Mother(Gyutaro & Daki + OC Backstory)

Weeds

7 years later. . .

The servants stiffened when they heard their Madame shriek in fury.

Barely moments later, her son came marching from her quarters, his face stony.

Daichi was older now, he was pushing 29 years.  

Seven years since he and Airi had parted ways.

For seven years, he had kept his promise, he hadn't seen her again after her departure from his life.

There were moments, when his heart, where their love resided, painted him enough that he wanted to run, giving up his title and leaving the manor which had grown cold and empty with his former wife's departure.

But he couldn't, he wouldn't be doing anyone a favor by leaving.

Airi, had a good life now, from what he had heard.

She had returned to her late parent's medicinal shop and had adopted two children.

And her words, even after so long, they still stung like a fresh wound, bleeding.

"If you love me, if you've ever loved me, please, let me go. I don't belong in this home, all these years this life has caged me, I have no freedom nor happiness here."  

And his mother, as much as he hated her, as much as he wanted her gone, how could he?

She was the woman who had raised him, alone after the death of his father.  The woman who had sung him lullabies, and had watched him grow.

The woman who had tried to accept his wife.

That was impossible.

But from the moment he saw the silhouette of his beloved disappear, he had died inside.

He had refused to remarry, but he had also refused to seek the woman which he loved with all his heart, for her happiness.

And, with the passing of the years, the love, the life which had once burned inside of him like a great fire, was nothing but smoke ashes as he walked through the halls of his cold, empty mansion.

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She had never asked for much, she had only wanted what was best for her son, and their family, but in the end, she had raised a wolf in sheep's skin.

She had accepted the girl when her son had wedded her, even though she had been little more than a commoner, a commoner who possessed no outstanding beauty nor talent, because she thought the girl would be able to bear her son an heir.  

But it turned out that the girl, had been barren, to the point where it was hopeless, and her patience, had run out.

She had thought it would end with driving the girl out from the household, and in the end it did remove the opinion's of other lords on their house having a barren Mistress.

But her son, he had refused to remarry, he had refused to remarry a girl who's status would benefit their house, he had refused to remarry a girl who able to bear him and the house an heir.

She knew then, that he still cared, still cared for that girl who had left their home many years ago.

His love would destroy their line, so she had ordered her handmaid, to find her "help".

She hated to be extreme, but the situation required it.

She had kept her goal, secret from her son, but after tonight, after this night, he might just realize, it was time for him to move on.

She smiled, as she looked down at the three masked men bowing down before her.

"I have business with the Madame who runs the Chamomile Herbal Shop.  I think recently, too many weeds have sprung up in her shop.  Perhaps, you gentlemen could use some fire to clear them out?"