"My lady, please come inside. You'll make yourself sick in this weather!"
Rasetsunyo ignored the servant's anxious voice, hugging her arms around herself as the freezing rain continued to pour around her. She was cold to the point of being numb, but that was the entire point of being out in the rain to begin with. Everything was numb, even what the rain couldn't touch. The sky was dark with more than just the normal twilight hours. Storm clouds hung heavy and pregnant with rain, obliterating any source of light from the pale moon.
She was so numb now that she could barely feel the tapping of rain as it hit her and slid down, catching in her long hair and soaking further into her clothing. The fresh bruises and cuts no longer stung painfully, recetn souvenirs from her last encounter with her husband. A quick, bitter smile graced her feature but didn't manage to reach her eyes as she thought back over his new souvenirs as well. Another argument and another time she'd failed her son.
"He's THIRTEEN! A thirteen-year-old boy can't go to war!"
"I was in battle by twelve, woman! My son WILL be at my side! Get on your back and give me a proper send off, or am I fucking it out of you?"
Rasetsunyo's eyes closed as the aching in her stomach made itself known again. Her fingers explored the cut crusted with dried blood from where Gyumaoh's ring had caught her lip and hated herself even more for allowing this to happen. She had no choice, not with him holding Kougaiji hostage for her good behavior. It was wrong to do, and she never expected anyone to listen, but she prayed silently every day to the gods that Gyumaoh would die and that her son would return to her. Was it wrong to pray for the death of another, even if that person was beyond cruel? She'd always been taught to pray for blessings on all people. She wouldn't do that, not for her husband.
Her servants had been quick to move after Gyumaoh was finished with her, hastily getting her into a bath and changing the bloodied sheets of her bed. One of the ladies was a skilled midwife and had examined her for extensive injuries. After all, he hadn't bothered to remove the thick metal rings when he'd forced his fingers...
A small sound left her. Her eyes widened at the despairing sound to it, making her run cold with something more than just the weather. That sound... it had been so weak. She wasn't weak, not in the least. She'd fought him as hard as she could, it was only skill on his part at raping that led to her failure. She was Rasetsunyo, and she was not weak.
Then why did you allow your son, your only true joy in this world, to follow his murdering father to battle?
This time, the sound she made was one of grief. She still remembered the naked panic in Kougaiji's eyes as he said good-bye to her. Indigo eyes, not quite blue but not quite purple, had been wide and a little feverish. He'd been shaking so badly when she'd hugged him she as amazed he could stand in his new armor. He'd grown so much taller in three years, now standing up to her shoulders. She'd seen him as much as his father would allow in that time period, but every time she did it seemed he'd changed a little more. She was missing her son turn into a man. Soon enough, he would be of legal age to wed, start a family of his own...
Rasetsunyo wiped the quickly cooling heat from her cheeks, angry at herself for allowing the tears to flow. She could never remember having cried so much before in her life. She'd never experienced such heart-wrenching agony as watching her frightened child follow in his father's bloody footsteps to slaughtering people. Everytime she saw what that man was teaching Kougaiji, it made her die a little more inside. He was preparing his son to be a butcher. Some of what Gyumaoh taught, like self defense, was a necessary thing for a boy to know. But Kougaiji was learning different technique for torture, raping and ruling through cruelty as well. She hoped she would never have to live to see the day her son used any of that barbaric knowledge.
The only reason Gyumaoh had allowed her to see their son three times a week was when his powers had kicked in during a training session. Kougaiji had accidentally burned down half the field before anyone could control it. At Rasetsunyo's insisting, he'd grudgingly allowed her three days a week, four hours a day, to teach their son to control this power so the rest of Houtu Castle didn't join the field. Their first session had been awkward seeing as Gyumaoh had effectively cut her off for nearly a whole year of her son's life.
Kougaiji, as always, had taken away her fears and worry that maybe he was more like his father than wished. After nearly five minutes of just standing apart and staring, he'd smiled brightly and said, "I'd almost forgotten how pretty you are, mother." Shortly after that, she had her arms full of her child, pushing back the auburn hair that had grown almost to his shoulders now. That first day had been a wasted class. They'd laughed, talked and reunited their old bond from before. When their time was up and Gyokumen Koushu was there to collect him again, they'd parted, but it was without the tension from when he'd first arrived in her chambers. It had done so much to relieve the fear in her heart that her gentle son was slowly being hardened into a brutal killer.
But now they were at this point. There was always another war to be fought somewhere, always more people to be tortured into submission. She'd always known it was only a matter of time before Gyumaoh would demand Kougaiji be at his side for battle. She'd just never imagined it would be so soon. He was barely thirteen years old, for the gods sakes! What good would it do anyone to bring a thirteen-year-old prince into battle? People would be tripping over themselves to protect him. If Gyumaoh's only son and heir died, others would be quick to follow. That was about the only thing her husband had straight priority wise. Kougaiji was important to him. He would never risk losing the boy. Or, at least that's what she kept assuring herself with for the last three nights he'd been gone. Gyumaoh would never allow for their son to meet with harm.
"My lady..."
"I said I'm not to be interupted," she mumbled to the anxious servant, without moving from her spot. Was it so hard for them to just leave her alone in the cold?
"Queen Rasetsunyo, Lady Gyokumen Koushu is here," the servant said. The words were stiff, the titles over ennunciated for the benefit of the lesser woman in her chambers.
Rasetsunyo's jaw tightened painfully as she spun around and stalked angrily back inside. How dare she walk in like this! The woman had absolutely no shame when her master was away. Uncaring that a wet trail followed behind her, she crossed the thick rug covering part of the floor and went over to the bed where Gyokumen Koushu was lounging.
Coy turquois eyes watched her as she rain blood red nails over the satin bed cover. "Nice accomodations," she purred, voice oozing with sarcasm.
"That is one bed you will never find your way into, Koushu. Get out," she snapped, entirely in no mood to deal with the catty concubine.
The woman hesitated only a moment to make it seem as if she rose entirely of her own decision. "Enjoying the weather?"
"As a matter of fact, I was. You interupted me."
Red lips lifted into a mocking curve. "Cold water is a good way to keep dogs from mating. It works especially well with the bitches."
Rasetsunyo arched a brow at the less-than-subtle insult, ignoring the fine tremors of rage and chill warring in her body. "I'm sure you know from experience about such matters," she replied just a icily. "But, I'm sure you didn't come to discuss over-sexed bitches. What are you doing here, Koushu?"
"Just to see how you're doing of course, Rasetsunyo," she replied sweetly. It was a shame all the sugar in her voice was tinged with poison.
"You forgot my title this once Koushu. I suggest never doing it again or I'll be forced to remind you of it." The nerve of that bitch! Normally, the lack of formality wouldn't have bothered her as badly, but this was a woman who constantly needed to be reminded of her place in the Castle settings. She shared a bed with the king. All that was expected of her was to keep her thighs open and accomodating. That was it.
Koushu's eyes glanced over at the shifting of metal by the door. The guard posted was loyal to the queen, not the king's whore, and she knew it. All it would take was a word from Rasetsunyo and her pale skin would bear a few scars that weren't related to rough sex. "I meant no offence, Queen Rasetsunyo," she replied, eyes snapping darker. "Of course... I soon will have a title of my own."
"Oh?" she asked, feigning interest. It mattered very little to her what sorts of pleasures and rewards her husband heaped on his bed partner. "Well, forgive me if I don't seem to be interested in... lesser matters." She turned her back to signal the pointless conversation was done, all the while keeping her senses ready in case the woman did something rash. Like try and kill her here.
"It's not less matters," Koushu finally snapped, heels clicking as she took a step closer. Metal by the door sounded again, haulting those footsteps. The guard wasn't liking how close she got to the queen. Rasetsunyo smiled to herself and made a mental note to increase Amnir's pay. His wife just bore a third set of twins, so the money would be well appreciated.
"I'm sorry, but anything that concerns my husbands whore is a lesser matter at this moment," Rasetsunyo sneered, not bothering to keep the anger in check.
"It is when it concerns your son." The triumph in that cloying voice was open and ringing.
Rasetsunyo turned around slowly, glaring coldly at the other woman through wet strands of hair. "And what is it that concerns my son exactly?" she asked in a low voice that bordered on a growl. Koushu' very life depended on her next few words.
Koushu's smile now held the triumph in her voice, eyes glittering with malicious glee. "Why, Queen Rasetsunyo, I'm surprised you haven't heard already," she mocked. "My Lord Gyumaoh has seen fit the give my as a wife to your son. In two years, when he's of legal age. Lord Gyumaoh feels there is no one he would trust more with his son's life than his most humble servant."
Humble... that was amusing. The bitter thought was only brief as the coldness settled in her again, making her breathing slow and shallow. This coldness was different from any other she'd ever felt in the fact that it was nothing but pure, unadulterated hatred. She hated this woman, more than anything else in her life. She felt a smile tugging at her lips, saw the momentary confusion on Koushu's at that look. "No," she breathed out. It was barely a whisper, but she knew the other heard it clear as day. The servants shifted away from her nervously. "You will not marry my son."
The concubine bristled at the whispered order, eyes snapping with barely containted anger. "Just who are you to order me about?" she shouted, stepping closer to Rasetsunyo. "I will do exactly as my beloved lord commands, even if it's to fuck your pathetic son into the mattress! Do you hear me, bitch? I said I was going to-"
Koushu's words stopped with a surprised gasp as Rasetsunyo's hand closed tightly around her throat, squeezing just enough to get the other woman's attention. Turquois eyes widened as she continued to work for air. Koushu was soft, her body designed for pleasure, not for fighting. Rasetsunyo had the strength of a mother defending what was hers to aid her. She slammed the woman into the ground, riding her to the floor with her legs on either side of rounded hips. She caught both clawed hands before they could strike and pinned them over the thrashing head that was emitting snarling screams of rage.
"HOW DARE YOU! Be sure that I will tell my lord EVERYTHING upon his-," Her words ended in a pained scream when Rasetsunyo thrust a hand to the abundant breast that had pulled free from her loose robe. Smoke was rising from her hand as she called just enough of the burning rage to heat pale flesh a delicate red.
Rasetsunyo leaned closer the the woman choking to keep from screaming in pain, all the while fighting as wildly as she could under the unimagined strength of an ill-tempered mother. "You will tell him that you wish only to be in his bed," she growled close to the ear by her teeth. "You will tell Gyumaoh that you do not wish to marry my son, and you will do it the instant he returns from battle." She added just a little more heat to the burn, finally drawing out the scream of pain she desired to hear. "And, if you so much as breathe in my son's direction again, rest assured I will kill you and gladly follow you into hell when Gyumaoh discovers your smoking corpse."
Releasing her victim, Rasetsunyo stepped away, meeting the fearful eyes of her servants as they took in the perfectly burned hand print of Gyokumen Koushu's chest. "It seems our lord's mistress has met with a small accident," she stated clearly. "Please see to it she's tended accordingly. We don't want that pretty skin to scar."
Edging by her nervously, the servants dragged Gyokumen Koushu to her feet with the aid of the guard. Rasetsunyo watched them leave, meeting the cold glitter of turquois eyes that promised revenge. The smile she tossed at the pained woman gave enough voice to her response: She would kill for her son. There was no hesitation about that fact. If it was a choice between saving a life or protecting Kougaiji, then the life of a whore was nothing to her.