The Bow that Breaks

I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter 3

Satomi sat at her vanity, pushing a letter to the side along with the two others that Taisho had written her since he'd been gone. The cup on the table rested empty and she wished there was more of the liquid substance left to dull her senses. She finally looked into the mirror and she wished she hadn't. The room behind her was dimmed by the remains of a downed lantern but she could see the mess of shredded linens, a vase broken while its twin remained upright but cracked and a painting clawed into being completely void of its value. Satomi let the room's condition leave her focus as she placed her hand against her cheek. The blood had dried, smeared along the left side of her face; it's source was two scratches that ran from cheek to chin. Like all the others it would be healed in a day or so but everyone that passed her in the hall would know, wives of their highest ranked soldiers would know, her confidants would know. Sesshoumaru refused to believe that she was telling him the truth. Even reading the letters word for word did the child no good and maybe she'd made it worse. Taisho was still at war, not returning any time soon, and still had been gone for weeks. Through the mirror, Satomi locked shameful eyes with Kaori as she cleaned. She'd half expected Kaori to make mention of her faults, instead the old servant embraced her.

Kaori hated seeing her lady so distraught. Even with a well behaved child Satomi would have had her work cut out for her but Sesshoumaru was something else entirely. Satomi and Taisho's power had combined to truly create an heir of perfect destruction.

As Kaori began to exit the room she noted Sesshoumaru's sleeping form on what was left of Satomi's bed. Like his mother, the tears on his cheeks had yet to dry. Despite Satomi's attempt to disown this child every physical feature was hers. The crescent, the color of the markings on his cheeks and over his eyes, the hair, the poison within him, belonged to Satomi. Even Sesshoumaru's stubborn personality was his mother's. Kaori wondered how the two of them could be so alike and be at such odds. She started to gather the child in an effort to remove him from the room.

"Let him be Kaori."

"My lady you have endured enough. Our lord would understand."

Satomi shook her head

"Please, just…let him be."

"As you wish my lady. Do not hesitate if you need anything."

"Thank you."

Kaori nodded at the gentle whisper of words that could only come from a mother too fatigued to make the effort anymore.

Satomi dried her tears and cleaned the blood from her face. In the last few weeks she'd done her best to honor Taisho's wishes, keeping Sesshoumaru close but she'd paid for it dearly. The scars tonight were new. She could still feel the sting from her failed attempt to calm him but there were also the ones that healed along the rest of her. Satomi laid herself next to the child, her eyes affixed to him her mind willing her to endure but resolved that the outcome of her spending time with Sesshoumaru would do nothing. Satomi wasn't sure if she could love his child but she knew that despite it all she was still responsible for him. She pulled the covers over him to keep him warm as the chill of the midnight air crept into the room.

…

Satomi walked the courtyard with Sesshoumaru at her side. Passing by the flowers she felt it might be a good time to make an attempt at getting him to talk.

From the flowers to the bees and even the random deer that looked up before moving back into the forest was a failed venture toward words. Despite Sesshoumaru's remaining silence Satomi did not feel frustrated by it. There were more important matters to concern herself with and Sesshoumaru's persistence at using as few words possible may have been more of a relief than something to worry about.

Sesshoumaru's attention was taken by a small group of their soldier's children playing together as their mother's watched.

"Momma…?"

The word sent a shiver down her spine as she saw him point to the children. She hadn't expected it and what's more it was a request that she feared. She could never imagine Sesshoumaru playing with the children of their ranked soldiers without a mishap. It was just as unsettling that the wives of their ranked soldiers were not a crowd she associated with often aside from Katsoni who she considered an associate. They'd met at one of the many gatherings she'd attended with Taisho and learned that Katsoni was the wife of Taisho's second in command. But the other women were not shy of telling each other exactly what they thought. They did not hold their tongues and they found delight in gossip which no doubt included their brief sightings of her and Sesshoumaru together. She'd heard the words whispered, incapable, selfish, naive, passive, irresponsible.

"No Sesshoumaru…"

Satomi grabbed him by the arm before he could get away from her.

"My Lady, please join us."

Satomi's anxiety climbed as Katsoni called out to her. She touched the healing scars that had faded considerably on her cheek and she thought about retreating back inside but it would have seemed rude of her. Still, she considered it. Satomi encouraged herself to move forward, act as natural as her body would allow as Sesshoumaru eagerly walked with her.

"Ladies."

The three women bowed, inclining their heads before she sat next to them. Sesshoumaru remained at her side but watched the children as they played. All of whom seemed older than Sesshoumaru. Satomi knew he was curious and wanted to play but unsure of how to integrate himself into the game. She could not help but feel annoyed at his reluctance now. How could this child, brazen and as bold as he was to strike out at her all of a sudden become shy?

"My lady, how are you faring?" Katsoni questioned.

Satomi barely caught the question as her attention was pulled from Sesshoumaru.

"As well as one might expect under the circumstances."

"Our lord sends word?"

"Yes. War still wages. Neither side has the advantage as of yet."

"That is unfortunate. It has been months now."

Sesshoumaru tugged at Satomi's sleeve, in an effort to get her to see what he found so interesting. The children seemed to be playing a game where one child was chosen to keep his back turned to the rest and say a phrase as they moved closer to him. When the child finished the phrase and turned, all of the children did their best to stop. If any of the children moved or were too close before tagging the child stating the phrase when he turned, they would be captured. The game would continue like this until the child stating the phrase was finally tagged.

"Daruma-san ga koronda…"

"Hm?" Satomi turned to Katsoni

"It is the name of the game the children are playing. It is quite a common game. Have you never heard of it?"

Satomi blushed embarrassed that she'd never heard of the game. She'd played many games as a child but that one escaped her. The game seemed to be best played with large groups and more often than not she kept to only a few close friends.

Satomi glanced the children again as Sesshoumaru continued to tug. She did not want to make a scene and chose to try and appease the child's request.

"Is this a game that Sesshoumaru could play?"

"Oh of course. Amee, can teach him."

Satomi saw the child nod to her mother as Sesshoumaru looked to her in expectation.

"Sesshoumaru you can go play now. Amee will show you how."

Satomi pulled her hand from his reach. She purposefully disconnected her gaze as Sesshoumaru seemed determined to hold it. In his attempt to grasp her hand again she crossed her hands into her lap hoping not to draw attention to her irritation at the child's persistence. Her periphery lent to anxiety as Sesshoumaru's features were starting take on frustration, the same look that built every time he was on the verge of attacking her. A less than gentle shove at her hip was enough to tell her that she was right.

"I think Sesshoumaru just wants you to play my lady." One of the women smiled.

"If he thinks that's the way he's going to get me to play then he's wrong."

Satomi could feel her patience unraveling as she did her best to ignore him but it would be short lived as Sesshoumaru growled and moved to strike out at her again. She was tired of willing herself defenseless to this child's claws and in an instant she'd turned her own growl on him speaking the next few words through bared fangs.

"You will not strike me!"

Sesshoumaru startled and pulled back taken off guard with his mother's reaction. Unlike the flat expression Sesshoumaru usually returned, Satomi saw confusion and for a moment she felt triumphant despite the other women staring.

The stillness was broken by Amee's presence.

"Come on Sesshoumaru! Let's play!"

Sesshoumaru's reaction to the little girl was hesitant but he let her take his hand.

"Play momma."

Satomi let the words fall silent to her ears as she turned away. She was grateful for the interruption and thankful for the reprieve that Sesshoumaru's absence would bring even if it was only for a moment.

As Amee led Sesshoumaru to the group he noticed his mother fall back into conversation with the others. She smiled now, seeming more at ease as he left her side.

A/N: Thanks for continuing to read and review everyone.