A/N Ok the reason Kags enede up with Sesshy was due to everyone dieing in the final battle with Naraku and she died after giving birth to my dear Amaya

Too late...

The words echoed inside of his grief stricken mind. He was too late, He hadn't been there to save her, and darn it He should have been there for her. Sesshomaru closed his swirling gold eyes trying to prevent the tears he knew were coming. A soft breeze picked up and carried the scent of the new dug grave to his sensitive nose; he gripped tensaigia tighter cursing himself. If he only came one day sooner Kagome would still be here...

"Kagome..." Sesshomaru whispered her name and a single tear traced its way down his pale face. She was gone.

"Lord Sesshomaru..." the sudden intrusion snapped The Western Lord back from his thoughts, he hurriedly wiped his face clear of unwanted emotion and spun to face the visitor. It was Kaede, the village's miko. Sesshomaru watched as she struggled up the Shrine's stone steps clutching a small bundle to her chest as though it were the most precious treasure in the world. "Lord Sesshomaru..." she rasped. The breeze changed direction and carried the scent of the woman to Sesshomaru, it was different from normal, much different than what he remembered, if he went by smell alone he would have swore she was a different person but it was the other scent that really caught his attention. Vaguely it smelled of him and Kagome but it held its own distinct trace of Lavender. His eyes contracted then widened, could it be...

The miko huffed and puffed upon reaching the top of the shrine but managed to say "I thought...you...had...left..." she inhaled deeply and offered him the bundle which began to squirm and wiggle uncomfortable away from the warm secure bossom of the older woman."Lady Kagome...named...her...Amaya...before she…died…she is your otome Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru gingerly reached out for the bundle and brought it close to his chest. All Sesshomaru could do was gape at his daughter. She had stark white hair just like him but it was run through with raven black streaks, she had stopped crying when Sesshomaru held her and now peered up at him with wide golden eyes. A single magenta stripe adorned each cheek and a white black tipped tail was curled up underneath the babe. She was beautiful. "Amaya..." he smiled kissing her gently on the forehead before wrapping her safely in the blankets."Mai Otome..." The miko smiled when she heard Sesshomaru say this, he would make a fine father, it was a shame she had to...

"I'm leaving." he stated harshly spinning to glance once more at the place his beloved mate's ashes lay. "Goodbye Kagome..." And with those final words he leapt into the sky and summoned his nimbus cloud and was gone before Kaede even finished her plea for him to wait.

Kaede stared after the retreating cloud and grinned again, this could prove interesting.

Meanwhile Sesshomaru smiled down at the sleeping child nestled in his arms. Perhaps Kagome wasn't as gone as he thought.

5 years later

"READY OR NOT HERE I COME!!!" Rin giggled as she leapt up from her counting. How Rin loved her little sister Amaya, even though Amaya was a half-demon. "Where are you..." she laughed as she ran through the trees leaping behind bushes in an attempt to find the elusive 5-year-old.

Amaya stifled a giggle as she watched 13 year old Rin pass underneath her. Amaya excelled at this game, she could hide in places Rin couldn't and could follow Rin's scent when it was her turn to hide. She bit her tongue again as Rin came back and slumped at the base of the tree panting.

"We need to find a new game..." Rin breathed in an attempt to slow her pounding heart. She brushed her midnight hair out of her face and got up, straightened her new blue and white kimono and started off again. "COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!!!!"

Amaya silently crept further out onto the branch she was perched on. This was too good! Crouching low she was able to really launch herself into the air turn a somersault and land silently behind Rin. Being careful not give herself away Amaya followed her adopted Older sister for several minutes before... "BOO!"

Rin jumped nearly 3ft screamed and spun around to find a laughing Amaya rolling on the ground in hysterics. "Hmph..." Rin sighed. "You think that was funny?" Rin quickly latched onto Amaya and tickled her until they were both laughing so hard they could barely breathe...

Sesshomaru froze when he heard Rin's scream. His eyes bled red and a deep growl rose from within him. Jaken who had just been speaking choked on his words fearful it had been he who had caused this reaction. Sesshomaru leapt up with a snarl and bounded off into the woods. No one hurt his children.

Amaya opened her eyes and bolted upright, instantly sober. Rin startled by the sudden change peered anxiously around thinking some nasty demon had wandered to close. "What is it onee-chan?"

"Otou-san..." Amaya whispered "And he is mad." Rin's chocolate eyes widened and she climbed slowly to her feet, was Lord Sesshomaru angry with her? She gulped silently, even though she loved Sesshomaru with all her heart, he still scared her when he was mad. Amaya flicked her tail in annoyance, Rin had no just reason to be scared, her father wasn't violent towards them, and He had probably just heard Rin scream.

Sesshomaru burst through the bushes a little ways left to the girls, a low growl emanated from his tall stern frame.

His gaze swept over the girls, he took in Rin cowering behind Amaya who was standing stock still head held high, he sniffed the air expecting to pick up the scent of some rogue demon or a lost waif, however there was nothing. Sesshomaru relaxed slightly and sauntered over to his daughter. "Amaya," he spoke sternly "What happened? Why did Rin scream? Are you hurt?" As he spoke Sesshomaru peered at the shivering human behind his otome. "Rin..." he spoke softly now."What's wrong?"

Sensing her "sister's" distress Amaya quickly cut in, "We were playing Otou-san...and it was my turn to hide but I was mean and scared onee-chan..." Amaya cut off at the look her Father gave her. He looked...disappointed? She hung her head slightly but maintained eye contact, she was too proud to look away.

"Rin...be a good girl and run back to Jaken for me, I need to talk to Amaya alone."

"Hai Otou-san" Rin gratefully scrambled towards camp turning a sympathetic look back at Amaya.

As soon Rin was out of sight Sesshomaru began walking deeper into the forest, not knowing what to expect Amaya followed. What had she done? She had only been playing...did it have something to do with the fact she was different? Her little mind raced as she frantically tried to sort things out. She had never been like onee-chan and she wasn't exactly like Otou-san. Onee-chan was human, completely so, and Otou-san was one of the most powerful demons left in Japan but what was she? She couldn't answer that...

Sesshomaru glanced back at the small child following his footsteps. Her silver black streaked hair seemed to float as she walked, her molten gold eyes swam with confusion and she absentmindedly traced the markings on her face with a small clawed hand. Upon spotting him watching her she stopped the movement and picked at her pretty white kimono with a pattern of green and blue dragonflies on it and her raven streaked tail twitched as if to say "What are you looking at?" He smiled solemnly at her and she weakly grinned back, she had grown so much so fast and Sesshomaru couldn't imagine what the next 5 years would bring. He stopped short right beside a tall Oak and promptly sat down on its mighty roots. Amaya was immediately beside him.

Amaya was the first to speak "Otou-san I..."

"Why did you frighten Rin?" he cut her off wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. He knew that his actions had confused her but he had known other half-breeds, one among them being his own brother, all of them had been tasteless violent things existing solely for themselves. Some of the more extreme Hanyou's even turned solely evil, tormenting the other races for no other reason than to do so. Sesshomaru did not want his daughter to join their ranks. As the silence stretched on Sesshomaru reached over and pulled his daughter into his lap and embraced her tightly. "Otome...you must never harm or scare humans. They already resent you for your mere existence; do not give them a reason for their hatred." He stopped to let the weight of his words sink in. He could almost see the thoughts running through her sharp little mind. And so when the expected question came he was ready.

"Otou-san...why am I so different? Why...why do the villagers hate me so? I haven't done anything to them...but..."

Her mind wandered back a few months ago when Rin had taken her to a village to do some shopping. Amaya had never been to a human settlement before and the sights and smells excited her. She smiled up at Rin and clung to her hand as they went from stand to stand. Before long Amaya began to notice the way the Adults were looking at her and how nervous Rin was getting, but her attention was drawn to a small group of children playing on the far side of the street.

"Onee-chan," she said brightly "May I go play too?" Rin squeezed Amaya's hand a little tighter but let go and allowed her to go play with one warning "Be careful onee-chan" Amaya smiled brightly and ran off. "Gashi!" Amaya beamed as she caught up to the human children. They stopped and stared at her like she was a disgusting bug meant to be squashed but she brushed it off "Can I play too?" At this point one little girl began crying and ran off to find her mother. Immediately the other children turned on Amaya "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER DEMON?" one boy screeched swinging a fist for Amaya's stomach. "No! She is not even a demon!" another girl cried as she tried to pull Amaya's hair. "YEAH! She is a Mutt!" one boy chipped in kicking at Amaya's legs. Amaya still didn't understand what had taken place. Onee-chan had rescued her soon after that but she still walked away with a black eye and several bruises. Yet even though the physical damage was healed her soul still carried the scars of that incident. What had she done to make them hate her so?

"Amaya?" Her father's voice brought her back to the present and she cuddled closer to him seeking shelter from her confusion and pain.

Sesshomaru held his daughter close and wondered Is this what InuYasha went through? "Otome..." he whispered just loud enough for her to hear "Do you know what you are?" He felt her shake her head no and he sighed deeply. "Your mother..." He felt Amaya shift and looked down at her shimmering eyes. He rarely spoke of Kagome and never once had he told Amaya that she had been human. "Was beautiful beyond compare. She had hair black as a raven's wing and brown eyes as deep as any ocean. She was a powerful miko, the protector of the Shikon No Tama and..." Here Amaya cut him off.

"Okaa-san was human...wasn't she?" Sesshomaru nodded solemnly and released the child as she pulled away to look him square in the face. "But Otou-san...doesn't that make me..."

Sesshomaru sighed "A Hanyou? Yes Amaya it does..." He pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her gently on top of her head. He knew she was in for a hard life, never would she truly be accepted by humans or demons. His daughter, Princess of the Western Lands was an outcast from birth. He was pulled from his mind though as a small sob reached his ears.

So that was why the people had stared, that was why the children had hurt her; that was why they had called her "Mutt". Why couldn't she have been all demon? Why couldn't she be like Otou-san? He was so powerful and wise. Why did she have to have a Miko for a Mother? She had died leaving her alone, if she was as powerful as Otou-san said why didn't she stay? why...Why...WHY!!! Amaya tried to still her tears, she hated to cry. Her pride demanded that she always be strong and crying was a weakness. She scooted out of her Father's lap and turned her face towards camp. "We should go back Otou-san...Onee-chan will kill Jaken-sama if we leave them alone to long."

Sesshomaru smiled faintly as he heard Amaya's weak attempt to be humorous. Five years old and already she was strong willed and wise beyond her ears. Her situation was making her grow up to fast, but maybe it was better that way.

"Ok Otome...Lets go" And this time, Amaya led the way with Sesshomaru following in her footsteps.