That was the first night they all spent together. Rin and Shippo played together with spinning tops and dolls, happy to be invited to the sleepover. Both were blissfully unaware of the negativity that filled the room with smoke.

Sango dreaded the conversation she felt obligated to have with Rin, all the while Kagome shot her weight in saké, whining when Sango didn't keep up.

Sesshomaru and InuYasha were sitting in the corner, one reading, seemingly detached from the atmosphere that they'd created. InuYasha on the other hand, was shaking, rage was plain as daylight on his face.

Kagome wouldn't talk to him. Whenever he approached her she'd scream at him to leave her be, to keep his eyes off of her. Sango knew how she felt. How her weakness seemed to be the reason why she'd been taken and overpowered. It was hard to blame anyone but herself.

She wanted to forget, to burn the memory from her mind, but saké was only making her sick. The memory of his clawed hand on her mouth, the other tearing at her clothes…

It made her insides roll.

His breath on her neck. His teeth in her skin.

The mark still throbbed, but she'd nearly collapsed when Sesshomaru assured her that forced mating could not be done.

So now everyone was sitting quietly, trying to pretend that no one felt sick enough to break apart.

And it was her own fault.

She should have never left the group, should have never let the argument with InuYasha push her to take a walk. The fault was hers and hers alone.

"Can I have some more?" Kagome handed Sango the empty carafe and thanked her when she rose to brave the halls. Sesshomaru was standing before she could slide off the bed. He couldn't help but admire the hard look in her eyes. Any fool who jumped in her way would know true terror and that knowledge warmed his heart.

"I don't need to be protected." She grabbed her weapon, blowing by him. He, naturally, didn't listen.

"I never said you did, but I will not leave it to chance." He followed behind her, watching her move confidently through the halls, "the kingdom is growing restless." He didn't want to rush her, but he also could not promise her that the attacks would stop. They'd been trapped for upwards of a millennia. The taste of hope that Sango and Kagome introduced was too sweet to be ignored.

Castration would only increase the unrest. No matter how powerful he was, he could not protect her from the entire kingdom. If the insanity continued he would be overthrown and Sango would be subject to a life of torment.

"I will give anything for your happiness and peace of mind. So long as I draw breath no one will hurt the precious little family you have found, but I need to know what you want."

"Oh isn't that sweet." She gazed back at him and the eyes that always glowed with contempt were soft for him, "you'll fight for our little family."

"Anything for you."

She hugged herself, "no one can die. Even if you dismembered everyone willing to revolt, it would be an endless battle. I will not subject you to that for something as silly as my leisure."

He said nothing as she fell silent, waiting for her finished thought, "you've proven that you are no monster." Why were his eyes stinging? He glanced upwards, focusing on the ceiling. Not a monster. He murdered armies of men for their defiance, and stole her choice. He hurt so many people, killed them so he could feel something but his slayer, despite knowing the way his mind had broken, accepted him.

Her thumb pressed his cheek, wiping away something wet, "are you crying?"

He stormed ahead of her, letting his hair fly behind him, "don't be ridiculous. I am a demon lord, not a woman."

Her perfect laugh bounced off of the stone walls, "marry me Sesshomaru."

He froze, "what?" He turned back to her, eyebrows scrunched as he tried to make sense of the words that he heard.

She giggled at him and backed him into the wall. In his absolute confusion, she'd gotten the upper hand, "I said marry me." Those luminescent eyes blinked stupidly at her and then everything clicked into place.

"Most certainly not, woman. You will marry me."

She was laughing full out now, "but I asked first." He huffed at her, pulling a ring from his pocket.

"No one cares if you asked first if you aren't prepared." He grabbed her hand and got to his knee, "now slayer- Sango. Will you marry me?"

She smiled down at him, the kind of smile that a woman without a choice would offer a rich suitor. He shoved past the dagger that seemed to be lodged in his chest, making it hard to breath, "I will never be the monk, but I will love you with my dying breath." She went to her knees with him, breathing in his smell.

"Don't be sad, everyday I grow to love you more. It's just fast, but we have no time for comfort. Things will only get worse if we don't hurry." She kissed him again, this time lingering there in his arms. When her hand was on his chest the ring didn't feel so heavy anymore.

His hands threaded themselves through her fine hair, his pounding heart and warm cheeks all made her feel alive. She was comfortable in his arms, content with his attention.

It was like she was standing on a precipice, trying to convince herself to jump into unknown waters. His next words, the way his half lidded eyes shined, the overwhelming smell of parchment, it pushed her over the edge to free fall into the unknown.

"I love you, Sango, you and your stupid little friends too."

OoOo

The next day the kingdom cheered. Despite her hesitance to see the Lady of the Castle again, they trekked back there early the next morning.

Manipulative as she may be, the woman worked quickly. By noon the entirety of the kingdom was crowded around the castle and Sango was being ceremoniously wrapped within a priceless red kimono. The flower detail looked to be woven in gold and Sesshomaru watched her fondly.

"How do I look?"

He gave her two thumbs up, "I don't have the words. I'm sorry." Kagome, who was sitting with Sesshomaru, her expression painted on, as if she were a doll, beamed up at Sango.

"You put Amaterasu to shame."

"What she said."

The designer came in with a furry boa, similar to the one Sesshomaru wore over his shoulder, and draped it over her arms.

The clock said it was time. The designer said she was ready.

But was she. Her heart was pounding in her ears. There was no going back. Sesshomaru's gentle support was a salve on a burn. His lips on her cheek replaced the reason for her racing heart.

"Sango, if you're doing this because of me," Kagome's mask slipped and Sango could see the torment flash in her eyes like the slides in a projector, "don't."

Sango shook her head, "I'm doing this because it needs to be done. The curse needs to be broken and if it's Sesshomaru who can help me do that," she took a deep breath, staring up into his passive expression, "then I'm happy to do it."

"But to marry someone you don't love-,"

Sango raised her hand to silence her, "I wouldn't go that far." Sesshomaru's dark eyebrows shot into his eyebrows.

"We're ready for you." The Lady of the Castle smiled happily at the couple, deciding to put her own betrayal behind them. She carried on as if she hadn't tried to take matters into her own hands, leading them to the veranda where the announcement would be made.

As soon as they appeared, the chatter went silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Chien!" Her voice rang over the crowd, "Prince Sesshomaru has an announcement to make."

He stepped forward, his hand sweaty in hers, "Sango has agreed," his lips twitched as he tried to keep his composure. He was not some silly teenager, giggling over a crush. He was a prince announcing the woman who would one day lead Chien by his side, "to become my wife," he raised their intertwined hands high above her head. The smile he tried to keep in check spilled across his face, dazzling and content. "It is time for you all to meet your savior, Princess Sango!"

The crowd cheered. Their whoops and hollers made the ground tremble. Howling filled the air and he took that moment to kiss the perfect woman he'd found. The look in her eyes was happier than it was the night before.

She was smiling at him.

"You're kind of pretty when you smile like that."

As if she pulled it out of him, he smiled again, his golden eyes crinkling as his face scrunched.

"In addition to your new Princess, we have new members of the royal court."

His mother seemed eager to step down. She continued the announcement as the two pulled away from each other, "please welcome Princess Sango's royal advisor, Kagome of Tokyo." Kagome stood off to Sango's left, smiling and waving at those that offered her applause, "and our newest Prince, InuYasha."

He looked uncomfortable in his royal clothes with his hair tied at the top of his head. The Lady of the Castle first crowned InuYasha, a small golden piece that was tucked into his ponytail. Next, she offered Kagome a ceremonial quill.

Last, she approached Sango with an opulent crown that rivaled the very headdress that Amaterasu wore in her statues.

She was Sesshomaru's princess and, despite the lies, the pain, and the circumstances, she couldn't stop smiling.

A.N./ this is the end of the bomb. this chapter made me really happy despite whats happening to KAgome. How about you? Review :) This took WORK