"Bakusaiga," Totosai stated as Sesshomaru landed in front of the elder demon. They had rushed back, not pausing just in case Satoru's defeat prompted Katakia to attack.

"What are you yammering about old man?" Inuyasha demanded, relieved to see that Kagome was safe.

"Bakusaiga, that's what it wants to be called," Totosai replied pointing to the new sword at Sesshomaru's side.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken ran up to him, and then stopped suddenly, almost falling backwards after skidding on the loose gravel. "Your arm!"

Sesshomaru flexed the fingers of his newly regenerated arm. Had this been what all the pain been about?

Inuyasha looked from the arm to the sword. "Well, damn."

Kaori nodded at Sesshomaru and pushed their captive forward. "I'll start my interrogation right away."

"I'll tell you anything you want," Satoru pleaded. "Just don't send me with her!" He fell to his knees in supplication.

"Pathetic." Sesshomaru spat. "Remove him from my sight."

Kaori yanked him up by his bindings. "Now, now, there's no need to be a coward. Face your fate with dignity and I might show you kindness."

"I was under orders," Satoru rambled as she led him off. "I didn't want to be possessed. I was forced for the good of my people."

She and Kiyoshi exchanged a look that clearly said they didn't believe him. "We will report to you shortly, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!" A panicked servant rushed up to him and fell to one knee. "Mistress Masaki has gone into labor. She is calling for her sister, we have no midwives!"

"Take Mari to her, keep guards on the room at all times. The traitor is to be returned to her cell as soon as the pup is born." Sesshomaru ordered the panicked woman. She nodded and ran off.

It was going to be a long day.

###

Mari knelt in front of Sesshomaru, a small bundle in her arms. "I present to you Takehiko, heir of the northern mountain Inu."

Sesshomaru looked down at the small bundle. All he could see was the child's face bearing the crescent of his mother's pack.

Mari smiled down at her nephew when he yawned and made one of those strange noises only newborns can make.

"Is Masaki well?" Sesshomaru asked, unsure why that was important to him.

"She is resting." Mari looked up at her cousin. "Please, Sesshomaru, if there is any compassion in you, don't take this babe's family away from him." It was probably the most sincere request she had made in the years he had known her.

Sesshomaru motioned to one of the guards who had accompanied her. "Take the child to his mother."

"No, Sesshomaru! Please!" She hugged the baby tightly causing him to start to cry. She felt tears welling in her own eyes.

"Mari!" Sesshomaru snapped. "Do not make me force you to let the child go."

Reluctantly she let the guard take the baby. Sesshomaru would be well within his rights to kill one or all of them for her betrayal. She had planned on breaking him, not his victory over Satoru. She had not thought of what might happen if her plan failed. She knelt demurely in front of him, her hands resting on the tops of her thighs. "Do not punish them for my mistakes."

"You had to realize this wouldn't end well for you." Sesshomaru clasped his hands behind his back as he stood towering over the defeated woman.

"I had planned on being the one to comfort you and to bring you to realize your folly with the humans and foreigner after they were gone."

"Did you not think I would kill you for any involvement in their deaths?"

She looked up at him. "The destruction of your pack would have devastated you, as it would any other Alpha."

"I am not like other Alphas! Had you taken the time to find this out you would have known your plan would fail either way." He drew Bakusaiga and leveled the point at her. "My vengeance would have been swift and your nephew would never have drawn his fist breath!"

Mari felt the color drain from her face. The sword glowed with Sesshomaru's power, illuminating the runes along the blade in an emerald glow. Her eyes followed the length of the sword up his new left arm. He had surpassed his father in power; he was now the true ruler of the western lands. She felt her resolve melt. She was suddenly tired, so very tired. She had done what she thought she needed to do to ensure the safety of her family.

All he had to do was move the sword those last few inches and Mari would be no more, her treachery rewarded with a swift death. Yet he hesitated and it was all because of that tiny bundle she had presented to him earlier. Once he had equated mercy with weakness. Now? That was still up for debate. He weighed the possible outcomes of his choices. If he killed her there was the chance that the child would grow up desiring revenge and he would be forced to kill him at some point. If he let her live she might prove she had learned nothing from this and try to get the child to try and take the western lands. Again he would be forced to kill him. There was the equal chance that they would be intimidated by his new found power and let him be.

"Once this mess is over the three of you are banished from the western lands. If any of you dare set foot on my lands ever again, you will find your death at the end Bakusaiga. Guards, take her back to her cell."

Once the door slid closed to his study, he placed his new weapon on the sword stand and sat down. In the end he couldn't take family away from an innocent child, not any more. He knew what that felt like and it was one cruelty he could not inflict. He opened an empty bound journal. It was time to start his legacy. Inked brush in hand he formed his first kanji as the rightful ruler of the western lands.

###

It seemed like everyone evaporated into their own tasks at once, leaving Kagome with her band of friends and a strange feeling of accomplishment. She wasn't the weakest any more, a liability. It carried a freedom she had never felt before.

She looked at her friends who were regarding her with curious looks.

It was Shippo who spoke first. "Is she always going to have that look on her face since she's kissing Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha resisted the urge to hit the fox kit for his observation, but he was wondering the same thing.

"Hey!" Kagome blushed. "That's not even close to what I was thinking about."

A warning look from Sango kept Miroku from voicing his opinion. Little did Kagome know he had seen her leaving Sesshomaru's room this past week. Though he wasn't sure if she was trying to keep that a secret or not.

"Then what has you looking so smug?" Inuyasha demanded.

Kagome smiled. "I was able to take care of myself during the fighting."

Miroku tried to look like that's what he was going to suggest, but everyone knew better. There were some things that would never change.

Sango was happy for her friend and felt somewhat bad for hijacking her moment, but she could hardly contain herself. Memories of last night filled her head and made her heart feel like it would burst with bliss.

She and Miroku had taken a walk after all of their friends had gone to sleep. It was peaceful, the sound of crickets letting them know they were safe. They didn't speak as they walked hand in hand to the plateau that overlooked the nearby river valley.

Sango remembered looking up at the sky. There was a tiny sliver of the moon and stars, so many stars. Miroku wrapped his arms around her. The view was absolutely breath taking. It was one of the few times she had felt at peace since her village had been destroyed. No more Naraku, no more wind tunnel. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I can hardly believe we don't have to worry about that curse any more. I still catch myself sometimes, worrying."

Miroku lifted his hands from her hips and ran them up and down her arms, looking apprehensive. "We truly are lucky."

Sango stepped back from him a bit. "Is something wrong?" She felt her heart skip a beat seeing the expression on his face. It looked like he was going to say something she wouldn't like. "Just spit it out, monk."

Miroku's hand dipped into the sleeve of his robes, her angry comment making what he had to say that much harder. His finger brushed against the cool metal of the object he had hidden there. It steeled his nerves. "Sango, we have faced so much together, and lost almost as much. I have thought long about how to say this, but the words escape me every time I gaze at your beautiful face."

Sango felt tears prick at her eyes. He can't do it, he can't settle for just me.

"I can't go into the next battle without you beside me, and I don't want that fight to end in regrets, in case something goes wrong." Miroku pulled a gold band from the inside of his sleeve. "Kagome told me of a tradition they have where the man offers the woman he loves a simple gold band. This band symbolizes the love they have for each other and a pledge to be faithful and love only each other until the end of their days." Miroku took a deep breath. "Sango, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

The tears she was holding back suddenly broke free as relief flooded her. "Yes, Miroku, a million times yes!" She threw her arms around him before he had a chance to put the ring on her finger.

"I love you, Sango; I never want to leave your side." Miroku smoothed her hair and held her. The ring could wait.

"I love you too, Miroku"

###

Sango blinked a couple of times and realized everyone was now staring at her. She smiled and held out her hand with the gold band on it.

Kagome squealed in delight and tackle hugged Sango almost knocking them both to the ground.

Inuyasha's ears flattened at the noise. "What the hell just happened?"

Miroku smiled. "Sango and I are getting married."

"I am so happy, for both of you." Kagome hugged Miroku next. "If anyone deserves it, you two do."

Inuyasha knew he deep down he should congratulate them, but thoughts of not being able to spend the rest of his life with Kikyo bubbled up. A bitterness he had never felt before surfaced. It wasn't fair; he had suffered as much as they had. What was his reward? His gaze landed on Kagome. She had been right to reject his advances. His mind had gone right back to Kikyo, not her. This realization made his ears droop involuntarily.

"Hey, Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Miroku asked, noticing the ears.

He looked down at the ground. "I know I should be all happy for you, but I was thinking about how Kikyo and I will never have that."

Kagome went over to her friend and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha wrapped her in his arms. She was so much like Kikyo, but different enough where it counted. "Kagome I'm sorry. You were right, I am still grieving."

Kagome pulled away and smiled warmly at her friend. "I know. It takes time, sometimes a lot of it. Even now I sometimes find myself missing my father."

Inuyasha nodded. He didn't want to overshadow his friends' happy news.

Kagome linked her arm with Sango's smiling brightly. "When do you want to have it? Is Inuyasha going to be Miroku's best man? Who do you want as your bride's maids? We need to get flowers. Rin would be such a cute flower girl! Oh and the cake? What should it be?" Kagome pulled a very confused Sango off to the kitchens. "We have so much planning to do!"

Inuyasha and Miroku watched the two walk off.

"I sorta feel sorry for Sango." Inuyasha glanced at the monk. "Do you have any idea what she was going on about?"

"I assume it is more girl stuff we are not meant to understand." Miroku tucked his hands into his sleeves, grateful it wasn't him.

###

Sango winced when Kagome pulled yet another braid of hair and secured it with something called a bobby pin. She felt like her face was being pulled up from the tight hair style that Kagome was busy creating. Nervous energy radiated from her friend. So much that even Sango could see the slight pink aura. She had no idea what Kagome was nervous about, she wasn't the one getting married.

But it was at the back of everyone's mind, the question of when. When would Katakai attack next? Would it be during the wedding? After? Destroying the eastern assault had to put a hole in his plans, didn't it? To be fair, Kagome had been glowing since Kaori had reported back his plans. The demon wanted to use her to create bodies for his brothers. Satoru had gone into great detail about the plan, hoping to get a rise out of Kaori so she would kill him. Sango had to give her credit for not letting him bait her. The bride closed her eyes, trying not to think about it. Today was a happy day, no more dwelling on what doom stalked them this time.

Kagome stood in front of her friend, eyeing her critically. "Too bad I don't have my curling iron, not that it would even work." She held up a little hand mirror for Sango to see her new hair style.

Sango had never her hair in such a fancy state. Sleeping on uncomfortable bits of cloth twisted in her hair to give it some curls had paid off. It was a trick Kaori had learned from her travels. Sango smiled approvingly at Kagome's handy work. She felt beautiful.

It had taken some coaxing to convince a priest friend of Kaede to come to Sesshomaru's home to perform the ceremony. Sesshomaru had refused to let them go into the village or to the shrine for safety reasons. Kaori's family had built a little shrine on the lands, so that was where the wedding would be.

Sango took a deep breath, it was time. She held no reservations. She just wished her family could have been there.

Sango and Miroku met just outside of the shrine, arm in arm they walked up the hill and into the old building.

Miroku wasn't really listening to the priest. He was too busy trying to remember his vows and trying to believe the beautiful woman at his side had agreed to be his wife. Sango kept sneaking looks at him which wasn't helping his concentration. He had never been one for ceremony and judging by the looks Sango kept giving him, neither was she. They had been married in their hearts long before this, he knew that now.

The priest finished his long winded blessing and indicated for the couple to exchange their vows. Miroku took Sango's hands in his, grateful to be able to feel her skin with both hands. It was a gentle reminder how close they had come to not having this opportunity.

Their eyes met and all of the carefully prepared words flew out of his mind. He cleared his throat nervously hoping they would pop back in, but it didn't work and he earned a slight scowl from Sango. At that moment all he wanted to do was kiss her, so he did. He rested his forehead against her's and closed his eyes. "I really did have vows prepared, but that's not what this is. The first time you scowled at me like that, I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to kiss all that anger, pain and frustration away. I knew I couldn't commit to anyone, not with the curse of the wind tunnel threatening to swallow me at any time. The curse would end with me, one way or another. I pushed women away after…" Miroku paused and looked around and cleared his throat trying not to finish that last thought out loud. "Anyway, you wouldn't be pushed away. I fell in love with your strength, your spirit…" He gently brushed her cheek with his fingers. "You have a fierce fire that burns deep within you, Sango, and one of the biggest, kindest hearts I have ever known. I have never felt worthy of your love. You gave me hope that I would see the end of my curse and live. No one could ever give me more than you have. All I have to give you is my heart. It is yours in this life and beyond."

Sango drew a shaky breath. She had expected some goofy proclamation of his love for her, not this. Her heart swelled with love for the man whose heart was now covered by her hand. "Nothing has ever felt so right as this moment. I know without a doubt you are the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are wrong; you have so much more to offer me than just your heart. You also have a strength and wisdom in you that has guided us through some of the toughest times during our journey. I did my share of pushing you away as well. I think on some level we both knew we could help each other heal from the many hurts life sent our way." She took his hand with her free hand and placed it over her heart. "I give you my heart, without reservation. It is yours in this life and beyond."

Their eyes locked, and at that moment they were the only two people in existence. The shrine, priest and gathering of friends vanished. They knew in that moment nothing could ever break them apart.

They barely heard the last of the words the priest spoke as he concluded the ceremony. "In the eyes of all gathered here and in the eyes of the Kami, you are now of one heart, one soul. May your life together be long and prosperous. I offer to you now Miroku and his wife, Sango!"

The small gathering cheered loudly as the happy couple headed out of the shrine in a snow of rose petals to start their new life together as one.