Prologue
Petals.
Drenched with fresh rain, shimmering with warm colours, soaring on top of the serene waters.
Her private garden was blooming with flowers—hidden and assorted with lush green leaves. Raindrops fell like tears from the morning grey sky—gently sliding down her pale skin and drenching her inky hair. Her figure sat on the cold three-step stairs that lead to a beautiful pond with petals and several lotus floating around.
She sat with a circular tray made out of pure gold, containing petals from sakura trees and other kinds of flowers. The aura was refreshing—rain, flowers, and the pond combined. It calmed her body and slightly made her forget the reason behind this ritual she practiced every morning. A folded letter with ink smudging the sides rested in the middle of the tray, perfectly placed with four-leaf clovers crossed. She stared longingly at the crumbled piece of paper before extending her hand to place the tray in the pond.
It floated on top of the calm water, traveling at its own pace as the early morning rain drowned the letter and petals with its water. She rested her hands on her lap as she stared silently at the departing tray—thinking of all the words written on the letter and how simple but coherent they were. Her violet irises stared at the faded grey sky stained with iris—indicating the start of a new day filled with nothing but rain and tasks to be completed.
Empress Shiba-Auris Rukia, the Head of the Auris Clan and rightfully the Shiba Clan in the absence of an heir. A widowed Empress who ruled independently and valued her country's opinions. With a marriage that lasted for roughly ten years, a palace and society depending on her reign, and the demand of an heir—Empress Shiba-Auris Rukia shunned her own society from their unrealistic values upon women. The death of her husband, Emperor Shiba Kaien seemed to do nothing more but stimulate her spiritually to continue his reign as honorably as she could.
The three years spent without his presence seemed to keep her heart yearning for his miraculous return, even if she knew that he was gone—resting or preferably drowning in an ocean as he had wished. She stood up and silently bidded the tray farewell, before turning around and entering her chambers—soaked with rain, but faintly grinning.
She eyed her reflection in the mirror, noticing the lone leaf with a single raindrop placed in her hair. She observed it silently as the raindrop slid like a tear, prompting memories of her fragile state when the lifeless body of her husband laid in a crate. She instantly dismissed the memories and prepared herself for the arrival of her devoted Lady—Lady Iri.
As predicted, the soft sound knocking at her door was the young ink-haired woman with dusty plum irises—shy, but extremely determined. She bowed her head in respect before walking towards the Empress.
"Good morning, my Lady." Lady Iri said as her eyes softly met her Empress. Rukia smiled at her faithful friend before walking closer to her to shatter the barrier of boundaries.
"Good morning, Lady Iri. Did you sleep well?" Rukia softly asked, earning a reassuring smile and a nod.
"Yes, did you, my Lady?" Lady Iri responded shyly. The Empress only nodded and returned to her dresser in preparation for Lady Iri to arrange her hair in her traditional style. She reached for the brush and handed it to her friend before relaxing her shoulders and allowing her Lady to do the rest.
Her hair was bathed in a thick plum blossom liquid in a wooden barrel—nourishing her hair and leaving a sweet fragrance to linger. The back of her neck shivered in reaction to the droplets of water that came from the tips of her dark hair.
She savored the fresh aura of rain that was still left on her skin—treasuring it before the plum blossom perfume erased it. She stared into the mirror—watching her hair being pulled to the back with a few tendrils framing her face. The silky silhouettes that fringed her face were then encircled by a crafted gold hairpiece—given to her by her father.
As the remaining plain strands were moved out of her face and placed accordingly, the gold pendant that forged a crescent moon and a blaring sun was outlined with white, shimmered. The faint light wasn't powerful, but the very essence of it was strong enough to make the pendant glimmer. It was gift—something given to her by someone she treasured deeply. Someone who was able to reflect light off the shattered glass pieces of her heart. It was the epitome of beauty, itself. Something she never took off since the day it was placed.
As her slender fingers fiddled with the necklace, she noticed that her hair was done.
Her hair was clipped on the back, embellished with beautiful hair pieces that were dark purple and gold—perfectly placed, but heavy in weight. Long strands of her inky hair framed the sides of her face, along with a single strand that parted between her eyes. The discoloured sections of her face were now balanced with her fair tone and her dreary eyes were now vibrant with its violet shade. From a yearning and passive wife, she turned into the strong and beautiful Empress her subjects knew.
Lady Iri stared at the beauty of her Empress in awe—jealous of her grace and her kind heart. The Empress was truly a masterpiece, with or without the lavish jewelry gifting her figure. The Empress turned away from the mirror and grinned at her Lady.
"Thank you." She kindly said as she got up. Lady Iri bowed and began to clean the mess she had made of scattered jewelry pieces on her Lady's dresser. As she cleaned the mess, another knock was heard—Lady Rangiku and Lady Nanao entered their Empress' room, indulged in their own conversation before taking notice of Lady Iri.
"Lady Iri! I didn't think you were here yet!" Lady Rangiku spoke with her spirited voice before hugging the young woman with long black hair. Lady Nanao used her index finger to push her glasses further up her nose before speaking.
"Lady Rangiku, don't be so loud—Empress Rukia likes silence in the morning." Lady Nanao reminded as a stack of papers rested between the space of her chest and arms.
"Empress Rukia is awake." Lady Rangiku reminded as she headed towards the Empress' walk-in closet, containing kimonos, yukatas, and jewelry.
"Yes, but still. You shouldn't speak so loudly when it's so early in the morning, plus you might wake u -"
"Which one looks better? The purple one or the blue one?" Lady Rangiku asked Lady Iri with two kimonos in her hands—displaying them to her fellow Lady to choose for their Empress who had temporarily disappeared.
"Are you even listening to me?" Lady Nanao questioned Lady Rangiku in disbelief with a faint white light glistening from her oval-shaped glasses.
"Huh? Did you say something, Lady Nanao?" Lady Rangiku questioned as her powder blue eyes met the fuming figure of her friend. Disbelief washed over her entire body as Rangiku stared in confusion.
"Wh—Nevermind." Lady Nanao quickly discarded as she walked over to Lady Iri.
"I like the purple one." Lady Iri commented as she gazed at the silky fabric of the kimono. She took note of the fact that she had embellished purple and gold hairpieces into the Empress' hair and the fact that Persian blue joined with grape purple was not an enticing combination.
"I agree, the purple one looks beautiful." Lady Nanao agreed as Rangiku received accessories from her Empress' closet to complete the look to her liking. She was the creator of most of the kimonos that were placed in the closet, after all. The designs were chosen specifically by her as well as the jewelry made from precious stones—carved into unique and elemental objects. The Empress loved Lady Rangiku for her quality of making everything beautiful. From the colour to the stones, she loved all of her work.
Rangiku hummed as she pulled out a few jewelry pieces to complete the outfit before the entrance of the Empress caught her attention.
"Empress Rukia!" She greeted cheerfully as the widowed ruler walked in with a tender smile. She engulfed the petite woman into one of her suffocating hugs, one that almost ruined her hair. The Empress had four ladies that served as her servants and friends in the palace. They were the only ones allowed to call her by her first name and touch her without permission. Lady, Igarashi Iri, Matsumoto Rangiku, Ise Nanao, and Hinamori Momo were the four leading ladies that were granted a status of nobility as her loyal ladies.
Lady Nanao and Iri bowed in respect before joining the hug and pulling apart.
"Let's get you changed." Iri suggested as the women encircled the Empress.
"We wouldn't want you to be late for your meeting." Rangiku added as she removed the white kosode from her master.
"Meeting?" Empress Rukia asked in confusion as she stared at Lady Nanao who was responsible for all of her conferences and agreements. The young Lady nodded her head in response to her master's plum orbs before parting her mouth to speak.
"Yes, the Auris Elders have called a meeting with the Head of the Auris Clan to discuss a future political alliance with another noble clan. Apparently they've received several offers in terms of a political marriage." As soon as the words left Lady Nanao's mouth, the Empress regretted asking. The term 'marriage' seemed to be the only word the Elders could not stop discussing. Traditional values were significant to them as the reigning clan. And according to those traditions, an Empress needed an Emperor to reign.
She spent three years successfully ruling her country independently, on top of being the Head of two high-ranking noble clans—yet the Elders could not respect her wishes and stop discussing her marriage and a future heir. The topic was one that she wished to avoid for the rest of her reign, and her entire life. She sighed as the white robe she wore was stripped from her skin and replaced with the silky fabric of her kimono.
"When is it?" Rukia simply questioned as Rangiku tied the amethyst obi at her back. She was hoping it was after breakfast so she could have time to construct a persuasive speech that would convince the Elders to deny any marriage requests. But as the universe would have it, it was most likely before breakfast due to the Elders' morning work ethic.
"In fifteen minutes." As expected, before breakfast. She lowered her gaze as her body was draped with a plum-coloured kosode with circular blush-coloured designs – contrasting well with the amethyst obi and the hairpieces in her hair. Rangiku stepped back to admire her work as Lady Iri adjusted the hairpieces that were slightly slanted due to Rangiku's hug.
"Empress Rukia, forgive me for asking but, will you ever get married again?" Lady Iri asked, uncertain if she would answer the question or dismiss her for it. She retracted her pale fingers from the Empress' hair and glared at her as she awaited an answer. The room got silent as the ladies surrounding her waited patiently.
"No." She simply replied as she headed towards the door. Not again—not ever.
"But...what about Ichigo?" Rangiku said in a concerned tone as she thought about the orange-haired warrior that the Empress had foolishly surrendered herself to. Lord Kurosaki Ichigo—her most trusted guard and one of the many Lords that lead the Empress' army. He was in love with her. Foolishly, helplessly, and completely in love. She was the wife of his cousin, a man who she had visibly loved with all her heart—a man that he strikingly resembled. But regardless, his protection of her never withered or failed, even if he knew (or assumed) that she would never feel the same. After a night of comfort and the breath-taking view of the painted sunrise glistening in his eyes, she had weakly surrendered her heart, body, and soul with a promise to him under the crescent moon. Even if it was nothing but an affair, she felt something too—something she hadn't felt in a long while. Lady Rangiku knew of Ichigo's intention of marrying her. His love for her was the source of his very strength and the kindness within his eyes. She was his every thing—a priceless artifact that couldn't be replaced. However, the Empress refused to marry anyone—even if it was someone she potentially loved. Her heart was forbidden.
The pendant resting near her neck slightly shimmered in response to the sunrise that was fighting off the rain—the storm in her heart, that would soon be vanished.
The Empress slightly turned her head, fiddling with the necklace before she spoke. "Ichigo will...understand."
The rain fell harder.
"Lord Kurosaki is a very determined man, he won't stop at nothing until he gets to call you his wife." Lady Nanao responded to her master's words as the protective nature of the warrior reminisced in her mind.
Raindrops slid like tears.
"Lady Nanao is right, is he aware of your desire to not marry?" Lady Iri questioned as she took a step closer to her master.
"No...but, he can't defy my orders—I am an Empress and he's a warrior—Ichigo will just have to understand." She softly spoke as the realization hit her. She never talked to Ichigo about marriage or what she hoped for them to be in the future. Every time they were together she avoided sentimental topics—preferring to be the Rukia who was free, instead of the Rukia who was caged like a bird. Strangely, even now with the realization striking her, she still refused to discuss the matter. Why couldn't they just be Ichigo and Rukia —nothing less, nothing more.
"But h—"
"He will understand." Empress Rukia kindly cutted Lady Iri off in an attempt to tell her she didn't want to be asked more questions. Lady Iri took note of her master's warning tone and stepped back.
"I will escort you to your meeting, we shouldn't keep the Elders waiting." Nanao said as Lady Rangiku and Iri bowed to their Empress in respect—sending her off with a warm smile, despite the vague atmosphere and the faded yellow sky. The Empress returned their gesture before saying a few last words.
"Will you join me for breakfast in the gardens after the meeting?" The Empress asked.
"Of course!" Rangiku said optimistically which glistened the Empress' mournful aura. With one last farewell, Lady Nanao and Empress Rukia left her chambers—preparing herself for anything the Elders had in stored.
"Marriage is inevitable—despite your successes we cannot allow you to reign as a widowed Empress any longer. You need to produce an heir and if you are married, your husband can provide you with that." The Elder known as her great uncle – Auris Naosuke said. She mentally sighed in grievance at his words—every time she entered this room, those were always the first words that left his mouth. The desperation for her to agree was finally sinking in.
"Producing an heir isn't my primary concern—it's my future husband that concerns me. I have no intention in dishonoring my husband's memory by replacing him with a new Emperor." Empress Rukia replied in an attempt to use guilt to persuade her clan. And it was true—she had no intention of dishonoring her husband's memory by replacing him. Emperor Shiba Kaien would not be disgraced—she would not allow it to happen. As his wife, he had entrusted his heart to her and that was where it would stay.
"And how long do you intend on reigning as a widowed Empress? That's a disgrace to our clan's values and will result in no heir." Her great aunt, Auris Sarumi snapped with her olive-coloured eyes. Black tendrils framed her face, joined with streaks of grey.
"I understand, but I don't see why it's so difficult to comprehend that an Empress can rule without an Emperor. An heir can be produced at any time without a political marriage being issued." She replied. The Empress refused to accept the Elders' sexist traditional values—holding the Emperor at a higher rank in their social hierarchy charts—Shinokosho, the four divisions of their society. Her reign was not going to be defined by her Emperor. Her decisions and her achievements would define her historic legacy.
"We have no difficulty in accepting you as our ruler as we have stated before. However, an Empress needs an Emperor to rule and handle individual tasks—neglecting this tradition is not an option, it's mandatory as the ruler of this country and the Head of two noble clans." The Elder, Naosuke said. Her eyes scowled, but her face remained cold. They were lying—lying only to please her ears. When her mother first announced her pregnancy, the Elders' were visibly expecting a boy—a male heir was what they desired. But instead, they were given a female heir and no parents to reproduce another child. To continue the Auris legacy, their sexist traditions were forced to be broken which lead to the bitterness they harbored till this day.
"Mandatory as an Empress and Head of two noble clans or mandatory as a woman?" She asked valiantly as she stared into the ash-coloured eyes of her uncle. She was respected—a female warrior with a country depending on her reign. She was the Head of two noble clans and ran a country by herself, yet the Elders still couldn't acknowledge her as an Emperor's equal.
"Both. You need to produce an heir and you need an Emperor to rule. And we will not allow an illegitimate heir to be produced by someone of your status and a commoner." Naosuke replied. Illegitimate—an heir produced by a noble and someone lower in rank. She had thought about producing an heir, long before the Elders had requested her to marry. It was easier than remarrying and would supply, her share of happiness. She fiddled with the necklace, allowing the gold to run along her silky fingertips as she glared.
"I refuse to marry and grant someone the status that rightfully belongs to my late husband, Emperor Shiba Kaien. We are dishonoring his legacy and we are dishonoring my status as a wife." She bitterly said after releasing her necklace. Women were not allowed to have another relationship outside of marriage. It was strictly forbidden and was cited as a disgrace if a wife ever committed the crime of adultery. Her affair with Lord Kurosaki was in fact, illegal—she was disobeying the rules created for her society and shaming her status as a woman and ruler. But she did not care. Men were allowed to have a wife and a mistress but were never shamed. While the women of her society were thrown in a baishun yado (brothel) with courtesans, the men were honored for having a slaved wife and a beautiful mistress.
"Empress Shiba-Auris! We have respected your wishes and allowed you to mourn your husband's death for three years. In return, you are to be married and produce an heir to continue our family's legacy." Sarumi said as she stared in disgust at her niece—the same disgust she harbored ever since her birth.
"And if I refuse?" Rukia challenged.
"You cannot! This is mandatory." Auris Kachishi said, glaring through her oval-shaped glasses.
"I am young, I do not wish to produce an heir at this age." Rukia debated as the eyes of the Elders glared at her. She stood there—vulnerable in the middle as the Elders sat in a circular formation on higher ground.
"You are not obligated to produce an heir in your first year of marriage. However, your marriage is mandatory and certainly you are not too young for that." Sarumi snapped.
"You married Emperor Shiba Kaien at the age of fourteen and stayed married for ten years. You are fully capable of remarrying." Kachishi added in addition to her sister's comment.
"The Shiba Elders have already given their consent to your marriage to another man and are allowing you to hold your position as the Head of their clan in respect to your late husband's wishes." Naosuke said, hoping that the mention of her husband's clan would alter her mind.
"The Shiba Elders consent does not mean I have to marry at this age." Rukia argued. They...agreed to this?
"You cannot continue to isolate your duty as the Empress and Head of the Auris and Shiba clan. This is inevitable, Empress Shiba-Auris—you are to be wedded without delay." Auris Masayuri said.
"This is negotiable." She said.
"I'm afraid not, we are not open to any further discussion about your future as an Empress without a reigning Emperor. You are to be wedded—wedded to the Head of the Kuchiki clan and that is our final order." Masayuri replied.
She froze. "The Head...of the Kuchiki clan?"
"Kuchiki Byakuya, the Head of the Kuchiki clan and a prestige samurai warrior." Naosuke elaborated as he read from a thin sheet of paper in front of him. Rukia blinked blankly at the familiar name, remembering her study of the Kuchiki clan's long history of greatly established samurai warriors and the cultured traditions of their family. Slowly returning to reality, she prepared herself to reply—visibly scrunching her face to express her disbelief.
"I do not wish to marry based on a political arrangement made by the Elders of the Kuchiki clan and the Elders of my clan." She argued.
"This political marriage is crucial to our economy and is beneficial for both clans. If you were to choose a groom, you would never be wedded. Unfortunately for you, we have accepted their offer in confirmation of our alliance. Therefore, you are now politically engaged to the Head of the Kuchiki clan, Kuchiki Byakuya." Kachishi said.
"Without my consent?" She asked with dismay and irritation eclipsing her cold eyes.
"Your consent was not necessary. The Head of the Kuchiki clan is a formidable man who will be able to provide you an heir and a historic reign. You should have no complaints, Empress Shiba-Auris." Sarumi said.
"I do not agree to this marriage. I will consult the Kuchiki clan immediately and voice my own refusal." Rukia said with an angered tone. The Kuchiki clan would have to find another suitable woman to be the Head's bride, because she would not marry him—she rather die.
"You will not." Sarumi argued.
"An auspicious date has already been set. You are to be wedded to Kuchiki Byakuya in seven days." Naosuke spoke. An auspicious date...they had this planned all along. She wondered how long this engagement was set in place without her knowing. Days...Weeks...Months...Years? The Elders' were a sly council of people, she didn't even bother asking in fear of knowing the answer.
The Empress' eyes widened—turning a shade darker as the thought finally sank in. "Seven days?! There has to be another option. I never agreed to make this man my husband."
The mere thought of the idea was insufferable. The Elders' clearly could not comprehend her mind. She was getting married—to another man—who was going to be the Emperor.
"We can no longer offer you any possible alternatives. All the arrangements are in place, in seven days you will become Empress Kuchiki-Auris Rukia and your husband, Kuchiki Byakuya will be the Emperor."
Their words were coherent enough for her to understand—unfortunately too coherent. She would no longer be Empress Shiba-Auris—she would no longer be a Shiba. She would be Empress Kuchiki-Auris, ruling alongside the new Emperor—her husband, Kuchiki Byakuya. Desperation was evident in her eyes, the meeting was concluding and she had no other argument that could possibly make them reconsider. They willingly conducted this meeting—fully aware that they had made an agreement of marriage without the pending bride aware of it. In a moment of desperation, she thought about the shinokosho —taking note that they had claimed he was a samurai.
"He is a samurai—he is still associated with a lower class despite his noble blood." Rukia said.
"A prestigious samurai—skilled and trained. He is a Diamyo and his grandfather, Kuchiki Ginrei was a Shogun—a class below the Emperor and his Empress. He is the most formidable husband you could possibly have." Sarumi said.
"I fear he will not be able to adapt to the traditional values of our clan." She said—fully aware that she had lost. Her comment was foolish. Something created with the last spark of hope that was left in her heart. The Elders could tell she was desperate, her comment alone told them she was still trying to resist her fate.
"This is compulsory, Empress Shiba-Auris. We will not negotiate this arrangement any longer. You are to wed Kuchiki Byakuya, Head of the Kuchiki clan and samurai warrior in seven days. And that is our final order, you are dismissed."
And as the sound of the gravel echoed in the room, the Empress stared—realizing she had lost.
End Note
Welcome to The Emperor of Her Heart's prologue! This is a ByaRuki and IchiRuki story that takes place during the Japanese Edo Period.
This is rated M for lemon because it is a necessity—especially if ByaRuki and IchiRuki are involved so please be cautious if you are uncomfortable with that.
CAUTION: ByaRuki will not be acknowledged as siblings, this is a story based on their romantic relationship. If you do not feel comfortable reading, then simply do not read. And please do not call it incest because must I remind you they are not blood-related and Rukia is his sister-in-law.
Images For This Chapter — To view the image(s) used in this chapter to help visualize scenery, clothing, or expressions, go onto kagomesangos Tumblr and click the page titled The Emperor of Her Heart.
- Rukia's pond/petals/tray/entrance/stairs/leaves/morning sky outside her bedroom
- The cover of The Emperor of Her Heart.
Thank you for reading and please review!
-NairaRains/kagomesangos