In a kingdom far, far away, there lived a mighty king and his wife. They had everything that one could ask for: a beautiful palace, servants, and all the money in the world. Well...they ALMOST had everything. There was one thing that they wanted, more than anything in the world: a child. For years, they struggled to conceive. Each time was met with a miscarriage, each one worse than the last. After the last one, she broke down crying. Her husband rushes over and pulls her into a tight hug.
"Oh, Katashi, I'm so sorry. I wish I could give you the heir that you so desperately want…" The queen sniffles. Her husband, cold as he is mighty, leans down and whispers into her ear.
"If you don't deliver a child within this year, I shall see to your exile." He lets go of his wife, leaving her sobbing out of fear and sorrow.
It is not only the beloved queen that suffered at the hands of the tyrannical Katashi. All of the working class feared him. His taxes only increased year after year, and he wanted only the finest of things. Many shop owners lost their livelihoods due to him and his pickiness. The village women cried when they sent their beloved daughters to work for him, knowing his abusive tendencies. When those girls received the boot, they were never the same. They flinched whenever someone yelled at them, and feared their own fathers. Some never spoke again, or took their own lives to escape the terrifying nightmares they suffered. The poor queen, she was powerless. However, she was loved by all of the people. If you were to ask some of the village folk, she was the sole reason that they stayed. They could only hope that Katashi died, so she could take charge.
The queen sneaks out of the castle late one night. There was one place that could help her. Making sure to keep her bag of money carefully hidden away, she takes off to the woods, in search of the people who could help her. These mysterious people only made an appearance to a certain few, the beautiful yet melancholy queen being one of the few. After walking quite a way, she stops in a field bathed in moonlight. She sits on a flat rock and patiently waits. A few moments pass, three people walk towards her. Each wore traveling cloaks, making it impossible to distinguish if they were male or female. Once they were near the queen, they each took their cloaks off. It was easy to see that they couldn't have been more different. The first of the trio was male, with bright, spiky orange hair and brown eyes, eyebrows furrowed as if he's constantly angry. His normally peach colored skin looked pale beneath the moonlight. One should not be fooled by his lean build, for he was known for his strength and skill in fighting. Despite this, his demeanor was a peaceful one, but he carried himself as a soldier, his guard never lowering. The second member of the trio had long, bright orange hair and bore a strong resemblance to the first stranger, but her features were a bit softer. She was built elegantly, with a gentle demeanor. Finally, the third stranger made her appearance. She had long, waist length burnt orange hair and brown eyes. Her bangs were pulled back with exquisite hair pins behind her ears. She had a slim, curvy figure which was expertly hidden underneath her thick cloak. Unlike the other two, she had a sweet and pleasant demeanor.
The queen stands and bows.
"Adalina." The first female softly speaks.
"There's really no need…" The second female trails off.
"To be formal with us." The male finishes.
She quickly stands up straight and removes the bag of money from her cloak. The trio stare at her carefully. Adalina opens her mouth to explain the whole story, but the three quickly interrupt her.
"We know." The male starts.
"A child is what you wish for." The first female finishes.
"We're your last hope." The second female calmly says.
"Yes…" Adalina confirms. "Please, good fairies, help me, so that another young woman will not endure his cruelty." She gets on her knees and bows. "I-I brought payment…" She hiccups, her trembling hand holding the bag of money.
They just stare at her. Here was the fair and gentle queen, on her hands and knees, begging for their help. The second female finds herself feel pity for the poor woman, as it was known that she married a power hungry brute. She gets on her knees in front of the queen and gently puts her hand down.
"Fear not, Queen Adalina. We'll help you." She smiles. "You and your family have been kind to us."
Adalina looks up at her, surprised. "R-Really?"
The third fairy nods, her smile even warmer than before. She looks over at her companions, giving them a firm look. The two nod.
"We'll help you." The male began.
"But we have a few conditions." The female finishes.
"Anything. Anything at all!" Adalina proclaims.
"We stay involved in the child's life." The kind fairy states.
"Your new laws will be concerned with the protection of the few fairies that are left." The male and female simultaneously declare.
Adalina quickly nods. "Your conditions will be met."
Nine months later, the kingdom was throwing an extravagant celebration. The king and queen finally bore a child, a daughter. Almost everyone was invited, with the three good fairies being the guests of honor. The baby slept in her cradle, unaware of the fuss she created. Katashi stood tall and proud, rarely leaving his daughter's side. The king from the neighboring kingdom arrives a few minutes later, his young son in tow. Katashi and the other king greet each other.
"Katashi! Finally, old man!" The visiting king laughs, slapping Katashi on the back. "Now my Ulquiorra will have a bride, at long last."
The boy didn't seem too thrilled about this new development. His emerald green eyes carefully examine the tiny infant. His black eyebrows furrow from disgust. Like all little boys, he didn't care for the idea of love and marriage.
"Father." The young prince tug on his father's cloak.
"What is it, Ulquiorra?" He asks, looking down at his son.
"Must I marry this…" He trails off, not quite finding the right word to describe the little princess.
"We'll discuss this later." His father simply replies, shooting his son a certain look.
Finally, it was time to bestow the princess with gifts. The subjects went first, many of them presenting her with beautiful handmade jewelry and clothing. Lastly, the three fairies go to present their gifts to the princess. The kind fairy goes first. Her purple dress gently flutters as she floats over to the princess, who's still sleeping in her cradle.
"I, the fairy Orihime, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: the gift of beauty." She waves her wand over the sleeping infant, a warm blue light surrounding the princess. After a few moments, the light goes away.
The other female floats forward to the princess, her white dress barely touching the ground.
"I, the fairy Hatsune, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: the gift of song." She waves her wand over the infant princess, a warm white glow surrounding the babe. After a few moments, the glow dims and vanishes.
Just before the male fairy can deliver his gift, a loud roar emanates from the middle of the room.
When everyone turned in that direction, bright white flames appeared. The flames die down and a man stands where the flames were not a moment ago. This man, like the three good fairies, appeared to be human, with some fairy characteristics: pointed ears, prominent cheekbones and inhumanly gorgeous eyes. Unlike the three fairies, he had horns growing from his head. His horns were raven colored and pointed at the tip. This man radiated evil. For you see, this man was an evil fairy. He even dressed the part, with his brown hair styled back and his brown eyes colder than ice. He scans the room, a cold smile appearing on his face. The intruder wore black, tight garments, almost like the clothes the king himself was wearing. One hand holds a scepter. He laughs a little, making everyone's blood run cold.
"Well," he purrs. "It seems that I arrived just in time. He says nonchalantly, dusting some dust off his shoulder. The room was so silent that baby Natsumi's soft breathing could be heard by everyone in the room. The intruder turns to the horrified parents.
"I apologize for my tardiness. Travel is so unpredictable." He chuckles a little, snapping his fingers. His traveling cloak floats off his back and disappeared in a puff of smoke. He rubs his hands.
"Now then." He says, opening his mouth to speak again. Katashi quickly cuts him off.
"What are you doing here, Aizen?" The king asks coldly, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Adaline pulls her baby girl into her arms.
"Why, I'm here to attend this lovely social gathering. It's not every day that a princess is born." He smiles coldly.
"You weren't invited." Katashi practically hissed.
Silence. Aizen's eyes widened slightly, his smile fading. After a few tense moments, Aizen offers a faint smile. Everyone, including Orihime, Hatsune, and the male fairy, anxiously hold their breath.
"Oh my. What an awkward situation." He snaps his fingers and his cloak appears again. His scepter glows.
"Leave at once." Katashi commands.
"But of course." He fastens his cloak again.
Katashi and Adalina visibly relax. Aizen clears his throat.
"Before I leave, I also have a gift for the princess." Aizen purrs, his scepter glowing a bright red. Katashi can't help his curiosity.
"What kind of gift?" He asks, his eyebrow arching.
"Oh, a little something that I made." Aizen shrugs. A paintbrush appears beside him, an ominous purple light surrounding it.
"A paintbrush?" Adalina asks, confused.
"Not just any paintbrush. The best paintbrush in my collection. This paintbrush will give me the greatest art piece of all." His eyes focus on the infant in her mother's arms.
"Stop speaking in riddles, man!" Katashi yells, his face beginning to turn red. Adalina says nothing, her brain processing the riddle.
"I'm a very patient art collector. I shall collect my piece in sixteen years. I just love art pieces involving princesses." He smiles coldly.
Adalina quickly puts it together. "No! Not my daughter, y-you FIEND." She pulls Natsumi close to her chest, turning her around to somehow protect her
"One touch of this paintbrush, and your daughter will be the most exquisite piece in my collection. You poor, poor, fools!" He chuckles, vanishing in a flurry of white flames.
The room erupts in a panic. Adalina holds her daughter tightly, causing the babe to cry out from the pain. Katashi yells for guards to chase after the wicked fairy. The three fairies set to work, making their wands produce loud, booming noises, getting everyone's attention. The male fairy rushes forward, his orange robes flying behind him. The princess begins to cry, as if the gift from Aizen physically pained her.
"I cannot undo Aizen's spell." He sounds apologetic. "But I can do this, since I haven't given the princess my gift." He gently turns the queen around, forcing her to loosen her grip on the child.
"I, the fairy Ichigo, present Princess Natsumi with my gift: that her life be spared. Instead of becoming marble or stone, she shall enter eternal slumber until True Love's kiss awakens her." A warm orange light surrounds the princess, who finally opens her eyes. They were brown, like both of her parents' eyes. They scan the room curiously. Adalina springs into action.
"Thank you all for coming. We're grateful for your generous and beautiful gifts. You may leave." Seeing the look on their fair and gentle queen's face, they all went home, save for the three fairies. They rush to the king and queen's sides.
"We have to destroy all paintbrushes! At once!" Katashi proclaims, his hands balling into fists.
"A good idea." Ichigo agrees.
"She'll have guards around her at all times." Adalina inputs, holding Natsumi close. Orihime shakes her head in disagreement.
"She can't stay here. This is the first place Aizen would attack." Orihime firmly states.
"T-Then what do we do?" Adalina trembles a little. Natsumi coos, fussing a little.
All three fairies share a look with each other and nod.
"Your Majesties…" Ichigo begins.
"We have a solution." Hatsune finishes.
"Please tell us." Adalina pleads.
"We'll raise Natsumi, in a cottage in the woods." Orihime states.
"NO." Katashi angrily replies. "I'm not having my daughter raised by creatures!" He slams his fist on a nearby table. The noise frightens his daughter, who begins to cry. He whips around and glares at the crying girl. "Be quiet, girl! No heir of mine cries!" He roars at her. Her cries only grow louder. This was enough to make his gentle wife snap.
"SHUT UP! That damn fist slamming scared her! And will you listen to them? Their plan is the only option we have, Katashi. We can't lose her." Her lip quivers slightly. Katashi grumbles, furious at his wife for humiliating him in front of the fairies. Adalina kisses her daughter's forehead, looking at her for the last time.
"We shall follow your plan. With one request: you bring her back on her sixteenth birthday so she may be officially crowned."
The three fairies nod.
"But of course." They agree. Adalina turns to her infant daughter. She whispers in her ear. "I love you, my little princess." She kisses her daughter's forehead again. She then hands her daughter to her husband, who just holds her and memorizes every detail of her. It was later said that he devoted most of his time to drawing endless sketches of his daughter, to preserve her memory and possibly guess who she would resemble in the future.
The princess was smuggled out of the palace in the dead of night, under the cover of moonlight. The next morning, King Katashi declared that every last paintbrush would be turned in and burned. The whole kingdom obliged and turned in their brushes to be burned. All of the materials needed to create paintbrushes were destroyed as well, artists were forced to redo their craft. Katashi's reign of iron was about to get worse.
The three fairies arrive at their cottage, the princess fast asleep in her blankets. They gently put her in a cradle, then stare at each other, unsure of what to do next. They've never cared for a child before, let alone a newborn infant.
"Well Orihime...this was your plan. What do you suggest we do?" Hatsune crosses her arms over her chest.
"Let me think…" Orihime responds rubbing her temples.
Ichigo just stares at the child, slowly falling in love with the little girl. He decides to speak up.
"We'll need to rename her. So no one will suspect a thing." Ichigo states, gently putting his finger in her tiny hand.
"An alias! That's a brilliant idea, Ichi-nii!" Hatsune beams.
"But what should we name her?" Orihime asks.
"I like the name Rukia…" Ichigo trails off once he sees the looks on his companions' faces.
"That name doesn't suit her." Hatsune states rather firmly.
Orihime snaps her fingers. "I got it! How about Lizabeth?" She suggests, her whole face lighting up.
All three of them beam. "Perfect!" They proclaim in unison.
Hatsune then gets an idea.
"Guys, I have an idea for the perfect cover: no magic."
Orihime and Ichigo look horrified.
"No magic?" Ichigo asks.
"How will we function?" Orihime questions.
"We'll have to adjust to human life. How hard can it be?" Hatsune shrugs her shoulders.