Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Pairings: Ichigo/Rukia…and some more as the story progresses.

Raitings: T for language

Genre: Romance/Angst

Summary: Manipulated only by the puppet strings, some days I don't really care. They've taken everything away from me and I could no longer see the myriad colors beyond my window. Soon they will take him as well, one who I have found by chance and loved by destiny. Will this ephemeral happiness wash away? And will my heart die with this goodbye…?

Acquiescence

Chapter 1

Unchain Me

January 14

Aristocratic air filled the hall, soothing music from the clavichords and Viols lifted their senses to a serene enigma. Everyone in the room was elegantly dressed in a sea of refinement; the elevated atmosphere of opulence was evident, so evident that all these facades could possibly be mistaken as hypocrisy. After all, only with this class of people is wealth revered and even the vicious wolves feign to become harmless animals.

Chattering overflowing in the room, all the guests inclined in their own worlds of whim.

A man with crimson hair and in a black tuxedo stood in the middle of the crowd, talking with a silver haired boy accompanied by a stunning woman.

"so Abarai-kun, I've heard that your engagement with the princess will be coming up soon after this celebration." The woman decked in a revealing scarlet dress chuckled, a hand gracefully covering her mouth as she giggled.

Renji smirked adjusting his tie only slightly, "ah…tonight that brat is no longer that little princess we knew." He agreed while briefly glancing at the staircase, seemingly waiting for someone.

"what are you looking so flushed for? This is her 18th birthday, not your engagement." The boy with messy silver hair snapped at him, "Matsumoto, don't go stuffing useless daydreams in his head." He scowled.

Renji's face was crumpled, "nani? Hey, just because you're a genius kid in a tux doesn't mean you can talk to me so carelessly." he stressed on their age difference, obviously annoyed. "And I don't give a damn if you're the brat president of your company."

"you know, gawking at thin air just isn't exactly healthy for your already minute brain." The short boy replied haughtily unfazed of the older and much taller man.

"ara…Okashira, wont you loosen up a bit? This is a party; you don't have to scowl so often." Rangiku laid a hand on his shoulder and then looked ahead of them, "besides, Kuchiki-sama is coming this way." She hinted to the two.

Both shrugged it off and turned to acknowledge the approaching man. "Hitsugaya…" his voice was cold and leveled.

Rangiku and Renji bowed in respect, recognizing his authority while Hitsugaya retained his stand, signifying the same position as his.

"kombanwa, Kuchiki-sama." Rangiku greeted as she raised her head.

"ah, I'm glad you accepted the invitation." Kuchiki Byakuya, probably the wealthiest man in the room said while holding a glass of wine.

"it's Rukia's birthday." Hitsugaya flatly answered, judging by how they exchanged words, it was proven that they were roughly at the same rank.

Byakuya merely nodded, then took a sip of his wine. "true, but not only that. I would be renewing contracts tonight." He said with an implication dangling from his sentence.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think this is the right time to be discussing about business matters, Kuchiki-sama." Rangiku interjected still politely.

Byakuya glanced at her, "I believe I was talking to your chief." His tone spilled with dominance.

"sumimasen." She humbly apologized with a bow.

"think about what I said Hitsugaya, and maybe sometime we could talk without any other nuisances." He emptied his glass, "and Renji. I'll have a word with you later." The ebony haired man only turned to leave.

As soon as he was gone Hitsugaya sighed, "he just wants everything his way, Doesn't he…?"

"with all that influence, that's just how he is." Renji stated.

Toshiro Hitsugaya nodded to concur; he then turned to his personal assistant. "don't take it too seriously, Rangiku."

"I'm not." She responded.

The fading moonlight poured from her window, the soft blowing of the frosted January wind rendered the curtains into a graceful waltz.

She sat in the bed in utter silence; she hugged her knees and rested her head on them. The vast darkness of the spacious room dominating the frail light of the dying moon.

She wore a deep mauve dress that matched her now listless eyes, her porcelain white face complementing her attire. Yet her expression seemed too miserable despite the celebration just below her room, a celebration that was intended for her in the first place. A teardrop ran down her cheek as she glimpsed at the vase full of withering flowers on the desk.

Dead roses with their beauty mislaid.

She again buried her head in her knees. "These are all worthless…" she murmured and the sea of shadows embraced her to stillness.

Another social gathering for the society's grandest names, another affair they said was for her but always just an excuse to gloat and satisfy their vanity. And she loathed the chains that bound her in this mansion. She loathed everything she had been living her life with. It strangled her breathless no matter how much she willed to get used to it. Furthermore, this was an ominous date, a day she hated to come every year even as her own birthday.

A knock on her door broke her from all her reverie.

"Rukia-sama, they are all waiting for you." The feminine tone from the other side informed her.

"Ah…I'm coming," her voice slightly trembled from her sobs as she recollected herself.

The person behind the door shook her head then turned the knob to enter.

The light slipping in from the open door strained her eyes. "too bright…" Rukia said while squinting them, a hand before her face.

"why are the lights all out?" the intruder wearing a French maid's uniform fumbled for the switch and bright light flooded the room. "the wind's too chilly, why wont you close the windows? you'll catch a cold." she found a disheveled girl. "Rukia-chan, what's wrong...?"

"Hinamori…" Rukia's voice drifted to silence.

Momo Hinamori motioned closer to her, "are you not feeling well?" the girl asked worriedly. "should I tell Kuchiki-sama?"

"no…no…I'm fine, you don't need to tell nii-sama." the ebony haired girl rose from the bed and smoothened her plum dress. "I'll be coming down in a moment." She reassured while facing the antique mirror.

"are you sure?" Momo asked yet again, unconvinced of her words.

She nodded and sat before the dresser, combing her jet-black hair. A cold breeze blew past their silent forms.

Momo still gazed anxiously at her; she then slowly spoke. "It's been three years… since…. his death, don't you think it's about time to find forgiveness…?" she laid both hands on her shoulders consolingly. "..For yourself…?"

Rukia placed down her brush and closed her eyes for some seconds, "it's his death anniversary today…tell me, how could I afford to be happy?" her tone grew frigid and guarded, much different from her former. Her face was now as composed as the darkness that betrayed them.

Hinamori withdrew her hands hesitantly, "please…don't do this to yourself…" She stared intently at the other girl's reflection in the mirror. It frightened her when Rukia acted like this.

"This was the day from three years ago..." Words that came out fluidly with poisoned pain; the windows crashed closed from the sudden harsh blow of the wind. "The day he died because of me."

And Momo could only close her eyes tightly as heavy remorse overwhelmed them yet again.

A man in white motioned towards the buffet table, asking the waiter for a glass of wine, "excuse me, Do you have Carmenere 1967?"

"I'm sorry sir, we only have 1973 tonight." the waiter apologized, "do you want to request for one?"

the young man pushed his glasses up, "no. I'll have the 1973 then." He took the glass that was offered to him.

"sumimasen, sumimasen, please let me through." A young girl with auburn hair made her way to the crowd, squirming.

"kyaah!" she tripped on her stiletto and crashed into the man in white.

The boy looked at his stained tuxedo, red wine ruining its pristine white.

"Gomenasai! Honto ni gomenasai! I…I didn't mean to." She stuttered while deeply bowing.

"no, it's alright." he shook his head and helped her up.

The girl looked at him embarrassed, "I can pay for your clothes if you like." She suggested while fumbling with her fingers nervously.

"it's fine really," he held out a hand, "I'm Ishida Uryuu. What's your name, miss?" he introduced himself.

She looked at him to meet his gaze, "I'm Inoue, Inoue Orihime." She shook the hand, "yoroshino onegai, Ishida-kun." the girl smiled enthusiastically.

Uryuu nodded, but then shifted his gaze to a far. "looks like the princess is coming." The buzzing of the crowd modulated into whispers.

A gorgeous lady in a flowing violet dress with her hair pinned up went down the grand staircase escorted by Abarai Renji. Cameras were flashing everywhere prepared to capture pictures. She moved with great eloquence and dignity, remarkably a Kuchiki.

"you look great today," Renji whispered in her ear as they descended down the wide stairs.

"thanks." She gave him a slight smirk.

"Kirei! is that her? Kuchiki-sama's sister?" Inoue gawked at the raven-haired girl that met Byakuya on the last flight of the stairs.

"that's definitely her."

"Happy Birthday." Byakuya greeted neutrally while leading her to their table.

"arigatou gozaimas, nii-sama." She said coolly as well.

Byakuya took a glass of wine from the table and lifted it, "a toast to Rukia." He said. "kampai."

All the other guests held their glasses up. "Kampai." They drank.

Rukia only stared steadily at her glass, making no movements to empty it. "do not embarrass me in front of 458 people." Byakuya silently hissed. Tomorrow this would be a front page in the papers and perhaps would even reach the daily news.

She only nodded then half-heartedly smiled to face the guests, "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who are here, but most especially to my brother who made this possible. I am very happy that you were all able to attend this celebration. You do not know how much important this night is to me." She then lowered her gaze to the ground while placing the wine glass back to the table, cameras continued to flash blindingly. She always wanted to say something different but it never came out of her mouth. "so please, let us all have a wonderful night." The crowd applauded.

On the side of the hall, "surrounded with all of these luxuries and her every whim granted, she still doesn't look that happy about it." Rangiku remarked, not taking her eyes off the bespectacled girl.

"you should know better, it's hard to be an aristocrat's doll. Besides, today is that day." He spoke, putting away his glass.

"I guess so…" she breathed heavily, in rough realization. "they all envy her but now, I pity Rukia."

Rukia leaned closer to Renji. "I'm going to the rest room." She murmured while placing down her table napkin.

He was suspended to rise from his seat, "do you want me to come with you?" he asked thoughtfully.

She pulled him back, "I'm fine by myself." Rukia rose and walked away.

Renji's and Byakuya's gazes met, but they both remained silent of their thoughts.

The raven-haired girl looked at her reflection in the wide mirror, droplets of water sliding down to her chin. "You're a mess." She whispered to herself while deeply breathing. That chaste reflection in the mirror, the person decked in an elegant gown, lavished by diamonds, wearing prized shoes that were worth a fortune, looking so beautiful in all those royalties. They will never understand just how she's decaying inside.

She felt for a locket on her chest and remembered a fragment of the past.

Winter, three years ago...

An unknown man held out her hand and enclosed something in her palm. "Rukia, I want you to have this. When you look at it, I hope it reminds you that I will always be by your side." He smiled.

"happy birthday..."

Rukia found a polished locket in her grasp and a vibrant warm feeling deep inside her vanquished the frost.

The door suddenly opened and she turned to face it. "hmm…chibi-san, you seem distraught." A chic woman in black said with golden eyes glistening from the light.

She stepped away from the sink, "Yoroichi-san, I was just…" she found no words to continue.

The older woman walked to her, "Rukia," she held her by the chin, she knew how constrained the young girl felt this very moment. "don't let these chain you." She stated while eyes directly staring into Rukia's.

"I'll never be good enough..." She averted her gaze from the golden orbs that searched her ever so knowingly. "I'm tired, Yoroichi-san…" Rukia simply mumbled beneath her breath.

Yoroichi pulled something out of her purse, "I was told to deliver this to you." She placed a black card similar to a pass in the girl's trembling hands. "do what you will with it, throw it away if you wish."

Rukia gazed confusedly at it, "n-nani?" she could not believe what she was holding, "this is…"

"it's your freedom." The dark skinned woman only replied and turned her back to meet the door. "I'll give it to you for now, chibi-san. but I can never assure you it would last." Those were her final words as the door closed for a short while of contemplation.

"arigatou…" Rukia held the black card firmly. "but perhaps this is still useless without him." She turned to her heels and exited the room, leaving a single jewelry on the floor.

"it's been half an hour, are you coming out of there?" Renji heavily pounded the door of the Victorian-styled restroom. "oi, Rukia!" he repeated, yet still no response. He was surrounded by men in black with heavily tinted glasses.

"Sir, what are we going to do?" a boy who seemed like an assistant with a nameplate that said 'Hanataro' asked him nervously.

"we're going in." Renji's tone had a dark edge to it. If this was their last resort then so be it.

"b-but…" Hanataro stuttered but the redhead already turned the knob.

"Rukia you-" he was cut short to see an empty room. "what the hell…?" He blurted out, bewildered.

"good heavens…! she's…" the lean boy whispered anxiously.

"…not here." Renji finished his sentence for him, "what are you all standing idly for! Find her you idiots!" he bellowed at the group of 'bodyguards' and they scurried away in all directions. "you," he pointed at the skinny boy. "stay here. I've got to tell her brother she's missing."

"wakatta desu." He abided while forcing to swallow the large lump on his throat.

Abarai Renji approached Byakuya, he leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "she's missing." were his simple words that made the black-haired aristocrat sharpen his gaze into a glare.

"Were there any suggestions of kidnapping?" Byakuya rose from his seat, hands fisting. They talked almost inaudibly to shun any form of scandal or dispute.

"we still don't know, but we'll do all we can to find her." they both walked discreetly towards the rest rooms.

From a far two people observed them, "looks like the news already reached him." A man with blond hair who wore an olive green suit stated.

"I gave it to her like what you said, Kisuke." Yoroichi eyed him, "and still your motives are unclear to me." She added.

"you'll understand soon." The man only grinned mischievously and they continued to watch keenly with cat's eyes.

"what's this…?" Hanataro crouched down to the floor when he noticed something glittering beside his feet. "a locket…?" he picked it up and opened it.

There in the locket were two old pictures, on the left was Kuchiki Rukia and on the right was a man with black messy hair. "ara, this is Rukia-san's…!"

The night grew deeper, darker as soft beads of snow touched the pavement. Each drop falling idly on its destined place, everything was prearranged that even the blowing of the breeze concurred with the music.

She walked in strides, perhaps weary of some burden she had been carrying for too long. Her stilettos sinking in the white mountains of snow that covered the streets. She was drenched now, awfully shaking after walking aimlessly for an hour without a coat and she could give all the credit to her aloof brother for building his mansion kilometers from the main road. What was freedom to a bird that was eternally chained in a cage…?

Kuchiki Rukia, the perfect princess of the aristocrat family who controls 1/3 of the worldwide exchange. This was the same person wandering at the very moment, hair in complete disarray, make-up washed out by rain. Who would've recognized her? Maybe without all those luxuries she looked perfectly normal, a normal teenage girl walking the streets. But no matter how much she wished for that simple life, it will never happen. She was a marionette controlled by the strings around her neck. If she strays away too far, the threads would slit her throat, everything was manipulated by the cords on their fingers and she could only oblige. For every single detail had been ordained without even hearing her voice; and like the immaculate snow, she could do nothing… but to fall.

A sea of emotions dangerously crushing her senses, her awareness no longer tangible. She trod aimlessly, walking only to where her feet could take her; to a person like her, even emptiness was freedom. She silently pondered if her nii-sama even noticed she was gone, would he even care? Maybe he'd be happier without her. Will Renji look for her? Will her friends worry? Did she even have real friends in that cluster of hypocrites? Nothing really mattered now, and she'd only walk until she collapses from exhaustion or die of hypothermia even.

She lifted her jaded head and looked up to the sky, "Can you hear me…?" her voice cracked as crystal droplets coalesced with the melting snow that fell on her face. "Ever since you left my life was a mess…!" she cried out, attempting to reach the imaginary moon. "why did you leave me…?" she croaked while covering her face with cold trembling hands. "I-I…loved you…" she descended on her knees, devastated. the coldness rendered her numb, her hands were no longer capable of recognizing sensation. "Take me with you…Kaien."

Yellow headlights bathe her whole body to freeze, a yanking of the horn screamed at her, deafening and she only closed her eyes to await it.

But it never came.

The car stopped roughly centimeters before hitting her. A frustrated unlocking of the door and its occupant walking out of it with heavy steps. "bakamono! Do you want to die so badly?!" an immensely annoyed voice shook her to reality.

She turned to face it and her eyes widened.

A tall young man stood toweringly with orange hair like the rays of the sun. He wore an unwavering scowl.

White beads continued to fall elegantly on the sleeping earth, embracing them into a frozen dream.

A tear-stricken face with the greatest disbelief, "y-you…?!" she croaked.

A/N: there that's roughly chapter one…I just couldn't resist on writing this one, it's been in my head for days already. And I'm terribly sorry for not updating himegoto. I just needed a break. Thank you for understanding.

Important info

-This is an AU of bleach. And if you missed the clues. Kaien was always the 'him' they were talking about. And yes he died 3 yrs ago.

-Rukia's shattered because of his death and feels chained to a life of aristocracy.

-Renji is in-love with Rukia and it is stated there in the first scenes that they would be engaged but unfortunately Rukia ran away

- there's a little bit of Ishida/inoue in here

-Hitsugaya is Rangiku' s boss.

-the black card Yoroichi gave her, it will remain a mystery for now )

- Carmenere- a kind of wine grape, they were talking about the year, it is said that older wine tastes exquisite of all.

Japanese terms

Okashira- boss

Kombanwa- good evening

Nani- what

Sumimasen- excuse me/ sorry

Gomenasai..Honto ni gomenasai- I'm sorry, I'm very sorry

Kirei- beautiful

Kampai- cheers

Yoroshino ongai- I'm pleased to meet you

Arigatou- thanks

Arigatou gozaimas- a much more formal way to say thank you

Wakatta desu- understood

Chibi-san- little miss

Nii-sama- older brother

Bakamono- you idiot/ idiot

There thank you very much for reading, I hope to hear from you. And for those who still do not know how I write, I use Japanese terms for a closer atmosphere to bleach. And if there are errors here, please forgive me.

One question though, will I continue on with this story?

Love,

Amerie