Kagome knew it was time to set the changes she'd known were coming. She had briefly talked to Sesshoumaru about it a few decades ago when the winds began to change in Japan and he had been resistant but he had listened to her counsel.

Tonight, he came to her resigned and tired. He had called upon and spent the last two weeks speaking with other powerful demons of the West and the East to discuss how to remove the threat to them and it needed to be done with the least loss of life. Sesshoumaru knew what kind of a world he wanted to build for his pups. A world of tolerance and acceptance. Now that he was a father, his understanding of his father's vision for Inuyasha was made all the more clear. But there was one thing that Sesshoumaru had that his father did not that would make his dreams possible.

Kagome.

With her power and knowledge of the future, she had been planning for their future. He knew it had been at the forefront of her mind for the last couple of decades. There had been questions, inquiries and land acquisitions that she'd been making with his approval, land which included several large islands through a treaty with the northern lord.

He had tried things his way and they had worked to a point but they were at a time and place where his fortitude and strength needed to be combined with her knowledge of the future and the preparations she had been making.

His quirky little mate had asked for an allowance to do with as she wished and when he had checked in with her, she had kept work logs and financial records that were impressive. Much of the funds had been paid to carpenters, ship builders, and shipping fees.

There was a side to him that Kagome had discovered within the last decade. He enjoyed her surprises and it was a testament of his trust and devotion to her. Sesshoumaru knew that she would never do anything to knowingly harm her family or their lands and he wanted to see how far she had come in her plans.

Kagome had been embarrassed to find out that her mate enjoyed showcasing her knowledge and power off when demons got too haughty in his opinion. In her opinion, no one was as haughty as her mate - deservedly so - but she saw no need to show off anything.

"Your strength adds to the strength of the West. You are the heart of the West. I will always be proud of my mate and will show everyone that there is strength in the most inconspicuous places and beings."

He had requested her presence at tonight's meeting with the demon lords and told her she could present her plans to them.

"You haven't even heard my ideas or what I've been doing."

Sesshoumaru moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. He trailed kisses down her neck and shoulder.

"Do I really need to know? My mate is brilliant and has a mind for strategy and politics."

"Out of necessity. How else am I supposed to keep up with you in your advanced knowledge and...years?"

She was the one of the few people in his life who dared to tease him and he was so grateful for their relationship. He truly had found a mate unlike any other. Sesshoumaru knew he wasn't worthy of her but if she had not figured it out yet, he was not about to enlighten her.

"Are you calling me old, little mate? I am in my prime."

Kagome laughed when his kisses began to tickle.

"Just calling it as I see it, old man."

"Disrespectful and irreverent female-"

Sesshoumaru turned her around with a growl and slammed his lips against hers, devouring her laughs and replacing them with sighs and hungry moans.

He reluctantly pulled back, knowing that he had another meeting soon. Maybe, he could channel this pent up frustration into aggression for tonight's meeting. "Perhaps it is time to present your plans to the demons in attendance."

"My plans?"

Sesshoumaru squeezed her to him and held her for a while, enjoying the silence.

"The plans you've been working on behind my back for the last thirty or so years."

Kagome's head snapped up and guilt swirled in her aura but not as strong as the determination, stubborn will and indomitable pride that he had fallen for.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome said in a soft, pliable tone. "You don't really think I was going behind your back, do you?"

He combed through her hair with clawed fingers and pressed a kiss to her brow. "No. Subterfuge is not in your character. My mate is fierce and up front in all things, except perhaps for her desire for her mate."

Kagome was relieved that Sesshoumaru didn't believe that she had gone behind his back. She had always been upfront with her spendings, keeping them in a record book in his office but he had shown his trust and faith in her and never looked at it. Just asking her how her projects were going was sufficient enough for him.

Wanting to tease him for making her doubt herself was an immediate response.

"Well, you're not getting any younger, mate, and I didn't want to wear you out with my desire, being as I am so young and energetic and you're well on your way to becoming ancient-"

Kagome had the door open and was halfway out when she was pulled back and the door was sealed shut with his youki. The conversation they had after that was savage at best and Sesshoumaru had shown her exactly how knowledgeable his years had made him as he brought his mate pleasure upon pleasure until they were summoned by the servants.

The meeting discussion was going in circles. The young ones wanted to find peace and create borders, the older demons wanted to wipe out the human threat. All of them. Two demons who were closest to Sesshoumaru - as close as one could get - decided to turn their attention to their host.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. I think it is time to share your plans. You have a human mate and a human child as well as half-demon children. What are your plans? We know you must have some opinions formed that will satisfy the needs of your family."

Sesshoumaru nodded to Takashi, a golden inu who was friends with his father. "Indeed." He nodded to the servant at the door who opened it and let in his mate, who stood in her finery on the other side.

"Join us, mate." Sesshoumaru remained seated but held his hand out for her to take once she reached him. The demons in attendance sat on cushions in rows facing her mate with a walkway down the center of the cushions. A lower-class demon who attended as another demon's servant, spat on her hem as she walked by. Kagome didn't act surprised, just turned to look at him and didn't flinch when a green light flashed and his head fell from his body. She gingerly stepped around the head rolling toward her and kept walking to her mate.

The other demons sat wide-eyed and the demon who brought that servant turned and bowed low, prostrated on the ground.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. Please forgive me. I was not aware of the traitorous actions of my servant. Please allow me to clean the soiled robes of the Lady of the West."

Using Inuyasha's words, the demon had fucked up by bringing an unvetted servant and he knew it. Well, according to the scents swirling about, the demon truly had no idea and smelled of fear and innocence.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome who held herself upright and proud. He knew she was upset, his mate was tender-hearted and would want to forgive an innocent man of the dealings he had nothing to do with. To appease her, he agreed to Seijoh's request.

"You may silently wipe the spittle from her clothing. However, your skin will not touch the fabric of her clothing and you will not look higher than what you clean. And I warn you, Seijoh, my mate is a powerful miko. Upset her in any way and she might just accidentally purify you."

Sesshoumaru knew he'd catch flak for that bit at the end later. Kagome did not like to use fear and intimidation to win people over to her side. She used kindness and gentle coercion.

While Seijoh cleaned off Kagome's clothing with an attentive audience, Takashi decided to break the oppressive atmosphere.

"The lord of the West is powerful to have beheaded a traitor with no blood spilled." Seijoh had completed his task, thanked the lord and lady again for their mercy, and took his seat. The body of his servant had been removed and the room looked like nothing had happened.

"My mate has seen enough bloodshed on the battlefield. I do not wish for her to have to see it in our home."

"Thank you, milord." Kagome's natural submission was encouraged during more formal gatherings. He did not appreciate her showing her fire to other males unless it was during the heat of battle.

She caught a slow, unnatural movement out of the corner of her eye and took note of the demon who had set her warning bells off. She took a seat on the cushion next to her mate and waited for further direction while keeping a close eye on proceedings.

"Takashi, I have not heard any suggestions from you regarding the matter at hand."

Takashi nodded, his golden hair glistened as it shifted over his shoulders. "As you know and the others in attendance, I will side with the direction you choose. You are a strategist and your father was a great strategist. I humbly place the safety of my clan in your hands."

"As do I," another demon said.

"And I," came another voice.

Sesshoumaru lifted his hand for silence and the demons quieted down immediately.

"My mate is the Shikon Miko, the conqueror of Naraku. She has protected these lands by my side, wanting nothing in return for her services except for peace. My mate is a powerful miko and as such, she has also had visions of the future of this country. We will hear what she suggests to protect our people from the destruction she has foreseen.

Kagome told them of the holy war that was coming and the destruction of demon life. A few would survive, but their numbers would be cut drastically, all cut down by the hands of corrupt holy people.

In school, she had studied heavily in her history class to soak up as much knowledge as possible in case she was able to live her life in the past. Kagome told the demons in attendance about guns and the holy war and the struggle with foregin powers.

"I tell you this because my mate trusts those gathered here. We will need to move fast to position demons in places of further power, which will be recognized by humans by the time such things come about. We only have about seventy to eighty years to implement these changes if we are to keep demons safe and in power-"

"Milord," a demon named Kadoku said. "Your mate is human and a priestess, yet she seeks to place demons in power, without word of her own kind."

Sesshoumaru looked to her for clarification. "Humans are not long-lived and for this power grid I hope to set in place can only work if demons run it. You have the lifespan and the patience to see things through over a long period of time. You also have the connections and resources to pull from if needs be."

"And what are we to give in return? No one gives power away without getting something equally valuable in return."

Kagome nodded. "You are correct. In my visions, I have seen three types of demons. Those who will stand with us and see this plan through, those who will deny my prophecies and live as they are, and those who will want to live away from the world in safety and peace."

"And what will happen to those who merely want peace?"

"When I became mate to my lord, he was given a protected piece of land as part of my dowry from one whom I call beloved uncle. It is with this piece of land and several others that we have acquired through alliances that I have slowly been shaping into sanctuaries for demons and humans who can live together in peace."

"So you will offer this to humans as well?"

"No," Kagome said shaking her head. "There are simply too many. These sanctuaries will be open to demons with human mates or human lovers-"

"That is ridiculous!" one of the demons in the back yelled. "Are we to assume that we should have to live with humans in our sanctuary?"

"No," Kagome said calmly. "Only those who do not mind living with humans may live in the sanctuary. It appears you will be one of the groups who wish to live as they are. I have worked too hard to have my sanctuaries fall because of hatred and bigotry. These are only for demons who wish to truly live in peace."

Standing a little taller, Kagome let power fill her voice. "In one hundred years, humans will cross the seas and fall on our shores, bringing pestilence, disease, weaponry that will be used by holy people to decimate the demon population. In five hundred years, all this greenery will all but have disappeared to be replaced with buildings that sit higher than the clouds, machinery that will fly hundreds of people between Japan and the mainland. Your rich histories and cultures will be lost to time and will not have been real to those in five hundred years, relegated to nothing more than mythology and childrens' stories."

The demons spoke among themselves, deciding whether or not to believe what this woman said, many disbelieving her words when a servant ran into the room and fell to his knees. He was sopping wet, dripping all over the floor and with one quick look to her mate, Kagome saw he was not pleased to be interrupted.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"M-m-milord. The lady's uncle is here to visit and demands to see her at once-"

More murmuring filled the room. One of the demons - and Kagome really needed to learn their names - demanded to know what human dared to interrupt a demon court."

"But milord, milady's uncle is not-"

The sound of water squelching became louder as a powerful presence filled the room. Sesshoumaru stood and bowed lower than any of the demons had seen and they all followed suit, bowing lower than the lord of the West. As he walked by the cushioned seats, the court stood in horror and surprise. A giant of a demon in human form wearing armor with iridescent scales, every shade of blue and green, walked past them. His hair, a gorgeous turquoise, floated behind and around him as though he were walking in a lake. His claws were black talons, his eyes, the color of the sea.

"Uncle!" Kagome approached the new demon and accepted his hug. "I didn't know you were coming. We were going to visit you in a couple of weeks."

"The gods have spoken to me, beloved niece. The timing has changed. You must implement your scheme within the next fifty years, not the eighty that we originally thought." Those ocean-blue eyes turned to Sesshoumaru. "Greetings, honored nephew."

"Ryujin-sama. Welcome to our home."

Furious whispers filled the room. The god of the seas was the Lady's beloved uncle? How could this be? She was human!

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru. What are these whelps doing here?"

"My mate was sharing her plans to preserve demon-kind. She just shared that you had gifted us with land, which will be used for the sanctuary."

"Oh? That's good. Let me know if you will be needing more. The sea is a large place and my dear niece has been working hard. I would see her plan reach full maturation." Ryujin looked around at their shocked audience. "I suppose you haven't informed them of what's to happen to those who will live outside of sanctuary?"

"No, not yet, uncle."

"Please tell us, Lady. We are more than happy to hear your counsel." That Takashi was a devious dog, preying on everyone else's shock.

"Those who wish to be a part of the largest deception in history will be…"

With Ryujin in attendance, the discussion went smoother. His surprise visit had swayed the rest of the demons to aid Kagome.

Forty-five years had passed since that fateful evening of Ryujin's visit and they were finally implementing the final stages of their plan. Sanctuary was finally complete and spanned the upper half of Honshu, along the western shore. Ryujin and his priests had raised a land bridge between Honshu and the Western Sanctuary, allowing those who wished to live in peace and separate from the rest of Japan to travel to safety.

Kagome led the line of travelers with Inuyasha and Shippo as her personal guards, along with two of Ryujin's priests. At the point where the temporary land bridge met Sanctuary's shores, Kagome stopped with a priest on either side of her and together they raised their hands. The blue of their youki mixed with Kagome's pink reiki, to create a purple wave of magic that created an opening in the impenetrable barrier that covered the entire island.

They tied off their powers to two anchors on either side of the passageway and continued walking in, to show the newcomers where to go.

The demons and humans that were already there, had worked on the island and were its first residents. They were tasked to help show the new residents around.

Kagome was never more grateful for the strength of her mate as when it was time to close Sanctuary's doors behind her and head back to the West with her love. She was exhausted, completely drained and had sought refuge in Ryujin's home for the few days after the mass exodus.

The demons who had agreed to be part of the new world infrastructure now wore glamor spells tied to tokens or jewelry in some cases. Their youki would be unable to track except by others who wore the totems of power or by Kagome who had helped place the spells in the first place. Much to the initial disgust of the demons who wore them, the totems also removed all demon appearances, making them look more human. There were a lot of complaints about that but as years passed, they finally saw the wisdom and practicality of it.

It was a lot to adjust to. Some demons openly mocked those under protection but they had chosen to live their lives as they saw fit and with everything in motion, Kagome felt the knot that had lived in her chest for all those decades, slowly melt away.

The next several centuries would require hard work, dedication, and secrecy but the safety of the demons was secured and the future would play out as it should. Her mate's species was protected, Kagome's future was on target. The unrighteous slaughter of thousands of demons had been prevented and in that, Kagome had never been more proud to be the Lady of the West. There was still a lot of work ahead of them and now that the worst of the work was behind them, Sesshoumaru had turned his attention to more personal matters.

He wanted to start their family. Rin had mated one of Ryujin's honored warriors and lived in the West as an emissary. Shippo was grown and was a high ranked spy of the West. It was through him that an alliance with a black fox clan was fostered and they were the ones to help Kagome make the totems that the majority of the remaining demon population used to blend in. Her son was grown and creating alliances. She was such a proud mom.

But lately, she began to feel restless and her arms empty. Sesshoumaru, now truly in his prime, had been hinting at having more pups, now that their lands and future were secured.

Once Sesshoumaru had gotten the all-clear from Kagome, he had rarely left her side. His primal side had emerged with one purpose, and one purpose only, to impregnate his mate. Kagome gave as good as she got and by the end of their month-long seclusion, Kagome was good and pregnant and that randy mate of hers swore she'd be that way for the next fifty years, minimum. Kagome merely laughed, kissed her mate and threatened to purify his seed while still in his balls. He pouted and Kagome laughed harder, pulling a smile from her stoic mate.

"You, my dear one, are the best decision I have ever made." Sesshoumaru leaned in for a kiss, which was heartily and thoroughly returned. Kagome slid her hands along his chest and down his waist to loosen the ties of his hakama.

"I am, aren't I?"

"And a modest mate at that. However did I get so lucky?"

"Because we have a smart, compassionate daughter that led you to me."

"Mm, however did we get so lucky to have a smart and compassionate daughter?"

Kagome kissed him again and pushed his pants down to the ground before gripping him the way he liked to be held.

"Because you have a smart and compassionate father who left you a sword that needed compassion to work."

Sesshoumaru pulled back and gave his mate a hard look. "Can we leave my father out of the bedroom? It is affecting my mood."

"Mm," Kagome moaned into his mouth. "Allow me to fix that, milord." Kagome pulled him back into the world of sensation and sin and when they finally lay down to rest, Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome close and rested a hand on her growing belly. The pups were big enough to kick at his hand and did so in greeting. Kagome lay there, content with her mate close and filled with joy for his children growing safely within her womb.

"I love you, Sesshoumaru."

"I love you, my precious mate. You have given me more than I ever deserved."

The End!