autumnleaf16

Author’s Note: As I have mentioned before, Sango means coral.

The first to arrive were Inuyasha and Kagome. The former had changed little due to his acceptance of being a hanyou, but Kagome was not in the ceremonial robes of a miko, having taken over the role which was once held by Kikyo and Kaede. She seemed more mature, even though the shikon shard that she had reabsorbed into her body has already affected her aging- to let her age as Inuyasha would.
The two of them were happy, there was nothing that forbid them to be so. They had what any lovers most desired: to be with the object of your affection and grow old with them.
“But not everyone can have a happy ever after ending.” Was the last thing Miroku had said to them before he left them without any warning. “So I must do what I must.”
They had not seen him ever since Sango died. That was no unnatural as they rarely leave the village, while Miroku seemed to begin a permanent sojourn. Their only hope was that he would be at her grave this year.
As Kagome knelt in front of the grave, she heard the sound of metal clashing together. At this she immediately turned around hopefully…
It was Miroku, but he had changed greatly. He appeared much older as the once cheerful monk now wore a permanent frown, and there was a deep weariness that clung to him.
Much to both Kagome and Inuyasha’s surprise, Miroku was followed by a very serious young boy- but there was no sign of a woman.
“I have an heir but I am not married.” He stated bitterly. “This,” he gestured to the grave, “Is the only woman I would marry.”
Was it really a surprise that his son was so grim?
“It has been a whole decade since we first met.” Kagome began softly.
“And ten years since I made the mistake that ruined my life.”
There were many words to be exchanged but no one knew how to say them due to the long absence. As for the woman whose grave they were visiting, they still did not know what they should tell her.
Luckily for them, or maybe not, two more people arrived.
A young woman of eighteen years old was holding the hand of a child that could only be nine years old if they were right in their guess, both of them held a bouquet of flowers in their hands.
The young woman was a human with rather dark hair that she gathered back with a white ribbon, the style seemed very familiar. There were little hints of the girl who had ran barefooted with her hair in a permanent mess in this grown woman, dressed in a fine kimono.
Her companion was in an equally elaborate kimono, and since she had her raven hair untied with her head bowed down, her yokai traits were barely visible. But they still managed to figure out her identity as it was not likely that anyone else would visit this isolated grave.
“So we finally meet up here.” the now grown Rin said as she nodded to them very formally- a habit that had become permanent due to having lived the last nine years in Sesshomaru’s palace.
“Where is my brother?” Inuyasha butted in bluntly.
At this, Rin sighed. Her guardian that had become a father to her was never the same after her death- the woman she had hoped to have as a mother. Even though Sango had only been about ten years older then her she had seemed older, like a mother instead of an elder sister. Rin found herself unable to do the same to Namida because she could not offer the same assurance that Sango had offered her- a mother’s assurance.
As for her guardian…those who did not know him well would say that he was not affected by her death, but because she was aware of his character, she could recognize the full depth of his sorrow.
“He never stopped his grieving.” She whispered sadly.

Sesshomaru waited until night time before he knelt in front of her grave once again, as he would every single year on this particular day. Unlike his two ‘daughters’ he did not bring any flowers, instead, he would place some sort of fancy gift on her grave- objects that he would have liked to hand to her himself.
Strangely, they were usually rather feminine objects. Perhaps he chose these things due to the knowledge that he was one of the few people whom she would gladly accept these gifts from.
He brought her a comb made from coral this year. Sometimes he would wonder what happens to these annual gifts and would berate himself at the amount of concern.
There was a sense of peace here, one of the causes of him laying her body to rest in this very area. Initially he had wanted to bury her in the courtyard of his palace so she would always be near him, but he changed his mind when his mother asked him whether she would have wanted her resting place to be there.
So he chose this place, as they had been very happy here.
Eight years passed since her death, and many more years would come before he finally sees her again. It was ironic, and even unfair, that their daughter would be able to be reunited with her first.
He would not use the cliché of saying that he died with her, as he was able to carry on living, but there seemed to be an emptiness in almost everything, one of the exception being the time he spends with Namida.
He would have loved their daughter no matter what she looked like, but her remarkable resemblance to her made everything easier. Looking at Namida made him recollect all the happiness he once had because of Sango.
These memories were enough to let him have no regret.
Perhaps the greatest effect she had on his life was making him see death as a way of reuniting with her, instead of just being something that marked the end of his long life.
It was because she made him understand what it meant to live.

Author’s Note: I think what makes Miroku quite a tragic figure in this story is the fact that he never stopped loving her, but had to know that she loves another, and even sired a child with him, while he himself was forced to sire a child with another woman. Granted that it is his own fault, I still feel a bit sorry for him.
Ok, since this is the last author’s note for this story I’ll make it a bit longer. In general I have enjoyed writing this fan fiction very much. In a way it is a trial of something different, and I have enjoyed writing this fan fiction. As I said before I really like Sango x Sesshomaru stories and I am just so glad that I have been able to contribute. In a way, writing this fan fiction also made me support and like this parings even more. A message to all those that support the Sango x Sesshomaru pairing: continue support them and don’t let anyone persuade you otherwise! They are such a good couple! (my sister think I’m nuts doing this as there is nothing going on between them in the original story but I don’t care!!! I think they will make an excellent couple!) And also, don’t feel shy about putting your stories up! I was afraid of putting tears up but I am so glad that I did, because the feedback is really good, granted that I complain a lot but I do get reviews and there has been quite a few hits! Do put your stories up (to be honest, I’ll love to read a bit more Sango x Sesshomaru stories. When I first used the filter to search for them I really wasn’t sure whether I could find any).