Epilogue

While Sesshomaru, who was leading as usual, and company were leisurely walking towards the West, Hikaru was scolding his intended-to-be not just for her disobedience but for possible endangering herself by escaping.

Zokushi snorted as she overheard them, while walking behind them as they were walking behind Sesshomaru, "You think that Inuki would wait until you and/or Sesshomaru to come and rescue us? If you did, then you don't know her."

Hikaru growled, "I do know her. That's why she needs to be reprimanded!"

Inuhime said calmly, yet sternly, "Hikaru, this one isn't a pup to be reprimanded. This one knows when it's time to act or not."

"Yet you also seemed to forget that you at times cause trouble, especially that time when you set up your father with that human woman that ended up bearing that bastard of an hanyou."

After that statement said, Inuyasha growled. Before he could say anything, Inuhime said, "Not that it was any of your business, however, what this Inuhime did then was what father wanted. He wanted more pups. Mother consented for him to find another to bore him more pups. Of course, the demonesses wanted what mother already had, which was an annoyance. Father asked this one to search for one who wouldn't want a title to her name. The demonesses this one asked were selfish. This Inuhime risked asking the ladies from the human courts, of course, those this one asked were selfish until this one came across Izayoi. She was perfect. She didn't want any titles. She wanted to be free from the court of her father or else she would have to marry a man she wished not to marry. When this one talked to father about Izayoi, he wanted to meet her. This one made it happened. This one could tell that her father approved of his daughter's choice. Of course, the court didn't take it well, however, they had no choice in the matter. What father wanted; he got. Besides mother never said that she had to be a demon. They courted for a year before they consummated by which bore Inuyasha."

Hikaru stopped and growled, "Yes and it cost him his life!"

Inuhime stopped, then glared at him and growled, "And what are you trying to say?!"

"Your reckless actions have consequences! When I am your mate, Inuhime, those actions will cease!"

Sesshomaru stopped and glared over his shoulder, "General, does this Sesshomaru needs to remind you of your place?"

"My lord, this Hikaru…."

Sesshomaru growled, "This Sesshomaru doesn't repeat himself."

Hikaru growled at his lord, "This Hikaru knows his place, my lord. However, as your Lady Sister intended, this one has a right to do what is necessary to keep her safe."

Sesshomaru faced his general and growled, "You seemed to forget that you aren't this one's sister's intended, yet. You also seemed to forget that this one's Lady Sister is a high-born lady, which means she's above you every way. It also means that you must ask her in front of the Western Court, for her to accept your suite. Until then, you will not speak to this one's Lady Sister as though she were beneath you. Does this Sesshomaru make himself clear?"

Hikaru knelt on one knee with his head down, "Yes, my lord and I apologize."

"Hn. It's not this one, you need to apologize to." With that he turned and walked forward.

Hikaru stood and was about to apologize, but when he looked at where Inuhime was standing, she wasn't there. She was walking ahead of him, beside her twin brother.

Zokushi snorted as she walked by, "Boy, are you in trouble?" Hikaru growled at her, which she just rolled her eyes. "Don't you growl at me, you baka! If you want Inuki by your side, antagonizing her isn't going to it."

Inuyasha growled as he walked by, "If you ever talked to her that way again, bastard, you and I will get it on!"

Kagome said as she walked by, "Besides, Inuki knew what she was doing. I don't see the problem for her being… well herself. If you want her, then, you must accept her for her… that includes her 'reckless actions'."

Meanwhile Sesshomaru and Inuhime were quite ahead of the pack when Sesshomaru stopped which made Inuhime stopped. "What's wrong, little brother?"

"This Sesshomaru was surprise that mother consented to father having another to bore him another pup."

"I am not surprised, considering the way mother acted after father's passing."

"Did mother really accepted father to be with a human?"

"She really didn't have a choice, Sesshomaru."

"Why?"

"Sesshomaru, father was lord then. If he wanted to, he could have a harem, but he didn't."

"Of course, he didn't. It would gone against our instincts. What this one doesn't understand why he stray?"

"You don't know, do you?" Sesshomaru gave her a look that said, 'If this one knew, this one wouldn't have asked.' Inuhime sighed. "Father didn't stray because he wanted to or wished to, you know. Mother wouldn't mind giving him more pups. My Kami, they tried and tried. It was after my study under Midoriko that father asked that I could examine mother. After my examination, I concluded that Mother could still bear pups. I told them that she could. They asked why they can't conceive then. The answer was simple. They were trying too hard. I advised that they shouldn't stress over having a pup. However, that advise was unheeded. They continued to try until mother gave up and felt that it was pointless. Mother wanted father to be happy, so gave her consent to have another to bore him pups."

After that, Sesshomaru grunted his usual 'Hn' and then returned to walk ahead, which made Inuhime followed him, before Zokushi, Kagome, and Inuyasha caught up with Hikaru sulking behind them.

It was evening when they returned home, Inukimi, Rin, Shippo waited for their arrival at the Northern Gate Entrance. Once they seen them, Rin and Shippo yelled to their perceptive guardians in unison as they ran to them and hugged their legs, "Lord Sesshomaru!" "Kagome!"

As Inukimi watched from afar, she noticed a slight tension within the group. After Sesshomaru patted on Rin's head, he walked over to his mother.

"This Sesshomaru brought his Lady Sister home."

Inukimi smiled and said as she hugged her daughter, "This one had no doubt that her son would." She noticed a person, who she hadn't seen and quite a while. She knew there would be a good story. Having Zokushi around again would prove to be entertaining. It always had. She cleared her throat to gather their attention.

Once she had it, she said, "Perhaps we should go the study and converse on what had happened."

They followed the Lady Mother into the study. The walk there was quiet, even the pups were quiet. Inukimi surmised that they could sense the tension, too.

Once they arrived in the study, she motioned for them to sit as she summoned a servant. When the servant arrived, the Lady Mother commanded her to serve them tea and some sweet buns. The servant bowed and left to get the said beverage and snacks.

Sesshomaru sat in his usual spot, which was behind his desk. He watched Kagome was about to sit near Inuyasha. He may not hate his half-brother anymore, but that doesn't mean that liked the idea of her being near him. She should be sitting near him or on his lap. His inner beast purred at the idea of her sitting on his lap.

He said as he broke the silence, "Miko, come sit by this one."

Kagome was startled when he broke the silence and did as he said, however, before she sat down near him, Sesshomaru grabbed her waist, which she gasped in surprise, and had her sit on his lap. She looked at him with a blush, which earned her a chuckle from Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha still can't believed that his half-brother, the human-hating youkai, would want a human for a mate. It was just weird. Then he chuckled after he saw Kagome blushed. He thought, "Well, if anyone could keep that ice off, then it would be Kagome."

Kagome cleared her throat and asked, "What do we do now?"

The Lady Mother was watching Sesshomaru and Kagome. She knew that Sesshomaru was communicating through his actions by having Kagome sitting on his lap. A place reserved for mates and young pups. He was basically saying to her and everyone in the room. 'She's my chosen.', which she really doesn't have a problem with, at least, not anymore. To answer Kagome question since her son was mentally preoccupied, she answered, "Tell this one what happened and then we go from there."

Kagome told her how she got kidnapped, how they escaped, about the scroll that contained a forbidden spell, her role in defeating Arashi.

Inukimi wasn't surprised about her daughter's plan of escape. That pup of hers was an escape artist. She noticed that Hikaru's aura was agitated, which means he didn't like it. She inwardly chuckled. She wasn't really surprised to find how low Arashi and his dragon horde would go. IT went against Inu instinct to force, even magically force a mating. She was surprised to hear that Kagome finished off Arashi by purifying him. She heard a displeased growl coming from her son and inwardly chuckled. She, Inuhime, or even her son would have to explain Inu instincts and culture to the miko because knowing her son; he would NOT let her go. When Kagome finished, Inukimi asked, "What happened to Setsuna and Ryu?"

Her daughter answered, "Setsuna's dead. I killed her. As for Ryu, he will be the new lord."

Inukimi quirked an eyebrow. "You don't believe he'll be a problem in the future?"

"No, he owes a great debt to us for two reasons. One for helping to rid of his troublesome siblings and father. Two for keeping his daughter, Yuki safe until he calls her home after establishing his rule."

Inukimi gasped in shock at reason number two. "You mean Yuki's his daughter?" Inuhime nodded. "Does she know?"

"I don't know. According to Ryu, his father took her away as punishment for having a mate for a human and an hanyou for a dragonling. He couldn't see her until our 'get-together' to pretend to find Sesshomaru a mate. He wouldn't have her back until his father's plan succeeded."

"Hn. Hikaru, this Inukimi hopes you are aware that, when you asked the Lady Sister for courtship, you must ask her in front of the court. The same would be for you, too, my son."

Sesshomaru tightened his hold on Kagome and said, "This Sesshomaru is aware."

Hikaru responded, "This one is aware, Lady Mother."

"Good."

After that she talked about everything that happened in the court after they left to save her daughter, Kagome, and unknowingly Zokushi. It was a little hectic until she responded that nothing will be final until her son returned.

*Time-Skip*

It was a month after the battle, when Sesshomaru had received a missive saying that Ryu claimed the Northern lands and proved to be dominant over other ryuyoukai. He wanted his ryuhanyou daughter, Yuki, to return to the Land of the North. It also said that he would send an escort for his daughter because he didn't want to burden the Lord of the West for protecting his daughter while en route there for he did enough for sheltering her.

For his appreciation for everything that Sesshomaru and his Lady Sister had done, he wished for an alliance and set trade routes between them. There wasn't any need of an arrange marriage/mating to settle them. It was the first non-mating treaty, which was called the Ryu-Inu Peace Treaty, to bring peace among their youkai society. Well, at least between the Ryu and the Inu.

When Yuki heard of it, she was so happy to be reunited with her father. When Kagome asked that why she didn't tell them that Ryu was her father, instead of Arashi. She explained that her grandfather threatened her father's life.

She revealed that after she was born, Arashi thought better of killing her and mother. Instead, he took her away from her father and kept under guard. She also said that coming to the West was the first time her father and herself could be around each other.

Inuyasha commented after Yuki's revelations that Arashi was a heartless scaly-ass bastard, which earned him giggles and chuckles from his pack, including Yuki, Hikaru, and Zokushi.

*Time-Skip*

After the month that the Court of the West sheltered the little ryuhanyou, Hikaru asked Inuhime, in front of the Western Court, to court her to make her his mate. Yes, he asked her mother and brother and received their blessings. That was the important part because, if you don't ask then they couldn't… wouldn't support you and your courtship. To tell the Court was only a formality; not a requirement. It was more like tradition; if anything, regardless if the Court supported you or not. However, sometimes, they believed that they're above the reigning Lord or Lady. In this case, it was the Lady Mother, Inukimi.

Like now….

A court official snarled, "Lady Inukimi, how could you let a second born male court your daughter?! My son would be a better suitor!"

"Silence! As all of you know, we held a gala and a tournament on who would be the best mate for not only for this Inukimi's son, but her Lady Daughter as well. Hikaru excelled in all of them. Now, he has not only this one's support, but his Lord's support as well."

Sesshomaru stood from his place on the throne. "This Sesshomaru supports the courtship of his General and his Lady Sister. Now, come forth, Lady Miko."

When Sesshomaru spoke of his support of the courtship, it was final. Then when he called forth the human miko by that title and stood in the middle by Hikaru and his sister, the court gasped in shock and disgust. Kagome, on her part, was surprise, but she shouldn't be because Inuhime had talk to her about the Court and their politics. It was really no different from human politics. Inuhime advised her no matter what; stand tall and have no fear. She stood from her spot and walked with her head held high until she was in front of the current reigning Lord. Kagome was slightly nervous, but not afraid.

The court was shocked because all the years that they knew their Lord, they never thought that THIS would happen.

Sesshomaru reached for her hand and kiss it, which made Kagome blushed. He smirked, "Lady Miko Kagome, this Sesshomaru had seen your strength and courage for these past few years since this one first seen you. This Sesshomaru wishes to know your heart and perhaps if you permit this one to feel your soul. Will you do this Sesshomaru the honor to court you, Lady Miko?"

Before she gave her answer, a court lady snarled, "Lord Sesshomaru, are you out of your mind?! You can't seriously believe that this weak human could be your equal!"

He gave the court lady a glare that would promise death if she were to continue. However, Kagome flare her aura in warning to the lady in which made the lady gasped in shock of the power of the woman's aura, which she instantly apologized and kept silent. The rest of the Court gasped in shock but stayed silent as they waited for the Lady Miko's answer. Inukimi and Inuhime were proud of Kagome. Sesshomaru inwardly smirk by the flare of her aura and the power behind it.

Kagome grabbed his other hand and squeezed, "Lord Sesshomaru, this Kagome will be honored to be courted by you."

Sesshomaru openly smiled, pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. He leaned his head by her ear and whispered, "This will sting a little."

Before she could respond, she felt a bee-like sting on her pulse point. At first, it hurt, but it lasted about a few seconds when she felt Sesshomaru licking her bite wound. She ever so softly moaned, which made Sesshomaru smirked.

Afterwards, before the court would make any protests, the Lady Mother and Lady Sister announced that they supported the Lord of the West and the Lady Miko's courtship.

Will the courtships of between Inuhime and Sesshomaru lead to mating? Well, that's another story….

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladynefertari