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Epilogue
'It will not be long now, my lord.'
He said nothing, continuing to stare out into the sky. He could still hear Rin's little gasps of pain, and it was all he could do to hold his fear in check.
Hanyou pregnancies were not easy when the mother was human, he had seen that with Izayoi. The woman had been confined to bed for the better part of a month after Inu Yasha had been born.
The midwife had not been very reassuring, telling him with a grave face that carrying a hanyou to term often took its toll on the mother's strength, and that some women had succumbed to death before they had even had a chance to hold their child.
That would not happen to his Rin, he vowed to himself.
They had come together only lately, he would not let anything happen to her that might steal her from his side.
As he had thought, his choice of bride had not endeared him to the other youkai.
His own court had been stunned at his decision, with many of the courtiers seeking to dissuade him from following in his father's footsteps.
It was only after he had nearly lost his temper and drawn his sword on the lot of them that they had realised that his mind had been made up.
But the other youkai were not so easily cowed, his allies and neighbours had come from far and wide to 'counsel' him.
Have your fun with her—you do not need to marry the little bi—
His eyes reddened at the memory of the daiyoukai who had said those words to him. He smiled in grim satisfaction. Soon, the youkai had become only a memory to everyone else, as well.
There had followed nearly a year of constant fighting, with one youkai after another seeking to take advantage of what they presumed to be his 'weakness'.
Rin had often been in tears those days, telling him again and again that she was not worth all this fighting, and what was she to do if he were to get himself killed because of her?
He had not been able to answer her, telling her only that his honour would not allow him to claim her as his bride until all opposition had been rendered void.
Eventually, those of his enemies that were still surviving had agreed to a wary truce, realising that he was still as strong as he ever was.
And so it was that he had bound himself to his Rin, in the shinto shrine where his family had been married for generations.
He could not clearly remember all that had happened that day, he remembered only moments in time: Rin's hand, trembling in his own as she gazed up at him with wet eyes that nevertheless shone like stars in her face… Jaken's incredulity that inspite of it all, he was still bent on actually marrying Rin … the tears shed by her lady in waiting as he kissed his bride… his lady's giggles as he had looked disapprovingly at her cup of sake…
The night that had followed had been dreamlike in its perfection.
Two months later, she had told him she was with child. His child.
The celebrations that had followed had lasted well until the month had drawn to an end,with the court being equally divided into those who were overjoyed at the thought of little feet running around the mansion again, and those who were overcome with horror at the thought of the heir to the Lord of the West being a hanyou.
In the midst of letting Jaken threaten these youkai of the court, he had received word that his hanyou half brother was expecting his first child, as well.
Curious, he went to see the miko his brother had bound himself to, and saw that the child would not be long in coming. Inu Yasha huffed at his arrival, but the girl smiled hesitantly at him, and he found himself nodding in return.
He stayed until the child was born, a boy who showed his demon blood in his amber eyes and his silver hair.
As he had presented the gift deemed customary at such occasions to the girl Kagome, she had thanked him, but her eyes had been sad. He had been shocked when she had caught his wrist, and pleaded with him, 'Please, talk to Inu Yasha…' Her voice had become teary as she'd said, 'I—I think he's disappointed in his child.'
His first instinct had been to refuse, but somehow, he had not the strength to deny her, not when he had been faced with the sight of her tear filled eyes—so like his Rin's that the two girls could have been sisters.
And so he had followed his half brother's scent into the woods, until he had come across the hanyou brooding in the boughs of a tree.
With a sigh, he leapt up onto the branch.
'Inu Yasha,' he said. 'Your woman is worried about you.'
The hanyou glared at him, but Sesshomaru could see that his heart was not in it.
Controlling the urge to roll his eyes, he spoke. 'Be quick, Inu Yasha. My lady waits for me.'
'Then you should go home to her,' came the surly reply.
He said nothing, keeping a tight rein on his temper. Eventually, the hanyou sighed, and his ears drooped.
'He's so…tiny,' he said finally. 'I cannot always be there for him, and he seems more human than hanyou. How can he defend himself if he has my eyes but not my strength?'
Sesshomaru blinked. He had always known that his brother was not what one could call intelligent, but this level of idiocy was truly unbelievable. With another sigh, he hoped that his nephew had not inherited his father's intellect—that would be a genuine tragedy.
'You can teach him to defend himself,' he said slowly. 'If he has good weapons, and good technique, there are not many demons he cannot face.'
Inu Yasha's eyes filled with hope. 'You really think so?'
He did not reply, standing up to look down at the hanyou. 'Go home to your woman, Inu Yasha. My patience with you has run out. Tell her to consider her favour at an end.'
So saying, he had taken flight.
He wondered if it had been his trifling kindness to her that had resulted in his half brother's mate arriving at the mansion two months later--with Inu Yasha in tow, the latter looking like he would rather be anywhere else in the world.
The woman Kagome had been a great help to Rin, he could not deny that. He had seen how tired his lady had become these past few months, and the arrival of someone who had been through the same thing, moreover, one who was considered a friend, had been a relief.
Rin had smiled at him that night at dinner, and he had seen how proud and touched she had been by his gesture in allowing his half brother and his woman to stay at their house until the birth.
Her scream broke through his thoughts, and he was on his feet and by her door before he had thought about it, the sound of her pain setting off an instinctive reaction in him. He was stopped at the door by a hand on his arm, and he turned back to see Inu Yasha looking at him.
'Rin asked me not to let you in,' the hanyou said, voice gruff. He paused, and shook his head. 'Trust me, you don't want to go in there,' he said ruefully.
Sesshomaru nodded, deciding to honour the wishes of his lady. He took a shaky breath when her scream rent the air again, and this time, it was joined by the sounds of a baby wailing in displeasure.
'Heh,' the hanyou at his side huffed a laugh, 'it sure sounds like your child has your sunny disposition.'
He did not reply, his heart and mind concentrating on the door before him, willing it to open.
Fifteen minutes later, it slid open, and Kagome stepped out, followed by the midwife. They both looked sweaty and tired, but the human smiled at him as he started forward.
'You can see her now,' she said, taking Inu Yasha's outstretched hand in her own. 'But Sesshomaru, there's something you have to know—'
He did not wait to hear her, he slid the door open and stepped inside.
The room was lit only by a few candles, and he saw that Rin and his child were its only occupants. Her smile was weary as she greeted him, but he saw that she looked unhurt.
He crossed the room, and knelt by her side, taking her hand in his. 'You will recover fully?' he asked her, tracing his thumb over her skin.
She nodded, eyes moving to the child who slept by her side. 'My lord,' she said softly. 'Your son.'
He leaned over to look at his heir, and for the first time in his life, he felt his eyes widen in astonishment.
His son had a cresent of the purest indigo on his forehead, much like the one on his own. Stripes covered his tiny cheeks. The signs of an Inu daiyoukai. The child opened his mouth on a yawn, and he saw a hint of tiny fangs.
Sesshomaru raised stunned eyes to his lady, but she had fallen asleep, exhausted by her efforts.
Kissing her gently on the forehead, he glided out of the door and back to the small group waiting for him in the main hall.
'He's back,' Inu Yasha smiled as he saw him. 'He probably wants an explanation now.'
'That's what I was trying to tell you,' Kagome huffed, rolling her eyes. 'Your son isn't a hanyou, he is a full demon.'
He shook his head as he sat down with them. 'That is not possible,' he said. 'Rin is human.'
The midwife spoke up now. 'My lord,' she said, 'I do not know how it is, but it is true. It is almost as if my lady has…demon blood in her veins.'
'Personally, I think its because of your child's blood mixing with her own,' his half brother's mate said. 'I read about it in biology—the blood of the child and the mother get mixed in the placenta—it could have been enough.'
He shook his head impatiently. That did not make sense. If that had been the case, it would have made Inu Yasha a full demon, as well.
'No, it must be because of Tensaiga.'
'What?' Inu Yasha burst out. 'You revived her with Father's fang?'
Sesshomaru did not elaborate, and after a while, Kagome said thoughtfully, 'It could be the combination of both.'
He blinked as he tried to accept this sudden change in his Rin.
His heart swelled as he suddenly realised that abruptly, her lifespan had increased by nearly a hundred years. Where before, he had been prepared for her brief life to come to an end like a summer bloom, now he saw that he had many more years of companionship with her.
Overcome with emotion, he stood without a word, making his way back to his lady's room. Behind him, he heard Inu Yasha call for Jaken to bring sake, they had some celebrating to do—but he could not find it in him to be angry at the supposed liberties being taken by his half brother.
He glided into the room silently, and saw that Rin was still asleep. He knelt by her side, looking his fill on her gently flushed face, before his eyes slid to his son.
His son.
He felt a wave of fierce love and pride wash over him, and he knew that if it was required, he would give his life for this child.
He traced the little fists with a gentle claw, smiling when the tiny hands clamped around his long finger in sleep. Abruptly, he knew now what would grace the walls of his study: a portrait of Rin and their children, for undoubtedly they would have more.
His eyes drifted back to his lady, and contentment washed over him in waves.
Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, knew now that of all that he had won in his long life, this woman's love had been his greatest conquest.
End.
A/N: If the last few paras make no canonical sense, I hereby command you to ignore it in favour of the Fluffy Happy Ending.
Because I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
--So, my first Sess/Rin fic. Liked it? Hated it? Review and let me know!
--Many thanks to all the readers who made it this far! I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and review. :)