InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bitter Blood ❯ Chapter 17

Bitter Blood

Chapter 17

Rin sat in her throne, staring into the fire in the great hall, and sighed. She'd been sitting there for hours and still hadn't come to a definite decision.

She should leave. Any decent woman would leave. She wouldn't stand for such treatment at the hands of her husband, and she'd pack her things, grab her son and go, leaving it all behind her . . . Yes, that's what a decent woman would do. Her mother had been a decent woman; she worked hard looking after the family she and her father had made. Certainly, she wasn't happy all the time, plowing the fields, cleaning the house, raising Rin and her brother. And while she knew what kind of man her father had been as a father, she couldn't imagine what he was like as a husband.

He'd never beaten her mother; she knew that much. But it seemed she could remember a few times when he'd had too much to drink, her mother had to treat him quite like a baby. He stumbled when he walked, so she walked beside him to steady him. When he fell, he often took her down with him, but she always smiled about it. She'd laugh and she'd joke. Then she'd brush them both off, fight her way back to her feet and get them both to where they were going. Usually, she'd tuck him into bed, then sit by the fire and do some sewing or some other household chore . . .

Her brother had always thought it was funny to see the two of them, stumbling along together. But she'd always thought it was sad. Father tripping up mother; mother trying to keep her balance while helping him along. He too out of his mind to notice how she struggled to get him into the house. Too caught up in himself to notice how she forced a smile and made herself laugh through the scraped knees and skinned elbows, while he drooled on her shoulder and laughed in her ear.

It would've been easy to just let him pass out in the grass in the front of their hut. Let him sleep outside with the animals. Give him time to regain his senses, while their neighbors pointed and laughed and stared. He would've deserved that, Rin thought . . .

But her mother was a kind-hearted creature, and she loved her family a great deal. She was always sacrificing, always saving, always doing everything she could to make sure that they had everything they needed. She always gave them seconds before she'd even had firsts . . .

Rin smiled to herself. But that's the kind of woman her mother had been . . . She was very--noble.

She, on the other hand, had quite a cruel streak, she was beginning to notice.

She smiled smugly to herself. It had felt good to slap Dokumi--the sound of her hand making contact with her face. And the dirty look Dokumi had given her. Wanting to do something to her, but possessing neither the power nor the ability to do so . . . But Rin did have power over her.

She laughed to herself. The look on Dokumi's face when she pasted the warding on the doorframe. The fear in her eyes as she reached in her sleeve and threatened to use one on her . . . The way Dokumi had backed away from her. The way her smugness quickly gave way to servility . . . Having her bow and scrape before her. Having her running scared down the hall to do her bidding, knowing that if she displeased her lady further, she'd do away with her with a flick of the wrist and not a second thought . . . Yes, it was good to be feared. It commanded respect and attention--something she'd been sorely lacking around here . . . And Dokumi dare not raise a hand to her or her family . . . If she did . . .

She reached into her sleeve and fingered the pieces of paper Kagome had given her.

It was quite . . . intoxicating, knowing that she held someone's life in the palm of her hand. She could torture her and make her suffer. Or she could threaten her and make her obey. In fact, she could do anything to Dokumi she wanted, and what could her lord say about it? What could he do? She had him in the palm of her hand, as well.

Now, admittedly, at full strength, these wardings would have little affect on her lord. He had, after all, braved the barrier on Mt. Hakurei for her sake. It had slowed him down a little, dispersed some of his demon aura, but aside from that, he was how he always was . . .. And that barrier had been created by a living Buddha and not some "meddling" miko in a poor fishing village . . . But her lord was no longer at full power.

And she felt strangely pleased that he was so dependent upon her now . . . He was weak, injured, suffering, immobile--and she did nothing to help him. Quite the contrary, she did something so that the one person in the castle who would help him, couldn't help him. She had him sealed away in his chamber, away from the rest of the world, and what could he do about it? What could he do if she refused to feed him? What could he do if she took Daichi and left?

How would he FEEL if she abandoned him? And what would he do without them?

He'd DIE, that's what . . . He'd die, and she'd . . .

She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out.

He'd die, and she'd . . . She'd FEEL . . . She would feel . . .

Hot tears poured down her face.

Yes . . . he would die, and she would feel terrible . . .

She sniffed back tears and laughed. Some tyrant, she was.

"My lady?"

She snapped to attention, quickly drying the tears from her face. "What is it, Dokumi?"

She approached the throne, her head bowed, Daichi propped against her shoulder. "I would not further trouble my lady for the world, but . . ."

"But what?" she snapped.

Dokumi jumped; her eyes seemed to be fixed on the sleeve of Rin's robe. "I'm hungry, my lady. I haven't fed today. And I spent a lot of energy healing our wounded. If I don't feed soon..."

Rin cut her off. "Do you think I care if you die?" she laughed. "Should I mourn your loss? Should I play a sad tune on my pipe? Or cut off all my hair, perhaps?"

Dokumi forced a laugh. "My lady is witty."

"Your lady is impatient, and she has little tolerance for unnecessary disturbances."

She kept her eyes down, her voice low. "I meant no disrespect, my lady. I simply need to feed, so I may better care for your son."

"Is that a threat?" she asked.

She did a nervous twitch. "Threat, my lady?"

"Threat," she repeated more loudly. "Do you threaten my son, the heir to the Western Lands?"

"I would not do such a thing, my lady. I love children."

"To eat?" she asked. "Do you like to EAT children, Dokumi? Would you attempt to feed off Daichi if I refused to let you go elsewhere?"

"I would not, my lady!" her voice trembled.

"Do you raise your voice to me?" she asked. "You think you're my equal? My better? The nursemaid seeks to command the lady, and the lady should obey?"

"No," she shook her head. "No, my lady. I would not think such a thing."

"You lie!"

"I do not!"

"You dare disagree with me?"

"No!" She looked as if she were about to piss herself. "No, my lady, no. I would not. I would never. I wait on my lady's pleasure."

Rin stood and gloated over her. "You are nothing, Dokumi."

She backed away from her.

"You are worthless, despicable and low."

She bowed to her. "Yes, my lady. You are right, my lady."

"You are vile, putrid and disgusting."

She bowed again. "Yes, my lady. Forgive me, my lady."

"You are weak, cowardly and manipulative."

Her lower lip trembled. "I know, my lady. Forgive me, my lady."

She continued to advance on her. "Forgive?" she laughed. "Does one such as you, have the right to ask forgiveness from one such as me?"

"I do not know, my lady. I forgot myself, my lady."

"Forgot!" she screamed. "'You forgot' yourself?"

"If it pleases my lady."

"It does not please me," she said. "I will not have such 'forgetful' people around me." She reached into her sleeve.

"I apologize, my lady! Do not hurt me, lady! I beg you, have mercy! I will NOT cross you again!"

Rin cackled with joy, withdrawing her hand from her sleeve, clasping her hands to her chest. "You amuse me, Dokumi. Yes, you are quite amusing, indeed."

She didn't meet her gaze. Her face had lost its color; her entire body seemed to shake.

Rin continued to laugh. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen . . . You sought to take my place. You sought to steal my husband, take MY child as your own . . ."

Her voice shook as she spoke. "If you say so, my lady."

"I do say so," she took a step towards her.

"I beg my lady not to harm me."

"'Harm you,'" she repeated. "You beg me not to harm you as you've harmed me? You ask to feed yourself while my lord starves? You seek to comfort yourself while I am lost in misery?"

"I . . ."

"You what?"she snapped.

"I-I wish to do nothing to further provoke your anger." She dropped to one knee and bowed her head.

"It is a little late for that."

She again reached into her sleeve, this time removing one of the wardings.

Dokumi's eyes widened in horror.

"You are a wicked thing, Dokumi, and I should destroy you . . ."

She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lower lip.

"Do you disagree with me?" she asked.

"I-I--"

"You what!"

"I beg your forgiveness! I know not what else to do!"

She stopped directly in front of her. "I hate you," she said. "I've never hated anything in my life, but as the gods bear witness, I DO hate you."

"Please, my lady," she cried, "show mercy . . ."

She clenched the warding in her hand. "Mercy!" she laughed. "You are cruel! You are vicious! You are EVIL! Why, in the gods' names, should I show YOU mercy!"

"Mama," Daichi smiled.

She took a step away from him. His eyes were wide with wonder, recording every action she made; his ears, alert and listening to every sound she made . . . How had she missed him? Clinging there to Dokumi's shoulder. How had she taken so little notice of her own son?

"Mama," he repeated.

She turned away from him and retreated to her throne. How had she let him see her like this? How could she LET him see her like this?

Dokumi wept. "I beg your forgiveness, my lady. Please, let me eat something . . . I would not harm the child. I COULD not harm the child. He is the image of his grandfather."

She slumped onto the arm of the chair. "Leave me," she said.

Her weeping ceased. "My lady?"

"Leave Daichi here and go gorge yourself!"

She scurried to the throne, deposited Daichi at her feet and bowed her respects. "My lady is kind. I shan't be long." She ran through the great hall and out the main entrance.

The thought occurred to her that she might not return.

"Mama," Daichi said.

She looked away from him. "I would not show my son such a sour face."

"Mama," he repeated.

She bit back tears. Her mother had never shown her a sad face; could she do any less for her child?

"Mama sad?" he asked.

She turned to face him. "A sentence," she smiled. "My son has spoken his first sentence, and it is 'Mama sad.'" She swiped at her tears. "Mama is very sad," she said. "Mama is a bad mommy."

He stuck his tongue out at her and blew spit bubbles.

She laughed involuntarily. "That is very rude, young man."

He did it again, then laughed, kicking his little legs out in front of him.

She laughed and slipped down on the floor beside him. "You are a good boy, Daichi. You make Mama smile."

He smiled wide, exposing all his teeth.

She poked his stomach. "That's quite a fearsome smile you have there, my young lord. You may scare more people than attract them with fangs like that. And just look at your claws." She turned his hand over in her own. "Hmm, it seems Dokumi's been taking quite good care of your nails . . ."

"Dodo," he smiled.

"Yes, Dodo." She examined his hand more carefully. "I wonder if you'll inherit Dada's poison claws?"

He stuck his tongue out and blew more bubbles.

She giggled. "You are the playful one today, aren't you?"

"Dada," he said.

"Yes, I suppose you would be happy to have Dada home."

He blew more bubbles.

"Young man," she tapped the tip of his nose, "that is not appropriate behavior for a young lord. You must be more serious and reserved like your father," she teased.

He did it again.

She scooped him up and hugged him.

"Mama . . ."

She lifted him above her head and smiled. "You are getting heavier, aren't you?"

He kicked his legs at her.

"And so energetic," she added. "Your father must have been just like you at this age."

He blew more bubbles.

She laughed. "Though I have a hard time imagining him doing that." She pulled him to her and hugged him again. "Mama's precious baby." She kissed the top of his head.

"Dada . . ."

"Yes," she kissed his head again. "Dada's precious baby, too." She cradled him and rocked him, tickled him beneath his chin.

His amber eyes glowed back at her.

"We will stay here, Daichi. And we won't let anyone chase us off. Not your grumpy father, the nosey nursemaid, the meddling miko or those ludicrous lords that have left him so injured."

"Mama sad," he said.

"No," she said. "Not any more."