The General's Game

'Your mouth is going to get you worse than killed, you stupid bitch.'

Kuroihi groaned as she doubled-over again in pain.

Sesshoumaru had been less than enthused by the news she'd brought him when she returned. His opinion on the matter was predictable, the whole thing was disgusting and ridiculous, this 'slumming' phase his father had fallen into; how could one lower themselves to such a level as to mate a human creature? True to his delightfully ironic and antagonistic demeanor with her, he'd forced Kuroihi's opinion on the matter.

What he had been expecting, she could only guess, but it certainly not had been to hear her take the general's side. He was a greater demon lord with a legitimate and well-fitted heir, he could do as he pleased now; that was the way of things, after all. Had she not been the target of his ire right then, she might have considered the scowl he gave her to be cute.

The pearl of youki continued to pulse angrily within her belly, reminding her that he was still displeased. He'd not spoken to her for days at this point, always passing in silence, always looking through her as though she were no more than air. In a normal situation, she would say the behavior indicated a sense of hurt or betrayal, but Sesshoumaru didn't even understand things like that, let alone feel them…did he?

She had served him in total for almost four decades, most of that as his eye and arm in the tumultuous wilds of the Western Province. It was a blink of an eye as far as demons were concerned, nowhere near enough time for any sort of regard to form between them. Indeed, he'd spared her life several times, but only because she'd made herself useful enough to him to warrant it. Neither had ever indicated any sort of special connection or loyalty between them. She fulfilled her duties, as did he, and that was all.

Except…they had. As she thought about it, she realized this whole project had sprung from such a sentiment; his offer after dismissing her from service, and her returning to accept it. Of course, he would have taken that as a sign of personal loyalty. She was a fool for overlooking it.

'You've hurt him,' her human side thought.

'So what?' her demon side snarled as the pearl inside pulsed painfully once again.

***

"This is low, father, even for you."

The general simply slid the small wood tile across his shogi board and waited for Sesshoumaru's play. The younger demon continued to fix his father with a stony gaze.

"I do not understand how you have come to consider it any concern of yours, Sesshoumaru."

"What use have you for such a pathetic creature? You already have a mate."

"I would hope by now you understand the manner in which these things progress and conclude. Your gold general is in danger again," he mentioned offhandedly as he sipped his tea.

Sesshoumaru glanced down and realized his father was, as usual, correct. It was his last general piece, too. He shifted a knight to a protective position.

"Did you at all consider the reputation and future of this family before initiating this?"

"Do you fear a loss of station? Are you not confident in your own abilities to define yourself in the face of adversity?"

Sesshoumaru bit his tongue. The words he wanted to speak would certainly violate decorum in a way even his father would not tolerate. Despite it all, he still held a healthy respect for the foolish man, and Sesshoumaru had been raised better than to disrespect his sire so.

If he could not make his father see reason through propriety, then he would appeal to his disgustingly softer side with practicality, though he couldn't keep his words from sounding counterfeit as he did.

"Tell me, father, what will you do with it once it's yours? Have you taken into account the creature's frailty, its short life? Have you at all considered what it will endure, how it will survive, and its quality of life after you've claimed it?"

The general was quiet for a while as they finished their game, quickly forcing Sesshoumaru to concede the match. He drew something from his kimono, setting it in the center of the board along with one of Sesshoumaru's gold general tiles.

"Tell me, my son, have you?" His father was throwing the question back at him, and as he left, Sesshoumaru could only scowl at his hanyou's bone pendant lying next to the tile.

***

Sesshoumaru still hadn't spoken to her, but at least he was recognizing she existed again. He'd denied her requests to leave the castle while he determined how next to employ her, so she'd chosen to spend the time when she was not improving her literacy skills or rivaling Kazawa at Go-finally- on the practice field.

She was keeping up with the veteran fighters these days, though still found herself bested in equal measure. They didn't exactly tell her 'good job', but neither did they grumble about her being there as much anymore. It was a small victory in her never-ending bout with society at large, but she would take it.

Rekkonji, for his part, seemed to pay her little mind, except to pluck her away now and again to humiliate some upstart or prove a point. To be honest, Kuroihi was completely okay with this, especially when the lesson revolved around the dangers of making assumptions about one's enemy.

Her performance garnered her a few challenges of her own as some of the prouder fighters started to take notice that she, a half-breed, was fighting on their level. It only proved to show her where she was still weak and drove the other fighters to work harder, which was all well and good in Rekkonji's eyes.

'Speaking of weak...'

Kuroihi noticed the youki in her belly flickering softly again. She had felt last night that Sesshoumaru had left the castle in his usual quiet manner, but had thought nothing of it. Now it made her frown a bit; was he fighting with father again?

She snorted, cynical.

'After everything he's put me through, do I really care if he ends up getting himself killed trying to get that stupid sword? If he dies now, I'm free that much sooner, isn't that what I've been fighting for all this time? Let him suffer for once, he can bleed out on the floor, for all I care, and good riddance!'

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

'You're such a liar.'