Love Potion Number Nine by Tamysan

One

In the almost mystical time of the Sengoku-Jidal, procreation was a fairly straightforward thing amongst most humans and youkai. However, among the noble classes, it was just a tad bit more complicated. There were rules to be observed, marriages to be arranged and what not. It was a formal thing and one that oftentimes tooks years to prepare for.

Youkai marriages within the higher classes were often arranged at the prospective couples births, since in the wild, it was very hard for a demon male to mate with a demoness, simply because the demoness in question would fight tooth and nail rather than be mated by a rogue male. Female demons and their unborn offspring were often vulnerable in the wild to attacks by other youkai. But within an arranged marriage, the demoness would have protection during the time in which she carried her child, and she would have the added power of the youkai she was married to.

It was an acceptable arrangement - one that was agreeable to most upper class youkai. It perpetuated the race with strong pure-blooded youkai and countered the weaker youkai and hanyous that seemed to be everywhere. Although many a noble born male youkai had taken human females for concubines, there were very few that actually took them to wife. Inutashio, the great demon-dog taiyoukai of the West was one of the few who did so, and this started an alarming trend where some demon taiyoukai would let their human women give birth to hanyous. However, the old ways still held sway and for the most part, the arranged marriage tradition still held.

This was the position that Sesshoumaru found himself in one day..

Sahika was a demoness of the upper classes who, long ago was betrothed to Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands even as she was within her mother's womb. Sesshoumaru had just been born. For whatever reason, Inutashio had not mentioned the arrangement to Sesshoumaru and so it was with surprise that Sesshoumaru met the caravan bringing his demon bride to him as they just stood outside the borders of the Western Lands.

"What are you doing near my borders?" Sesshoumaru eyed the caravan warily. That he smelled youkai, he was very certain of.

:"Oh, great and mighty Sesshoumaru-sama of the Western Lands!" An aged youkai retainer who looked somewhat human bowed and scraped to Sesshoumaru. "We bring to you she who was chosen for you long ago by your father, the great and revered Inutashio!"

"What?" Sesshoumaru's eyes widened inperceptively but other than that, he showed little evidence of his shock.

"Hai, revered lord.." The retainer kept his head bowed. "Sahika, daughter of D'hjal, is ready to join her fates to yours as promised long ago."

"I know of no such - arrangement." Sesshoumaru grimaced.

Sahika, within her veiled carriage was nervous. Really, she did not wish to marry Sesshoumaru because she was in love with another youkai, Sinjjii, who was in the procession - unbeknownst to her father of course. However, her father had forced her to come here to save her family's failing fortunes, and so here she was. She peered out of the carriage and saw that indeed the rumors of Sesshoumaru's ethereal beauty were true, although she could see the coldness that covered his face. How - sad! She saw her retainer bow and scrape to the youkai lord, but Sesshoumaru just ignored him and strode over to her carriage with a purpose. Hastily Sahika pulled away and simply sat there, waiting.

Sesshoumaru opened the curtain of the carriage and peered at Sahika. His eyes flickered over her coldly as he said, "What are you doing here? I know of no arranged marriage."

Sahika did not like Sesshoumaru's tone of voice at all. How could such a youkai be so cold hearted. She had heard the tale of Inutashio's fabled love for his human wife and thought it touching and romantic. How could the offspring of such a youkai be so - frozen? Perhaps his mother - obviously a demoness was cold as well. Such traits were known to be passed on from generation to generation.

Sahika lifted her chin. "Your father and mine arranged for us to wed at the time of your birth and when I was yet in my mother's womb. I have the contract here." She handed Sesshoumaru the ancient scroll and he unfurled it, reading the contents quickly.

He did not look happy at all - not that it made much difference to Sahika. He handed back the scroll to her and said, "I have no desire to marry."

Sahika raised her brow. "So - you prefer the company of - men? "

"No." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the implication. He did not desire the sexual attentions of men nor would he give them.

"Then - your human girl.." Sahika murmured.

Rin? She was but a child! How dare this woman imply that he would engage in something so utterly unnatural!

"You mistake me for a weak youkai who prey on children for their pleasure, Sahika-sama. You are fortunate that I am slow to anger." Sesshoumaru said tersely.

~He cares for his little - Rin? - Yes, that's what he called her. Maybe.." Sahika had an idea. Perhaps there was hope for this youkai yet, and besides she did not desire to marry him anyway.

"I am glad that you are slow to anger, Sesshoumaru-sama." Sahika nodded. "I - do not wish this arrangement either."

"Then why are you here?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"My father - he is set in his ways. But I love another. We can dissolve this arrangement easily enough." Sahika unrolled the scroll once more, and with a taloned claw, held it up. "As youkai-lord, you may destroy the document. My father's copy will also be destroyed and he will then know that our arrangement has been broken."

"You risk dishonor." Sesshoumaru raised a brow.

"I do it for love, Sesshoumaru-sama. Have you not risked anything for love?" Sahika asked.

"Love." Sesshoumaru raised his chin a tad. "It is the weakness of humans and fools."

He shredded the document and in the faraway land of Sahika's father, his roar of anger could be heard. He could do nothing as it was the right of the Western Lord to dissolve the arrangement but his daughter had shamed him!

"Who is the bigger fool, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Sahika smiled. "The fool who loves or the fool who doesn't?"

"I request that you go on your way, Sahika-sama." Sesshoumaru bowed every so slightly in respect, although Sahika could tell he was angry. Oh yes, she was definitely going to use it on this cold youkai. But who would be the recipient of his affections? There was no one that she sensed here except for Sesshoumaru, a lesser youkai and the little human girl. She would have to watch and follow him somehow. Besides, she certainly wasn't going back to her father now that she was free to love Sinjjii. She watched as the youkai-lord turned away without looking back.

"Mistress?" She heard her old retainer ask in a trembling voice. Surely she was upset that the cold lord had callously ripped up the marriage contract.

"It will be alright, Vashi.." Sahika smiled through the veil. "I will not be going back to my father."

"N - nani?" The old retainer raised his head in shock.

"I love Sinjjii." Sahika could feel Sinjiii's presence to the other side of her carriage.

"And I love Sahika.." Sinjiii's head popped through the veiled curtain.

"But - but your father!" Already Vashi was fearing what the old lord would say, or rather what the old lord would do to him! He was known for his temper.

"You and the rest will stay with me, Vashi. There is a place that I have kept hidden from my father. A place that Mother left for me." Sahika frowned, thinking of her mother's marriage with her father. They both hated him mutually and when Sahika's mother died, she left Sahika the manse that had been left to her by her doting demon grandfather, which had been kept a secret.

Sahika murmured. "I was hoping that this very thing would happen, for I've heard of this demon-dog's coldness of heart. But the little human girl in his keeping..well, there is hope."

"What are you planning, Sahika?" Sinjiii's knew his lover quite well by now and that twinkle was a dangerous one.

"Oh, nothing..just a bit of matchmaking." Sahika's eyes danced with micheviousness.

"Oh - no.." Sinjiii shook his head.

Sahika only laughed merrily.