Ten Years Later

Sesshomaru stood in front of the palace on a platform in front of a large crowd of spectators and media. His father was swearing him in as the new emperor. As Shuichi got old he realized that he was not enjoying his work as much as he used to. But Sesshomaru had plenty more years before he would too find his work dull. So Shuichi decided that he wanted to retire early and leave everything behind to travel with Izayoi.

But Sesshomaru would not be running the country by himself. He had taught Rin to do much of his work and Inuyasha's, and in time Inuyasha finally found a new sense of responsibility. And in time his sons would help him, not that there was much need since the country was to be at peace in his lifetime.

Sitting in the front row was Miroku, who had just been appointed the Minister of Religious affairs, and Sango. They now had three children: a nine-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl, and a three-year old boy. Sango mostly stayed at home, but she did run a dojo next door to their residence.

Inuyasha and Kagome had also had children over the course of the decade. He was now the proud father of two girls ages six and four. But Sesshomaru would often get his goad by gloating about how Inuyasha had been the first in their family in ten generations to have a girl and then he had another one. Kagome tried to remind him when Sesshomaru would get on his nerves that they did have a son, Shippo. Yet even ten years later Shippo still got on Inuyasha's nerves since he still pointed out the obvious. But now at the age of twenty-one and a recent college graduate he was more mature and ready to work as an advisor to his uncle.

Standing next to Sesshomaru as he was being sworn in was his four children. Rin had first bore him their son Yasuhiro seven years before. Yasuhiro took on most of his father's traits except for the dog ears atop his head just like his brothers following him. Two years after Yasuhiro was born they had another boy they named Kazuhiro. Rin had decided in her heart that she wanted a girl, so they tried again a couple of years later and had another boy, who they named Masuyo. Sesshomaru felt so bad that he had not give her a daughter that time that he promised her that he would try just one more time, and just two years later they had a girl named Eiko. Eiko looked much more like her mother including Rin's chocolate brown eyes and jet black hair. Her only demon heritage seen at such a young age was her claws and dog ears, and when paid close enough attention they could see that she possessed a great amount of strength for a half-demon child her age.

As Sesshomaru listened to his father his mind started wandering off as he thought about how much more appropriate it would have been if Rin was also receiving the blessing. She was just as much a part of him as he was of her, and as his wife she knew her duty to her people, her children, and her husband.

After receiving the blessing and being introduced as Emperor Sesshomaru he turned around and introduced Rin as the Empress of the Western Lands and Yasuhiro as the new Lord of the Western Lands.

The day was filled with parties and many congratulations as they met personally with everyone in attendance. So when the night started to wind down and the children, who were still wound up from all of the day's events, were put to bed the couple now retired to their new bedroom, the master bedroom. Rin turned onto her side and rested her head on his chest. "Are you happy?" she asked him completely content.

He stroked some of the soft strands of her hair between his index finger and thumb as he said, "Almost."

"What more could you want?" she asked him. "You already have a wife you can spend the rest of you life with, four healthy children, and now you rule over the largest country in the world without any fear of being opposed or war."

"I want to make love to the Empress of the Western Lands," he said rubbed her exposed arm. "I hear that she's quite sexy."

Rin chuckled to herself and smiled as she said, "Well, you'll just have to pry her away from the Emperor." She looked up at him and then leaned up to meet him in a kiss. And as he made love to his wife he gave thanks to the gods for giving him a life well fulfilled and yet only half over.

The End

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I hope you liked the story.