"Presenting His Grace, the most honorable Sir Ichigo Kurosaki, Lord of Karakura and trusted knight in His Majesty's Guard!"

Hearing his entire title always gave Ichigo a bit of a twinge in his left eyebrow, but his expression remained impassive as he strode confidently forward to kneel before his monarch and give the slightest reverent peck on the ornate ring presented before him then caste his gaze on the ground in front of him. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw the same hand vaguely gesture for him to rise, but all the same Ichigo found it was most prudent to wait for verbal confirmation of the invitation, which was profered a moment later.

"Rise, rise my dear Sir Ichigo," said the king in a pleasant, rumbling baritone, "We are so pleased you were able to join us at court so swiftly. How are things on the battlefront along the western borders?"

Taking a slight step back, Ichigo inclined his head as he replied, "When I left that particular battle seemed to be well in hand. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your next courier brings news that Your Majesty's troops have prevailed."

Clapping his hands twice, the king chuckled as he said, "This is most excellent news you bring us, but I am sure you are wondering why we have summoned you here rather than waiting until the day was won, correct?"

Once again inclining his head, Ichigo said differentially, "You are very astute, Your Highness. I must confess that I was rather perplexed by your invitation to come to court."

"So you must have been," said the king before addressing the room at large, "We decided to bring back some of our most beloved noble brothers to share in the May Day festivities. A few of your comrades should be arriving within the hour to join our merry party."

Bowing at the waist, Ichigo replied as a matter of course, "Your Majesty is most gracious and generous," while his mind wondered what was really going on. No way had the king simply ordered a few battle-hardened warriors to come a full weeks' journey simply for a few parties and gatherings. While Ichigo wasn't entirely sure who the 'other comrades' the king spoke of were, he had a fairly good idea and if his hunch was correct, they were going to be tasked with something highly sensitive and potentially dangerous. Just the kind of mission Ichigo enjoyed most.

As might be predicted, less than two hours later, the rest of the comrades arrived, who consisted of Sir Chad Yasutora, Sir Renji Abarai and Lord Uryu Ishida, Earl over the Quincy territories. About an hour after the evening meal when they had all been given ample time to rest and recoup from their various journeys, they had finally been surreptitiously summoned to the king's private counsel chambers. Ichigo felt a tingle of anticipation run along his nerve endings as he surmised that whatever the king was about to reveal to them was so important he couldn't share it in front of the rest of the court. He wasn't a bloodthirsty or overly violent person by nature, but he was a competitive person and he felt a bit of pride swell in his chest over being one of the few selected to share in whatever secret the king was going to share.

Gesturing for them all to sit at a round table a good distance away from the door, King Aizen paused after he sat down to make eye contact with each man before saying, "As most of you have surmised by now, my reason for summoning you here goes beyond simple court celebrations of an annual holiday. I have a special assignment that I would entrust to you four. It will require the utmost secrecy and vigilance from all of you and while I have no doubt of all of you have the skills required to fulfill this mission, I will extend the courtesy of allowing each of you the chance to gracefully decline without any fear of repercussions from the crown."

Once again taking the time to look all the knights in the eye, the king seemed satisfied when no one spoke up to refuse and leaned back comfortably in his chair, steepling his fingers and then allowing his expression and voice to take on a more grave tone as he spoke.

"The war we are waging to provide help the oppressed people of Rukongai overthrow their vicious and vindictive overlord while at the same time working to extend the borders of our own kingdom has been going well for our side," the king began, "All our skirmish and extended siege strategies have been markedly effective and I foresee the war ultimately being resolved in our favor within the next eight to ten years."

Curling all but his two index fingers over one another, King Aizen tapped those two remaining against his lips as he said solemnly, "My brave knights...that is not good enough. That timetable is unacceptable to me."

Initially, Ichigo felt his blood and temper rise as he took in the king's outrageous statement. Not good enough? What did he mean 'not good enough'? However, as quickly as the rebellious thought arose, Ichigo's more practical and sensible side suppressed it. The king always had a valid reason for the things he did and said and while he wouldn't execute every person who ever vocally and publicly denounced his decisions, time and again Ichigo had seen those same people put to shame and ridiculed when the full scope of the king's plans came to light. That still didn't mean that Ichigo agreed with all the king's edicts, but he had certainly learned better than to react impulsively around his monarch.

Sure enough, a few moments later the king clarified, "Eight to ten years is too long for this country to be at war. Men are needed to replenish the ranks and when we do that it puts an enormous strain on the rest of the country to produce food and other goods. Then once the armies do have more men, they must be paid which also comes back down to the rest of the citizens to pay for through taxes. I will not have my subjects fighting merely to survive on both the battle and home fronts. This war needs to end in less than two years so that we all can return to an era of peace, productivity and plenty."

Adjusting himself in the seat and unlacing his fingers so that he could rest one hand on the armrest and the other under his jaw, King Aizen said slowly, "I have given the matter much thought and have come to the conclusion that we must make an alliance with the King of Espada in Hueco Mundo if my plan is to have any hope of success."

This time when the king paused Uryu broke the silence with a carefully worded question, saying, "Your Majesty, if I may?" and when he received a nod of acquiescence, Uryu went on, "Forgive me for asking, but King Barragan considers such things to be weak and unbecoming. He has turned down offers of land and great riches, so what are we going to offer to him that will actually have an effect?"

Nodding appreciatively at Uryu's analysis, King Aizen cleared his throat before answering, "As with most things of importance, we will not be able to attain what we want without a significant sacrifice."

Pushing himself out of his chair and slowly making his way around the table, the king continued in a musing tone, "What King Barragan most desires is not more wealth or lands as he feels that what he has already is far superior to anything anyone else might have to offer. However, he desires a strong and enduring bloodline and I am in a position to fulfill that particular desire."

Leaning forward and turning so that he could look into King Aizen's eyes, Renji asked, almost bewildered, "King Barragan wants a wife? I thought he already had an heir."

Pausing just on the other side of Renji's chair, the king replied, "He was married and his wife bore him three sons before she died of a dread sickness, but he is not looking for a wife for himself. His sons are as yet unmarried."

"Pardon Majesty," Renji asked with more clarity in his tone, "but aren't there any eligible young or at least noble women in the court of Hueco Mundo for his sons to choose from?"

Again dipping his head in acknowledgement of one of his subordinate's observations, King Aizen answered, "There are certainly any number of choices within King Barragan's own court and I'm sure if we had waited much longer to make this proposal then our chance to secure an alliance with His Majesty would have been all but impossible. As it is, however, I have a feeling that allowing his sons to marry one of the noble's daughters, sisters or other relatives puts King Barragan in a position he would wish to avoid. Namely that anyone his sons marry and more importantly their extended would have a potential claim to his throne should anything happen to him and all three princes."

"But surely King Barragan knows how unlikely such a possibility is," rejoined Uryu with a slight frown.

"I do not deny that it seems like a baseless fear, but I also concede that it is not based in any delusion or feeble-mindedness," said King Aizen with a slight smile, "And to answer the next most obvious question, the person I have selected as the candidate for the Heir Apparent's bride is my late sister's child. My niece and ward, Lady Orihime Inoue."

Returning to his chair, the king gave them all a chance to absorb the information before he finished with, "King Barragan agreed to his arrangement because not only does it keep his throne secure from the insipid noble families in his court, but it gives him or his descendents a potential claim to my own if I do not marry and sire an heir myself."

Sitting once again as he did when they first came in, King Aizen said in a business-like manner, "Now, your mission is to escort the Lady Inoue to Espada Castle in Hueco Mundo secretly. We cannot allow our enemies in Rukongai and beyond to know that we are making this alliance or any hope we have of shortening this fighting will be in vain. Once the marriage is legal and binding, King Barragan will command his troops to join ours on the battlefront and the overwhelming numbers plus the element of surprise will bring all fighting to a speedy end."

For the third and final time, King Aizen made eye contact with each knight as he said, "Finally, I will have you remain within King Barragan's court as my niece's personal guard for at least a year. Though the likelihood is slim, I would have her protected from possible repercussions of her sudden marriage until her place in the royal house of Hueco Mundo is secure. This you are to keep secret from everyone, including the Lady Inoue herself."

The rest of that week, the four knights remained at court and participated in the annual May Day tournament. Getting a chance to knock a few heads together in the jousting arena without really having to fear for one's life was a wonderful stress reliever after the rigors of battle. However, that same strain would return for Ichigo in the evenings when the revelries turned into feasts and then dances. Dealing with the court ladies was a tricky business as he really wasn't interested in their insufferable coy yet bold and rather off-putting flirting, but he really didn't want to deal with their families either if those ladies went to them with claims that he was acting in ways unbecoming a knight in His Majesty's guard.

Finally they were given leave by the king to go to the Palace of the Six Flowers where the Lady Inoue had been living after she had been officially presented at court. The only one among the group who was rather reluctant to leave was Renji as his wife and young daughter, Lady Rukia Abarai and Ichika, were to remain at court and it was unlikely that he would see either for some time. King Aizen had agreed to allow Lady Abarai to petition King Barragan to attend his court a month or so after Lady Inoue was married, but he could not guarantee that such a request would be granted. Until they were able to reunite Lady Abarai's brother, Lord Byakuya Kuchiki, had agreed to care for his sister and niece.

The Palace of the Six Flowers was less than half a day's journey, but to try and maintain the integrity of their mission, the four knights left just before sunrise heading back in the direction of the western borders where they were 'supposed to be returning'. About an hour into their journey, they stopped to change out of their battle armor and clothes adorned with their family's insignias and into plain servant's garb.

As they rode, Ichigo turned to Uryu and asked, "So, do you know anything about Lady Inoue? I don't believe I was at court when she was there attending."

Lips curling into an amused half-smile, Uryu nodded as he replied, "Actually I am acquainted with the lady and did happen to be present during the time when she was introduced to the court. However, I am fairly certain you have also met the good lady before."

Glancing sharply over at his cousin and fellow knight, Ichigo retorted, "I think I would remember being introduced to the king's only surviving close relation. And you know how long it's been since I last attended court for any 'decent' stretch of time. I honestly don't think I've been there for longer than a month since I was knighted three years ago."

"Sorry to contradict you, Cousin," Uryu said evenly, but with a slight hint of smugness, "but you met her for the first time at the same time I did. It was back when we were both beginning our training as squires under Sir Urahara and Sir Shinji."

"Seriously?" Ichigo asked in some consternation, "Who was she?"

Brushing aside his long bangs, Uryu answered, "Honestly it doesn't surprise me much that you don't recall her as she was something of a shrinking violet back then."

"Was she the one with the dark brown hair always tucked into one of those fancy hair net things?" Ichigo asked with a frown as he tried to visualize people he met back then and then never bothered to recall until now.

Shaking his head, Uryu replied, "No, that was her maidservant Momo. Lady Inoue's hair was much lighter and more red than brown. She also had bangs which almost completely obscured her eyes."

"Right," Ichigo said slowly as the memory slowly began to resurface with more clarity, "She looked and acted like a scared rabbit whenever anyone spoke or even came near her. When she spoke I had to pretend I understood what she was saying rather than ask her to repeat herself," absentmindedly patting the horn of his saddle, Ichigo said, "There was one time I heard her getting such a tongue-lashing from her caretaker...oh, what was the woman's name."

"Mistress Ochi."

"Yes! That insufferable woman. Any time we did ate or did anything in her presence, she'd give me such a look of disapproval. But like I was saying, there was one time I heard Mistress Ochi lecturing that girl about being a disgrace to her family name and needing to act more like a lady with pride than an insignificant nobody."

In a clipped tone, Uryu said, "Well that was a rather insensitive demand at that point in time seeing as the Lady Inoue had only recently lost her beloved and there had been rumors of her father and mother acting shamefully and possibly driving their family to ruin before they also succumbed to the same illness that killed her brother."

"Oh," was all Ichigo could think of to say before Uryu finished with, "Well, it has been some years since all that and Lady Inoue has gradually been able to put the past behind her and move on."

Urging his horse forward, Renji spoke up, "I'm curious why she hasn't made an appearance at court since she was first presented. The king is her uncle, so one would think she would want to be near the only family she has left."

"One might be inclined to think that at first," said Chad slowly, "but if Uryu is right that her parents died under a cloud, then I imagine that life at court was probably uncomfortable for Lady Inoue. I can't imagine that the king would tolerate such behavior if he caught wind of it, but he also can't dictate and control how people think and talk. This way the king can rule over the nobles with grace and dignity and Lady Inoue can live peacefully while still living a reasonable distance from her uncle."

"That is until now," said Ichigo in a flat tone, "Does Lady Inoue even know about her betrothal to Prince Whatshisface?"

Coughing politely into his hand, Uryu said, "I believe you're referring to Crown Prince Yammy of Hueco Mundo, correct? Might want to learn the man's name before we arrive in his kingdom to deliver and protect his future bride."

"Whatever," Ichigo shot back before throwing over his shoulder as he spurred his horse ahead at a canter, "I'm just saying that I get where the king is coming from with all this, but something about it doesn't sit right with me."

Under his breath, Uryu said, "Couldn't agree with you more, Cousin," before he too urged his horse to go faster.

At their pace, they reached the palace a little over an hour later with their horses glistening and panting from the exertion, but not overly so. Stable hands rushed forward to collect the mounts while the steward came forward to greet the knights.

Sweeping into a shallow yet deferential bow, the man said in an efficient clip, "Welcome good sirs. I am Mizuiro Kojima, steward of the Palace of the Six Flowers. All arrangements have been seen to for you all to remain here for a day or two before escorting the Lady Inoue on her journey."

"Very good," said Uryu in an equally matter-of-fact tone before he inquired politely, "And where might we find the lady of the house?"

Bowing again, Mizuiro replied, "My mistress is currently inspecting the palace gardens. If my lords would care to follow me..." and left the sentence unfinished as he turned to lead the way across the main courtyard and through an archway, which lead out to the palace grounds.

Tall hedges and various plants obscured their view as they made their way forward, but all the men were easily able to pick up on the sound of voices talking and debating on the other side. The atmosphere was so serene and peaceful that when the voices unexpectedly got louder, squealing, yelling and borderline screaming, all four of the knights flinched and froze for a heartbeat before picking up their pace, heading directly for where all the sound was coming from. When they rounded the corner, it took a moment or two for them to figure out what was going on.

Running around between the rows of flowering plants and bushes were half a dozen small children who were responsible for the majority of the noise. As they ran, squealing and giggling, they would stop from time to time to pick up lumps of mud and chuck them haphazardly at anyone who happened to be nearby while also doing their best to dodge everyone else's missiles. A harried looking young man was hopping around, flapping his hands and was attempting restore order in a squeaky, pleading tone, which only seemed to encourage the youngsters to make him their second most important target.

The primary target was a young woman who, despite her seemingly cumbersome gown and long hair that she constantly had to push back from her face, effectively and gracefully ducked and weaved to avoid all but a very few mud clods. She was laughing merrily as she scooped up handfuls of mud to throw back at the delighted miscreants. It seemed to Ichigo as though she intentionally missed hitting the children themselves and instead aimed over their heads or down at their feet.

"Lady Orihime! Nel! Ayame! Shunou! Anyone! Stop this! We're all going to-oomph! You can't-augh!"

Catching up to the knights and taking in the scene with a resigned sigh, Mizuiro said in a low tone, "I might have known..." before he called over the young man blandly, "Keigo, I would suggest you cease acting like a deranged chicken in front of our guests."

Whirling on the steward, the young man exclaimed in a rather whiny tone, "Mizuiro! They won't stop!"

"I can see that," said the steward in a borderline condescending tone before clapping his hands in an attempt to get the combatants' attention. Rather than stop, one of the children looked over to see Mizuiro and promptly threw his huge handful of dirt in his direction. In a practiced and unconcerned manner, as if such goings on were an everyday occurrence, Mizuiro stepped aside and the lump sailed harmlessly over the man's shoulder.

On the other hand, the young woman did look over to see what was going on and her eyes widened when she realized that her steward was not alone. In those few moments of distraction, she failed to notice three wads hurled in her direction. The first was thrown too far to the right to hit her, but the other two smacked her hard on her right leg and then just above her collarbone. Coughing in surprise and grasping her throat, the young woman took an involuntary step back before losing her balance and flipping over the bush behind her.

Automatically, all the knights made a move to go to the lady's aide, but Ichigo's long strides brought him to her side first. Unbeknownst to him, Ichigo had actually started moving the moment he saw the dirt clod connect and the lady's stunned reaction.

"Are you all right?" Ichigo asked brusquely as he quickly appraised her condition. He wasn't surprised by the glistening in the young woman's gray eyes; he had seen more than heard the air being knocked out of her when she fell. However, he was taken aback when the young woman put a finger to her lips, closed her eyes, slumped in his arms and...allowed her tongue to hang out?

Completely at a loss, Ichigo was about to give the young woman's cheeks more than a gentle tap yet not quite a a slap to rouse her, when he heard a child's voice ask incredulously, "Did we get her?"

Looking over and seeing all six children gathered on the other side of the bush and peering curiously down at the young woman, Ichigo caught on to the ruse and said solemnly, "I do believe you have won the day. What is to be done with her now that she's defeated?"

One of the girls answered excitedly, "We have to bury her! But first, we have a big funeral!"

"Nel," interjected the steward calmly, "I don't think that's a good idea."

The little girl whirled on the young man and stomped her foot as she said, "But we gotta have a funeral! We always do when we play Mud Wars! If we don't have a funeral then we'll be haunted!"

Keeping his voice even yet firm, Mizuiro said, "Nel, I need you to be reasonable. Lady Inoue has things she needs to attend to today."

Before Nel could say anything, another shy looking girl spoke up quickly, "What if we promise to do a really quick one?"

Mizuiro didn't say anything at first, but finally closed his eyes and said in a resigned tone, "You've got ten minutes. Make it quick."

Immediately the children jumped into action and told Ichigo to carry the defeated noble over to a bench and lay her on it. Almost as soon as he had done so, the children appeared with bunches of various flowers to arrange all over the young woman, from threading some in her hair, placing a bouquet in her hands and tracing her outline with the rest. It also didn't escape his notice that the young woman's features were serene and her tongue was once again inside her mouth.

When all the 'preparations' were complete, one of the children stepped forward and said a few words about death and how it comes to claim all in its own time. They all then took time to pass carefully in front of the 'funeral bier' before winding their way through the garden and out of sight.

Bizarre proceedings completed, Mizuiro shook his head before muttering, "All right, Lady Inoue, they're gone. Time to rejoin the living."

Opening her eyes and tilting her head back to look at her steward upside down, Orihime said in a playful but slightly scratchy tone, "Oh, all right. If I must."

Arching an eyebrow at his mistress, Mizuiro spoke to her in a tone that spoke of a long-standing friendship between the two in spite of their stations as he chided gently, "You do realize that these knights who were sent here by the king just witnessed all this tomfoolery?"

Cheeks flushing as she sat up and turned to take a proper look at the newcomers, nevertheless, Orihime's smile showed no sign of remorse or embarrassment as she said, "Well, can't do anything about it now, can we?"

Standing up in a flurry of falling flowers, Orihime curtsied most elegantly as she said, "I do apologize for the rather..." she paused as if searching for the right word before finishing with, "unorthodox scene you just witnessed."

Unable to keep from grinning, Ichigo returned the bow and replied, "It's not easy to call a cease fire in the heat of battle, even when playacting. Though I have to admit of being rather perplexed by the games conclusion."

Folding her hands in front of her, Orihime replied, "I know it's not a tradition for soldiers to hold such an elaborate service for those who have fallen in battle, especially the ones they were fighting. However, these children have all lost loved ones and have attended such services more than they should have to at their young ages, so to them it seems to be the most natural way for things to end. It may seem morbid or sacrilegious to some, but I think to them it actually somehow brings them some form of stability and comfort in the idea that while death does come for everyone it is not something to be feared. To appreciate life while you have it."

Shifting his stance, Renji whistled low before saying, "Wow, never thought kids could understand such a hard fact of life as death."

"I've come to understand that children can understand and make peace with many of the harsh realities of life if given proper supports," said Orihime before giving Mizuiro a significant look.

Clearing his throat, Mizuiro said solemnly, "Lady Inoue, may I present Sir Renji Abarai, Sir Chad Yasutora, Sir Ichigo Kurosaki and Lord Uryu Ishida," gesturing correctly to each man in turn before finishing with, "My lords, may I present the Lady Orihime Inoue." All the indicated parties bowed and curtsied as decorum dictated before once again resuming normal conversation.

Looking around, Orihime said pleasantly, "You are all very welcome here. Now that the pleasantries are aside, Mizuiro will show you to your rooms. There are training grounds always available for your use or you may alert Mizuiro if you wish to have a mount prepared or have any other request to make your stay comfortable. If you'll excuse me," and with another polite curtsy, Orihime turned to make her way inside.

The next couple of days passed easily enough with the men spending quite a bit of their time wandering the grounds or utilizing the training grounds. For her part, Orihime was busy working with Mizuiro, making quick preparations of food and clothes that she could easily carry on one mount while also figuring out when and how the rest of her belongings would be transported to her new home. While a large part of her desperately hoped that her future husband and father-in-law would allow her to continue being the mistress of the Palace of the Six Flowers and visit from time to time, Orihime also knew that there was a definite possibility that she would have to completely cut ties with her old life and so took some time to take leave of those she had come to care for during her time living at the palace. At every possible opportunity, Orihime would make her way into the gardens or the surrounding grounds to clear her mind and mentally prepare herself for the big changes she was about to face.

On two such occasions her path crossed with the tall, brightly-haired knight whom she vividly remembered from all those years ago.

Quite often over the years, Orihime's mind had contemplated the then twelve-year-old boy and wondered what had become of him. She had been drawn to his confident and straight-forward nature, but there had been one particular time when his brown eyes had softened as he talked of his mother and sisters that had captured her heart.

Time and again since that day Orihime had tried to reason with herself that becoming so completely infatuated after so brief an acquaintance was ludicrous, but she could not shake the desire that one day there would be someone in her life who would speak so fondly of her, even when she wasn't around. Someone who would be there to share in life's joys and sorrows alongside her. Someone who would respect and love her. She certainly couldn't help the part of her that wished such a person might be that same twelve-year-old boy who was now a grown man and had come back into her life.

For his part, Ichigo almost didn't know how to rectify the image he had of Orihime as a timid, frightened girl with the vibrant, entrancing young woman he now beheld. More than he cared to admit, Ichigo's thoughts drifted to he. Seeing her smile, the way the sunlight rippled and reflected in her hair, hearing her voice and feeling it soothe and smooth out rough edges of his heart he didn't even know existed. On first meeting her all those years ago, Ichigo's head had been too occupied with the desire to become a knight and fight on bloody battlefields not because he reveled in violence, but because if he didn't then such violence would reach out to destroy those he loved and had sworn to protect. Now, after spending so much time in those surroundings so as become almost completely desensitized by the ugliness and harshness of war, seeing the embodiment of what a life of peace looked like with a beautiful woman to share it with filled Ichigo with a deeper longing and desire than he would have previously thought possible.

The first time the two felt such stirrings of emotion for the other was just after the noon meal on the day Ichigo and the others arrived. Orihime went to change after the 'mud war' and then joined the men in the dining hall, talking and laughing with them. After the meal, Orihime took her leave while the men left for the training grounds. While sparring with Chad using quarter staffs, Ichigo lost his footing and somehow managed to fall in such a way as to snap his staff and get a sizable gash on his arm as a result. Assuring the others that he would be fine making his way back to the palace on his own, Ichigo took just enough time to quickly wrap his arm so that he wouldn't bleed everywhere as he walked. Along the way, he met up with Orihime as she returned from her visit to the town nestled at the base of the hill on which the palace was built.

As soon as she took in the sight of his wrapped and bloody arm, Orihime exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! Are you all right? What happened? Are you dizzy at all? Sit down!"

Unable to keep from smiling at Orihime's frantic barrage of questions, Ichigo did as he was told while saying calmly, "I'm all right. It's really not that bad."

Once she was satisfied that Ichigo was settled comfortably in the shade of a tree, Orihime carefully yet confidently undid his clumsy wrappings and said almost to herself, "It's not deep, so that's good. But there's always the possibility of infection, so..." at which time Orihime rummaged around in a satchel she had slung over her shoulder before producing a handful of various plants and herbs.

Looking about her and taking just a few moments to look in her satchel, Orihime said absentmindedly, "Take these," before emptying her hands into Ichigo's and standing up to walk around to the other side of the tree. To Ichigo's immense surprise, there came the distinctive sounds of ripping cloth and it didn't take much imagination to figure out what she was doing and why. It took an immense amount of willpower to make eye contact with her when she next spoke to him while also keeping the heat from rising past his neck. When she returned moments later, Orihime took back everything she had placed in his hands, wrapped it tightly in one of the strips of what was formerly one of her petticoats and carefully squeezed and molded it into a compress, which she then tied onto his arm using the other pieces of cloth.

Having finished tying the bandage, Orihime said with just a hint of pride, "There, that ought to do nicely," before looking up at him and asking, "It's not too tight, is it?"

Flexing his fingers and taking some time to inspect her handiwork, Ichigo replied in a tone of surprised approval, "Not at all. I honestly don't think I've ever had someone tend to my wounds so well. Thank you."

Turning slightly and placing her hands in her lap, Orihime replied modestly, "Not at all. I'm happy I was able to help."

Then, after a minute or so of them both trying to awkwardly engage in conversation, something shifted to where both Ichigo and Orihime were able to comfortably chat on a variety of topics, but chief among those being close relationships with family members and what they disliked most about court life. They both had to admit that while making small talk or just overall talking with other nobles could be a great test of patience, it was the constantly changing and ever more ridiculous rules of fashion that irked them most.

"Do you remember when everyone tried to wear as many varying colors and patterns as possible?" asked Orihime with a delighted giggle, "I remember one girl's ensemble had a headdress with jeweled stars, her sleeves being striped and alternating colors, the corset was...oh, what was it...it was a kind of spiral pattern, then the underskirt was striped but in the opposite direction than her sleeves and with completely different colors and then her train was supposed to look like the sky going from middle of the afternoon day to darkest midnight. Looking at her made me feel rather light-headed and giddy, to be honest."

Shaking his head with a chuckle, "I can imagine. But no, thankfully I wasn't around during that particular craze. It was probably during the phase of my training when my mentor had us travel across the ocean."

"You've sailed across the ocean?!" Orihime exclaimed incredulously, "What was it like? What was your favorite part? Did you get sick when you sailed? What was the tastiest you got to try? Or what was the weirdest? Oh, I've always longed to go sailing."

Unable to stop himself from smiling at her enthusiasm, Ichigo answered all of her questions and talking far longer than he had for quite some time. Talking with her seemed as effortless as breathing. It was quite a while before they both realized how long they had been conversing and agreed to head back to the castle from different directions so no one would be any the wiser.

The second time was the evening before their departure.

Feeling restless and unable to focus on anything indoors, Ichigo decided to take a turn around the grounds and garden to hopefully clear his mind a bit before turning in for the night. As he was soon to discover, Orihime felt the same way. He found her kneeling next to a patch of camellias, carefully clipping away the dead or dying buds and foliage.

Crossing his arms and leaning against a stone archway, Ichigo asked in a low tone, "Sure you want to risk it? Another mud war might break out if those blighters come by this way."

Sparing him a quick glance, Orihime laughed and said, "Oh, I'll be all right. A little dirt and good fun never killed anyone."

They remained silent for a time while Orihime continued pruning, then when she finished she said in a hushed, almost dazed tone, "I wonder if they have flowers in Hueco Mundo. Would be nice to have something familiar to do there."

Before he could stop himself, Ichigo asked, "Are you sure you want to go through with this? You aren't doing this just because the king told you to?"

Then realizing the impertinence of his question, Ichigo held up a hand and added hastily, "You know, forget what I just said. It's not my place..."

Orihime looked at him with an expression he didn't quite understand before she looked back at her hands and said sweetly, "No, that's all right. I don't mind. And actually my uncle did come to see me over a month ago to ask how I felt about the whole thing and if I would agree to it."

Turning her attention back to the flowers and reaching out to stroke one of them, Orihime continued in an almost wistful tone, "As king, my uncle could have simply ordered me to marry the prince, but he asked me if I was willing and let me know in no uncertain terms that I could say no and that he would not try to manipulate me or force me into changing my mind."

"So why..." began Ichigo before catching himself.

Giving him that same unreadable expression which then morphed into a little less bright than her typical smile, Orihime replied, "Because I feel it is the right thing to do. If this marriage will help this kingdom once again live in peace and prosperity very soon, than I feel it is my duty to do what I can to make that a reality. And who knows? Perhaps I will fall in love with Prince Yammy once I get to know him."

"And if you don't? Or what if he is unworthy of your love?"

When Orihime rose up to walk away a few paces and inspect another clump of flowers, Ichigo wanted to kick himself for once again asking questions he had no right to ask. Who did he think he was? He wasn't her father, wasn't her brother, wasn't her uncle, wasn't someone who had grown up alongside her who could treat her as a friend. He was nobody to her. Merely a man charged with keeping her alive until she could marry someone else and become firmly established within that man's household.

"But I want to be more to her," came a voice in Ichigo's head so suddenly he blinked in surprise before physically shaking his head to be rid of that audacious thought. He was grateful that Orihime was currently facing the opposite direction so that she didn't have to witness him acting a fool. When she spoke again, it took him a moment to recall what they had been discussing.

"Then I will not give him my heart. I will be dutiful and faithful to him as a wife, but I will keep my heart tucked safely away. If there comes a time when I am no longer bound by my marriage to the prince and I am free to give my heart to the man of my choosing who loves me in return, then I will gladly offer all the love in my heart to that man."

Deciding to quit feeling guilty every time he opened his mouth, Ichigo said emphatically, "That's not good enough."

Turning her head, Orihime looked at him in wide-eyed confusion and shock as he continued, "You deserve better than that, Lady Inoue. You deserve a life of happiness with someone you love and who loves you in return. You deserve a life where you are not torn from everything you've ever known so that others can gain from your loss. You deserve someone like..." and there he did stop himself before he did unimaginable damage.

"It's not that I don't want those things," replied Orihime softly, "I want to marry a man I have fallen in love with and who loves me but as most children have to learn eventually, we can't always have the things we want. That we also don't always get the things we deserve either. Just because I am the king's niece does that make my life more precious than the common soldier who is marching to war and probably his own death as we speak? Some might say I am perfectly entitled to have my own way and wait for love to come along while those men continue fighting and dying for their country."

Reaching down to pluck several flowers from a nearby bush, Orihime then handed them to Ichigo as she said just barely above a whisper, "My response to those people would be if I don't do my part to end this war, then the man I love may very well be made to return and potentially be killed at the battlefront so that the life of love and happiness is lost to me all the same. How could I live with the knowledge that he died needlessly because I was too selfish to save him?"

It was a few minutes before Ichigo came to his senses and realized that Orihime had long since gone inside. Looking down, Ichigo's throat clenched when he saw two pink and three deep red camellias resting in his hands.

The next morning, the party set out and traveled for about four days without incident. On the fifth day, things started off well enough, but then Chad's horse threw a shoe, forcing the group to stop and take time to inspect it. They were able to clumsily reattach it so that the animal could walk fairly comfortably, but it was obvious that more extensive repairs were required, making it necessary to seek out a blacksmith. Fortunately for them, they were not far from a decent sized town and so made their way in that direction.

When they arrived, finding the blacksmith and engaging his services were surprisingly simple matters. However, grateful as they were that the friendly man was more than willing to take on the job, none of them were thrilled with the prospect of waiting for at least three hours for the blacksmith to finish all his other orders before finally starting on theirs. As they couldn't very well reveal that they were nobles who were willing and able to pay three times the blacksmith's normal price if he would only expedite the repair job, the group was forced to push back their timetable and relax during that time in a nearby tavern.

They ordered a round of drinks and a meal to be served. When the food arrived, they ate leisurely and made small talk amongst themselves for the most part. Things were going well until a group of large and very inebriated men looked over and realized that there was an extraordinarily beautiful woman whom they had never seen before sitting less than ten paces from them. Orihime was the only one who didn't seem to notice the men's supposedly surreptitious yet meaningful leers in her direction. For their part, Uryu, Chad and Renji slowly and coolly shifted their cloaks to have easier access to their dirks, while on the other hand Ichigo's blood rose steadily higher every time the men's red-rimmed eyes glanced anywhere near Orihime.

Everything came to a head when the biggest, dumbest and drunkest in the bunch decided to try his luck...or push his luck as it turned out. Taking four long yet definitely uneven steps, the man leaned against a nearby support beam and gave what he must have thought was a smile fit to melt any fair maiden's heart.

Pausing just long enough to try and hide a belch, the man slurred, "Whatcha pleasure, lal'lady? Careta sharea drink wifme friendly I? Wecha hallas swear to homily treat're right woman lady hallas." (trans. "How do you do, lovely lady? Would you care to share a drink with my friends and I? We long ago swore to each other that we would verily treat every beautiful woman we came across like a real lady.)

In true Orihime fashion, she looked up at the man in alarmed concern as she replied, "I'm sorry, are you feeling all right? Is there a physician or apothecary nearby you can go to for help?"

Leaning back, Uryu said in a misleadingly breezy tone, "Oh, I'm sure he'll be quite all right after a good meal and decent night's sleep. Eh, Renji?"

"Sounds about right to me," answered the man with a smile that showed only the barest hint of teeth.

Seeming to notice the men acting as obstacles between him and the 'lal'lady' for the first time, the drunk man's bleary gaze burned as he barked around and through another disgustingly impressive burp, "Wasna-urgh takinga yuse! Buddesnae lal'la-mph-urgh! Speakinae whatchitfur?" (trans. "I wasn't *burp* talking to you! My business is with the lovely la-*heavy breath* *burp*! Why are you speaking for her?)

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, the rest of the man's friends came up behind him. With their jostling and slurred mutterings adding to the first man's instinctual need to prove that he really could sweet talk and/or bully his way to get a woman to do what he wanted, Orihime's protectors knew it was only a matter of time before things got ugly.

In Ichigo's defense, he really had gotten a handle on his temper and was going to politely insist that the men allow them to leave without resorting to brawling at which time he would get up and weave his way through the drunken brutes without so much as touching them. However, that plan was trashed the moment Ichigo saw the biggest man's hand shoot across the table and grab the pendant pinned to her cloak.

Immediately, Ichigo shot to his feet, jabbed the outstretched fingers of his right hand into the man's throat and immediately followed that up with a vicious kick to his left knee with a roar of, "DON'T YOU DARE!"

The next few minutes descended into utter chaos with fists, feet and any nearby furniture knocking out teeth, blacking eyes, breaking noses, cracking skulls, bruising bones and just all around causing all kinds of bodily harm. Of course, it was the wasted men who took the lion's share of the damage, but every once in a while they somehow managed to see well enough to land a pretty decent blow.

As soon as the fighting had broken out, most everyone else who was not at all involved and had no wish to be scurried for the nearest exit. Then there was Orihime. Knowing she'd only be in the way if she tried to help and yet very reluctant to abandon her bodyguards, Orihime darted back and forth across the room, doing her best to stay clear of the free-for-all. Her plan worked out pretty well until the biggest drunken man suddenly remembered about the knife he had stashed away in his boot.

Yanking the blade from its hiding place, the huge man gave a roar of triumph and charged at Ichigo like a psychotic bull. Ducking aside at the last moment while reaching up to grab the man's outstretched arm, Ichigo whirled around and then released the man so that he would crash into a nearby wall. The man did, head first, and slumped to the floor, stunned and moaning while his knife skittered over to where another man was wrestling with Chad. Seeing the knife, the drunken man gave Chad a mighty shove that sent him sprawling over a bench before lunging for the nearby weapon. Holding it aloft, the man gave a yell very similar to the one his friend had let out as he ran at the fallen Chad.

"No!" screamed Orihime as she raced to intercept the enraged man. Just as the man was preparing to bring his arm down, Orihime launched herself at him and knocked him over. Instinctively, he swung his 'free' hand, the one still holding onto the knife, around to stab at whatever had hit him before he hit the floor.

The moment Orihime first cried out, all the knights had looked in her direction and had watched with knots forming in their stomachs as she flew at the attacker knowing they couldn't do anything to stop her. When they saw the knife flash and a moment later heard her cry out again, it took less than a minute for each of them to knock out the remaining drunks and then rush to their charge's side.

Chad reached Orihime first, shifting her aside so that he could 'put the other man to sleep'. Then, as gently as possible, Chad lifted her in his arms while doing his best not to jostle the knife sticking out of Orihime's left shoulder. Unable to contain a small whimper of pain, Orihime did her utmost to remain calm and still in the big man's arms.

Inspecting the wound with a frown, Uryu directed in a clipped tone, "Chad and I will take Orihime to the town's apothecary for help. I am fairly certain I saw their sign near the blacksmith's shop. Renji, I want you to find this tavern's owner and offer him compensation for his damaged goods. Ichigo, go and find the town's officiate or sheriff and explain to them what happened before the fighting broke out. If we're lucky, they will be sympathetic and merely fine us for unseemly behavior."

At first, Ichigo wanted to protest and insist that he be the one to go with Chad an Orihime, but the next moment Ichigo conceded that Uryu's strategy would be most efficient as his cousin knew where to find help and he did not. That determination was very nearly shattered when Chad started striding out the door and Ichigo caught a glimpse of Orihime biting her lip to keep from crying out in agony.

In the end, it all worked out pretty well for everyone except the drunks.

The tavern-keeper was rather surly and uncooperative at first, grumbling about prices of wood and furniture these days, but when his wife heard that the pretty, polite young thing had been injured, she whirled about and started berating her husband about how she had 'told him time and again not to let those animals into the tavern and now look what they had done to that poor, sweet thing and you will not take one brass farthing over such and such a price so help me all that is good and right in this world you most certainly shall not!' so that by the end of her tirade, Renji was half-tempted to pay the man double just for having to endure all that.

Ichigo managed to track down the town's magistrate and explain to him what had happened and saying they were willing to pay for all the damage caused to the inn. The magistrate was calm and attentive as he listened to Ichigo's narrative and then asked if he, his comrades or the injured lady intended to bring charges against the drunken men. When Ichigo declined on all counts, the magistrate offered his hand in gratitude saying that this wasn't the first time those particular men had caused trouble, so this time around he would make sure they all spent a solid week in the stocks to sober up and take some time to think about what they had done.

As for Orihime, by the time she exited the apothecary's establishment her wound was properly dressed and bandaged. When asked by the others if she were all right, Orihime gave them her brightest smile, said she was very sorry for worrying everyone by acting so rashly and that the apothecary had done an amazing job. Chad and Uryu refused to say anything on the subject. It was true that the apothecary had ultimately done everything correctly to extract the blade and treat Orihime's injury, but the man had been so old and near-sighted that he had knocked the blade several times when he leaned in close to inspect the wound, causing Orihime all kinds of unnecessary pain and then nearly mixed together a poultice that would have caused the would to turn septic within a day or so had not Uryu swiped away the incorrect ingredients and replaced them with the real ones when the man's back was turned.

By the time they left the town, Orihime was exhausted but trying her best to hide it, Renji and Uryu were grateful that things had turned out moderately well, Chad tried his best not to blame himself for what happened to Orihime but all the same thinking about what he could have done differently in that fight while Ichigo had to physically grip the horn of his saddle with both hands to keep from pulling Orihime onto his horse and galloping with all speed to the east. Towards the sea.

As much as Orihime insisted that they keep going at their regular pace to reach Hueco Mundo within three days like they had planned, none of the men could find it in themselves to allow Orihime to endure that amount of jostling and discomfort while she was still healing. At Orihime's suggestion, however, they only added a day to their journey by stopping more frequently for shorter periods of time. Even still, by the time they were within sight of the fortress of a castle that was Espada in Hueco Mundo, Orihime was completely drained of energy. When they rode through the palace gates, however, Ichigo felt his heart lurch when he saw Orihime sit up and act as though she were perfectly calm, rested and her usual, cheery self.

Unlike Mizuiro, the steward of Hueco Mundo was an abrupt and rather rude person. Rather than bowing, greeting them courteously and inquiring politely as to their immediate wants or needs, the steward stood with his legs in a bold stance, arms crossed and jaw set imperiously as he watched the grooms rushing forward to collect the mounts after their riders dismounted. Once Ichigo and Chad had done their best to help Orihime dismount without disturbing her injured shoulder too much, only then did the steward move and show signs of life.

"I am Choe Neng Poww," said the man with what could almost be called a bow, "You will follow me to His Most Regal Majesty's Receiving Hall."

Holding up a hand, Renji decided he'd best be the spokesman before anyone else had a chance to 'blow their top' and said politely, "We would be more than willing to attend the king at his leisure, but we have been journeying for over a week and would be glad of a-"

Cutting Renji off with an upraised hand of his own, Choe replied dispassionately, "His Most Royal Highness gave very implicit instructions that the Lady Inoue and her guard were to be brought directly to meet the most excellent King Barragan."

"And like I said, we would be immensely grateful to His Majesty if we were allowed a brief respite to at least make ourselves more presentable," rejoined Renji in a clipped tone to rival Uryu's, "The Lady Inoue is-"

Laying a hand on Renji's arm, Orihime said in a soothing tone, "-more than willing to meet His Most Royal Highness. Please lead the way, Choe Neng Poww."

The corners of the steward's curled in an unmistakable smirk of self-importance and triumph as he bowed in almost mocking deference and said, "If my lords and lady will follow me."

The halls of the castle were unlike anything Ichigo had ever seen and with each step he found himself loathing it more and more. Yes, King Aizen's palace was also made of stone, but while the atmosphere at court could be overwhelming and stifling, the palace itself was decorated with such taste and deliberation as to be almost welcoming. Here, Ichigo saw the tapestries depicting unnecessarily gory scenes of hunting various creatures or battle scenes or even what looked like executions, heads of afore-mentioned hunted animals staring with glassy eyes at those wandering through the halls and other objects that sent chills along his spine. This...place was to be Orihime's new home? How? Even the most generous imagination couldn't delude itself into thinking it could be anything other than a nightmarish prison. And yet when he glanced at Orihime, her expression still exuded and aura of serenity and contentment, regardless of her surroundings.

When they finally arrived at the royal receiving hall, the king took one look at the party and barked almost peevishly, "About time you all arrived. We expected you here two days ago."

Secretly signalling the others to wait where they were, Orihime continued until she stood in front of the dais and dipped into the lowest and most elegant curtsy as she replied apologetically, "I must humbly beg your pardon, Your Most Royal Highness. We would have arrived sooner were it not for incidents beyond our control."

"Incidents?" demanded the king, "What kind of incidents?"

Remaining in her lowered state until being given permission to rise, Orihime's voice revealed no strain or effort as she answered, "One of our horses shoes required repair and we lost about half a day's journey as a result."

Seeming satisfied with her answer, King Barragan waved a hand as he said, "Well, no matter, no matter. We had intended to hold the wedding ceremony today had you arrived two days ago, but it won't be that much of a difference to do it tomorrow."

Whether from surprise or continued effort to try and keep herself from toppling over, Orihime's shoulders jerked as she breathed, "Tomorrow...Your Most Excellent Majesty, is that really necessary?"

The king looked down and saw Orihime still kneeling and said impatiently, "Oh, rise! Rise already!" before clapping a hand on the shoulder of a tall, hulking and rather brute-faced man with an exclamation, "Come and meet my son and your future husband!"

After doing her utmost to remain in the same attitude despite her lack of energy, Orihime found it was actually far more difficult to stand back up. Once she did and got a good look at the mountain of a man who she could immediately sense had no intention of treating her as anything other than an object obtained through trade, it was all Orihime could do to keep from tearing up, falling over in a dead faint or both.

Reaching out a calloused hand to roughly paw at Orihime's hair and upper body (not her chest, although Orihime may have preferred that to having him rub her still raw wound, sending spasms of pain across her back), Yammy grinned down at her in a condescending way as he said, "I guess she'll do well enough. Bet I could snap her in two without too much effort, though. Wouldn't you say, Jirobo?"

The shortest of the princes with a protruding nose, looked down the same appendage with a look of disdain as he said, "She doesn't look worth the effort."

Pounding a fist on the armrest of his throne, King Barragan barked out a short laugh as he said, "Well, that's settled then. Lady Inoue, on the morrow you will wed my son, Crown Prince Yammy. Until then, Choe will show you your chambers and assign servants to help you prepare for the ceremony. You are dismissed."

Thankfully the preparations consisted of nothing more than a hot bath, simple evening meal and then a quick demonstration for the castle physician as to her ability to bear strong, capable heirs. Almost as soon as she lay down, Orihime slept deeply and without dreaming. However, before the sun rose, Orihime awoke and found she could not fall back to sleep, so instead padded noiselessly to look out her chamber's one window.

Outside, the world was still covered in darkness, but along the horizon one could see the colors beginning to grow lighter. Looking down into the castle's courtyard, Orihime didn't bother stopping the tears that fell as she saw that indeed there was a flower garden in Hueco Mundo. Involuntarily, her mind drifted back to her final evening at home when she had poured out her heart to Ichigo through those flowers.

It had not escaped her notice that time and again her brave knight had been on the verge of whisking her away in a display of passion, but regardless of how her heart and sensibilities longed for such an ending as could only be found in epic poems, songs and tales of love, her head knew that in time she would come to regret such a decision. Her love and devotion to Ichigo would not waver, but she would never be able to forgive herself for putting her own wants and desires above what she knew to be right. Even so, Orihime couldn't help but grieve at the thought of rejecting the one man she knew she would love the rest of her life.

Returning her attention to the garden, Orihime decided that before she promised her troth to another man, she would give Ichigo one final message...

He couldn't allow this to happen. He wouldn't allow this to happen. There was still time for him to fix things. To drag Orihime away from this godforsaken place and help her start a life elsewhere. To keep her safe. To...

He had less than an hour before the ceremony, but with everyone so occupied and working feverishly to get everything ready, Ichigo doubted that anyone was watching Orihime's room too carefully. As soon as his brain came to that conclusion, Ichigo's body reacted in kind, propelling him through those cold, horrifying corridors unsure of which direction to take but knowing that it was only a matter of time before he found what he was looking for. Or more specifically, who he was looking for.

"Ichigo!"

He almost didn't stop. Almost.

Coming alongside him, Renji looked Ichigo straight in the eyes and said simply, "It's no use looking."

"What are you talking about? No use looking for what?"

Not at all fooled by Ichigo's denial, Renji reiterated, "It's no use looking for her, Ichigo. She's made her decision."

Deciding to switch tactics, Ichigo whispered hotly, "You don't know that. If I just-"

"Yeah, if you just right now what does that mean for later on, huh? How do you think King Barragan will react? Or King Aizen? Our king may not hunt you down for betraying his trust, but this one surely would. Then when he was finished making sure you and Orihime suffer in all kinds of unimaginable ways, do you honestly think he's not going to turn around and fight to take control from King Aizen? C'mon Ichigo. Use your head. There's so much more at stake here."

"This isn't right. What if it were Rukia or Ichika about to marry that...thing."

Swallowing hard, Renji blinked a couple of times before saying, "Honestly, I'd probably be doing exactly what you're doing right now and thinking of every possible way to get her away from a guy like Prince Yammy."

Laying a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, Renji said, "However, Lady Orihime has made this decision and if you truly love her you will let her go and do what she feels is right."

Shrugging off his friend's hand, Ichigo nevertheless spoke with less heat in his voice as he said, "I don't know if I can. I don't think I can watch as she..."

"You have to," said Renji as he pulled out a small bouquet and placed it carefully in Ichigo's hands, "She wanted you to have these. Said she wanted you to know before...well, you know. We all know she deserves so much better than this, but right now she needs us to support her and wish her well."

As Renji turned to make his way towards the Great Hall where the ceremony was to be held, Ichigo looked down and saw that this time the flowers were carnations. Two pink, three red and one white. Ichigo squeezed the stems with shaking fingers and lifted them to his lips.

In the years to come, neither Ichigo nor Orihime could recall anything about that day other than giving and receiving the carnations. The ceremony proceeded according to the traditions of King Barragan's court and the once Lady Orihime Inoue emerged from the Great Hall as the Crown Prince Consort, Princess Orihime Barragan, her hand resting atop that of her new husband's. According to tradition, there was no cheering from the onlookers, only a great shout that was meant to convey strength and intimidation. All the better as the sun was obscured by clouds during this most solemn proceeding.

The only other thing both Ichigo and Orihime remembered with some clarity was the moment their eyes connected after all was said and done...

Author's Note:

So, before anyone says anything, just be aware that I know full well what I have done and have already taken the trouble to dig my own grave. If someone will only be so kind as to write me a fitting obituary, I think everything will be all set. ;)

On a slightly more serious side, this is honestly what first came to mind when I saw this prompt and I couldn't shake the idea. For better or worse, this was an idea I chose to go with and I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. I took a LOT of liberties with relationships between various characters as you'll find out, but I think I took enough time to explain it all so that things were clear. If I failed in some way, please don't hesitate to ask or let me know since there are plenty of times when I know what I want to say but forget to add a few key points since I forget that you guys can't actually read my mind (imagine that, right?). Also this is hands down the LONGEST thing I've written in forever and I had to drum up the energy to force myself to finish, although whether or not my efforts were wanted or necessary is certainly up to you to decide.