Hi all!

So here is a new and improved version of A Step Into Pretence. It's still the same story with the same characters… I just shook it up a bit. I am thinking of changing the background to that of a Japanese one, but it would mean that there are no longer knights, kings, dukes, chambermaids etc. Instead we'll have emperors and samurais. It'll work, but it'll be a lot of work for me and I'll need a good few days to do it. At the moment I have half a day here and half a day there. BUT, let me know if you guys would like me to do it.

I also feel the need to say that I have no idea what is happening in the Bleach universe at this current moment in time. I have not read or watched the manga/anime in over a year and a half. If there are any inconsistencies, or something major that I perhaps need to know, please feel free to send me a private message and tell me!

Please enjoy my story and feel free to let me know what you think. I appreciate constructive criticism and would like to know how and where I could improve my story or my writing. Please drop me a review, or a private message.

Have fun!

~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 1 – Pretence

The King was walking through the lush palace gardens when he called for Ichigo. The knight had no idea why the king wanted to speak with him. The orange haired man made his way to the roses, where Kaien was inspecting the bright yellow blossoms, flicking at bees every so often.

"You called, Kaien?" Ichigo asked with furrowed brows. Kaien looked at him amused. He had never been able to comprehend why Ichigo insistently called him by his first name, but he secretly liked it. He had never really warmed up to the formalities of being king.

"I need you to do something for me, Kurosaki." Kaien said, his feet moving down the path towards the fountain. Ichigo lifted his one eyebrow and scrutinized the dark haired man. He nodded once, but the scowl didn't retreat. He was independent, but he respected the King. Kaien was probably the only person Ichigo looked up to.

"We are on the brink of a war, and in order to prevent masses of bloodshed, Camelot needs to unite with at least one of the surrounding minor kingdoms. Lancaster is at the top of the list, since our forces seem to be of more or less equal strength. I have considered every plausible way of approaching this union and it seems as if the best option will be a union through marriage," Kaien explained. His eyebrows twisted and furrowed, mirroring the expression already plastered on Ichigo's face. Ichigo considered the king's words and shrugged when Kaien wasn't looking.

"The Count of Lancaster has a younger sister," Kaien said vaguely. This didn't mean anything to Ichigo, so he just kept quiet and followed the king.

"The count has informed me that she is willing to, through marriage, symbolise a long and peaceful union between our two Kingdoms. Since I do not have a son, or an heir, it is my duty as the King to do what is in the best interest of my kingdom, and marry the Count's sister," the king continued, and Ichigo wondered what his role was in all of this. He was just about to ask, but Kaien was one step ahead of him.

"I don't know what this girl is like, but I want to find out. Some also refer to her as the 'Ice Princess'. I don't know whether it is a reference to her personality or to her appearance, but I want you to find out for me."

Ichigo stopped in his tracks. He was confused and didn't know what to think. Kaien turned towards him and for a moment, accept for the subtly different shape of the king's nose and their age difference, the king and his best knight looked like twins.

"I need you to pretend to be me, Ichigo," Kaien finally reached the point. He looked at the orange haired man, who stared at him in disbelief.

"Why?" Ichigo asked, still shocked by the king's words. Kaien seemed to ponder this for a moment, then replied with a smile, "I trust you, you imbecile. And besides, if I'm going to marry her, I at least want to know what she's like."

Ichigo still didn't understand completely and scratched the back of his head.

"Why don't you just get to know her?" He asked Kaien, uncertainty still tainting the expression on his young face. The king shrugged, and it seemed that he had made up his mind. Something about the request struck Ichigo as strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. It seemed to Ichigo that the king had no intention of ever meeting this girl, nevertheless marrying her. It was also in Ichigo's nature to question everything the king did, making Kaien rethink all important decisions from another angle. It was his ability to see things from a different perspective that had earned him the title of the king's best knight.

Somehow, though, Ichigo didn't want to question Kaien this time. It seemed as if the king knew exactly what he wanted to do and what was supposed to happen. Ichigo knew that even if he questioned it, he would still find himself in Lancaster, meeting the count's younger sister on behalf of the king.

"What do I need to do?" Ichigo asked. Kaien grinned at him mischievously.

"I have arranged to meet with Lady Kuchiki tomorrow. I have agreed to stay in her kingdom for a so called, 'courting period'," he said. "You will present yourself as me, and when that time period is up, you will report back to me on what she is like and whether our union will be successful and worth it." Ichigo eyes grew in surprise and scepticism. He didn't want to impersonate anyone, never mind a king.

"Will the Count not know I am not the king of Camelot?" The younger man asked, running his hand through his orange mane. The king laughed and shook his head.

"Ichigo, I have never met the man nor has he ever seen what I look like. We communicated through letters." Kaien's eyes twinkled with amusement and the dark haired king held out his hand. Ichigo looked at the hand and back at Kaien's face.

"How long is this courting period?" He asks. Kaien then proceeded to tell him that it would be no longer than two weeks. Ichigo nodded and took the king's hand. In one swift motion, Ichigo agreed to do what the king had asked of him. Later, he would look back at that moment and scold himself for saying yes.

"Two weeks? That's it? Then I can go back to being Ichigo?" the knight asked. Kaien nodded and smiled at Ichigo.

"Thank you Kurosaki," he added as a kind of afterthought and turned to walk back to the palace.

"You are going to regret this, Ichigo," Ichigo chided himself as he headed in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile in Lancaster…

Rukia hurried to her brother's chambers. Her feet carried her forward, and she didn't think about why she had to get there, just that she had to. When she stopped in front of the big oak door that opened into Byakuya's quarters, she was out of breath. Her small chest heaved as her lungs sucked the air up and let it out in an attempt to regain a slower, rhythmic pace. This gave her a moment to consider why she was called there. Her brother's guard had said it was of utmost importance and that she should report to him as soon as possible. Now that she found herself in front of his door, she couldn't bring herself to lift her hand and knock. Momentarily she struggled to compose herself, eventually worked up the courage to swiftly rap on the door three times. What if something bad had happened? What if the war which the knight spoke of in soft whispers had finally begun? What if…

Before the petite young lady could think up any other disastrous reason for her summoning, the door swung open. Her brother stood before her, his advisor Sui-Feng at his side. Rukia bowed quickly and looked up into his face. He was as serious as ever as he met her eyes. She didn't address or greet the black haired girl next to her brother, and Sui-Feng returned the favour.

"Brother?" Rukia said, searching her brother's eyes. He nodded slightly and walked back into his room. Rukia followed close behind him and sat in the chair opposite the royal blue armchair which her brother favoured. He dismissed Sui-Feng and faced his younger sister.

She sat in stiff silence, waiting for Byakuya to occupy the seat opposite her. When he finally did, he observed her for a long moment. The raven haired girl's heart beat in her throat, but she kept her pose as he studied her.

"Rukia, after long consideration and thought, a decision has been made on uniting the kingdom of Camelot with that of ours," he told her in his cold, emotionless way. The younger Kuchiki sibling nodded and waited for her brother to continue.

"I have agreed to this union as it is the only option that allows both kingdoms gain. The union involves no violence and will link Lancaster with Camelot indefinitely." Rukia waited in anticipation. She had the feeling that what she was about to hear was about to have as much of an impact on her as uniting the kingdoms will have in an oncoming war.

"You are to marry the king of Camelot, Kaien Shiba and unite our kingdoms," Byakuya told her. Her blood ran cold. Her heart, which had hammered away in her chest a moment ago, had ceased to beat for a few seconds. Her empty stomach seemed to do a backwards flip and she bit down on her tongue in an attempt to not move. The metallic taste of blood overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to lull her body out of the shock. However, the dread that filled her didn't go away, so she opened her eyes again.

She wanted to protest and scream and shout. She wanted to throw things around and hate her brother, but she knew he was doing what was best for his kingdom. She bottled her feelings, closing the lid of the jar in her mind and pointedly kept her face in a smooth, expressionless mask. She nodded slowly and folded her hands in her lap in an attempt to hide how violently they were shaking. When she spoke, her voice was soft.

"I understand," she said and looked at him calmly. Byakuya studied her face again, no doubt looking for a weakness. A crack in the wall… Well damn it. She wasn't going to show an inch of the fear and anxiety that had settled on her heart like snow. If it meant that she had to spend the rest of her life with someone whom she doesn't love, well so be it, but she would never show any sign of weakness or unhappiness.

"The king will arrive in time for the midday meal tomorrow," her brother replied, obviously satisfied with the fact that Rukia didn't protest. "You will spend the next two weeks with him. He will court you and you will marry at the end of this period, if he finds you satisfactory."

Rukia nodded again. She could feel the weight of the situation pulling her down, down, down… further into an abyss that had no end. She knew that if at the end of those two weeks, the king didn't want to marry her, it would be her fault. She would be the reason why Lancaster couldn't unite with Camelot on peaceful terms.

Byakuya stood, and Rukia followed him. He escorted her to the door, and with a final click, she was alone in the hallway. She picked up her dress so it wouldn't drag on the floor, and walked to her room, her face composed and stiff.

She sat at the window, staring out at the green lawns and forest beyond for an incalculable amount of time. She wasn't hungry and she wasn't tired. Despite its previous melt down, her body was numb and devoid of all emotion. She sat completely still, not daring to move. She knew that if she did, her body would rebel and she would feel the water crushing down on her again. She didn't want to feel anything, but she did anyway. She felt hatred towards the man she would be marrying. She felt betrayed by her brother, who didn't even ask her opinion on the matter. She couldn't cry though. Crying was a sign of weakness, and Rukia Kuchiki wasn't weak.

A few hours later, she was in the same position by the window. She hugged her legs to her chest and rested her head on her knees. Her whole body was stiff; pins and needles stinging her everywhere. She didn't care. She still didn't move. There was a soft knock on the door and when Rukia didn't answer, it opened.

"M'lady? Dinner is served," Hinamori said softly. Rukia didn't respond and the small girl walked up to her. She put a hand on her Lady's shoulder, but Rukia still didn't move. Hinamori was Rukia's chambermaid, but she was more of a friend to Rukia than a maid.

"What's the matter?" she asked informally when she saw that the Kuchiki princess wasn't going to answer. When she got no response, she pulled Rukia's arm.
"Rukia, snap out of it!" Hinamori said. She barely ever called the Lady by her first name, but it brought Rukia back to reality. She tried to keep a straight face as she looked at her chambermaid, but it didn't work, and she revealed pain and helplessness through wide violet eyes. She felt exposed and smiled at Hinamori weakly, trying to cover up the swirl of emotions visible through the tiny creases next to her mouth.

"I heard about the wedding…" She said, trying to calm Rukia down. "Perhaps he is magnificent." Momo smiled and put her hand on Rukia's. The Ice Princess wasn't really one for affection, but Hinamori's hand comforted her.

"Perhaps you will fall in love at first sight!" She laughed delighted, and clasped her hands together in front of her. Rukia couldn't help but mirror her smile. Maybe she is right, Rukia told herself and stood up. She didn't feel numb anymore, and her brain was scurrying about, trying to imagine what her new husband was going to be like. She had no clue what to expect, but from the grapevine and the gossip around the palace, she knew that he was quite handsome. She still wasn't thrilled about the idea of having to marry him, but she knew she would have to grin and bear it.

"Dinner m'lady?" Hinamori asked enthusiastically. Rukia's stomach grumbled and she nodded, smiling. Despite the dread, she felt a bit better and well enough to go to dinner. They made their way down to the dining hall. The raven haired girl joined her brother at the table.

After dinner, the Ice Princess retired to bed. She couldn't sleep though, and rolled around uncomfortably. She was worrying about the kingdom, even though her brother excluded her when it came to serious political decisions, and she worried about herself. She had feared the unknown, and what was scheduled to happen tomorrow, definitely had her quite spooked. She tried to suppress her thoughts, but the loud ones reached her anyway. What if he hates me? What if this becomes a war and it's my fault? What do I do?

She shuddered and her brain finally pummelled into a deep sleep.

There you are!

I hope you enjoyed my first chapter! This story has been edited quite a bit, so it might differ slightly from the first publishing. I hope you all enjoy it.

Please review and let me know what you think? I feed off feedback so feel free!