Title – Bittersweet Betrayal
Disclaimer – No owning here.
Summary – AU. The Kuchiki's is one of the top noble families in England; their youngest daughter Rukia is betrothed to the King of England, but hell arises when she falls in love with another man.
Author's Note – Based on The Other Boleyn Girl. Of course this is all Alternate Universe so nothing is really historical facts, just the time frame and a couple of names, like King Henry.
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It was a perfectly sunny day outside, but rather windy, creating a chilly atmosphere. The wind wished about blowing the grass that stood at about four feet tall way beyond the massive castle. The hills around the castle provided some protection against most outsiders and helped warn the prior occupants of intruders. The massive castle in the center was The Kuchiki Manor, the top Noble mansion in all of England.
In the center where the horse stables were and a huge area of wide open space of beautiful fruit trees and shrubbery of all kinds were three children running around playing in the fields. Being watched by them were two fairly young men walking about keeping an eye out on the children. The taller man was the head of the mansion, Sir Thomas Kuchiki, the other man was the Duke Samson for King Kaien VII. He was Thomas Kuchiki's cousin who has arrived for a visit, and with a plan…
"Ah! You cheated! You always cheat!" A little girl with long black hair pulled back in a braid pouted on the ground where she apparently fell.
"Aw come on, I didn't cheat, you just can't run in that girly dress!" A boy also with black hair also laughed pointing at his sister.
The smallest of the two with longer black raven hair then the taller girl came running towards them and started laughing helping her sister up. They all laughed when the smaller sister tripped on a branch and fell on her behind.
"Children! Can you come here please!?" The head of the house, Thomas Kuchiki called, waving towards his children.
The three children all stopped playing tag and looked towards their father. The children all looked relatively young, no older then ten.
"These are my children, of course you remember when my eldest son was born, since you were there. Byakuya say hello to your cousin." He patted his sons head and smiled, "He's nine already, can you believe it?" He took a step over to the girl in the middle wearing a beautiful dark blue silk dress, smaller then her brother, "And this beautiful girl you should remember I wrote to you when she was born, her name is Hisana quite a shy girl wouldn't believe she's only seven." He lovingly nudged her cheek and walked on toward the tiniest daughter wearing a frilly tan silk dress with dark mud smudges all over it and several tears from playing too hard, "This is her Samson, Rukia, my youngest daughter only four years old. Don't let her age deceive you she's quite the trouble maker." He smiled lovingly towards his tiny daughter.
"So this is her… the King would like to meet her soon." Samson kneeled down to look Rukia in the face, "Do you know who the king is child?"
"No…" she spoke softly shying closer to her sister.
Samson smiled and stood up, "No need to be shy child, soon you will have a nice life indeed if all goes well."
"Where is my sister going?" Byakuya asked glaring hard at the man. His father, Thomas stood behind him holding his shoulders.
"Now Byakuya, don't worry. Your sister has something simply amazing in store for her!" He smiled happily and stood tall reaching his hand out to lean on his cousin's shoulder.
"What a fine lad! He'll make a fine Duke someday!" Samson cried joyfully.
The two older men walked away leaving three very stunned and confused children.
"What do you think Samson?" Thomas asked still holding onto his cousin's shoulder.
"Just what the king wants for his son. We'll have them meet and let everything fall into place. This will be a perfect marriage! Not only will it help with the King's status and his son's, but it will help our family's growth progress!! We'll be living our lives the way we should!"
"Oh… Samson… we'll have to discuss this later on then, my wife… you see…" Thomas Kuchiki said quietly staring at his wife, Lady Penelope standing in front of the doors leading inside.
"Very well then cousin, we shall meet very soon with the King and your daughter. Until then sir!" He waved one last time before gathering his horse.
"Children! Come along then, dinner shall be ready soon!" Thomas called out to his children signaling their play time over.
Pouting the children slowly followed their father into the house.
"How dare you!!" Her voice was shrill and high unlike her normal soft and drifty voice that floated into his ears.
"Penelope this is good for our children! This is perfect for you and me!" Thomas cried running up to his disgruntled wife. The children have long since been put to bed, that was when his wife interrogated him.
They stood in the library attempting to keep it down so their children could sleep in peace.
"You think auctioning off our daughters is good for them?!" she whirled around letting her long burgundy dress whip around with her hips, "My baby is only four years old and you are already thinking about sending her off to be married to the future King!! Are you mad?! Is money and power the only thing you can think of?! We have power and money, but you won't settle?! Do you know what the King does to his wives currently?!"
"Rukia is strong willed and brilliant, she will prevail against the weak hearted ones King Kaien has had."
"This is going to end badly. Why not Hisana? Why pick our youngest?!" She angrily glared at him.
"Hisana is already betrothed to the son of a Duke! That means soon our daughter will be a Duchess!" Thomas stood up excitedly.
Penelope frowned and shook her head, "You watch Thomas, this is going to end up badly. This is going to end in heartache and shame. You watch." She said and left her husband to dwell in his ideas.
TEN YEARS LATER
"Oh my baby sister, you are growing up so fast!" A young woman with shiny dark brown hair, looking almost black cried hugging a much smaller woman with raven black hair.
The taller woman was wearing a gold silk dress with white silk covering the top of her breasts, and her hair was pulled up in a tight braid/bun. She was currently brushing the smaller woman's hair that hung way below her waist. Her dress was a dark blue, almost as dark blue like her eyes, the shimmer on the dress looked as if it were glowing violet which brought out the younger woman's dark blue violet eyes.
"Is it scary? Your wedding night?" the smaller woman asked helping the other woman put on a tiny crown with jewels and a veil floating down covering her long raven hair.
"Do not worry baby sister, my wedding night with my husband was beautiful. I was nervous at first but he is still young, give him a little while before he actually makes a move. Remember Rukia, Prince Kaien is only a boy."
She rolled her eyes, "I've never met a boy at the age of eighteen," Rukia turned around to look at her older sister, Hisana, "I don't want to get married. Papa told me it's for the good of our country …. But… Hisana I'm only fourteen I don't want to get married to a Prince! Because that means… I'll be queen…" her voice shook slightly at the word queen.
Hisana frowned and drew her baby sister in her arms, "Never you fear Rukia, I will be with you forever." She stroked Rukia's cheek and drew back to look her in the eyes, dark brown met Violet eyes, "it will be hard, but I am sure papa has his reasons for choosing you to be the next Queen, he could have denied it all, but I think he was doing this for your own good." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I thought you liked Prince Kaien…"
Rukia rolled her eyes and stood up, leaving her long dark blue dress follow in her step, "I love Kaien as a brother! I've grown up with him meeting him every summer come year and I am barely fourteen and am forced to marry him! One can say it's an odd feeling." She stopped walking and turned towards her sister with a smirk on her face, "Like marrying Byakuya!!" The girls screeched and laughed at their older brother who was always so stiff and stoic. He was like the old Kuchiki's, not like their father or mother. Their mother was a peaceful playful woman, strong and willful minded never once stepping down and always having a loving word or touch. Their father was a kind man, not as stoic as their brother, but he was somewhere near there. They never wanted to get on Papa's bad side, because he was rather shifty when angry.
"What are you girls doing in here?" A soft voice asked through the door. It was their mother. A beautiful woman with the darkest shade of raven hair. her eyes were a deep purple that looked almost midnight blue. She was thin and tiny, just like her daughters, but her youngest daughter, Rukia, was the one that resembled Penelope Kuchiki the most.
"Oh Rukia! My darling baby!" Lady Penelope cried running to her daughter, scooping her up in her arms, "You look beautiful my darling," She cupped her cheeks staring into exact replica of her own eyes, "let's go meet your family for the ceremony!" she said taking the girls hands and leading them out in the halls which lead them outside where loud music was playing from the band, dancing people holding hands and following along skipping along to the music in a long dancing line. Ribbons were everywhere symbolizing Rukia's soon to come marriage.
"Rukia there you are my child, come come! Everyone is waiting!" Her father, Thomas Kuchiki called signaling for his youngest daughter to show her beautiful dress.
"Rukia…" Once Rukia reached her father she turned around at the sound of her name being called, there by her father was her brother looking, as always, inexpressive, "Do well my Lady," He bowed with a smile on his face, "You'll make this country strong baby sister, do not forget that your family will still be behind you all the way."
Rukia was stunned, it was the most facial expressions her brother has made in a long time. He must truly be proud and happy. Her brother, Byakuya wasn't always like this, he was brave and always looked out for his younger sisters but always had a smile on his face, continually making jokes but when puberty came and the pressures of being a male Kuchiki came down on him from the upper nobles Byakuya began to change. He spent his school lessons with the stuck up Kuchiki's and came back… well came back brainwashed. Whether or not their brother will return to his normal self it is uncertain, but they do know now he won't even go horse riding with them without trotting along like the freaking king of England himself!
"Rukia!" A voice called out somewhere in the crowd. She turned around to go find them, there were many people at her party that everywhere she would run someone would call her name.
The party went on for a few more hours until it was time for Rukia and her family to leave, the carriage was already set up and their stuff was packed, the occupants just needed to get in the carriage.
Another Kuchiki family has taken over the Kuchiki mansion for the time being. They waved rather joyously when their carriage was carrying them away.
It took the Kuchiki family hours to get to the King's court, but by the time they got there it was nightfall. Perfect timing. They would rest until dawn and then, the marriage to Prince Kaien would happen, joining Rukia and Kaien together.
They all gathered up and went to their rooms where their belongings were brought to them. Sir Thomas Kuchiki and Lady Penelope were in one room, Byakuya had his own room, and the two sisters shared a room just for tonight. It was a long and tiring day that it did not take long for everyone to fall asleep.
Fear and anxiety was all Rukia felt at this moment. She couldn't even remember waking up or taking a bath, or getting dressed in a pure white silk wedding dress with a veil as long as two or three men. She couldn't even remember the speeches her family gave her for her wedding. It was like a dream that she couldn't wake up from. But now, walking down the isle holding arms with her father and looking at everyone, in the King's Court she was suddenly rudely awaken by stares and whispers as she walked on down the isle.
"She's so tiny…"
"Nothing but a child…"
"Will she be able to bear children?"
"What is she eleven?"
"She's beautiful!"
"Look at those eyes…"
"Nothing but a seductive witch she is…"
"Bewitched the king himself I tell ya!"
Before she knew it, she was at the alter where the priest stood waiting along with her new soon-to-be-husband, Kaien.
Kaien smiled to her with his charm the whole world smile. He had a kind face and oh so charming eyes if anything he was the one to bewitch the people with his clever attitude and bewitching eyes. His dark hair contrasted beautifully with them making him look like a dark haired mischievous, mysterious sexy prince.
Rukia loved Kaien, as she hooked arms with him and faced the priest she was suddenly glad that it was Kaien she was marrying and not someone else. Kaien was one of a kind, always showing her affection of one kind or another, always tending to her needs. He was a kind man and a humorous man at that. Always making jokes and teasing.
But the love Rukia holds for Kaien was what one holds for the love of a brother. She does not hold any sexual desires for him enough to want to bed him, but simply loved being with him, as a friend and as a brother. This uniting was somewhat scary to think about, will they be able to bed each other and have children?
"Do you Lady Rukia Kuchiki take Prince Kaien Shiba to be your lawfully wedded husband, to and have and to hold and forever hold your peace?"
It took her but just a moment to gather her thoughts from her hazy daydream and nodded slowly, "I do. I hold my peace forever." She whispered quietly.
The priest nodded and closed his book. The wedding ceremony was over, the rings were placed on their fingers and Kaien leant down to kiss her cheek smiling at her with those ever so cheerful eyes.
That was it…. Everyone in the King's Court cheered, Rukia Kuchiki was no longer a Kuchiki but a Shiba. She was no longer to be called Rukia Kuchiki, the Kuchiki daughter, but Lady Rukia Kuchiki Shiba, or Lady Rukia Shiba…. Kuchiki may never be in her name ever again….
Few Hours Later.
Her breathing was quickening, her heartbeat sped up to a million beats per second making her feel like a bird was trying to escape throughout her chest. She lay in Kaien's gigantic bed shaking and feeling suddenly sick.
She was a virgin of course, scared to death of what was going to happen, her mother and sister told her of what happened on wedding nights. And she was terrified.
She wore but a simple white nightgown to bed, easy to slip on and off. Perfect they told her.
Not a word was spoken as Kaien entered the room. He gave her a tiny smile and removed his robe and placed himself under the sheets.
"Don't worry Rukia… I know you're afraid. I won't make you, just… relax okay?" He whispered softly in her ear getting close to her, using his body warmth to melt her stiff and frozen figure.
It took her a few moments for her muscles to un-tense themselves and relax under his gentle touch. Once she realized he was asleep she rolled over in bed, allowing her new husband to spoon her, it was a new feeling having someone touch her so intimately and loving. His arm was wrapped around her waist with his head in the crook of her neck breathing softly on her cheek putting goose bumps on her pale skin.
That night, Rukia fell asleep scared but not as scared as before, just scared to know that her life is changed forever, little fourteen year old Rukia was no longer to be innocent but now soon to be ruler of England Rukia.
But… with the help of her husband, friend, mentor she knew she could do it.
So? What do you guys think?! My newest story. Don't worry I will have more chapters up soon, I have the whole story outlined, I'll be doing this with all of my older stories very soon so I won't have to worry about writers block …. Right? Well you guys know the drill review!! Let me know about this new story!