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“Will we even be any good at this?” Setsuna asked Towa.
Setsuna and Towa stood side by side on the palace platform overlooking their father’s domain. Their domain.
It had been six months since their family had reunited and defeated Zero and Kirinmaru, which had allowed Sesshomaru to reclaim his title of Inu no Taisho and Lord of the West. While his reputation among the greater youkai was still tarnished for his initial renunciation of his birthright, his marriage to Rin, and his fatherhood to half-demon daughters, no one among their ranks dared to question their family’s tenacity and bravery, nor the lengths that they would go to for one another. It would take time, he explained, for them to settle into their proper places, but he was confident that their rule would not be challenged.
Their father had worked so hard during the last fifteen years to keep them safe, constantly worried for them, their mother, their cousin and aunt and uncle. He had given up everything, even his title and lands, for his family. Now with their enemies finally defeated, it was time for them all to return home.
Home. Towa wasn’t quite sure where home really was for her. She still didn’t feel like she entirely belonged in the feudal world, but she knew that after everything that had transpired in the last year and half – after finding her family – that there was no way she could ever hope to fit into the modern world if she were to return now. She did miss Papa Sota and Mei and the rest of the Higurashi family and felt guilty for not returning to them. However, Sesshomaru assured her that with their clan’s unusually long lifespans, it was entirely possible that they would live to meet them all again one day.
Imagine both of my families meeting one another. I wonder how Father and Papa Sota would get along, she had thought to herself with amusement.
For Setsuna, the question of home was even more complicated. After years of loneliness, without even the reprieve of dreams, she had achieved her heart’s greatest desire: she had her family. A place to belong. A mother to hold her and stroke her hair and sing her lullabies when she was sad or frightened or anxious, a father to protect her and offer her comfort and guidance if she needed it. She had a twin sister who she would move heaven and earth to protect, and a cousin and aunt and uncle who made their family whole and complete. Every day, more of her memories returned. Every night, she experienced the peace of sleep.
But it was still so foreign to her. It had taken time for her to get used to calling herself someone’s sister, and she was still getting used to calling herself someone’s daughter – she had not yet even begun to think of herself as Princess of the West.
The sisters had had many conversations about their uncertainties in the weeks leading up to their coronation ceremony, which had taken place that very afternoon. Now, as they overlooked the mountains and valleys that were in their family’s charge and had been since the time of their enigmatic grandfather, Towa considered her sister’s question.
“I think that the most important thing is that our family is together again. You have your memories and dreams back, and Moroha and Aunt Kagome and Uncle Inuyasha are together again. Mama says that the rest will come with time, that it’s okay if we don’t have everything figured out all at once.” She took her sister’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “One thing I know for sure is that my home is wherever you are, Setsuna, and Mama and Papa, too. We’ll all learn together.”
Setsuna squeezed Towa’s hand and gave one of her rare, soft smiles.
“You know,” Towa said with a glint in her eye, “I think even Papa has fears about the future.”
Setsuna huffed. “Father is father. Everyone knows there is hell to pay for challenging our family. What could he possibly have to fear?”
Towa giggled. Her father and twin were so much alike.
“I know. But this is new for him, too. Remember that he originally abdicated his title when he married Mama. Now he’s really stepping up to take his place as Lord of the West. And he’s also getting used to being a father – you know, for real. The way that he always wanted to be. And don’t forget that Mama was asleep in a tree for ten years! She says that this will be a big adjustment for all of us. But we’ll be okay, as long we have each other. We’re a united front now, and nothing can change that.”
Setsuna nodded. “You and Mama always know what to say to make me feel better.”
Towa grinned.
“So, what are you most looking forward to now that we’re official half-demon princesses?”
Setsuna rolled her eyes. “I don’t see why anything has to change, really. I already spoke to Kohaku and Hisui about starting up a second headquarters here at the base of the mountain.” She paused. “I told Father about the idea a few days ago, and he gave it his blessing. I think he feels relieved that protecting the lands won’t be left entirely up to him.”
“That’s so considerate of you, Setsuna!”
Setsuna held her hand up. “Please, spare me.” Then: “What about you? What are you most looking forward to?”
Towa thought.
“Well, Father says that he’ll support whatever path I choose to take. But, I think what I’m most looking forward to is getting to travel the West and meet our subjects. I want to be a good leader, a good heir for Papa.” She smiled. “I want to make our lands a better place for everyone.”
“Sounds like you,” Setsuna mumbled, but her eyes were soft as she looked at Towa.
“There are our princesses!”
The twins turned at the melodic voice of their mother to see Rin, Sesshomaru and the Lady Mother walking towards them. The coronation ceremony and dinner had lasted for five hours and Sesshomaru looked exhausted, but Rin was smiling and seemed as energetic as ever. Sesshomaru was still dressed in his ceremonial armor and kimono, Bakusaiga on his hip; the now-restored Tenseiga was resting in place of pride in Setsuna’s chamber, whereas Towa was now the proud owner of her own exalted blade. Rin was dressed in a rich purple and pink kimono with accents of wisteria and butterflies. Lady Inukimi was dressed in luxurious royal blue robes, her Mokomoko draped elegantly around her shoulders as always.
As for the twins, Rin had sewn their kimonos for the ceremony herself. (“I haven’t had the opportunity to spoil my daughters in ten years. I’m making up for all of our lost time!”) Towa’s kimono was a soft lavender with the same pattern as the sash her father wore around his armor. Setsuna was dressed in a soft blue kimono with small darker blue circles scattered across the fabric; her mother had told them that their father had once bought her a kimono with a similar pattern during the brief time they had traveled together in her childhood.
“Mother!” Towa called happily.
Setsuna strode to Rin and wrapped her mother in a tight embrace. The ceremony was over; there was no more need to follow protocol.
“My, my – my grandpups have grown into such perfect ladies!” Inukimi said. Her face remained as impassive as ever, but the pride in her voice was impossible to miss. “Towa, Setsuna, the two of you have fought hard and well to reach this moment. Now is your time to enjoy your family and rule as the Princesses of the West that you are. However – ,”
Towa and Setsuna waited for their grandmother to gather her thoughts. Rin had explained to them that the Lady Mother had once called her soul back from the Netherworld when she had been lost there as a child, and that she had played an integral role in Sesshomaru’s plan to keep them all safe and to stop Kirinmaru from meddling with the Wheel of Time. She was much kinder than her aloof and haughty demeanor gave away, but – very much like Sesshomaru – she did not share her thoughts freely. If she took a moment to speak, it meant that she was choosing her words thoughtfully and carefully.
“To hold a title,” Inukimi continued, “is a great responsibility. Why do you think your father abdicated when he married your mother?”
“Rin was my priority, mother,” Sesshomaru said tersely. “You know this.”
“That is precisely my point,” Inukimi replied coolly. “To rule effectively, you must think very carefully about what – and who – is truly important to you. Where your priorities lie. Only by understanding what lies within your own heart can you hope to inspire loyalty in those who would follow you.” Inukimi smirked. “But I have nothing but confidence in the two of you. You have truly inherited the best of both of your parents.”
Towa couldn’t help herself; she threw her arms around her grandmother’s waist and smiled.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for our family, Grandmother. If it were not for you, Setsuna and I would have never even been born, and our parents would have never known true happiness. None of us would be together without your help. We owe you everything.”
Inukimi took a moment to process that she was being embraced by her granddaughter – she was not used to receiving or giving physical affection – but she was amused by this very human characteristic of her grandpup. She gave Towa’s shoulders a small squeeze.
“The only thing you owe me is to live long, wisely, and well.” She smirked as Towa pulled back to face her. “And to occasionally come and visit me at the Palace in the Sky. Perhaps you can even convince your father to come along with you every century or two.”
“Mother.” Sesshomaru muttered.
Rin laughed. “Am I invited too, Lady Mother?”
Inukimi turned and cupped Rin’s cheeks. “Of course, my darling daughter-in-law. I expect it – after all, you are the only human in the world to whom I have ever and will ever grant the gift of time.”
The girls did not miss the way their father’s hand reached around their mother’s petite waist, pulling her slightly closer to him. Rin had explained that when their grandmother had restored her to life as a kindness to her son, who was devastated by the loss of his cherished companion, she had informed him that there would be no more chances. She had chosen to bestow Rin with the gift of immortality after watching the sacrifice their mother had made for her daughters, how hard their father had fought to save his family, how the twins themselves had defied time itself to bring their family together again. After everything they had been through, she decided that they had earned the privilege of being together as a unit for as long as time allowed. Their parents' lives were now tied together as well as their hearts; for as long as Sesshomaru would live, so would Rin. For as long as Rin would live, so would Sesshomaru. They would live and die together.
Inukimi straightened herself up. “I’ll be taking my leave now. I do find these ceremonies so incredibly dull.” She bowed to her son and daughter-in-law, then reached down and cupped the cheeks of both of her granddaughters before stepping back several paces. She transformed into her true form – a large white dog – and bounded away into the sky.
“Woah...that was epic!” Towa said with awe in her voice. Setsuna gave her a sideways glance.
Rin stood on the tips of her toes and pecked Sesshomaru on the cheek. “Your mother is too good to us.”
“When she wishes to be,” Sesshomaru said dryly.
“Father,” Setsuna chided. “It’s as Towa said – if it were not for our grandmother, Towa and I would not be standing before you now.”
Sesshomaru turned to gaze at his daughters, then slowly strode forward until he was standing right in front of them. He reached out with both hands and ran his long fingers through their hair. It was not lost on either girl the way that his claws, so deadly and poisonous and capable of complete destruction, moved through their locks with such tenderness and care, as though they were the most precious beings in the world to him. Which, they knew now, they were.
“And for that, I will forever be grateful.” He leaned forward and kissed both of their foreheads.
“Wow, when did you get to be so soft?”
They turned to see their Uncle Inuyasha walking towards them with Moroha and their Aunt Kagome in tow. Inuyasha looked incredibly unlike himself in a red and white ceremonial hakama with boots, and the twins could tell immediately how antsy and out of place he felt. Kagome wore a green kimono accented with cherry blossoms and a pink obi, whereas Moroha was dressed in a red kimono with a gold obi with fabric that shimmered in the evening light. Rin had taken the liberty of sewing their kimonos for the occasion as well.
Kagome rolled her eyes. “Inuyasha...don’t make me say the word. Not today.”
Inuyasha grimaced. He folded his arms and turned away.
“Mama, I told you to cut it out with the sit command! Let Papa be himself!” Moroha huffed.
“I’m with her,” Inuyasha grumbled.
Towa laughed. “You’re such a daddy’s girl, Moroha!”
Moroha stuck her tongue out at her cousin. “And what are you, hmm? Don’t go getting all snobby on me just because you're an actual princess now!”
Towa walked forward and hugged her cousin. “Never. You know us better than that! Right, Setsuna?”
Setsuna walked forward and put a hand on Moroha’s shoulder. “Never. We’re family first and forever.”
Moroha grinned. “Wow, Setsu! I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!”
“Don’t get used to it,” Setsuna huffed, quickly removing her hand.
Rin walked towards Inuyasha and Kagome and took one hand in each of hers. “Big Brother, Kagome, I’m so glad you came. Please, don’t think that we’ll forget about you all now that Lord Sesshomaru has reclaimed the West. It’s as Setsuna said – no matter what happens, we’re family first and forever.” She turned to her husband. “Right, Lord Sesshomaru?”
Sesshomaru said nothing, but gave a curt nod to his brother and sister-in-law. It was enough to convey the message: he would not let anything tear either of their families apart ever again.
“Keh, whatever,” Inuyasha said, but he smiled at Rin. “Now when the hell do I get to change? These clothes are killing me!”
“Same!” Moroha complained, tugging at the collar of her kimono.
“Inuyasha, Moroha, Rin sewed those herself! Be a little more gracious.” Kagome chided.
“It’s alright,” Rin assured them. “I enjoyed making them, and it was just for the ceremony anyway. I would never ask you to be anything other than yourself, Big Brother. You too, Moroha.”
Moroha threw her arms around Rin. “You’ll promise to visit us, right? And that we can come see you? I want to get to know my aunty and uncle better!”
Rin kissed the top of her niece’s forehead. “Absolutely. We have so much to catch up on!”
“We’ll come for a visit soon,” Towa promised. “Isn’t the big autumn festival coming up in a month or two at Granny Kaede’s village?”
Moroha’s face lit up. “That’s right! You all have to come.” She turned to Sesshomaru and pointed. “You too, Uncle!”
“Hn.”
Towa and Setsuna joined their parents in seeing their aunt and uncle and cousin off on Ah-Un.
“What a marvelous day it’s been,” Rin said. She sounded tired, but her voice was full of content. “I asked Master Jaken to prepare some tea for us, why don’t we enjoy some together before we settle down for the night?”
“Sounds good to me!” Towa chirped, linking her arm with Rin’s as they headed back inside the palace.
Setsuna lingered for a moment. Sesshomaru turned to her.
“What troubles you, daughter?”
“Who says I am troubled?” Setsuna said, but she turned her face to look at her father, amber and violet eyes locking. Setsuna knew that there was no point in trying to hide her emotions from her father; they were too much alike.
“Father…”
Sesshomaru stepped closer to his daughter. He waited for her to collect her thoughts.
“I’m afraid,” Setsuna said in a voice barely above a whisper.
She spoke quickly, before she lost her nerve. “I’m not a princess. I’m a demon slayer who grew up as an orphan. I can’t even control my demonic blood without Monk Miroku’s seal. I do not wish to disappoint you, or Mother or Towa. I’m afraid that if I don’t live up to your expectations…,”
She paused. She hated feeling so vulnerable, even in the presence of her father. Especially in the presence of her father. She knew how powerful Sesshomaru was. She knew what hell he had been through to bring their family together. She knew that he had done everything he could to train and guide her from the shadows during her time in the hanyo village, that he had cut a piece of Mokomoko so that she could have comfort through the long, lonely nights. She did not want to seem weak in his eyes.
Sesshomaru waited patiently for her to finish.
“That you’ll think I’m not worthy. Not as your heir, not as your daughter. Kirinmaru said that a half-demon’s worth is measured only by their ability to survive. I’m sure that there has never been a half-demon Princess of the West, or anywhere else. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to carry that weight. And if I can’t, will I...will you...I don’t want to be left alone again.”
She turned away and bowed her head. Moments later, she felt her father’s battle-hardened arms wrap around her in a firm but gentle embrace. Sesshomaru brought her close to his chest, mindful of his armour, wrapping Mokomoko around her. Setsuna had a sudden flash of memory of her father holding her exactly like this, long ago in the forest, when she had fallen and scraped her knee as she and Towa chased Grandfather Jaken around a clearing. She allowed herself to relax in his hold.
“I know it wasn’t your fault,” she said quickly, desperate not to cry. She would not let herself cry in front of her father.
“Setsuna,” Sesshomaru said lowly, “you are more worthy of your title than I am of my own.”
Setsuna gasped. She looked up and met her father’s gaze.
“You don’t know this, but I was watching over you the night you received Mokomoko.”
“You were?”
“Yes. I had to make sure that you received it.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “You do not know how much I wanted to go to you and offer you comfort that night. What it took for me to walk away.”
“How painful it was to watch me die?” Setsuna asked in a small voice.
“Yes. But you are strong like your mother, Setsuna. You’ve defied death. You’ve overcome more trials in your fifteen years than many youkai do in centuries.” He held her tighter. “But more importantly, you and Towa are our daughters. You were created from a love that defied all odds. There is nothing that could make me disappointed in you.” He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “You will always be free to choose your own path.”
Setsuna could not help it – she let out a sob and buried her face in her father’s chest as he rubbed her back. He smelled of forest and fur and the north wind. He smelled like home.
“Thank you, Father,” she whispered.
“Everything okay, you two?” Towa called from the doorway leading to the family’s common chambers. She had changed into a pale blue sleeping yukata. “I smelled your tears, Setsuna,” she said with concern.
“I’m alright, Sis,” Setsuna said, wiping her eyes with her kimono sleeve, thankful that Sesshomaru did not chide her for it. “Father and I were...uh, well, talking. I’m starting to feel a little better about this whole ‘princess’ thing.”
Towa beamed and wrapped her sister into a hug. “I am, too. We’ll be okay, as long as we’re all together.” She pulled back and lifted her palm up for a high-five. “Long may we reign!”
Setsuna huffed, but gave a small smile and met her sister’s palm with her own. “Long may we reign.”
Towa glanced at her father, who was watching them with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s a future thing, Papa,” Towa explained. “There’s so much that I’ll have to teach you all!”
“All in good time, Towa,” Sesshomaru said evenly.
Towa grabbed Setsuna’s hand. “Come on, Mama and Grandpapa Jaken have peach tea and melon slices waiting for us!”
Sesshomaru watched as his daughters scampered inside the palace. There were moments when he still had a hard time believing that this was real, that his family was whole again, that they had taken their place as the Family of the West at last. There had been more than one instance in the last six months when he had woken in the middle of the night frantically reaching for Rin to make sure she was really beside him. He would always apologize for waking her, but each time she would wrap him in her arms and whisper that all was well, she was there, and that their daughters were safe and sleeping soundly nearby. They always made love slowly and gently afterwards, taking their time savoring each other to make up for the time they had lost.
Hopefully we will have our next pup soon, he thought to himself. He had promised Rin in the forest that they could have as many pups as she wanted once the ordeal was over, and he intended to make good on that promise.
But for now, he glanced up at the full moon as he walked inside the palace to join his family. A shadow moved across the moon – a lunar eclipse, just as there had been on the night of his daughters’ births. But this time, no one would come to steal their joy.
I hope you are proud, Father, he thought as he closed the door behind him. Long may we reign.