A/N: Finally, chapter two is up! Sorry it took me so long, but last week I had the most horrible, morbid, hard, fearsome exam you can imagine… I had been learning for three whole weeks to finally pass it. Smart, am I not? xD Now I'm going to celebrate it for the next two weeks, but still I hope I'll be able to post a new chapter soon. As for now – enjoy chapter two!

CHAPTER TWO

They rode not only the following night, but also the day after. Trot-trot-trot, not even saying a word. Each of them had problems to solve by themselves, things to consider.

Thoughts were racing once more in Ichigo's mind. I killed a man, I'm a murderer. As much as he would like it, he could not deny this. It didn't matter it was not intentional. Someone's life had been taken away. Life of a man, who might've not been perfect but after whom someone would be mourning. Parents, wife, maybe kids? He was not to judge that man. Whatever he had intended to do to Orihime did not mean that he deserved death. He deserved punishment. Not death.

Anyway, he was now a killer. The harder he tried to prove to himself that he was not, he knew he was lying to himself. Insisting on the fact that he did not want to kill him was just a load of crap. He could not lie to himself – if killing that man was the only thing that could stop the soldier from hurting Orihime, he would have killed him. It was the sad truth. He would kill to protect any of his friends, his sisters, even his horrible father. Someone might think it made him a brave man, but he felt like a coward because of it. In his own eyes he was the worst kind of man.

Trot-trot-trot as they rode.

His father brought him up in a deep respect for life. He wanted him to become a doctor. Ichigo knew that was a good idea. He would have become respected. He would have been able to start his own family, get married, have a good life. All the things that everybody would like to have. But in his deepest dreams he wanted to become a member of King's 13 Protective Squads. He knew that it was impossible now, as the Squads served Aizen. He hated that man. So he dreamed of becoming a rebel, to defeat him and become one of the protectors of the true king who would have been chosen then. It was the dream of his life. Ironically, as a rebel he would have to kill people. And now, as he killed that man, his biggest dream was something he was no longer sure about.

'Ichigo…,' Orihime interrupted his thoughts. He turned towards her.

'Yeah?'

'Can we stop for a moment? Just very short? To drink something, eat…?'

They had been riding for the whole previous night without a single stop. Eight hours at least. Ichigo looked around.

'We may stop in those trees, but for as short as we can,' he said pointing at a little copse in the distance.

She just nodded. And again they rode in silence. They stopped in silence. And they resumed they ride in silence.

'We should stop somewhere for the night. We need some sleep and horses need a break,' said Ichigo when the sun was starting to set.

'I agree,' replied Ishida. 'But we should make it as far as we can before the nightfall.'

Ichigo just nodded.


'It's so nice not to sit in the saddle,' murmured Orihime stretching her back.

They decided not to start a campfire. Partly because they feared being caught, partly because they were not able to start one without matches. They had just four blankets with which Isshin had equipped Orihime and Ichigo. Each of them wrapped one around themself and laid down. They should have been tired, but none could fall asleep.

'You know,' started Orihime in a tone widely known as theatrical whisper. 'I wonder if anyone is wondering where we went…'

'My father is definitely not,' said Ishida. 'I left him a note that I'm in trouble and I need to leave. And that he is not to look for me. As he would, anyway,' he added a bit bitterly.

His father had never been a good father. He never cared. The boys knew that and Orihime could still remember the time when she had run to Ishida's home to tell the father that his son had broken his arm falling from a tree. 'That's his problem and none of my concern,' was exactly what he had said. She was so shocked she just run out of the room. Old days, but enough to stop her from asking questions now.

'And what about you, Chad?' she asked instead.

'I told grandfather the truth,' he replied. 'He just said we did the right thing.'

He still could hear his grandfather's words: 'You have big fists. You are strong. Protect others.'

'I think I don't need to answer this question,' said Ichigo. 'My father's probably gonna brag all over the place how I left two weeks earlier to pick his daughter-in-law at last. That old bastard has only one in his head. What about you, Orihime?'

'I'm glad you asked,' they could sense in the tone of her voice that she smiled. 'I doubt that anyone would miss me. Since my brother died I've been living alone. You know, I dream of becoming a nurse, maybe a doctor. Well, I'm not sure if I can afford a medical school. Nurse is an easier goal. I wanted to ask your father for advice. But anyway I was going to leave quite soon. I just hope your father would be keen to help me with selling my house, so that I have money for any further education. I'll write to him as soon as we get to Karakura town and I find myself a proper job. So, nothing really changed. It's just as if someone else made the decision about leaving for me.'

'Well, I guess my father will be more than happy to help you with it,' answered Ichigo.

'You really think so? I hope he will!'

'Now, that we're finally talking,' started Ishida, not wanting Orihime to continue her monologue any longer. 'Ichigo, you mentioned something about swordsmanship practice, but yet you never…'

'My old man taught me some of it. Swordsmanship, some hand-to-hand combat, even a bit of archery. But I've never been good with bows or crossbows. That damn dungeon was not a good place for this kind of practice.'

Ishida tried to check his glasses, but he just touched the back of his nose. He had put them in the quiver before laying down.

'We'd better go to sleep,' Ichigo cut the talk off. 'Whoever wakes up first is to wake up the rest, okay? We need to leave as soon as we can. Only when we reach Karakura will we be safe.'


Karakura wasn't far away. Five days of normal ride, with all-night stopovers. It meant they were halfway to the town. If they had left early in the morning and wouldn't stop too often they would have reached it before the break of the next day. But of course they overslept.

When Ishida woke up sun was already high. He woke the others up and after a very quick breakfast they resumed their journey.

'If we ride in the same way we did before we should make it to Karakura by tomorrow noon,' stated Ichigo.

'We know,' answered Ishida. 'We rode this way with you each year to school, have you forgotten?'

'I didn't. But if we speed up we will be able to reach the village of Yumeno, Yuteno or whatever it is called and stay for the night in the inn there, as we used to do. And, depending on our speed we'll arrive in Karakura by tomorrow evening or even sooner.'

'We may be remembered in the inn,' pointed out Ishida.

'I doubt it. Even if they are hunting for us, they won't come this far in my opinion. They are too lazy for that. And we can pretend we are just a few of many students heading to one of Karakura's many schools.'

'I agree!' exclaimed Orihime. 'Riding by nights is just dangerous; there are highwaymen, werewolves and others…'

Ichigo and Ishida exchanged glances. She hadn't changed at all since primary school. Chad just nodded, agreeing with her.

'We don't know the tract that well,' he said.

'There are no robbers here,' replied Ichigo. 'But Chad's right, we can veer off course in the dark or a horse can break its leg stepping into some hole.'

Ishida checked the position of his glasses.

'If something happens, keep in mind I was against this idea.'

But nothing happened. They galloped and trotted in turns to give horses a break. They reached the Yukeno village before dusk. They hired there two rooms – one for them, the other for Orihime. They left in the morning, as planned. But then the least dramatic situation rained on their parade.

'What?' asked Ichigo.

'What you hear,' answered the farmer.

They met him on the cross-roads, a mile before a little bridge on a stream called Hoyazuki. He was wearing a straw hat and kept two cows on a string.

'Damned bridge collapsed just yesterday. I was turned back just by it, and I can tell ya, the hole was just in the middle, big as shit. Anyway, no one will pass that way until they fix the damned thing and that may last long.'

'So what should we do?' asked Orihime. Her face expressed great confusion and uncertainty. She looked quite beautiful that way and it made the man a little more helpful.

'There's a ford. If you turn left now you'll reach it. It was quite popular before the bridge was built. I'll take that way myself, but tomorrow, because today I won't make it to the market anyway,' he sighed.

'Thank you!' exclaimed Orihime as they turned the horses the way he pointed to them. 'We're really grateful!'

She could be very useful in moments like this. Unfortunately, the new route was much longer. They made it to the city just before the closing of the gates. The curfew, set by king Aizen in the very beginning of his reign and not changed since then, was to begin soon. There was no time to search for the friend of Ichigo's father so they decided to put up in an inn. They managed to check three and one of them proved to be neat, clean and of a decent price. They ate a good dinner in the main room and while Orihime, Ishida and Chad wanted to spend some time in there to celebrate their successful escape, Ichigo went upstairs, to their room. He told them he was tired and his butt hurt too much for him to spend more hours sitting on a wooden bench. Fortunately, they didn't inquire.

The curfew had already begun. No one was to go outside, though in inns and private houses people were allowed to stay up longer, for an hour or so. Until the bells of commissariat rang.

The room was quite big, with a large table in the middle. Two beds were standing by the window, while the one he chose from the beginning was far from it, near the door. The light from the streetlights didn't reach there. The window faced one of the side streets, not the main street which the façade of the inn faced.

He wanted to lay in darkness for a bit to finally find a solution to all his doubts. He wasn't able to do it - since the moment they had resumed they journey after the night they had spent outdoors Orihime was striking up a conversation with all of them all the time. Surprisingly it was not annoying. It just interrupted his stream of thoughts. Very unpleasant thoughts, he had to admit. And he had to find some kind of solution. To help him decide what he should do now.

But now, as he had perfect conditions to indulge in thoughts, they were not coming so easly. The phrase 'I'm a killer' faded away. Now there was a question: am I a killer? What made you a killer? Did you have to act with premeditation to be considered one? What if the death was just an accident? He was sure, he would be able to kill in order to protect, but in this case he hadn't wanted to do that. So… did that make him a killer or not?

He heard a creak of the casement. It had to be the wind, while he opened the window upon entering the room to let in some fresh air. He opened his eyes and looked towards the window. And then he gasped. He saw a ghost.


She was five. He was six. And it was already dark.

They hid in a building in the end of royal gardens. Many years before it used to be a summerhouse for garden parties. It had big casements, reaching the floor, that had been used as additional doors during those parties. But now there were only gardeners' tools stored in there. He had found her an hour before. She had been sitting there since noon. When she saw him enter she run to him. She embraced him stronger than her five-year-old arms seemed to allow.

'Ichigo!' she exclaimed. 'I was so scared!'

And she told him everything. She had gotten into her father's office. She had sat in his chair and pretended she was the king signing his orders. She hadn't touched anything; she knew she was not allowed. She had her own paper and crayons. Her father allowed her to do that. But this time something went wrong and she pushed the inkwell.

'And it all spilled! On his documents!' Rukia clung to Ichigo with a cry.

He tried to explain that she just should apologize. He could hear people walking through the gardens, calling both their names. The moon was getting through the window, lightening the inside a bit.

She wouldn't listen to him. She was too afraid of her father getting angry with her. Although he probably was furious already.

'Rukia! Ichigo! Rukia!' a voice called from behind the wall.

Rukia shuddered. A few more moments and a silhouette appeared in the window. A feminine silhouette, which reminded Ichigo of a night butterfly… not a moth, because moths were hairy and disgusting, but a beautiful, pure black midnight butterfly.

'Hisana!' Rukia darted towards her sister.


Hisana!, he had to bite his tongue not to exclaim it.

The silhouette was exactly the same as then… Strange he remembered it so well… The way the hair aired her head. The wide sleeves that every princess Hisana's dress had. And the long, flaring skirt…

It was only when she moved that he realized it was just a coat, definitely too big for her. So she was not a ghost… Not an illusion. Just a burglar. Shit. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He could try to catch her, but then he'd have to turn her in to the authorities. And she'd be punished, not for burglary, but for breaking the curfew. If he made too much noise she could be caught by someone else. Strange, but he didn't want her to be caught, maybe because she made him remember that evening so many years ago. One of the evenings of that perfect, fairytale-like life. Just because of that he didn't want her to get caught and punished. He had to scare her off silently.

She was waiting for her eyes to get accustomed to the darkness. There were some things lying on the beds, may them be some clothes – good clothes were worth a try. Fall was coming, with its cold nights. She silently jumped off the window onto the floor. The coat was a nuisance but it had a hood – useful in hiding her face from the policemen chasing her. But getting inside a house she would pull it down – it impaired her hearing and narrowed her field of vision. She went straight to the nearest bed, quite anxious, while this was her first self-reliant break in. No one helped her, even nobody stood on the lookout. She was sure she was alone. All customers were supposed to be happy-go-luckily sitting in the main room, with ale, listening to some stupid ballads. Have you heard, there's a rumor in our Seireitei her ass. It was when a hand covered her mouth and an armed gripped her waist that she realized she was not alone in that damned room. Holy crap, and she was keen to call herself an experienced burglar. It was all just because she was just used to collective work. She'll kill them for sending her here alone to 'prove herself'.

'Be quiet. If you promise you'll leave this room now I'll not turn you in to the police,' he uncovered her mouth.

'And what else I can do in your opinion, you bastard?' she hissed.

'Well, you should be glad I don't make you promise that you'll never break in again,' he let her go.

'As if my word means anything,' she laughed, realizing there was a drop of bitterness in her voice. Fortunately, he didn't notice it.

'You know, I'm saving your ass you bitch,' he just grumbled.

She was on the window sill again. Her back to him. She turned around and caught a glimpse of bright hair quite far from the floor.

'Like I'm ever gonna thank you, you jerk!' she pulled her hood on and jumped.

He gasped and rushed to the window. They were on the second floor. But there was a haycock just below the window, while the stable door was just a few meters away. She landed on it almost soundlessly. She slipped of it and run, hiding in every dark recess in the walls of the tenement houses. Soon she disappeared from his eyes and he went back to his bed. Not to his thoughts, but to his memories.


'Rukia!' Hisana embraced her sister. 'I was worried sick! Everyone was!'

'I told you,' murmured Ichigo.

'But I… I destroyed… papa's documents!' Rukia sobbed, burrowing into her sister.

'So it was you… I understand now,' Hisana smiled. She had a very beautiful, serene smile. 'Well, he was a bit angry, but a simple apology would do, I guess…'

'I told you,' Ichigo repeated himself. 'My dad always say, that when you do something wrong you have firstly to apologize and secondly to fix all the bad. And then everything will be okay. He says everyone makes mistakes.'

Hisana laughed. She had a beautiful laughter. No wonder a king of other country fell in love with her. No wonder Rukia held her up as a model, as she told him once.

'Your father is a wiser man than he seems to be,' Hisana smiled once more. 'Now, Rukia,' she took her sister's hand. 'We'll go back to the palace and you'll apologize to everyone and to papa. You know what for?'

'To papa for destroying his documents.'

'And to the others?'

'For making them worry…?'

'I'm glad I have such a smart younger sister,' Hisana's smile widened a bit, making her even prettier. One hand holding her sister, she held out her other hand to the boy. 'Come, Ichigo.'


The burglar stopped in a dark gate leading to some collapsing tenement. There, three high figures were already waiting for her.

'How was it? Your first self-reliant break in?' asked a harsh voice.

'It would be great, if the room wasn't empty.'

They laughed. In a very unpleasant manner.

'Don't you ever dare make fun of me!' she got really irritated. 'I'm better at it than any of you will ever be!'

'I must agree you do it really beautifully, but…' started one of them.

'Beautiful my ass! It's the outcome that counts!' yelled another.

'I won't push my luck two times in one night,' she replied, calming herself. 'If you want, you can try now yourself, Renji.'

'No need to,' he answer. 'Let's just hide for now. You'll just prove yourself tomorrow.'

She was not happy with this outcome, but there was nothing she could do to stop them from laughing at her missed burglary. She couldn't tell them the truth.

When Chad and Ishida returned, Ichigo pretended he was asleep. But when they fell asleep, he stayed awake, finally coming to some conclusions. He killed, that was true. But he killed to protect. If he had became the king's soldier as he used to dream, he would have had to kill to protect. He still wanted to be the king's soldier. And now, he had his way cleared for doing that. He killed a man, a man who was a criminal, who deserved punishment for trying to hurt Orihime. Punishment, not death. That's why Ichigo wanted to fight for the overthrowing king Aizen. For the justice to become. Then he will claim responsibility for that man's death. And he would accept the punishment he would receive. That was his own promise. To fight for justice. The justice of a true king, not some power-hungry impostor. Then his conscious thoughts started to drift away. To the glimpse of the burglar's face he saw before she jumped from the window.

She had princess Hisana's eyes, he thought bluntly, just for a moment before falling asleep. But it wasn't her… And it wasn't Rukia… But I'll revenge them and my mother by fighting Aizen. I will. She was just a burglar, but she had Hisana's eyes… Rukia's eyes…

A/N: And? How do You like it? It's not the best piece I've ever written, but as I've already stated I'm not native English speaker, so I still have some difficulties writing a real story in this beautiful language. Note that I've already changed " - " to " ' ". It was quite difficult for me, while in my language there are always " – " in dialogues.

Great thanks to my beloved Beta, who somehow has found enough time to check this.

Oh, and in this chapter I've referred to an old ballad and a song. Any ideas which ones? See you soon :)