Chapter 4, A New Light-Possibilities
"What?" Orihime breathed in shock, her pen slipping between her fingers to land on the floor of her room. It had been three days since Rukia had told her about the engagement, and now, "My parents are home?"
Ulquiorra nodded sharply, "Inoue-sama would like to see you and then Lady Inoue wants to you, Lady Kuchiki, and Matsumoto-san to be in attendance in her rooms." He reported dutifully. He tried not to see the hurt and worry on her face as he said this, but it was hard not to. She was so open.
Orihime stood, her light purple kimono falling around her elegantly. "I see. Shall we go have breakfast with my father then?"
"You will be safe enough with his guards. One of the others will fetch me after you leave your mother's company." He needed to sleep too after all.
Her face fell slightly, but she replaced it with a light smile. "Okay Ciffer-san!" Then, as though she knew his thoughts, "I hope you have good dreams."
He waited until she had left before shaking his head, she was innocent and naïve, but kind. Covering a yawn with his hand and he turned and headed the opposite way she had.
"Good morning, Father." The princess greeted quietly, her eyes placed on her plate. She didn't have to see him to know he had a stern and disappointed look in those dark grey eyes. He wasn't pleased that she had no mind for business or anything of the like, just as she had no sense of cooking or fashion as her mom did. He said her talents in helping the doctor of the house, Retsu Unohana, a waste of her time.
The only link between her and Migume Inoue was the color of their eyes and hair.
"Yes, hello Orihime." He answered calmly as she moved her food around on the plate. In the corner the white haired guard called Sasakibe stood, he was very quiet, quieter then Ulquiorra. Maybe he was mute... She forced her attention back to what her father was saying. "I assume you know why we returned earlier then planned?"
Her words got choked in her throat and they came out a bit strained, "The wedding?"
He nodded and she caught it out of the corner of her eye. She wondered why he had wanted to meet with her if this was all he had wanted to say. "Yes. Rukia also had a request though."
Orihime lifted her head, wondering what this could be about. "She did? May I ask what it was father?"
"She wanted to know if I would allow you to attend the common high school with her and her soon to be husband. Byakuya also backed her, but his reasoning was that with you there she and Kurosaki would not be able to do anything." He sighed. "Ciffer-san would be accompanying you too."
This wasn't possible. Rukia and Byakuya couldn't have had this much sway on her father. "If I allow you to go." Of course, always the 'if' that meant 'no'. "But, Sora, while he is still in France, is also pleading your case."
Sora, her beloved older brother. She hadn't seen him in two years since he'd been studying in France. She missed him, but they often wrote letters to each other. He also, was Migume's favorite. Orihime looked to her father, and she bowed her head.
"Father, if…if Ulquiorra-san is coming to then…then I think it'll be alright…don't you think so too?"
Her father looked at her, surprised at his daughter's boldness. Orihime had never made her point known to Migume. It just wasn't like her. She looked back to her father's grey eyes and watched him sigh.
"I'll think about it."
Her eyes lit with joy and she smiled, her cheeks slightly turning pink. "Thank you so much!"
In a rare show of affection from daughter to father, she moved around the table and hugged him tightly. "I must go visit mother now." Leaving her food uneaten, Orihime dashed out the door without sparing a passing glance to the two guards standing outside there.
Along her way to her mother's rooms, Orihime was joined by a blushing and happy Rukia and an annoyed Matsumoto. "Your mother doesn't seem to realize how much work goes into running a household. Probably because she's never tried to do that, like so many other things." The older woman muttered under her breath. The princess giggled as they walked through the inner chambers. Rangiku had been more of a mother to her then her own blood. She had helped the young girl through many milestones in a girl's life and now Orihime only hoped the woman would not go through another heartbreak as she had in the latest weeks.
"Don't you bring up that fox-face." She growled and Orihime started. Was everyone in the household a mind reader? Maybe they were all supernatural beings who had been caught in a deal with her ancestors to guard her family until one mission or another was fulfilled!
"Wake up! Come on, you're almost as bad as Starrk-kun!"
Ulquiorra groaned, allowing himself the unprofessional noise in light of the fact he was sure he hadn't been sleep for more then a few moments. To be awakened by a loud, annoying blonde who was supposed to be studying to be a spy didn't help ether. "Yes, Gingerback-san?" He murmured, shielding his drowsy eyes from the sunlight as she bounced around his room opening windows.
"You weren't thinkin' to get out of reporting to Starrk did you? And don't call me that, it makes me sound like an old man." The pink eyed teenager placed her hands on her hips, smiling widely. "Up and at 'um. Then you can sleep."
"That doesn't make sense."
He was answered by a curse as he stood. As he pulled on a shirt, he dodged the shoe thrown at him and the command to put some pants on. Though their personalities varied, all females were the same.
"This is my room," said Ulquiorra, "I can change if I feel like it."
Lilynette growled. "Whatever! Just hurry up!"
He hated that he couldn't talk much back to the little girl. He sighed, buttoning up his shirt before running his hand through his raven-black hair. When he looked in his small mirror, emerald-green eyes stared back at him. He closed them, and then walked out of his room. He knew today he needed to give his report to Starrk, he didn't need a little girl to remind him of that fact.
He walked down the hallway, his light steps echoing off the wood. The indoor salle was just down the hall from the sleeping quarters and the Captain's rooms across from them. Evidence to the fact the man could sleep through anything, the man had his head hanging over the chair and was snoring even though a couple of someone's were going all out on each other across the hall. No one would ever have the chance to doubt his right to be there though, because as soon as Ulquiorra was in three steps he was awake, hand going for the sword at his side and eyes, while hooded, were alert and ready.
"Oh, Ciffer." He greeted, relaxing enough to yawn. "I see Lilynette got to you before you had gotten any good sleep." When Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow in question, the wavy, brunette haired man nodded to the shorts that revealed more leg then he had even seen a man show. "Where'd you get those?" He chuckled.
Ulquiorra sighed, "I seem to have offended Matsumoto and she's taken to placing such things in my clothing bins."
Starrk Coyote shook his head, grey eyes sympathetic. "I understand. Between her mischievous mind and my sister's devious delight in waking up people at all hours of the day no one can get any good rest."
"It's alright," said Ulquiorra. He looked to his own sword he held in his left hand before sighing slightly. He sat in the chair opposite of the Primera, who sighed a long sigh as well.
"Report?" he asked tiredly. He peered to the side, seeing Lilynette peek her head through the door. He gestured for his younger sister to go somewhere else while the two began their conversation. She nodded and ran down the hallway. Though she was an obnoxious girl, she greatly respected her older brother.
"Inoue-hime is doing well, besides her recent heartbreak." He glanced to the brunette who ran his hand through his thick hair. He leaned his head to the side on his sides and let a low grumble escape from his throat.
"So she finally found out?" Starrk asked, "How?"
"Kuchiki-san told her a few nights ago," he replied. He clearly remembered that night, how Orihime's face was buried into his chest, while her tears soaked his shirt. Something arose inside his chest, and he shook his head slightly.
"Tough blow, but I knew she would have to face it sometime…" Starrk unsheathed his sword and spun it between his fingers to entertain himself. He pointed it to the door, and then down to the ground.
"Any news on school?"
"Her father's debating on letting her go or not," Ulquiorra stated.
"And you?"
"I'd go with her, as ordered."
The both sat in silence before Starrk nodded. "Alright, that sounds best. Then I guess I'll see you at the wedding."
Ulquiorra nodded, standing and bowing before he walked out. The head of he guard was a great man, having saved the Lord's life when he had been a child (and thus having the sword rule instated) but there was something Ulquiorra did not understand about the system set up. Grimmjow, head of the spies, reported only to him, the guard of the princes, instead of the head of the guard. Starrk gave Grimmjow the orders, but beyond that had nothing to do with the shadier part of the job. He wasn't sure if it was to protect the information or in hopes of living without shadows of the past.
He was too tired to spend another hour on this puzzle, so he turned towards his room and made his way to the warm, comfortable bed. Even though he was quite relaxed already.
Orihime looked at her mother in shock, then at an equally stunned Rukia. The two young ladies turned to look at Rangiku, only to be even more stunned to see her nodding her head wisely. She opened one eye, her hand on her chin as she smiled. "What, girls?"
"Over three h-h-hundred, t-thousand yen?" Rukia's voice squeaked.
"Four hundred, fifty thousand, two hundred and six yen exactly." Orihime's mom said proudly, her eyes sparkling. She was delighted to plan a wedding, having feared she would never be able to because of her daughter's odd mind. "I am the only woman in you're life who can decide what should be there on your special day so I already went ahead and planned it out! All we need to do now is have the fittings and find a suitable number of you're relatives. Rangiku, of course, will be joining the Inoue family for this so you need three more at least."
Orihime looked apologetically at her cousin. Even if Rukia was marrying the man she loved, Orihime did not envy the older girl on this part. Her mother was all for the traditional, complete with the over the top flair in the ceremonies. And Rangiku even seemed to be enjoying the whole thing! "But mother, the money-"
"Your brother and father had taken care of it."
The woman's blue eyes sparkled and her light brown hair came loose of the buns she nodded her head.
Orihime sighed and started looking through fabric…this was going to be complicated…in more ways than one.
Alright, there's chapter 4! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! It means a lot! :D What going to happen at the wedding, and will her father allowed her to go to school! Find out next chappy!
With love,
NightDreamers