WHEN THE SNOW FALLS
by Yih

Chapter Twenty-eight
A Message Sent from Heaven

Byakuya stared at the messenger, who held a very important piece of fate in his hands. In that message, it would decide whether or not Byakuya could be with Rukia and still follow the course of the Law. It had been a gut-wrenching week, a week where he had brushed off Rukia's questions about the dispensation – saying that he had already handled it and that everything would be all right.

The first part was true, the other part Byakuya wasn't as certain about. Such a situation had only occurred once before in the long history of the Soul Society, and for the first time Byakuya was sincerely glad he was part of one of the great noble clans, it made sending a request to the King of the Soul Society not seem so absolutely absurd.

"Kuchiki-taichou," the messenger said as he knelt on his knees and presented the missive to him with his outstretched arms, "the King of the Soul Society has sent this response back to your request and he does not require a reply from you."

Byakuya took the missive and his hand trembled once involuntarily as he said softly, "Thank you."

-

Rukia knew that Byakuya was keeping his worries about the situation to himself. She wished he would stop keeping his emotions bottled up like that, why couldn't he just trust her to be strong enough to handle whatever they had to face? It bothered her that he didn't feel like he could rely on her.

She didn't know who to talk to about this… it wasn't like anyone knew about their relationship, except for the elders. Even Ukitake-taichou, even though he knew that the elders were seeking a husband for her, he didn't know about their relationship. Would her Taichou approve of their relationship?

Ukitake was a righteous and honorable man, and technically they were going against the Law… at least until they received their dispensation – if they received. Rukia wasn't naïve. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially when they had to send a direct request to the King of the Soul Society.

She hadn't even known such a thing was possible—

"What is bothering you?" Ukitake asked as he came to stand beside her on the balcony that overlooked the training grounds.

"Ukitake-taichou!" Rukia exclaimed. "I… nothing is bothering me."

Ukitake didn't say anything to disagree with her, but he placed his arms on the railing and looked down at her. "How has your shikai progressed?"

"I have mastered my second dance," Rukia said. "I'm working on the third, but it's difficult. Sode no Shirayuki, well, he said that it takes a certain situation for me to be able to use it. I don't quite understand what he means."

"I'm sure you'll master it soon enough," Ukitake remarked. "You've made a lot of progress within the last year or so, and I wish… well I wish things weren't so hard on you."

Rukia looked at Ukitake in surprise. Was it possible that he knew about the situation that she and Byakuya were currently facing? No, he couldn't possibly know. It was a private, clan matter. He was likely referring to something else entirely.

"It hasn't been too difficult."

"Has it not?" Ukitake murmured. "You're very resilient, Rukia, I admire that."

Rukia could only stare at him with wide eyes.

Ukitake smiled. "Why are you so surprised? Can a Taichou not say a kind word to their subordinate?"

"No, it's just…" Rukia had never considered herself resilient before, but she supposed she was. How else would she have survived Rukongai and made it to the Shinigami Academy?

She had forgotten about that very basic characteristic of herself. She was tough because of the experiences she had lived through and she never gave up and she smiled then. She wasn't going to give up now, not when they were so close.

"Thank you," Rukia said. "I feel a lot better."

Ukitake nodded. "I'm glad."

-

Byakuya opened up the message once the messenger had left. His hand again began to tremble as he unfolded the crisp, thick sheet of paper and he had to put it down on his desk, smooth it out, before he was able to clearly read what was written in the King's own hand. Byakuya breathed in and out quickly, reading fast and then reading it again to make sure he hadn't misunderstood anything.

Kuchiki Byakuya,

I have received and read your request. I have thought a great deal about what you are asking to be allowed, which as you must know is against the Law. I distinctively remember the incidence you cite as proof that perhaps I should again allow another circumvention for this particular situation. I agree, you and Kuchiki Rukia are not bound to each other by the ties of blood, and that is why I will allow you to be judged by your fellow peers. If the other Taichous of the Gotei 13 agree to sanction your marriage to your adopted sister, then you have my dispensation.

Sincerely,

King of the Soul Society

-

A/N: This is a short chapter, but I hope you guys enjoy it all the same! I just felt it had reached a situable ending and instead of pushing more words out, I'm going to focus on the next chapter. What do you think will happen now? With the Taichous? Everyone's going to find about FINALLY about Byakuya and Rukia? Also, what did you think about the conversation between Rukia and Ukitake? Thanks again for reviewing, it makes my day!

Released: 2/5/2009