A/N: As you may have noticed, the chapter titles have little or nothing to do with the chapter. They're just pieces of riddles or rhymes that have to do with Kings or Princes, etc. Originally, the birds that take off from Kaien's windowsill in this chapter were European Starlings, but I thought later that blackbirds would be more fitting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor do I own "The Prince and the Pauper"

Genre: Romance, Drama, Action/Adventure, Humor—in order according to prominence.

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The Prince and The Pauper
By: The Abominable Snow Monster

Chapter II: Blackbird Pie

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the King?

The castle grounds were as still and silent as a morning mass compared to the stir of the city. At nine o' clock, just after the heather-colored fingers of dusk had faded into black and the first star had been wished upon, mists settled over the moors. The mists were as delicate and white as a bride's gauze veil, and the windows of the few rooms that were still lit glowed amber—not unlike flecks of gold sewn into the nuptial veil.

The movements on the grounds at night were slow, quiet, and smooth, like the ghost of Hamlet's father: the light-footed glide of the watch guards at the parapets; the gentle, subtle gestures of the servants, as gossamer as a muslin sheet flapping in a lazy breeze; the white, dainty wave of the queen's hand as she dismissed a lady-in-waiting. Suddenly, two blackbirds erupted into flight, the clamor of frantically-flapping wings shattering the easy, quiet, Sunday feel of the moors. A watch guard below paused in his glide. He wrinkled his nose, staring at the dark silhouettes the blackbirds made against the moon as they struggled in the airless night and wondering what had caused their panicked flight from their perch on Prince Kaien's windowsill.

Had he been closer to the leftmost turret on the third story---the Prince's chambers---he might have heard what drove the birds away: the scrape of a fork against a plate; the heavy thunk of a chalice on wood; the click of a bottle's neck against the lip of the goblet, followed by the short slosh of wine into a cup; and bickering. But the guard was not closer, so he simply inhaled, shaking his head slowly and quietly and smoothly, and turning to watch over the fogged moors.

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Looking out from the third story in the leftmost turret, the mist gathers thickly over the ground, highlighted in silvery-white moonlight. The sky is often cloudless at night, as black as a coalmine and peppered with diamond-like stars. The effect is that the palace is resting on a cloud in the heavens, which made Ichigo laugh the first night he looked out the window of Prince Kaien's chambers, because as a child he'd been scolded for "building castles in the air".

But Ichigo was too busy devouring his supper to mull over the beauty of the nighttime moors. He snatched at the loaf of bread, the honey-coated crust sticking to cold hands as he tore off a piece and crammed it into his mouth, swallowing before he'd bothered to chew. He grabbed the chalice and brought it to his lips, taking a drag of wine before he set it down again, his sticky fingers leaving five smudges on the polished metal.

Rukia's lip curled up in disgust as she watched Ichigo attack the lamb chop, white-knuckling his fork. He paused to chew openly, and Rukia winced, turning away. "Kaien…that's disgusting."

Ichigo glared at her, swallowed the lamb chop, and said: "Did you just come to rag on me?" He dropped the fork and picked up the goblet, swilling the wine around in it. "Besides, shouldn't you show more respect to the Prince or something?"

Rukia quirked an eyebrow. "You want me to grovel?"

"It's a start," he shot back. Ever since he'd met the raven-haired noble for the first time yesterday---when she'd still been sore that Kaien had run away without telling her---she'd been a pain in the ass.

(f)(l)(a)(s)(h)(b)(a)(c)(k)

"Lady Rukia Kuchiki to see you." Ichigo had looked up in surprise, turning away from the window and leaning against the wall.

The words "Show her in" had barely dropped from his lips before the slender noble swept in imperiously. After a lifetime of stains, filth, dirt-smudged faces, rags, mud, shades of brown, and gutters in Cheapside, there had been something positively exotic about skin so ivory-white and hair so ebony-black. Lady Kuchiki had curtsied to the manservant with an unusual smile that seemed as sweet and poisonous as foxglove.


"A moment with the Prince, please?" She'd asked the manservant in a sugar-coated voice that turned Ichigo's stomach. He hoped Kaien wasn't friends with her.

The manservant bowed obligingly, slipping sideways through the double doors. He placed one hand on each door handle and closed them with a theatrical cra-ack

Lady Kuchiki had instantly lost the haughty tilt to her head, turning her indigo eyes to Ichigo. Something in the way she held herself lightly and the aristocratic look in her royal blue irises had made Ichigo feel inferior.

He hated feeling inferior.

"Oi. What do you want?"

Ichigo heard the smack of flesh against flesh before he felt the sting in his cheek or registered her movement. She'd punched him. The bitch had punched him. Ichigo clapped a hand to his face, scowling.

When she spoke again, her voice was no longer candied; it was young, alto, and authoritative:

"Fool."

"I came to tell you that the Baroness Miyako is here," Rukia announced, shattering his reverie. "She arrived two days ago." Her brows knotted. "While you were gone."

Ichigo raised the goblet to his lips, frowning. "Miyako…?" He repeated, lost.

Rukia raised her eyebrows, staring at him expectantly. "Miyako," she said. "Your fiancée."

Ichigo choked, spurting wine over the honey-dipped bread, braised lamb, and butter-spice leeks.

"Ah, yes," Rukia said dryly, "I thought you'd remember."

Ichigo pushed the platter away, seeming not to notice. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Fiancée?"

"Don't play dumb, Kaien."

Ichigo shot her an irritated look. "Are you always the bearer of bad news?"

Rukia shrugged, delicately picking at the part of the bread that was still dry. "You've never taken exception to the baroness before." She chewed thoughtfully, swallowed, and fixed him with her childishly large eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked seriously. "You've been acting differently since you got back."

"I'm fine," Ichigo snapped. "Quit eating my dinner."

"You're grumpy," she persisted. But Ichigo could tell from the way her eyes were dancing that she only teasing him now.

"Go away," he grumbled.

Rukia tore another piece of bread away, stuffing it in her mouth insolently and fixing him with a stare that clearly read: I'm eating your dinner. Whatcha gonna do about it?

Ichigo tried to run his hands through his hair irritatedly, remembering just as his fingertips brushed against velvet that he was still wearing Kaien's hat. He dropped his hand to his neck, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. "It's late," he said, articulating the "t" especially well so Rukia would know she'd worn out her welcome.

Rukia rolled her eyes, licking honey from her fingertips. "You're a brat." She leaned over the desk to grab the wine bottle, shaking it to judge how much alcohol was left in it. "You

know the ball is in three weeks?" She held the bottle up to the candelabra and squinted at the pale liquid, finally giving a neck-or-nothing shrug and raising the bottle to her lips.

"What ball?" Ichigo asked in a bored voice, still staring at the ceiling.

"Honestly, Kaien!" Rukia cried, setting the wine down on the table. "How can you forget?" Sighing, the noble propped one elbow on the table, narrowing her eyes at him, and touching her upper lip insightfully. "Are you sure there's nothing on your mind?"

"Yes." Ichigo said shortly. "Quit pestering me. What about a ball, again?"

Rukia leaned back in her chair, twining her fingers behind her head. "The one preceding your marriage to Baroness Miyako," she said. Then she inclined her face towards him with a sly smile. "That's your fiancée, in case you've forgotten again."

"Very cute," Ichigo said scornfully. He reached out broodingly with one hand, rotating the goblet. The chalice reflected the chambers like the back of a metal spoon, warping his image in the bright metal. The reflected Ichigo rippled in the grain of the silver as he turned the cup round and round. "I don't know how to dance," he said uncomfortably.

Rukia smiled maliciously. "I know. I'm looking forward to it."

Heat gathered to Ichigo's cheeks. He continued twirling the cup. "You know how to dance." He muttered, carefully staring at the goblet.

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise and the fingers behind her head slipped, untwining themselves. Then the shock disappeared and the foxglove smile reappeared: sweet and poisonous. "Kaien..."

Ichigo's face was flaming. "You could teach me how to dance."

Rukia leaned forward slowly. Smiling. She propped her elbow on the desk, cupping her cheek. She said nothing.

"I'm not asking you," Ichigo said briskly, his face hot, hot, hot. He knew he was blushing furiously, and he knew it was only making the situation worse. "I'm ordering you." He tried to sound authoritative. "As the Prince of England."

"Oh, I see. You're twisting my wrist," she said wryly. "And if I refuse?"

"I'll have you hung," Ichigo said sarcastically.

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice," she teased. "Ah, the perks of tyrannies." She stood suddenly, and Ichigo flattened his palm over the mouth of the cup, startled by the abrupt change in mood. He tilted the chalice until he could see her reflection in the cup. She was facing the double doors, her back to him.

"Meet me at noon under the aspen in the castle gardens. And Kaien..."

Ichigo looked up. Rukia turned her head to the side, giving him a sidelong glance. "Don't make me wait."

Ichigo "hmph"-ed and returned his attention to the chalice. "Does this mean you're leaving, finally?"

"I'm tired," Rukia said loftily. "And you're out of bread." Another foxglove smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

There was a short sound of heavy metal dragged across wood as Ichigo repositioned the goblet to watch the noble leave. He waited until the doors were shut before standing up and moving to the window. He looked down at the mists flapping lazily over the moors, creeping at the palace walls. He looked up to the coalmine sky, where stars sparkled like diamonds in the black. A castle in the air. He crossed his arms over the windowsill, leaning outside, letting the brisk wind cool his hot, blushing face. Castle in heavens his ass.

He was in Hell.

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Orider: Thanks! I had another plan for a similar story which I actually liked better than this one, but it required too much research, and I'm shirking my duties as it is. I'm so glad you reviewed..
Ruuki: Your review made me smile. Thanks so much! I had this chapter written about a week and a half ago, but I almost didn't put it up at all.
Tsubasa Aska: I have a plot to this story outside of the usual "fluff". I'm going to have to change the categories all around, because there will be some action/adventure in there. Thanks for reviewing!
Alive-and-Well: I finally decided to put out chapter two..It was a little more fun than chapter one. By the way, I'd like to thank you for reading the Author's Note. Just ramblings, mainly, but sometimes I put stuff in there that worth reading. Please keep reading!
Multiturtle: Thanks! Your compliments inspired me to finish chapter two. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Mochi Rabbit: I hope to complicate things even more by bringing in other characters: Orihime and Renji, etc. Plus, there are some neat angles that I want get in to later with relationships. And then there's a conspiracy..but I'm getting ahead of myself. Thank you so much for reviewing!
Evalora: I was disappointed with this story's reception until I read your review. Thank you! There will be two storylines with this, one following the romances with the upcoming ball, etc, and another one---an action/adventure storyline that has to do with a conspiracy surrounding the throne. And Ichigo's caught in the middle of it all. I hope you liked this chapter1
Garnet-stone: Thanks. You have no idea what a relief it is to hear that Ichigo and Kaien were not out of character. That was one of the biggest issues I struggled with---these are two characters who have never met (obviously) in the anime, and they haven't showed too much of Kaien on TV...
Sousi: Thanks! Your review made me laugh. I haven't started working on chapter three yet, but I have some fun ideas. I hope you like them.
Chibi milktea: I'm really, really glad you like it. You guys have been a big support for me in writing this story. I hope you like what I've got planned. Thanks for reviewing.

A/N: The end seemed a little abrupt, but if I worked any longer on the chapter, I'd probably have forgetten about it. I'm not sure if everyone knows the saying "building castles in the air", but it generally means daydreaming. And the treacly-sweet poison "digitalis" is extracted from a plant called foxglove. I figured the interactions between Rukia and Kaien would be a lot like the ones between Rukia and Ichigo, since Kaien and Ichigo are so much alike. There are some anachronisms I was afraid people might question me about—like the fact that the Brougham carriage wasn't invented until the 1800s, and the feudal era was more around the 1500-1600s. Please let me know what you thought about the chapter.