Chapter 10

Sesshoumaru had his own agenda with Katame. Inumouru was now six month old and it was time he had a brother. The demon society had left them alone and he felt free to produce another child.

Katame was playing with Inumouru out in the garden at the fountain. It had been repaired after the fight with Kouga. The boy was paddling in the water and giggling as he splashed his mother.

"You little rouge, you're getting me wet." More giggles. She grabbed him and gave him a hug nuzzling him on the tummy. He wriggled about and caught a handful of water and threw it at her. She laughed even harder, and blew a raspberry on his back.

Sesshoumaru was watching from the door of the palace. He smiled it was pleasant to have them around. He wondered if his father had felt the same way about Inuyasha. Perhaps his father was right when he insisted he mate with Katame.

He had not believed his father when he said that having a human mate was good and that he should share the experience. His father was annoyed that Sesshoumaru hated humans. Perhaps he had given his decree as a way of making him have a better understanding the humans, especially his feisty wife.

"Inumouru, are you trying to drown your mother." He walked forward and took the dripping toddler and holding him out away from himself and tossed him into the air. The babe laughed and laughed.

He held the boy close and guided his mother toward the house.

The servants had the meal already prepared and set out on the table. He handed the child to a waiting servant and commanded he be bathed. Katame rushed to her room and changed into dry clothes for the meal. "I'll be right out."

Sesshoumaru took up his customary place at the head of the table and waited for his wife. Tonight he would create in her, a new life.

"Sesshoumaru, why are you smiling. Who are you going to kill?"

"Thats not a bad idea. Do you know anyone?"

"OH, you're horrible." Katame scolded.

"Me, it was your idea that I kill someone." He pulled his wife down to the table. "Come here, now eat up. I have plans for us tonight." He had scented her earlier that day. She was in season.

She looked at her husband a little worried he had been acting strange since Inuyasha had left nearly a month ago. She watched his eyes. They were their beautiful golden colour, but they were known to change in an instant.

"What plans?" She asked warily.

All he did was sip his tea.

That night she found out. Sesshoumaru had used every piece of advice he had given Inuyasha. His wife had quivered and struggled and sighed under his tender care.

Now she was sleeping on his chest. He rubbed her back and breathed in the fragrance of her hair. She snuggled into his chest and moaned softly.

Three days later he announced what he had been hoping for. "You have conceived." He sniffed her again. Female. "You have a female in you." He was not happy. Of all things a female. It was bad enough to have a human female but a female half-breed. How could a female possibly fight the kinds of battles she would face as a half-breed. Damn!

Katame noticed the change in Sesshoumaru. "What's wrong I thought you wanted a child."

"I wanted a son." He snarled. "Instead I get another weak female to watch night and day."

"What do you mean?" Katame was beginning to get upset.

"She is a half-breed, Katame. She will need to defend herself always against attack. How can a female do that?"

"You can teach her."

"Don't be a fool woman. A female wouldn't stand a chance in battle."

"That's not true! The woman demon you fought when I was pregnant with Inumouru was a good fighter. She fought hard, and it took both you and Inuyasha to bring her down. I'm sure if..."

"Silence woman let me think."

Katame started to get angry. "How dare you condemn the child. She hasn't even been born yet and you have her consigned to the kitchen washing floors."

"You have no idea what it is like for a half-breed. It will be hard enough for the boy, impossible for a girl." He stormed out.

Katame cried. How could he be so mean.

The next few days were silent. Katame refused to speak a word to Sesshoumaru. She went about the day as usual bathing and feeding the boy. If Sesshoumaru spoke to her, she would do as he asked, but would not speak a word to him. This infuriated the great lord to no end. Finally as she walked away from another of his questions, he blew.

In a blink of an eye the lord had her by the arm. SMACK came the thunderous impact of his hand on her behind.

"When I speak to you, you will answer. Do you hear me?"

Silence.

Smack! "Answer me!"

"Yes." One word but it was what he wanted to hear. He turned and left her.

She collapsed to the floor in tears. She cursed his temper and his stupidity. Was it really her fault she bore a girl and not a boy?

Inumouru was now walking well. Having woken from his nap he toddled out into where his mother was on the floor. She took her son in her arms and wept. How could he treat her this way.

She rose and bathed the boy and took him into the most secluded part of the garden.

Later Sesshoumaru was looking for his wife he had not seen her leave and none of the servants knew where she was. He found her in the garden. Inumouru was playing in the grass. Katame saw the shadow of her husband, but would not acknowledge his presence until he spoke.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru! Right away, Sesshoumaru! Anything you say, Sesshoumaru!" She scooped up the boy and handed him to his father.

"Here, have your precious son. I'm probably to weak and useless to look after him anyway." And she ran back into the house.

Sesshoumaru growled loudly. His son look up at his father in fear and whimpered furiously and started squirming to show the tummy. He looked down at his son.

"Hmmm, It's not you I'm angry with young one, but if your mother keeps this up I will beat her for certain."