Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters featured in the show, anime, manga, etc. Though I really wish I did own at least Sesshoumaru.
The Betrothal
Prologue
Sesshoumaru,
If you are reading this my dear pup, then I have not made it home from battle. For that, I must apologize. I set off to protect the ones I love in this world, one of which is you and your brother. In this, even in death, I hope I have succeeded. I have, but two requests of you in this world. The Higurashi clan will have a daughter somewhere down the line. She is to be a great priestess, though neither she nor her family will know at the time. They will name her Kagome and she is to be your bride. This is my first request. You must be balking at this request at this very moment because of the state of her humanity, but please, hear me out. She will be a great warrior, a great protector, and she will change the world, though she will never realize what she truly is. It has been long since Midoriko passed from this word, but I'm sure that you will remember her even though you were but a pup still. This girl is Midoriko's descendant and will be stronger than even the great warrior miko herself. She is destined to remove the Shikon no Tama from this world forever. If you still wish to balk at this point, even though I am appealing to your sense of power, then I will appeal to your sense of honor. I have already signed a betrothal agreement in your name, my pup, sight unseen. The girl has yet to be born. They believe that she will never be born for the reason that a female hasn't been born to them in hundreds of years. They are a family of men, so they feel that they are getting the best part of the bargain, but that will change. Her mother will be first and will keep her name, and by this time, the betrothal agreement will be forgotten. Her mother will have a brother named Daisuke. He will have a daughter as well and will name her Kikyo. They will try to give you this girl because she will be older at the time, ready to be married, but this is not the one. The one you are to marry is Kagome, the younger cousin. I have enclosed a copy of the betrothal agreement. Keep to the contract and keep an eye on their birth records. My only other request is that you take care of your brother and Izayoi. I haven't said it enough, but I do care for you and expect you to make me prouder than I already am.
Inu Taisho
Sesshoumaru silently drops the page in order to read the other parchment enclosed in the scroll, rage slowly building up inside of him. He begins to read once again.
An alliance between our two houses will be forged by the consummation of the marriage between the heir of the Inu Taisho, Sesshoumaru, and the heiress of Higurashi Tezuka, whenever she may be born, Kagome. Even though the marriage has yet to happen, Inu Taisho and his heirs will provide protection and assistance in times of need and vice versa. At such a time as the marriage happens, Kagome will bring a dowry of ¥100,000 or the equivalent at that time in money and/or merchandise.
Kagome and Sesshoumaru will go through a betrothal ceremony on the day of her birth and will be married a fortnight after her seventh birthday, at which time, she will go to live with Sesshoumaru and his family. The marriage is not to be consummated until on or after her sixteenth birthday, at which time, Sesshoumaru will place a mating mark on her and officially make her his wife and mate. The marriage must be consummated within a fortnight of Kagome's sixteenth birthday. Kagome and Sesshoumaru are to produce an heir within a year of the consummation of their marriage. The child, if a girl, will be trained by her maternal grandmother Kaede in the way of the miko. If the child be a boy, then he will remainin the Western Lands to be trained by his father in the ways of the youkai and ruler ship.
I, the Inu Taisho, hereby sign this betrothal document in the name of my son, Sesshoumaru, who at this time is still a minor.
I, Lord Tezuka Higurashi, hereby sign in the name of my heirs, who at this time are still sight unseen.
I, the monk, Neji, hereby sign in verification that neither party aforementioned signed in duress and that all parts of the above contract are in order and have been agreed upon. I and my heirs with the help of Sakamoto and his heirs, will verify that the contract is kept and followed.
I, the youkai exterminator, Sakamoto, hereby sign in verification that neither party aforementioned signed in duress and that all parts of the above contract are in order and have been agreed upon. I and my heirs with the help of Neji and his heirs, will verify that the contract is kept and followed.
As Sesshoumaru finished reading the last few words of the betrothal contract, he allowed it to drop to the desk. He tries to calm himself, but fails as his rage at his father's underhandedness gets the better of him and he slams his fist down on the desk. It shatters into pieces and he takes off into the countryside, only to return hours later covered in blood and gore. He tosses his clothes on the floor and orders the servants to clean it up.
"Jaken!" The ugly little green imp swathed in brown robes hurries into his master's chambers when he hears himself being called, desperately afraid that he had done something wrong. "Jaken, remove all humans from this household. They are no longer welcome here. If the prove difficult, have them killed. Send the Princess Izayoi and Inuyasha back to her people with the message that my father is dead and they are to care for them or else. You may go now. "