A/N: Hey there fellas. I got another IchiRuki story for you. And those who are waiting for another chapter of Winter Heart, I'll update it very soon. Don't worry ^^
About the name of this story, I know it's a name of a Korean drama but the name fits Ichigo and Rukia so well. So I thought giving this story that name. Besides, I'm so lame at naming stuff :'D
There will be some scenes from the series but does not follow the same plotline. The story is mine.
And thank you crimson-sana for helping me out. You were a huge help. ^^
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This applies to the rest of the story (:
Enjoy!
[Edited]
The Moon That Embraces The Sun
Chapter–1
There was blood.
So much blood.
Everywhere.
But her eyes lingered on the figure right in front of her. Eyes wide, frozen and lifeless, unlike how they used to shine once. She could only stare. Her body was rooted to the spot, unable to breathe properly, unable to move a finger.
Scattered limbs lay across the floor. Some were still alive. They were whimpering, begging to be saved from the pain that was being inflicted upon them.
Blood covered the entire floor.
There was so much blood. So many familiar faces, dead and hanging between life and death.
They were all looking at her, pointing their fingers at her and blaming her for their demise.
Purple eyes shot open, sweat dripping from her face and neck. She sat up straight, trying to calm her erratic breathing and the wild beating of her heart. She threw the covers off her lithe form and stood up and walked over to the dressing table a few steps away.
Rukia Kuchiki stared into the mirror, her face pale. She wasn't surprised to wake up from such an ominous dream.
No, it wasn't a dream.
It was real. A chapter of her life that still clung to her, followed to her future as nightmares. It was a past she wished to be forgotten, to be erased from her mind. But Rukia knew, no matter how much she tried, it was impossible. She had been trying to rid of it for the past decade.
All her efforts had been in vain. A complete failure.
Rukia took a seat on the cushioned chair by the table. She lifted a long and slender hand to pick a brush and swiped it on her straight and long, deep midnight hair slowly, taking her time. She knew it'd be impossible to go back to sleep. The sweet chirps of birds could be heard and she could guess it was dawn. The sun's first rays barely lifting above the horizon.
Rukia put the brush back on the table and walked out into the large balcony shaped in a half circle. The cool wind of spring brushed her hair back, ruffling the layers of her night gown. She stared off into the distance where trees covered the horizon.
There was a soft knock on the door before it slowly opened.
"My lady." Greeted a woman in a white dress, a black apron on top of it. "Lord Kuchiki asked to prepare you."
Prepare her? For what, exactly?
It hit her then.
Yes, it was her wedding day.
"Alright." She said, walking back into the room with the grace and elegance of a lady known for beauty and intellect.
The maid led her to the bathing chambers and stripped her bare before gesturing her to step into the tub filled with warm water. The fragrance of lavender and vanilla suspended in the room, filling her nostrils in a calming and soothing manner, the nightmare from before beginning to fade away, to return when night fell.
Other maids joined in washing her hair, scrubbing her body. Anything barely registered in her mind as she thought about her wedding, staring at the petals that fluttered on the surface of the water.
When she was young, she'd imagined a handsome prince waiting for her at the end of the aisle. She'd be the blushing bride, holding her father's hand, a veil covering the pink on her cheeks. Her mother would be at a side, wiping the corners of her eyes with a beautiful handkerchief. Her father would leave her beside her soon to-be husband and will walk to stand beside her mother. The vows will begin, she will look at him in the eyes with love and all her feelings will be reflected in his eyes. He will take her hands in his and kiss her on the lips tenderly, sealing their fate as man and wife.
Forever.
And they'd live happily ever after with many children running around them.
Of course, it was until she had been betrothed to a person she had no idea about, had she realized how stupid her fantasies had been. There was no such thing as happily ever after. There was no such thing as love, no such thing as a blushing bride hidden behind a sheer veil. There was no such thing as a handsome prince.
She had heard rumors about how her betrothed was so handsome he could make any man, woman swoon with just a single look. She heard that one glance was all it took to fall for her betrothed. She had been engaged to marry him for two weeks but never once had she seen this god or so every person seems to claim him to be.
Their marriage had been decided by their parents. In her case, her father, the famous warlord daimyo, lord Byakuya Kuchiki.
She stood up and a pristine white towel was wrapped around her body, drying her.
She had thought of escaping the marriage when she was first informed of it but it wasn't that simple.
Not when she would be the Emperor's bride in a few hours.
She was brought into the room and pulled behind a changing screen with a simple yellow day dress in her hands. She changed into it and the maids went to do her hair while she just stared at her reflection wordlessly, letting the women do their job in peace.
Today, she would have her last breakfast here at Kuchiki manor. Her great-grandfather had insisted that she have breakfast with him. Rukia had no choice but to agree. His health had been failing him. And it was the least she could do to ease his mind and heart. She could comply with his wishes even if she had to face her father, who had never spoken a word to her for the past ten years. It had been through the butler, a servant or one of the maids that attended to her.
It was alright, she told herself.
This was her last day and she'd be gone for good before sunset. She was to leave right after breakfast if she were to attend the wedding in time.
The maids pulled out some makeups from the boxes in their hands and Rukia lifted a hand, stopping them.
"It's alright now." She said softly. "You may leave."
They bowed in respect and left, closing the door behind them ever so softly.
Rukia stood up to leave, sending her attire a quick onceover before walking towards the door. She was well made. A chiffon yellow dress with a low neckline and her hair done into a waterfall braid. It was simple, just the way she preferred it.
Her great-grandfather, Lord Ginrei Kuchiki was already seated beside the table and she sent him one of her rarest smiles as she greeted him. She found out that her father had gone to the castle to meet the emperor's father, after she sat down.
It comforted her at the same time it made her feel upset.
~0~
"My lord." Ichigo Kurosaki turned towards a red haired warrior.
His orange hair waved in the wind as they halted their horses atop a cliff, overlooking a village. People were bustling about. There seemed to be some sort of festival in celebration of the emperor's wedding.
"We should go back. His highness will be looking for you."
"Chill Abarai." He said to the second in command of the royal army.
The stiff look on his face made him want to roll his eyes. He was ruining the fun. Clearly, his father wouldn't have his head for being a bit late. Besides, he never skipped a day without visiting the villages. It was his duty to watch over them, to see how they were doing. He turned his horse, Renji Abarai and the rest of the soldiers followed close by as he made his way into the village.
People began to gawk at them the moment they dismounted their horses. There were excited squeals and squeaks from women as Ichigo passed by. He felt pride swell within his chest. No matter where he goes, he was always praised for his godlike beauty which he liked to boast that he inherited from his mother.
Who wouldn't fall for the striking orange locks that were untamable and the aristocratic features and perfect contours? The man was regarded as some sort of god that fell from sky, bewitching everyone on earth with his charms and irresistible attractiveness.
Brown eyes gazed to the right when he heard a ruckus. What he saw made his blood boil. The door to a rundown house was wide open and he could see a man, holding a broom. He swiped it in the air once and brought it down on a woman on the ground. He heard a child crying and saw a little boy under the woman, held protectively in her arms while the man beat her up.
Without wasting another moment, Ichigo dashed into the house and kicked the man on the back.
Renji and the other men shared a glance and shrugged while they stood outside the house. Their lord can take care of himself.
"Please, leave." The woman cried, crouched on the floor, holding the little boy in her arms.
The man stood up on wobbly legs and glared at Ichigo. He came at him with his fist raised but Ichigo merely stepped to a side. The smell of booze reeked off of him and Ichigo resisted the urge to wince at the foul odor.
"Who do you think you are, interrupting others?!" the man lunged at him again. But this time, instead of dodging, Ichigo grabbed him by the collar and said in a dangerously low tone, his face impassive.
"Your lord."
The mad expression on his face was immediately replaced by fear and he took a step back, stumbling when Ichigo pushed him away.
He bent down to the woman's level and extended his hand, a ghost of a smile appearing on his lips. The woman sat straight and bowed low. Her son immediately followed after her.
"Thank you for saving my son." She said softly, almost in a whisper. He could hear the shame in her tone and it didn't take long for him to realize that this wasn't the first time this had happened. He noticed the raw and old bruises and scars on both their arms and faces.
It made him angry just how low some people treated their family. Men were supposed to protect their families, not hurt them. They were supposed to protect them at any and all cost.
He thought he had shown a perfect example. Apparently, he wasn't very clear on the matter.
Without a word, Ichigo glanced at the man who stood cowering, looking between his men and him.
"I will have you transferred to a better place." Ichigo said looking around the dirty house. There were large holes in the roof and it made him wonder just how they survived. With a violent husband and father, he was amazed that they were still putting up with him.
He gave his orders to Renji and stepped out of the house, walking back to his horse.
"Who is he, mama?" the young boy asked, tugging at the hem of his mother's dress, his blue eyes never leaving the retreating form of his savior from another beating.
"The Emperor, my darling. He's your Emperor." His mother replied with tears in her eyes, a small smile lighting up her face.
"You bitch!" the man shouted and lunged at them again but Renji was quick to step in, his sheathed sword by the man's neck horizontally.
"From this moment onwards, you have no family. They will be transferred to another place and you will never see them again. If you try to hurt them again, you will have to face the wrath of the Emperor. This is an imperial order." The redheaded commander said in a cold voice.
He tilted his head at the men by the door. They took the mother and son out of the house and mounted them on their horses.
~0~
Ichigo walked up the stairs of the castle, skipping two as he went. The castle was abuzz with people running around. There were glances of dissatisfaction sent his way by some older maids whom he had known since he was a child. The orange haired emperor smiled apologetically as he darted towards his chambers.
"Brother!" he heard someone yell as he rushed by.
Ichigo almost stumbled trying to turn and look at his youngest sister who had a huge frown on her pretty face. He sent a cheeky grin at the seventeen year old princess who only placed her hands on her hips, cocking it to a side to show her dissatisfaction.
"Yuzu, it's such a wonderful day, isn't it?" he asked rubbing the back of his neck and looking out of the large corridor where he got a perfect view of the sky.
"Did you visit the villages again?" she asked taking a step forward.
Ichigo avoided her gaze and kept looking at the sky, feigning ignorance.
"Do you think I should spar with Grimmjow?"
"For goodness's sake, brother, it's your wedding day. You're getting married. Do you really think your attitude right now befits an Emperor?" the blonde princess scolded.
Married… Ichigo mused.
He was about to retort to his sister's comment about how his attitude didn't fit an emperor when a bored voice drawled out.
"Give up, Yuzu. He's just having bridal jitteriness. Don't be too harsh on the poor guy." He jerked his head towards his other sister, the eldest of the twins who was leaning against a pillar, arms folded across her chest with a bored scowl on her face.
"B-bridal jitteriness?" Ichigo stuttered.
"Princess Karin!" Yuzu pointed a finger at her elder sister. "That attitude doesn't befit a lady."
Ichigo sighed, shaking his head. His sisters were just hopeless.
"Since it's my wedding and I'm having bridal jittery as you so kindly put it, I will be taking my leave." He bowed towards the girls in a mocking manner. "Good day, your highnesses."
He watched in satisfaction as Yuzu's jaw dropped and Karin snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. The princesses let him be on his way and he was grateful for that. He could only hope he won't meet the lousy excuse of the former emperor who he very sadly called his father any time soon.
~0~
Ichigo stood in front of the full length mirror. He was in his wedding attire. Everything was too white. His pants that were tucked in the boots were white. His shirt was white but there was a bit of gold on the buttons and the strap of his belt including some ornaments on the sheath of his ceremonial sword. There was a large royal blue colored cape around his shoulders with the kingdom's crest in the middle in silver.
But he didn't like white. There was just too much of it.
"Why do I feel like I'm going for a hunt and not my wedding?" he asked staring blankly at his reflection.
A snort was his only reply.
He turned around to face a blue haired man leaning against the mahogany doors, the entrance to his chambers. There was another man, who had dark skin with a bulky built. None of them said a word.
"Answer me, will you?" Ichigo asked, irritated. He glared at the chief commanding officer of the imperial army, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and his personal guard, Sado Yasutora.
"Honestly?" Grimmjow asked with a raise of eyebrow.
"Yes." Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"Because, Senna isn't the bride." Grimmjow said before Ichigo even finished answering. "Lady Kuchiki isn't someone you've met before. You don't know anything about her. And Lady Senna is the one you want to marry."
He admitted that it hurt. He had been in love with Lady Senna for a year now. And he had everything planned for their marriage; he had his future planned with her. To have his family with her. But it all ended up, burst up into oblivion right about two weeks ago. He had promised her that he'd do anything to keep her by his side. But he had realized just how helpless an emperor actually was. He was nothing in front of the imperial court, in front of his parents. They have been hell bent on marrying him to Lady Kuchiki. That was the moment he knew of her existence. And it seemed her role in life had been to ruin his. Later onwards, he had heard how she was praised as the most beautiful and most elegant, the very epitome of a true lady. It bore him though. He didn't want a beautiful woman. He wanted Senna. He had tried to convince his parents otherwise for they had a higher position and power than him. But they were not willing to budge, to give in to his pleas. They went as far as telling him that Lady Senna didn't have the quintessence of an empress.
A knock on the door broke into his reverie and Ichigo looked up.
"The ceremony will begin shortly, your majesty." An attendant said from behind the door.
Ichigo walked towards it and stepped aside. Before he walked out, Sado gave a gentle pat on his shoulder. He saw Grimmjow's smirk, from what he deciphered to hold his chin high, from the corner of his eyes.
~0~
To say that his bride was beautiful would be an understatement. When he saw her walking down the aisle, holding Lord Kuchiki's hand, he was more or less shocked of her beauty. Clad in a breathtaking white gown, a veil falling from her low and loose bun that went all the way to floor, dragging it behind her as she walked was the woman who was his soon-to-be wife. He realized her beauty wasn't just a joke, a mere rumor spread to make him feel better. It was true in every sense of the word and maybe more. Her posture never slouched, the determination in her violet eyes never wavered. But it didn't hold a smile every bride out there would.
The kiss on her lips to seal their marriage was brief, it was barely a peck. But he couldn't help but notice how soft they were. There was nothing between them and Ichigo felt like it was such a waste. Her beauty gone to waste. Her life gone to waste, trying to live her life for a man who can never love her or love him, in her case.
They were pitiful, Ichigo thought.
The guests at the party afterwards were filled with giddy happiness and excitement. He felt none, only emptiness. His eyes wandered off from his wife until it landed on the pair he had been dying to see for the last couple of days. They were red and Ichigo knew she had been crying. But there was nothing he could do to comfort her, to make her feel better and to reassure her that he was going to be there for her because both of them knew it was impossible.
As an Emperor, having a concubine was against the law.
The fragrance of vanilla and lavender had him turning away from her. Rukia Kuchiki, his newly wedded wife stood beside him, her face cold and void of any emotion.
What a poker face.
He had known all types of women. They say the quieter ones bite harder, right? Who knew, she could have planned all this for the sake of having him all to herself. He wasn't going to let her have her way though.
There was no way.
"Let me tell you something." He turned his body towards her, giving her his full attention.
Ichigo looked straight into her violets eyes and bent down slowly to her level.
"You can never have my heart, sweet wife." He said in a dangerous whisper, his tone warning.
"Right back at you, darling husband." Rukia said with as much ferocity, her eyes as cold as him, maybe even colder.
~0~
"The fate of the sun and the moon has been intertwined." A blonde woman whispered her hands folded on her lap, eyes closed. "There will be blood, wars will break out, children will be ripped from their mothers…fates…will be severed." her voice grew with every word.
"A reign of terror will begin!"
A/N: You guys, just bear with me for a while okay? I hope this was okay. Sorry for the mistakes.
Please read and review! ^^ let me know your thoughts and give me your suggestions.
Ja!