Hello, everyone! I present to you chapter 5! I must thank everyone who reviewed (Gritten-Tells, aria, Aii Sakuraii, EmpressMinea, ra7matigorti2, lobsterstarfruit, vicky73, andyantopia, ReckoningDay, Lilian Violet, Nyanmaru94, LuciL06, Guest, PAMILA DE CASTRO, seras3791, Lilith's Heart, Jasmine, Read Love and Review, and Druon), viewed, favorited, and followed. It means a lot to me. :]
Enjoy! ;]
Disclaimers: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite, but I own the universe and plotline of this story.
"Rukia, here is your tea like you asked," Yumi said as she poured the steaming liquid into the cup. "I made sure that I brought a new variety today."
"Thank you, Yumi. I really appreciate it. I like to try the different types of tea."
"You would like to ramble in the gardens today?"
"Yes, very much."
"Then I will prepare your parasol after you are finished." Yumi made a pretty little bow and exited the room.
This would be her first time coming out of the consorts' inner palace. Rukia was excited, at least, as excited as she could be given her circumstances for being here. She had heard stories of the palace's splendid gardens before. Now she would be able to personally verify those tales.
Rukia had found that there were not many places that consorts could go. Essentially, she could only visit the gardens, other consorts' rooms, the Duke's grandson's rooms (if he called for her)... and the gardens. Not very much at all. And consorts of her rank definitely could not leave the palace, as of yet.
Rukia heard that if she progressed in rank to a higher level consort, she could go to a few more places, including outside the palace. Nevertheless, wherever she went, she had to be accompanied by either Yumi or some other girl. Yet... she was currently at the lowest rank a consort could be, so even that would have to wait. She would have to be content with the gardens and pray that that Kuchiki Byakuya never called for her.
But she wanted to take a ramble in the gardens for another reason. Rukia was hoping that since almost everyone could go to the gardens, she could get to see some people she knew. Like Ichigo or Orihime or... Byakuya. Yes, she wanted to see him very much. It had been already nearly a week since she last saw him.
Rukia drained the remainder of her tea and stood up. Maybe her stroll would be eventful after all.
"Rukia, your parasol." Yumi handed the delicately painted silk umbrella to her.
Turning it in her hands, Rukia opened it. She had never used a parasol before, since it would be too bulky when she was... on the job. But she liked this one well enough: it had large, white peony flowers against a light blue background. It was pretty, like everything she had since she had become a consort.
"Do you like it, Rukia? I searched very hard to get one that would suit you," Yumi asked, peering into her face.
Rukia nodded and smiled. "It's really pretty. Thanks!" Yumi beamed at her.
"Rukia, are you ready for your walk?"
"Yeah."
"Wow!" Rukia exclaimed as they set foot in the gardens.
The gardens were incredibly beautiful and sprawling. Just ahead of them lay a large lake, likely man-made, with a small mountain-like island in the middle. Surrounding the lake were weeping willows, their strands of leaves grazing the water's edge. Grand pavilions overlooked the lake, one of which was built directly into the water. This one had a zigzag path leading across the lake and to the banks of the little island. Around the lake were more gardens concealed by different types of trees. Rukia was unable to see any of those at the moment.
It's like these gardens model the wealth and affluence of Seireitei...
"Do you like it?" Judging by her tone of voice, Rukia guessed that Yumi liked the gardens very much, too.
"I love it!" Rukia said happily. It was the most fantastic thing she had seen. She made up her mind to explore all of these gardens during her time here. She was going to come everyday.
"Let's go up to the lake!" Rukia grabbed Yumi's hand and ran up to the waterfront, not caring that it was probably highly improper to run around wildly as a consort. They stopped beneath the shade of a willow tree.
"Ooooh! It's so pretty!" Rukia sighed and placed her hands on the marble railing. She spotted the pavilion leading to the mini island.
"Can we go there?" she asked, pointing to the pavilion on the water. "I would like to climb the little mountain."
"Of course!" Yumi said. "I thought that that would be one of the places you would like best."
"Rukia? Is that you?" a voice said loudly from behind them. The two girls spun around and came face to face with Ichigo.
"The hell are you doing here?" he asked. "Don't you live-"
Rukia marched up to him and punched him across the face. Yumi squealed in fright and wailed, "Rukia! You can't do that! He's a general! You're a lady! What if someone sees you?"
As he groaned, clutching his bruised cheek, she hissed, "Not one word about where I live or how we know each other, got it?" Ichigo nodded sorely and glared at her.
"But what are you doing here?" he persisted.
Rukia sighed. "I'm a consort to the Duke's grandson." Something flashed through his eyes and-
"BYAKUYA? You're a consort to Byakuya?" Ichigo's amber eyes widened. He abruptly grabbed her hand and began pulling her off into another garden.
"Ichigo-sama!" Yumi cried. "You can't just walk off with Byakuya-sama's consort on your own! I have to come-"
"It doesn't matter. It's not like nobody knows that most of his consorts have taken lovers already. Even Byakuya knows about this himself. He just doesn't care. So I can bring her wherever and he wouldn't even bother. But I'll bring her back to you once we're done." With that, Ichigo pulled Rukia into the adjacent garden, leaving Yumi behind.
They stopped beside a lotus pond, the water from the lake subtly flowing into this small garden, nourishing the lotuses.
"Alright. Tell me what's going on," he said crossing his arms. "Why did you suddenly decide to marry Byakuya? I mean of all people, you just had to pick him, huh?"
"I... didn't have a choice..." Rukia smiled sadly. "There was no other way." She couldn't tell him about what Aizen was doing to her family. She couldn't tell him what Aizen was doing to her.
"Look, Rukia. If you needed money, you could have come to me and I would have given you money. You didn't need to marry that bastard-"
"It isn't about money!" Rukia yelled at him. Ichigo looked momentarily shocked.
"It isn't at all..." she said and glanced away. She would never have married the Duke's grandson for money.
"Then what is it about?" Ichigo asked, his voice harsh. "Be honest and tell me."
"I can't! You don't understand."
"Che. You're so annoying." Ichigo plopped himself down on a rock. "You can't keep all these things to yourself. You need to share it with other people."
"I would if it were anything else... but not this." Never this. All her friends and family would die is she told anyone about what she was doing here.
"But it isn't like... you fell in love with him, right?" Ichigo gazed up at her, suspicion in his eyes.
"Of course not," Rukia said. "I could never love the Duke's grandson." She was about to say that she never even met him, but decided to leave that out. Who knew, maybe Ulquiorra or Yumichika was hiding behind the flowers. She did not want them to find out she actually had no idea how that Kuchiki Byakuya looked like.
"You better not," Ichigo said, rising from his rock. "You know that he would never love you, right? He's never felt that kind of love for anyone. The bastard probably doesn't even have the capacity for something like that."
"I know, I know. You don't have to worry." Rukia hoped that Ichigo was right, that the Duke's grandson would never fall in love with anyone. Then she could say that the man had an emotional defect and wiggle her way out of killing him.
"You don't like him, do you?" she asked.
"No, not really," Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his head in annoyance. "I just don't like his attitude. He isn't a bad person, really, but he's pretty cold and aloof. I just don't get along with those kinds of people, I guess. But it's not that I don't like him."
He laughed. "But I think Byakuya dislikes me more than I do him. Then again, he's that kind of person. Really hard to get along with and understand."
"Oh, I see." Rukia felt a little disappointed. Nothing bad about the Duke's grandson that would make her feel a little better if she had to kill him.
"Rukia? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Would you... if Byakuya knows about it and because he doesn't care... considerhavingarelationshipwithanotherguy?" Ichigo said the last words so fast, Rukia stared at him.
"Eh? I didn't catch that," she said, confused. It was like he was nervous or something.
"Nothing." He looked away, his face a little red. Rukia continued to stare at him. What was wrong with him? Ichigo was never like this.
"Oh well, you wanted to go see the little island, right?" Ichigo finally said. "So let's go together."
"Yeah, but we have to go pick up Yumi. I don't think she wants to be left behind."
"Okay." They walked back to where Yumi was waiting patiently and headed to the pavilion on the water.
Rukia could not get over how beautiful the mini mountain looked like from the pavilion. She could see verdant pine trees scattered over the rocky crevices and the roof of another viewing pavilion. It was all so secluded.
The party traveled across the zigzag pathway and Rukia looked over the railing. She could see her own reflection, the occasional koi fish causing ripples in the calm water. From here, the mountain seemed much larger. There were stairs cut into the rock, leading to its summit.
"Alright! We're finally here." Ichigo said when they reached the island. "Now we have to climb these steps to see the view."
"Why do you sound so unenthusiastic? I think it's pretty," Rukia said.
"Hey! Remember I've been here for a longer time than you have. I'm used to all these places. Besides, it's too quiet up there."
"You just don't know how to appreciate pretty things."
"Shut up, midget." A kick in the shins and Ichigo yelped. Yumi laughed nervously at the exchange. Then-
"Oh! Someone's playing the zither at the pavilion," she said. "I wonder who it is."
"A lot of people can play the zither, since its a very versatile instrument. I can, too, but not extremely well," Rukia said, scoring one last blow on Ichigo's head.
"I can also," Ichigo put in sullenly, rubbing his sore skull. Rukia stared at him in disbelief as they began to climb up the stone steps.
"You? I bet it sounds bad."
"That is not true. I'll play for you one day, then I'll show you. Maybe I'll ask the guy up there to let me borrow his zither."
"Like anyone will want to lend their precious instrument to someone like you."
"Hey! I'm not uncivilized. I take good care of people's stuff."
"I'm sorry, but you act uncivilized."
"That isn't true! What about yourself?" The music grew louder as they approached the summit.
"Don't say that about Rukia, Ichigo-sama! It's rude," Yumi said.
"How dare you! I'm a lady."
"Like you said, you don't act like it." A punch.
They continued to squabble as they reached the summit and walked along the stone path leading to the pavilion. They caught sight of the figure of a man sitting in the pavilion, his back facing them. The bird's eye view of the rest of the garden and palace stretched out in front of him. Rukia put a finger to her lips and Ichigo looked away in annoyance. As they came closer, Rukia had a better look at the man.
Long, black hair flowed down his back, three silver clips embedded into his silky locks. His posture was straight, his broad back unyielding. She saw his right hand plucking notes, his left pushing down upon the zither's strings. Don't tell me...
"Hey, I think it's Byakuya," Ichigo said. Rukia stared at him in admonition.
"Shhh! Can't you see he's concentrating?" she hissed. "Don't disturb him." She wondered why Ichigo didn't address this Byakuya differently than the Duke's grandson. Maybe he just called everyone by their first name. If so, if the Duke's grandson and Byakuya were in the same room, how would he address them?
"Doesn't matter," Ichigo replied. He walked in front of Byakuya and said, "Yo, Byakuya."
Byakuya did not bother to glance up from his zither, continuing to play. "Kurosaki Ichigo... Have you no manners?"
"Byakuya-sama." Yumi made a dainty bow.
"Byakuya," Rukia said softly. She wasn't certain if she should say hello, so she just decided to say his name. He slowly gazed up from his instrument and his eyes fixed upon hers.
"Rukia..." he said. He was deliberately sliding the syllables of her name around his tongue again. She flushed slightly.
"Rukia," Yumi whispered. "You can't call Byakuya-sama just Byakuya, it's disrespectful-"
"I asked her to call me by name," Byakuya broke in, his attention momentarily returned to his music. Yumi's eyes widened and she hurriedly bowed.
"I apologize, Byakuya-sama. I did not know." Byakuya did not acknowledge that he heard her apology.
"Heh. Funny you're here, Byakuya," Ichigo said. "We were just talk-"
Byakuya abruptly shot him the coldest glare Rukia had ever seen. Ichigo instantly stopped talking and scowled back at him.
He laughed sharply and said, "Always the same, aren't you, Byakuya?" Then, he muttered under his breath, "Jeez. What's your problem, man?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya gave the subtlest nod to where they had entered from. One would have missed it if they had not been observing him.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed, then he quietly departed from the pavilion. Rukia looked at Yumi out of the corner of her eye. The poor girl was shaking. She felt sorry for her, but there was nothing she could do. Byakuya was making himself rather hostile at the moment and she did not know why.
His gaze settled on Yumi. "Kindly leave us," he said simply.
"O—Of course, Byakuya-sama! I—I'm sorry... Gomennasai!" The maid made a hasty bow and fled. Rukia was left alone with Byakuya.
"I guess I should leave," she said awkwardly. "I—I must be disturbing you-"
"No. Stay." Byakuya shifted a little to the side on his mat, leaving some room for her to sit beside him. Rukia hesitated, then sat stiffly down next to him.
The cushion was so small that his thigh was brushing against hers. She flushed red and inched inconspicuously away. Thankfully, he did not notice. Byakuya began to play the zither again, picking up from where he left off.
"Do you like it here?" he asked. Rukia watched his skilled fingers pluck the instrument's strings.
"Yeah... I like it well enough," she replied. Yet, she would probably like it more if she wasn't supposed to assassinate the Duke's grandson. And if Ukitake and Renji were here with her. Byakuya was silent, carrying on with his music.
"There is something lacking here..." Byakuya said, his fingers moving rapidly over the strings. "... that you wish for?" Rukia suddenly found his gray eyes staring at her. She nodded.
"I mean... the palace has everything. All I have to do is say that I need something and it will be given to me. Everything is so beautiful here, but Otou-san and Renji are not here to share it with me..."
He observed her for a moment, then said, "You have left behind two people dear to you to become a consort. I assume there is a reason for this?" Rukia looked away from his prying gaze. She shouldn't have mentioned Ukitake and Renji. He was bound to ask this.
"I... don't want to say," she answered finally. She hoped he wouldn't ask anymore.
Byakuya contemplated her some more, then started playing again. But Rukia felt that he was not the type of person to give up easily when he wanted to know something. He would probably devise some strategy to try and weed out the information from her. She would make sure he did not succeed in doing that. Rukia listened to the music that floated around the pavilion, then-
"You know..." she said. "I don't want to offend you, but...you shouldn't have been so short earlier to Ichigo and Yumi."
"Is that so?" he replied. "I like privacy. Is there a problem with me sending them away?"
She shook her head, "No... it's just that you were really harsh with Ichigo earlier and you scared Yumi..."
"Do you like the boy?" he unexpected asked, displeasure creeping into his voice. Rukia stared at him in surprise.
"What? N—No! It's not like that!" she hurriedly said. Why on earth did he even think that? "I—I'm just saying you should be nicer. I—I'm sorry I offended you... I didn't mean to-"
"I am not offended," Byakuya said calmly. He stopped playing the zither and looked at the view before them.
"Do you like the view?" Rukia asked, then realized how stupid her question was. Of course he liked it, otherwise why would he be sitting here. "I'm sorry, that was a dumb-"
"I do." He began stroking the silk strings of the instrument.
"In fact..." As he spoke, Rukia watched entranced as his long, pale fingers ran to and fro. "I ordered this pavilion to be erected."
"O—Oh?" she managed to answer. "That's really great..." The sinuous movement of his fingers was beginning to intoxicate her. She tore her eyes away from his hand and gazed at the scenery. It seemed that she could see the whole garden from here.
"It's so pretty!" she sighed. She turned her head to face him. "Are you sure I'm not bothering you by being here? I know that you like being alone."
"No," Byakuya said. "I desire your company."
"Oh?" Rukia was confused. "But you said that you sent Ichigo and Yumi away so you could have privacy."
"I wanted privacy... with you."
Rukia saw something change in his eyes and she suddenly felt his leg touch hers. She frantically tried to think of something to say.
"O—Oh! What's that?" She pointed at the three long, silver clips in his hair. Byakuya blinked, not expecting that question. His hand moved to the clips.
"They are kenseikan, a symbol of the Kuchiki clan," he explained. In one swift maneuver, he dislodged it from his locks and held it out to her.
"Oh... thanks. You didn't have to..." She reached out to take it from him.
"They look nice," she said, turning the piece in her hands. "Do all the Kuchiki nobles wear one?"
"It is optional, but I wear it." Rukia nodded and handed it back to him, but Byakuya shook his head.
"Wear it for me," he said.
"Huh?"
What was he thinking? She had never put something like this one for anyone. It was a horribly intimate gesture, as if she was dressing him. Why was Byakuya being like this? She wasn't his consort. Even if the Duke's grandson didn't care about who his wives went around with, Byakuya shouldn't ask her to do this.
He should know it was improper. Rukia could tell he that he conducted himself according to a high standard of propriety.
"I... I shouldn't," she said, looking down at the kenseikan in her hands. "It isn't right."
"What about this is not right... Rukia?" Byakuya was saying her name in that way of his again. A tingle of pleasure ran down her spine.
"N—No!" Rukia shouted aloud, more to herself than to him. She saw his eyes widen in surprise and she hasitly said, "I mean... I'm not your consort. You shouldn't be asking me to help you dress your hair. It isn't fair to the Duke's grandson..."
"I assure you that he does not mind," Byakuya replied smoothly. "In fact..." Rukia realized he had moved even closer to her, the whole length of his leg now pressed against hers.
"... I think he would like me doing this."
Rukia sprang up from the cushion, her hands clutching the kenseikan until her knuckles turned white. In her panic, she missed a brief, pleased smile from him.
"O—Okay," she stammered. "I'll help you put it on." She couldn't continue sitting next to him like that without her mind wandering down dangerous paths...
"I don't know how, though," she added.
"I will show you if you are unsure."
"Oh... okay, then." Rukia hesitantly placed the kenseikan on the back of his head. His hair felt very smooth and soft beneath her fingers, like strands of jet-black silk. She wouldn't mind stroking his hair everyday: she was already becoming addicted to its texture when she first touched it.
Hopefully, Byakuya didn't notice she was discreetly twisting some of his fine locks around her fingers, savoring how they felt against her skin. That would be really, really embarrassing. As if she didn't have her own hair to play with.
But now, Rukia was at a lost as to what to do. She had never been very good at doing her own hair, or anyone else's for that fact. She could brush hair well enough, but she couldn't style it. Yet another example of her lack of talent.
She tried to slide the kenseikan through his hair, but it almost fell off once she let go of it. She sighed, biting her lip, and tried once more. And failed miserably.
"I... can't put it on," she mumbled. "You'll have to do it-" She gasped when his fingers wrapped around hers.
"I will show you," he said.
Byakuya's fingers guided hers, weaving locks of black hair into the kenseikan. Moments later, it was properly placed against his head. Rukia sat back down on the cushion beside him.
"I didn't know it was so difficult for you to wear," she said. "You shouldn't have taken it off... I could have seen it from where it was."
"I did not mind. I am used to wearing it everyday."
"But don't you have servants who do that for you?"
"It is pathetic to rely on servants to perform such insignificant things."
Rukia started laughing. Byakuya was so arrogant and he didn't even bother to hide it. She had never met someone like that before.
"Is something funny?" he asked, sincerely puzzled.
"It's just how you talk," she giggled. "I have never met anyone who talks like you before."
"Talks like me?"
She nodded. "Yeah. I've never met anyone who could be so blunt and elegant at the same time. The combination is really funny because usually blunt people and elegant people don't like to mingle, from what I've seen. The blunt people will offend the elegant people, while the elegant people are too crafty for the blunt people."
Rukia beamed at him. "But somehow, you managed to pull this really weird combination off quite well. Being truly elegant and classy, but honest enough in your own way at the same time. I like that."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah!" Then she added wistfully, "I think I'm more of a blunt person when I speak. I would like to talk like you... it would help me fit better into the role of a consort. I don't really fit very well as of the moment..."
"You are perfect the way you are," Byakuya interjected.
Rukia stared at him in disbelief. Really? "You think so?"
"I do."
"Oh... well, thank you." They sat in silence for several minutes, listening to the chirping birds in the trees.
"Will you... visit the garden tomorrow?" Byakuya continued to gaze out at the scenery in front of them.
"Yeah, if I can. So probably. Will you, Byakuya?"
He paused, then said, "Perhaps." He wrapped his zither back into its brocaded sack and picked it up.
"I will accompany you back to the inner palace," Byakuya told her and he began walking out of the pavilion. "It is likely that your friends have already left."
"Hai." Rukia beamed and happily followed after him.
Byakuya inwardly smiled as they walked down the stone steps.
Rukia was a very interesting person indeed. She was right about what she said, that honest people did not get along well with people who were affected. He himself preferred honest people more, but this might be because most of the people he came in contact with daily acted elegantly, but were manipulative inside.
But Rukia said she found him to be truly elegant and honest at the same time. And she thought that strange. Byakuya began to wonder what sorts of people she spent her time around. He found it unusual that a girl would say something like that. Rukia must have dealt with many types of people before she came to the palace. He would have to ask her about her history in the near future.
Yet, she liked the way he was. For some reason, that fact made warmth spread through his soul. He almost smiled then, but stopped himself.
If he spent more time with her, he could have her caught in his palm. She was already beginning to succumb to the pressure, he could see this when she sat beside him. He had unintentionally run his fingers over the zither when she started to become flustered and red in the face. And so... he had continued to stroke his instrument.
Rukia knew how to control herself and she had a great sense of propriety, too. Byakuya liked that very much. Most women he knew would have already flung themselves at him, regardless of whether they were someone else's consort or not. Rukia was a good girl.
Perhaps I will make her my Lady eventually... but for now I will raise her status...
Besides, if she was so unwilling to relent to his strategies, despite their obvious effect on her, she probably wouldn't think of ever leaving him for another man, too...
That was very good because Byakuya had no intention to share Rukia with anyone else.
"Byakuya, let me carry your zither!" she suddenly said. She grabbed the back end of it in her arms.
"It is improper for a man to allow his woman to carry such things," he said and carried on down the steps.
"I am not your woman," Rukia suddenly said. "You shouldn't call me that. It isn't fair to the Duke's grandson. And I don't want to carry your zither anymore."
Byakuya's lips curled in a slight smile. She was really cute like that. She didn't even want to carry his zither anymore.
If she only knew who she was actually speaking to... and how very fair it is to call her "my woman"...
"Byakuya? Did you hear that?" she insisted. "You can't call me that anymore, all right? It's not good." He deigned not to answer and turned his head away to hide a smile.
He should call her "his woman" again sometime just to see her reaction. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rukia frowning, trying to figure out what his silence meant.
"Oh, look!" she exclaimed. "Ichigo and Yumi haven't left yet." True enough, the insufferable brat and her maid hadn't departed, even though it had already been an hour.
"I should have told them not to wait for us. They've been standing there for so long..." Rukia waved down to the two standing on the zigzag pathway.
"We're coming!" she yelled.
"You guys took so long," Ichigo said crossly. "Hurry up."
"Okay!" Laughing, Rukia ran down the rest of the steps, leaving Byakuya behind. He shut his eyes in annoyance.
Why did Rukia have to rush to do everything Ichigo asked? It wasn't as if he needed her to be down there with him. He was just impatient. Rukia should not try to please impatient men.
No. Byakuya did not want Rukia to please any type of man at all, save him, of course.
As he reached the end of the zigzag bridge, Byakuya heard Ichigo say, "Come on, let's go."
"No, let's wait for Byakuya," Rukia said.
"Che. Alright."
Byakuya inwardly smirked as he approached the group. He passed by Ichigo without a single glance and strolled over to Rukia's side.
"Let us go," he said.
"Hai, Byakuya."
He was keenly aware of both Ichigo and Yumi's stunned faces. They probably never seen him this way before. Actually, he himself never knew he could be like this either.
"You know, Byakuya, it was really fun today..." Rukia said. "I liked it very much... the gardens and everything."
They passed by a small group of consorts on their way to the garden. They gasped and exclaimed, "Byakuya-sama!" They made little, dainty bows to him.
Yet, Byakuya also noticed the subtle, venomous glances they darted at Rukia. He frowned and grabbed her hand, dragging her along with him. He could hear the consorts gossiping behind them, as well as Ichigo and Yumi's running footsteps.
Such women were truly a waste of Seireitei's wealth. The money used to upkeep their idiotic spending habits could be spent elsewhere and on things that were more significant.
But then, they were here because of him and here they would remain until he showed some interest in them. At least, that was what Ginrei wanted. His grandfather was afraid that he would never agree to begetting an heir.
"Byakuya! Why are you walking so fast?" Rukia panted. He slowed his pace, but did not let go of her hand. She did not notice that yet.
"I do not like them staring at you in that way."
"Oh?" she said, catching her breath. "You don't have to worry about me. I don't really care about what they think."
"I do care," Byakuya replied swiftly, and resumed pulling her along as he walked. He would elevate Rukia's status as a consort so she would no longer need to deal with those women anymore. They were not worth her time.
Rukia finally realized that their hands were interlinked and she stopped walking, letting go of him. Somehow, Byakuya already missed having her hand in his. He had really liked how her little, warm hand fit perfectly in his larger one.
"You must be one of the more powerful nobles," Rukia said, gazing up at him. "That's why they don't like seeing me with you."
Not really. The other consorts did not like seeing her with him because he was the Duke's grandson. If he had an object of interest, he would never pay them any attention. Not like he did anyway, though.
"Do you think you could tell me how your related to the Duke?" she asked. "I'm already here and I know you're pretty influential, so you don't need to hide your identity from me anymore. Are you his nephew or something? Or are you just distantly related?"
He looked away, "I would prefer not to answer."
If he told her the truth, that he was the Duke's grandson and she was his consort, she would run away crying, judging from how she behaved at her house. He did not want that to happen. He would have to wait longer to reveal his identity to her.
Rukia pouted a little and said, "You're no fun." Byakuya found his eyes drawn to her soft, pink lips. He recalled how they felt against his when he mouth-fed her medicine.
"Byakuya? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," he said. He did not want to scare her too much today. A little scaring was alright, but he didn't want to scar her for life. He would have to take his time with Rukia.
"Oh. Okay." At that point, Ichigo and Yumi ran up to them, panting.
"The hell's wrong with you, Byakuya?" Ichigo said accusingly. "You deliberately lost us back there." Byakuya did not bother to answer him. It was a waste of energy.
Before long, they arrived outside the gates to the inner palace. Rukia shyly turned back to him, a little flush on her cheeks.
"You probably can't come in here, right? Otherwise, I would show you around," she said, smiling. "See you later, Byakuya," As he nodded to her, Byakuya noticed Ichigo glancing perplexedly from him to Rukia, and back again.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," he said and promptly departed before the boy could spill out his secret.
As they walked back to Byakuya's quarters, Ichigo stated, "Byakuya, I don't think Rukia realizes who you are."
"I know."
Ichigo frowned. "And you aren't going to straighten that out with her? That's very unlike you."
Byakuya gave an inaudible sigh. "It is best for now that she does not know."
"Why?"
"It is not your place to ask, Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Always the same, aren't you, Byakuya?"
Byakuya did not bother to reply to Ichigo's taunt. Instead-
"I assume I can trust your secrecy on this issue?" The last thing Byakuya wanted was Ichigo running around and spreading the word to Rukia.
"Sure. I won't tell her, even though you don't make sense."
Byakuya nodded, noticing that Ichigo was still walking beside him, obviously intending to follow him back to his quarters.
How bothersome...
"Rukia! You never told me you personally knew Byakuya-sama," Yumi exclaimed once they stepped into Rukia's chambers.
Rukia laughed weakly. "Well... I thought there wasn't a need to. He's just my friend after all." A friend that was starting to unabashedly hit on her, to be precise.
"Friend? Friend?" Yumi looked as if she would faint. "Just your friend, you say?"
"Yeah!" Rukia smiled at her. "Byakuya's just a friend, nothing more."
Nothing more... She had better remember that well. She wasn't his wife and she never would be.
"I never thought that Byakuya-sama would ever befriend a consort..." Yumi said, sinking into a chair. "He never pays consorts any attention. It's so unusual."
"Really?" Rukia asked. "I heard the Duke's grandson was like that, but I didn't know that Byakuya was like that, too."
"What? Whatever do you mean, Rukia?" A strange expression came over Yumi's face.
"I'm just saying that I didn't think Byakuya didn't like to talk to consorts either. In that respect, he's pretty similar to the Duke's grandson in personality, don't you think?" Rukia watched as Yumi's expression became even more confused.
Rukia frowned. Why couldn't Yumi understand what she was saying? She thought she had been pretty clear...
"O—Oohhh. But don't you know that Byakuya-sama-" Yumi abruptly stopped talking.
"What about him?" Rukia herself was becoming more bewildered by her maid's attitude.
"Errr... I was about to say that you've made the entire inner court envious by now just by walking with Byakuya-sama. I'm quite sure those gossipers we met earlier already spread the news." Yumi smiled. Was that what she really wanted to say?
"He's that popular, isn't he?" Rukia asked. She had a feeling Yumi was not originally going to speak about this, but she would humor her.
"Yes, he is. Almost all the women, both young and old, who have seen him confess that they love him."
Rukia briefly wondered if Yumi was exaggerating. But as she flashed back on his image, she suddenly realized that that might actually be true. She blushed a little, remembering how his leg brushed against hers at the pavilion and the piercing gaze of his cool, misty eyes.
She laughed nervously, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "Ahhhh... but he has a really proud attitude. I thought some people wouldn't like that."
"Oh, no one cares about that," Yumi replied, delicately waving her hand at Rukia's statement. "Byakuya-sama's rich, powerful, and beautiful. That's enough for all the women to like him."
"I see..." So that's how the consorts at the palace were. No wonder the Duke's grandson and Byakuya did not bother with them.
Yet, Rukia herself couldn't rightly judge anyone. Her purpose here was far more sinister than any of those women's.
All at once, the two girls heard screaming outside the door. Rukia opened her room door and found a group of women gathered outside one of the consort's rooms. There appeared to be smoke billowing from out from inside the chambers. Frantic cries filled the air.
"We have to help!" Rukia grabbed the pitcher of water on the table and ran out the door. "Yumi! Help me bring the kettle of tea, too!"
"Hai, Rukia!"
"Let me through!" Rukia yelled, pushing her way through the crowd and rushing into the consort's chambers. There in front of the bed, lay a burning heap of clothes. The consort was huddled against the wall, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Rukia walked up to the fire (how small it really was!) and threw the water from the pitcher over it. It instantaneously fizzled out.
"Here you go." Rukia said, turning to the frightened girl. "It's out." The consort peeped at the charred clothes.
"Oh, thank you so much," she cried. "I am really scared of fire. I was taking a nap when I suddenly smelled smoke. I sleep like a log, you see. I won't know if anyone came in and left. And it was my favorite set of clothes, too." The consort picked up what remained of the silk dress.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Rukia said sympathetically. "But at least... the fire didn't spread, right?"
"Yes. I have to thank you for that." The consort smiled gratefully at her. "I didn't catch your name. My name is Mikoto."
"Rukia."
"Rukia," Mikoto said. "I will remember your kindness." She indicated the currently-dispersing crowd outside the door.
"I think I offended some of them yesterday," she said softly. "That's what you get here if you make them mad at you. These little pranks. They know I'm afraid of fire."
"I heard about that." Even before she had entered the palace, Rukia knew about the types of games these consorts played to while away their time.
Then, she realized something. Mikoto said she offended some of the consorts and so her favorite clothes were burned. Yumi said that she probably made the whole inner palace envious when those consorts saw her with Byakuya...
Oh no.
"Rukia? What's going on?" Mikoto cried after her as Rukia ran out of her chambers, Yumi following suit. She sped into her room.
It seemed as if everything was normal. Rukia checked her drawers of clothes, her bed, the books in her bookshelf... nothing was amiss. Then-
Oh god.
Rukia rushed back to her bed. She slid her hands under the mattress and felt around.
No dagger. The precious knife Ukitake had given her when she was young was missing.
"Rukia! Is there anything missing?" Yumi hurried to her side.
"Yumi, I need help lifting up the mattress." Rukia began to heave up the bedding, Yumi joining her. She looked under the mattress.
The white dagger was gone. Someone had crept into her room while she was helping Mikoto and stolen it.
Rukia slowly laid the bedding down. That was all she had to remind her of Ukitake.
"Rukia? Are you alright? What was missing?" Yumi asked worriedly.
"My knife," Rukia replied softly. "The ivory dagger my father gave me is gone." They heard footsteps and Mikoto appeared in the doorway.
"Did they take anything?" Mikoto asked, approaching Rukia's side.
"Yeah... they did." Rukia stared blankly around the room.
"It's so scary..." she said. "It's as if they've been watching my every move since I've come here... how else would they know what is my most precious thing?"
"It isn't hard for them to guess," Mikoto said, rubbing Rukia's back. "If there was a small group of them, they could easily go through all your things while you were at my place. Since you hid your knife in a secret place, they could guess that that was most important to you."
"Wait..." Yumi broke in. "You can bring a knife into the inner palace?" Mikoto and Yumi both stared at Rukia.
"Ahhh... well. I said my father gave it to me, so they let me have it." Rukia nodded at them, willing herself to be as convincing as possible. She had brought her dagger to remind her of Ukitake, but Yumichika let her have it for an entirely different reason.
"Oh..." Yumi sighed in understanding. Rukia saw something flicker in Mikoto's eyes, but it was soon gone.
"Do you know of any particular people who might have taken it?" Rukia asked.
Mikoto shook her head. "It could be anyone, really. They are all very ready to strike when they are threatened. You have to be careful."
Rukia nodded. Now she completely understood why the two Kuchiki Byakuyas did not want to deal with those women. They were seriously petty.
"Oh! I left the kettle of tea at Mikoto-sama's place," Yumi suddenly remembered. "Let me go get it!" She left Mikoto and Rukia by themselves.
"Rukia."
"Huh?"
Mikoto leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"I know who you are and why you're here."
Rukia's eyes widened and she spun to face the smiling Mikoto. "What?" she sputtered. "What on earth do you mean?"
"I am here for a similar, but not altogether the same, purpose as you," Mikoto said, smiling.
"What?"
"You see, I am a spy Juha-sama has hired." Mikoto played with her fingers in her lap. "I have managed to extract information from a certain, foolish person and relay it to the Quincy and Las Noches States."
"O—Oh... is that so?" Rukia smiled at her. But inside, her heart was weak.
How many spies and traitors were in Seireitei? It was scary to think about. How would Duke Ginrei and his grandson know who they were?
Mikoto nodded. "You are here... to kill a certain man. Because of that, we are of the same type. We both are looking toward the same goal." Her smile was so sweet that it frightened Rukia. How could someone talk about such things so lightly?
"I should be going now... your maid will be back any minute. It would not be... good if anyone found out about us, would it?" Mikoto rose, and gave Rukia a meaningful look. "Good bye." She headed out the door just as Yumi came in.
"Mikoto-sama left so quickly. I wonder why," Yumi remarked as she set the tea kettle down on the table. She walked over to Rukia and sat beside her on the bed.
"Don't worry, Rukia. I'm sure we'll find your dagger," she said and held Rukia's hands.
"Thanks... Yumi."
But Rukia's mind drifted to other things. Things far more important than her missing dagger.
What do you think? Hehheh... I've been pretty busy and did not review the grammar, typhos as thoroguhly for this chapter, so tell me if you find anything wrong. Another progression chapter, so things may seem a little slow, but I do hope you found it cute. :] Jeez... Aizen and Juha Bach have more spies planted in Seireitei's court... wonder how that will play out. Also, hopefully the palace gardens were easy to picture (it was so pretty in my mind) :]. Actually, I designed the gardens in traditional Chinese style, with the lake in the middle and smaller gardens surrounding it. The mini mountain is perfect for having... secret meetings, don't you think? ;]
Anyway, the amount of reviews I got made me so happy! I am really glad that you all like this story. However, next week I may not update due to final exams at my college (need to focus on that). I originally planned to alternate updates for No Regrets and my other story, Fireworks, after the fourth chapter of this story (so people who read my other story will not have to wait so long). So, next week I had intended to update Fireworks... but then exams are here again. :[ Hence, I will update Fireworks next, next week and alternate between the two, just to be fair. But still leave me reviews! I love to read what you have to say.