Chocolatelove is back~with a new story. This is my first attempt at a IchigoxRukia fic, so bear with me. My writing skills have gotten rusty, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I have not abandoned my other stories-in-progress! I am currently working on them and plan to update ASAP.
Reviews are always appreciated, no matter the length.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
CHAPTER 1: The Royal Mandate
Traditions mandated that if the heir to the Seireitei throne was not married before his crowning, it was imperative that he wed within two years after his coronation. A queen was just as important as the king. No sovereign was allowed to rule alone, unless their significant other had passed away. This was the sole exception.
Kurosaki Isshin had been an exception. His wife had unfortunately passed away quite early in their reign, but not before fulfilling one of her most important duties as a queen: bearing an heir. She had blessed him with a son and twin daughters.
Kurosaki Isshin had passed away much, much later, at a ripe old age. The citizens mourned the loss of their vibrant and affable leader, but they had no reason to despair; Kurosaki Ichigo, the son and heir, had claimed the throne.
Seireitei had been won over by the young man's tenacity and efficiency. During the first year of his reign, he had launched successful projects improving the living conditions in the Rukongai districts. He had appointed trustworthy and selfless leaders in high positions, such as his long-time confidant Ishida Uryu.
Yet the council of Elders, whom no royal could ever disband (Isshin had tried numerous times and failed), was unsatisfied. The King, with his twenty-fourth birthday soon approaching, had not found himself a wife. Despite their numerous attempts to pressure him, Ichigo proved to be even more stubborn than his father (which was saying something) and refused to settle. No female had ever caught his eye, he had argued, and never would.
The Elders had been driven to a state of panic at the King's proclamation. He had broken off the engagements they tried to arrange for him. His adamant will would not crumble under their pressure. This was no ordinary person they were dealing with.
It was time to resort to Plan B.
...
Kuchiki Rukia was officially late for tea time with her brother.
She walked at a fast pace down the Kuchiki Manor halls, stepping as wide as her yukata would allow her to. Kuchiki Byakuya was a man who valued punctuality and would not look favorably upon her tardiness, although she did have a valid excuse.
She halted abruptly when she felt a sudden surge of reiatsu. No doubt about it; it was her older brother's, and it was coming from his personal study. What surprised her was the livid fury his reiatsu radiated, and how frighteningly strong it was. Her heartbeat quickened; her brother was not easily moved to anger, not even during a battle.
Rukia sprinted down the remainder of the hallway and slid to a stop in front of Byakuya's personal study doors.
"Nii-sama," She called, anxiety laced into her voice.
His reiatsu faded, although she had her suspicions that he was suppressing it.
"Come in." was her brother's stoic command.
She slid open the shoji doors carefully. Kuchiki Byakuya stood with his back to her, next to the squatted table prepared for their tea time. She entered, closing the doors firmly behind her.
She waited for her brother to speak, but the silence continued.
"Forgive me," She said, at last, unable to bear the heavy tension. "For being late."
"You believe that I am angry with you." Byakuya said finally, more a statement than a question.
"Yes. Is that not the case?"
Her older brother turned around to face her. To anyone else, he seemed like his normal self: there seemed to be no expression on his face whatsoever. But she was not anyone else. She was his sister, who had lived under the same roof as him for as long as she could remember. She saw the subtle signs;saw how harshly he clenched his jaw, how dark his grey eyes were, how tightly he gripped the scroll in his hand. Her brother, she concluded, was royally pissed off.
"Tea, nii-sama?" Rukia gestured to the table. He curtly nodded. She sat, tucking her legs underneath her, him following suit. After smoothing out the creases in her yukata, she proceeded to pour steaming green tea into both of their cups.
"May I ask what bothered you so, nii-sama?" Rukia asked as soon as she put the teapot back onto the table.
Byakuya held the scroll out to her. She accepted it with both hands and unraveled it. Her eyes widened; the thick, creamy paper and the familiar seal. This was from the Royal Family. She looked at her brother with a questioning gaze.
"It is time for His Majesty to find a wife," Byakuya said, his voice hard. "All the noble families are to send their eligible daughters to the Royal Palace so that the King may pick his bride."
Rukia, to Byakuya's surprise, didn't looked very fazed. She laced her nimble fingers around her cup and raised it to her lips, blowing on the tea before taking a sip.
"Is that why you were angry, nii-sama?" Rukia asked curiously. "Because you don't want to send me away or because you don't want me to get married?"
"Both." He replied bluntly.
To add to his mounting surprise, his sister began to laugh. It was a light, airy sound, like bell chimes carried by the wind. "You worry too much, brother. Have no fear; I am no competition amongst beautiful, pure bred noble ladies."
His eyes narrowed in displeasure at his sister's self-derogatory statement. "You give yourself far too little credit, Rukia."
"You spoil me," Rukia smiled at him. "When must I leave?"
"In three days time."
"For how long?"
"Until the King makes a decision." The crease between Byakuya's eyes deepened.
"Let us pray that the King will decide quickly then." Rukia said.
Byakuya silently agreed.
…..
Ichigo had been tackling documents for nearly two hours now, and the stacks didn't seem to be shrinking. He liked to dump the paperwork on Ishida, who didn't mind doing clerical work, but there were papers that needed the King's consent and signature.
There was a quiet knock at the door. He sighed; there was no doubt about it. Sato Kazuya, one of the Elders, had come to see him.
"Come in," He grunted.
The twin mahogany doors opened a crack. An old man wearing grey robes hobbled inside, a thick book clutched to his side as always. Ichigo remembered seeing a dusting of black hair at Sato's temples when he was a child, but now the old man had a shock of entirely grey hair.
"Your Majesty," Sato tried to kneel, his joints creaking in protest.
"Don't bother," Ichigo grunted, waving a hand.
"Very well," Sato straightened, clearing his throat. "The invitations have been sent to every noble family in Sereitei. The ladies are to arrive at the palace in three days."
"Can't stop it now, can I." Ichigo dropped his pen onto his desk before leaning into his chair. "The Elders really are stubborn assholes."
"Am I included?" Sato asked, his grey eyes twinkling with mirth.
"Not you," Ichigo said. "The others. The ones that came up with this idea in the first place."
"You gave them no choice, sir." Sato said. "You refused to agree to the arrangements they made for you, refused to marry."
"I don't see why I have to have a wife." Ichigo muttered.
"You need an heir." Sato stated matter-of-factly. "You heard the other Elders. If you don't marry and have a secure heir, the responsibility will pass on to your sisters."
"Yeah, I heard." Although Ichigo's posture was relaxed, his eyes were hard. "I heard their threat loud and clear. It's the only reason why I agreed to them bringing guests to the palace."
"If the idea of marriage displeases you much, sir, then why not let the responsibility pass to your sisters?" Sato suggested. "Why stress over it?"
"Because I don't want the Elders chasing after Karin or Yuzu, pressuring them to get married." Ichigo growled. "The pressure on me is enough. My sisters will stay out of this."
"As you wish." Sato murmured. "Do you need help with any preparations, sir?"
"No," Ichigo said bluntly. "There's nothing for me to prepare. All I have to do is pick someone, right? Someone of noble blood. Someone that the Elders will approve of."
"Someone that you love, sir." Sato corrected gently. "That is what we want."
Ichigo let out a mirthless chuckle. "Marrying out of love. What propaganda. They want me to find a pretty young thing from a major noble family who'll bear me a son."
"And I'll oblige," Ichigo continued, looking up at the ceiling in a thoughtful manner. "As long as the Elders keep their end of the deal."
"Which is?" Sato prompted.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "They can't touch my sisters."
...
I'm sorry if the characters seem OOC. Rukia will be quite different in the chapters to come.
A penny for your thoughts?
