A song of Death Gods and Direwolves chapter 12

I do not own A song of Ice and Fire or Bleach

A month. That was how long Ichigo has been in the stinking pile of garbage that the people call King's Landing, and the orange-head could barely wait to go home, back to Castamere and the peace that he had found there. His friends back from Earth would have had their jaws to the ground if they saw him back, in his keep.

He was not the usual constantly-scowling getting into fights youngster, no. He was, in a word-emotionless. Just after he saved Tywin, all those years ago, he did not really pay him much attention. Instead, the shinigami wondered the woods where he landed first into Westeros, trying to find a way back. Even after he had settled into Castamere, he occasionally went to the same woods, searching them thoroughly.

Ichigo was never good at sensing stuff, but every once in a while, he would do the spirit ribbon search, the first and most basic sensor technique and it would always be blank. He did not really know what he was looking for, considering it is used to find living beings and he needed something along the lines of a portal, but when he did, the most powerful entity he could find that way was a barely spiritually-aware human, and that was one in a million.

Over the years, as Castamere rose around him, he became even more closed off. He once even though that he was, ironically, becoming more and more like Byakuya, and that made him shudder. And to make matters worse, he was in a primitive world based on western cultures. Even now, he can remember how hard it was to explain how Japanese architecture looked to the builders, finally falling to sketches. Of course, in the end, it was not an entirely Japanese design, the shinigami not been an architect, but it was close enough for his taste.

A small smile appeared on Ichigo's face, remembering how two years ago the more well-off citizens of the city adjoined to the keep requested an audience with him to discuss demolishing some of the city's buildings and rebuilding them in the same architecture, the Sept been the first to be rebuild, now looking more like a Shinto shrine, considering her new location on a hill surrounded by a small forest. Some other building were rebuild the same way as well, and most of the new houses build were in the same style too.

But even then, looking at scenery, that while would be hard to find in modern-day Japan, yet still reminding heavily of home, Ichigo felt alone. Even with him been friendly to the servants, he still felt like he could not connect to them completely. Back on Earth, he had unbreakable bonds with his gang, if one can call them that. They have shed tears and bled for each other. Such bonds are hard to forget, and while Ichigo at times wanted to forget them, for they brought him nothing but pain, he ultimately memorized them. Heck, he even wrote down all of his adventures with his friends, in Japanese, no less.

Ichigo was snapped out of his mussing by a servant boy running up to him, where he was seated in the gardens, again, and informing him that Tywin's host was entering the city. 'About bloody time'

As he got up from his chair, he put the brush down that he used to write calligraphy. Some would have laughed, and once, even Ichigo himself would have laughed at the very notion of him doing something like this, but now, he just wanted to remember, and with no one else speaking his language, writing became his only option.

As he moved through the keep, he fastened his black gi*, having worn in rather loosely in the gardens, considering it was a hot day and black was not the best color for under the sun. It did not take long for him to get to the other side of the castle, overlooking the reeking city, and just in time to see the old lion entering through the gates. What surprised him was that he saw Jaime Lannister, the kingslayer as some called him, riding next to Tywin, and while the knight looked a lot worse than what the young lord remembered, there was no mistaking him.

Next to him, he registered the queen gasping, not sure when she got there, but glad that there was someone more high-ranking than him. It only meant that he would not have to deal with Tywin himself publicly. In private, he might let his temper run, but the old lion has warned him many times against opposing him in public and it was not that Ichigo was afraid of Tywin, no. He would simply prefer not to deal with anything that one can say is related to politics at all. Heck, he would even prefer to take on a dragon rather than to deal with politics for even a second.

As Cersei went and hugged her father and brother as they dismounted, Tyrion came waddling in the courtyard, a black doublet with the hand's badge on it. While Tywin looked at his younger son as if he wanted him gone, the small man simply smiled and handed the badge strait to his father.

After taking the badge, the old lion simply passed Tyrion, as if he did not exist, heading strait for Ichigo. Sighing internally, Ichigo met Tywin's gaze, only for the new hand to say:

"We will talk later. I have a task for you." Scowling at the cryptic old man, Ichigo was left standing in the courtyard with Tyrion, looking at the old Lannister's retreating form, the twins following their father intently.

It was then that a group of soldiers of his own forces came through the gate, five of them in total, four in full armor and armed, while the last one, standing in between then, while clad in the now traditional garb for Castamere's soldier, bearing no weapon.

"My lord, we have a problem." Addressed him one of the armed men, bowing to him.

Ichigo sighed, thinking that his day was going to hell extremely fast.

One hour later, and Ichigo was sitting in front of Tywin in the Tower of the Hand, the workers that were there, redecorating the room, were quickly sent away as soon as the young lord entered.

"My daughter speaks highly of you." Said Tywin, after both men had sat in silence for a few moments.

"I did nothing but what you wanted done. Just get on with what you have to say." Said Ichigo dismissively. Had this been anyone else, that person would have been dead the moment he left the room, this believe further confirmed by the way Tywin was glaring at him.

As the old lion got up from his seat and went to the window, a goblet full of wine in his hand, he fell silent for a moment before speaking without turning.

"Robb Stark will be attending his uncle's wedding at the Twins in a two days time. I have arranged for the Freys to give a wedding present to the King in the North – a nice wolf pen." He said, playing the poet.

"You don't mean…?" asked Ichigo, actually shocked.

"Yes, I do. And you should be happy that Jaime stayed my hand from having him killed. He arrived at Harrenhal just before I sent the letter. Something about owing Catelyn Stark a debt… foolish boy." Said the old lion, shacking his head before taking another sip from his wine.

"You do realize that means dishonoring and what not. Breaking guest rights, was it?" asked Ichigo, the anger evident in his voice. As the older man turned to the seated one, he said:

"But I am not the one doing it. Walder Frey gets all the glory. I should have had ordered that boy killed…" mussed Tywin. Before turning back to the window.

"So that's your solution? Killing a man at a wedding. The great Lannister legacy…" said the orange-head, sarcasm and anger heavy in his voice.

Tywin turned sharply, putting the goblet back on his desk with a heavy clang.

"Explain to me how it is more honorable to kill thousands on a battlefield instead ten at dinner?"

"THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT, DAMN IT!" shouted Ichigo, standing up from the chair he was seated in.

Tywin glared at him for a long time before speaking.

"Watch it, boy. I value your talents, but watch it. It matters little anyway. The wolf pup will live and your honor will remain intact."

The old lion went around his desk and seated himself back in his rightful seat before taking a parchment and, quill and ink and starting to write.

"What you will do is take your entire host, including your pretty wife and her sister and march to the Twins. There, you will personally deliver these term to Robb Stark." He said, continuing to write the letter.

"If he accepts, he will be reinstalled as Lord Paramount of the North and everything will go back to the way it was, after which you will march back to Castamere, along with both girls and make sure that those Ironborn are beaten back if they so much set foot anywhere north of Casterly Rock. And if he refuses… I don't think there is a need to tell you what to do then."

"Both girls?" asked Ichigo, calming down after Tywin's monologue.

"Sansa Stark will be your ward, until a suitable husband is found for her."

"You mean my prisoner?"

"A most treasured guest. Their mother can go with you as well, for all I care. Jaime keep saying she is very worried about them. Besides, we need something to make sure the Northerners stay in line, and one ward is not enough. Just look at Theon Greyjoy and what he did to Winterfell."

Ichigo was silent. In truth, while he did not show it, he was somewhat happy with the turn of the events. This way, both girls will be away from the capital and, if the boy accepts, Arya would not get all sad and angry, which in turn, meant hell for him.

"So when do I leave?"

"Make your own calculations. You are not a child. I told you, the wedding is in two days time..." said Tywin, handing Ichigo the now finished letter, already sealed with the mark of the hand of the king.

Neither man said another word. Ichigo took the letter and exited the room, heading from one unpleasant task to arguably one even more unpleasant one.

All of the samurai of the Castamereian forces have gathered in the godswood, forming a loose square around the unarmed man from earlier, him kneeling on the ground while all other stood on guard, all fourty of them.

When Ichigo arrived, he sat down in front of the man, putting Zangetsu on his side. The man looked resigned, yet met Ichigo's gaze with his own, unwaveringly.

"Darius Hill. You stand accused of rape and murder of a girl of five and ten. Do you deny these charges."

It was this man that was brought earlier, just when Tywin arrived, from the tavern where he had, in his drunken rage, raped and killed a tavern wench accordingly to the other four men leading him. In his short rule of Castamere, Ichigo has removed the death sentence from a lot of things, creating a more liberal system, yet one cannot change people's understandings overnight, and the capital punishment remained.

The man bowed his head down and said.

"I do not, my lord. I only ask that I be allowed to die with honor."

Ichigo eyed the man for a long time, and with a heavy hearth, knowing full well the entire weight of what he is about to say, finally spoke:

"For your crimes, you should be executed as a common criminal. Yet you follow the ways of bushido, even though I did not force you to swear to do so, and for the time that you have served, you did so with more honor than most Westerosi knights. Even now, in the face of your crime, you take responsibility for your actions. I see only a samurai before me…"

"I grant you, a samurai's death."

The man, almost in tears, bowed his head down once again, his forehead touching the soft grassy ground.

"Thank you, my lord."

Ichigo closed his eyes, knowing full well that he has just sentenced a man to death, arguably a much more unpleasant one that a simple beheading at that.

With his eyes closed, Ichigo never noticed that his little trial has gathered quite a large group of spectators, including a certain pair of sisters.

Hi, there, long time no update.

The first part was more of a how I picture Castemere with Ichigo's influence there. Someone brought up that it is impossible for Ichigo to have his castle in Japanese style and that is completely true. However, he can have it LOOK like a Japanese one. Think for example, how when you go to an architect to design your house, you tell him how you want it to look, possibly even give him/her a sketch and let him worry about the details. This is exactly the same. Ichigo knows how Japanese architecture looks and considering he is filthy rich, he gets what he wants.

As for the sept in Castamere looking like a Shinto temple. No, I am not trying to insult anyone with this, but there have been many occasion where one religion's temple has been converted to another's temple without the building been demolished. Just in Bulgaria (my home country) there are hundreds of churches that served as mosques during Ottoman occupations two hundred years ago. The point I am trying to drive home is that such things actually happened so it is not that unique.

Also, with the final scene, I wanted to show that while Ichigo basically explained what a samurai is to those that follow him, including code of honor and all that, he did not force anyone to swear any vows like you force a knight to sweat oaths before knighthood. It also shows that not everyone in Ichiho's forces is a Mary/Gary Stu.

P.S. Ichigo's speech was inspired by the 47 Ronin movie.

Jaime is here, and intact at that. With Tywin not rushing to the capitol, it makes sense from a timeline point of view.

Also, Red Wedding changes, obviously.

On another note - 50k views WHOO HOO!

*Gi- the top part of a male kimono (my terminology might not be the best, but you get the idea)

Please point out any mistakes, no matter what kind.

Thank you for reading.