Hello there, I hope you hadn't been waiting too long for the update to this fic... because it's here! :D It's a pretty long update, so I hope you like it. I was somehow stimulated to write an update due to the recent bittersweet Bleach manga chapter - if you do read it, you will know what it is about.

Thank you for all the reviews for Chapter 2, they are really lovely and made me see the interest in this particular ByaRuki story. So thank you so much. :)

There might be MAJOR changes in my writing time soon enough, I might not even have time for writing anymore. :( So I have put up a poll at my profile page, so do have a look and vote VERY wisely. It might or might not influence my stories. I cannot even promise now that I can finish even one story, but we will see how it goes. :)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach or the characters, but I own this plot.


Three days passed quickly, and soon it was time to report to the palace… as a proper consort. While Rukia was excited, she was also saddened by the prospect of having to say goodbye to her newfound friends.

"We will visit sometime," Kukaku smiled, as the brothers sobbed loudly and blew their noses. "Good luck in the palace, Rukia."

"Arigato."

"And stay safe."


Byakuya put on the royal robes as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. The robes were a royal yellow, with patterns of dragons on both sleeves. Byakuya had never really liked these robes too much, they were heavy and so heavily embroidered.

Today's ceremony was a hassle for Byakuya, for it was his addressing ceremony to the new consorts this year. He never really took notice to this particular event, finding it annoying. He never saw the consorts properly at these events, and the welcoming speech was the same every year.

It was true, when Renji had mentioned that he rarely showed interest to any woman. After some time, Byakuya had found that all the women acted in a distinctly particular way to him. They were very polite and somehow awkward in conversations. And while Byakuya was someone who liked to keep to rules and proper mannerisms, he found these interactions a little too… wearing.

Every time a foreign ruler sent forth princesses for marriage, Byakuya had them married off to Generals whom had their worth proven in victories and leadership. Every time a court official introduced their daughter to him, he would tell said official to consult with Lady Unohana on the selection of consorts.

He himself was better off focusing on other, much more pressing matters of his country.


Rukia stared in awe at the enormous palace hall that the consorts had all been ushered into, with a size that could fit at least twenty of the Shiba mansions. There were marble pillars extending to the high ceiling, with dragon carvings on each of these pillars. At the very front of the hall, there was a majestic throne raised on a golden stage.

"Good morning, my Ladies." Rukia tried to see past the numerous women in front of her. She caught sight of a short, fat eunuch with a beard. "I am the Head Eunuch Kou, and I would like to welcome you all to the Imperial Palace. Congratulations on your selection as one of the consorts of the Emperor."

Rukia smiled.

"Now, in a few minutes, the Emperor will make his way into this hall to address all of you and to welcome you to the Palace. We have the set list of consorts here, and will call out your name for your position in the hall. Ayama Miko…"

Rukia watched as the consorts were called into line. Soon, it became apparent that the Ayama woman was very lucky, she was going to stand the first in line in full view of the Emperor. The rest of the consorts would stand behind her and even though it was said that the Emperor could walk down from the throne and greet the consorts, he was never recorded to have done so.

"… and finally, Shiba Rukia." Rukia suppressed a sigh as she joined the women as the last consort in line. From her position, she was farthest from the stage, and was definitely not to be noticed at all.

"His Majesty is here! Please bow!" A high-pitched announcement was made, and all the women bowed their heads respectfully. Rukia mimicked the women around her, but she lifted her head ever so slightly to try to catch a glimpse of the Emperor.

There were just too many people in front of her: consorts, eunuchs, officials. She could only make out a gold-clad figure and soon, even that was lost as so many heads blocked her view.

Rukia sighed and resorted to looking at the dragon pillars again.


"Did you see the Emperor? He is the most handsome man in the world!"

"That hair! And eyes!"

Everywhere she looked, Rukia saw all the women gushing over the Emperor. The ceremony had lasted under an hour with the Emperor addressing the consorts and welcoming them to the palace. From her place, Rukia could barely hear his voice (much less see him) and so tuned the Emperor out and instead paid more attention to the beautiful ceiling.

But now, the curiosity got the better of her.

"What did he look like?" Rukia was unable to contain the question on her lips, as she was feeling slightly regretful that she had not managed to catch a glimpse of the leader of the country.

"You didn't see the Emperor?" A snobbish voice cut through the air and Rukia turned around to see a grinning consort. "My oh my, and that might have been the last time you would ever see him." The consort gave her an annoying smirk.

"I never said I didn't see him!" Rukia shot back, instantly disliking the woman. "I was just… just confirming!"

"Oh well, just in case you hadn't seen him then…" The consort gave an airy laugh. "The Emperor is so very handsome, the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life. He has very black hair and an oval face and very green eyes!"

"Wow!" The other consorts who, like Rukia, had not had a chance to see Emperor Byakuya, all looked at the woman in adoration.

Squashing her disappointment, Rukia just looked away.


"Lady Unohana, the consorts have been welcomed by the Emperor and are now being prepared to be transported to their respective residences." The eunuch bowed his head low.

"Very well." Unohana nodded. "You may leave."

"Hai."

"Wait."

"Yes, Lady Unohana?"

"Consort Rukia..." Lady Unohana put aside her stitching set. "... where has she been assigned to?"

"Consort Rukia?" The eunuch consulted a long list with his eyeglass. "Consort Rukia has been assigned the residence of the Palace of the Eastern Snow."

"The Palace of the Eastern Snow?" Unohana's blue eyes widened slightly, before narrowing. "Oh dear."


Rukia looked left and right curiously, trying to stop her mouth from falling open in awe. The palace was a very huge place, with almost infinite boundaries. There were at least fifty different gardens and the sight of these were remarkable enough in their beauty. There were low bamboos growing over the lakes, which snaked as little streams through beautifully carved stone bridges. The water was clear, and expensive koi fishes made their homes here in glittering multi-coloured schools of their own.

Rukia had to stop in her steps more than a few times to take in the beauty of it all as she was led with the other consorts through the gardens to their respective palaces. The head eunuch had also informed them that the Emperor himself loved tranquil gardens and so the palace staff had to go to great pains to form these wondrous landscapes.

Rukia found it all very surreal.

The marble and stone pavilions were beautiful as well, which were carved by the side of the lakes for their occupants to view the scenery. The walkway through the gardens and pavilions were also made from the same expensive marble and stone and provided naturally cooling shades. It was through this walkway that the consorts were led, and one by one they were designated their respective palaces.

Rukia watched as the number of women started to dwindle down. Each of the palace for each consort had beautiful names such as Palace of the Jade Mist or Palace of the Soaring Phoenix. The palace each had a large lantern holder at the front compound from which a round lantern hung, which the eunuch had instructed each consort to keep lit at night, so as to attract the Emperor to visit them.

An unlit lantern usually meant that the consort was either asleep or having other commitments. And as such, the Emperor would never visit.

Rukia tuned the eunuch out, as she looked up happily at the roofs of the palace. She briefly wondered what the name of her palace would be, if it would be as beautiful as the rest of the other palaces.

"And now, my Lady." The head eunuch looked at Rukia and motioned her forward. She was now the final consort left, being the last listed in the long line of consorts. "We shall proceed to your palace."

Rukia nodded, barely able to hold her excitement. She remembered how to walk properly this time without tripping in her robes.

"Your palace, my Lady, is the Palace of the Eastern Snow." A strange look passed over the eunuch's face.

Palace of the Eastern Snow? It was a very beautiful name, and the name Rukia decided she liked best out of all the palace names. She followed the eunuch down the marble walkway.

After a while of walking, the eunuch suddenly stopped, and Rukia almost walked headlong into him. She stared out from behind the man and quickly looked up at the entrance, and the golden plaque fastened high above the doorway.

Palace of the Eastern Snow.

Rukia felt a smile starting to curl her lips as she looked up at the plaque. This was the place that was going to be her home. Rukia looked past the doorway into the compound. The palace was slightly smaller than some of the others she had seen, but it was well-kept with what seemed to be a garden past the rooms. There was a bare patch of land at the left of the compound, which Rukia immediately decided she would use to grow vegetables or flowers.

"Eh-hem. I'm afraid we are finally here." The eunuch coughed slightly.

Rukia turned to him in surprise. "Afraid? What do you mean?"

This time, the eunuch gave her a smile, an almost evil smile. "This palace… is known for a lot of things, Consort Rukia. Best be on your guard."

Rukia's eyes widened. "W-What do you mean?" Her mind immediately flew to ghosts in the palace.

"You see… any consort who enters this palace as her living quarters has not lasted more than a week in the palace, my Lady."

Rukia was shocked. "W-WHY? Then, why did you give me such a place?"

"The place was drawn for you through ballots, my Lady. Are you suggesting that I cheated somehow?" The eunuch gave her an angry look.

"N-No, of course not. I just… can I change my palace then?"

"No can do." The eunuch smiled. "These palaces are just enough for the number of consorts coming in this year. I wish you good luck, my Lady."

"But why didn't the consorts last in the palace then?" Rukia pressed on. "Were they… killed? Or-"

The eunuch laughed a wizened old laugh. "No, no, my Lady… they left, of their own accord. Screaming away from the palace, might I add."

Rukia's eyes widened. "Why is that?" she whispered as she glanced back at the compound of the palace. The place appeared peaceful enough. "There's not something scary in there, is it?"

The eunuch smiled. "There is, my Lady. And its name is… Shinji."


Rukia took a deep breath and walked through the doorway of the palace. She clutched her bag of belongings in front of her, feeling suddenly very wary of her surroundings. The compound was bathed in bright sunlight but her neck prickled, as if she was being watched by unseen eyes.

Shinji? What was Shinji? Rukia's first thought was a dog, probably a very fierce one that guarded this palace. It was probably what had chased the refined women away. But Rukia had had a lot of experienced with dogs, she could outrun them on her bare feet. And if it came right down to wrestling with one, she decided she could probably do it as well.

Or was it… something else?

"How may I help you?"

Rukia gasped as she heard the sharp female voice and she hurriedly looked up at the short girl who had just appeared out of nowhere. This girl seemed young with bright yellow hair tied into two pigtails. But her voice was sharp and firm, almost rude.

"Oh, er, I… I am Rukia." Rukia smiled, even though the girl did not smile back. "I have been assigned this palace as my living quarters." She bowed slightly but the girl still stood straight, glaring at her. "Em, and you are?"

"It's not your business." The girl cut her off rudely. "You are the new consort?"

Trying to contain the anger that had bubbled up at the stranger's rudeness, Rukia nodded. "Yes, I am. Rukia."

"Whatever. You should just take your bag and leave, you are never getting the Emperor's attention." The girl looked Rukia up and down with a skeptical expression and laughed.

It was the laughter that made Rukia's anger spill over.

"I just arrived here today, do you not think it is a bit too pessimistic of you to say so? And a proper lady would have introduced herself to a guest." Rukia's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Oh yeah?" The girl smiled, baring her teeth. "I will show you how we handle our guests!"

Rukia's eyes widened as the girl curled her right hand into a fist and aimed a punch at Rukia's face. Dropping her bag, Rukia felt her trained senses kick into play as she ducked the blow and intercepted the girl's hand. She pushed the girl backward, causing her to retreat slightly.

"What are you doing?" Rukia shouted. "Why are you trying to hit me?"

"Oooh, she can play!" The girl gave Rukia a manic smile. "It's the first time the consort comes in and doesn't get hit in the face for my first try!"

"Are you crazy?" Rukia shouted again as she ducked another blow from the girl. Rukia hurriedly grabbed both the girl's wrists, circled them behind her and pushed her away.

"You stupid bitch!" The girl growled.

"What is all this? Why… why do you do this? That's not how servants act in the palace, do they?" Rukia shouted.

"Servants?" Rukia's eyes widened as she heard the clear male voice, which seemed to come from the darkened room before the compound. "Do mine ears deceive me? Did somebody say servant?"

Rukia backed away as a figure started to emerge from the room. This time, the stranger was a man with a straight-cut yellow hair of jaw length. He was tall, with a calm expression.

"Hiyori, do not forget your manners. Let us, ah, treat the guest properly, as what she says." The girl who had been fighting Rukia, grumbled and stood aside.

The man walked three steps forward and smiled, revealing very straight teeth. "My name is Shinji, Hirako Shinji. I am the eunuch in charge of the Palace of the Eastern Snow."

Shinji. Shinji! This is the Shinji the other eunuch was talking about? The Shinji he had warned her about?

Rukia felt the panic rising in her body, and she could not help taking a step back.

"You are not flustered, are you? The eunuch laughed. "Well, my Lady Rukia, welcome to the palace, if you find yourself inclined to stay. However…" The eunuch looked up, with very cold eyes. "… I am to correct you that we are not your servants."

Rukia looked at him indignantly "I… did not mean that! What I was saying was-"

"Whatever you were saying, I just needed you to know that single reality. You will need to understand them if you decide to stay."

"I… okay." Rukia nodded.

"And when I say we are not your servants… you will go about this place by yourself." Rukia's eyes widened slightly, as Hiyori chuckled. "We will not prepare your bath water, if you need hot water, you will get it from the well yourself and boil it. You will cook your own food, and prepare your own tea. You will make your own bed, and do as you need for your own comfort. Do you understand?"

Rukia picked up her bag, before she looked at the eunuch. "Yes. And just for your information, I am not leaving."

Shinji looked at her, as he frowned slightly.

"And you know why I am not leaving?" Rukia's eyes flashed angrily. "Because I have nowhere to go, you all understand?" She tried to ignore the bitter taste in her throat. That stupid cocky consort in the meeting hall, not even getting to see the Emperor, everyone isolating her, even this now.

Rukia took up her bag and started to walk past Shinji into the bedroom. As she stepped into the room, she caught sight of another girl in the room who had no doubt been eavesdropping on the conversation. The girl had long black hair tied into a bun at the bag and very sweet eyes. But before Rukia could say anything, the girl gave a frightened yelp and ran out of the room.

Fuming, Rukia closed the door.


"Reporting, Lady Unohana."

Unohana looked up. "Speak." She addressed the guard.

"As per your instructions, we report on what has been happening in the Palace of the Eastern Snow. There seemed to be a commotion in the palace compound just earlier today. The Consort Rukia had perhaps run into quite a difficulty."

"As always." Lady Unohana smiled, before shaking her head. "Shinji… he never learns."

"What would be your next order, Lady Unohana?"

"Continue monitoring the palace, and report to me. I will decide the next course of action."

When the guard had left, Unohana turned back to her work. Shinji, Shinji… perhaps a little nudge will show you how different your current consort really is.


"Group meeting begin. Honestly, I think that consort is really strange." Shinji mused.

"I think she's just putting on a front, she will be out of here in the evening. I bet she doesn't even know how to boil water." Hiyori snickered.

"I… think we might be too harsh again-"

"Hinamori, you are too soft for your own good, we all know that." Shinji spoke, as he glanced at the girl next to him. "You always think every consort is a nice little young lady."

"Well, she does look like a nice-"

"No, she doesn't. She almost killed me just now, didn't you see?" Hiyori replied.

"To be honest, you were trying to kill her yourself," Shinji had to answer, and ducked a flying kick from Hiyori's sandal. "To be honest, I was surprised she could counter your attack. All the consorts that had walked through the door ends up with a black eye on your first try."

Hiyori huffed. "She just got lucky."

"And she doesn't walk very elegantly, if you get my drift? She does seem to have some basic in combat, which we never see in nobles."

"What, are you saying she's not a noble?" Hiyori rolled her eyes. "There's no way they would let anything other than nobility in here."

"I'm not saying that. Maybe she's just… I don't know. She is rather strange. And did you hear what she said about not having anywhere else to go?"

"Like I said, it's just a front. We see how she fares till tomorrow, if she's still even here. And Hinamori, no pity from you, understand?"

Hinamori only nodded sadly.


Rukia took a deep breath, as she tried to calm her emotions. She had unpacked and swiped all the cobwebs away from the bed and teapot set in the room. The bedroom was very dirty, it seemed that Shinji and the rest had purposely left the condition of the room unattended. Rukia had cleaned up everything and after she was done, she found the bedroom to be rather beautiful.

The room was very spacious with a very huge carved bed with silk drapings over it. The furniture were also all carved and polished, the main piece was probably the expensive round marble tea table and a few chairs around it. At the far end opposite the bed, there was a carved study table with a book rack behind it. Around the room, there were also tastefully carved chairs and resting places.

When Rukia was done, she took a deep breath and opened the door. There was no one in sight, and she was grateful for that.

She explored the kitchen, which was very meticulously clean and which she suspected the 'Shinji triad' probably used for their own cooking as well. Finding an old empty pot, Rukia put it on to boil and started to explore the rest of the palace.

The gardens of the Palace of the Eastern Snow was one of the prettiest Rukia had ever seen. Here, they grew a large variety of trees. There were fruit trees, bamboo trees, and so many different flower trees. There were huge sakura trees here as well, with their beautiful pink blossoms scenting the air. The lake was clear and ran through a beautiful stone bridge, which led to a beautiful pavilion.

There were endless rooms in this palace, but Rukia chose not to explore them too much. There was also the servant quarters which she turned away from, preferring not to have the drama from the afternoon.

By the time she had gotten back to the kitchen, someone had apparently put out the fire and she was left with lukewarm water for her tea. And somehow, all the blankets and spare robes disappeared from the supply cupboard during her exploration so she was left with none. Even the pot soon disappeared from the kitchen, and Rukia was unable to boil any more water.

That evening, Rukia only ate some fruits she had plucked from the trees. It wasn't enough but she had once gone without food for as long as one week, so she could bear with it very easily. She had tea with her for drinking though, even if it had already gone cold. She took her bath that night with very cold water and wore only a single robe to bed.

It was very unfair, and Rukia thought about the other consorts, who had probably fitted in nicely with their own people at their own palaces. They would make friends, and have so many fun days in the palace.

So unlike her.

Rukia really wanted to make good friends, she really did. After all, she never had the chance to have any. She wanted to prepare food with them in the kitchen and compare recipes, she wanted to work together in the garden and clean up the leaves as they laughed at each other. She wanted to plant vegetables, and help light up the lantern at the front. It didn't matter if she never ever saw the Emperor, she just wanted to live a happy life.

She had been so looking forward to all of these.

Rukia wiped her tears away and curled into a ball to sleep, the cold and bitter wind her only companion. It wasn't hard, she had had done this before.

Only thing was she had not expected her life to be similar to when she was outside the palace walls.


"Hey Hiyori, wake up!"

Hiyori grumbled slightly and pulled the blankets up over her head.

"I said wake up!" Shinji pulled the blankets away.

"What now?" Hiyori opened her brown eyes and glared at her friend.

"Do you think we are being a bit too harsh? I forgot that we took away all the robes in the linen cupboard. She could have frozen to death in the night!"

"Well… why don't you check and see?" Hiyori pulled her pillow over her head.

"You are hopeless." Shinji kicked her and exited the bedroom.


Rukia slowly dried her hair as she reached for her robes. She had woken up freezing and stiff on her bed. It had been so very cold in the palace at night, and she had shivered until sleep had finally overtaken her. Even her sleep had not been peaceful. But still, she had woken up in the morning to clean herself up.

It was a new day and if the world was going to be her enemy again, she would take it down just like before.

Rukia pushed open the bathroom door to find Shinji standing in front of it, looking shocked.

Rukia gasped. "What do you want? Are you peeking?"

Shinji, who had looked momentarily shocked, hurriedly rearranged his expression into a calm one. "You are still here."

"Yes. Why? Are you surprised?"

"Maybe." Shinji frowned. "You should just leave, and that's a warning."

"Well I have had a lot of warnings in my life, and they all come from people who do not give a damn about me, so I tend to ignore those."

"I told you… you are never going to find what you are looking for here." Shinji spoke.

"And have I told you there's nothing left outside there for me?" This time, Rukia's voice cracked slightly. "If nobody wants to be my friend, fine! If everybody wants to laugh at me, so be it! If everybody wants me to be miserable, alright! Just… leave me alone!"

Shinji's mouth, which had started to drop again slightly, pursed itself up in time. "No, really, I mean-"

"SHINJIIIIIII!" Shinji's eyes widened as Hiyori's voice tore through the palace compound, in a scream of pain.

"Hiyori!" Shinij hurriedly turned and ran in the direction of the voice, Rukia following right behind him.

Rukia gasped as she saw the scene in the palace compound. There were three guards standing there, one of them holding Hiyori down with her arms behind her back. The girl with the black hair was trying to pull Hiyori back, without much avail.

"Hiyori!" Shinji shouted.

"Lady Rukia." The leader guard ignored Shinji and walked up to Rukia. "I noticed that there were misbehaviour of the staff in charge of the Palace of the Eastern Snow. I am here to enact punishment on those involved."

"P-Punishment?" Rukia felt slightly confused.

The guard nodded. "According to Lady Unohana, it will be five whips to the back for the single servant."

Rukia's eyes widened in horror as Shinji froze next to her.

"There was no misbehaviour, you are all mistaken," Rukia spoke up. "How did you think there even was any?"

Hiyori looked up, surprise on her face.

"I noticed this servant girl hiding linen in the palace stores last night." The leader guard pointed at Hiyori, who lowered her head.

"W-Well, that's because I ordered her to," Rukia quickly spoke up.

"You ordered her to?" The guard gave Rukia a suspicious look. "Whatever for?"

"For… for fun!" Rukia tried not to blink.

"But I'm afraid the punishment was meted out by Lady Unohana, so I'm just carrying out the orders. It will be five whips to the servant girl Hiyori."

"She will not be able to take it!" Shinji's voice was a desperate roar.


I was terrified, that day.

My father had always said… serve the royalty well, that is your aim in life. The royalty was the epitome of pure good, that they protected us from evil.

What if the royalty was the evil one instead? Do we still serve them? Do we still make our knees drop, our heads bow?

And that day, my loyalty was put to the test.

The new maid, Hiyori, had just joined me and Hinamori in the Palace of the Eastern Snow. We spent only three months together to understand that we were friends for life, nothing was going to tear us apart. We promised to serve any consort that lived in our palace, we promised to be all happy together. Hiyori was pure, she was happy, she was outspoken and very honest.

And then one day, she decided to make a new skirt robe for the consort, from the new silk robes the consort had ordered. On presentation of the honest gift, the consort flew into a rage, angry that her precious ordered cloth had been turned into a commoner's skirt.

Hiyori was innocent, she did not understand the level between a noble and a servant. She was just happy, happy to offer a token of friendship to the consort.

And I could only watched as they whipped her as punishment, fifty whips. Twenty-five for supposedly stealing the cloth, and another twenty-five for disrespect. Her back bled, so did my eyes and my hands as I reached out to her against the angry guards. She fell forward, unconscious but they wouldn't stop whipping until all fifty was given out.

The consort did not even ask them to stop.

The punishment caused her a disability, her backbone was affected… and she could not take too strenuous activities. She was never the same again.

That day onward, I trained Hiyori physically, making sure that her body grew stronger, that she could protect herself.

I told myself, I was going to take care of her my whole life. That nothing was going to happen to her again.

Because of me, she cannot take it… she cannot take it…


"I will take the punishment."

Shinji's eyes widened at the voice, as Rukia stepped out toward the head guard. Hiyori looked up, shocked.

"My Lady?" The head guard raised his eyebrows.

"It is my fault, as much as theirs. Let go off her. I will take her punishment."

Rukia knelt down on the floor. The guard roughly pushed Hiyori away, and Shinji caught her. They turned, horror-struck at the young consort who was now facing the entrance of the palace, getting ready for the punishment.

"Retire to your quarters at once." Rukia's voice was firm.

"No… this is wrong…" Hiyori's voice was strangled, and she moved forward slightly. A single guard pushed her back. Another stepped behind Rukia, holding the black whip.

Rukia stared straight ahead and pressed her lips together, trying to stop her clasped hands from trembling. The guard lifted the whip… and brought it down swiftly in a lethal strike.

WHAP!

Rukia was unable to stop the gasp of pain from escaping her lips, but she remained upright. She closed her eyes, feeling the pain of the whipping shoot down her back. It stung so horribly, as if flesh was being torn from her very skin.

"S-Stop…. Stop…" Hiyori was trembling.

"What did I say? Retire to your quarters at once!" Rukia shouted at the three of them.

WHAP!

Rukia closed her eyes as another horrible shot of pain shook her entire body. She felt the whip slice through the air again as another oncoming strike started to approach, and she closed her eyes again.

It never came.

Rukia's eyes shot open as she heard Shinji's voice, so laced with anger and venom. "You will not touch anyone who belongs to this palace."

The consort hurriedly turned to see Shinji, who was gripping the guard's whip hand in his own. And as she watched, the eunuch flung the offending hand back with surprising force, and the guard stumbled backward.

"Lady Rukia!" The maid with black hair rushed to Rukia's side and helped her up.

"How dare you!" The head guard pointed at Shinji, but the eunuch only smiled.

"You may go back to Lady Unohana and tell her that Eunuch Shinji personally called for the punishment to stop."

"YOU!" The head guard sputtered but Shinji pointed at the door.


"I… I'm so sorry, Lady… Lady Rukia!" Hinamori's tears rolled down her cheeks.

Rukia smiled slightly. "It is alright."

"I… we…" The tears continued to stream from the young maid's big eyes. "We… we are not bad people, Lady Rukia! Please believe me!"

"I said it's alright already." Rukia smiled, grimacing slightly as Hinamori applied the ointment to her back. "And yes, I know you are not bad people. Maybe just a bit hostile."

It had been after the whipping, and Rukia had been helped back to her bedroom by a tearful Hinamori. The young maid could not stop crying, even after Rukia had told her that it was alright.

"And Shinji and Hiyori… they are not terrible as they appear to be! They have had very bad experiences, very bad ones and so they-"

"Bad experiences?" Rukia asked curiously, ignoring the pain as Hinamori applied more ointment.

"Hai. You see, me and Shinji were the earliest maid and servant here in the palace. Hiyori joined much later, and we formed a close friendship. One day, when a new consort came in, Hiyori unknowingly used some new cloth to make the consort a new robe as a sign of friendship."

Rukia nodded, listening.

Hinamori smiled sadly. "The consort wasn't pleased, and ordered for her to be punished. Fifty whips."

"FIFTY?" Rukia gasped in horror. "All for a stupid cloth?"

"Yes." Hinamori nodded. "They beat her until she was unconscious. We thought she might never walk again, but Shinji helped her through the frustration and disappointment. She is able to engage in physical activities now as you have seen, but she can never afford another event like that to her back."

"And it was all my fault." Rukia looked up as the door slid open and Shinji walked in. "Ever since then, we decided to block all consorts out, so we never have to deal with any problems like that. We antagonize them, so that they leave immediately. All consorts are the same, all they want is the attention of the Emperor, more clothes and more jewels."

"Well… to be honest, all I want is to turn the patch of ground outside into a vegetable patch." Rukia smiled tentatively.

The smile was met with a slight one from Shinji. "I might have mistaken your intentions, Lady Rukia."

"Just Rukia." Rukia waved her hand. "I told Hinamori to call me the same." Hinamori nodded, blushing slightly.

"Rukia, arigato." Shinji looked at her. "That was very brave of you… and I owe you the gratitude."

Rukia laughed. "You should know what I have been through, before you start thanking me."

"Really?" Hinamori perked up. "I would like to listen."

"Okay." Rukia started to feel her smile get a bit bigger. "We can talk and-"

The sound of the door sliding open made her stop, and the three of them turned to see a blushing Hiyori who stood at the doorway with a pot in her hand.

"Lady Rukia, I… I made mushroom and chicken claypot rice, if you like. You could eat first, it's still hot." Hiyori looked down at the pot. "A… Arigato for today."

Rukia smiled at the young girl. "Come, Hiyori. And it's just Rukia."

When Shinji nodded and smiled, Hiyori walked forward tentatively. She looked at the bandages and ointment bottle, and bit her lip.

"It's nothing." Rukia shook her head. "I would like us all to be friends, if that's okay. I don't have many."

The three people looked at the consort in surprise, and it was Rukia's turn to look sheepish. "If you would like to be. And we can bond over the mushroom chicken rice."


It took just one night and a claypot of good food for Rukia to be integrated into their inner circle. She learned things about the three of them, and found them just as interesting as they found her.

Rukia also shared her secret with them… that she was not of noble blood, and surprisingly, all three of them easily warmed up to it ("That means you are one of us! I knew it!"). Her bedroom was re-cleaned again, this time to spectacular results. The silk lantern above the tea table was dusted nicely, the furniture polished down, and new sheets were replaced onto her bed with think blankets. Hiyori greeted her every morning with a warm bowl of water for washing, even though Rukia told her now and again that she needed no such treatment.

And then there was the Emperor matters himself.

"You are lucky, Rukia. Because you have entered my palace, and nobody knows the Emperor's inner workings better than myself." Shinji nodded to himself as Rukia, Hiyori and Hinamori listened one afternoon in the garden.

"I don't think I need the Emperor's favour because I'm just as happy-"

"Shut up." Shinji stuck his index finger at Rukia and waggled it. "A consort's life is never complete until she has rubbed shoulders with the Emperor. And if she is lucky, to rub more than just shoulders with His Majesty. From tomorrow onward, you are going to try to meet the Emperor based on my advice."

"What's that?" Rukia wondered as she accepted an apple from Hinamori.

"The Emperor usually takes the same garden route on certain afternoons, when he feels like walking. It is the West Gardens that he favours most and that will be where you will position yourself properly to meet him."

"That's stupid." Rukia laughed, but all her three friends were looking at her seriously.

"That's strategy. Do you even know what the Emperor looks like?" Shinji peered curiously at Rukia.

"Of course I do!" Rukia quickly spoke up. 'I know he has green eyes,' Rukia thought to herself smugly.


Rukia grumbled to herself as she sat at the marble table with a basket. The basket contained red-bean buns that she had hand-made herself, and a teapot set with tea leaves. Food for the Emperor, if she had the chance to meet him and invite him down for a little snack.

It had been three hours that she had been sitting here, even her buttocks felt sore on the marble. Rukia felt ridiculous, like a little child doing all the waiting. She should have brought something to do with her, like a book or even some knitting work. However, in spite of of the boring situation, Rukia took the time to admire the beauty of the gardens around her.

The West gardens were particularly beautiful, with a lot of pink sakura trees growing near the huge lake ('does the Emperor like sakura?'). The lake here was filled with a lot of koi fishes that swam beautifully in the clear water.

'Maybe I should get back,' Rukia mused to herself. Spending time here was a drag, she would much rather be learning to stitch patterns with Hinamori or do some gardening with Hiyori.

Suddenly, the rustling sound of robes made Rukia turn up.

She stared at the shadowy figure that was walking slowly along the garden path, as it continued to approach her. And then as it walked out from the pillar-lined walkway into the sunlight, Rukia felt herself deflate slightly. She stared at the man who now stared back at her with a mildly surprised expression on his somewhat cold face.

Rukia had never seen a man like this before. He was very handsome, with black hair that reached past his collars and the rest falling over his left eye. He was dressed in plain blue robes with a white collar.

This man apparently wasn't the Emperor.

For one, he had very cold misty grey eyes.


Heh-heh. And so ends this current chapter, not much ByaRuki time but it's essential as the initial base for Rukia's new friendship with her palace allies and friends. :D And the ending, I guess everyone knows who the man is, our poor confused Rukia doesn't, though. =P

Like it, love it, hate it?

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