So I know I said this before but I'm going to say it again REVIEW it doesn't take that long, so here's the thing if you don't feel like reviewing then here is a list of options that I find to be an acceptable substitute
1) Vital organ (let me know if you are willing to give me one)
2) Blood
3) money (let me know how to contact you)
Now that's done please enjoy the new chapter
~/~
Turning in the bed for the fifth time, Ichigo exhales a deep sigh. His tongue slips over his lower lip then his teeth chew at the wet pink flesh of his mouth. "I cant' sleep at all. "Deciding to give up he rises from the bed, slips on a pair of pale green house shoes, and opens the tall doors of the balcony. It's a warm night, fog still hovers just above the grounds, and the pale light of the moon draws his eyes to a figure sitting all alone in the middle of a garden. He is there, the man with the bold green eyes and somber face sitting with a book in his lap and a lantern next to his legs. Ichigo watches him from the second floor balcony growing more and more curious about him. "Are you going to stare all night?"
"U-Um no." Ichigo replies startled that he was noticed gaping at the young man.
"Sorry about that..."
"I come out here at night so I can listen to the dew falling on the flowers." Ulquiorra says closing his book and lifting his gaze to the man his father dragged from the city to entertain him. He would have much rather go back to the young man's home and spent time with him there instead of Ichigo being forced to be here against his will. "Are you having trouble sleeping?" he asks in a soft tone.
"Just a little." Ichigo said biting his lip nervously looking at the prince.
"Is the room my father put you in not to your liking?"
"Oh its not that it's a very nice room it just that…" Ichigo but his lip looking at the prince making sure he wasn't getting mad or sad that's why he was brought here, but in all honesty that's not why he is unable to sleep.
"It awkward for you isn't, to be around me now. I'm sure my father has told you that I am special and about my child hood." Ulquiorra tone became cold and thus a cold wind snapped around them causing Ichigo to shiver.
"No it's not that." Ichigo snapped at the prince harshly. Ulquiorra looked amazed no comer that his father brought home ever talked to him like that. There were only three people who could get away with that his father, his personal body guard but those at times seemed like an older brother and finally his dearly depart maid Orihime. Whenever he did something stupid as a child she would scold him but when she was done she would still hug him tight, he missed those hugs. "It just it is hard for me to sleep in an unknown bed. I've been that way since I was little." Ichigo said with a soft smile remembering when he was six and he had gotten a new bed it had taken two weeks for his parents to get to sleep soundly in his bed.
"Really?" Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo loving that smile that was on his face it made him want to smile.
"Yes I happen to be picky about my bed and where and how I sleep in it. I have yet to find the absolute comfy spot on that bed." Ulquiorra couldn't help but give a small laugh at this. Ichigo was proud that he could make the prince laugh at his silly habit.
Ulquiorra face suddenly became serious. "What would you like to do tomorrow?"
"Umm shouldn't I be asking you that?" Ichigo wondered he was here to make sure that the prince was happy.
"No you are my guest so I am asking you."
"I don't know I've never been to a capital city before, usually I'm at home doing chores or helping my father out."
"Would you like to go and see the capital there is a lot to do." Ulquiorra asked excitedly.
"Sure." Ulquiorra stood up and held his hand out for Ichigo so he could help him up and the two began to head back to the castle and to Ichigo's room.
"Even though the bed has yet to meet your standards you should get some sleep for tomorrow." Ulquiorra spoke with a soft smile and he liked it, it had been so long since he last smiled. They two stopped in front of Ichigo's door. "Good night Ichigo."
"Good night Prince Ulquiorra." Ichigo bowed and closed the door.
Ulquiorra was doing his best to calmly walk back to his room but his thoughts were on the promise he made to Ichigo.
"In a bit of trouble my prince?" Ulquiorra knew that voice it was the voice of his personal bodyguard Grimmjow.
"You were eavesdropping again."
"My prince I am shocked.." Grimmjow faked mock hurt, "I was merely making sure that Ichigo was not going to escape or hurt you, and I just happen to hear about the promise you made to him."
"Grimmjow what am I going to show him, where am I going to take him?" Ulquiorra began to ramble, was looking ever so slightly worried, and Grimmjow could tell the wind was acting erratically.
"Prince Ulquiorra please, calm down. You could take him to the beach and show him the pure white sands or you could take him to the markets they always have interesting things to look at, and don't worry because I will be there with the two of you." Grimmjow patted Ulquiorra on the back.
"Thank you Grimmjow that gives my mind peace."
"Anytime my prince, now either get to bed or tell your father of your plans."
"I will tell father in the morning."
"Very good, now off to bed." Grimmjow ordered. Ulquiorra looked at his personal bodyguard, and smiled and went into his room.
~/~
The palace servants were holding in gasps when they saw their prince give a slight skip down the steps with a small smile on his pale face which glistened in the sun giving the prince an even more regal look then usual. Ulquiorra had every reason to be happy today, he would be spending the day with Ichigo and showing him around Hueco Mundo and get to know him better. Reaching the double doors to the dining hall Ulquiorra opened them to see his father sitting in a throne like chair eating breakfast with a stack of papers next to him and sitting on Aizen's right was Gin Ichimaru, his fathers right hand man.
"Good morning father, good morning Ichimaru." Both Aizen and Gin looked up to see the prince with a small smile on his face.
"Ahhh good morning young prince, it so nice to see you so happy." Gin said with a smile that was constantly on his face.
"Good morning Ulquiorra." Aizen couldn't agree more with Gin it was nice to see his son happy and it had been a while since he had seen a smile.
"My my if you don't mind me asking what's got that smile on your face? Could it be the orange haired young man, whom you were speaking with early this morning?" Gin asked. Ulquiorra was not surprised that Gin knew about Ichigo, Gin knew about everything that went on in the castle, when ever someone said the wall have eyes and ears they were most likely referring to Gin.
"I am glad to see you are not upset with me Ulquiorra for bring that young man here."
"Not at all father, actually today we shall be going out and looking at the sights." Ulquiorra replied promptly. The double doors opened and Ichigo walked in causing all conversation to stop and look at him as if he were some kind of anomaly.
"Good morning." Ichigo said still not moving anywhere near the table.
"Ahhh here is the young man who has made the prince so happy all ready." Gin called out weather he was trying to ease the tension or embarrass Ichigo it still had the same effect. "Its nice ta meet ya. My name is Gin Ichimaru, Aizen-sama right hand man." Gin beckoned Ichigo to the table. "Come here and eat, your going to need it, from what I hear the prince has a busy day scheduled for the two of ya." Both Ichigo and Ulquiorra were both embarrassed by Gin's actions, but Ichigo came to the table anyway and took a seat next to Ulquiorra.
"Ichigo I hope the room was to your liking." Aizen asked.
"Yes it was thank you."
"So Ichigo tell me about yourself." Gin said leaning forward a bit.
"Ummm there's not much to say. I grew up on a farm and clinic, I have to younger sisters, my dad is loony as can be, I think sometimes he wants me to take over the small family practice and I'm not sure what else there is." Ichigo in all honesty didn't know what to say he was a commoner and they were nobility, true he didn't care who he impressed but here he was sitting with a king, prince and the kings' right hand man.
"Oh all kids think there parents are loony." Gin put in.
"My dad wants me to be strong so he attacks me when ever he can. He wants to make sure I can make it on my own" Ichigo took a piece of toast and bit into it.
"Ahhh, well my dad thought I was a useless whelp who would never make anything of himself other then a farm hand and look at me now the kings right hand man."
Ichigo looked at Gin in astonishment, Gin was a commoner like him well that did explain the way he spoke.
"Ichigo I know you do not have any clothes so please when you are done let me know so we can both go to my room and get you something to wear." Ulquiorra piped in.
"Awww I'm sorry prince Ulquiorra I was stealing Ichigo's attention from ya. That's so mean of me, I truly hope ya can forgive me." Gin teased the prince and Aizen let out a small chuckle.
"Sure, let go now I'm not that hungry anyway." Ichigo said getting up and following the prince, and once the two left the room Gin looked to Aizen.
"Its so nice to see Ulquiorra so happy again."
"Yes, my son's smile has been lost for so long and now Ichigo is bringing it back."
~/~
Ichigo, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow were walking through the city, they had left there horse at a stable, and Ichigo was too busy taking in the sites of the merchants with so many different items to notice that Ulquiorra was talking to him and explaining everything he could about the capital. Grimmjow was keeping a bit father back to give the two some space and so he could watch them better.
"Hey look at that." Ichigo said running over to a small booth, where the table was lined with hair clips, brushes, hand held mirrors and other feminine items. Ichigo picked up a small dark red hair clip with rose stones that made a flower pattern. Yuzu would love this clip, but knowing her she would say that it was too expensive and she wouldn't have the right occasion to wear it to.
"Do you like that young man?" The merchant asked. Ichigo nodded his head and then looked at the small price tag with a slight frown ten gold pieces.
"How much?" Ulquiorra piped in standing right next to Ichigo looking at the clip in his hand.
"Oh prince Ulquiorra." The merchant gave a quick bow. "For you three silver pieces." Ichigo eyes widened, that wasn't even a third of the price. Ulquiorra mentally sighed, people were always trying to appease him even if it meant they would suffer.
"Please I would like to know the real price." Ulquiorra said with a small smile.
"It is ten gold pieces but you don't have too…" The merchant found himself with ten gold pieces in his hand and the prince and the orange haired young man gone.
"Thank you Ulquiorra." Ichigo mumbled. "My sister will love this."
"Your sister." Ulquiorra stated he really knew nothing about Ichigo.
"Yes I have two younger sisters Karin and Yuzu."
"Oh…" Ulquiorra began to look sullen.
"Don't feel bad Ulquiorra. We are still getting to know each other, so there's bound to be things we don't know about each other." Ichigo piped up doing his best to make Ulquiorra feel less sad.
"Right." Ulquiorra gave a nod. "So why didn't you get Karin a hair clip?"
"Karin is the complete opposite of Yuzu."
"And you mother would not like a hair clip." Ichigo stopped walking his soft brown eyes down cast and sad.
"My mother passed away when I was younger."
"I'm sorry I did not know."
"Its fine you know that when I think of her I'm either happy cause those are good memories or I'm sad cause I still miss her so much. But she would have loved this clip, she would have worn it everyday." Ichigo said with a smile on his face and Ulquiorra couldn't help but smile along with Ichigo.
"Shall we continue?" Ulquiorra held out his arm of Ichigo to take which he did and the two continued on stopping every so often to look at the stalls and make small purchases or items or food.
~/~
"Hey Ulquiorra do you know where we can sit down and eat?" Ichigo asked looking into the prince's green eyes.
"No, but I am sure Grimmjow knows of a place where we can eat." Ulquiorra waved to his personal bodyguard to come over to them.
"What can I do for the two of you?"
"Do you know of someplace to eat?" Ulquiorra asked calmly.
"Yeah something simple if it's possible." Ichigo piped in and Ulquiorra nodded.
"Well there is a small little ramen shop just down the road, its nice and quaint." Grimmjow told the two nodding in the direction of the ramen shop.
"Shall we Ichigo?" Ulquiorra held out his arm for Ichigo to take.
"Let's go." Ichigo placed his arm on top of Ulquiorra's and the two began to walk to the ramen shop with Grimmjow following them just a few paces behind them. Now Ichigo was getting slightly annoyed with the constant shadowing of the blue haired guard, so a plan had formed in the young man's mind on how to get some alone time with the prince.
~/~
I am so happy to have this posted chapter I'm not too sure what to work on next so I am willing to take suggestions. Anyway hope you all liked it and please no flames about how long it takes to update, I have school and stuff to deal with.
