CHAPTER 2
Hitsugaya awoke in the stark whiteness of a recovery room and found he had an oxygen mask on his face and bandages wrapped around his torso. Captain Unohana was soon in the room accompanied by Matsumoto. The voluptuous red head said "Captain!" She rushed to the side of the bed shocked and worried about her little captain. He scowled at her and looked away. She knew he would be alright "Captain" she whined "There's someone special to see you. Are you alright to have visitors? I hope, because I don't think you can say no to this visitor!"
Yukiko entered followed by one of her maids. Hitsugaya felt surprise then shame about the last thing he said to her before he passed out. She was clearly relieved to see he was conscious, even if he did have bandages and a mask. He cleared his throat and grabbed at his mask to remove it. The cords and tubes got in his way and Unohana gently removed it.
"Thank you" he muttered.
Yukiko walked right up to his bedside and stopped short. Matsumoto backed off and stood next to Unohana against the wall. Yukiko's maid was less than two paces behind her. Hitsugaya asked "Are you alright, madam princess?"
"Fine" she said eager to speak to the boy away from prying eyes.
"You seemed familiar with how to handle this type of attack, my lady, did you know this enemy?" observed Hitsugaya.
'So this is how it's going to be…' she thought and her relieved smile faded away "I don't know who he was."
"He was dressed as though he came from the royal court. Were there any people who were against you coming here? Or perhaps against—" The tiny captain began to cough, cutting off his questions. He gasped for air and Unohana quickly slipped the mask back on his face until his breathing had calmed.
Matsumoto, more concerned than anything said "Captain, I think it's best to leave the investigation to others who are well."
He furrowed his brow and slumped back in his bed. He nodded his agreement and crossed his arms, wincing from the pan of his wounds.
Yukiko asked "May I speak with you alone , captain?"
Matsumoto said "Oh, taciho, I think maybe you need to rest.""
He waved his vice captain off and Unohana gently took Matsumoto by the arm and walked her out the door. The maid moved closer to the door and acted, it seemed, like a casual look out.
The princess sat on the bed and put her hand on Hitsugaya's arm. He flinched and rightly so. Anyone not of royal birth could be put to death should they deem themselves worthy without permission to touch the king or any of his family. "Worry not, Captain." She leaned in closer, her blue-green eyes searching his. "Do you remember what you said just before you blacked out?" He looked away, remembering but not wanting to say so. "It's okay" she cooed. She whispered more quietly "I think it is related to why you were attacked."
She had his full attention now. At a more normal conversational volume she said "May I tell you a story?" He nodded warily as she pushed his white hair out of his eyes. She began "Years ago there was a scandal hushed up in the king's court. A princess fell in love with one of the Zero squad guards. The guard was banished for returning her affections. The situation was twisted by power hungry lords to make it appear as though it was an offense perpetrated by the guard to the king as opposed to the princess's wish. The guard had not yet asked permission to court the young woman, and was arrested before he could submit the preliminary request with the king's secretarial chamber. It was actually written, sealed, and sitting in the guard's chamber the day he was arrested."
Hitsugaya was only half interested, and even a bit insulted that this woman was treating him like a child and telling him a bedtime story. He was polite, and attentive regardless of what he perceived as an irrelevant story.
The princess did not let on that she sensed Toshirou's disinterest. "There was no trial, there was no forum for the princess or the guard to speak their case. He was simply arrested and exiled. After the guard was sent away it came to light that a child was conceived. Had the guard been at a closer distance he would have been executed, but thankfully he was far far away. The princess was sent to a remote location, private and rural, to have the child." Yukiko put her hand on Hitsugaya's arm. "The child was a baby boy. No one knew at the time the king would later be left without a male heir."
The princess pulled her arm back and continued "She was overjoyed. A baby boy!" Life faded from her eyes and she seemed to emotionally retract inside somewhere no one could join her. She looked down at the folds in the blanket and said "She held him, but the doctor took him away from her. He was not a royal surgeon and had no right to do so. The baby…they took him." Her smile had faded, but her face did not harden. She came back to reality and looked at the young captain "They told her 'He has died, milady. He has moved on to the other world.' When the princess recovered she wanted to visit his grave and leave a token or a charm to guide the baby's soul to a good life in the next world. When she inquired where he was she was told he had no grave marker. They wanted to cover up the incident and a tomb would be too obvious. She could not visit him. It would be her penance for foolishly acting against the king."
Toushirou's stomach twisted into knots when he realized why she was telling him this story. He knew in his heart of hearts he was that child but the logical side of his mind persisted in making him question it. He was an orphan, like all other children in Rukongai. Families came together by chance in all the districts, not just the lower ones. His parents found him as a baby and raised him as their own. His grandmother had cared for him after his parents were murdered during a trip to a far off district. 'But where was I found? How was I so lucky as to end up in the finest district outside the Seireitei?'
Yukiko said "The princess hoped against all hope that he didn't have a grave because he had not passed on. That someone took pity on the child, and that he was picked up by a good family. But now perhaps he…" her eyebrows lifted, hoping he understood what she was saying. She did not want to ramble, but she wanted him to know this story. "Perhaps…He has been found and the royal family is still trying to cover up the scandal."
He shifted forward and looked into her eyes. He whispered "Just because…his eyes are like the princess" said the captain.
She whispered back "Not only this, but this boy's spirit power embodies a combination of both the royal elemental force and the earthen warrior power; A tremendous combination which hasn't been seen on the throne for millions of years. Once mature he will be peerless, however, only with the right training. He cannot learn his full potential from mere mortal souls, when he is the descendent of gods."
Hitsugaya couldn't help it and accidentally let slip a "Pfft." 'This is all rather fantastic, and unbelievable.'
She became more serious and emphasized "There are factions who have secretly searched for the child." She said more seriously "A body was never found! You see, the king has only had daughters. 24 girls. This child, though illegitimate, is the only viable heir to the throne. "
Hitsugaya couldn't believe his ears. 'This woman is nuts…' "There must be a cousin, some other man who is groomed to take the place of—"
"The only men have married in, and are no more prepared to be an absolute ruler than a pig farmer! They're selfish, greedy, conniving! None of them leaders, and no one has any martial experience. Their lack of knowledge outside the royal courts is staggering. They're weak, and unskilled in the use of what little spirit power they have. I have no doubt their children will be the same."
"Not all the kings children have special power" said Hitsugaya.
She responded, hoping to drive her point home "This is true. Earth, water, air, and fire are the purest of the king's powers. Elemental powers are truly royal. While any Shinigami can wield the power, they cannot wield the element itself. It is only their zanpakutou. I am lucky enough to hold the power of water and ice. I command the winter elements. I have three sisters who each have one of the elemental powers."
The princess explained "The zero squad is littered with regular Shingami zanpakutou, but the special guards have what we call Earthen powers, usually taking the form of what those in the living world would see as mythical beasts. Dragons, phoenix, unicorns, and some chimera. This child has an overlap which is nearly unprecedented. We have only seen something similar in the Sougyouku, which was rumored to be my uncle's zanpakutou until his natural death."
Hitsugaya's heart was turning away from her and she could sense it. "The princes who married the king's daughters do not want this child to appear and take what they feel they are entitled to." She could see the captain's wavering belief was weakening and she worried for his life. "If you don't believe me, allow Captain Unohana to test us. If I'm wrong you have nothing to be concerned about." She swallowed some tears "and we will turn our separate ways."
The maid at the door let out a short sharp nose. "Psst!"
Yukiko immediately stood and went to exit. She stopped before she made it to the door and said "Please consider the test if for no other reason than to put all of this to rest."
Hitsugaya had a lot to think about. 'The test will no doubt be negative, but what if it isn't? I'll have more duty and obligation than have ever thought possible.'
Over the next two days other visitors and well wishers came to see him and he breathed none of his conversation with the princess with them. Toshirou was doing well and managed to slip in some investigative questions to his visitors. After they left Hitsugaya asked a nurse for Unohana.
Unohana was always impressed by Hitsugaya, but there was a new and even more serious air about him. He said "Captain Unohana, I know I can trust you, however I need to impress upon you the importance of the confidentiality in this request. I need your absolute confidence, your complete and utter secrecy until I know what to do with the information that is gained. Lack of discretion in this circumstance is a matter of life, death, and the fate of all souls. I need a specific test."
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Late in the evening Unohana took off her white captain cloak and put her reiatsu hiding skills to use and then visited the princess secretly. She shunpoed to the Kuchiki estate where the royal retinue was staying. The captain flashed to the roof over where the princess sat, waiting, wondering. Unohana dropped to the landing outside the doors to the royal rooms. Unohana crouched down in the darkness and let only a tad of her reiatsu slip through to signal she was there.
The princess' maid opened the door just a crack and acknowledged her. The captain then watched as the princess pulled a few hairs from her head and handed them to her maid who then passed them onto the captain. As soon as they were secured in a sample box and tucked in her kimono, Unohana was off.
The captain waited for the deep dark cover of night to emerge again. Unohana waited for the last of her squad members to file out of one of the periphery medical labs. She locked the door behind her and put up a barrier to ward off anyone who may want to enter. She pulled out her unmarked samples and began to work. She set up her tests , a series of several which would confirm if the two vials were from two people who were related or not. By the third test she was certain she knew the answer, but completed all the tests as protocol required. She kept notes but labeled nothing because no one could know what she was doing. She had to keep the information to herself.
The next morning the prince inspected the last of the squads, 10 and 11. All others passed with flying colors and many were eager for Hitsugaya to prove himself after the incident with the Kings seal.
That morning Unohana entered HItsugaya's office and Matsumoto was sent to prepare the squad for their exercises. Unohana stood in the doorway of Hitsugaya's office waiting for acknowledgement. Toshirou looked up and said "Captain, welcome! Please come in." He was still sitting up straight at his desk with a pen in hand.
Unohana stepped into the doors and then slid them closed behind her. She said "The two samples are undeniably related."
Hitsugaya was stunned. His posture went loose, and he hit the back of his chair. Unohana bowed deeply knowing how she was in the presence of royalty, the kings only male blood relation and heir. Hitsugaya swallowed feeling his mouth run dry. He said "Thank you, captain. Please don't bow. No one must know. Please discreetly tell the princess. I'm sure she is eager to know."
She began "Yes, of course, your-"
"Unohana! Please" he interrupted.
"Of course, captain." Unohana stood up and backed out of the room. The healer was shaken, reeling with the vast implications and the intrigue and danger associated with this knowledge. However the boy and his mother handled it she hoped they would have a care for his safety.
Unohana came to the Kuchiki estate, where the royal couple was staying. The princess had complained of poor health earlier in the week and Unohana was following up on her initial advice. She was almost turned away as the royal physician was attending her majesty. The princess was in ear shot and asked to see the lady captain, if for no other reason than for an informal chat. The princess knew the captain had news for her one way or the other. They sat in a quiet empty room and were immediately brought a chilled exotic tea. "It's plum tea. Much too bitter to drink hot, but once it's chilled, it's delicious, and perfect for a warm day" said the princess. She took a sip of her tea and said "Oh, it's not cool enough by far!" Yukiko touched her glass and chilled it with a single finger, then nodded in approval after she took another test sip.
She motioned towards Unohana's cup and the captain nodded, extending the cup of tea. The princess tapped hot cup cooling it further, instantly. The captain took a sip. The princess said "I hear Captain Hitsugaya has an ice and snow zanpaktuou."
"Yes, this is true. Hyouinmaru is a large ice dragon in most forms. It is quite an extraordinary sight" explained Unohana.
The princess hesitated then asked "Does this ability run in his family?"
Unohana smiled and whispered "Apparently, yes."
The princess correctly took that as her answer. She swallowed her feelings of joy and did her best to conceal her happy feelings for fear her enemies may be watching.
"His mother must be very proud" said Unohana.
"Yes, yes of course" agreed the princess.
