Bird Cage

Summary: AU. Orihime is the fabled weaving princess of legends and a goddess of the heavens. Dissatisfied of her mundane life as a kept woman unable to explore the world beyond her cage, she yearns for adventure and discovery. An opportunity presents itself in a handsome and enigmatic stranger, who offers her the adventure she desires but for a price: her hand in marriage.

….

Chapter 1: Ties of fate.

Orihime sat by the bank of the Amanogawa, slowly weaving a beautiful silk gown. It was a sweet blushing colour with cherry blossom embroidery appearing at the sleeves, a matching set of slippers slowly in the works nearby her pearlescent feet. Around her, nature sung with perfection - the river dancing with stars and the trees and grass lush with vigour. This was the way things were in her goddess domain.

She sighed forlornly, continuing her laborious work on the fabric. Orihime had spent almost a millennia weaving beautiful apparel for her brother, Sora, and it was starting to become quite tedious. Being naturally curious, she longed for adventure away from her realm and into the celestial cosmos of her kin, the other gods and goddesses that assisted in the function of the universe.

The weaving princess wished to see Earth and the people who worshipped her tale every year during the Tanabata festival, or the 'Qixi Festival'. Her myth told of both her and a cowherd named Hikoboshi. They were star-crossed lovers that were separated by the Amanogawa, also known as the Milky Way. Lost and lonely, the princess cried so hard that a flock of magpies took pity on her, and every year the magpies would form a bridge out of their bodies so that the lovers could meet across the river.

Her story was famous in the hearts of the people, although guilt plagued her heart at the slight inaccuracy of her legend. Yes, she was once betrothed to the cowherd across the river, but they were far from lovers.

She had not called him Hikoboshi since their first encounter. To her and those familiar with him, his name was Ichigo. Once she had pined for him like she had for no other, but the centuries changed, and even gods and goddesses bound by fate move on. Her love for him was unrequited and he was friendly and fond of her, yet rather impartial romantically. He had loved someone else and was blind to all others, and despite Orihime's feelings; she knew that she needed more than that.

Still she continued to sit at the river bank, as she did when time itself began, still weaving her beautiful clothes as fate had destined her. Regardless of her curiosity and whims, she was still a woman and had her own duties to carry out. She could not explore outside her realm without her brother to escort her, as it was not appropriate. Women were to be pleasant, quiet and offer good conversation. They were not workers of the fields or particularly excelled in hard labour, their talents more so in dance, singing and art. Sadly, this trapped them in a cage of convenience and comfort while men had freedom to explore.

Orihime crawled closer to the river bank, leaning over to swipe her hand delicately across the surface. The stars of the Milky Way seemed to ripple and stabilise as her touch lingered into the depths. She viewed her reflection critically, watching strands of her orange locks dance with the wind. Orihime could not properly see the colour of her eyes, but she had noted the distress in her expression. Even though she felt so incredibly calm and accepting of her situation within, her expression betrayed her leaking unhappiness.

Frustrated, she swung her hand across the water in rage. Her face distorted into violent ripples before stabilising. Still, her expression remained pained and unhappy. Orihime cried out in frustration, a tear seeping down her cheek. "I don't want this to be my life!" She wailed, "I want my freedom! I want to see humans and other realms! I need more than this dreary life!"

"Then leave," A deep, melodic voice spoke matter-of-factly.

"I can't! Sora would never let me!" Her tantrum raged on as she continued to thrash, ripping out grass and banging her fists on the turf.

"How tiresome," The voice commented without sympathy.

Orihime continued to whine for a couple more minutes before clearing her tears. She peered down into the water and instead of her own reflection, found another face looking up at her. Yelping, she jumped back in surprise. Deciding bravely to confront the strange phenomenon, she reached down and hesitantly tried to brush away the illusion. Instead, the face stubbornly stayed, watching her with a detached expression.

"Who are you? Am I going crazy?" She questioned urgently, rubbing her eyes roughly. After realising that her apparition was not part of her imagination, Orihime decided to study the face thoroughly.

The princess realised that she hadn't seen many men – only her brother and Ichigo.

She could not stare at this stranger for too long as it made her feel indecent. From what she had gathered from her brief observation, he was rather handsome. He had slightly wavy black hair that swayed down his neck in long, thick locks. This contrasted against moonlight toned skin, more pale and silky than that of a girl.

This articulated that he was wealthy, subjected to more education indoors than manual labour outside. His eyes were a sharp emerald green that shone like jewels, bordered by thick, downcast eyelashes. The man's nose was straight and noble and his jaw angular and strong.

Orihime crinkled her nose, considering his features. His face was full of contractions. His beautiful eyes, full cheeks and unruly hair made him look young and boyish yet his facial structure was that of a man. Regardless of his appeal, there was something in his features that spiked fear in her. There was something concealed within the depths of his eyes that made her sink away from him.

"My summoning was not for simple introductions but of a proposition," He explained coldly, "You wish to leave this realm for another and I can grant you that."

"What do you want in return? I can give nothing but woven clothes..." She bit her lip nervously.

"This is where you're wrong, woman. I want your hand in marriage," He specified, continuing to watch her with his eerie, cat-like gaze.

Orihime's cheeks and ears coloured with mortification. "I-I don't even know you!"

He raised his eyebrow and she composed herself, considering her manners. "I would need a few more sittings so that I may further get to know you and you must meet my brother for his acceptance before I can marry you," She stammered and averted her gaze to her hands. Despite her attraction to this stranger, she did not feel inclined to marry him.

"I will see you three more times in your realm. This is all the time I can give you before you make your decision. I cannot seek acceptance from your brother and neither can you. If you accept my proposal, you will leave and marry me in secret," He ordered. There was a slight hint of irritation in his tone that informed Orihime that the conversation had run its course.

"I understand. When will you see me next?"

"Tomorrow - when you arrive I will be waiting at this bank in person."

….

The weaving princess watched idly outside as she waited for her brother's chariot to fly through the night sky. The moon glowed more beautifully than ever and she couldn't help but wonder about her mysterious stranger. He was indeed handsome -in a peculiar kind of way- and she did admit that she was rather attracted to him. Regardless, was it safe to marry someone she did not know?

Instead of the fresh and gentle sleeve she was working on during the day, she had started on a new project, a midnight coloured yukata. Her previous work lay neglected on a nearby bench, her inspiration gone for the moment being. The princesses' thoughts were drawn away from the brightness of the day and cherry blossoms in particular.

Orihime's eye caught the familiar lights and sounds of her brother's chariot soring closer to the house. She rose quickly, making her way to the door to meet him.

Her home was a traditional styled house with polished wooden floors and paper screen doors. It was quite large, displaying her prosperity as a goddess. The only problem was it was so long winding and often rather lonely.

She had no companions other than figured servants. Figured servants looked like everyday humans but they were merely vessels without souls. They were just simple dolls gifted through worship by humans. As such, they did not really have much of a personality.

The princess waited silently at the door until a familiar figure burst in. "Orihime!" He greeted fondly. He wrapped his arms around her with unbridled brotherly affection and kissed her.

"Sora!" She sighed warmly, sinking into his comforting chest. Her brother had been her only companion through the lonely centuries and they had grown quite attached to each other.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you! How is that beautiful kimono coming along?" Sora broke their embrace and held her hand gently. She guided him to the dining room so that he could finally sit down and relax after his long journey.

From what Orihime had gathered over the years, Sora was an important government official of the Heavenly courts. He was often absent and very weary from his duties. He had never clarified what he actually did, but Orihime assumed that it was essential to the general order of things.

"I'm still working on it as well as some other little projects as well. I really missed you while you were gone! How were the heavenly courts?" Orihime lowered herself onto the mat, pouring her brother some sake diligently.

Her brother's face winced, as if in pain. A shadow cast over his brow and he lifted the sake to his lips. "Not good," He answered solemnly. "Hell may be uprising against the heavens from the way things are going in the human world."

Orihime frowned, "Why would hell uprise against the heavens, Sora?"

"Well," Sora paused, taking another sip of sake while he organised his thoughts. "As you know, most of us deities retain power solely from offerings and worship. If humans don't make offerings to us, we eventually become forgotten and fade away or get corrupted. That's why some of us cause tragedies that befall on humans like disease, drought and floods. Some of us believe that fear is the only way to get them to continue to worship, without getting lazy and forgetting us. There have been a lot of disasters this year in particular..."

"But what does that have to do with hell?" Orihime questioned gravely.

"The demons of hell don't retain power from worship, nor does Enma. When the gods inflict pain on the living and the gates of hell are flooded with souls, it puts strain on the spirit realm and compromises the reincarnation process. It also means more hungry ghosts need to be purified and there is a lot more work." Sora pursed his lips. "Enma plans to wage war against the heavens if we continue meddling in the human world. I don't understand why he's complaining. It has been his job since before we came into being. I have a feeling his plans have already been set in motion."

Despite the severity of the new information fed to her, her thoughts were elsewhere. "Sora, you said that it could compromise the reincarnation process. Does that mean that some of the humans won't get the next lives that they worked hard for?" Orihime pursed her lips, staring down into Sora's cup of sake sadly.

"Orihime, they're just humans. You can't feel sorry for something that lives for a mere half a hundred years and has the memory of a fish. They're livestock, Orihime," Sora reasoned, downing his cup as the figure servants placed dish after dish down for their pleasure.

Seeing the lives of humans from her perch in the heavens, Orihime refused to believe they were livestock. They were born in her image and however imperfect they were, fate didn't hold such a tight clutch on them as it did the gods. Orihime was destined to be separated from her so called 'lover' except from a small visit each day of the year and to always be protected in her domain, weaving clothes. She would always be with her brother and would know nothing else for the rest of eternity. It was a lonely, dreary existence, and with no end in sight. Humans had a clean slate to work with each life they were born and could do anything they wished.

Orihime sighed, eating her food idly, but mostly stirring it around with her chopsticks. She felt her brother brush her cheek lovingly and returned his love with a gentle smile. She felt guilty that she didn't appreciate being by his side for all eternity, but she needed more than that. Something crucial was missing inside her, like a gaping hole she needed to fill.

No matter what was at stake, she needed to feel complete. Her stranger had given her a rare opportunity to have a human's clean slate and she needed this. She needed a change. The princess was not naïve. She knew that there was a possibility that she would never love him, but she was attracted to him and she definitely would try.

"Your face just now," Sora began, "It changed from a sad expression to such happiness. I haven't seen you this pleased since you were first betrothed to Ichigo."

Orihime blushed to her ears, waving her hands about wildly. "I just came up with an idea of a kimono is all and it brought back some memories!"

Sora laughed heartily and touched her face lovingly once more. "It makes me so happy so see you this way, yet it hurts me to think that you could have left me forever," His face turned sombre, and Orihime frowned empathetically. "I'm sorry for breaking the two of you apart, but I just couldn't be without you..."

She couldn't promise to never leave him, because it was in her heart's desire to leave this place, and Sora was the main thing hindering her independence. His actions were out of love, yet his love had left chains of oppression around her for centuries. Sora never meant wrong, his actions were out of pure, honest affection and socially expected of him, and for that she could never blame him.

"No matter what happens, I'll always love you," She promised, wrapping her arms around him in a long embrace. His hold on her was tight and possessive and she felt that there was more to this gesture than she could understand.

A lone tear escaped and she brushed it away quickly before he could see.

….

After dinner, she began working on yet another kimono: her bridal kimono. She wanted it to be absolutely perfect, despite the fact that she was stressed for time. She assumed that her stranger's three visits would be carried out over the next three days, the third being when he would finally spirit her away.

Orihime blushed with the thought of her kimono's design. It would be white with the layers beneath a flirtatious red. She considered embroiling peaches for fertility on the kimono, as well as other symbols of prosperity, fruitfulness and virginity.

A common misconception about her tale was that her marriage had been consummated, but since the courting was never completed, she had remained a maiden. Orihime pursed her lips, fretting over whether to assure him that she was indeed pure for him. Should her gown heavily suggest her purity so that he would understand her meaning, or should she tell him in a less subtle manner? Should she wait for him to discover her chastity during their wedding night?

Her skin prickled at the thought of her wedding night and her nipples began to pucker. She was no stranger to eroticism yet the thought of the act made her feel coy. Orihime had never done anything remotely intimate with Ichigo. He was a man of honour and values, and would not do anything to sully her when they were only betrothed, not married.

She wondered if her stranger would kiss her if she asked, so she could at least understand the feeling and sensation of what was to follow before the night of her wedding. The princess wondered if it would be gentle and chaste or if he would be rough and feral with desire like she had seen from various artworks. Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she felt warmth pool between her legs.

Closing her eyes, she imagined his body atop her, shining with a thin layer of sweat. She noted the intensity of his eyes as he watched her below him, writhing with excitement. Orihime wondered if he would hold her afterwards, or if he would continue like a stallion the entire night.

Shaking her head, she pushed her thoughts of desire to the back of her brain. If she were to accept his proposal, she would barely see Sora anymore, and it would break his heart. She'd be going behind his back and diving into uncharted waters. Her decision could not only destroy her, but it would destroy him too.

Orihime wondered if her stranger actually would the amazing lover she had imagined. When they had met, he seemed cold and disinterested, not at all like the passionate figure in her fantasy. He could cage her in his domain, just like Sora had, yet instead of doing it as an act of love; her stranger could just be naturally cruel.

She also knew next to nothing about this man. Would he have other wives in the future? Was she just another wife? Would he be inclined to have concubines as well as wives?

Her mind raced with anxiety and she began to panic. There were many things she needed to clear up with him the next time she met and she was glad that he at least gave her time to be courted. Still, she sewed, weaved and embroidered away at her bridal kimono as if by reflex, her hands and heart already eager from the freedom his offer would gift her.

….

Orihime woke and allowed the figure servants to bathe her, their unnaturally soft hands washing her body and hair with the utmost efficiency. She noted their blank, undistinguishable faces and felt a little uncomfortable being naked and vulnerable in front of them. All they knew was mindless obedience and they had no sense of loyalty. That was very dangerous for the people who relied on them.

She rose from the tub and pointed to her wardrobe. "Could you please dress me in the light blue-green kimono today?" She asked, watching them scurry away and unwrap the delicate folds and layers of her dress.

It was her favourite kimono, the layers gentle and calming. The sleeves and top layer were a gentle sea blue with decorative koi fish twisting gaily throughout the pattern. Underneath were various layers of a blend of light blue and a refreshing green. Her obi sash was a light shimmering grey with a subtle pattern of white chrysanthemums.

Orihime considered the bad omen of wearing something with white chrysanthemums, a flower of mourning, to her rendezvous with her stranger, but she decided to just simply counter the omen by wearing a good luck charm instead of changing. This was her favourite dress and she felt most confident in it.

Regardless, Orihime was too excitable today to fall for such simple superstitions. The princess was especially energetic and perky as she would soon meet with her stranger. Her late night imaginings had fuelled her curiosity for her suitor and she was very anxious to see him. She was also quite lonely lately and getting to know a new person was thrilling and exciting for her. After all, she'd only known enough people in her life to be counted on her hands.

As the figures dressed her, she regarded herself in the mirror. Orihime wanted to attract him, to elicit some sort of response other than the indifference she had received during their meeting. She decidedly left her hair to cascade down her back so that he might perchance catch scent of the soaps that the servants had lathered through her hair.

Feeling naked, the princess picked out a beautiful decorative mahogany comb to hold her hair out of her face.

Now that she had chosen her arrangement, she let the servants give her hair a long comb, the only thing they did that she liked. She loved feeling the comb massage down her scalp and it often made her lips smile in pleasure. Orihime let her suspicion of the figures slip through her mind as she enjoyed their grooming.

Her hair was her pride and joy. Most goddesses had midnight blue-black locks yet hers were a soft, playful orange. Sora loved her hair the most and when he wasn't taken away from her on business he would spend his time brushing and massaging her scalp, just as the servants did.

The thought of Sora pricked her heart and she remembered hearing him quietly check on her that morning before he left for his business. He had laid a gentle kiss on her lips before silently sneaking out into the morning fog.

When her servants finished pampering her, she ordered them to pack a small table, some grilled fish, rice and sake, with some cups to boot. Orihime wondered if the stranger's journey was particularly perilous when he arrived to the riverbank. Was it easy and short or was it dangerous and time consuming?

...

Rushing to her usual spot, she noticed her stranger standing idly facing the river. He wore a simple black yukata that made his skin look even lighter. "Good morning!" She welcomed, quickening her step over the thick grass.

He turned around to face her; his eyebrow rising and his lips twitching in what she gathered was a smirk. It seemed as if he had noticed a private joke that she wasn't a part of. His eyes locked with hers and her face lit up at his recognition. Grinning stupidly, her thoughts completely away from her own actions, she forgot her footing and immediately lost her balance.

Orihime tripped and landed into his strong chest. She instantly became aware of his scent and blushed profusely to the tips of her ears. "I-I brought you food and sake," She mumbled, stepping away from him coyly and setting up the small makeshift table.

"I don't know how long it takes you to journey into my realm so I brought all this in case you were hungry. I thought we could also talk about some things while you relaxed by the river..." She rambled, averting her eyes.

He sat by her side and silently watched her prepare the grilled fish and rice on the table. She was painfully aware of his gaze but still continued to quietly avert eye contact so that she would not falter on her duties at hand, as she had with walking. Orihime was easily lost in thought and very clumsy if she didn't concentrate persistently.

"What would you like to know?" He asked quietly, his voice deep and velvety. He rose the cup of sake idly while he stared off across the river. He seemed a lot more lax than he had during their first meeting and she took full advantage of that.

"What is your name?" She asked inquisitively, glancing up at his angular jaw bone every once in a while. It was still a feat for her to look directly at his face. Orihime wanted to impress and soften him. She couldn't do that if she was idiotically brain-dead because she was drawn to his features.

Still, she was swayed. In avoiding his face she had focused on his hands. His fingers were long, slim and straight, with perfectly shaped, clean nails on each finger that curved beautifully. They didn't seem calloused from hard labour and were more refined, like that of a scholar. The more she gazed at his hands, the more she longed to be touched by him.

"I think Ulquiorra would suffice," He answered, interrupting her thoughts.

She scrunched her nose, confused. Orihime had never heard of any god called Ulquiorra. Then again, it didn't sound quite Asian and she was only really affiliated with other Asian gods.

The princess regarded his expression oddly, wondering if he was toying with her. Then again, many gods had different names depending on the different societies that worshipped them. She herself also went by the name of Zhinu in China yet Orihime in Japan.

He raised a brow at her scrutiny and she decided to leave it and continue on. He had begun eating and that left her with time for thought without listless awkward silences. "If I were to marry you, would you have other wives or concubines?"

"Not interested." He commented, breaking off another piece of fish with his chopsticks.

"Really?" She probed, surprised yet rather pleased with his answer.

"Really."

"What if I were a terrible wife? What if I couldn't have children? What if another beauty caught your eye?" Orihime interrogated excitedly, scooting closer towards him so that their thighs touched.

He stopped eating and quirked his brow, frowning. "You brought food, concerned about whether I was hungry. We are not even married yet and you have no obligations to do anything for me and yet you did. I highly doubt you'd be a terrible wife from that example alone."

Turning to face her with the same barren expression that came naturally to his features, Orihime could still read an oddly morbid sense of amusement. "If gods could have children the heavens would be so unpleasantly crowded you would probably start having to eat your own young."

"I don't care for other women either," Ulquiorra added; the thought so insignificant and impractical to even think about that he did not feel the need to reassure her insecurities. Instead, he gazed across the river. There was intensity in his stare as if he were looking for something.

"The man on the other side," He ushered slowly, smoothly with his chin. "Are you tied to him?"

"We were betrothed... but unlike my story, we didn't love each other. Sora split us apart and instead of still loving each other and pining for each other from across the river we went our separate ways," Orihime explained sadly, breaking a wayward leaf in two idly.

"Have you ever been in love, Ulquiorra?" She asked shakily. The question made her feel vulnerable.

There was a tinge of gentleness in Ulquiorra's eyes as he regarded her. She noticed that all his expressions were very similar, the natural neutrality of his countenance dulling the appearance of any sensation or feeling that leaked through his expression. He noticed her probing and broke contact, walking towards the river to peer down into the depths.

"Do you know what this river is?" He asked. His change of subject threw her off and caused her vulnerability to dissipate.

"The Amanoga-"

"No. I mean do you know what it is?" He looked at her over his shoulder as she rose, joining him at his side.

"This is a portal," He explained, crouching down and dipping his fingers in, "to the human world."

She gasped, bringing her hands to her chest. All along it had been right in front of her and she'd never even thought to check.

"In every deity's realm there is a way to seep through. It's usually through water. You see, people used to sacrifice human brides to the gods. Do you know how they did it?" He explained, continuing to wave his hands through the water absentmindedly.

"Sending them out to sea…" Orihime realised with a slight feeling of horror. Her stomach rolled with disgust and pain for the poor women who were given so brutally.

"Or burnt alive," He stated abruptly. "It's a shame humans cook instead of burning like paper. It would actually mean they found their way to the heavens instead of becoming a glorified barbeque. What a waste." Ulquiorra swiped at the water once more before standing.

"They shouldn't have to be sent out to sea or be burnt alive," Orihime whimpered, clenching her fists. "They don't live very long – they should be left to enjoy themselves while they can. They shouldn't have to live in fear and disaster so that we get to live a little more comfortably!"

"Do you want to see them?" Ulquiorra murmured, observing her with his inquisitive green eyes. They shone with curiously, as if really seeing her for the first time.

"What do you mean, Ulquiorra?"

"I promised you that I would take you away from this realm and... I want to show you a glimpse of that. Do you want to go there?" He held his hand out to her and she gripped it tightly.

In an instant, he yanked her into the depths of the river. Orihime tried to scream but her lungs filled up with the surrounding liquid of the cosmos. She shut her mouth abruptly and instead decided to observe her surroundings. Around her, the stars and planets glowed, lighting up the Milky Way with beauty and wonder. Cautious optimism replaced her initial fear and she let Ulquiorra lead her through the river, letting the stunning memory of this phenomenal scene become imprinted in her brain.

For the first time in her life, Orihime felt the adrenaline of discovery. The galaxy was abundant with activity. Planets made their journey around their suns, asteroids flew throughout space and for the first time in her life, she didn't feel like a big fish in a little pond.

As they travelled deeper within the lake, the stars receded and a gaping darkness began to swallow them. Ulquiorra seemed to register her panic and gave her hand a squeeze as he slowly died away in her vision. She could not even see her hand in front of her face, let alone his, but she could feel the tightness of his grasp and that gave her enough comfort to continue on.

Deeper they descended into the darkness, her fear creeping up her spine until her skin prickled completely with goose bumps. It felt like an eternity, being dragged deeper and deeper into the dark. All she had for comfort was Ulquiorra's hand clutched tightly around hers. Orihime wanted to ask him how much longer it would take but she was afraid that opening her mouth would be the death of her. As a deity, she didn't need to breathe air, but something in the back of her mind warned her that it probably wasn't a good idea to swallow too much water of the cosmos. She wasn't sure how gods died and it was something she wanted to find out through experience.

After a while, the pressure and tension of the water seemed to lighten and she thought she could hear a gentle noise in the distance. It sounded like a long deep sigh mixed with the whispers of many voices. Orihime focused harder and as they descended deeper still, she noticed that they were perfectly coherent – they were prayers. She was getting closer to the human world.

A bright piercing light split the darkness and blinded her completely. The world seemed to turn upside down and instead of the watery universe, she felt as if she was suspended in mid-air. She opened her eyes and screamed as she noticed that they were no longer in the pool of the cosmos but falling to the ground fast. Ulquiorra yanked her arm urgently, pulling her into his chest and holding her tightly to shield her from the blow.

She hugged him, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face into his neck. Tears pricked her eyes and instead of falling down her face, evacuated from the sides. When she looked at Ulquiorra's face she was met with the same signature apathy and disinterest, which strangely calmed her nerves.

Ulquiorra wasn't afraid and she wouldn't let herself be either.

They landed with an 'oomph' on a soft cushion of grass. Orihime shook her head and scrunched her nose, before shaking Ulquiorra roughly. "Ulquiorra!" She shrieked, slapping his face lightly so that he would open his eyes.

He grabbed her wrists in a flash and held them firmly. "I'm a god, not a human, you silly woman. I don't feel pain and I certainly don't die that easily."

He settled her nerves by sitting up and sweeping his gaze about their surroundings. While she sat, dumbfounded, he rose, straightening his yukata and continuing to search the area. Orihime sighed with relief and did the same.

The human world wasn't that different from her domain. The sun was setting and evening was upon them, a beautiful stretch of purples and blues painted across the dimming sky. Around them insects hummed gaily, undisturbed by their abrupt arrival.

A bright blue-grey orb appeared before her in the distance, disappearing as abruptly as it had appeared. She noticed a few more glowing within the forests and she stepped forward, peering to see if she could get a better look.

"Ulquiorra, what are those lights in the distance?" She asked, pointing towards the objects in question.

"They're will-o-wisps. They are weak spirits floating around, trying to find the gates of hell," Ulquiorra informed distractedly as he began to walk away. "Follow me, not them."

Orihime obeyed, grasping the end of his yukata sleeve absentmindedly as she continued to look with wonder at the beautiful bright blue glowing lights. "They're like fireflies" She murmured, watching them drift through the crisp darkening sky.

They walked for a while in silence, Ulquiorra seemingly looking for something while Orihime continued to stare in wonder at the surrounding objects and noises of nature. Eventually the pair set their feet on a dirt road, and finally the noises of nature were replaced by the quiet hum of human voices. They passed a small pond and a big orange koi fish jumped to greet the godly figures excitedly. Orihime exclaimed in pleasure at the spectacle and clapped her hands.

"Do you see those decorations?" Ulquiorra pointed in the distance. Orihime looked eagerly, spotting beautiful coloured lanterns and adornments. As they were getting closer to the congregation of noise, the groups of humans grew denser, walking in lovely yukata and laughing and socialising amongst each other with joy.

The two of them received a lot of attention from the humans, as Orihime was rather overdressed in her elaborate kimono and Ulquiorra, despite only wearing a plain black yukata, was still unnaturally handsome in comparison to the human men.

They received many stares from the crowds of people and often she saw both men and women respectively talk behind their hands with both curiosity and amazement.

It made her uncomfortable to be looked at so often, yet when she noticed the envy and admiration from the humans she felt as if she had more vigour than ever before. Feeling confident, she slipped her hand within Ulquiorra's and they continued exploring the festival. They would put their godhood aside and be two beautiful humans enjoying a festival together.

"What are they celebrating?" Orihime wondered, looking around for some inclination.

"Tanabata." Ulquiorra quirked his brow once more as he scrutinized her oblivious expression. "This is your festival, woman," He stated blankly.

Orihime's smile widened and tears began to form in her eyes. These people were celebrating her day. Never mind the fact that it was more so her part in the lover's story, they were celebrating her legacy.

Pausing, she noticed a tree with paper for leaves. Giving Ulquiorra a yank, the two made their way closer to the tree. On closer inspection, she noticed that the tree was covered with wishes from all the humans. She turned a paper leaf carefully, reading the prayer written in a delicate, soft hand.

"This is one of the prayers I heard when we were getting closer to the human world..." She murmured with wonder, picking out another one and reading it excitedly.

Ulquiorra regarded her silently as she continued to read through all her wishes. They were mostly involved with love, which didn't surprise her seeing as the main theme of her legend was star-crossed lovers.

Orihime pursed her lips. It wasn't very fair on her suitor to be exposed to a day celebrating her relationship with one of her past "lovers," but he still guided her to the human world for this festival because he knew it must have meant at least something to her. The princess had already learned that there was not much that bothered Ulquiorra, but he didn't particularly enjoy many things either. For today, she wished that he could feel at least something.

Bouncing excitedly to the complimentary paper and brush, she began to write her wish. Ulquiorra looked at her questioningly as she hid her paper playfully from him and hung it on the tree. "Let's see what else they have here," She murmured in his ear, giving him her biggest smile.

The couple winded through the streets, browsing through all the different stalls. Ulquiorra mostly kept to himself, following silently behind Orihime as she enjoyed herself. He was for the most part impartial to the bright colours and decorations, but he didn't complain or show any signs of irritation or discomfort.

Eventually, Orihime grew tired, her feet not used to walking such long distances and her body not accustomed to the exercise. Her cheeks flushed with a healthy glow from all the walking, and cheeks pained from smiling for too long and too often.

She had explored every inch of the festival and had invaded every stall. It took a while to understand the human's dialect and speech but she eventually adapted and had felt quite satisfied in her search for understanding.

"I think I'm ready to sit down now." She grinned, breathless.

Ulquiorra nodded and they detangled themselves from the massive hoards of humans. Retracing their steps, they found their way back to the koi pond. The sounds of the festival were once again a distant murmur and they were finally alone together.

The koi fish that had greeted them previously before lingered around the surface in case the couple felt generous enough to offer food. Taking the bait, Orihime threw a few crumbs in the water.

"There is something I don't understand," She murmured quietly as they sat side by side, watching the fish devour her gift. "How did you find me? How did you know I even existed up there? Why do you want to marry me?" She pushed her hair away from her eyes and leaned down to peek at him.

"When you first manifested, Tentei introduced you to the heavenly courts. I watched as you made your introduction..." His eyes were downcast as he clarified his acquaintance with her. Regardless, Orihime ignored his reluctant mood.

Orihime clasped his hand with both of hers and blushed, remembering standing in front of all the gods and goddesses. She had been a speck, a wallflower in comparison to all the other beauties with her only distinguishable feature her hair. Still, Ulquiorra had noticed her. As he continued, his expression became more guarded. "It eventually became a matter of necessity to retrieve you, and so I approached you on the river bed and offered you my proposition."

Ulquiorra turned away from her and stared out into the night sky. Her instincts told her he was not in the mood for her to continue prying, so instead she just silently enjoyed the view with him. The blue orbs shone more brightly now, clinging together in a large congregation across the sky. The lanterns bobbed lazily through the air, making Orihime sleepy.

"They found the gate," Ulquiorra murmured, gazing up at the lights.

In her contented daze, she considered her time with Ulquiorra. She was flattered and charmed by his chivalry and thoughtfulness in taking her to the human world during her time of worship, but she still felt this itching feeling of apprehension. Despite her growing comfort towards him, there was always a more animalistic part of her that sensed some sort of danger. It told her to run and never look back. His strange choice of words in regards to beginning his courtship seemed flattering on the surface but there seemed to be something else more sinister in the mix.

Orihime shivered involuntarily. Ulquiorra seemed to sense her brief discomfort and moved close enough to her so that their shoulders and legs were touching. Orihime reddened, the contact making her heart race. The biting feeling of apprehension resided and she stared back at the sky in contentment.

Please review and tell me of any mistakes you see within the writing! Thank you for reading.

9th October, 2015 – Edit: I'm just going through and doing a couple of little edits. I will update very soon everyone!

-Lorelai.