Title The Rest of the Story

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt True Story (Inuyasha Fanfic)

Word Count 1670

Warning mention of character death

Summary Epilogue of Entangled

A/N Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed Entangled

Kagome was in tears by the end of Sesshoumaru's story. His love for Izayoi was almost as tragic as Inuyasha and Kikyou's. They had only been together seven years before her death at the hands of the Hojo.

She remembered the rest of the story from her history class. Go-Daigo became fearful of Ashikaga Takauji after he retook Kamakura from Hojo rebels. He sent Kusounki Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada to attack Ashikaga, but Takauji defeated them and Kusounki Masashige committed suicide. Although Ashikaga was forced to retreat to Kyushu, but by 1338 he was back and defeated Nitta. With his generals dead, Go-Daigo was forced to flee Kyoto and surrender the Sacred Treasures. Go-Daigo established his own court in exile at Yoshino. He abdicated in favor of his son and died a year later. Ashikaga created his own emperor and imperial court in Kyoto who proclaimed him shogun. His line would be shoguns until 1568 when they were ousted by Oda Nobunaga.

She remembered the essay question on her exam asking her whether or not Ashikaga was a traitor since he betrayed both his masters in Kamakura and the Emperor when it suited his purposes. She never thought to meet pieces of living history in Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha who had lived through that era. After all the Emperor had done to restore his power, he had lost everything within six years of the end of the Regency. By 1392 the Court in Yoshino would end and Northern Court in Kyoto would be the sole imperial line which continued to the present day. The people who had fought on behalf of the Emperor had died for him. The only winner was Ashikaga who had betrayed everyone. He became shogun with his own puppet emperor. His descendants ruled for hundreds of years in Kyoto. Where was justice in that? When only the betrayer was rewarded by history?

Sesshoumaru's visit had caught by surprise. She had only returned to the feudal era a month ago, but she and Inuyasha had been planning their wedding since she returned. Although they could have simply lived together as husband and wife, Kaede told them that having a wedding would help make them part of the community. The men could build a house for them. The women could sew Kagome's wedding dress. The wedding would be the biggest thing to happen in the village since Naraku died. Miroku and Inuyasha had been working to help make the wedding feast the grandest the village had ever seen.

Then Sesshoumaru arrived. Although he brought a kimono for Rin to wear at the wedding. He had taken Kagome aside telling her that he had something for to wear in the wedding. It had not occurred to put Rin in their wedding, but it seemed if one could through in a Western element to the wedding Rin could be the flower girl. Sesshoumaru although unacquainted with human wedding customs seem to accept Rin's role. Rin was happy just to wear the new kimono to the wedding. With both Sesshoumaru and Rin satisfied with the arrangement, Kagome turned to the matter which was troubling her.

"Why are you here now, Sesshoumaru? We invited you when we set the date. You never gave any indication that you were coming."

"She would want me to be there since she cannot."

Kagome found his statement puzzling. "Who would want you?"

Sesshoumaru looked surprised "Why Izayoi, of course."

Kagome waited for an explanation. Sesshoumaru instead pulled a package from beneath armor.

and handed it to Kagome After waiting for an explanation Kagome pulled off the wrapping revealed silk uchikake with red brocade and gold embroidery. On the back of the kimono was white circle with black exterior a simple black cross emblazoned on it. When an explanation was not forthcoming, Kagome asked "What is this?"

"It was Izayoi's wedding uchikake."

"I thought Izayoi never married."

"It was made for her marriage to Takemaru of Setsuma. Izayoi brought it with her to Kamakura."

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I am sure that Izayoi would want you to wear it since you are her son's intended."

Kagome pondered his words. She had wanted to wear her mother's wedding kimono at her wedding, but since that was impossible she had graciously accepted the gift of the shirokmuku

The uchikake was perfect. Kagome thought it was too much and said so.

"Sesshoumaru, this is too much."

"It is not a gift merely a loan for the wedding. Someday, I want Rin to wear it when she marries"

Kagome nodded. Rin was almost like a daughter to Sesshoumaru. Of course he would want the best for his daughter, but why Izayoi's uchikake. She understood bringing the kimono to Inuyasha's wedding since it had belonged to Izayoi, but why Rin. So far as she knew Rin had no relation to Sesshoumaru. Rin had told the story of how she and Sesshoumaru met. A little waif taking pity on the injured lord.

"So why are you telling me all this now? You started out trying to kill us. Then we became allies fighting against Naraku. Still when I tried to call you brother-in-law you glared at me as if I had insulted you."

Sesshoumaru slowly began to speak. "I have decided that Izayoi would want me to welcome you into the family as Inuyasha's wife. As part of the family you need to know everything about us, the good and the bad. Inuyasha's last words to me froze my heart. Neither of us could get over the fact that he blamed me for Izayoi's death. I avoided him for the most part so that I did not have to deal with him. Instead, I became obsessed with finding the sword. I thought if I had it I could surpass my Father. He had taken Izayoi from me and hidden Tessaiga leaving me only with Tensaiga. When I learned that Inuyasha was alive, I knew he held the key to finding Tessaiga. I tried to trick him using the Nowoman masquerading as Izayoi."

Kagome nodded. Of course, he would use Izayoi. Sesshoumaru knew her intimately. He had all of her clothes. He knew how she talked and behaved. He also knew that Izayoi was the one person whom Inuyasha would trust. Sesshoumaru could have simply killed Inuyasha, but he tried to extract the information and then the black pearl from his eye. She pushed for more information.

"Why did you continue to seek Tessaiga after it took your arm?"

"Because I still craved my fatter's approval. I needed Tessaiga to validate myself in his eyes. I should have been worried about what Izayoi thought about my trying to kill her son, but I was still blinded by my anger over her rejection of me by going to my father after her death. I decided that if I could not have Tessaiga, no one could"

"What changed?"

"Rin happened. When she came into my life and changed me. Each time she died, I learned something new. I tried to walk away from her the first time, but all I could see what was her smiling face despite everything the villagers had done to her. I could not simply walk away from her. I had to try to revive her. The last time I realized that the power I sought was not worth Rin's life."

Kagome thought about what Sesshoumaru. She was surprised to see Inuyasha walking toward her

clad in the wedding kimono that the village women had sewn, but he had an obi she had never seen before. On his arm was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. It was if Sesshoumaru had magically turned into a woman. Same white hair and golden eyes. Same mokomoko sama. Same waning moon on her forehead

"Who is Inuyasha with?"

Sesshoumaru turned to look "He is with my mother. I see she brought Father's obi for the wedding"

Kagome gawked " I thought she hated Inuyasha because he was Izayoi's son."

Sesshoumaru shook his head " Jaken tells me that she promised Izayoi to watch over her son and she did her best when he was younger and vulnerable to humans and youkai. No one could have anticipated. Naraku or Kikyou sealing him to the tree. We have almost reverse roles. She tried to kill Izayoi and I protected her After Izayoi died I tried to kill Inuyasha and she became his mother."

Kagome's head was swirling. Things were not as they seemed in this family. Mother and son had reversed roles on the death of Izayoi. She still had one last question.

"Izayoi's last words. Take care of our daughter? Did you ever figure out what she meant?"

Sesshoumaru pointed to Rin

Kagome queried "Rin? What about Rin?"

"When I was walking away from Rin, it was more than just the vision of Rin smiling that brought me back to her. I remembered the scent that my daughter had when she was still in Izayoi's womb. Rin's scent was almost identical. I knew that I had to save her."

"Which is why I saved her when you foolishly discarded her life in the underworld? I could not let my granddaughter die again."

Sesshoumaru looked up to see his mother smirking at him " I see you made it"

"As if I would miss Inuyasha's wedding. There is just one thing I would ask of all of you. The anniversary of Izayoi's death is coming up on the 21st day of the fifth month. I have taken Inuyasha to the grave every year since she died except for the time he was sealed. We should all go there together this year as a family. I am sure that Izayoi will be happy to know that her son has married and that Sesshoumaru is taking care of her daughter."