Chapter Thirty-Five

Epilogue:

Just the Beginning

Kagome smiled down at the baby in her arms dressed all in white. The pup's eyes had opened by now and were a brilliant gold like her father's. Little Izayoi looked just like her father except that her face was that of her mother's.

The tiny princess gazed around the room she and her mother were in. It was time for Izayoi's Oshichiya naming ceremony. Usually a naming ceremony was held among the immediate family seven days after birth but since the baby would be Lord Sesshomaru's heir the Taisho had demanded to be included so that they may witness the naming of the heir.

InuYasha walked in and moved to his mate and daughter's side. He kissed Kagome's head and then smiled down at his child. "Hello there my little cherry blossom." He said softly as he nuzzled the baby's face. Izayoi wiggled as she grabbed on to her father's silver bangs and cooed happily at him.

"Is everything ready?" Kagome asked as her husband stood up right again. The hanyo frowned as he glared at the doors behind him. It went against his instincts to take his still recovering mate and newborn pup into a room filled with powerful demons. InuYasha knew that Sesshomaru felt the same way but he also felt that it was important to show the family, as well as the pack's, support of Izayoi as heir and that she was not to be ashamed of.

"Yeah." InuYasha grumbled. "I really don't like this Kagome." Kagome smiled as InuYasha put his hand on her lower back and lead her to the door that separated Sesshomaru's personal study from the throne room. "It'll be alright, Sesshomaru, Raiden, and Miroku will be there as well as Kimi, Gobodō-sama, Aiko, Megumi, Emi and Sango. We'll be fine." The young mother then turned to her week old infant and smiled.

"Won't we my sweet little Izayoi?" the baby gave a puppy like grunt as her semi floppy ear twitched at the sound of her name. Though the floppy ears were cute Kagome couldn't wait for them to stand up straight like her fathers.

"Why are you asking her?" InuYasha asked as he opened the door and looked around at all of the demons in the room. "She's a pup she can't see the future."

Kagome rolled her eyes and kissed her newborn's head.

As soon as the new parents walked in with their baby every eye was on them. Some were eager to gaze upon the newborn princess, some were un happy that the babe had survived the attack on the palace the day she was born, and some, like the Lord of the Golden Inu Pack, were lustful at the thought of what the future could hold and the power the pup would inherit.

As the couple walked toward Sesshomaru InuYasha shielded his pup from the eyes of those around as his demon tried to force him to remove his family from the room and put them back in the den.

The hanyo and his mate stopped and knelt at the steps to the dais where Sesshomaru stood. When the demon lord nodded his head, face devoid of emotion, InuYasha gently took Izayoi from her mother's arms and walked up the dais.

After taking a deep breath the hanyo knelt once more in front of his brother and held his baby girl up for Sesshomaru's inspection.

"Inu no Taisho," InuYasha said strongly. "Brother, Alpha. I, InuYasha, Second born son of the Inu no Taisho Ryoichi and beta of the Silver Inu Pack, here by present to you my first born, a daughter, Izayoi as your heir as well as mine."

Sesshomaru never took his eyes from the small pup that gazed around her at the throne room and when his brother was done he took the girl with his one arm and gazed down at her. The then looked around the room.

Some present were allies and some were foes and that made what he was about to do very dangerous for the pup. The demon lord's next words would define his niece and set her life on a path of danger and political deception but she was his niece and his brother's child. He knew she would be strong and she would prevail victorious.

"I, Lord Sesshomaru, hear the plea of my brother and beta and hereby except this pup into the Silver Inu Pack. I hereby name Izayoi, daughter of Lord InuYasha and Lady Kagome my heir." He then handed the baby to her father and as they had discussed InuYasha raised the child where she could be seen. "Behold Princess Izayoi of the Western Lands."

Then in a ceremonial show of fealty everyone in the room bowed, though some were not genuine in their act. Then Kagome walked up and took her baby back and cuddled the girl close.

After the naming ceremony there was a feast held in honor of little Izayoi.

It was then that Koga and few other lords and ladies came up to get a closer look at the tiny hanyo.

"Well mutt face you didn't do bad job. Though I think the pup was lucky enough to have her mother's looks."

"What the hell does that mean you wimpy wolf!"

Izayoi watched her father's interaction with the stranger with wide gold eyes until Lady Asako caught her attention.

"Hello little butterfly." The tiger demon purred as she handed a necklace to Kagome.

"For your daughter. It's a gem called a tiger's eye. With this she will always be protected and evil will not touch her."

Kagome nodded. "Thank you Lady Asako."

Once the Tigress walked away old Yoshito walked up. The old monkey brought his tail up and waved it in the baby's face mesmerizing her as he chuckled.

"Such a beauty she will be. Hard to believe that such a tiny thing could be so powerful." Izayoi cooed as she grabbed a hold of the monkey's tail and held tight. Kagome's grandfather, who with the rest of Kagome's family was standing behind her as was tradition for family to do, stepped forward.

"That is the powerful blood of the Higurashi family we are well known for out mikos and priests like myself."

"Gramps you don't have any power." Souta said bursting the old man's bubble.

Yoshito laughed as he ruffled Souta's hair.

"Ah but lad knowledge is power and knowledge comes with age." The old Lord then looked back at the baby currently trying to stick his tail in her mouth. "And I am sure this little one here will grow to be a wise Inu no Taisho."

InuYasha smiled as he gazed at his daughter with pride and nodded to the old demon as he walked away.

As the celebration came to an end Kagome and InuYasha decided that it was time for Izayoi to be put to bed and the hanyo led his mate to their room.

Once the family made it to their room InuYasha began to remove his armor and took off his momoko-sama.

Kagome laughed as the hanyo placed the fur near their futon for Kagome to place Izayoi on it. InuYasha had used his momoko-sama as Izayoi's bed since she had been born due to the fact should something happen the fur would warn him before harm came to the child.

Kagome smiled and laid her now sleeping baby on her father's fur and then began to change from the princess kimono she had been required to wear and into a sleeping yukata.

InuYasha stretched and looked out over the garden before he shut the doors to keep the fall air out but before he did he noticed an arrow sticking from the frame of the door with a letter tied to it.

The mate and father frowned as he took the letter and read it.

Half-breed,

Don't think you have won. As long as I live I will destroy you and your pack. I'm coming.

Lord Dai

InuYasha growled savagely as he looked around for the threat that had let them be for now.

"InuYasha?" Kagome asked as she settled into bed. "What's wrong?" InuYasha looked back at his family and decided that the letter would be a tomorrow problem. Right now he wanted to have a peaceful night with the love of his life and his greatest treasure.

Bring it on Dai, I'll be ready for you.

A/N: Finished at last! Please review and let me know what you all think. I will be working on getting the squeal up soon but first I have a old story that needs rewriting called Facing the past so please feel free to read it once its up again. I will also continue with the one shots as soon as I get the time o update. I hope you all enjoyed the story and leave me a nice little review for my troubles ;)