As Galina talked, Souma somehow managed to move his uninjured arm, pulling the [i]obi[/i] from where it secured his robe and instead wrapping it tightly about his bleeding wound. It was a difficult task, one-handed, but it was something for his hand to do, something to try and preserve his life. He went through the motions unfocused, mechanically. As if the act -no matter how important- wasn't actually worth paying attention to.

Of course, compared to what the Russian woman before him was saying... it wasn't.

It all, everything, made sense now. Aspects of Goemon's task to entice Galina aboard the [i]Empress[/i], ones which seemed a little easier than expected of such a family. Her willingness -desire, even?- to simply talk earlier today... and her surrender only moments ago. It was... silly, in a way. Yet at the same time so very... Impressive.

She had wanted to get back at him, show him how he had made [i]her[/i] feel, before. Yes, she had said those very words earlier, but now they made sense. Where Souma had been thinking in terms of competition, of a quiet war, she simply wanted him to understand. She had done so much to ingratiate herself to his own family for that, single task. And it had gone so horribly wrong.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all, mirth choking weak and wheezing from paling lips. She had learned so much, but not enough. Not enough to realize what she wanted couldn't happen- not the way she had planned it all. No one dead, no blood spilled, but Souma didn't have a [i]choice[/i]. Had she realized that, when she threw her weapons down? Or was that still something else?

"Story? Know... some." Souma didn't bother talking about the name she told him, or of her brother Yury. As it was now, with his family under attack and him in real danger of bleeding out, such concerns seemed far removed. But a story? Yes. Stories were easy, requiring only words, with no need to hasten the pace. He could tell stories until his breath gave out. He might as well. There wasn't much else to do.

"[url=http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/72/japanese-fairy-tales/4844/the-mirror-of-matsuyama/]The, Mirror of Matsuyama...[/url]" Souma's eyes closed, the tale pictured clearly in his mind as he spoke, voice lapping gently as waves upon the shores. "They say, long ago in remote area of Japan... there was man and his wife, who found blessed with baby daughter..."

It was a tale he knew well, words drifting easily from his lips as the scene played itself over again in his mind. A tale of loving parents and loving children, of a treasure passed from mother to daughter, one that only enforced the bonds of filial care. Even if the family changes, even if a shadow seems to cloud the relationship of parent and child, it is only in passing. A family will always return together, even if not the same as before, the love and care will remain. 

Souma believed that to be true, with all his heart. And so he told the story he had so loved to hear as a child, and quietly wondered if Galina might see the same thing he once had... if it wasn't already too late.