Disclaimer: You know the drill. Neither "Inuyasha" nor the "Painted Veil" belong to me.
It had been a hard day at the convent. Sara, one of the nuns, passed away that morning from Cholera, despite the efforts of her husband and his staff to ride her through the acute phase of the illness.
Sister Sara was an older lady - probably in her late forties, but one who has the love and regard of the nuns. Said appreciation was seen in the tears of Sango, and the sad countenance of Mother Kaede when she announced the news to the nunnery. Now, in the boat taking them upstream to their cabin, the pleasant chirp of the birds nor the burbling of the oars in the river could hide the despair of the man sitting next to her, one that he tried to hide under the pages of a book that he was reading.
Kagome could only wonder how much stress he was under. Sango had mentioned that since their arrival a month and a half ago, almost a hundred patients had died in the ward. This was an improvement: thanks to the efforts and training of Sesshomaru, the mortality rate had decreased to about half, but many patients still died outside the walls of the convent before they could receive medical attention. Miroku had told her of the efforts that her husband was making into securing a clean water source to the village, and the resistance that the populace had with imposed health and safety regulations, particularly regarding burial practices.
They did their best to keep appearances at the convent, but that forced politeness did little to improve things at home. Nevertheless, weeks at the convent only showed Kagome how hard her husband worked to save a village full of poor peasants that had little appreciation or regard for his efforts. She had always thought her husband to be cold and hard - and was surprised to find that underneath that veneer there was kindness - at least towards others. Sesshomaru was reserved but respectful to his staff, compassionate and dedicated to his patients, and kind towards the dozens of children that populated the wards of the convent, often bringing small treats to them when he thought she was not seeing.
If someone had asked Kagome to describe her husband three months ago, she would have not hesitated to describe him as a cold, hard man, conscientious to a fault and a misanthrope of epic proportions. But if her time at Paibi taught her something, it was to reevaluate her assumptions about her husband, because it was clear that under that hard shell he was a good man, one that despite his shortcomings as a husband, deserved more than to be cheated upon by his wife, and that realization filled her with shame.
So taking a deep breath, she hovered a little next to him and asked him "What are you reading?".
Sesshomaru was surprised by her question, but did not bother to look at her, but answered curtly: "I am reading about the spread of Asian cholera in Ceylon"
Kagome leaned to take a look at what he was reading, and pressed amicably "What for?".
Sesshomaru closed the book and sharply looked at her with those golden suns that despite his efforts could not hide their sadness. "Like it could possibly interest you", he scoffed.
"Right". Crestfallen at her husband's disregard for her attempts at conversation, she grabbed an embroidery ring from her bag and resumed sewing. But after a few minutes, and noticing that her husband was looking at the river with a far away look in his face, she pressed:
"They brought in a new baby today - the children named him Bao. It is a cute little thing, probably about six months old. Don't you think it is amazing what the nuns are doing, helping all those children in need, with little help from anybody?".
Sesshomaru retorted "Are they trying to convert you already? Do you know that they baptize the dying on their deathbeds even if they are nonbelievers?".
"Even if they did, what they are doing is very selfless." Grabbing his hand, she said "Just as I think that what you are doing is incredibly noble as well.."
Sesshomaru avoided her eyes, but pulled his hand from hers "I thought you had nothing but contempt for me, don't you still?", his baritone voice cold and hard.
"Sesshomaru! I cannot believe that with all your cleverness, you have such a little sense of proportion. We are not silly little microbes! We are human, are unpredictable, we make mistakes and we disappoint…"
"Yes, you certainly do..."
"I'm sorry Sesshomaru! I am sorry that I am not the perfect young woman you want me to be! I am just ordinary". She sighted, and after a pause, she said softly "I never pretended to be otherwise". Deflated, she focused on her embroidery again, while the rowman, intrigued by her outburst, looked at them from the corner or their eye.
Sesshomaru was surprised by her words, and for a moment, he took stock of his wife, sitting next to him, pretending to sew to avoid his eyes. And it dawned on him how right she was. After a few minutes, he said softly: "You certainly didn't", only to see her surprised blue eyes, looking at him with something that was close to tenderness.
"I am sorry that I am not clever, nor a good wife that can keep house. That is not how I was brought up. I like dances, I like theater, I like games... "
"I can play a mean hand of bridge" Seshoumaru said, amicably
Kagome chuckled, "like that is bloody exciting". Putting her embroidery on her lap, she smiled "I still remember you while on our honeymoon, going on and on about the history of the roman baths, or some nonsense or another. I would have been far happier playing golf instead".
Sesshomaru nodded, and could not help but smirk, amused at her recollection. "I guess you are right". But soon frowning, he said "I guess it was foolish of us to look for qualities in each other that we did not have".
Kagome nodded, melancholy filling both of their hearts "Yes, that seems to be the case".
Both of them looked at the horizon, and Kagome took a leap of faith, and took his hand and put it on her lap. "I am sorry about sister Sara. I know you did your best".
Unable to say anything past the sudden lump on his throat, Sesshomaru only squeezed his hand in response.