Duty Without Love

Leda could not help but notice how dark and dreary the palace of the Leader god was. She expected something bright and gleaming, but she supposed that would be a flagrant contradiction to who he is, being the god of thunder and lightning as well. Why should it be surprising that his palace looks like a thunder cloud: gray, drab, and foreboding? It was massive in size; everything was on a grand scale. She was amazed to immediately find herself in a sunny, cheerful kitchen made of beige stone and pink colored bricks. His majestic, ostentatious home was as changeable and inconsistent as its master.

Servants nodded to her and the goddess but did not slow down to talk in their haste to complete their tasks. They whispered and glanced nervously at the mortal who had appeared amongst them. Rukia snapped her fingers and a few of the women began gathering food and water for them.

Leda followed Rukia and sat down on the bench at the long table positioned in the middle of the kitchen. She smiled at her new friend when she sat down on the other side across from her. A tray of food was set down in front of her and she thanked the young girl who bowed and hastily moved away. Another servant arrived with a pitcher of water and crystal glasses that gleamed like diamonds in the sunlight filling the light and airy room.

"Eat, eat," Rukia urged her in a friendly manner. While pouring their glasses full of the brilliantly sparkling water, she noticed the pendant around the woman's neck. Reaching across the table, she fingered the eagle, giving Leda an approving smile. "You're the one."

"I'm the one what?" Leda mumbled around the succulent slice of papaya she had shoved in her mouth.

"You're his beloved. He has chosen you to be his wife," the goddess explained, her already big eyes widening when the mortal choked on the fruit she was eating.

"Don't I have a say in the matter?" she asked, taking a sip of the cold water that tasted slightly sweet as if sugar had been added to it.

"No," her new friend returned bluntly.

Leda had been afraid of that. She sighed deeply and mournfully, slowly chewing the piece of meat she had put in her mouth.

"Leda, I'm sorry. Please don't hold this against him. It's not often a god falls in love. When they do, they have a tendency to do really stupid things without thinking," Rukia said with a pained look on her face as if she were embarrassed because of her brother's rash actions.

"They're not so different from mortal men," Leda returned, making the goddess chuckle with her brazen admission.

"I think I'm going to like you, Leda. Will you call me sister?" she inquired with a hopeful lilt to her voice.

Leda smiled at the woman; she liked her already. "Of course. You will actually be my sister right?"

"I suppose I will be," she rejoined with a big smile.

After eating, Leda was given a complete tour of the palace, then was led outside to the gardens. There were birds and animals of all types and descriptions living and wandering through the flora. The garden contained wonderful growing things she had never seen before. Not only were their flowers and plants of all sorts, there were fruits and vegetables of all types; some of which she believed only existed in the Heavenly Realm were flourishing there. While they were walking through the immaculate flower gardens, she began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Rukia asked, touching her shaking shoulder.

"He did not even allow me to say good-bye," she answered, the tears flowing harder down her cheeks.

"Come on," the diminutive goddess stated with determination, seizing her hand. "We don't have much time."

Before Leda could even open her mouth, they were back on earth. She turned away from Rukia just in time to lose the contents of her stomach.

"Why did you bring me back?" Leda inquired, holding her belly and fighting the urge to vomit a second time.

"I brought you back only to say your good-byes. I'm sorry, but I have to return you to my brother. You have to hurry. Please don't make me regret showing this kindness to you."

"I won't. Thank you." She hugged the goddess then grabbed the bottom of her toga to prevent it from tangling around her legs as she ran.

"Father! Father!" Leda yelled, running straight into the middle of the Senate chambers while they were in session. This was an offence punishable by death for a woman. Ignoring the incredulous gasps and confounded expressions on her father's fellow senator's faces, she glanced around in a panic to find him.

"Leda!" her father cried out in horror and fear, quickly exiting his seat in the gallery to rush to her. He stared inquisitively at the girl beside her but did not bother to ask questions.

"Father, I'm leaving," Leda said, panting for air.

"What? What do you mean? Where will you go?" he asked, the fear deepening and mixing with anxiety.

Leda held out the eagle medallion then explained, "I'm going away father. Forever. I've been chosen by Byakuya. I will be his wife."

"No," he gasped, stumbling backwards in startled terror. His daughter had completely lost her mind. The rumors he had heard we true. He had heard the murmurs for months that his daughter was spending many hours a day at the god's temple because she believed she had been chosen as his object of affection.

An awesome flash of light lit up the room with a blinding intensity before a deafening clap of thunder sounded that shook the building.

"He knows you're gone! We have to leave!" Rukia yelled over the booming aftershocks of thunder that continued to rumble through the room.

Part of the roof crumbled and crashed to the floor near them. It was suddenly as dark as if it were midnight. Black storm clouds had gathered and the lightning and thunder were coming at regular intervals with a fearsome intensity that made the building continue to quake.

"NOW, LEDA!" Rukia screamed with a strained expression of dread on her face.

"Good-bye, Father! Please take care of yourself and the people. They need you!" she yelled, hugging him one last time.

"Leda!" he cried, grabbing the medallion.

Rukia grabbed Leda in a tight embrace and they were gone in an instant. The roaring and rumbling stopped and the storm clouds disappeared.

Leda's father stared at the medallion in his hand. She was not insane after all, but she was gone. "Oh, Leda. My precious girl. How do I live without you?"


They landed in Byakuya's audience chambers where he was standing in front of his throne having his tantrum. The wind was whipping his long hair around his face that was hard and emotionless. His eyes were blank and unseeing, covered over with a milky white color like the eyes of a blind man. Leda hurried up to the platform to stop him from destroying the city and killing people on earth.

"I'm here! Stop! Stop!" Leda screamed, rushing forward to fall at Byakuya's feet. He seemed to be so carried away with his rage that he did not see her.

"This is your doing?" he bellowed at Rukia accusingly. He raised his hand and his expression changed from calculated anger to unrestrained wrath when Renji moved in front of Rukia to protect her from her brother. "Move you traitorous demigod or you will die too."

"NO! STOP!" Leda shrieked, jumping to her feet and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm here! I'll never leave you again! Rukia took me back to say good-bye to my father that's all!"

Byakuya lowered his hand, pressing it to the back of her head to cradle her skull. He brought his other arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him. Leaning down to kiss her forehead, he reminded her of the gentle lover she had known and fallen in love with.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, stroking her long black hair.

"What?" Renji and Rukia asked in stunned unity.

Leda waved her hand behind her at them as a signal to be quiet. She pulled back from him, staring at his face. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to tell him the truth – the truth that would seal her fate.

"How dare you steal me and force me to come here?" she began, her voice wavering with the strong emotion. She backed away from him, folding her hands serenely in front of her before she continued. "I will stay with you. I will be your dutiful wife. I will not forgive you. I can no longer love you. But I am yours because you will it."

Leda bowed deeply, keeping her eyes on the floor. She turned and slowly walked from the room with her head held high and her dignity intact. She tried to make her way back to his bedchamber but was lost. This place was dark, depressing, and confusing. Leaning against one of the light gray marble pillars streaked with veins of dark gray, she shed the tears that refused to wait any longer to fall. She found it ironic that she had been chained to prevent her escape when she was brought here. The palace itself would hinder her fleeing because she could not even maneuver through it yet. Once she was out, what would she do? What had Byakuya been thinking? If only he had given her time. If he had given her a chance to think, it is possible that she would have willingly and gratefully come with him. Apparently gods do not like to leave anything to chance. An unchosen fate is only for humans to tolerate and withstand the outcome, not for the gods who make it.

"Love muddles the brain and makes one foolish," a familiar voice said, echoing through the great hall. "Don't hate him for it."

'There's so many other wonderful reasons why you will learn to hate him,' Renji thought to himself as he advanced upon the crying woman.

Leda looked up to see the chronically irritated soldier striding toward her purposefully. She shrank back from him, holding her arms in front of her face defensively when he reached out to her.

What was wrong with her? Before she was so strong, so determined. Now she seemed fragile, weak – fearful. Humans. Renji seized her by the arm and snatched her to her feet.

"Do you have to be so rough and cruel?" she asked, her voice exceedingly calm.

"Come on," he grated through his clenched teeth. No he did not have to be so mean, but mortals did not have to so galling either. "I'm taking you to his bedchamber. Rukia was afraid you had gotten lost."

"Are you my keeper now? Taking orders from both of the siblings?" Leda inquired, nearly bumping into him when he unexpectedly halted.

"I suppose I am your caretaker," Renji mumbled, a flash fury running through him. It still irked him.

Chief Warrior to Chief Babysitter; he slid a sidelong glance at her realizing she was much more than a baby. Shaking his head, he continued on to the bedchamber to get her as far away from him as possible. He would stay outside the door this time. No shackles and chains were the specific instructions given to him by Rukia. What about a gag? Amazingly enough the woman was being quiet at this time. She was not even crying any longer. She seemed to have developed a sorrowful acceptance to her fate.

"Why do you hate him?" Leda asked when they stopped in front of the appropriate door.

"What did you ask me?" Renji glared at her in disbelief. He could not believe she had the audacity to ask such a question! How did she know? He thought he hid his hatred very well. "Hate who?"

"Oh, so you want to play that game? Fine. I'm sure you have a very good reason," she muttered, going straight to the bed.

"Are you feeling all right?" And why did he care?

"No. I'm not," she snapped, lying down on the animal skins.

"If there's anything you need, tell me," he said, grabbing one of the chairs before turning to walk out of the door.

"I need to go home!" she petulantly exclaimed, anger rising to replace the sadness.

"If there's anything I can actually do for you, let me know," he rephrased, taking his leave of the infuriating earth creature.

Guard her. Guard her with your life if you have to because she is my beloved. Byakuya had told him. Why? What was so special about her? He did not understand many jealous, envious goddesses would be coming to seek revenge and possibly her life to get rid of her. She had stolen the heart and attention of the god of gods, and they would hate her for it. It did not matter that she was here by no choice of her own. They would want her gone so they would have their chance to capture the Ruler god's heart. They were too stupid to realize they had already had millenniums to do so yet failed because he did not want them.

Rukia had liked Leda straightaway and very quickly formed a friendship with her. She was already referring to her as sister in Byakuya's presence which pleased him.

The excitement was building as the news spread through the Heavenly Realm: the god of gods had found a wife; a human wife no less. Shunsui and Rangiku were nearly beside themselves with joy. They had a wedding feast to plan.