He heard Hisana wailing like a starved cat from her chambers. He, without thinking, hurried to her aid and found her in her room surrounded by her lady's maids who were all holding back tears and failing. Hisana was inconsolable.

"What in heaven is going on?" He demanded, staring at all the emotionally disturbed women. A soft hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to see his grandfather, nodding dejectedly, and leading him away from his wife's room and into his study.

"An assassin snuck past our sentries last night. Hisaaki is…dea-"

"No," Byakuya pulled away from his grandfather's oncoming and out of character embrace. He remembered it all keenly: Hisaaki was not his. Hisaaki was a peasant child given a name too mighty for him to ever deserve or bear. Hisaaki was a bastard commoner. And yet… "No,"

"My boy, I am profoundly sorry." Byakuya's face was hot and moist and he could feel the tears streaming but he didn't know why. He was sorry and disturbed that an innocent had to be slain but it wasn't his son so he did not mourn the child like his son. So why was he so distraught? Shakily he reached out for his desk and missed, only staying upright because his grandfather caught his arm.

"It…it must've been Lord Shihoin's doing…the suddenness of her pregnancy…"

"Byakuya," His grandfather was gravely concerned about his grandson's off behavior. "There is no weakness in mourning, do not fight it,"

"I…need to send out scouts to make sure we're all safe…"

"We can bring in concubines, Byakuya, you will have more children." He spun on his grandfather, barely registering that he was losing consciousness.

"We must continue a legitimate succession, grandfather."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." His grandfather explained the doctor's reports on his wife's health after the birth. He collapsed then and faintly heard his grandfather's call for the physician.

Byakuya awoke in his plush bed with a cool, damp cloth upon his forehead. The physician smiled sadly at him.

"Lord Kuchiki,"

"She can't have more children?"

"It wouldn't be wise right now. I can't rule out children all together."

"But her chances of dying are-"

"My lord, I must protest this vigor," The physician gently pushed him back against his bed. Not only was his reality shattered at his wife's confession, but he had ignored her pleas to take a concubine- he could've killed her unwittingly. Even if she could have another child, would he truly be capable of siring upon her?

It was legal for him- his every right- to slay his wife for her crimes.

So the real question remained:

Did he even want her to live after what she had done to smear the Kuchiki name?

A/N: Calling it a night on the updates. Thanks for the patience!