When I open my eyes, the sun is up and the chirping of the birds signalling morning has arrived. I sit up from my futon and stretch, I rub my eyes and let my brain register everything. Today is the last day I'll be staying here, the place where my childhood started and ended. I stand up and pack all of my things, not much is needed to where I'll be going. I pack my koto, the perfume bottle, the wooden box, some big blankets, and the wedding kimono. I fold up my futon and place it neatly in the corner of my room. I grab my casual kimono and head to wash up. I bathed and freshened up, I then head to the eating hall like always. My parents are up already and seated, our breakfast is still being set.

"Morning everyone." I greet my parents and the maids.

"Good morning__________." My mother greets me back.

Our maids bowed to me as a greeting, I then sit down on my mat. We then start eating breakfast together.

"Are everything packed?" My mother asks me.

"Yes, I don't have much to take with me except for some precious belongings." I reply.

"That's good, what are you planning on doing afterwards while you wait for Sesshomaru?" My father asks me.

"I'm not sure to be honest, I already packed my koto so I don't want to take it out again. I guess walking around town for a bit will be nice, I mean, I'll be leaving this place so it's nice to take in the beauty of where I grew up one last time before I go." I tell them with a smile.

"I suppose that'll be nice. You've grown up and lived here for your whole life, 26 years of seeing the same thing can become dull, but seeing it one last time before leaving it, you can perhaps find something new and interesting that you might have missed in those years." My mother says.

"You're right mother, I'd like to create as much memories as I can before I depart and start on a new chapter of my life." I say with a big smile.

"You sound like you'll never come back___________, although we don't know where this place is, but I'm sure it's a place that means more to you than you know. Just remember to visit once in a while. Don't think about us too much though, because the new chapter of your life is focused on you and the choices and path that you'll take, don't let your lingering childhood prevent you from making your future decisions. " My father says with a small laugh.

"Yes father, I know I made it sound like I'm going to abandon this place but I'll never. I'm just putting it in my memories with parts of my happiness and childhood, I'll pull it out and think about it once in a while. Now that I said all that, I'm afraid I'll become homesick." I say with a slight frown.

"We're all bound to leave our parents sooner or later, of course LATER would be the best. It's alright to feel homesick, it's part of taking a step forward into life. You can feel homesick, but remember to find that strength to move forward with independence and strong will. Where you'll be going, it seems like you'll never be alone. You told us that the people there are like your second family, let them fill in the gap that's here. Besides, you have a husband now and soon, you'll have a family of your own." My mother tells me with a smile.

I blush at the last part but I nod.

"Thanks for the life lesson mother and father. I'll keep them all in mind." I say with a smile.

We finished our last breakfast together for the time being, I walk out and step out under the sun. I open the front gate to our estate and inhale deeply of the morning air, I smooth out my kimono and head into town. As I walk through town, I realize I'm paying attention to everything around me more. It is true, you tend to focus more and pay more attention to a place that you love when you're about to leave it. People are out and about, selling goods, buying goods, eating, etc. The beautiful weather makes the scene even more beautiful. I then head to the nearby field just outside of the town where Sesshomaru found me that night. The field has bloomed with flowers, I'm the only one here. It's serene, I close my eyes and take a deep breath of the fresh air.

"I'll miss this place." I think to myself.

Then a gentle breeze blows across the field making me open my eyes. By now, I realize that sudden gust of gentle wind, especially when it comes out of nowhere. I look around and I smile as I see him gracefully walking towards me from the trees on my left. I didn't move as I watch him coming closer to me, his snow white hair swaying behind him. In no time, Sesshomaru stops in front of me, his facial expression gentle and beautiful.

"You're here." I greet him with a big smile.

"Did you wait long?" Sesshomaru asks me.

"No, not at all. In fact, I could wait forever for you." I tell him.

Sesshomaru gently glides his right index finger down my cheek lovingly.

"I'm here now, so you don't need to wait anymore. What were you doing out here?" He asks me.

I turn back towards the open field and the green field fills my view again.

"Well, since we decided that we are leaving today, I wanted to walk around the town one more time. My parents are right, I know I've lived here for 26 years, but when you see this place one more time before you leave it, it's even more beautiful and more interesting." I say to him.

"I see." Sesshomaru answers me as he looks out at the plains with me.

"Human experiences, it can be beautiful, funny, sad, weird, interesting, and wonderful. It may not seem much but it's what makes us grow and learn." I add to my previous words.

"I suppose it's true, being with you in these few months has shown me a lot of those experiences. Are you ready to go?" Sesshomaru asks me.

I turn to face him and smile.

"I am. Let's go and start our new chapter together." I say to him.

Sesshomaru gives me a small smile and nods. I take his hand in mine and we head back to my estate, we took a quieter path back to avoid the busy town. We arrive to my estate and my parents comes out to greet us, they were carrying my things. My mother carrying my bundle of precious items and another bundle of which I assume are gold and food for the trip. My father carried my koto.

"Mother, father. Thank you, but you know I could have got my things myself. You didn't have to." I tell them.

"You're leaving, let us at least carry your things to you before you depart. It makes us feel more like parents." My mother says.

"Father, mother, you guys are the best parents I could ever ask for. You've put up with me, my stubborness, persistence, everything. You've given me advices on life, choices that I made, and on love. You don't need to do anything else for me." I say to them, I look at Sesshomaru on the last part.

My parents nod, out of the corner of my eye, I see one of our groundskeeper come around with Hidzume nicely groomed. I smile as I see him. He stops in front of us, I help my mother and father tie my belongings onto Hidzume. My father then turns to Sesshomaru.

"Please take care of__________ Sesshomaru, she'll be a handful but I hope you'll get use to her." My father says to him.

"Father..." I groan.

"I'll watch over________ protectively. If I couldn't handle her, I wouldn't have married her. Rest assured that__________ will be fine." Sesshomaru tells them.

My father nods. My mother smiles and turns to me.

"I hope next time we see you, there will be an addition to the already beautiful family." She says.

I begin to blush as I hear those words from her, I glance over at Sesshomaru. He's perfectly still, his golden eyes looking up at the sky.

"Mother, please." I whisper to her with a small laugh.

"Goodbye____________, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy." My father tells me.

"I will, and you and mother as well." I say to them with a big smile.

I then give my mother and father a hug. We bid them farewell and Sesshomaru, Hidzume, and I begin walking towards the dirt road heading towards Lady Kaede's village. If I remember it's a 2 and a half day of travel if by human pace, for Sesshomaru though it could be half a day or a day. I walked beside Sesshomaru with Hidzume by my side, no words were said but there were no awkwardness in the air. We arrive at the end of the road that leads back to town, I turn back one more time to look at my childhood home. The breeze gently caressing me.

"Are you feeling regretful?" Sesshomaru suddenly asks me.

"Nostalgic, but not regretful. The second part of my life is starting, the most beautiful part. To go into it with you is something that I never thought could have existed, I'll miss this place, but it's not as if I'll never return. I'll just be putting it aside for the time being and focus on the present and future." I tell him with a smile.

"Spoken with a strong heart and mind, much admirable indeed. Shall we go?" Sesshomaru says and asks me with a gentle smile.

"Let's go forward together, My Love." I say to him while looking at his amber eyes.

I walk up to Hidzume and I grab onto his reigns, I adjust my kimono so I can hull myself up onto the saddle. Suddenly I'm being lifted up into the air by something scooping me up from under my legs, it was so off guard I let out a sharp inhale. I grab onto Hidzume's reigns tighter, I turn and look down to see what it is. It's Sesshomaru who gave me the boost, he lifted me up with his left arm. I smile and I pull myself over Hidzume's saddle.

"Thanks Sesshomaru." I thank him.

"Saying thank you between husband and wife seems a bit unnecessary." He replied.

"I suppose it does a little doesn't it? Should we go full speed? Will you be running beside me?" I ask him.

Sesshomaru turns to look at me, his amber eyes bright and beautiful, the crescent moon on his forehead making him look magnificent as always. He shows me a gentle smile.

"I'll run right beside you___________." Sesshomaru says.

"Then let's go." I say with a bright smile.

I snap Hidzume's reigns and he breaks into a gallop, right away the wind goes against me. I then hear swift and rythmic running in the grassy plain on my right, I turn my head to see. Sesshomaru is dashing through the field, his long white hair flowing behind him like silk, his long kimono sleeves rippling behind him in the wind. His bundle of fur on his shoulder traveled behind him. His face is calm and fierce at the same time, no expression of tiredness, and no expression of coldness. Just calm. He's graceful and beautiful, having him run side by side with me feels heavenly and dreamlike. He turns to look at me, and I smile at him. I give the reigns another snap and Hidzume gallops faster, we are racing against the sun even though we know it will set eventually and the moon will rise. We travelled for hours, the afternoon sun soon turned into evening, we occasionally rested so Hidzume and I can regain our composure and strength. The golden afternoon soon turned grey, purple and fiery red as night approaches. We decide to call it a night, we found a grassy field and set up under a big tree. I give Hidzume some food and water and I eat some things as well, a small man-made fire is crackling beside us to keep us warm, well Hidzume and I. After I finish eating I look up and see Sesshomaru standing a little bit out into the field looking up at the night sky. I stand up and walk up beside him, I look up at the sky as well. We just glance up at the serene night, the gentle breeze gliding pass us.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you looking up at the night sky like this, back then I didn't know that when you looked up at the night sky like this, you had things on your mind. So... is something on your mind at the moment?" I ask him.

Sesshomaru doesn't say anything right away, he just continues to look at the sky.

"For the first time, I don't actually have anything particular on my mind. I'm just enjoying this peaceful moment." Sesshomaru finally says.

"That's good to hear, because just like before, I'll be here to listen if you have any problems. You can tell me anything and I to you, especially now. I wish I can have a better view of the scenery, I wish I can see further then what I can see now." I say with a small sigh.

Sesshomaru then turns to me and takes my hand, I turn to him surprised. Without a word he guides me back to the tree, then he let's go of my hand as we are right underneath the big tree branch.

"What are we doing?" I ask him confused.

"Get on my back." Sesshomaru tells me.

"Why?" I ask him.

"You said you wanted to see further into the night, so I'll make it happen." He says.

I smile at the thought, without another question I clung onto his neck and hop onto his back. His right hand comes up and holds my two hands tightly, he then leaps off the ground and I can feel gravity trying to pull me down, but Sesshomaru went higher with me on his back. He leaps onto the big branch, and he balances himself on it, I then release my hold around his neck as he releases my hands. I step away from him a little and he grabs onto my hand gently to prevent me from falling off, we are a good few meters off the ground. Sesshomaru then leans against the tree trunk and sits down, he guides me to him and I sit down in front of him. I lean back against his strong chest, and his other arm comes around in front of me to keep me close to him. I look out into the distance and the whole perspective changes, I can see further and better into the distance, I can see the outline of the tall mountains under the night starry sky. I'm seeing it from off the ground so if feels like I'm seeing it from a bird's view on a tree branch, and not off the ground like a person. I smile at the beautiful serene view and I hold Sesshomaru's hand tighter. Sesshomaru then rests his chin against my right temple, and I can hear his quiet steady breathing beside me.

"When I was little, I use to be the energetic and loud one between my little sister and I. As kids, we tend to do things that could get us hurt but you do it anyway. I use to climb trees but I was never able to reach the top or even a few meters off the ground, but it was fun, it was an experience. Thank you for allowing me to accomplish that childhood wish of mine by taking me up high into the trees and giving me the chance to see into the distance." I tell him quietly.

"Thanking me again, this is nothing." Sesshomaru replies.

"Sorry, old habits die hard, but I think times like these, a thank you is necessary. If you don't mind me asking, where did you go yesterday? I ask him.

"I went to Kaede's village and told her about our arrival soon." Sesshomaru answers.

I turn my head to look at him, his face just mere centimeters from mine. His eyes moves to meet mine, his amber ones burning into me.

"You told them about our arrival? I wish you could have told me sooner." I say.

"It was going to be a suprise, but I suppose it's not anymore." Sesshomaru says.

"Regardless, I appreciate it Sesshomaru. I told them I would be coming back to see them but I didn't thought that I would plan to live in the village, so for you to give them the heads up is a worry off of my shoulder." I tell him with a small laugh.

"They were excited after hearing the news, they expect your arrival. Sango's twins and Kagome were extremely ecstatic." Sesshomaru says looking out.

I let out small laugh.

"Sango's twin girls, it's been a while since I saw them. In these few months I bet they matured nicely." I say quietly.

Thinking about the twins, it kind of reminds me of children, our future children. I don't want to bring up that subject just yet, but I know it's something to talk about soon.

"You should rest, we have another day of traveling tomorrow." Sesshomaru quietly says.

I nod and I lean back against his chest, I snuggle my face under his neck and his scent surrounds me. I close my eyes as I feel his chin rest gently on the top of my head. With his warm embrace around me, my hand in his, and his scent surrounding me, I fall asleep in the arms of my love. When I regain consciousness, I can feel the morning sun just starting to dawn on me. I'm leaning against Sesshomaru's chest still and his hand still holding mine, I'm surprised that we stayed in this position all night. I open my eyes slowly to adjust to the rising sun.

"Good morning_________." Sesshomaru's voice cuts through my morning haziness.

"Good morning Sesshomaru." I greet him.

"Did you sleep alright?" He asks me.

"I did, knowing that you were here with me helped me a lot. Were you comfortable throughout the night? I mean the position we were in seemed a bit tiring." I ask him.

"It was fine, hearing your breathing has allowed me to rest as well." Sesshomaru says.

I smile at his words, I take my free hand and I take his hand that's holding the other and I gently rub his hand between mine to warm them up. His smooth skin feels cool and flawless, his claw like nails occasionally touching my skin.

"You know I never know what I sound like when I'm sleeping, you sure I wasn't snoring?" I ask him.

"Snoring?" He asks me confused.

I realize he doesn't know what the term means, he's a demon, and I don't even think he needs to rest that much either. So it seems a bit obvious that he wouldn't know what "snoring" is.

"It's something that we humans do when sleeping, well not everyone that is. It's nothing important." I say with a small laugh.

"I see." Sesshomaru responds.

Sesshomaru drops us both back down onto the ground gracefully, Hidzume is eating the grass around him, the fire has burned out. We continued on our travel, we found a stream along the way and I freshened myself up with the cool water. The second day seemed long, but being with Sesshomaru has diluted that thought completely. In time, the morning has turned into the afternoon, and the afternoon darkens into the evening. I had hopped off of Hidzume at one point and walked side by side with Sesshomaru. We eventually turn in for the night, we stopped in the middle of the grassy field. I take out the big blankets that I packed and lay them out, Sesshomaru comes back with some wood for the fire. I decided that I want to play my koto a bit tonight, since it's still a bit early. The fire soon becomes lit, Hidzume is resting near us, and I finish eating. Sesshomaru is sitting down on the blanket and looking up at the starry sky with his right arm resting on his knee. I get my koto and I place it onto my lap, I warm up my fingers. Sesshomaru turns to look at me.

"You're playing your koto?" He asks me.

"Yes, it's been a good day or two since I last touched it. I think it's a nice night to play some soft tunes to help us rest a bit better. It's a good practice moment for me, don't want my fingers to forget the strings." I say to him.

"Now that you mention it, it's been a while since I last heard you play the koto." Sesshomaru says with a soft smile.