"Sesshomaru, are you awake?" Kagome and Sesshomaru were laying in bed getting ready to relax for the night. They shared the bed at night only to hold the idea that they were happily mated and would stay that way.

After the first three weeks being rough, the next 3 months progressed easily with both Kagome and Sesshomaru setting into an easy pattern; In the morning they would eat breakfast with Rin and Shippo, who had come from his school much to the protest of Kagome, who believed he needed a better handle on his Fox powers, but he refused to be away from her when there had already been so much trouble with her. Then right after breakfast Kagome being led by Rin went out to the court yard to train the human women under Sesshomarus care, or in his service in the art of healing, educating them on the herbs that lay around the castle, and in self defense, the progress was slow due to Kagomes blindness and her ever growing stomach, but the women were getting a hold of it. While this was going on, Sesshomaru was training the younger men how to defend themselves, how to attack, and deciding who if any of the young men from the villages surrounding his home would join his army.

Lunch came in the afternoon, where Entei, Sora Enteis mate, and their son Katsu would join them and they would talk of small things, how their days were going, Kagomes Pregnancy, what supplies they would need for the winter coming up, and any preparations they would need for the baby.

After lunch, Entei took Shippou and Katsu out to the court yard to train them in defending themselves and the women. While Kagome took Rin out to demonstrate how to hold a bow, promising that if her sight should return, she would give her better instruction. Teaching her any defense with a sword, and healing with her miko abilities. During the days events, Kagome would faint, any one who could sense her power, would feel it go out right as she fainted and she would stay out for about five minutes, and those around her would wait patiently for her to wake up. None of the healers had figured out why she was fainting.

Naoko was careful to stay away from Kagome, and Sesshomaru, by making sure she was useful in the castles healing wards, and helping out any one who would take her. She had taken a special liking to Daitaro, but it was hard to get his attention after her attempts at Kagomes life.

In the time Kagome had been in the castle, she proved herself time and time again, when something went wrong, or some one needed help, she was the first one there trying to fix what ever had gone wrong. People and Demons were talking about her and her healing powers and knowledge about herbs and medicine. The only thing any one considered bad about her was her constant want to bathe every night.

Sango and Miroku left the castle after staying for four weeks, Sango was rapidly approaching her due date and they didn't want to be stuck at the castle so far from their village.

Sesshomaru looked at the young woman laying next to him, she wasn't what he had expected of a human. When he first met her, the only thing important was power, it became an all consuming part of his life. When the young human, Rin, tried to help him he let her follow him after he took her from her old village. Now he wondered if she longed for the companionship of other humans.

The young woman next to him, his mate she was different. She kept herself clean with regular baths. If any one needed her help she would give it to him. The word selfish might not even be in her vocabulary. but for all of her good qualities she was a human, she could never be as strong as he was, their child would not have the same life span as him. It was best to keep himself distant from her.

"What do you want, miko?" He turned to lay on his left side so he was looking at her. She was on her back and the pregnancy was progressing quickly, she now had a 'baby-bump' as she called it, there would only be two more months before she was ready for labor.

"My name is Kagome, Sesshomaru," She was alternating her hand movement between rubbing her bell, playing with strands of hair, and putting her hands behind her head.

"Well I was wondering if you would be able to answer a few questions for me."

"And these questions HAD to wait until we were in bed?"

"It was about us being mates, and what it means for us. If you wouldn't mind explaining the whole situation?"

"When Inu's mate, it's for life. Should I choose to mark someone else, you will die. I can not and will not sleep with any one else, it's never been high up on my list of priorities. You take on the role of the Lady of The West, helping out with what ever I tell you needs fixing. Women don't hold a lot of power here. Anything else?" He didn't sound rude, just bored.

"Doesn't it bother you that you're stuck with my until you die?"

"Miko, I don't think you understood me, the mating has no effect on your life span, unless I take some one else."

"Well that's the thing, my lifespan is, well let's just say adjustable, Midorioko wanted to be sure that I would live until my time, and further on if possible. That's why I've been having the fainting spells."

"She wants you to live, so she's making you faint" He raised an eyebrow at what little sense the miko was making.

"No, she told me but I don't fully understand it myself. She said that every miko woman is given 60 years to live, and everytime they die before 60 I get the extra life. She told me they don't have to be a strong miko, they just have to have the power inside of them. It's an awful feeling, taking someones years, it hurts, normally they don't go in their sleep. So as long as mikos continue to be, so will I."

Sesshomaru didn't respond he just rolled over and went to sleep.