her thoughts, or even read them.

                He jumped down from his favorite tree and stretched. He had found himself just coming to these woods lately just to see if she was here. Just to see if maybe she would talk aloud to the little animals scurrying to and fro just as busy as ever with the winter coming soon.

                The wind whipped his silver hair around him and he sighed. Maybe he would visit his little Kagome’s hut to see her personally… After all, if Inuyasha went through with this, she would be his sister.