The night had been a rough one. The hotel she checked into was in a town about eight kilometers from Meltokio, and it was a well-kept one. But her neighbors were noisy almost all night (it was a miracle that Sen could sleep like a log), and unpleasant, troubling thoughts plagued Sheena's mind constantly, causing her only to drift in and out of sleep. When she decided sleep would only continue to evade her, she grudgingly sat up in bed, finding that Sen was actually awake too—he was occupied by observing the birds outside the window. The young mother offered a sleepy 'good morning' as she got out of bed and began shuffling around the items in her bag.
Sheena pulled out a folded cloak out of her bag, but she stopped her movements when she heard something metallic hit the ground and roll under the bed, where it came to a stop. With some effort and great carefulness, Sheena peered under the bed and upon spotting the small object, she grabbed it.
She held it to the light coming from the window. It was a silver ring. Noticing the markings on the smooth ring, she looked even closer. It didn't take her long to figure out what sort of ring this was, and after figuring it out, she let out a startled gasp and let the ring fall back onto the floor as though it burnt her. Collecting herself, she reclaimed the fallen object; it was a wedding band- a Mizuhoen wedding band.
A part of her was still shocked, but still part of her was happy and relieved. Now, assuming this ring was hers, Mizuho would not punish her, unless they did not know about her situation either. Sheena sighed in frustration, while punching the wooden floor upon which she sat.
"Dammit," she thought, "I'm happy I found this ring, but then again this just stirs up the water even more!"
She punched the floor again. "Now, I just need to know who my husband is…No…" She grimaced as she thought further. "I don't want to be married to that idiot!" But she paused as another idea came to her. "Actually, maybe he's not my husband. The village wouldn't let an outsider marry into the village let alone marry their chief."
For the third time, she punched the floor, and this time speaking out loud in a very frustrated voice. "Dammit! Then that means I had an affair with the idiot, while married. And not just once but maybe at least twice I slept with him!" She didn't even think about what the last part really meant. If she did, she would have been horrified and would have blushed profusely.
"Urgh! But Sen knows Zelos is his dad. I think he does at least," she thought. "If I had an affair with him, how and why would Sen know that Zelos's the dad?"
This time instead of letting her anger out on the floor, she clutched her head with both of her hands. "Damn it all!" The ninja seethed. "It would just be better if I am married to that stupid Chosen, even if it's not probable!" And then she punched the floor again, not even caring about the pain that shot up her arm from her now bleeding, white knuckles.
"Okaa-san, are you okay?" asked a timid voice from the end of the bed. Sen was just peeking around the corner, fear as well as worry, filling his eyes.
When she heard his voice, she whipped her head towards him. Her eyes ablaze, but then she closed them, and gritted her teeth.
Thinking his mother was calming down, Sen began to slowly approach her. When he reached her, he put his small hand on one of her slightly shaking arms. "Mom, please calm, please-"
Upon his contact, Sheena lashed out at him. Her arm slammed into his stomach, causing him to land on his bottom some distance away from her. "Get away from me!" she yelled. "I didn't ask for you or this stupid child inside of me!" The ninja angrily motioned towards her bulge. "All you two have done is caused trouble! How am I supposed to do anything while dragging you both along!"
Sheena would have yelled at Sen more, if she didn't notice the total fear on the fallen boy's face. Her heart was quickly filled with guilt. He was absolutely terrified of her. Tears began streaming down his face as well.
"Sen," she said in a shaky and much quieter voice, as she began to crawl towards him.
But he scrambled away from her. "I'm sowwy, mom. Please don't huwt me!" His voice rose higher the closer Sheena got.
Finally when his back hit the wall, Sheena came to a stop in front of him. She quickly pulled the scared and sobbing boy into her lap, and embraced him, as he tried to squirm away.
"I'm so sorry, Sen. It's not your fault," she whispered over and over to him. After the fifth time she said this, his squirming began to settle down until they came to stop. Now he just sobbed into her chest.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm just tired," she murmured into his hair. She felt so terrible, and though she wasn't very happy with suddenly having to take care of a three-year-old as well as being pregnant, and she did not ask for them, she did not blame them. The words just came out with her anger. She hugged him even tighter.
Then when his sobbing ceased, Sheena pulled away from him, and looked at his small figure. He soon met her sad, apologetic gaze.
"I'm so sorry, Sen," she said again. "That was a horrible thing for me to do. I didn't mean it." She paused and shamefully averted her eyes. Sounds of his sniffling pierced her ears, making her feeling even worse.
"Are you okay, Okaa-san?" came his shaky, small voice.
She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. "Hai."
"But are you okay?" she added, quickly surveying him.
"Hai," he smiled, even though a few stray tears still slid down his reddened cheeks, and he sniffled again.
Sheena sadly smiled back and gently wiped the tears from his face. "I promise, I'll never harm you again, ever."
"I believe you." His smile grew even bigger.
Her eyes widened with shock. "He's totally okay, just like that?" she thought.
She regained her composure, and began coming through his hair with one of her hands. "Could you forgive me, Sen?" she quietly asked.
"Hai, I fogive you, Okaa-san!" His small face turned away, and it scrunched as he tried to remember something. His face visibly brightened and turned back up to Sheena's.
"Yur da bes mom in da world, and you wuv me." His hands found one of hers and gripped it. "Daddy says dat you hav a mean spirit in you dat comes out sometime, so you get angry, but, but you luv me, and I shouldn't bwame you. Daddy says yur da bes mommy in da world, no matta wat da mean spiwit does."
Sheena had to take a few moments to just blink and comprehend what the boy said. Part of her wondered if she was an abusive mother or if she sometimes snapped at her husband. Not wanting to worry even more, she pushed away those troubling thoughts. Soon her now red face softened. "Is that so?" A small smile graced her features, her look thoughtful.
"Hai! Daddy and me both luv you," he happily said, and he threw his arms around her neck, digging his face into the crook of her neck.
This action only made more tears come to Sheena's eyes, as she tightly wrapped her arms around his figure. "I don't deserve a child like him," she said to herself. And she buried her own face into his shoulder.
"Mommy. Yur tummy's too big," he complained after a while of silent hugging, and he pulled away from her.
Sheena put the boy on the ground, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You think so?" she laughed. "It's hard to hug with this big belly, isn't it?"
"Hai, will yur tummy weturn to nomal?" he asked.
"Don't worry. My tummy will go back to its normal size soon enough."
"When it does, I'll keep hugging you fowevah!" He exclaimed, a smile back on his face.
His smile only caused Sheena to smile, and she ruffled his hair.
"Come on," she said, pushing herself up. "We have to make it to Raine as soon as possible."
Sen quickly stood up as well. "To Auntie Raine?"
"Yep, to Auntie Raine's, "she confirmed.
Although guilt still lied heavy in her heart, as well as bitterness, Sheena continued smiling as she packed up their things, ate a quick breakfast, wrapped the cloak around the boy, and checked out of the hotel. She just hoped that Raine would be able to help her and was glad that Sen was her child, that such an optimistic, forgiving boy was with her at this moment.