The King's Son (Bleach)

Summary= Prince Ichigo Kurosaki is returning home from his many travels and discovers that another dragon rider lives in one of the caves atop the mountain. They first meet through an unexpected encounter. A few months later, the dragon rider appears again at the castle. She warns the king and offers her services. Ichigo decides to see if she's worthy or not by taking her to the other dragon rider in the kingdom, Ryan. What happens when Ichigo starts to fall for his friend Ruckia and the female rider? What happens when, for Ryan, its love at first sight and he falls head over heals for Raven? Will they be able to save the kingdom? What will happen when a outsider dragon rider breaks away from the clan and runs to the kingdom? What will happen when Karin meets him? Ichigo X Rukia, Ryan X Raven, and Karin X Toshiro

A dragon roars in the distant as Prince Ichigo Kurosaki is returning home. He's used to hearing dragons roar but this roar was different. His horse shrieked and reared up, throwing him from the saddle. He quickly jumped to his feet and tried to calm the chestnut stallion. Ichigo climbed back into the saddle and road to his father's castle. When he arrived he tended to his horse and sought out his friend, Rukia Kuchiki. He found her in the middle of a mass of books, reading something on her laptop.

"Rukia, have you heard the dragon?" he asked, sitting down on a bean bag chair. She looked up and he could tell that she had hardly gotten any sleep.

"Prince Ichigo, you've returned! And yes I have heard the dragon. It's gotten brave enough to hunt in the valleys, but it hasn't come any where near the castle. It's getting closer every day though," she replied closing her laptop, stacking papers, and closing books.

"But why would a dragon hunt in the valleys below but not steal the livestock of the village, steal treasure, or kill villagers?" he asked confused. She only shrugged her shoulders and motioned for Ichigo to follow her. She lead him to the stable and instructed him to saddle his horse while she saddled he black paint stallion, Rosedust. "Chase doesn't like the dragon. He threw me when it roared," he explained.

"Not that one," she said leading a saddled black stallion that had a white blaze down its faces. "Meet The Black," she said as he stroked the stallion's face. Ichigo nodded his thanks and got on while Rukia did the same. She led him up to the cliff and dismounted.

"What are we-" Ichigo was silenced by Rukia who tied up both of their horses. She motioned for him to follow her again and she led him to the edge.

"Look down there," she whispered.

"I don't see anything," he whispered back. Suddenly, a large scaled beast leapt from a cave on the mountain. It shot into the sky and looped. It dipped down towards the ground and made a straight dive to the cliff. As it neared Ichigo seen that the dragon was black. It roared and someone stood up on its back. The person raised their hand and cried out in excitement. Suddenly, the creature's wings gave out. It roared and began to fall from the sky. It tucked its wings and aimed at the cliff. Both the humans below scurried far away from the edge. The dragon's side crashed onto the cliff first, sending its rider, shoulders first, into the ground. The rider's wings spread around it as it plowed through the ground.

?Ichigo's POV

A girl? The rider of the dragon is a girl? She groaned and rolled onto her hands and knees. She shook her head and pulled her wings back onto her back.

" Croxbury, are you ok?" she asked looking over at the scaly beast. Her eyes grew wide and she began to shake. "Croxbury!" she called, rushing to its side. The dragon groaned and rolled onto its side. He looked at his wing and and back at his rider.

?Raven's POV

I took my dragon's head in my lap and stroked it. He purred and nuzzled me for a moment before standing and shaking out his mane if spikes. He folded his wing on his back and looked from the saddle to me.

"We need to get you back to the cave so that we can fix your wing, again," I said mounting up into my simple leather saddle. Suddenly, someone stepped out of the shadows. Croxbury turned till he was facing the boy. He hissed and his mane stood on end. He reared up and roared, spreading and beating his wings. When his paws hit the ground he turned to circle the kid when another stepped out beside him. "Who are you?" I snarled, laying back my ears and licking my fangs.

"I should be asking you that question, considering you're on my land," the orange haired boy said.

"We have done no wrong. We have not stolen from you," I snarled.

"Well, you're insulting the prince," his black haired friend said.

"He's only human. He is no match for a demon and her dragon mount," I snarled back.

"A demon and a lame dragon, what am I gonna do with you," the boy tapped his chin, thinking.

"This," I said, turning my dragon and jumping into the sky. Maybe he couldn't fly but he could still use magic. He ran through the air and touched down outside our cave. We walked to the back and he laid down, extending his injured wing for me to heal.

?Ichigo's POV

I turned to Rukia and shook my head in disgust. That smart aleck little brat dragon rider!

"Sorry about that. She's quite moody," Rukia apologized, grabbing our horses.

"You know her?" I asked.

"Um... Yeah, I was down collecting herbs in the clearing when she came riding down on her dragon to collect herbs. Please, Ichigo don't hurt her. She's the only person that I actually share something in common with that isn't in the castle," she begged as we rode back.

"Why does she hate me?" I asked.

"No offense, but you were kinda a jerk to her. She's the last of her kind, Ichigo," Rukia explained. I nodded and thought about what little I know about her. When we reached the stable, I untacked my horse and headed to bed.

?Rukia's POV

I sighed as the prince walked back to the castle. That went well. If better go help Raven. I grabbed a huge bag of meat and herbs and other medical supplies. I mounted Rosedust and ran to their cave.

"Raven! Croxbury!" I called before entering the cave.

"Who's there?!" she snarled, standing and pulling out her black an golden designed katana.

"Rukia Kuchiki," I replied walking to her. She sheathe her sword and sat down with her head in her hands. "That bad?" I asked. I got a glare. I looked over at Croxbury and noticed that she hadn't done anything to him yet. "Need some help," I asked. She nodded and stood up. I helped her rub the herbs into his wounds and set and bandage his wounds.

"Knowing him, we'll be ready to fly again tomorrow," she smiled at both of their own stupidity. I sighed and told her good bye. She only nodded. A week passed by and we didn't see her in the sky. Another six months and I got worried.

?Ichigo's POV

A few months passed by and we never saw the rider and dragon in the sky. Then in the middle of summer the loudest roar sounded from the mountain. A large red and black serpent dragon emerged from the cave. As it flew into the sky its rider roared. It flew toward the castle grounds and wrapped around a tower, digging its claws into the cobble stone and cracked the tower under its incredible weight. The girl had dark purple hair, black wolf ears and tail, black dragon wings, red eyes, two dark purple looking claw tattoos, long top fangs, long bottom fangs, and sharp teeth. She wore a black tank top, black pants, and a black spiked dog collar. The dragon let loose a jet of blue flames and a roar to go along with. The dragon jumped down into the court yard and sent the servants running.

"We just came to say that we have seen other dragons in the far and near regions of your lands. For a small price we will be of service and rid your land of these beasts," she called from the dragon's back. My father hesitantly stepped into the court yard.

"Dragons? I have never know that there were dragons in this land. Not even yours. This is news to me. What do you know of the dragons that have came?" my father asked surprised that a dragon serpent stood in his court yard. The woman dismounted and walked to her mount's silver mane.

"They have riders. They have stolen livestock, killed villagers, destroyed fields, and are planning on coming here to steal all of this kingdoms riches," she explained.

"Riders?" my father questioned.

"The bound between a dragon and its rider is to special to explain," she snapped.

"Father, I know someone who knows much about dragons, may I take these two to her?" I asked. My father nodded and waved a hand at me. "Come," I said motioning to the rider to follow. She mounted again and her dragon followed. I led her to the training grounds and told her to wait.

"Rayne! Ryan!" I called as I reached the waterfall. A large blue serpent and its rider emerged from the waterfall.

"What is it, Prince Kurosaki?" He asked, both dragon and rider bowing low.

"Rise. A new rider has appeared and claims that dragons are raiding our lands. If you will, would you mind training her and maybe helping them both?" I asked my friend.

"We must see their condition first," his serpent explained. He walked through the forestry making sure not to damage anything.

?Raven's POV

As I laid against the back of my dragon's neck, the sound of heavy foot step could be heard. I leapt to the ground and pulled my sword as my dragon hid in the trees. A blue serpent and rider emerged and I didn't hesitate. I growled, sheathed my sword, and talked the rider to the ground. His dragon roars as mine pinned his neck to the ground. I drew my katana again and held it to the boy's throat.

"Who are you?" I snarled.

"Told you she was moody, Ryan," the prince said, stepping into the clearing. I shook my head and let him up. I reached out a hand and pulled him to his feet while my serpent uncoiled himself from around the other creature's neck. The other stood up in its hind legs and rubbed his neck.

"He has a lot of strength," the elder serpent commented.

"As does she," its rider added.

"That was nothing," Croxbury and I laughed in unison.

"We said you were strong, not that you could match us," the rider snapped. I neared him and we met in between our dragons.

"Oh really? What can a dragon and mere human rider do against a Superior Dragon and a full Moon Demon?" I snarled.

"How about an Emperor Dragon and Water Demon against a Superior Dragon and a Moon Demon? Wait, crap!" the other rider yelped, realizing what we were. Both of us laughed at him. "And how did you come across a Superior Dragon?" the boy asked.

"I raised him," I replied.

"You two can get to know each other later. Rayne, Ryan, what do you think?" Prince Ichigo asked impatiently. The boy's serpent began examining Croxbury while its rider examined me. I stood up proud and tall.

"State your name like your answering the king," the rider commanded.

"Raven Higane," I growled becoming frustrated with a man poking and prodding me here and there, testing my muscles and reflexes. Suddenly, he touched my ribs on my left side and I yelped and cringed in pain but still stood tall and strong.

"That hurt?" He asked concerned. I nodded biting back tears.

"Tell me what you think of her later," the prince growled frustrated by the rider. He only waved a hand at Ichigo and resumed feeling my ribs.

"Sit down," he ordered as my dragon moved behind me. I sat down in the saddle and allowed him to do what he wished with my side. He slipped his hand beneath the bottom of my shirt and felt around while I bit back tears and cries of pain. He pressed a certain area on my side and I yelped in pain. "Have you done anything major that could have caused this pain?" he asked. I nodded as tears spilled from my eyes. "What happened?" he asked.

"A couple months back Croxbury and I were flying. His wing gave out and we crashed onto the top of a cliff. When I came off his back, I was sent sliding into the ground," I told him.

"That would have caused it," he mumbled to himself, barely loud enough to hear.

"What would have? What's wrong with my side?" I asked worried.

"Well, from what I felt, it seems that when you had that bad fall you broke a rib and didn't realize it. Well, as you moved, breathed, and worked you somehow moved it back into place. When it healed it healed a bit crooked but not enough to cause pain. Girls, no offense, aren't really built to have all the muscle and strength that guys have, so as you've worked those muscles they've become bigger and you've become stronger, yes, but as the muscles enlarge they're actually fixing your broken rib. Does that make any sense?" he explained.

?Ryan's POV

She gave me a look that said she was lost but still knew where she was, that she was lost but still half understood what I had told her. Her dragon had the same expression.

"Please repeat that, but this time, say it in English," she asked.

"In other words, you broke a rib and it healed crooked. As your muscles are enlarging they're fixing that crooked rib," I explained again. She looked lost but found. I chuckled a continued to examine her, asking her to stand and testing muscle reflexes and such. "Spread your wings," I commanded. She spread them and allowed me to touch each individual muscle and bone. Rayne began to examine her dragon as well, touching muscles, nosing him here and there, and listening to the scales. He wanted to examine the younger dragon's he's but he wouldn't allow it. Rayne grabbed the dragon's jaw and examined it that way, receiving a growl from Raven. "Relax, Rayne's methods may be harsh but he'd never hurt another rider's dragon unless he saw it necessary," I explained, holding back the ticked off girl. She seemed to relax a bit but was still tense. When we both finished examining rider and dragon we moved in front of the two to tell them our examination.

"Croxbury, you have strong muscles and the hard scales of and adult, though you are still young. Your wings are strong as is your tail. Your eyes are clear and your claws, teeth, horns, and tail are sharp. You pass for my examination," Rayne said, reviewing the young dragon. Croxbury sat back on his paws and smiled in spite of himself.

"Raven, you have good reflexes and strong muscles. Your wings are evenly balanced and strong. You seem to have a bit of a short temper but that can be good sometimes. By your voice your only sixteen, two years younger than myself. You seem determined and will never give up. You pass on my part. With just a bit of training you'll be able to fight enemies twice your size," I said with a smile.

"Told you they wouldn't notice, Croxbury," Raven said to her dragon.

"Shut up," Croxbury replied, gently push his rider.

"Wouldn't notice what?" Rayne and I asked in unison. Raven and Croxbury both lifted up their left hands to show us.

"Our left hands are splayed," they told us in perfect unison.

"A perfect examination, now tainted by fault," Rayne mumbled. Raven climbed onto Croxbury's back and put her feet in the stirrups.

"If you can't accept the fact that our left hands are splayed then tell the king we are of no use. It doesn't matter to us, we'll still fight the trespassers, help or no help," Raven growled, as Croxbury lifted into the air. I leapt into the saddle as Rayne began to follow. She touched down put side a cave and dismounted before walking inside with both her and her dragon's head hung in sadness. She walked to the back of her cave and watched Croxbury curl up like a cat. He lifted his wing to allow Raven to crawl beneath it before laying it back down and covering his nose with his tail. I dismounted Rayne and walked in, hearing my dragon's heavy footsteps as he followed.

"Raven?" I called softly.

"Go away," she replied sadly.

"Croxbury?" Rayne called softly.

"Leave," he growled.

"Raven, please, hear us out," I said.

"Leave us be if you have no good reason," she growled.

"Raven, even if you have a splayed hand that doesn't matter. I mean, look at us. Our right hands are splayed. When Rayne said that he was thinking back to when another dragon rider examined us. The rider's dragon said the same thing and didn't pass us, but I'm passing you. I wasn't given a chance by any riders but I'm trying to fix that by giving you a chance. I don't want you to end up like us," I explained softly.

"I bet you grew up with a family for a while though. We didn't. My parents were human. They seen my ears and tail and tried to kill me," she sounded like she was crying.

"My family did the same," I sighed remembering the pain and torture.

?Ichigo's POV

As I walked out into the court yard, I literally walked into Rukia. We both fell to the ground. We looked at each other for a moment before she began laughing. Before I knew it, we both were laying in the grass laughing. When we finally calmed down enough to sit up I realized how beautiful Rukia was. We heard laughter from above and looked up to see Rayne, Ryan, Raven, and Croxbury laughing. I began to get really jealous. Crap! I've fallen in love with two girls and I barely know one of them! Croxbury's hind-paws touched the ground first, giving the impression that he was rearing. He roared as his front-paws touched and Rayne touched down beside him.

"Prince Ichigo, I pass them. I will personally train them in the air. Would you be so kind as to join us for hand-to-hand combat?" Ryan asked. I nodded and Ryan jumped onto Croxbury's back, placing his hands on the spike in front of Raven. Rukia and I mounted Rayne as Croxbury took to the sky with a great leap, his claws scared the cobblestone as he pushed off.

?Raven's POV

Ryan's arms moved off of the spike in front of us and around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. Croxbury began to growl protectively, swinging his head around to glare at us.

"I'm not hurting her, Croxbury," Ryan said before the half-satisfied dragon turned back around. Suddenly, images of my last boyfriend entered my mind. The blood, the dragon, the flames... his screaming.

[flashback]

"I love you, Raven," Tawny said, pulling me closer. I rested my head on his chest and breathed in his distinctive scent. My ears laid back as my eyes closed and Tawny stroked my hair. Silence washed over us like a wave, but it didn't last long. A roar sounded from out of no where and we both pushed apart and stood back to back with our swords drawn. We glanced around but that was our mistake. A large black dragon took advantage of his slight distraction and dove out of the sky with its claws out to grab Tawny. In one fluid movement I was holding the large creature back with my blade. Tawny froze in fear. Out of nowhere another dragon picked up Tawny in its claws.

"Croxbury!" I called, answered by a plume of flames. I turned my head to see a large wyvern holding Croxbury's head to the ground, suspending him there. I was on my own. The dragon that held Tawny realized that I was distracted dropped Tawny. It flew beneath him and lit the ground on fire. Tawny landed in the middle of the flames. He screamed as another dragon tore him to pieces.

[end flashback]

I shivered at the thought of the painful memory. Ryan wrapped his dark blue wings around me gently.

"You know, we can always skip training for today and head back to the cave," he whispered in my ears.

A/N: Cliff Hanger!