Summary: (During the Victorian Era) - A young Ulquiorra and his family visit Orihime and her family one night. An incident occurs, causing Orihime to have to stay with her cousin. She never sees Ulquiorra again until her 16th birthday. But when she finally meets him again, he is not the same person she knew when they were children. What happened? And why does he seem to want to have nothing to do with her?


Prologue

"Ulqui-chan!" squealed a 4yr old Orihime as she ran down the stairs. Her bright orange hair bounced behind her, glimmering brightly under the light of the diamond chandelier. She frowned, realizing that the boy hadn't heard her. Huffing and puffing up her cheeks in her irritation, she let go of the railing, which then caused her to trip and fall down the remaining stairs. A loud cry was heard as she landed on the marble floor of the Entrance Hall. Ulquiorra turned his head sharply, having heard her cry out in her distress. He quickly made his way over to her and helped her off of the ground; dusting off her clothes and wiping away the tears from her scrunched up face.

"Ulqui-chan! Why you dwon't answa Hime!" exclaimed the small child as she hugged onto the 10yr old boy's arm.

"I'm sorry Miss Inoue. I must've been day-dreaming again." He replied, patting the girl on her head in hopes to appease her anger.

"Ulqui-chan is awlways day-dweaming. Hime wants to pway!"

"I'm sorry but I don't think I'll be able to play with you right now. I'm waiting for my parents to return from their meeting with your father."

"But…but Hime wants to pway. Because Hime wikes Ulqui-chan. Ulqui-chan dwoesn't wike Hime?" questioned the little girl as she looked up into his emerald eyes—her silver ones starting to brim over with fresh tears.

"No! No, Ulqui-cha- I like you Miss Inoue but-"

"Then pway with Hime!"

"Orihime! That's enough." Commanded a strong deep voice. Silence blanketed the room as a tall man walked out of one of the adjoined rooms along with two other people; their footsteps being the only sound emanating through the hall. The voice belonged to a man with dark brown hair that reached his shoulders, brilliant silver eyes and that was dressed very flamboyantly. He was the Grand Duke—Orihime's father.

"Yes daddy…" whispered Orihime as she walked over to her father, who was now bending over to pick her up. "Hime just wanted to pway with Ulqui-chan. Hime dwoesn't get to see Ulqui-chan awot…"

"I know my dear, but the Count and the Countess had other plans for Ulquiorra once we were finished with our meeting."

"Oh…Ulqui-chan…" tears started forming in her eyes again as she looked into the boy's eyes.

"Well, If my husband is alright with it, then we could stay a bit longer? Dear?" replied the Countess as she turned to look at her husband, batting her eyelashes a few times and smiling sweetly. She had long beautiful midnight locks, and large emerald green eyes. She was of average height, her skin was white as snow and she was very beautiful. A long velvet green dress hugged onto her petite frame. She pierced her dark red lips into a tiny pout—rubbing her husband's arm lovingly.

"If Ulquiorra wishes it. I'm sure you don't want to make Miss Inoue cry anymore than she already has. Do you son?" answered a smooth deep voice. The Count also had black hair, was short for a male, but was very well built and muscular despite his slim frame. His eyes were a golden brown and they seemed to dance with mirth, while the rest of his face betrayed no emotion. He had very sharp facial features, and to anyone who did not know him, people assumed he was emotionless.

"No father, I suppose I wouldn't." replied Ulquiorra as he looked over at Orihime. She beamed with joy at his response and was wailing from excitement as she wiggled in her father's arms, trying to reach out to Ulquiorra.

"I'm sorry my boy, seems she wants you to carry her." Stated Orihime's father; carefully handing over the small, wiggling child over to the slightly distressed 10yr old boy.

"Ulqui-chan! Ulqui-chan!" Orihime exclaimed happily. Bouncing up and down in his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck and proceeded to give him a sloppy kiss on the cheek—apparently showing her gratitude.

"M-M-Miss Inoue…please try to calm yourself." A tiny blush appeared on Ulquiorra's face as he let out a loud sigh. Turning around, he headed towards the stairs—walking slowly as to make sure he didn't trip while holding the extremely excited child.

"Well…She seems to have your son wrapped around her finger, she does. If she is this enthusiastic with boys at this age, I do not look forward to her adolescent ages." Said the Grand Duke.

"Oh come now Satoshi. Your daughter is simply happy to see her friend." Came a tiny hushed voice from behind them. They turned around to see Orihime's mother—the Grand Duchess—enter the mansion with a servant following after her, attempting to remove her winter coat and gloves as she glided over to her husband with the grace of a swan. Her fiery orange locks danced around her as she smiled at her husband; her smile also reaching her deep blue eyes. Her angelic laughter filled the room as she greeted the Count and Countess with a warm smile.

"Haru, you never cease to amaze me."

"And you never cease to amaze me, my love."

"Mirin, Kyouhei, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"We would be most honoured, Lord Duke." Replied Mirin as her and Kyouhei bowed to Satoshi and Haru.

"Please, we have been friends since we were children. No need to be overly formal with us. You know how we feel about that."

"Yes Lo- Satoshi. But there are many who are strongly against it. Your brother, Aizen, for one."

"HA! I've never given a damn what Aizen thought, why start now."

"Oh my."

"You know very well how eccentric my husband can be Mirin. Why don't we take this conversation into the Dining Room. Shall we?"


"Miss Inoue. Please don't jump on your bed like that. You'll hurt yourself." Pleaded Ulquiorra as his eyebrows furrowed slightly, indicating his worry for the poor girl.

"OK!" replied Orihime as she sat down on her bed and kicked her feet against the side.

"Are you always this hyper?"

"Ulqui-chan asks Hime that all the time!"

"…"

"Ulqui-chan. Hime wants…"

"…yes?"

"A hug pwease!" she squealed as she jumped off of her bed and ran over to Ulquiorra, hugging him around his waist before he had a chance to comply.

"Miss Inoue…"

"Ulqui-chan dwoesn't like?"

"I…I don't mind."

"Ulqui-chan makes Hime happy!"

"I-I see…" He replied as he patted her on her head. Hime also makes me happy…


"So you mean to say that this whole talk of monsters is actually true?" asked Haru as she sipped tea from one of her new teacups that Satoshi had bought her on their last anniversary. "Quite hard to believe."

"Yes Haru. It's true. My husband along with the other Espada saw some of them with their own eyes. It sounded simply dreadful." Replied Mirin as she too sipped some of her tea. "Do tell them what happened dear."

"Of course dear. As my wife stated Haru, it is indeed true. We saw them a few months ago, in a town only 3 days away from here. We had been coming back from the neighbouring province when a young boy ran out in front of our horses, screaming at us to save his family. By the time we reached his village, everyone was dead. We wandered around to see if anyone had hidden and by some miracle were still alive. But instead, we ended up coming across a group of the creatures that had caused it. Such devastatingly terrifying creatures they were. As if they had been spawned from the very depths of hell. Some of them resembling animals, some of them resembling humanoids, but they all had skulls for faces. Some of them had bones protruding from their bodies and horns of ridiculous proportions protruding from their heads. They let out this shrill cry that I will never forget. I pray that neither of you, nor your children nor my wife should ever see them. They kill out of instinct and bloodlust, do not feel, do not comprehend anything other than to inflict pain and death upon their prey. They steal the souls away from humans and animals. We later found out that they sometimes will hunt alone, but they usually attack in packs." Stated Kyouhei.

"How dreadful! What happened to the young boy?—Also if I'm not mistaken, you did not wish for Ulquiorra not to bear witness to them. Already training him for the Espada are you?" asked Satoshi, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"We took him to stay with a family friend. And yes, Ulquiorra, along with many other Schiffers before him, will join the Espada. It is the job of the Espada to protect the Inoue family. It has been so for many generations and will forever remain that way. I'm sure you are well aware Satoshi."

"I have not forgotten. I had not realized that you had already begun training him. Well, he certainly is turning into a fine young man."

"My darling Ulquiorra is going to steal the hearts of all the women once he becomes of age. I can already imagine it! I'm going to be chasing them away like flies." Sighed Mirin as she leaned her head against Kyouhei's shoulder.

"He already has Orihime's interest. It's only a matter of time now dearest. Do be sure to prepare yourself when she comes running into your study one day, asking for your permission to be wed to him." Remarked Haru as she giggled at her husband's facial expression.

"This coming from the woman who said 'Oh come now Satoshi. Your daughter is simply happy to see her friend' with such positivity." Scoffed Satoshi as he tried not to laugh, but failed miserably.

"He will do well to protect her properly when the time comes. I am sure of it." Inserted Kyouhei as he cleared his throat.

"Really dear, must you be so serious all the time." Moped Mirin as she shook her head and sighed. Suddenly, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye outside the window. By the time she had turned her head to look, it was already gone. "Kyouhei…someone was outside the window just now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes…I do not have a good feeling about this."


Orihime and Ulquiorra had just finished eating their dinner when there was a knock at what they thought was coming through the door. Ulquiorra stood up and walked over to the door, opening it to find no one out in the hall. Shrugging, and believing it to be his imagination. He rejoined Orihime at her small table and watched as she drew pictures. Her tongue peeked out from the side of her mouth as she concentrated hard on her 'masterpiece' as she had called it. *Knock knock* there it was again. This time he realized it was coming from the window. Orihime had seemed to have heard it as well, because before he knew it, she was over at the window opening it to reveal a very beautiful woman. She had an eerie sort of beauty to her. Long white hair flowed down to her waist, and she was wearing a black dress that was blowing in the wind. Her eyes were grey and filled with emptiness as she looked down at the children in front of her.

"Miss Inoue!" exclaimed Ulquiorra as he pushed Orihime behind him, ready to protect her if need be. The woman laughed at his actions. Quite brave for a child. A slender finger reached up to her lips as if to tell them not to alert anyone that she was there.

"Oh. Who do we have here? Is he your friend Hime-chan?" replied the woman in a very sing-song voice.

"Yes! He is Ulqui-chan! Ulqui-chan is Hime's best fwend! Ulqui-chan, this is Wady Ezeka!" exclaimed Orihime, smiling brightly up at Ulquiorra who seemed to be more and more tense with each second.

"Miss Inoue…how do you know Lazy Ezeka? How are you standing outside this window? This is the 3rd level of the mansion!" replied a flustered Ulquiorra as his grip around Orihime became tighter.

"Hm hm. Nice to meet you too boy. I see you have no manners. I am standing on the ledge. Is that so strange?"

"Ulqui-chan dwoes have mannas! Wady Ezeka visits Hime sometimes, because Hime twold Wady Ezeka that Hime is wonely."

"Yes! The poor dear. Stuck in this mansion all the time! I don't know how she does it! Such a strong little girl you are Hime-chan! God knows I could never do it."

"How did you get up here? What do you mean by she visits you Ms. Inoue? You've let her in here before?"

"No! Hime is a good guwrl! Hime doesn't let anybowdy inside! Not allowed!" squeaked Hime as she pulled on Ulquiorra's jacket, burying her face into his side.

"So many questions. Oh dear. You are a curious little boy aren't you. It's as the dear says. She hasn't let me in, so I have not come inside the house."

"That is extremely odd. You listen to the words of a little girl. You could easily force your way in here. Why don't you?" questioned Ulquiorra as his eyes narrowed—eyeing the woman cautiously.

"It is, an old custom of mine. I am a Lady after all. A lady ought not to force herself into someone else's home unless invited inside. I think it quite rude if I were to just ignore the girl's wishes and come in anyway. Can't a lady have ethics these days?" scoffed the woman as she played with a random strand of hair. "Today, however...is a bit different. You're going to want to let me in boy." She smiled mischievously and looked over their shoulder, noticing a very surprised man as he walked into the room. It was Orihime's older brother, Sora.

"ORIHIME! ULQUIORRA! WHO IS THAT WO-" before he could finish his words, two large horns pierced through his chest silencing him immediately. He coughed up blood as he lay on the floor writhing in pain.

"SORA!" a loud cry tore out of Orihime as she rushed over to her brother's body; only to scream, suddenly realizing that the creature that had killed her brother was still standing at the doorway. Petrified, she stood their shaking, her cries shaking her small body violently as fear took her over.

"Like I said boy, you're going to want to let me inside." Ezeka yelled at a very distraught Ulquiorra who also seemed to be petrified at the sight of the creature. "A suggestion. You might not want to move. They sense movement."

Ulquiorra slowly began to turn his head towards the woman, but stopped once he heard a shrill cry from the monster that shook his core. I need to save Orihime! He began turning his head back towards her and was about to move when Ezeka hissed violently at him. "LET ME IN BOY! If you don't let me in, ALL OF YOU WILL DIE!" she exclaimed as she began to laugh hysterically. The creature seemed to let out a cry that mimicked her evil laughing. Orihime's cries became louder as she fell to the floor in a fetal position. "ULQUI-CHAN! HELP HIME!" she screamed as she looked over at him, fear written all over her tear-stained face.

"Help her…please…help us.." whispered Ulquiorra as he looked down, refusing to look at the crazy woman that was standing outside the window.

"I'm sorry dear. You know that's not what I need to hear." She replied with a smirk on her face.

If looks could kill, Ulquiorra's glare would've killed her ten times over.

"Now. What was that?"


"They're dead…they're dead Kyouhei! THEY'RE DEAD! What will we do if-"

"Calm yourself Mirin! There is a chance that Orihime, Sora and Ulquiorra are still alive."

"What if they aren't Kyouhei! What if they aren't!" Mirin cried hysterically. Her blood covered hands covering her face as she cried over her best friend's limp cold body.

"I pray to God that they are still alive Mirin…I pray that they are.."


"See. Now that wasn't so hard was it." Presumed Ezeka as she slowly licked blood belonging to the monster off of her fingers. She laughed to herself silently as she watched the terror-stricken Ulquiorra who was holding Orihime in his arms. She had passed out from the shock of seeing her brother dying right in front of her, and from seeing that other worldly creature. What were those things? Who is this woman? Ulquiorra's eyes slowly raised up to look at Ezeka. She was sitting on top of the monster she had killed with her bare hands without any effort at all, and was now humming to herself—laughing every few seconds.

"What are you? What were they? Those….those monsters!" he questioned her as he tightened his grip around Orihime.

"Well, you will know soon enough dear boy. We did have a bargain after all. Letting me in was nothing to you at all. But of course as I said before, wanting me to save Hime-chan was going to cost you."

"I…I see."

"You belong to me now boy. Don't ever forget it."

"Yes…Madame Ezeka."


AN:/ OK! I've been reading so many UlquiHime fanfictions recently, PLUS I've had a bunch of ideas in my head for months, so I finally decided to start writing an UlquiHime fanfic of my own. I hope you guys like it. Please remember to review~! I won't continue this story unless I get reviews for it, so be sure to do that!