Prologue: The Beginning of the Season

Lady Kagome had never shared a close bond with her mother; from the moment of her very birth, she was sure. 'I probably have a deeper relationship with my distant aunt Kaede, who lives in London.' She had an even more shallow relationship with her eldest sister, the 'Lady' Kikyo. Kagome was a lady, no doubt about it. She was properly raised to one day become the wife of some rich gentleman once she came of age, but Kikyo insisted on the best, telling their mother that she wanted to ensure a comfortable life until her demise.

Kagome did not want a husband, a life-companion so much. She wanted to explore, live a little, but her mother would allow no such 'foolishness'. 'Pfft, foolishness! What does she know?' Kagome was sure she would have continued along the line of nasty thoughts of both her mother and sister if she had not been interrupted by her personal servant, Rin.

"Excuse my interruption of your privacy, milady Kagome," she waited patiently for her Lady's acknowledgement, "but your mother, the Duchess, has requested your attendance in the parlour for tea. She insisted the matter to be discussed was of utmost importance and your sister will be present as well." 'Great,' Kagome thought.

She would have waved off the servant haughtily if she had been anyone but Rin, "Rin, please tell my mother she may receive me in the parlour as soon as I have made myself presentable?" Rin nodded and allowed a small smile to grace her lips, "Very well, milady Kagome, will you be needing any assistance in your preparations before I inform the Duchess, then?" Kagome rolled her eyes at her friend's tease and shooed her away, "We wouldn't want to keep her royal-self waiting on you with my response would we now? Go, you know very well I can take care of myself."

Rin bowed slightly with her eyes closed and looking up a last time at her Lady she said, "Of course, excuse me, milady." With that, she closed the door and bustled away to the superficial Duchess of Liverpool.

Kagome let out a noisy sigh, 'What on earth could mother want with me now?' Giggling to herself, she thought, 'She is never awake this early on regular occasion.'

Striding toward her dressing screen, Kagome hauled her nightdress up and over her head, making haste in choosing her dress for the day. 'Hmm...such a lovely pattern,' she thought, fingering the elegant fabric, 'my father must be out of his mind to believe this fine wardrobe will be compensation enough to deal with those hens downstairs.' Kagome dressed quickly and pinned her hair up before vowing to indeed taunt her mother with her wild hair some day soon, and left her room for a maid to tidy up.

Kagome resumed humming her tune while gracefully making her way down the staircase and toward the parlour door where she could already hear her mother's cackling about the up-coming season. Kagome inwardly groaned, 'and so it begins.' She thought before sitting down for tea.

Kagome hadn't touched her tea, waiting patiently to hear what her mother had to say, while she and Kikyo took their time as if it was the most pleasant experience they'd ever had.

Setting her cup down and smoothing out the folds in her dress, Kagome's mother waited for her daughters' undivided attention, "Well my daughters, as you know this will be Kagome's first season at the ton, but Kikyo, darling, you have had two seasons already. I realize you want a good husband, but if you spend too many years looking for one, you'll end up an old spinster before you realize." Kikyo huffed a bit before quietly mumbling something about never becoming a spinster.

Their mother's posture stiffened, "Your father, the Duke, and I just want to make sure our most precious daughters are taken care of. The Duke of Manchester and his late Duchess will also be attending, with their son Lord InuYasha. He seems like quite the catch, and Kagome no matter how many other suits you acquire, I request you focus on this one. Lord Sesshomaru, the heir to the Duke, will also be attending this season, and since you are the eldest daughter of mine, Kikyo, I want you to win this gentleman's suit. I do not doubt you'll be able to do so, however, there are many new pretty faces this season."

There was silence in the room for a few moments, but Kagome was inwardly seething in white-hot anger, 'How dare she presume, that I want to marry right away; Kikyo didn't! It's just not fair,' she smirked, 'we'll see who's married to whom by the end of this season because I have no intention of doing such a thing!'

"Mother," Kikyo whined, "If this Lord Sesshomaru is who you say he is, then why have we never been introduced? I'm certain if you believe we would make a smart match it would have been beneficial to meet him before now, what if he already has someone else in mind?"

Kagome would have felt concerned if she didn't know her sister so well. Instead, she felt like laughing at the ridiculous display, "Oh Kikyo, sweeting," their mother reassured, "even if the heir does fancy someone, you can always win his favour, and as for never meeting him before, he was in America, starting his own business of some sort. He has returned on his father's request. Or so I've heard." 'Well,' Kagome thought, 'mother never was one to find the right words to say, but they seemed to soothe Kikyo's worry.' "Hmm...yes mother, I will enjoy meeting the duke and his heir indeed. I truly cannot wait!" Kikyo almost squealed in her exaggerated gush. Kagome stood up to excuse herself to go for a ride on her mount. She needed to 'blow off some steam'.

"Oh Kagome, before you depart, we must discuss when we are to go to the dress maker's to fit you two! I do love such expeditions!" Kagome inwardly groaned and sat back down. 'I have plenty of lovely gowns already, what can I possibly do with more? An expedition, hah! More like a wasted day in a smouldering dress shop.'

After the Duchess was finished with her pointless chat, Kagome made her way to her room once again. 'How dare that stupid mother of mine, think I'm going to get married so easily? It's almost as if she wants me out of the house! Does she really think I can do no better than the youngest son of the Duke of Manchester? Oh, I'll show her!'

She rid herself of the gown she was wearing, comfortably dressed in her favourite riding habit, and took down her hair before racing to the stables. 'I wonder how Shippo is doing this morning; probably better than I.'

Just as she suspected, Shippo was happily grooming her favourite mare. Kagome had found the young boy on her father's land a few years ago, but did not have the heart to send him away. Instead, she had begged her father to allow him to be their stable boy and told her mother he came in need of work. They had swiftly become friends, but Kagome knew they had more of a parent-child relationship. She vowed to bring him with her to her husband's house if she ever did get married.

Kagome began thinking about Lord Sesshomaru and his travels to America. 'I wish I could one day travel around the world. Men are indeed lucky,' she concluded, while mounting the saddle. "Have a good ride, Lady Kagome!" Shippo exclaimed, "It is indeed a wonderful day to do so!" Kagome smiled fondly at the boy, "Thank you, Shippo, I do believe I will enjoy it." With that last statement, she goaded her mare into a gallop and then more comfortably into a moderate trot.

Kagome had always enjoyed the simpler things in life, like galloping around the countryside. However, she also admitted to enjoying the privileges of being the daughter of a Duke. Sometimes, though, that life was so demanding, she had to get away. Kagome loved the way the wind would blow her hair fiercely, gently slapping her face. She loved the power she felt while riding; like being set free.

Kagome realized she never could truly escape the responsibilities of being the daughter of a Duke, but she could damn well try. She truly was dreading her trip to London and making her debut, but she had agreed for her father's sake to attempt at having fun.

She would just try very hard to avoid her mother whenever possible. The Duchess of Liverpool had already made plans to stay at Lord Sota, the heir's, manor, which was located in London. Kagome recalled a time when she and her brother schemed against their mother and Kikyo.

It had all come to an abrupt end when Sota had fallen in love with a pleasant Lady he met while in the ton. Kagome was truly happy for her brother, but she was saddened as well. She did not know how long she would have been able to keep a firm grasp on her sanity if it hadn't been for young Shippo. 'Once I do wed, then I can escape my mother and sister for good. Though I wish I could do so through different means.'

Shippo greeted her once more, as she returned her mare to the stables and set off to dining hall. 'I am famished,' she thought looking at her clothes, 'Perhaps, I should bathe and redress before dinner,' she thought. Changing her course of direction, she had Rin prepare a bath for her and set out her dress once more.

It had been decided that they would set out to the dressmaker's on the morrow, and then depart to London the following week. Since Kagome knew how to act as a proper 'Lady', lessons or directions were unnecessary, but her mother had wanted to spend more time with Sota and his bride before being caught up in the excitement of the season.

Kagome thought about humouring her mother by taking up Lord InuYasha's suit, but decided not to shame the gentleman. 'How am I to avoid his courting me, then? Perhaps, this is something best kept to discuss with Lady Sango.

Yes, I will pay her a visit tomorrow, after we return from the dressmaker.' After dinner, Kagome went to the library her father had generously stocked and selected a novel she had been meaning to read. She did not want to be interrupted on by her mother or sister and decided to read in her own chambers.

Late that evening, after she had taken off her dress and put on a new nightgown, she pushed her page marker into the book extinguished her light and settled down for sleep, for tomorrow the season would officially begin.

(A/N: This is the prologue. I hope you liked it. As I have mentioned, I am not positive of where this story is going, but if you'd like to give a suggestion it would be appreciated!! Feel free to rate and review!! Thanks!)