I cannot thank you guys enough. I am truly blessed to have so many people loving my fan fiction and taking their time to review. It's great that the story has this effect on you. Thank you so much.

Now I understand what the IchiHime writing muse is. It's all those who read and review. It keeps me motivated. Not just the quantity, but the content of the reviews. They're all stunning, really.

So, here's the 21st chapter. I've been thinking that I want to finish Your Fading Starlight first before moving on to my other IchiHime works. So that I will keep it all in one track. Take it one at a time. It makes my writing better when I don't think too much. (But if a great idea suddenly strikes me for the next chapter of any particular fic, I will update them.)

Here I go.

Chapter 21

Gratifying Greed

"E-excuse me, Your – " Orihime stammered, startled at this statement.

"You know very well what I mean," Barragan said frankly, clasping his large and wrinkled hands together. He observed her with a raised eyebrow, but there was no mistaking the pity in his eyes. "Kuchiki Rukia is to be charged by the Crown for unlawful seduction."

Orihime blanched. She did not know that there was a rule against this. There have been many instances, she knew, that nobles would take mistresses and would do horrid acts behind their spouses' backs. But to be put to death…

Barragan huffed. "This is a law that no husband or wife seemed to have bothered with. No wife would ever dare to accuse her husband of treachery. No husband would be fool enough to lower his pride and say that his wife chose another man. Laws like this are often ignored because of pride. Disgrace that they could not satisfy each other is unacceptable."

He observed the play of emotions on Orihime's face. He cocked his head sideways and continued, "But in my grandson's position, he has no luxury of having an affair with other women. Especially a Japanese."

Orihime looked back at the king. Is he doing this to keep Ichigo permanently away from Rukia?

She thought hard. The king, who seemed to have favored her, surely had other motives. She realized that there would be people spying on them everywhere. She had not been in Brooklyn for years. Only one of her staff was a familiar face. There had been people carefully stationed to observe them.

He is finding any means necessary to get rid of Rukia. And now he is asking me to be the way.

"I do not care much about the Japanese princess," Barragan said, as if reading her thoughts. "Poor girl, she does not know what she is doing. I have no business to think about the colonies now that my time is almost done. I am leaving the rest to my heir, who would hopefully be Ichigo. He has found an excellent bride, however, he is failing to be a husband and a ruler he should be."

Barragan Luisenbarn stood up, walking slowly along the carpet, pacing and looking at the furnishings. "I do not intend to give my country to men who put greed before everything else," he said. "I want a man with heart. A man with vision. A great line of rulers filled portraits with their commanding auras, but only a handful of them truly deserve to be called king."

Orihime listened, gravitated by the sudden oration the king was doing in front of her. She was in the presence of the most powerful man of the New World. There had been impressions of him being a stern and cruel ruler – a man who, singlehandedly could bring an entire country to destruction with just one word. But his words right now portray another man – a grandfather placing his hopes on a beloved grandson and a father of a country who looks forward to a bright future for his people.

"There are only two things that matter in this world, my dear," he continued. "Things that you can or cannot do. I am sad that Ichigo seems to be putting things that he cannot do ahead of things that he can do. I am sad that he seems to think that these matters can be executed, and this idea of breaking boundaries is always right as long as there is a propelling emotion."

"Ideally, that could be correct. But if you are a ruler, you must look at the bigger picture. That breaking the boundaries of reality while setting rules and visions upon your life is the best thing to do. This might be hard to understand, however, I have a strong feeling that he can achieve it. With your help alone, Orihime."

Orihime listened. She could not bring herself to speak. She did not move an inch from where she stood. She still did not understand, but she was being given a glimpse to the intricate workings of the king's mind.

"This is why I disapprove of Ichigo pursuing Kuchiki Rukia," Barragan added. "My grandson is so mystified by the notions of somebody loving him that he has forgotten what it is really like to love and be loved. He is so engulfed by his thoughts of comfort and contentment that he does not bother to think ahead. He is more engrossed in the idea of someone being affectionate with him rather than the idea of someone truly loving him."

"What I meant to say is that taking Kuchiki Rukia out of the picture is a decision that I entrust solely to you," he said, regarding Orihime with wise eyes. "I can see that you love my grandson, in a way that Kuchiki cannot. I see that you love him despite being used only as an object of convenience – as a thing that is part of a bargain so that he can get the crown."

Orihime spoke, her voice clear and unwavering. "I shall not have a friend put to the gallows."

"I am not a shamed woman," Orihime said softly, but with a conviction in her voice that impressed both herself and her listener. "It is not because I could not satisfy my husband that he turned to someone else. It is because he has wavered as a man of straight priorities. And if you truly believe that your grandson is a person with a great heart, you would believe in his ability of repentance. As a wife, I have forgiven him. As a woman who loves him, I am hurt, but I will bear it, as long as I see to it that he gets what he deserves. And as a friend of Kuchiki Rukia, I will protect her. She may have done this out of turn, but I have spoken to her and she has honored me as an equal. I believe in her ability to keep her word."

Seconds ticked by. Orihime waited unnervingly as to how the king would react to this act of defiance. But Orihime just listened to what he had to say, and he said this was her decision to make. It is true that no person has ever put someone to death just because of destroying one's marriage, however, this was not the same case. It was not pride or shame that fueled her actions. It was something else…

To her surprise, Barragan was not in the least appalled by this statement of hers. He chuckled, a deep laugh that came straight from his belly.

He looked at her, like a father surveying his favorite daughter, and said, "You truly are something else, Inoue Orihime."

Orihime smiled back. "My name is Kurosaki Orihime, Your Majesty."

"Indeed," Barragan agreed, but his smiling face fell to a serious manner when he spoke a warning to Orihime. "However Orihime, I must give you a word of caution. You are fortunate that I am the only one who knows about this encounter between Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia. If, by any chance, any other high ranking member of my family finds out about this, they will not hesitate to find a reason for Kuchiki Rukia to be executed. If these people send the orders, I cannot stop it. I have placed absolute authority on my sons and daughters to arrest anyone under our jurisdiction. There are many people who would want to see Ichigo fail. Do not let them succeed."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Orihime answered bravely, her eyes alive and shining with determination.

Ichigo stared outside the window of the dining area, still waiting for Orihime. He had been standing there for quite some time now. Rukia and Yoruichi had been talking, but he did not bother to listen.

His eyes were downcast, as if a spirit had taken away any signs of life in them. The night sky was clear and calm, the stars twinkling and the moon grinning. It was the total opposite of how he was feeling right now. The tumult of emotions that underlie his stoic façade seemed to know no end and no bounds.

"Ichigo," Rukia said from behind him.

Ichigo could feel her proximity but he said nothing to acknowledge her presence. He heard a sigh from behind him.

"So this is where it all ends?" she continued, trying to get a glimpse of his face. She did not have to see it to tell that he looked drained. She did not have to see it to know his pain. It emanated from him.

This was how Ichigo's nature was. He would take the burden all to himself when he knows that there are other people at fault – other people who would want to share the burden with him and help him. He could not get it through his thick head that no one needed him to play the hero. He needed others, and they all would be heroes.

He still did not speak. Rukia could only hear his breathing. She sighed again.

"You know what, you are a lucky man," she said, her positivity finally drawing his attention.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, his voice sounding foreign to both of their ears.

Rukia looked at him pointedly, as if he was a dumb child. "Your wife. She is… a force to be reckoned with."

To her surprise, Ichigo chuckled.

"That is definitely one way of describing her," he said fondly. Almost too fondly.

The way he spoke did not go missed by Rukia. The familiar pang in her chest was something she had grown accustomed to from the first time she laid eyes on Inoue Orihime. But this time, it was a pain that she had accepted. She knew that they had both reached their limits. Truth be told, there are limits when it comes to giving. There are limits when it comes to loving someone, no matter how we try to prove ourselves wrong. There are times that you have to give yourself restrictions in order to actually prove that you care for someone, and that, more often than not, includes letting go.

"I'm sorry," she heard him say hoarsely, his eyes still on her.

Rukia nodded, a ghost of a smile etched on her fine features. "It would have never worked out between us," she said with a small laugh. "There is someone else for you and for me. But I am happy that I love you. Even if it was impossible for us to be together."

Ichigo nodded as well. This was one of those times that words were necessary. That you needed one person to actually know what it was you thought about.

"You know," Rukia continued, unable to stop the tears from flowing down her eyes. Silent and flowing. "She loves you."

"I know," Ichigo responded, watching her closely.

"She gave up everything for you," Rukia said in a whisper. "Something which I did not and cannot do. I think that would have proven the end for our relationship."

Ichigo did not respond. Yes, Orihime gave everything for me. She brought something else that no one can bring to my life – the sun.

"I regret ever feeling badly about her, and for treating her the wrong way. She never deserved that kind of treatment. And we could have been friends, if I had not let my jealousy and pride block my way. And most of all, I regret dishonoring myself and betraying her."

Ichigo silently agreed. Orihime was the type of woman who deserved far better. Someone much better than him. But if he were to beat himself up for it and silently brood over it to the ends of the earth, there will be no fruit in all their toil. He suddenly came to a realization that if the current Ichigo was not up to the standards to be with someone like Orihime, then he would have to do better – to make her feel like the queen she ought to be.

Because I love her.

"Someday, if not even now, you will realize that you love her," Rukia said, as if speaking his mind. "Do not let her go this time, Ichigo."

With that, she gave him a playful punch.

Ichigo grinned. It had always felt right when Rukia was his best friend. And she is now. Things were never better.

Soi Fong swiftly walked towards the king's study, unable to contain her excitement. Her ever stoic demeanor had let a small and triumphant smile crack through. Her jet black eyes were glittering, an exact replica of the deceased queen's whenever her malicious plans were in motion.

Servants scurrying everywhere bowed at her presence. As always, she refused to acknowledge their existence. She had one purpose for entering the Royal Wing that housed the ruler of England and it should be put done accordingly.

The king had summoned the night before to give her a mission. A mission which involves the colony of Japan. It was known that the Kuchiki princess was now a guest at the palace. The timing was never better.

Foolish girl, Soi thought, her smirk growing wider.

No one else knew this, but she was the one who sent that phony letter to the unassuming princess. She was the one who brought her to England. She was the one who had sought ways to eliminate the Kuchiki problem. As long as there were members of the Japanese royalty, the colonials still had their petty hopes of setting their motherland free.

But she was not about to let that happen.

Many of Barragan Luisenbarn's conquests during his time were all due to the military brilliance and strategic genius of his youngest daughter, Soi Fong. She was vicious, cunning, shrewd and merciless. With a keen mind and no conscience, she was the most powerful woman in England. No one dared to cross her path. She trained herself to the bone, working hard to become the best member of the family. She studied and explored. She had kept to herself so that she would not develop any weak feelings towards others.

She was always the faithful daughter, never disobeying her father or the rules. Her strict respect for the law earned her a place in the law enforcement squads of the Royal Army. She quickly weaved her way through and eventually earned the title 'General.' She became the head of the entire force.

However, despite all her efforts, she was still the least favored of all the children. Being strange as a child, Barragan often contradicted her ruthless actions and would often chastise her. As years passed by, the king learned to simply ignore her because she had won wars and territories for the empire after all. She was the first child to be granted absolute power in arresting, executing and pardoning people whom she deemed worthy and unworthy.

Soi Fong did not need her father's affections, that much she decided. She only had to prove herself to one person and one person alone. The man who always looked at her the way she was supposed to be looked at. The sole human who sees her brilliance and excellence.

Her older brother, Sousuke.

This was the reason Soi Fong despised Masaki. If she did not exist, her beloved nii-sama would have been sane. He would have stayed in the palace and become the king that he rightfully is. He would have supported her until she conquered the whole world for him.

But he was banished and she was left alone. It seemed that only she and her half-brother, Gin, were the only people who saw Sousuke's importance in the royal family. As soon as they found him, they helped him back on his feet again. As soon as they found him, they had been following his orders.

Now that Masaki's son has returned to assume the throne, Sousuke has been on the edge. Soi Fong can tell the wrath and the insanity that was at its boiling point within her brother. But she saw hope. Remnants of their eldest sister were the only things that drove Sousuke mad. If these traces were to be erased from this world, then there would be no reason to ever worry for her brother's sake.

Then there would also be the opportunity to bring him back to the throne.

Soi Fong new that Barragan would not entrust this role to Grimmjow. Not on his deathbed. The king had made it clear to her that she did not trust Grimmjow, and his lust to bring his desires into reality would bring England to destruction.

Kaien was also not an option. The boy refused the throne ever since he first laid eyes on it. Any other heirs were not favored by the king anyway.

Only Ichigo.

Apparently, the bastard had found a way to get himself a suitable wife when it comes to blood. The girl was of good breeding, but her naivety annoyed Soi Fong. These were not strong qualities of a queen. She was definitely below the standards, as far as the Fourth Princess was concerned.

Then there was the Kuchiki girl. Again, Soi Fong grinned. She was the key to all of her plans. Once she was brought here, it would be easier to play with Kurosaki Ichigo until he was totally erased. It would be easier to completely claim Japan without any way out.

The clock has finally begun ticking.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A smile reflected itself on the fine mirrors of a small room. Kuchiki Hisana had been waiting for hours. She did not like to wait, but patience was something she had to be patient with as time passed her by.

Perfect timing would dictate if plans will work out or not.

"Come here," she said softly, her maniacal eyes summoning a small boy around the age of four.

Long fingernails gently scraped the boy's innocent face. Hisana smiled. The boy smiled back, not knowing the madness that lay beneath the woman.

"Have you eaten?" she asked, raising her chin to observe the boy better. She stretched her leg on the ornately covered futon, a royal and lazy habit that she had developed over the years of not doing anything.

"Yes mama," the boy answered.

Hisana's sickeningly serene face contorted to an ugly mask. She forcefully squeezed the shocked boy's face until blood came out of his skin. The boy whimpered, but he did not cry. He was used to being treated like this. He never did cry.

"Do not call me mama," she spat, letting venom seep through every word she spoke. "You are not my son!"

The boy did not answer and simply bowed his head. Hisana, who seemed to have snapped out of her outburst suddenly engulfed the boy in a suffocating and frantic hug.

"Hush darling, I'm sorry," she whispered to his ear, cradling his small form close to her. "Do not ever call me mama. Your mother is dead. She is a vile and dirty creature. She does not deserve you."

The boy trembled slightly. The woman who took care of him was frightening. But where else would he go? She was family. Along with his papa, Kuchiki Byakuya.

"KANOKO!" she suddenly screamed, nearly deafening the four-year-old she was holding so close to her.

Frantic footsteps echoed on the wooden floors of the Kuchiki manor. The sliding doors opened, revealing a shaken young woman with her dark brown hair pulled up in a messy bun.

"Hai, Hisana-sama?" she said in a trembling voice.

"Have you called Abarai-kun?" Hisana asked in a sing-song voice, gently stroking the boy's spiky locks.

"I-I have, Hisana-sama," Kanoko answered, not daring to look Hisana in the eye.

"Good," Hisana said. "When will he be here?"

"He is already here, Hisana-sama."

Hisana's face brightened up. "Excellent! Well, what are you waiting for? Let him in!"

"Ha – hai! Hisana-sama!" Kanoko said, bowing deeply in apology and scurrying off to bring what her mistress asked for.

Hisana scoffed. The woman was so terrified of her. But she needed that from her subjects. She had minions of her own, people who do her bidding without Byakuya's knowledge. She was the only one who knew exactly what to do to regain their former glory.

Her smile slowly turned even wider when she spotted a shock of red hair approach the room. In a second, Abarai Renji revealed himself to the former empress of Japan.

"What do you want from me?" Renji said angrily, fire burning out of his eyes as he looked at the woman who was responsible for his disgrace and downfall.

He resented Hisana with every fiber of his being. There could never be a worse creature in this world. The Kuchiki family was comprised of ungrateful, selfish and crazy bastards who knew nothing about Japan and its people.

Renji knew better.

"Do you know this little boy?" Hisana asked him mockingly, inclining her head.

Renji's eyes swept over to a boy with spiky black hair who was nestled in Hisana's arms. It was unfortunate that someone so innocent was tainted by a madwoman's touch.

"No," Renji answered coldly. "Should I know him?"

"Do you not remember what you did?" she said in a hushed voice. "To Rukia?"

"I did not do a thing!" Renji said loudly, feeling the rage coming out of him. It had been years. Years since he had been accused of sleeping with the princess. Years that he had been falsely put to trial and exile. He wanted to forget that rainy night.

"Rukia-sama!" he said in surprise and fear. It was late at night, and he had been in a meeting with Kuchiki Byakuya to discuss their next ambush on a British noble family who resided in the Showa province. They had taken it their mission to exterminate any traces of England in their country, and Renji was at the top of this game.

He was about to go home when the rain and a shadowy figure stopped him. As soon as the form stepped into the light of the manor, he felt terror wash over him.

Kuchiki Rukia walked, shaking, towards him. Her face was as pale as paper. Her clothes were torn. And there was blood… between her legs.

Renji could only guess what happened.

In fear and pain, he brought her to safety. He had always done that for her. He rescued her and became her pillar of support. Surprisingly, he was the only one she showed vulnerability to. They had been companions for years, ever since Renji was five years old and was brought to Kuchiki Byakuya to be trained as his personal guard.

He did everything for her because he loved her.

He even took the blame for something he never did. That fateful night, his life was changed. No longer was he a respected lieutenant. He was a vagabond and a criminal.

He was accused of raping and defiling Kuchiki Rukia.

Renji had no idea who the culprit was. He knew that Rukia had been seeing someone, someone whom she loved. He knew that Byakuya knew of this affair, since he overheard the siblings arguing about it. But he never found out the identity of the man. He had been forever jealous of no one.

The redhead came to a conclusion that it was the man that Rukia loved who did this to her. It was because she looked hollower and more broken. If it were any ordinary person, she would have risen stronger than ever, and would have sought revenge. But she did not. She was protecting him.

And Renji knew that Byakuya realized this too. However, the elders knew of Renji's desire for Rukia, that was why the blame was placed on him. Kuchiki Hisana, whom Rukia had long thought dead, was the one pulling the strings. Renji made it his business to know everything before leaving, so that someday, when he came back, he will have his vengeance.

But these plans were forgotten as soon as he met a group of the most amazing people he could ever be blessed with. He was a changed when he met them. He had learned to be a brother and a true protector for Jinta, Ururu, Orihime and Tatsuki.

And Tatsuki… who always gave him hope and strength.

"No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to convince anyone that you are innocent," Hisana teased. "I ask you again, do you know who this is?"

Renji glared at Hisana, unable to speak. He was here to listen to what Hisana had to say. He was here so he could plan everything carefully, to know what it was that made this woman tick. He did not want to go back to the past, but to move on, he must face this.

"This," Hisana said, placing a kiss on the top of the youngster's head, "is Kuchiki Haru."

Renji observed the child. He had spiky black hair and chocolate brown eyes. His complexion was not yellowish, unlike most Japanese children. It was closer to a pale white…

Like an Englishman's.

"This is Rukia's son," Hisana finally said, laughing coldly. "Poor dear does not even know that her son is alive."

Haru's eyes darted to the woman who embraced him. "Ru-Rukia?" he asked in wonderment.

Hisana smiled in satisfaction. Haru had been her companion for years. She had hidden him away from his mother as a form of revenge. Taking away people you love…

"Haru-kun," she said in that sickening sing-song voice again, "meet your papa."

Renji paled. This is a lie. But he could not tell the boy that he was not his father. The look of hopefulness that so resembled Rukia's expression halted him.

So I guess that's it for now. ;)

See kids? This is what happens when you have unprotected sex with someone! (LOL) Though, there are no forms of protection back then. So of course Rukia would get pregnant. :))

Poor Renji.

A review is much appreciated! :)