Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
War
Orihime, princess and heir of the Summer Fey Court, ran breathless down the main hall of the Gala Palace. Her long, cinnamon colored hair trailed behind her while wisps of it danced in her face. In her haste, she caught herself tripping on her simple long, pink summer gown. Anxiously, she looked over the glass railing down into the courtyard below, but there was still no sign of the Bright Court's entourage. She still had time.
"Orihime, wait!" A voice called from behind. The princess recognized it as her lady in waiting and best friend, Tatsuki Arisawa. Since Tatsuki was only one fourth Tel'Quessir, her physique kept her from keeping up with the Princess's Shunpo. Shifting from excitement, Orihime waited anxiously as the dark haired girl caught up with her. The princess smiled as her friend bent over and gasped for air. Where Orihime was well endowed with feminine curves and long hair, Tatsuki was all wiry bone and muscles in her black tank top and sport shorts.
"Is this my payback for kicking your butt earlier in Master Ochi's defense class?" At the mention of her humiliating defeat, Orihime's cheeks reddened. Innocently she looked away which told Tatsuki all that she needed to know. The short, dark haired girl may have been only one fourth fey, but what she lacked in speed and magic, she more than made up for in hand to hand combat. Orihime had learn this the hard way when they had both begun Mixed Martial Art lessons with Misato Ochi - the Summer Court's High Defense Advisor. Though she may have looked human, Tatsuki was seven times stronger than her mortal born counterparts.
"I'm sorry," Orihime apologized. Though her tone was sincere, the playful light in her eyes told Tatsuki that the princess was more amused than anything.
"You really shouldn't run off alone. The attacks are getting closer and closer to the Summer Grounds every day. Your brother would be devastated if anything were to happen to you," Tatsuki warned. Orihime frowned as they came upon the escalators. Linking her arm into Tatsuki's they both descended together. The Summer Court's Gala Palace was fashioned and intended to be a shopping mall. However, once the build had been completed, Orihime's older brother and King of the Summer Court - Sora Inoue - had stepped in and bought the structure. Over the past seventy years he had slowly been buying the businesses, homes and surrounding lands so that they might serve as the new Summer Court Territory after the last major battle in the ruins of their former home, the Golden Lands.
"The Demons wouldn't dare cross into our territory. Sora wouldn't allow it," Orihime insisted surely. Her faith in her brother would not be swayed. Tatsuki sighed. She didn't like to mar her friend's innocence, but misplaced faith could get someone killed. They were in a war and the enemy was growing bolder and bolder. It was only a matter of time before the inevitable occurred.
"Orihime," Tatsuki began hesitantly. The sound of loud trumpets interrupted. Gasping, the princess's grey eyes lit up like silver and before Tatsuki could stop her, she jumped the last few remaining steps of the escalator and quickly shunpoed what little steps needed to be made to the receiving court yard. Shaking her head, Tatsuki quickly followed.
The courtyard stood in the very center of the Gala Palace. In the original floor designs, it was meant to serve as a lobby for the main entrance into the mall. However, in the recent years Sora had remodeled it and expanded it into where the neighboring shops had once stood. The results were spectacular, and made for a very spacious room with a grand marble fountain in the middle and a matching marble, throne on the adjacent wall where the Summer King, Sora Inoue, was currently sitting. Four large pillars outline the center of the room and were decorated in thick green vines and white flowers. A bright skylight above them allowed the light and warmth of the sun to flood the room.
Catching sight of Orihime's highlighted hair, Tatsuki discreetly made her way into the mass of Summer Fey that served as the king's entourage. Some sat leisurely on the edge or in the fountain, wading in the cool waters. Others sat timidly on the many benches that adorned the perimeter of the Court Yard, wary of the expected company. Still, other's danced and made merry despite the circumstances. The Summer Court was very loose in court protocol as it's season was one of impulses and excitement and happiness and celebration.
Keeping a neutral expression, Tatsuki slowly maneuvered her way into the crowd of fey. There was no one kind of faery that served the Summer Court. Faerie Dragons, Nymphs, Water Fey, Pechs, Asparas, and even the occasional solitary fey that had pledged fealty to the Summer Soverign. Most of them shot Tatsuki dirty and hostile looks, while others completely ignored her. Her human blood made her tainted and inferior in their eyes. In past centuries, her birth would have followed a swift execution, but since the Princess Orihime herself was a halfling, the Summer Court had become more lax in it's law, if not it's attitude.
"Tatsuki, over here," Orihime whispered, trying to stand poise and proper next to Sora's throne, like the dutiful sister she was. Tatsuki quickly moved to stand next to her after offering Sora a greeting bow. The Summer King smiled in greeting but his eyes btrayed the anxiety he felt.
"Tatsuki, what perfect timing," he murmured as his eyes strained to the entrance. The trumpets had long since ceased but still no company had arrived. The sentries around the entrance were growing restless and the bulk of fey themselves twitched in irritation.
"My sister needs an escort back to her chambers," Sora continued. The slight twitch of his head caused the six petal hibiscus gems to sparkle in his gold, leaf and vine fashioned crown.
Orihime sighed
"I want to stay here, brother. You worry too much," she protested. Tatsuki shot her a regretful look, knowing that she could not disobey her king. When Sora gave an order, all those under his rule had to obey. Still, she couldn't help but pity the princess who looked forward every year to the moment when she would be reunited with her betrothed, Prince Ichigo, the heir of the Bright Court. It was an alliance between the two courts that had dated back eons. It was how the two courts kept the peace and promised each other aid in times of war. Once every three centuries on the Summer Solstice, the two heirs of the respected courts would bond as mates upon their coming of age. As it happened, Orihime and the, Daoine Sidhe, Ichigo were the current heirs when the time had come once again to unite the courts. In just a week, Orihime would reach her one hundred and eighteenth birthday and would bond with Ichigo and relocate to the Bright Court to live with him. Since Sora's queen and life mate had passed with no heir, the duty would fall to Ichigo and Orihime whose first born child would take up the Summer Throne.
Unlike Orihime, Tatsuki thought the whole arrangement was awful. The idea of ripping a family in half and taking her best friend away from her home was appalling. The only thing that kept her placid was that Ichigo was a very generous individual who treated Orihime gently and never once batted an eye at the fact that she was a halfling. Tatsuki knew that Ichigo would do everything in his power to protect Orihime and make her life in the Bright Court a happy one. That reason and the fact that Orihime herself was absolutely in love with the prince, kept Tatsuki from openly scorning the arrangement.
"Your Majesty, something is wrong," one of the sentries, Keigo Asano, whispered into Sora's ear. A loud explosion quickly followed. Black smoke quickly billowed into the entrance. The ground shook beneath their feet. Orihime would have fallen if she hadn't reached out and used Sora's throne as a pillar.
"Hime, go!" Sora urged. Coughing, Orihime barely heard her brother's words.
"I won't leave you, Sora" she argued, only to feel the firm grip of Tatsuki's hands on her forearms.
"We can't stay here, Orihime," Tatsuki told her hastily. Slowly, she urged the princess out of the court yard.
"Go, hide in your chambers. A servant will collect you once it's safe," The Summer King ordered. Keigo shot Orihime a sympathetic look.
"Your brother will be safe with us," he promised. Orihime gave him a small appreciative smile before Tatsuki urged her into a run. Orihime's chambers were up in the loft of the second floor and the quickest way to them was by elevator.
The ground beneath them quaked again and fire quickly poured into the courtyard with a vicious roar.
"No!" Orihime shouted before Tatsuki wrestled her into the elevator. The princess caught sight of her brother, summoning the Shun Shun Rika shield from his crown right before the elevator doors closed.
"No - Tatsuki please!" Orihime begged. She tried to lunge for the controls that would open the elevator door, but her best friend easily blocked her path. Not giving up, Orihime tried to dislodge her, but Tatsuki was very gifted at hand to hand combat and quickly overcame her attempts. after a few moments of struggling, Orihime finally gave up and sagged into Tatsuki who had gripped her wrists gently, but firmly to keep her from escaping.
"I'm sorry Orihime," the dark haired girl told her softly. It was a horrible thing, to see your friends and loved ones in danger and not being able to do a thing about it. It was an even worse thing, to be taken away from them in the midst of it - to know that you couldn't even stand with and silently support them.
"Sora," Orihime wept quietly as the elevator silently hummed and took them up, safely above the conflict. Tatsuki stroked her hair. She was sorry that her best friend was hurting.
"He has the Shun Shun Rika, you know it's the most powerful weapon in his arsenal," Tatsuki reminded her. Orihime sagged slightly, knowing that she was right. Then a thought occurred to her and she went rigid in Tatsuki's embrace.
"What about Ichigo!?" she asked in a panic.
"He's a Daoine Sidhe, Hime. You know they're warriors. He'll be alright."
Tatsuki's words seemed to pacify the princess; but when the elevator chimed to announce their arrival on the second floor, Orihime made no move to get out.
"I should be down there with them," she spoke quietly. Tatsuki frowned. Orihime had a bigger heart than anyone she knew, but sometimes her reasoning couldn't keep up with it.
"Right now, the best thing you can do for your brother i give him peace of mind," Tatsuki began carefully and took hold of Orihime's hand. She knew her friend didn't like to be puppeted around, but sometimes it was necessary.
"If you were down there, you could get hurt." Tatsuki knew her words were probably painful to hear but she needed to get her point across. Orihime shot her a fierce look.
"I can do hand to hand combat too!"
Tatsuki inclined her head. It was true. Orihime didn't have very much magic at her disposal, but she did know how to defend herself. Tatsuki also knew that against an unknown enemy, it was better to hide and prepare than to go blindly in attacking and hope that they didn't have numbers on their side.
"Yes, but in a situation like that it is better to plan and wait. Please Hime, your brother gave me an order. I need to keep you safe," It was her ace up the sleeve and predictably, the princess folded. They both knew that if Orihime were to return to the courtyard, Sora would punish Tatsuki for disobeying his command. The Summer King may have taken Tatsuki under his fold and given her his protection, but that didn't mean than she was immune to the rules of the court.
'Gently, Tatsuki led Orihime out of the elevator and down a side corridor.
All the shops within the palace had been converted into private rooms for dining, entertainment and sleeping. Orihime's chambers were no different. At one point, Tatsuki could tell that the large double doors had been glass walls, but now they stood as a divider to give the princess the much needed privacy that a female needed.
Once inside her rooms, Tatsuki looked around quickly. Everything seemed to be in order, but there was an unease in her gut that made her hesitate.
The main room was large with a large flat screen on one wall and three white, silk threaded sofas expertly arrange around it with a low, cherry wood table in the middle. Off to the side in the adjoining room, the dark haired girl took in Orihime's double bed. The red and pink sheets were dislodged and wrinkled, lying carelessly on the floor in a heap. The servants had yet to clean the room. The white wooden vanity beside the bed was littered with make-up and the occasional spell book. Clothes littered the floor. Orihime was usually a very tidy person, but Tatsuki knew from experience that she could get carried away preparing herself whenever Ichigo was scheduled to visit.
"I don't think anyone is here," Orihime murmured and peaked around the doorway into her bedroom. Tatsuki signaled for her to wait.
"Let me check the kitchen," she urged. Scanning the washroom off to the left
side of the vanity, Tatsuki returned to the main room and slowly crept into the kitchen.
All seemed well to Orihime, but she knew from experience that her best friend wouldn't be satisfied until she checked everything for herself. Following her into the kitchen both girls scanned the pristine counter. Nothing was out of place, the sink, mini fridge and bar were all silent and the silhouette of the dining table and chairs in the adjoining room indicated that nothing was amiss.
"Tatsuki," Orihime began but was cut off when her best friend waved for her to wait. The princess began to shiver. Her rooms were usually so warm.
"Tatsuki," Orihime whispered again and the urgency in her voice finally caught her best friend's attention. Wordlessly, the dark haired girl shot her friend an inquisitive look, only to notice for the first time that she could see her own breath in the air. A deep chill had set in.
Orihime looked at her wide eyed and disturbed as white flakes began to descend from the ceiling.
"It's snowing."
A/N: Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter. The original chapter I had written for this story went in a completely different direction was lost when my computer crashed over three months ago. i have to say I was very disheartened and lost a lot of motivation to rewrite it. i have to say this new, and slightly altered version is much better.
Aside from the plot, this chapter helps get a better feel for Orihime's life in the Summer Court even though a majority of it is told from Tatsuki's point of view. I'd say the main theme for this chapter is suffocation.
Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and if you have any questions - feel free to ask.