Chapter 2

The screaming was terrible. Hamato Yoshi cringed every time his wife's voice rose. Anzu, looking after Ichiro, smiled at him but the young girls face betrayed her worry. The one year old was quiet but little Ichi had a wide eyed look on his chubby face that grew every time Tang Shen broke out into another wail. The poor child was more confused by the sound then the reason for it. Anzu cooed to the infant. The next cry tore at Yoshi's heart. He couldn't bear it another second.

' Sanba!' he cried out. She didn't answer so Yoshi strode toward the Shoji that separated the shinshitsu (bedroom)from the ima (living room). He tried again this time more insistent.

'SANBA!'

The second shout still garnered no reply.

'Oji please.' Anzu gently whispered. Yoshi turned to the girl and saw the concern in her gaze, he looked down on Ichiro and saw the boy staring up at him with tears forming in his blue eyes, very close to bursting.

'Gomennasai.' He bowed. It would do no good to upset the infant too. He sighed, his emotions were all over the place. His wife need him to be strong but he could not be strong while her pain filled cries tore at him. He pulled open the shoji only to stop in shock. Katsumari Miho, the sanba was kneeling between his wife's legs and blood was splattered about them. Tang Shen had her eyes closed and her forehead sweaty with ridges from her concentration. She briefly opened them but the eyes he was familiar with were not there. Cold terror and hopelessness was in replace of the calm serenity he was used too. Yoshi was stopped cold by the image.

Miho, distracted by the noise turned to the visitor.

'Get out! ' She spat. 'This is a woman's place not a man's. Send in the girl, I will need her help.'

'But my tsu….?'

'Needs me to help her. The child is in breech! Now get out and send the girl in!'

Yoshi was in too much of a shock to contradict the woman and rushed back out calling Anzu's name. Before he knew it Ichiro was in his arms and the shoji was closed behind him. He knew what the word breech meant. A cousin of his had been a breech birth. It had been a long and horrible day and in the end neither mother or child survived. He wept into Ichiro's soft hair for the fate of his own family.

Many hours later and whilst Yoshi was unable to sleep Ichiro was safely slumbering on a blanket. The start of the birth had began the day before and although at first it had been calm, it was an expected calm, after all Yoshi had already gone through this once before. The second half was anything but regular and the long quietness from the other room was not an easy one. Tang Shen had stopped screaming not long after Anzu had gone in and this scared him. The silence was deafening. He was just waiting now for the sanba to come out and give him the news he was dreading. That Tang Shen had died along with the child.

Katsumari Miho came out of the shinshitsu with a dour face. Yoshi jumped up from his place and worried at the stern look.

'Well?'

Katsumari Miho was not about to be rushed. She looked his way briefly then set about cleaning her bloody hands. It was an unbearable wait until she finally spoke.

'I will make this brief. As a man I do not expect you to understand. It was not an easy labour. The child should have come out head first but he was facing the wrong way. This is not good. Tang Shen has a good body but the child was larger then she could allow normally. Both together made it very hard for her. I had to cut her quite wide to open up the way for the birth. Your musuko was born but at no small risk, but I am pleased to say both may live.'

A boy! It was a boy! Yoshi losing himself whooped for joy and bowed ecstatically at the sanba and although she had a ghost of a smile she was not quite finished.

'Your tsuma is very weak, it took a lot out of her. She is to rest, understand. She was nearly lost and I fear may have been damaged. I do not hold out hope she will have more children. There is bruising on your musuko that will go in time, he is weak also, a child should cry when born, he was silent. He had to be forced to breath. You must take great care in both of them.'

Taking her leave for Katsumari Miho was a busy woman, she bowed then gathered up her things and left. Leaving Yoshi to take fate into his own hands and see to his wife.

Tang Shen was drained, tiredness radiating out of her. Her skin was pale and covered in the residue of sweat. Overall Yoshi barely recognised the woman. Anzu bowed to him and swiftly left the room to allow them some privacy.

'Aisai.'

Tang Shen smiled briefly at the declaration of affection from her husband. Shakily she reached out her free hand, the other currently occupied in holding the swaddled newborn, and grasped Yoshi's own as he sat down beside her. They looked into each other's eyes reflecting their own thoughts of what nearly was. Tang Shen were a little glazed from the recent exertion but they were open. Yoshi kissed her hand.

'I love you. Tang Shen. I feared the worst but I am glad that I was wrong. Ichiro has an otouto now and we have another musuko . We are still complete.'

He kissed her hand again. Tang Shen's smile was not so bright and was quickly tempered by a thoughtful pursing of the lips. Yoshi was pleased, but she herself had doubts. Looking down on their newborn, she saw the more usual brown eyes that Ichiro did not have. He was different from when his ani was born. Ichiro was an easy birth and a loud child when born. The child in her arms had had a difficult birth and was quiet, dozy. He was fairly chubby whereas his ani was born slim. Ichiro had had soft downy hair on his scalp, this child was blotched with a rash on his head. They were as different as night and day. This only further confirmed her worst fears that Oda Nobuhida was indeed the progenitor.

She felt terrible, Yoshi was happy but she could not be.

'Yoshi.'

'Yes, Aisai?'

It broke her heart to see the honesty there.

'Our child…..'

'Should be named well.'

Yoshi anticipated. Tang Shen sighed. This would be hard, she could not bear to hurt him so she allowed Yoshi to follow on.

'Yes, my love. Of course.'

' If you would agree, I would like to call him Jiro, second musuko . A good name.'

Second son? Jiro could very well not be his, he would not truly be the second, but, Tang Shen knew Yoshi would have thought long about names, names were important to him, a legacy. She sighed again causing her husband to frown.

' Jiro? A fine name.' The smile she gave did not quite reach her eyes.

Yoshi stroked the bald head of the little new born. The look on his face decided Tang Shen. She would not say a word. Her place in the Hitokage ninja clan she had always tried to keep separate from her life here. Now, when her energy was at its lowest she had nearly over-stepped the mark and merged the two. How she could ever tell Yoshi that she as a Kunoichi was trained to seduce and sleep with men to gain knowledge to benefit the clan. He would not understand.

No, she would not say a word, for her kazuko.

'Jiro is a perfect name otto. We have survived and shall be as one. You, me, Anzu, Ichiro and now Jiro.'

Yoshi's look made Tang Shen glad she had chosen not to mention her doubt. Her family was important.

Yoshi felt relieved when his wife dropped the contemplative look. It didn't suit her. He brushed her cheek and got up.

'It is time Ichiro got to meet his otouto and see his Haha. I will go and fetch him.'

Yoshi quickly returned with a yawning Ichiro. The little boys blue eyes blinking the sleep from them. They quickly opened wide when he saw his mother.

'..hahi…'

Tang Shen's smile was truly beautiful. Ichiro struggled in his father's arms to get to his mother.

'Easy my musuko.' Yoshi chuckled. He placed the boy on the other side of his mother and opposite Jiro. Ichiro noticed the little bundle and gave his mother a wondering gaze.

'This is Jiro. Your otouto.'

Ichiro glanced between his newborn brother and his mother causing both parents to laugh. With a chubby little finger he poked the bundle but pulled back sharply when it moved.

'…hahi..?'

Tang Shen pulled back the blanket to reveal Jiro's face. A little nervous this time Ichiro again poked him. This elicited a whine from the baby. The first sound Jiro had made since being born.

Yoshi was glad. His family was growing.

Sanba - Midwife

Otouto - Younger brother

Ani - older brother

Aisai - Beloved wife

Tsuma - wife