Chapter 10: Petals on the Breeze
Byakuya felt a cool wet cloth slowly move over his face and throat, then it went on to his chest. He tried opening his eyes, but they only refused to focus properly…and with his spirit energy in the midst of restoring itself, it wasn't clear who was tending him. He vaguely remembered being in the park and being attacked by hollows.
"T-torio?" he whispered.
Then a warm, calloused hand touched his face.
"Try again," Renji said, softly.
"Renji…" the noble moaned, reaching down to touch his healing abdomen, "Renji…where…where is my…"
"Kisuke hasn't come back yet," Renji told him, brushing the hair away from his eyes, "He and Orihime are still working on the baby and Torio."
Renji's hand found his and laced their fingers together.
"You're going to be all right now. There was some bleeding, but we stopped it."
"Arigato, Renji," Byakuya said gratefully, "for stopping that hollow and for helping to keep me from dying. But…what were you doing here?"
"Torio came to see me at the division," Renji began.
"I told him not to risk it. Tohma is…"
"Out of control, that's what he is. But you know that, don't you? Torio told me what Tohma's been doing to you both. I guess that's why, isn't it? That's why you two came here tonight? Were you leaving him, Taichou?"
Byakuya shook his head.
"I cannot leave him unless it is proven in the royal court that he has broken the law…but Renji, proving such a thing is…not the same as it is in other places. Royal and noble courts are…complex places, where right and wrong is not always judged fairly. I won't find justice or escape for myself unless I have proof that will stand up in the Royal Court. And the spirit king presides over that court. You can imagine the difficulty I would face, trying to prove anything."
"So you were trying to get Torio out…"
"I was acting to save his life, Renji. Tohma would have killed him. And Torio is the only one who has seen…witnessed…what happened."
"So everything Torio told me…while I've been sitting here hoping that you would find some kind of happiness…that bastard's been…"
"Renji…"
"He's been beating the hell out you and Torio!" Renji hissed, "I should kill him for laying hands on you! If he was anyone from anywhere else, you would have killed him yourself…but he's royal so the rules don't apply to him!"
Byakuya smiled sadly.
"An ironic thing in the life of one devoted to obeying the law," he said lifting himself and leaning against the redhead's shoulder.
Renji let his head rest on top of the noble's, holding him there.
"It's strange. Back during that whole thing with Rukia and her execution…I didn't understand why you were so determined to follow the rules to the point of watching her die. I still think it would have been wrong for you to go that far…but Taichou, there is truth to what you told Ichigo that day. Because now, when your life is on the line and people are getting hurt, right and left by this man. Even while we all have to play by the rules to seek justice…just because he is royal…he's given protection from his crimes. I see now how wrong that is."
Byakuya nodded against Renji's shoulder.
"Either extreme is wrong, it seems. But we haven't the luxury of pleading for fairness or bemoaning how we are treated. If I want to survive, I have to fight on their level…and you have to stay out of this."
Renji turned his head and slipped a hand beneath the noble's chin, lifting it so he could see the dark gray eyes.
"You can't mean that," he said resolutely, "I am not just your fukutaichou. I am your friend!"
"And a commoner…and a former lover. Those things make you a person it would be dangerous for me to depend on. I have to work alongside others who know the ways of the noble and royal classes, Renji. You would apply your and Kurosaki Ichigo's unique brand of justice…and we would all be executed."
"Well looking at the track record of the nobles that Tohma nearly married before you, I'd say I have as much chance as anyone else…"
Byakuya lowered his eyes.
"You talked to Yoruichi about Naoki?"
"Yeah, I did. And going through proper channels didn't do him a hell of a lot of good, did it? Now you're placing your life in the hands of the same noble sorts who couldn't save him? Taichou that's…"
"Urahara and Yoruichi weren't able to help Naoki…that is true, but we have all grown older and wiser. Renji…you will be there for me, but you will help me in a different way."
"How is that, Taichou?"
"Just this…what you are doing now. Just being in your presence makes me hopeful. And that is the most crucial thing in keeping me safe. I cannot escape Tohma now…but as long as I manage myself and remain hopeful, I have a chance. Just now…while he isn't here and we are alone…I need to build strength. And realize that if you involve yourself in this and are executed because of it, you will have taken with you all that gives me hope of one day being free of Tohma."
"I understand what you're saying, Taichou," Renji said, brushing the hair away from the noble's eyes, "and I won't take any foolish actions. I will be careful, but I…"
He stopped as the door opened and Kisuke stepped into the room. Byakuya noticed immediately the downcast, weary expression and sat up straighter, pulling at the newly healed area of his abdomen and making him pause and place a hand there.
"Urahara-san," he said quietly, "What is the fate of my child?"
The shopkeeper's eyes regarded him sadly.
"I am sorry, Kuchiki-san," he said in a low voice, "We did all we were able to do…but…the baby never drew breath. He was stillborn."
"B-but, he was moving…just before…"
"There was a great deal of bleeding in the area. We nearly lost you as well. I am…very sorry."
Byakuya stared at him, the information refusing to settle into his confused mind. Renji's arms tightened around him, as though still trying to protect him.
"M-my baby is…gone?" he asked, blinking slowly.
"Yes," the shopkeeper confirmed, "and Byakuya…we were unsuccessful in reviving Torio as well."
Byakuya's eyes closed against the words. Renji waited for some kind of reaction…for his reiatsu to rise and start destroying things, for him to yell and scream that Urahara was mistaken…something. But he only sat, leaned against the redhead, the words spinning in his battered mind and imprinting themselves on a too often broken heart.
"Arigato, Urahara-san. I trust that if you were unsuccessful in reviving them…then there was no hope to be had."
Kisuke swallowed hard and nodded, then left the room and closed the door softly behind him. Byakuya rested silently against Renji, breathing in his warm, masculine scent, his heart aching at feeling so alone, but not wanting to add Renji's pain to his. But, he thought, Renji deserved to know. And with the baby gone and no risk that Renji would contest his paternity, Byakuya felt released to tell the redhead what Tohma had forced him not to say.
"Everything is gone," he whispered, "everything we made that day…"
"What?" Renji said, blinking in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"We spent so many days in each other's presence…taking small steps, growing ever closer. You were unfailingly patient as I learned to express my love to you. You never asked for more than I could give you…yet you gave everything to me…always. And we finally said the words…and we placed ourselves in fate's hands…and like that, it was to taken away from us. But when everything was at its darkest, and I was ready to take my last breath and to die, something happened to give me hope."
"Taichou? What are you saying?"
Byakuya lifted his head and turned to face the redhead, his eyes lowered.
"He wouldn't allow me to tell you…I learned it that day at the cherry blossom viewing. That's what Yoruichi was there to tell me. Renji…the baby I was having…wasn't Tohma's at all…"
"Wh-what?"
"He was ours…the baby was ours."
Renji stared, his eyes becoming intense and his reiatsu flaring.
"But…ours? B-byakuya…Byakuya, that's not possible," he stammered, shock flooding his face.
"I'm sorry…I did want to tell you, but Tohma…he said that if I told you…he would force me to abort the pregnancy. And having lost you…I was too weakened with grief to let go of something so precious…a small part of who we were…something to say that the love between us would never truly die. Renji…now that hope is gone…all of it."
Renji placed a hand over his mouth and tried to fight off the sickness that was rising inside.
"Taichou…I don't understand. Tohma was willing to let you have my baby…as long as I didn't know…Taichou, why? Everything I know about that man says he would never accept my child as his. Why would he do that? Why would he let you have another man's child?"
"I don't know," said Byakuya wearily, "I didn't question what he said at first, because I was too stunned…and then too overwhelmed by his reaction. You're right that it makes no sense. And I don't know why he was willing to raise another man's son. But after the cherry blossom viewing…while he was angry I had had a paternity test performed, his first concern was not to end the pregnancy…but to cover the fact that he was yours."
Tears filled Renji's eyes and he rested his face against Byakuya's, keeping his arms wound tightly around the noble.
"I guess that explains it…why…even though I thought the baby was Tohma's…every time I saw you…and you put your hand down there to touch him…and I saw you smile. Some part of me must have known…or at least suspected. I told myself to be happy for you, because it seemed that you were accepting your life with him and making the most of it…but when Torio came and he told me the truth of things…that's when I came to Yoruichi. She didn't tell me the baby was mine…but I see the double meaning in her words now. She was trying to keep us all safe."
"I-I'm sorry, Renji," Byakuya whispered, tears flowing onto his face, "I'm sorry that I let him force me to keep this from you…and that I wasn't strong enough to stop him…and that I left the manor tonight, thinking I was keeping Torio safe. I didn't know I was putting our baby at risk. If I hadn't moved, if I'd just…"
"What? Stayed and let him keep beating the hell out of the kid? It was wrong and you knew it. There is no way you could have known you would be attacked."
"But Tohma warned me not to leave the manor without him! He feared for the child. Renji, despite what he knew, Tohma acted as though our child was his own! He never once blamed him…or acted hatefully towards him."
Renji shook his head and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"I don't understand that at all. But I do know one thing. This was not your fault. Don't let yourself believe that it is. Given your set of circumstances, I would probably have done the same thing."
"No," Byakuya said in a soft, unbidden sob, "Renji, you would have been stronger than this. You wouldn't have concerned yourself with saving your own life. You wouldn't have let yourself be cornered like I did. I was pathetically weak. I let him corner me…and now…w-we…we both have to pay…for my mistakes…"
"No…"
He broke of as the door opened and Tohma stepped into the room. The prince's face was a mask of intense, forced calm as he studied the two quietly for a moment.
"T-tohma," Byakuya mouthed, "You…know?"
The prince nodded silently, then looked at Renji, still holding himself calmly.
"Abarai-san, if you will please unwrap your body from around my life partner's, I will take Byakuya home to rest."
His eyes met Byakuya's with a hint of iciness.
"I did warn him not to leave the manor…"
"Don't you dare blame him," Renji said in a low voice, "We all know why Byakuya came here tonight."
"Do you? You know less than you think, Abarai-san…and you think dangerously, right now. Unhand my spouse."
Byakuya rose slowly and pulled away from Renji. He approached the prince warily and shivered as one arm wrapped around him. He didn't dare look back at the redhead. Tohma drew his zanpakutou and opened a senkaimon. As he did so, Renji's eyes caught sight of a streak of blood on the blade. He shook his head at the sight as the prince and noble disappeared into the precipice world. The door closed behind them and Renji was left alone in the now dark room, sitting on the rumpled, sakura scented blankets and blinking back tears. He shook his head slowly as they over flowed onto his cheeks, fury and sorrow swelling up inside until they escaped him in a shattering cry.
"N-no!" he screamed, "It c-can't be!"
The door opened and Yoruichi flash stepped into the room, kneeling beside him and gathering the collapsing redhead into her arms.
"It can't be true…it can't…" Renji sobbed, "It can't…It…can't…"
The purple-haired shingami held Renji close and closed her eyes hard against the guilt.
XXXXXXXXXX
Tohma walked silently, slowing when he realized, Byakuya had fallen behind. The noble's legs quivered beneath him, sweat shined on his skin and his breath came in harsh gasps.
"Come now," he said in a low, emotionless tone, "If you thought you were in good enough condition to go roaming about as you were, surely you can manage the walk home. Or do you perhaps see the foolishness in your actions now?"
"T-tohma…"
The prince came closer and Byakuya saw then, the pain beneath the coldness in his eyes.
"P-please…we are both still reacting to what happened. We lost our son tonight. I know you blame me, and I will not argue it…but…just for tonight. Don't be angry. Don't make this any worse…"
The prince took Byakuya by the shoulders and glared into his eyes.
"You have no idea what you have done! You have ruined everything…do you understand? Years worth of plans! Everything hinged on tonight…everything! But you disobeyed me and look what has happened! We lost our child…and you lost your attendant, who I know you valued, Byakuya. And I lost my chance at…at something more."
"Tohma…" Byakuya said softly, "What are you talking about?"
The sound of a cleaner rose up in the passage behind them. Tohma pushed the noble back against the rock wall and held him there, still glaring.
"If anyone asks you why you left the manor…you are to tell them that I sent you to Karakura Town for your safety…that I only said there was an emergency and didn't tell you what kind. You are to tell them nothing of how you found Torio or why you really left, do you understand?"
The cleaner moved in closer.
"Tohma…the cleaner…it's sweeping this passage. We have to get out of the precipice world!"
"Did you hear me, Byakuya?"
"Yes," the noble hissed, staring as the cleaner bore down on them.
Tohma's head turned and he stared at the monstrosity as it closed the distance between them, shaking the walls of the passage.
"Perhaps you have forgotten how powerful I am, Byakuya," Tohma said, still watching the cleaner.
"No…no I haven't…"
"I think you need a demonstration," he said, tearing the noble and throwing him down onto the floor of the passageway in front of the cleaner.
Byakuya lifted himself, knowing there was no time to get out of the way. The cleaner approached him, making the very air tremble. Byakuya stared, his face white with terror. As it reached him, Tohma's power exploded all around him, thundering in his ears and burning his skin. The cleaner exploded as well, and Byakuya covered his head with one arms, laying his body tightly against the passage floor. Everything went silent again around them. Then Byakuya heard slow footsteps and felt himself being gathered into the prince's arms.
He held on wordlessly as they passed out of the precipice world and back into Kuchiki Manor. The prince carried him to their bedroom and curtly ordered an attendant to bring tea. He set Byakuya down on the bed and knelt next to him, leaning over him and extending his hands over the noble's abdomen. Healing energy flared around his hands and lit their faces as Tohma worked.
"Why?" asked Byakuya, "Tohma, I know you are angry with me…"
"Yes," agreed the prince in an eerily calm voice, "I am furious with you. Your foolishness caused two deaths…and it stopped me from achieving a very important part of my destiny. Now that I've made it clear who is in control, I will tell you what I was about tonight. You see…I was about to make them pay…"
"Th-them?" Byakuya repeated softly.
"My father…my brother…all of them. Byakuya…there is much that you do not know about the royal family. They are careful with what is told, even to our noble families. We royals, it seems, are deceitful, even with our own. You see…everyone thinks…that I am full royal…but the truth is…I wasn't born of the queen…"
"What?" Byakuya gasped softly.
"I was the king's son, but born of a peasant woman."
"How…how can that be?"
Tohma laughed sarcastically.
"After my brother's birth, the queen desired more children…but the first delivery had been painful and difficult. She was left unable to conceive. But not wanting to disappoint her, my father agreed to a plan she made. He went to the Rukon district in disguise and he bedded a local whore to make his child. He returned to her and remained at her side until the child was born…I was born. He took me…and he erased the woman's memory. The queen pretended, of course, to have birthed me herself. But as I grew, she became dissatisfied. Always she treated me with less affection than my brother, though I never knew why. No one was told. She was cruel, Byakuya…hateful. She waited until his back was turned and she tormented me. She told me that I was worthless…and that I was low born. And one night…I could take no more. I took my zanpakutou and when she tried to beat me, I slit her throat. I claimed it was a mistaken identity…that it was an accident. But always after that, my father was cautious. He kept me at arm's length…even after he remarried and my relationship with the new queen was good. As time wore on…and he wished for me to marry, he chose the ones before you. But neither was able to understand me…neither to accept me. And they died for that. With you, my father hoped to wash his hands of me entirely. But I knew beforehand what he was about. I waited until he was busied with the council and I slipped into his private quarters and stole a look at the book of lives. I wanted to know why the queen called me low born…and I found the story in her past. Then…I found the woman who was truly my mother. She died that night, the night that I was born…but not before…she gave birth to another…a son. Byakuya…the woman…my mother. Her surname…was Abarai. And your Renji…is my twin. We look different, me like my father and Renji like our mother, but we are twins. I know it for a fact."
"And…this is why you…accepted his child as your own?"
"He would have passed the paternity test, don't you see? The child you were carrying would have seemed to be mine."
"But Tohma, why? Why did you need Renji?"
Tohma hissed a soft sad laugh and touched Byakuya's face gently.
"My naïve…sweet counterpart," he said softly, "I cannot have children…and the reason I cannot…is because the former queen had me sterilized…as a child. And yes, I do remember. She wanted me to know."
Tohma shook his head.
"If she had known about your Renji, then she would have had him killed. It was bad enough to her having to put up with me."
Tohma sighed softly.
"But with her gone, there was only one more piece of her evil to contend with…my half-brother. I tried to have him killed tonight, along with the king. It almost succeeded."
Byakuya caught his breath softly and tried to sit up. Tohma pushed him back down.
"Don't think to tell anyone. There is no way you would be believed. As soon as you tried to tell your story, your Renji would disappear…and no one would find any trace of him ever again. You are a part of this now…and you are going to help me…and if you do, then when I am king, I will release you. I will allow you to go on with your life with my secret brother. All I want is for the two of you to give me a child…just one. I need an heir…to prove myself. I will take the throne and make the child my crown prince. And everyone is happy, don't you see? You and Renji will be together…I will have my revenge and the throne…and my wretched father and brother will die for the torment that was placed upon me. All you must do…is to heal…and when you have done that…I want you…to seduce him. Lie with him and make my heir. You need not be a part of what happens to the king and crown prince."
"Tohma," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "I can't…"
An icy hand wrapped around the noble's throat.
"You have seen my power. You live and die at my command. If you want be with my brother, then you will quietly do this. And once you are pregnant, I will make another attempt on the crown prince and king."
"No…no…" Byakuya said, trying to climb out of the bed.
"Byakuya, don't think you can escape."
Byakuya tore away and flash stepped to the garden doors, only to have them slam shut in front of him. He tried a kido spell, but his power failed him. Tohma's arms wrapped around him.
"Let go! Let go of me!"
"I cannot have you talk…so I will silence you. Relax…" Tohma whispered, sending a shock of kido into his stunned form, Byakuya collapsed into his arms and the prince laid a hand on his forehead. He focused deeply.
"When you awake, you will remember nothing of what I told you. But you wake with a deep hunger for your former lover…one you will seek to feed. You will seduce him and make another child…and you will know nothing of my plans…the burden of knowing was too much for you. I understand. What was done to me was truly wicked…and now they will pay…for everything. Sleep, Byakuya. Heal. Soon enough, we will get what we want."